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

What do you do with useless DVDs and cases?!

Violetta I have a tiny amount of clothes too - I can now fit absolutely everything excl. coats in two drawers of a chest of drawers with space to spare. Quite excited about this, although it's also made me see I do really need a few more bits. Am frequently tumble dryering knickers in the morning for example as I just don't have enough!

I do still hang a few things though, and am thinking might put an open hanging rail in my room, a bit like the second pic here - possible solution to wardrobe dilemmas?

V satisfyingly have just ticked a few easy categories off the list - CDs (had about 30, down to about 15 now), DVDs (had none), skincare and make up, again already minimal. Big areas for me are mostly going to be kitchen related I think.

Lol at minimalist shrine APlace! I think she deserves one in my house too, cos she's helped me so much.... I'm thinking an empty corner in her honor, and I shall stand there and feel the joy

pointless, when you find your ideal trousers, don't worry too much about the fit. Just make sure they're at least big enough all round that the side seams are actually on the sides, and they aren't tight anywhere. Then take them to your friendly local dressmaker, and get them altered to fit and flatter. Quite typical for French women to buy off-the-peg, then get it altered... It makes ordinary clothes look and feel extraordinary! Definitely joyful.

Violetta, you should put a shout out on here if you need any particular furniture... Sounds like there might be a lot of stuff up for grabs!

Well done everyone. Sadly I have no extra furniture to kondo at this point. However, after more than a month of visitors, I'm thinking I may re-purpose our spare room into something less comfortable for guests! I have an old desk stored away that I would like to use, so thinking a home office for DH. The bed in there currently is really too big for the room and it crowds everything else. Plus DH has all his 'crucial' clutter stored under there, so getting rid of the bed would force a re-evaluation. Tomorrow though I tackle paperwork. Hoping to scan in old stuff I need to keep and thin out current files and shred the unnecessary. Kondo on!

Lightening, what about getting a single bed with a trundle bed underneath, so it has the potential to turn into a double?

I also need new knickers tortoise The number of times I've put on damp knicker straight out of the wash

Kind of you to think of me Hermione. Though I'm really holding back as we hope to move this summer and the layout is unknown.

Slight improvement from dh today so I'm being positive.

I'd love a link to a GOOD single bed with bed underneath for turning into a big double.
My mum keeps saying she's going to ditch the double in the spare room for 2 doubles. Which is all very well for my 2 nieces when they visit but less good for dh and I. The last time I slept in a single I kept waking up thinking I was falling out.

I've suggested the above plan but if I can send her links that would be even better.

I also need to go 'nice' knicker shopping. I realised most of mine are boring black and I've been choosing the more cheerfully coloured ones ever since kondoing them.

Also my tops are nearly all dark blue or grey or black. I thought I was more colourful than I am!

Hello all. Just to say I am still here. Have been working and seem unable to do anything else when I am. Those who kondo and work, I am in awe.

Yes I have been kondoing furniture and changing furniture. In fact my kondo goal this weekend is to list large items on gumtree/ebay. I am insisting I clear the decks before starting the next section, as I am very good at starting things but not finishing them.

Thanks you inspiring lot, this thread really keeps me focused when I could get distracted, especially now I am back at work.

JKS glad to hear your DH is improving

Thanks everyone who made suggestions about storing DC's craft items earlier on the thread. I bought don't tell MK little storage drawers that fit in the corner beside the kitchen table. I then Kondoed all DC's craft stuff, realised what he needed (pencils and rubbers as he always gives them away to other people at school if they compliment them!) and restocked so no more running round looking for items for homework or crafts.

I'm also doing the January Cure and the task for yesterday was to completely clean and tidy out your "pantry" (American website) so while cooking dinner I cleared our food cupboards and drawers, threw away a lot of v old food, spices etc and rearranged the rest, it's all very tidy and harmonious.
In process have put a picnic basket (huge wicker thing) and the massive, pointless plastic piece of shit from my food processor that is somehow supposed to help you juice citrus fruits out for charity and bin respectively. Only 2 items but bulky. We went to a bring and share dinner party and I brought two unopened jars of chutney and a huge cheese, as well as the main dish I cooked, this means we now only have 1 open and 1 unopened jar left.

I know what you mean, ohhelp... I'm still coming to terms with not keeping a load of bathroom crap in the bathroom. What's keeping me focused is that as soon as I cleared out my stuff, my husband did most of his too I can't get over how easy it is to clean!

And the fear of other people filling the vacated spaces is what's got me thinking of ditching some furniture. No way back!

Great news for me today: Central library (where I wrote up my PhD thesis) has emailed me to say they would love to have my dad's academic books. I'm actually feeling a little teary, but in a totally joyful way!

That's nice Hermione! :)

The mindees and DD and I pulled everything out of the art cupboard, threw away a lot of things...then were exhausted. Now the two toddlers are napping and the older girl is playing on the iPad and I am sitting here staring at the mess. Must...start...tidying.

