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Original poster

"The Life Changing Magic of Tidying" continues to magically change lives (PT 2)

999 replies

BeCool · 14/10/2014 20:28

Come fold your loved clothes, and feel the spark of joy in every object you own (or thereabouts).

Continuing our journey on from the Original thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/good_housekeeping/2178442-The-Life-Changing-Magic-of-Tidying-Marie-Kondo?msgid=50091328#50091328

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Kewcumber · 16/10/2014 08:30

BeCool - your bank are helping you in the ways of KonMari obviously

OneWaySystemBlues · 16/10/2014 08:30

I discovered the book on this thread and bought it for my kindle app. I've done my clothes and I swear my socks like being folded - and they take up less room! Anyway, I'm onto books next, but I'm feeling overwhelmed by that. Firstly, I can only really do my books, I can't chuck out my husbands books. So what did other people do? I was thinking that I should get all the books off our main book shelves, sort them into 3 piles, mine, his and ours; then cull mine and maybe a few of ours, but put his back. What have other people done?

I can't even think about paperwork.... I'm OK about chucking stuff out, but unsure how best to store it. At the moment we have many, many box files and I'd love to have much less stuff. Tips anyone? How do you store your papers once you've culled them?

MrsCurrent · 16/10/2014 08:48

I think I must be bossier than most Blush, with books and dvds so far I've gathered both mine and dh's, sorted mine then held his up one at a time for him to say keep or go. He has let a lot go by this method but would never have gone through them himself! 80 dvds gone last night Grin

JimmyCorkhill · 16/10/2014 08:52

BeCool Wink Thanks for noticing!!

MrsCurrent whilst it seems like it won't happen, it is true what our leader says. Declutter your stuff and your DH/DP will follow in time. I sped the process up by saying stuff like "I can't believe I kept this" and "it feels so great to have just my best things on show" ha ha!

NotCitrus · 16/10/2014 09:37

MrNC is busy and terrible at sorting or reading, so I find the best way is to get a small bag of papers or wires and widgets, and say "I think all this can go in the bin", and show him all of it. Papers he will now now to my opinion on, other stuff he usually tells me what some of it is and suggests I see if it's worth selling. And keeps at least half of it as it is technically useful. He does loads of semi-professional DIY and computer building so weird bits of metal usually are vital for something. We built a shed. It's full. Once our current building work is done, though, we will be able to get rid of a lot and rent out lots of tools.
He's also agreed all his books and papers from old work can go in the loft, so if I do that, it will help. And get me exercise trekking up 2 flights of stairs dozens of times!

Original poster
BeCool · 16/10/2014 10:05

yeah Jimmy you tidied that thread up beautifully :)

OP posts:
ProveMeWrong · 16/10/2014 10:32

I have now done:
Clothes
Books
Papers
CDs
DVDs
Skincare products
Make-up
Accessories
Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc.) and corralled the electrical stuff as I class the whole lot as DHs because I know he won't let me throw cables out without several levels of authorisation. Grin.
Household equipment
Household supplies.

Which leaves kitchen and 'other'. Kitchen is fairly big, but to be fair, I still have a lot in the 'other' category, like kids toys and craft materials, random stuff in our closet from the bike, a shed load of ikea bags and other bags to sort through.
And the bedding and towels still need to be redone because I'm not happy that I still have those under the bed. They should be in a wardrobe by now.

What is really bugging me is the random stuff now. A big chest of blankets in a blanket box as we live in a rented house and they are the owner's. My DH's stuff. It's like I can't get closure because I've done everything in my influence but it still looks just ever so slightly messy. Maybe kitchen will help a lot.

ChaffinchOfMegalolz · 16/10/2014 10:32

just did tea & coffee things... herbs and spices.

threw away 2 broken/annoying salt cellars.

stuck with 2 boxes herbal tea. will force self to drink it to get rid. and won't buy any more. same with hot chocolate, will pour it down the dc to get rid, got 2 lots only need one. also honey and peanut butter, rarely eat but very new jars, so can't throw out.

spices - have 2 paprika but one extra hot so need both Hmm also tabasco. why do I have that?

sorted the bookcase a little more too, and moved an ornament from the mantelpiece to a now empty shelf Grin I prefer it there.
have thinned baby toys and given him some baby books- he adores them.

ZingOfSeven · 16/10/2014 11:07

Operation NameTags commences in T-10 (-ish).

Finally. was going to do it yesterday but couldn't find name tapes for 2 hours! I was convinced I packed them away with all my other sewing stuff before we moved (May) but then after spending all that time desperately looking through other boxes I remembered I put them in a box upstairs ready to use!

So today is the day.
And the time looking for them wasn't wasted - I threw away some books and random items as I found them in the garage. things like candle holders. and broken toys I'll never fix.
Also went through 3 big bags of kids' clothes I've been given recently - half of it already in MIL's car for her trip to SIL2.

I found some other things like a pretty card box and a treasure chest made out of a shoe box (both jokey/fun presents from friends) but past their best so I took photos, said thanks and binned them.

I was in a murderous mood coz of the wasting time looking for tags, but it helped to be ruthless.
They say you should never:

  • make big decisions when sad
  • promise anything when happy
  • act in anger
Which is why the thanking thing is genius. you take a moment to really think about what that item means to you and so there's no regret later! Love it, love it, love it!

