Kondoing this and kondoing that - thread 4 for Marie Kondo's lifechanging magic with tidying. All welcome!

[TheSporkforeatingkyriarchy]

Here's thread 4 for all the KonMario converts, wannabes, and guests to the magic!

Thread 3

Happy New Year to all Kondo-ers! I went out for lunch today with a friend. Itook a very large bag of paper recycling round to put in her (empty) bin as the bins at my flats are all full! The emptying timetable must be all over the place because of the holidays! I've got loads more stuff to sort and will no doubt create more paper recycling ( still have bank statements to shred) but it is a large bag out of the house and I'm hoping our bins will be emptiedo n Monday!

Another trip to the chazza with books planned for tomorrow. Having sorted shelves in living room, I'm currently in the middle of a spring clean of the room!

Glad it's not just me, we had a takeaway last night and I instantly thought ooh good, more containers for my drawers!
Today I took the brave step of throwing away certificates. I don't mean A levels or anything, I mean Grade 3 piano and 25m swimming! Why on earth have I kept things like that for the last 25+ years??!!

Anyone else streamlining their cosmetics and toiletries get a huuuuge buzz when something runs out? I'm on the cusp of finishing a tube of hand cream from 2 Christmases ago....I'm a bit too excited!

Haha that was me yesterday pointless - I had kept a certificate showing that I can swim 5 metres! Why? Just why?! I don't think anyone will ask me to prove that I can swim 5 metres.

And yes to overflowing communal bins - it's all my fault

Me too Hubb! Finished a bottle of showergel, toothpaste and soap yesterday... Was only thrilled with myself
One of my goals for new year is to have one bottle open, and one spare only of shampoo, body lotion etc... Am going to use stuff as I get, yes even the fancy ones. So no hoarding bubble bath for a decade

Thank you for this thread! I began lurking a while ago and have now bought the book. It drives my dh mad with nothing having a home in the house. I started on clothes a couple of days ago and now have two bin bags of mine for the charity shop, a huge box full of kids' clothes for my health visitor (to give to other families) and two carrier bags for my friend who has a baby. We declutter once a year (at least I thought we did) but now I've really cleared out. And made my clothes drawers all pretty too!

This thread has been busy since I checked in - lots of positive energy!

I am really happy right now! I've really got over my mental block with the paperwork/office/data storage and have cleared loads over the last 24 hours or so - and I've got a clear vision of how I will tackle the rest. To be fair I paved the way 18 months ago when I made my first attempt at going paperless but now I think I may even get right down to 'perfection'. This is a massive deal to me as my job involves a lot of paperwork.

Now I feel like I want to do some more physical discarding - the kind that generates a nice pile for the charity shop...anything to keep my mind off having a nice glass of wine...

Hello everyone. Just found your thread. I love it and have been desperate to declutter for a long time. In fact I can be slightly neurotic at times. Can someone please tell me if I need to buy the book or if I can pick it up in a different way
Hob and timesgobuy like you I get stupidly excited about finishing containers. Could be shampoo, toothpaste, washing powder but also tomato puree, well anything really. I thought it was just me
Can't wait to start kondoing

I must admit I've pretty much ignored the hoovering, mopping, sweeping this week and solely concentrated on decluttering. Oddly enough the house looks ok despite my lack of domesticity as so much has been removed! The carpets are a bit fluffy yes and there's crumbs on the kitchen floor but when I cast my eye round the rooms, all the surfaces are clear and there are no mounds of random stuff. It feels brilliant!!

Spices and condiment shelf purging report...17 in date items and nearly 50 out of date

mortil2 the threads on here are a good place to start especially TheSpork 's handy summary at the start of this thread.

I started decluttering using the info on the threads. However I did then buy the book because it does have more detail. I'd say the book isn't essential but it definitely is helpful.

Great thread, just place marking.

I'm pleased to see it isn't just me neglecting regular housework. I was disheartened after dinner when the kitchen looked messier than usual, until I emptying the dishwasher and had space for all the mugs and utensils after having a sort out earlier.

