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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To Be Completely Obsessed With Konmari?

181 replies

SheDoneAlreadyDoneHadHerses · 10/02/2016 20:42

It's a revelation!

I'm a convert and am spending 2-3 hours a night decluttering, thanking things for their use and their service, and binning them letting them go.

It's so utterly freeing and pleasing.

I've hated my house and it's complete inability to be clean and tidy for YEARS and this is making me think I can actually live somewhere peaceful and lovely.

OP posts:
Charley50 · 19/02/2016 13:48

Hi Notin, I'm waiting for the book to arrive. In the meantime I have filled five ENORMOUS bags of clothes that I had previously failed to ditch even though I never wore them. Just reading this thread has helped me to let go of stuff.

I'm starting on my old letters etc as soon as I get home.

OOAOML · 19/02/2016 13:49

Betty I'm not properly doing the Kondo thing, and don't have the book, but lurk here because I really like the idea of things 'moving on' and have used it recently to get rid of stuff I have been keeping for years (like an old favourite purse with a broken zip because I liked the colour Blush). Re ebay, I put a lot of stuff on - I had stored it all for ages till I got round to it, and promised myself that I would list it once and anything that didn't sell would go to charity. I spent ages doing listings and weighing stuff, then listed about 40 items. Half of them sold, most for the list price or just over, a few took off and had a bit of a bidding war, then I made sure the stuff that was left went to charity. It was quite a bit of effort (there were quite a lot of 'can you measure the shoulders' questions) but I made a reasonable amount and cleared space.

SeasonalVag · 21/02/2016 20:06

Guys read half the book, keen to get going.....but... can I just ask about two things.

  1. Dh does not find the idea of decluttering books at all easy as he returns to them but we have over 1000; and,
  1. What do you do about the clothes that you love bit cant physically fit into? (Am on diet, so the latter is in hand!)
EmMcK · 23/02/2016 07:47

Very recent convert, total addict. I borrowed the book from a friend, read it last week and let the ideas settle in my brain and then today I started with my clothes.
Oh my god - heaven!
The process of touching each item, and not feeling it had to stay, and then of saying thank you to it (which I initially found a little flaky) was amazing. I have three giant bags of clothes for the op shop tomorrow already and I have also already noticed that since reading the book, I am not so interested in just buying things at all.
My wardrobe looks so inviting, and my drawers so good now I have folded them so I can see things. I am going to carry on tomorrow and finish my clothes, and then maybe start with my daughter's as she inherits a lot of things from friends but totally only wears a tenth of them because you can't find anything amidst the piles.
I don't know how I am going to do books Seasonal - each one is a friend. I was ruthless with clothes that didn't fit anymore because when I touch them, I don't feel joy, just a little sad or rueful that I can't fit them right.

SeasonalVag · 23/02/2016 07:49

Arrgh. Maybe I should get rid of the extra low miss sixties.....this mum tum is going nowhere....time to acknowledge that...

My husband's an academic. I have to leave his books I guess :(

EmMcK · 23/02/2016 07:54

Yup - I had some amazing slinky tops that I loved loved loved, but after three babies i suspect my mid-section is never really going to be taut enough to wear them again. I kind of look like jelly with coloured shrink wrap over it wearing them now. Sigh.

EmMcK · 23/02/2016 07:55

I did notice though on that Konmari thread in housekeeping though, that other people are keeping clothes that they love but don't fit for a set amount of time and then deciding. Its hard to let go of the pre mum tum jeans though.

SeasonalVag · 23/02/2016 08:07

That's why it's so cathartic though, makes you realise the deeper issues. I've realised I keep a lot of stuff for my kids .... But when the time comes, they won't care about my NME collection etc! I love finding these little bits from my grandparents though, which made me realise a lot of it comes from keeping a connection with people who are long gone.

thebestfurchinchilla · 23/02/2016 08:22

Over the last week I have done a lot. Started with clothes, books, CDs, DVDs. I did paperwork at the weekend and that was brilliant, we had user manuals from a toaster and a hoover we owned 20 years ago! Now all important stuff (30% of what was there) is filed away for when it is needed. My DH did his bedside cabinet too and that was a milestone and a trip down memory lane( the man throws out nothing!!)
I did start on sentimental things and made some progress. It really made me think about not passing so much on to our children so they don't have this burden of keeping so much stuff from us and grandparents. Maybe just be very selective.
My head feels uncluttered now because I know exactly what we have and where it is. Totally worth it.

EmGee · 23/02/2016 08:43

I've been thinking about the whole 'keeping hold of sentimental' things for the next generation. Apart from all the objects (furniture, paintings, ornaments etc) that my parents have collected over their married life, they each have one chest of personal effects from their youth. My dad has a tea chest in the garage and my mum has one of those old-fashioned trunks that were used for travelling (in which she still has her wedding dress and a bridesmaid dress!!!!!). As kids, we used to plague her to let us look in the trunk at the dress, the photos etc.

I was telling my sister that I wanted to get rid of my wedding dress and she said 'No!!!!!!!!!!! What about your DDs? They will LOVE looking at when they are older, like we did' I should add that she has the book so she knows about the KonMari method.

