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Should I throw out all my ornaments? (Marie Kondo related)

51 replies

wondering7777 · 11/10/2019 09:00

I’m expecting my first child next spring and would like to give the house a thorough decluttering before he/she arrives. I have quite a few ornaments/knick knacks that I like because they either look pretty and/or bring back nice memories. My question is, for Marie Kondo devotees - does this constitute “sparking joy” or should I chuck some/all of them out? They do take up quite a bit of space and make cleaning more time consuming. Help!

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Ffsnosexallowed · 11/10/2019 09:02

Do what you want. If you like them, keep them. If they are just dust catchers - get rid. I had ornaments, don't have any

LuxuryWoman2018 · 11/10/2019 09:02

If you like them keep them or put a few away and rotate them. Don’t chuck out stuff you like that isn’t what MK is about at all.

NoSauce · 11/10/2019 09:03

Keep the sentimental ones. I’m not a huge ornament fan but I have a few that mean a lot to me.

wondering7777 · 11/10/2019 09:05

Don’t chuck out stuff you like

The problem is I like a lot of my clutter - which means the house stays cluttered! Confused

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SachaStark · 11/10/2019 09:05

Have you worked through all of the stages of KonMari? If you’ve reached sentimental items, that should be Stage 5, and you’ll be able to hold them and tell if they spark joy or not.

If you’re not sure, I’d go back a few stages and come back to them later.

Starting with sentimental items is the most difficult way to do KonMari!

InDubiousBattle · 11/10/2019 09:07

Don't get rid of all of your ornaments. I prefer to keep things that are useful, beautiful or seriously sentimental.

LaurieFairyCake · 11/10/2019 09:11

I Kondo-ed- have dozens of Knick knacks - they all spark joy.

It doesn't look like clutter to me.

CherryPavlova · 11/10/2019 09:12

I don’t know who Marie Kondo is but clutter is work.
Ornaments sound a bit like those ghastly, naff Capodimonte shepherds or Willow tree resin angels.
If you’re talking the odd good sized bronze and it brings you joy, keep it. If it’s doe eyed children or horses on their back legs, send them to a charity shop.
If it’s ceramic Mexican hats or gilt Eiffel towers, reconsider your buying habits.

Bluntness100 · 11/10/2019 09:15

If they take up a lot of space then it sounds like you've got a lot. It also sounds like you're really not up for decluttering, so you may as well be honest with youtself.

KUGA · 11/10/2019 09:15

Put them in a box and put the box in the attic until dc is older.
Or sell them/give to a charity/do a car boot.

Minioooons · 11/10/2019 09:16

I personally think MK is rubbish. 99% of your stuff wouldnt really spark joy. I have zero joy out of most of the clothes i wear. Am I meant to chuck them away.
I also think ornaments are just clutter. If its stuff you can buy anywhere then its pointless. Maybe keep 5 things that are sentimental and throw the others?

LonginesPrime · 11/10/2019 09:17

does this constitute “sparking joy” or should I chuck some/all of them out?

No-one else can tell you whether your things spark joy for you.

My instinct would be that if you have to ask, they probably don't and you are just looking for justification to keep them anyway, but I agree with the PP who suggested Kondoing everything else first so that you're au fait with recognising what sparking joy feels like to you before you get on to the sentimental items.

You could always pack them away for a while rather than actually chucking them out in the meantime.

SachaStark · 11/10/2019 09:27

If you’ve not studied KonMari, it does seem a bit weird and fluffy at first, @Minioooons. But if you work through the process step by step properly, then you train yourself up to recognising very easily what sparks joy for you, and quickly your life doesn’t have to be burdened by clutter anymore.

If you do the stages properly, you start with preparation, where you envision the life you want to have, and the person you want to be. Once you’ve got a clear idea of what that is, then you can begin.

You do clothes first, then papers, then books, then miscellaneous items by room, then sentimental items. By doing it in this order, you can train yourself up to recognising the feeling of joy.

In your example, when you start with clothes, you start with the clothing items worn nearest to your skin/heart first, so pants, bras, socks, etc. It can be confusing to think, “Why would this pair of tights spark joy for me?” because nobody gets very excited about tights. However, the spark of joy comes from the way you feel when you wear them. If you have a nice pair of tights that you think make your legs look awesome, or a cosy pair that make you feel warm, then that is the spark of joy. If your tights are bobbled or overstretched, or are in a colour you wouldn’t want to wear, then they don’t spark joy, and they need to go. Thank them, and move on from them.

KonMari isn’t about chucking loads of stuff away. My DH and I are quite minimalistic nowadays, but my living room still has pictures and some ornaments and candles and loads of books, because they spark joy for me. KonMari just doesn’t hold with keeping stuff “just in case”, or because you will feel some sense of guilt of getting rid of it. If it doesn’t spark joy for you, then it’s a burden on your life.

PlasticPatty · 11/10/2019 09:28

Charity shop the lot. Your empty shelves will spark joy.

SachaStark · 11/10/2019 09:30

Forgot to add, but you also NEVER do the KonMari process on somebody else’s stuff! Because you can’t know what sparks joy for them. For example, my DH hasn’t ever done the full KonMari process, even though I have. However, he does go through his clothes from time to time, and I actually did once catch him standing over the bin with a totally worn-out pair of jeans, saying, “Thank you, jeans!” before chucking them away!

Willow2017 · 11/10/2019 09:37

I have a few good ornaments and a few that aren't worth much. But they all mean something to me either because i love them or they were given to.me by someone close or they are memories of certain times.
I don't 'Kondo' but did get rid of a few when we moved but I definitely won't be getting rid of any more. Sod what anyone else thinks. If something gives you pleasure or sparks memories then keep it.

Other people can live as minimally as poss, Each to thier own but don't criticize people who don't.

MaryLane93 · 11/10/2019 09:40

I've boxed mine up and will get them back out when the kids are a bit older (when my youngest is past the toddler and pre school stage). I couldn't handle them breaking, and it did create extra cleaning, but they are mementoes from my life before kids and travelling and definitely spark joy. They just spark more joy not broken.

PerkyPomPoms · 11/10/2019 09:44

Box them up and store them. In ten years time take them out and see if they spark joy...

getoutofthatgarden202 · 11/10/2019 09:45

I would recommend that if you are not ready to get rid of them all yet - then put some away neatly in a box and re-visit it another time - that way you can see what life is like with them gone for a bit and make a decision then!!

Whatsnewpussyhat · 11/10/2019 09:46

Lockable display cabinet. No dusting and safe from small hands.
Display your favourite items and put rest away or rotate regularly.

NorthernSpirit · 11/10/2019 09:46

Get rid of the dust collectors

BiBiBirdie · 11/10/2019 09:49

If I chucked everything out clotheswise that doesn't spark joy, I'd be walk round naked.
Ornaments aren't everyone's cup of tea but if you love them, keep them. I would recommend putting them up high as little hands can and will spark joy in themselves by breaking them.

wondering7777 · 11/10/2019 09:53

Ornaments sound a bit like those ghastly, naff Capodimonte shepherds or Willow tree resin angels.

This made me laugh! They’re more like vintage jugs/bowls and retro Oxo tins - that sort of thing.

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ElizaDee · 11/10/2019 09:59

Get a glass cabinet. Then you mostly only have to dust that and they are protected.

wondering7777 · 11/10/2019 10:01

If your tights are bobbled or overstretched, or are in a colour you wouldn’t want to wear, then they don’t spark joy, and they need to go. Thank them, and move on from them.

I have socks where the heels have worn threadbare Blush I’ll definitely be getting rid of those once I get round to buying some new ones!

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