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

Gatorade if I was you I'd definitely try to thin down the bin bags of jeans - its great that you're going to lose weight (I'm trying and failing at the moment) - but do those bags not seem like a bit of an albatross round your neck? Do they truly bring you joy or is it more of a reproach for not being the weight you once were? If you look at each pair in those 5 bags could you really say you'd want to put them on now if they fitted, or do some have raggedy hems and worn thighs?

Also (like someone was saying about bras) even when you get down to a size 16, it could be you are a different shape - post babies my waist is chunky in proportion to my hips, so whilst (at times) I was kind of able to fit into pre-baby trousers, I couldn't do them up - not joyful! :(

Lastly I spent months wearing 2 pairs of jeans (my only trousers!) that had gone horrible and baggy, as I couldn't face the expense and hassle of finding more - I finally went shopping to Gap and found in their sale lots of pairs in my new size that were reduced to £7.69! I bought 3 pairs (1 on, 1 in wash and 1 best) and resisted the temptation to buy more as I don't need them now and I may change shape again the future. I really wish I'd gone shopping earlier though and saved myself months of feeling crappy in ill fitting clothes.

(ps Sorry if this advice is unwelcome/unnecessary - its always easier to advise other people than do it yourself - evidenced by me being on Mumsnet instead of getting on with anything useful!)

I (well DH) am totally guilty of the toilet paper stockpiling . DH buys job lots of 60 rolls at a time from Amazon. Same for kitchen roll. This is only 20 less than the example in the book! He doesn't think it is a problem as it is stored on the shelf in the shed. I think he does is as it is cheaper, and he would probably do it for other household consumables if they didn't have a more limited shelf life.

Oh for fuck's sake!

Before Christmas, Lidl had some great Christmas lights, so I bought some battery operated ones, with which I immediately made pretty, understated displays in bowls in the sitting room. When we put the tree up, I discovered we only had some crappy red lights for it, which weren't even working properly. Wished I'd bought some in Lidl when I had the chance, but as it was all last minute, we just made do with the old ones, and I promised myself that next year I'd buy some nice ones. Binned the crap ones as soon as I took down the tree.

I just opened the dreaded blanket box in the hall, to try to gauge what's in there. Sitting on top is the set of Christmas tree lights I did buy in Lidl, and shoved away in the nearest hidey hole, because I felt I was being profligate and didn't really want to discuss it with my husband.

Things I have learned from this:

1. Like things should be stored together so I know what I've got, and what I actually do need.
2. Even Christmas decorations need to be reasonably accessible, so I can add new ones to the store, instead of stashing them elsewhere.
3. I need to bin the crappy lights as soon as I realise I hate them, or I'll end up suffering them for yet another Christmas.
4. I need to move the blanket box, and give it a defined purpose, rather than just cramming in more shit that doesn't have a home elsewhere.

Morning all, not much kondoing here today as Im tackling the massive washing backlog so that I can properly start with the clothes, have found that stuff I know I don't like isn't even making it to the ironing pile just straight into the chazza bags. I'm also finding little things getting done as I seem to be more ruthless with crap like this morning before school run, binned loads of stuff out of the fridge, every little helps I guess, have a great day everyone

OK, I've made an appointment with myself to trawl through all my jeans on Saturday afternoon. I had them in a kind of order (well, the first few bags anyway - I knew I had some too-small clothes stashed under the bed, I just didn't know I had so many!) I had a bag of 18's to try on in 3 months, and a bag of 16's to try on in 6 months. But I can think of at least two pairs I can't imagine wanting to wear again. And this morning I did think to myself that I would sooner give up every pair of jeans, than one scribble my son did at playschool! If it comes to a choice between which gets the storage space - the scribbles win!

pigsunited If you have a designated space, why not? I keep it in the back of my mind that MK is dealing with homes that often have just one cupboard, no loft, no shed. Her method makes a lot of sense, but if you have plenty of room for bulk bought loo roll, then why not? It's cheaper, you'll use it, there's a space for it... Some people will find happiness and freedom in being as strict as MK, some of us need a bit more leeway...

Yesterday I went shopping for some toiletries - cleanser which I used the last of yesterday morning, and day cream, as I will finish previous pot this week. I also ordered some new shampoo & conditioner, which will be delivered to local Waitrose to collect, as I have about 2 washes left in current supplies.

