Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Become a Konvert in 2015 - Kondo thread 5. All welcome!

999 replies

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 09/01/2015 12:51

Thought I better set this up when I realised I had inadvertently posted the 999th post on thread 4! Shock

Join us in purging our lives of things which do not bring joy and discover the wonder and magic of folding your knickers! Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
Violettatrump · 13/01/2015 23:17

infamous piles more like haha Grin

bringmejoy2015 · 13/01/2015 23:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bringmejoy2015 · 13/01/2015 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bringmejoy2015 · 13/01/2015 23:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Starface · 13/01/2015 23:46

manushka I wouldn't bother with explicit attempts to persuade DH. It will probably backfire.

Like others said, just get/borrow the book for yourself. You can start with the articles, but the book is good for the long run. (Do you need permission to spend a few pounds? Sorry, dont mean to be rude, i know for some money is tight). Then start your own process. Talk to others about it in earshot but not directly to him, nor pointedly at him. You can certainly do your own stuff and general household, as suggested.

Later, you can talk about stuff asking questions: we haven't used this Turkish tea set for 4 years. I know we got it on honeymoon which makes me reluctant but we just don't use it. I was thinking of getting rid of it?

Or: This pile is your stuff. I don't know what to do with it, it's yours, but it can't really stay in this heap in the middle of the room now can it? (When everywhere around it is pristine and beautiful)

My DH loathes the joy criterion, and I quote "I hate the joy thing" Shock (please don't excommunicate me). But he will respond to more regular decluttering type talk, after about 4-6 weeks of careful modelling from me.

His process isn't my process. I am only responsible for my actions not his. This process should bring joy, not be a bone of contention or passive aggressive blaming and bitterness. It could be, things here are far from perfect. But I value my relationship. I am simply stepping into my own joy. He can come along or continue to mire in his own filth (we definitely have different standards of self-care). He is big enough to choose for himself. Its the nudge theory here, not the big stick.

I didn't plan this. I didn't even realise we needed decluttering. I just sort of started, and now we're all doing it. We still both have quite a bit to learn on the putting away front. This will be a big shift for both of us, though I'm getting better.

Pointlessfan · 14/01/2015 07:11

mamushka I don't like self help books either but this is different as most of it is practical ideas. I think you should buy it, it's not that expensive on Amazon and just make a start. When DH saw my wardrobe he chose to do his own while I was out and asked me to show him how to fold.
Pelican very happy veggies. I'm definitely saving my next egg box! They'd be useful for other items too e.g. apples, tomatoes.

BrandNewIggi · 14/01/2015 07:27

A quick question as I'm hoping to have a look at dh's clothes tonight - do men's shirts get hung or folded? If folded after ironing, are they all creased when you take them out? Or do you iron after? (Please note will be dh doing his own ironing, even if I help him with the discarding!)

Starface · 14/01/2015 07:31

We iron and hang clothes that are happier that way. Which imo includes shirts.

bringmejoy2015 · 14/01/2015 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ItIsntJustAPhase · 14/01/2015 10:47

Currently doing hair accessories. Have hammered five massive nails into the side of the bathroom cabinet and we're putting all the hairbands on those. Will try hanging a long ribbon to clip all the hair clips to, as well.

lockie1983 · 14/01/2015 11:16

Good idea phase (or do you prefer itisnt). I've realise I only use the same hairband over and over lol so trashed the rest.

Just done the kitchen. Two bags of stuff lighter. Thankfully not much out of date food, just lots of bits of useless broken stuff.

I'm not sure what to do now. I have two cupboard full of random stuff that need doing. A box of knitting and crafting. And the sentimentals.

Ok. So I do know...I'm just dawdling as those cupboards are the bane of my life.

And then...then...I'm going to do it all over again. Because I am now much clearer on joy and have some space to be able to gather everything from each category together (live in the teeniest of tiny flats).

Isabeller · 14/01/2015 11:29

Wow, I am so impressed. I really look forward to catching up with this thread whenever I get the chance. Kondoing MILs clothes (I'm one of her rota of carers: she has dementia and is physically very impaired) and must get two bin bags of donations to charity shops while she is at her daycentre.

I am currently trapped under a sleeping baby so what can I do except MN?

WellTidy · 14/01/2015 11:47

You ladies are inspirational. I mean it. I have got as far as buying the book and I've nearly finished reading it. I am keen to start. I have extremely limited free time (two young DC, one not in childcare/school at all, so is with me whenever I'm not working; I work 30 hours a week; DH is barely there as he works extreme hours; no family really to babysit to give me time etc), but I am not making excuses as I am going to start.

DS was given birthday gifts from 35 (yes, 35) different people at the weekend, some people giving 5 or so gifts, which tipped me over the edge.

I am really loving the before and after photos. Its giving me a proper shove into action.

educatingarti · 14/01/2015 11:50

Morning all!

Boy this thread is hard to keep up with!

It isn't and bringmejoy - I have fibromyalgia so can identify with the "just can't get anything done today" feeling I've massively overslept every day so far this week! When I'm working it is hard to get even the household basics done let alone anything else!