I have sorted my own clothes, all properly folded and stored now. I opened them just to have a look a minute ago and it made me smile :)

Well today I ditched another two pairs of shoes and a pair of socks that escaped yesterday's cull. I also spent some time bento boxifying my underwear drawer, with mixed success. On one hand, the house provided a shoe box that, with lid and box side by side, fits PERFECTLY in my drawer (I could have cried with joy!), and yes, it takes up half the space it did before, but...

It was a fiasco rolling my pants, and I don't love putting laundry away at the best of times. Worse, so far from the socks breathing a sigh of relief at being unballed, they fought me every inch of the way. How the fuck are you supposed to persuade both toe and heel to lie flat at the same time? I did get there eventually, but not without some salty language along the way. Hopefully with a fraction of the clothes, I won't let the laundry putting away build up again, but I've got to admit, the underwear drawer isn't giving me the same spark of joy others have reported

Does anyone else have wobbles after discarding things? I had a big sack of clothes that didn't make the cut when I last had a clear out, that I hadn't gotten around to taking to the charity shop. I went back through it properly, saved one top, and added several more from the wardrobe. Now it's gone I keep having wobbly moments when I worry that I've thrown out something I need, or that I've been wasteful, despite the fact that rationally I know, KNOW, that letting them go was the right thing to do, and they will be helping a very good charity.

All plans abandoned today as rescued a poorly friend, her dc & the dog for a day at ours (she's been stuck in after an op).

More mess and no sorting or tidying or Kondoing.

Never mind.

Interesting thought - some of you are ready to bin old certificates, and I feel I'm not at all.
I have an old scrapbook my Mum started with all certificates in it in order. I can't imagine taking it apart. Yet.

It'll be interesting to see how I feel as I work my way through the categories.

Hermione, if this helps, I fold my pants into rectangles, then stack them like filing. I have a pretty fabric box thing that in compartments, and is just the right width for folded pants, so it works, and it's easier for me than rolling them. (Except for the impractical but pretty ones, they roll, but I tend not to wear those a lot) My socks are still technically ballled, but not so much that they're tense. I pair them, then roll one over the other, as if I was balling them, but actually fold them in half exactly. They fold perfectly like that, like it's their sweet spot, and they stand on end in the drawer easily. Sorry if that's not clear, it's a bit tricky to explain, and I don't think I can do a photo without waking up DH.
*Flash! -What are you doing?! -Nothing dear, just taking a sock photo for MN
Might not go down too well.

I wobbled about one thing as I did my clothes yesterday, so I decided to keep it for now (a slinky silk dressing down thingie that I'd like to wear on a weekend away with DH...hmm, not very realistic lol.)

I figure I'll end up doing a second wave at some point and it may go then.

So much progress, I am ridiculously excited it's going well for everyone

My Kondo aim for tomorrow is the toolbox - been silting up with random bits for at least ten years, now almost too heavy to use, but I bet very little of it turns out to be useful...

Mango - I wouldn't mind a photo tomorrow though, I haven't cracked it with socks at all.

I'm happy with pants though, I've folded the sides in, then the bottom up and stored them vertically 'upside down' so they look neat.
Turns out I have far too many black boring pants, I'm planning a nice pants shopping trip soon

Second waves are useful I've found. I've managed to get rid of quite a bit extra on second reflection. Possibly I'm getting harsher or stricter as I go along?

Marking my spot

I got the book for Christmas and had two days off before New Year's so did my whole flat! I thought I wouldn't have much since I only moved a few months ago and live in a one bedroomed flat but I filled five bin bags. I didn't even think I had that much stuff! My new T-shirt draw (previously one of the two underwear drawers) looks so organised.

Might need to Kondo my underwear drawer again. I have many more pairs of underwear and tights than I thought. I did cheat a little and didn't fold them the Kondo way but the army way. The sock elastics hate me but I have so much more space.

My new organised flat was very helpful when I slept through my alarm this morning and was late for work. Only took me ten minutes to get ready. :)

aplaceonthecouch thank you so much for clarifying
I looked at the link to the guardian article too. In the past I have tried to 'attack' the house room by room. But it never stays for long. Old school certificates, reports...wow i have boxes full. Problem will be engaging dh who likes 'things' but claims to like the idea of a more simple life. Definitely starting on Monday

:) I just love this thread (although I should be in bed!) - I also fold pants and fold socks in half onto each other - but I thought that that was potato balling?