What do you do about that kind of thing? My wedding dress isn't even in my own home, it's in my parents along with my sister's, and the bridesmaid dress I wore as her bridesmaid!!! Poor parents! Good job they aren't kondo-ing yet

shovetheholly · 23/02/2016 09:55

emgee - I think that's an entirely personal decision. Konmarie isn't about getting rid of everything - it's about selecting the things that are really, really meaningful to you, in quantities that suit your space!

The thing is that there's nothing wrong with being sentimental about a few things. It's when it's really diffuse that it becomes a problem. Take my in laws. They invest in literally every single bloody object in the house. And I do mean everything. You can't get rid of an old, knackered bent fork because it's 'special'. So they have about 50 forks. They had to build a second kitchen to house all the beer glasses from various eras of their lives, because none of them could be binned. You can't get rid of books they've inherited and never read and will never read, because they were GFs. Every single thing is saturated in associations with other people and the past. As a result, they are wallowing in clutter and it's becoming more and more of an issue because FIL's mobility is going and he can't actually move around his own house for all the piles of deeply sentimental possessions. If they just kept a few things, their lives would be so, so much better - and they'd still have that important and meaningful relation with the past in a few objects that they'd actually use and appreciate.

Derbyday · 23/02/2016 10:47

I've just downloaded the book. I moved out of the family home when I got divorced last year so my new house started off pretty clutter free. The DC didn't want to bring any of their old toys with them so their rooms are pretty empty other than furniture. I've been eyeing up my wardrobe recently as it's rammed with stuff I never wear.

I've kept old clothes for years in the hope that I'll fit into them again one day but it's been so long that they are totally out of fashion now. I also have a garage full of DVDs (but no DVD player) and nostalgia that I can get rid of.

Looking forward to it!

thebestfurchinchilla · 23/02/2016 13:20

EmGee Yes I still have my wedding dress(20 yrs married) it's in the loft! I will keep it and have got it down every 5 years or so and put it on(helps me stay in shape lol) and given my DDs a laugh! My mum kept a pony tail of my sister's and my hair from a haircut when we were little. She had it wrapped in tissue paper for 40 years. She died last year so what do I do with it now? As she kept it that long I feel bad getting rid but I won't look at it and don't want to pass it on to my DDs(I have some of their hair...see it's contagious!)

pescatore · 23/02/2016 13:22

Same Q as someone upthread - is it better to get the paper (book) version or the kindle version ?

HeyNonnyMaybe · 23/02/2016 13:28

How do you persuade small children to part with toys?

thebestfurchinchilla · 23/02/2016 13:29

I have the book. Read it in 2 days(at bedtimes). Very spaced out text and easy to read. I suppose I suppose it's easier to refer to certain chapters but really once you've read either you get the idea!

Have just attacked the kitchen that I thought I had sorted 4 months ago.....oh no this time I was so much more thorough.

thebestfurchinchilla · 23/02/2016 13:31

hey Mune are 11 and 15 so they want to clear out now. When they were younger I let them keep lots of stuff and only cleared out say once a year. I would ask them what they want to keep and whether there is anything they could give away now they are getting big and more grown up.

SeasonalVag · 25/02/2016 07:18

We're getting a steamer trunk each for our nostalgic trinkets....once they're full, everything else will be binned. I'm a terrible boarder..

thebestfurchinchilla · 25/02/2016 14:41

I have now done every cupboard and drawer in the house! It feels great. I feel organised as everything has a place, the house is staying tidier too and is therefore easier to clean.

EponasWildDaughter · 25/02/2016 14:57

My wedding dress in shrink wrapped into one of those vacuum bags. So are the bridesmaid dresses! You are allowed to keep what is precious to you.

How to tell what's precious? When you are genuinely upset at the thought of it not being there any more then you can say it's precious.

When you wish it was gone, but don't have the heart to do it - you need to Konmarie it!

I've done clothes (8 sacks), books (apx 50, most very big and heavy), games and dvds (enough to get £68 for them at CEX!!)

I'm just starting on misc./sentimental. Going very slowly. One space at a time. I've got a pile of not sure yet ... this is harder than the other catagories.

DawnOfTheDoggers · 25/02/2016 15:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EponasWildDaughter · 25/02/2016 15:17

Oh gosh. 10 years dawn :(

Does it cause him pain when he sees it do you think? Have you gently asked him about it?

I have something a bit similar and i wouldn't be able to let it go.

QuerkyJo · 25/02/2016 15:27

I am thinking of cluttering up my house just so that I can start again. Did my final Komono box today.😢

IceBeing · 25/02/2016 15:34

querky or you could come round to our place....

thebestfurchinchilla · 25/02/2016 16:05

Oh Dawn I feel for your DH. My Mum died last year and I have a few of her things. She was very stylish so I have some of her clothes and I wear them, some jewellery that I wear and a couple of pairs of shoes. At first I kept lots of her things and they were a comfort but Konmarie has helped me to part with them. I actually did thank them for giving Mum pleasure and donated them to charity. I blubber as I drove away but I feel better about it now. Mum loved shopping in charity shops and managed to look so chic!! So I passed her legacy on to someone else and thinking of it that way really helped. it will be painful but he needs to face it and talk through it and treasure a few joyful items of his DM that he can display or use.