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Original poster

'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying' - Marie Kondo

999 replies

FrancesHB · 07/09/2014 15:46

Has anyone else read this? I did a search but couldn't find any previous threads.

Marie Kondo is a Japanese expert in tidying and decluttering and her book has been translated into English and is best selling. It's wonderfully eccentric and inspiring and in some ways rather a breath of fresh air compared to other books on the subject (have read 'em all and my house is still messy...).

She asks us to ask if an item brings us joy and if it doesn't we thank it and out it goes. A bit like fly lady 'you can't organise clutter', but in a less annoying and at times quite endearing way.

I wondered if any MNers had used her technique and if it helped them 'get their house in order'.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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ChaffinchOfMegalolz · 08/10/2014 15:02

I've not RTFT yet so apologies if repeating

I'm loving this method - very inspiring
due to having a recent dc3 everything's been mixed up and moved around, bedrooms changed etc
also a bereavement has meant we've been given a LOT of odd bits - eg china, baking dishes and the like. Very nice but they mean clutter and repeated items

I have become aware that stuff people give me = often major clutter
you feel obliged to accept, be grateful, mash it in amongst your own stuff so it takes up room, you kind of resent it as it wasn't your choice and you don't really need it...

memo to self don't accept it! gracefully and kindly decline
also I've realised I will buy ANY old tat if it is a bargain. Whyyyy do I!!! going to reign myself in big time

BeCool · 08/10/2014 15:02

I've found my "local tip" - it has a minimum charge of £37.50 to take stuff there :(

holmessweetholmes · 08/10/2014 15:07

Thanks for the Wine Coughle ! I shall be having the bubbly variety tomorrow, plus fisn and chips on picnic plates, as our stuff won't be fully unloaded by then!

evertonmint · 08/10/2014 15:10

Really?? Wow! I know they often charge vans as it could be commercial waste but I thought domestic was fine - refuse is generally part of our council tax provision after all. Can you take to a neighbouring borough tip?

Hubb · 08/10/2014 15:48

Hi All,

Have finally read the whole thread, really enjoyed it and now this topic is playing on my mind 24/7! Someone commented about clearing out their mugs and I've never thought to do that before! Have picked up loads of little tips.Oh and while in the kitchen I got my ramekin collection under control Blush

The stuff about storage ie NOT buying more storage is revolutionary to me!! I love boxes and baskets but will be buying NO MORE!

Have folded everything in my pyjama drawer and it looks great Smile

BeCool · 08/10/2014 18:05

Welcome hubb and good work!

everton I have to prove what borough I live in to use it but will look for another one.

catsfishsnails · 08/10/2014 19:35

BeCool, we use the recycling centre in the neighbouring borough, just because it's the closest to where we live. We've never been asked for a proof of address, they just ask us what we're bringing and direct us to the relevant area. Even when the back seats are down and more than half the car stuffed with rubbish!

fuzzpig · 08/10/2014 20:05

The request list for this book at work (library) keeps increasing - I keep wondering if any of the names are on this thread :o

Woodenheart · 08/10/2014 20:20

I ordered mine from the library, they got it from another branch, very quick, most impressed.

Well, I had complete meltdown today, Im overwhelmed with it all, I sat and cried my eyes out, DD toddled over and looked worried.

Ive had D&V & I have PMT Hmm

I should have been playing with her & not sorting out more crap. Thats what broke my heart.

Ive got about 5 black bags, prob more for my sister, a baby event & car boot.

But the last car boot I took £15, the baby events are miles away & my DD gets so bored & I have to carry it all in myself & look after her.

I wont see my sister til next summer, & car boot weather is turning grim.

I need to charity shop it & cut my losses don't I ?

kiwi5 · 08/10/2014 20:52

Woodenheart - yup. Thank it all for doing its job and thank yourself for being brave and courageous for taking it straight to charity shop. You can then spend more time with your DD as you won't have the FAFF of baby events, car boots etc.

kiwi5 · 08/10/2014 20:53

Anyone know if her other books have been translated into English yet?????

Shockingundercrackers · 08/10/2014 21:45

woodenheart just dump it all at the charity shop. Give the bag a hug and whisper thank you for looking after my little girl then let it go.

You will feel better for it, really! You have to weigh up the inconvenience and time it takes to sell it all / find a home for it against the satisfaction and ease of just giving it away.

My clothes are all relaxing now as are the DCs... My paperwork is now 50% done (no books yet, I know I know, but they're all mixed up with DH's and he's away at the moment. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it), accessories, make up, toys and toiletries all culled.

Feeling much much better and more positive about life in general than when I started all this, hurray. Thank you everyone for this thread. I love doing this with some other clutter-shedding buddies!

JimmyCorkhill · 08/10/2014 21:48

Other books?

Woodenheart get thee to the chazzer. Time with your DD is your payment.

I feel like I've done all the big wins and komono beckons. This is not thrilling me as it's all the dull stuff like paperwork, and paperwork and paperwork What I would like to do is to move house but leave all my stuff in this one. Then I could collect only what I need when I need it and whatever hasn't been collected after a year could go!!

Asheth · 08/10/2014 21:50

I emptied the filing cabinet today and filled a black sack with bits of paper we didn't really need - eg receipts for car services from three years ago and not even the car we have now!

Asheth · 08/10/2014 21:53

Phone sent too quickly! I've organised the remaining papers. Would love to say job done, but we have piles of papers all over the place . Hope to get some done tomorrow but i'm working Friday and am busy at the weekend.