Happy Thursday Komono slayers!Grin

alemci · 16/10/2014 11:27

random phone chargers and cables.

Hubb · 16/10/2014 11:36

Wow Zing that was uplifting I'm definitely inspired for the day Grin! There's definitely no messing around at your house when you mention murderous, ruthless and slaying in one post!!

I'm going to enjoy clearing out some books and old clothes not good enough for the Chazza today, they can go to a rag man/woman...apparently the charity shop can pass it on to them! Can anyone confirm?

They must get given loads of crap not fit for sale to be fair so they must have a way of dealing with it

fuzzpig · 16/10/2014 11:39

I had a similar incident with name tags back in September! Blush

ChaffinchOfMegalolz · 16/10/2014 11:58

ok. big emotional thing. wedding dress?

Original poster
BeCool · 16/10/2014 12:05

does the wedding dress bring you joy now?
if so keep it.
if not, thank it, and let it go elsewhere to bring someone else joy.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeCool · 16/10/2014 12:06

remember if you keep it because you 'should' then you are effectively saying you will keep that item forever 'because your should' or 'because you can't let it go'.

Do you want to keep that wedding dress forever? If not, perhaps that logic will help with letting it go now?

OP posts:
MsBug · 16/10/2014 12:25

Hubb maybe ask at your charity shop? Mine said they could take anything as they could use it for rags if it cant be sold

seasalt · 16/10/2014 12:30

I don't know where I am going wrong cos the house looks awful. In fact I think it is worse cos with all the chucking out and sorting I haven't been cleaning. I think my house is always going to look like the Heck's house on The Middle!

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 16/10/2014 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hubb · 16/10/2014 12:55

Thanks MsBug that's good to know. I've got a suitcase load of old tshirt sand pjs, boy will it feel good to ditch those!!

Wedding dress...I have made the decision to sell mine as it takes up too much space, someone else can benefit from it and holding onto it incase I have a daughter which some people have suggested seems pointless as I doubt she would want to look at it more than once or twice! And as someone up thread said, holding on to stuff to pass on is not fair as they don't want to have to deal with it. Maybe that wasn't what was said actually but that's what I took from it...

Getting rid now means someone else can enjoy it, not much chance of that if I keep for 20 years then decide to do it.

Sea - mines a mess too! Don't drive so got bags and boxes for charity all over. And I have sooooo many clothes and busy with 10m DS so can't do it all in one go.

Romann · 16/10/2014 13:01

I do this, and am ^loving^ my drawers. I'm not so sure about 'spark of joy' applying to everything I've kept, but things are deffo looking all lovely and organised. I've chucked out masses of stuff. I'm very pleased.

What I disagree with is doing everything at once. Unless you don't have a job or any other commitments ^and^ live alone in a teeny house I don't see how that's possible. I'm a few weeks in and haven't finished yet, but it's still going well.

Asheth · 16/10/2014 13:07

Mines a mess as well! But the areas that have been decluttered look amazing, so Im just hoping that one day the whole house will look like this! Shame at the moment all the amazing areas are in drawers and cupboards that no one can see, so it looks like I havent tidied for weeks!

Cant face electricals today. We have so many and all the chargers are in a big tangle. Perhaps Ill have a go at untangling them tonight while watching something on TV. Ive been doing household stationary today/ I now have a drawer with envelopes, birthday cards and stamps and a little set of drawers with things like paper clips, glue, pens etc.

Did feel very happy yesterday to see the recycling truck drive away with all my paperwork in it!

Coughle · 16/10/2014 13:16

Have just ordered two swimsuits onlineBlushBlushBlush

I said I wasn't going to buy anything... But I'd already gotten rid of my old swim things and we're going to the beach soon so.... Anyway I promise I will return them if they don't bring me joy!

ZingOfSeven · 16/10/2014 13:16

I definitely keep my wedding dress. it brings me joy when I think about our wedding day - it was one of my 8 happiest days of my life!

And yes I do wonder if DD might ever want to use it and if she did I'd love that, but I'm not keeping it for her. I'm keeping it for me.
Besides what if she doesn't want to wear it on her wedding day or won't get married or what if my future DIL/s might want to use it instead or as well as DD?
I'll cross those bridges if/when we get there. For now I just love the dress for me. Also kept my shoes. DH drank champagne from them on the day!Grin (Hungarian tradition)

ZingOfSeven · 16/10/2014 13:20

To explain it - the best man has to steal the shoes during the evening events and bride only gets it back if husband drinks from it.
So silly but I love it that Best Man (who is DH's best friend and is like a brother to both of us) and DH were both game! DH is English but we got married in Budapest. It really was a brilliant day. Loved it!Smile

Shockingundercrackers · 16/10/2014 14:52

I'm keeping mine too. I don't look a it often (It's in the loft) nut when I do, it defo sparks joy because I'm still smug that I bought such a cheap high street rag and had the nerve to actually wear it... My only regret was that I dry cleaned it afterwards... It was filthy after its big day and I wish I cod still see all the mud and red wine and fun it absorbed. Smile.

zing you are a MK ninja.