However at the moment every time I open my fridge I giggle at the thought of Pelican's carrots.
This week I have moved all my previously Kondoed socks into the same drawer - previously I had them I 2 drawers, one for thinner socks and one for thicker walking sock types. Makes so much more sense to have them all together!

the plastic storage containers linked to above are currently in Aldi btw. Aldi Not that I spent ages looking at them yesterday and resisting buying them because KonMarie says don't buy any storage until you have finished Kondoing and know what you need!

ItIsntJustAPhase · 14/01/2015 12:12

Hair accessories REALLY needed doing as I have a little girl with long hair. Constantly losing them, buying more, needing different types, etc. Huge amount, v few decluttered but that is okay.

Freezer defrosted and food vertically filed. Ish.

Educating and bring Honestly, I couldn't manage this while poorly. Am only well enough now thanks to my acupuncturist and her Chinese herbs which are doing amazing things for me.

whatsonyourplate · 14/01/2015 12:25

Thanks arti typical, I've just got back from Aldi and didn't see them, I would have looked for them if I'd known.

Loula117 · 14/01/2015 13:43

Definitely hang mens's shirts I think. Anything crisp cotton is happier hung, but jersey is fine to roll.

Mamushka it is definitely catching. I never thought we'd get rid of DH's big box of ancient retro games consoles etc, but he agreed and then I promptly found someone willing to pay for the whole lot!

Today I have been photographing a lot of my vintage clothes. I loved having them, but realistically didn't wear them all that often. Since losing a couple of dress sizes a lot of them don't fit properly either. So am hoping that the person who posted on Facebook looking for vintage will give me an offer in as serendipitous a way as the bloke who took all the games! They took up a lot of storage space and made it look as if I had a lot of clothes when really I didn't.

Tw1nkle · 14/01/2015 14:29

This is the 'organiser' i made for my daughters hair bits - she loves it, and it keeps all her bits tidy!

Become a Konvert in 2015 - Kondo thread 5. All welcome!
upandawayy · 14/01/2015 15:00

Still continuing here in the Upandaway household, into our third week. We are onto kitchen supplies which is taking a while. My son's drawer of bits is now beautifully kondoed with reused boxes from round the house to store stuff in it.

How to people storage medicines/first aid? Ours is all stacked in a cupboard and everything falls out when you just want a cough sweet.

I think I've been lucky that my husband wants this clear out more than me. He's kondoed all his personal stuff including clothes, books, cds etc and even letters and sentimental stuff. He wants to start photos but I've said he has to wait for me to catch up.

I realised I'd not kondoed the car though. Full of cds and komono

inadaydream · 14/01/2015 15:02

twinkle that's fab! A really good idea!! Off to research fabric and ribbon in attempt to make DD one as all her hair bits in a sectioned craft box and I hate it.

GrouchyKiwi · 14/01/2015 15:41

Twinkle: that's so clever! Might have to make one for DD.

Loula117 · 14/01/2015 16:06

Looks awesome Twinkle!

Upandawayy I have a lockable metal cabinet (I think from Ikea) on the wall. It has shelves in the main body and in the door which is good for packets of plasters, strepsils etc.

HermioneGrangerHair · 14/01/2015 16:28

Lockie: wow, finished! You are kondo hero of the day!

Isabeller: welcome! As they say "let sleeping babies lie". Think about breaking down your categories into smaller subcategories to keep it manageable. Forget clothes for now, just do socks. Then tomorrow, just t-shirts, etc. you might need to have a review of all subcategories at the end of the category, eg: you might find your skirts bring you so much joy you never want to wear jeans, but it shouldn't be insurmountable.

Upandaway: medicines/first aid... A) check the use-by-dates, B) think what you actually need to keep in. A handful of sticking plasters, a roll of surgical tape, some antacids and a packet of paracetamol, certainly. For more serious first aid, all you really need is the cold tap and a heap of clean tea towels. I also always have enough cystitis medicine to see me through 24 hours, by which time a pharmacy somewhere will be open. But you don't need three packets of anything, and drugs do have a shelf life. I unofficially kondoed ours a few years ago, and it all lives in a clippy sandwich box.

BrandNewIggi · 14/01/2015 16:36

Thank you for the shirt hints. Smile

I'd like to move our medicines to a top shelf in a cupboard in the kitchen (so dcs can't reach) but knew they'd be really hard to get down - one (or two) of the Aldi containers with the handles would work a treat though.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 14/01/2015 16:37

The trick is to do this on your own, quietly, without saying or even implying, "Look at me! Look at all the decluttering I’m doing!".

I realise I have failed fundamentally at this aspect of it as I'm telling everyone about every little thing I'm doing! Oops!

Everyone is doing so well! Great photos JKS and Pelican . I don't think I'll ever have upright carrots as the salad drawer isn't tall enough and we use the fridge door storage for milk/drinks, etc, but I love the happy carrots Grin

Swipe left for the next trending thread