Pennsylvania65000 · 08/10/2014 22:34

Sorry to jump on thread now but have been following but been too busy to write anything. I have two drawers left and I am finished the inside of house.

Thank you so much Francis for this thread. It was just what I needed. I have off-loaded 50 bags and my house is unbelievable. I have been loving but ruthless in my culling. I feel amazing to be released at last from all those books(8 left) and 5cds when I had a real passion for hoarding them.

Had to neck a bottle of wine tonight to calm down.

Hubb · 08/10/2014 23:02

What does MK say about bed linen, sorry if I missed that part. Saw a great idea on Pinterest, putting the whole set, cover, sheet, pillow case neatly inside one pillow case makes it so much nicer than a bunch of linen.

Also saw on Pinterest the idea of turning all your hangers one way, then when an item is worn you can turn it round the other way. After a year see what remains unworn that you can get rid of. I'm scared to do this, already culled so much of my clothing and still know I still hardly wear loads of it, but the promise of space and more empty hangers is great.

What to do with surplus hangers btw!?

Penn that's amazing 50 bags!! You must feel so light :)

ZingOfSeven · 09/10/2014 00:10

Hubb

wire hangers - if from dry cleaners take them back. they will reuse them

other types - some charity shops will use them so try that first.
you could ask schools & nurseries/playgroups if they have use for them.

Coughle · 09/10/2014 01:39

Linen - I don't think MK goes into specific detail about this. I don't have a linen cupboard so for the moment I have folded mine and filed them vertically in drawers.

Hangers - I think MK would say that there is no need to do the backwards thing over the course of a year. You can go through your clothing in a single day, touching each piece and asking yourself if it truly brings you joy.

Remember her method is a bit different in that it's not about how often you wear something or whether you "need" it. There's only one important question and that is: "does it bring joy?"

didireallysaythat · 09/10/2014 03:51

I read the book on the plane and apart from not being able to visualise the folded clothes, I think I'm up for this. The one thing I'm a little nervous about is my clothes - I'm not convinced I have any that 'bring me joy' so I might start with 'don't positively hate'. Do you think this will work ?

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 09/10/2014 05:43

I'm back from hols and ready to start. Thanks to the poster who posted the basic list - very helpful.

For the poster who mentioned old laptops, our work sends ours to a charity that wipes the disks properly clean and sends them overseas. It might be Computeraid, but try googling?

Our paperwork is out of control and that's one area that really needs attention and that I most fear because dealing with it is so dull. We have a small 3 drawer filing cabinet that is crammed full - it is good that almost everything is in the one place apart from the shoeboxes under the bed containing instruction books for appliances we no longer own but it's now so bad that you can't close the drawers or find anything.

Doesn't help that DP is self employed so we have all the associated documentation for that. I'm not without blame though, I've worked for the same employer for over 20 years and I know that I have every single P60 that I've ever received. I throw away my payslips when I get my P60, but I can't bring myself to throw them away - it's interesting to see how my salary and tax allowances etc have increased over the years. I have a big office to myself at work so I might move them there. In any case, 20 P60s is a drop in the ocean compared with all the other bits.

We also currently own four vehicles (one is currently being sold) with all the paperwork crap that goes with it. However, I'm sure that we have stuff for ones that we no longer own.

Am a bit Shock about council tips charging, are you sure that's for domestic customers? Although that's probably how your borough is dealing with budget cuts etc. We can't use neighboroughing tips where we are - annoyingly our nearest one is actually in another council area and you need a permit to use it. BIL and SIL live in that area and and as SIL doesn't drive I might investigate whether it is possible to get a permit in her name and use it myself.

Spidergirl77 · 09/10/2014 09:45

Just wanted to say for dressing up, I put ours onto hook rails ( idea do them) it's easy for the children to hang them onto the hook. The hats/bags/ shoes go in a basket. It works really well.

Hubb · 09/10/2014 10:06

Yes the does it bring joy is quite hard as I don't have much that honestly fits that category (like some other posters have said), but maybe that's the idea as then I will have tonnes of space!! I do regular culls of my clothes though and am trying to be strict about what I buy so for me the backwards thing will help to shift a few more things over time. No good if you are starting from scratch though as a year is way too long to do your clothes!

I am going to get the book I think, I need to get into the MK mindset rather than just doing the scatter gun approach.

I have a problem with areas like the freezer and my food cupboard causing me anxiety because there is too much stuff in there..as it takes time to use stuff up, I'm not willing to chuck food. Same with toiletries. But they do cause me a lot of anxiety!! Food bank!! Just realised I can offload to them...

Thanks for the hanger tip, sorry can't remember the name of the poster :)

ARainyDay · 09/10/2014 10:13

The trouble is when it's someone else's clutter and they have no intentions of parting with it, but they still have to live with you.

Asheth · 09/10/2014 10:57

ARainyDay I feel your pain!

On the plus side I have cleared a window sill of paper work and a drawer! All useful bits are now in my super organised filing cabinet. Everything else (most of it!) is in a black sack waiting to be shredded and sent out in next Wednesdays recycling! This is still only one corner of one room, but it is progress!

Linnen: Ive folded mine and stored them in the drawrs under our bed. One for sheets, one for duvet covers and pillowslips and one for blankets. The fourth and most inaccessible is clothes that have been passed down but dont quite fit the younger DC yet.