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

[PeoniesforMissAnnersley]

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

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

Ohhelp

if DH insists on putting it in a cupboard, and you want it in a basket for sorting, could you clear space in a cupboard big enough for your basket, and insist it goes into the basket in the cupboard?
That way it stays contained for easier sorting, has a built-in limit to get sorted by (basket gets full=must get sorted!), and you are both happy.

Love your user name by the way, every time I see a post from you, the whole Gruffalo rhymes start up in my head.

New to this Kondo and waiting for the book from the library, however on tidying my perfumes I know I have 2 given to me as presents at Christmas that I don't like - Jo Malone Pomegranite Noir and Black Opium, both are virtually full (only a couple of sprays to see if I liked them) so I don't want to just bin them.

I can't face ebay and don't really do facebook so what's the best way of selling them? In the spirit of Kondo I need it to be fairly quickly or they will just find their way back into the drawer.

I hope no one has already given this heads-up!

How to fold fitted sheets! Easy-peasy!

I have tried that trick several times. Completely rubbish at it.

I'm starting today. Really looking forward to covering the living room with my clothes once the children are in bed.

Have asked the kind people who loaned or gave me baby things whether they want them back so hoping I'll be able to make a lot of progress quickly with that stuff!

GrouchyKiwi Depending on how many clothes you have (and how much time you have) you may like to break clothes down to sub-categories? You don't want to get up up to 'Clothes Mountain!

Are you a really Kiwi? I am.

3 bags of clothes to the charity shop this morning. Hurrah! Now I have space to fill the car boot with more bags.

I Kondoed our medicine cupboard last night but am now thinking I may redo it into bags as a PP suggested. Thanks for that idea. Currently it's in two small separate tupperware boxes - one for colds/headaches and the other for other ailments. But our high cupboards are so high that there is a likelihood I'll tip them over my head when trying to lift them down. Bags would solve that problem.

I also redid my spice shelf/cupboard.

Between the medicines and the spices, I've regained a 'display' cupboard which now only has 5 nice glasses in it. And the spice shelf actually has more in it but because it's organised, it looks emptier.

I have to finish my shoes and bags tonight. I got waylaid with kitchen cupboards because I can subtly Kondo whilst supervising homework

Last night, DH couldn't find a letter and was grumping there was unopened mail lying about. I asked him where because I'd Kondoed our mail system and he came back and admitted there wasn't any at all. Small score of joy for MK and me as I'd been genuinely disappointed at the thought some mail had missed my Kondoing and new system.

I'm having real problems with the kid's book and craft corner in the living room. They have a very large low bookcase full of books. I Kondo'ed 20 kg of the books in the autumn, that really helped. They have a round kid's table and 2 chairs, the table has shelves under it (pens and colouring pencils in pencil cases) the chairs have shelves under the seat (komono). But somehow the table and the top of the bookshelf becomes a complete komono mess very quickly, it's like a dumping ground for their projects. Also their Beano comics are a nightmare, they buy it every week and refuse to get rid of the old ones. In principle they are kept in magazine holders, but they are cardboard and quite flimsy, so they don't stand well even in a book case. It's nice that they use the reading and craft corner so much, but it's really hard to keep any sort of order there. They are not very good at tidying, they do like their dad, and like someone else described on this thread, they shove things away randomly and just make sure you can't see it.

Any ideas? I seem to purge the area weekly, and then mid week we are back to square one. Kids are 7 and 10.

misscph1973 Your children have to clear away at school! Just insist that they clear away at home too. You will be saving them the cost of MK's book when they leave home... and learning what we are having to learn now!

Thanks, Iqueen - I guess I'm just not very happy with their tidy method ;)

FlyLady talks a lot about not letting your perfectionism stop you or your family. My personality is very split - a total slob, but also with perfectionist tenencies.

I guess I just need to persevere with them and be happy with what they can do.

But I still need a better way of storing their comics vertically! Do I need to invest in hard material magazine racks, are they any better?

Miss I totally relate. Drives me nuts and I have to start being firmer.

Yup, am indeed a proper Kiwi.

Don't have crazy loads of clothes - I think! Guess I will find out.

Ok. I am still working on clearing out my attic. I have done about 8 runs to the tip now. I finally managed to find a charity shop that would accept donations (no mean feat!) and gave them at least 10 bags of baby clothes and maternity clothes and a load of toys.

I still have a huge pile of cloth nappies to dispose of (yes, I do appreciate the irony!). I was a bit of a cloth nappy addict in my time. Again, they're all in great condition but they are 14 years old now so I'm not sure if anyone will want them. Any ideas?

I can't wait to finish emptying this loft so I can really get started on the house. I've done my clothes but need to do everyone else's. I don't know why I wanted to get the loft done first but it's been bothering me for such a long time that I knew if I could get that out of the way first then the rest of the house would be easier.

misscph DH gets a magazine on subscription. I bought him some ring binders and these things to go in them that are like long thin plastic loops that fit inside the ring binder. You open the magazine to its centre and thread it through the loop and all the magazines then go in the binder plus you can read them without taking them out. I got them on Amazon. I can't remember what they are called but I think I searched for something like magazine storage.
Would they work for the Beanos?
Sorry I would post a photo but I'm on my phone and it never seems to work.

Thanks for this inspiring thread. (I have name changed in honour :))

I started a couple of weeks ago, but have had a sick baby, who is currently asleep on me after being up most the night.

So I'm still on clothes, but finding it hard, because I don't really get any joy from them, so would end up throwing out most. Partly because I'm still fatter than I want to be, though have been losing weight, so some of the clothes/dresses I like are now a size too big. I don't want to put more weight back on, so I should throw them out, but then I don't have anything in my size that make me feel good. I don't think I can justify buying a whole new wardrobe in January. Also I do not usually find clothes shopping a joyful experience. Do really need to get some new work clothes though - sorry I'm rambling!

Loving the sheet folding - I'm going to have to go and refold them all.

My folded drawers are bringing me joy. I might go and do my sock drawer to try and regain some momentum. When this troublesome baby wakes... :)

Pointlessfan, it sounds ideal, not having alot of luck on Amazon, though, wouldlove a photo when you can.

Hi CanI, I was in a similar situation to you with clothes in the autumn, some were too big but I had more baby weight to lose so I didn't want to spend loads on new items. What I did was bought a pair of jeans, a few t shirts and a nice jumper which saw me through with a couple of existing cardies.
I am now smaller and going back to work soon so I am off to spend my Xmas money at the weekend.
I'm trying to think of clothes as clothes rather than categorising them into work, going out, casual etc so I will buy less and wear more. I know that won't apply to everything e.g. jeans but kondoing has really made me want fewer clothes that I love instead of a lot of things that are just ok.

Is it this one:

www.phillipsdirect.co.uk/magazine-binding-strip-a4-magazine-holder-pack-of-10-p-73.html

misscph I'll see what I can do later!!

Yes! Exactly like that but I think I got them in packs of 25.

Thanks pointless. I might try and hit the shops tomorrow. Seems slightly against the aim of decluttering, but I guess if it helps me get rid of things that don't bring joy it's a win.

Lindt: what kind of cloth nappies? DD2 is kind of between sizes right now so I think I'll need some more bigger ones soon. I might be able to take them off your hands.

Pointlessfan, don't worry, I think I found them: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171624255905?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Those are the same ones I got, pleased you found them.