JKS I'm not sure how to give links on MN but if you google 'single bed trundle' on amazon, there are a few with 4 or 5 star ratings. Various styles.

On the subject of undies, I'm another one with very few (which are all a bit rubbish and holey) and DH is always saying I should treat myself to some new stuff. So lo and behold, DH took his old Xbox, games and a load of blurays to CEX to sell at the weekend, got £200 for the lot, and then presented me with £50 to spend on underwear! Only problem is I'm 5 months pregnant so feel I should wait until DD2 is born and I'm closer to my pre-pregnancy weight. Would feel bad spending the money on ginormous maternity pants knowing that DH would like something slinky and sexy!

Kondoing is going really slowly here as I seem to be permanently trapped beneath a feeding baby. So while I have been stuck I've been reading some blogs and someone from the style and beauty board recommended un-fancy all about building a minimalist capsule wardrobe of only clothes that bring you joy!

I'd really like mumsnet to add a knickers icon! Knickers icon and a boxer shorts/pants icon.

Pink I'll look at that link thankyou.

Kids eh!?! Just had to strictly go through putting things back after playing/using items. Stuff in communal areas now has a home, so it should be pretty straight forward. DH isn't that great at the moment either but he is perfectly capable of putting his coat away, putting leads away, putting batteries in drawers.

Great link. She say to split clothe into 4 groups -love it/wear it (in wardrobe) nope (charity shop), seasonal (store under the bed), maybe (store boxed in the garage and review after 3 months). She also recommends a capsule wardrobe of 37 items

I got round to kondoing my CDs by uploading to google play (not all of them though, just the joy bringers!) and have scanned and packed up the CDs for music magpie. I've actually been listening to music to and from work for the last 2 days, stuff I haven't heard for ages, and I've been really enjoying it. Great tip lightningstrikes thank you.

I've cleared yet more books, some of which I'd totally forgotten about. Some are going to webuybooks, some are being donated to our local library. I bought a cheap shredder too, and shredded loads of papers I don't actually need, and I treated myself to a laminator! I've wanted one for ages, but now I've cleared space to house it, I could buy one guilt free.

I'm also stupidly pleased that it's bin day tomorrow. I can finally re-fill our recycling bins, and get rid of the pile of cardboard that's lurking by the front door.

Another drawer of husband's and started on the fudge magnets. No particular order but I like it.

Got back into it today clearing out the fridge. I'm still really happy with my new paperwork area that I made over the weekend.

I've found now that I've been doing it a while, part of me is happy to rest and enjoy and another is itching to do things as I spot them (currently there is a box in the corner of this room of kids learning toys that wants to be sorted this evening I think...) My current sticking point is space that I view as DP or the lodgers even when I use them too. Like in the kitchen, I cleared out my family's cupboards no problem because it was easy to fling that as out of date and donate what we have too much of/no longer really eat, but I keep wanting to do the counters - they really could use having less stuff there - and drawers but DP does the vast majority of the dinner cooking and that part of the kitchen I keep viewing as his space and really I don't know what he or the lodger use and don't so that's on hold until I can get them both to help me.

Even more frustrating is the same with the desk and tall skinny drawers upstairs - even if I use them it mostly has DP's stuff/usage - I can't do anything with it but it's still in my space and I keep itching too. I've thankfully gotten him to say he'll hopefully help when he has time off later this month (horrid year last year means he has too many vacation days he needs to use up before the company calendar's over which is good for us) but last time we planned that we all got sick instead...ugh. It's nice to be getting down to those points though - I've done so much myself or with the kids for their spaces that I'm now getting to the point where it is starting to get to parts I need others space either because it is mostly their stuff or because physical issues (I am quite short and my disabilities give me stamina problems when standing).

We're getting near the 1000 mark again already, only been just over 2 weeks I think. Might start organizing the links for the next one .

Been out of circulation lately as I've been laid low with a nasty virus. So no kondoing done this week.
However DP has been folding clothes the MK way when putting the children's things away . It's catching on!

pinkholly thanks for link to that blog. Have been reading it all evening.... Really interesting. Think will be revisiting wardrobe again!

Just nipping in to report that I've kondoed my jewelry box right down to those things I love and have pitched all the crap. I've also identified a few pieces I need to purchase to round out my collection so that I can wear everything. I realised I don't wear some necklaces as I don't have earrings that will coordinate, etc. I'm also looking forward to finding a new smaller jewelry box that brings me joy! I have a bag of items to sell and plan to reset a few jewels that I don't wear as I don't like the current settings. A small success, but I'm getting lighter every day.

I love the unfancy blog, thanks for posting it.

The problem is I do not own 37 items of clothing! I had a clear out last year and then I kondoed and now I would say I have 8 main items I wear when not in work and approx 10 dresses for work. Makes it so easy to get dressed in the morning!

I only buy work clothes that meet my strict length/colour/non-iron criteria. Not ironing brings me joy.