I love to celebrate these small victories and acknowledge the changes in my behaviour. Insignificant really but previously I would have stuff stockpiled high and lots of unfinished bottles cluttering the place up (I do have some items stockpiled, but I'm steadily working through them - I've sorted day cream, shampoo/conditioner, cleaners though.)

All this clearing and sorting means I have a massive amount of empty storage boxes hanging around getting in the way. Am not quite ready to ditch but definitely not going to need them all.

ItIsn'tJustAPhase. I've just this moment used a large box that came from a Christmas present on-line purchase. I've cut a piece of card from it to make a divider for one of my kitchen drawers!

My front room isn't nearly as messy as it looks, but is quite difficult to walk through this morning due to huge piles of empty boxes! More work on the bedroom today will soon mean filling a few of those boxes and making enough space to put the rest in the room I am working on, so I think I'll suddenly hit a spot today when the front room which I spend the vast majority of my time in will become empty enough to hoover and feel nice in again for the first time in ages.

Had a really really rubbish night's sleep though, and am debating whether to go back to bed now for a couple of hours or to have coffee now, get some of the bedroom done and have a nap later. I think if I carry on now I'll be useless, but if I try to nap now I might not sleep, so I'm not sure what to do

Having trouble parting with the bags of stuff I'd earmarked for selling on ebay, just because I know some of it would sell and I really need the money. Have been messaging an ebay Trading Partner re: them selling it for me and taking a cut of the profit, which might work well - does anyone have any experience of this? In the mean time I've bagged it all up in bin liners so I can't see what is in there and start dithering that I might want to keep it after all..!

Mine are big plastic tubs with lids, medium plastic tubs with lids, Trofast containers in all sizes, assorted plastic crates, etc. Am taking all the cardboard to the tip in a minute.

Catsofa, can you estimate how long / how much work it would take you to sell all the stuff and what is the least and most you might make? If you made 99p on half the items and a quarter didn't sell at all and a quarter you got a tenner for (or whatever) hoe much would you make for how much effort and time spent with stuff hanging around?

"Finding the joy"

Hi all, will catch up on the thread later but for the minute just to get this down before I forget,

I am having trouble finding the joy. I've cleared down all of my books today (will attempt to add a pic). Am not even sure the ones left bring me much joy either. But how can this be so? I'm a bookworm, English graduate, writer. How can I not find any joy amongst any of the books that I own? Do books (the thing that define me) not mean anything to me after all? Have I been handing amongst them all these years?

Don't mean to sombre up the thread. Pondering really.

*hiding amongst then

I have just chucked out all tupperware with no lids and bought this little beauty :)
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7pc-Clear-Plastic-Tupperware-Food-Storage-Box-Container-Set-Multi-Colour-Lids-/251767954048?pt=UK_Home_Cookware_Food_Storage&hash=item3a9e8a1a80

Can anyone give me any tips on keeping on top of paper? I am self employed and there are receipts and documents everywhere....

lockie I know what you mean re books. I'm dreading getting to that stage. I think my issue is that if your self image is an educated, literary person, the books are part of that. I grew up in a house filled with books (and the right sort of books ) and my mother was very judgy about the sort of people who didn't have books . It's really difficult to get away from that! I think also I'm holding onto somebody I used to be, but realistically I'm unlikely to read a lot of the more heavy going books again. The joy should be in the reading process, not in the physical object I guess.

Lockie, people make it a Point-of-faith that readers must love books as things. That's bollocks, IMO. I think a lot of the people who drone on about how much they love books, or get sniffy about eBooks, are trying to prove what serious readers they are. You don't have to prove anything to anyone... Your qualifications and interests speak for themselves.

I have a couple of books from my childhood I still love, and read from time to time, two of my absolute favourites that aren't available as eBooks yet (WTF?), and my actual dictionary, which I love for when I get round to doing crosswords... Apart from those, I'd be hard pressed to find a book that I'd be genuinely sad to lose.

Give yourself a break from it for a bit, reflect on whether the books or the stories are what motivate you, and then make the decision that's right for you, not for society's expectation of you.

Hi all.

In the book, MK says that out of season clothes are the easiest category to discard as you are more likely to keep only what sparks joy rather than being distracted by which things you think you need or which you always wear even though I really like them. I applied this theory to my maternity clothes and got rid of a lot which was faded or i never really liked, including the horrible maternity coat I had kept because it was the only one I had. The next day I found a really nice maternity coat in the charity shop which I bought even though I'm not pregnant. . Perhaps not in the true kondo spirit but it felt like it was meant to be...

When I am kondoing consumables like toiletries or food I am chucking anything past it's date, or which we don't like or use, but if I just have too many of something I am sticking it on a top shelf and feeling joyful that I wont have to buy any more of that item for a long time

Lockie I have sort of changed the way I look at books. I got the joy already from reading them and now happy to let someone else have them. Like Vert my dps house is crammed with books, and we were always bewildered if went to a house that didn't have them on display. Getting rid of some won't lessen your qualifications or knowledge. Maybe you are now a bit more self confident and don't need a display for others to confirm what you are...
That probably sounds a bit poncey... Sorry! Plus I need to do books again so I should probably keep my mouth shut

I have a friend who loves books and reads all the time but owns almost none. She uses her library a lot.

I have tons and I know I will keep some. I have a few gorgeously bound copies of Austen and the Brontes that definitely bring me joy. But honestly most of the ones that really make me happy are things like my Nora Roberts trilogies :o Which cause both my mother and my master of literature DH to shake their heads at me. I don't care though, I'm keeping them!

Another problem I have is that a good friend owns a used bookstore and lets me have some for free or very cheap. So whenever I stop in and see her I think "ooh this looks good" and end up with more.

Lockie I think having lots of books makes me happy, and i also like the way my living room looks lined with books so haven't been to strict about them.

I also have loads of empty boxes which have been cleared but have stuck them in the loft till the whole process is finished- they will be the last thing I get rid of.

In our staff room at work we have a book case where we can put unwanted books. Other people then borrow them and put a donation of 50p in an honesty tin. We raise about £30-40 for charity every year.
Maybe others could use kondoed books to start up something like this at work?

Books are really emotive aren't they? I came from a childhood house void of books (but for my room - and was always praised for being bookish, clever, first to go to uni etc etc).

Vert I've gotten rid of lots of uni books over the last year. Though I won't be able to check my notes in the margins anymore, I am sort of glad they are gone. I'm not that girl anymore. I'm different.

Hermione you make some really interesting points. This thread is like a weird epiphany for me today. I've always felt defined by my tastes in literature and music, but not having the physical things around don't actually change those tastes or who I am.

cheerful I think I might be the sort of person who reads lots but doesn't need the book. I'm getting there I think. I have a few old poetry books I love which will stay but most will go.

bug I think when I have a nice living room, I will proudly display the last of my books.

you know what I've realised? I love bookshops, choosing a book, reading it. None of my favourite books are in my bookcase because once I've read something amazing I always, always pass it on to a friend so they can feel the same amazement and, well, joy.

The ones I've kept are the ones that weren't good enough to be passed on.

I am truly in this cult now aren't i? What a weird afternoon.

I have to be honest - most of the books I love most are the ones with the stunning covers! Penguin brings out some excellent limited editions, like the Threads Editions, Clothbound Classics, their English Library collection; I'm a total sucker for them! And my Persephones, I don't want to give those up. Or my Folio books. And the worst thing is that I'm always slightly afraid to read my nice versions! I have Pride & Prejudice as a Clothbound Edition, a Drop Caps Edition, a vintage copy, and even a Marvel comics version - but the one I actually read I got for 2 for £1 in Poundland, just a bog standard Popular Classic edition, where it doesn't matter if I dog-ear pages or break the spine!

Anyway, I'm babbling because I'm procrastinating!

It turns out that I have managed to stuff into our airing cupboard;
Thunderbirds and Incredibles duvet sets - my son is 18...
4 other spare single duvet covers for his bed,
7 spare bottom sheets for his bed,

2 spare double duvet covers - neither of which I actually like,
4 spare sheets for my bed,

24 spare pillowcases.

Plus 4 new pillows and one winter duvet (DS is still using his summer one, I was thinking of buying him a new one.)

6 towels (in addition to the four in the bathroom) and four blankets.

The special irony of the 24 extra pillowcases is that these days I only use a special orthopedic pillow that has its own stretchy pillowcase!