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!

TheObligatory I'm actually finding it easier to locate things since I started kondoing as everything has a place now (before, I had a big pile of paperwork that I hadn't got round to filing) and have also rediscovered quite a few things I'd mislaid lost. The only thing I appear to have lost is my birth certificate, although that's not kondo-related - I thought I'd lost it years ago, found it at my parents' house at Christmas, brought it back home, and promptly lost it again. I'm really hoping I haven't thrown it out with all the paper that I've recycled recently, although at least I have a spare as I had to apply for a full birth certificate when I registered DD1's birth.

Thanks for the advice on paperwork, educating and misscph. Teaching English has only ever been a sideline, which I got into when DD1 started school and her teacher asked me to go in for half an hour a week to help out with English. I taught both DDs' classes throughout primary school and am now onto my last child; just 2.5 years more years to go until DS moves up to secondary school, where they have "proper" English teachers. I also taught three small groups of children a couple of years ago (I was talked into it by some other parents) but had had enough after a year, so I really can't see myself going back to it. Anyway, I think I'm going to have to revisit my TEFL folders ("only" six altogether; 22 is the total amount, including everything from finances, the house and tax to the children, work-related stuff - which I've reduced from 3 folders to 1 - and utilities/bills) as I've realised that I must have at least half if not most of it on my laptop already and could scan the rest if there's not too much.

WellTidy I would keep everything if you know you're going to use it all (and enjoy using it), but I know how you feel - we have far too much in the way of toiletries as a) I tend to stock up when we're back in the UK, b) DH brings back huge amounts of miniatures from hotels he stays in (he does use them, but not at a fast enough rate), and c) I have a Glossybox subscription, which I've come to realise I really don't need, so am going to cancel it.

bring Ah, I know where you are without having to google. The bank situation sounds very familiar; we get so much paperwork from our bank too. The particularly annoying thing is that if I don't go into the bank every so often to get a statement from the machine (which comes out on 10 or more tiny bits of paper), they'll send us a statement and charge us postage! I've just switched to online statements with Barclays but I don't think our bank here offers that option.

Aagggghh! I'm still poorly and feel like I'm getting very behind. I didn't even object when mum came round earlier and put a load of stuff on the table in the living room. I must be feeling better though because I want to get going again!

Also not a teacher or languages person - scientific background here.
My stuff is actually fairly organised, just I felt like there was too much of it.
Have done most of the paperwork now. Ridiculous amount of paper I have kept for no reason like energy bills from a supplier we are no longer with, for a house we no longer live in! Why?!

Thank you.
I really want to do our paperwork but I think I need to reread that part of the book. It stresses me out just thinking about it!

Just checking in - out all day today visiting dh and orchestra.

I'm an ex-teacher. Now pt admin - much less stress! And pt sahm.

I always thought I'd go into proofreading but never quite got round to it.

pointless hope you start feeling better soon. When your body needs a break, it's best to listen.

TheObligatory I am finding it much easier to locate and get hold of things these days. DP says that if we get burgled, they will be able to locate things quickly If something unfortunate like that ever happens, I reckon they will trash the place looking for "hidden" things, except, there won't be any.

I think a lot of (ex)teachers/childminders are here because we deal with a lot of clutter and noise, including visual noise (on walls, ceilings etc esp in primary teaching). Funnily enough MK talks about visual stuff being noise too.

Am keen to be an ex-teacher too and get into part-time admin. Although I am not sure I can sit down for large parts of the day.

Tbh it is boring!!!!

But when compared to stress and ft full on teaching it's a breeze

And works better for fitting in other stuff though not so ideal in school holidays but I tend to do fewer hours then and more in term time to even it out.

Aaaahahahaha at cadbury's DP! That's the worst reason I've heard for filling a house with crap!

But I was thinking about burglary last week, and thinking what a let down our house would be for a burglar. Our TV is ok, but old, and pretty small. Our furniture is nice, but almost all second hand, or we've had it for donkeys' years. Our car is an antique, but not in a desirable way! Our computers are good, but very long in the tooth. And it all led me to think... We both earn good money, so where in the name of God does it all go?

I hope this kondo business marks a turning point in my life, when I stop spending money on transient stuff, and only buy things that are going to bring me lasting joy.

Oh, I used to be a teacher too, but like misscph, I found I was the family anomaly: not very good at it! Now doing something research-related and a lot less stressful!

I've been thinking a lot about the visual noise thing. Although I am attracted to an eclectic look, it is too much for me now in a busy household. So I need to reduce visual noise.

Another book you might be interested in is 'More is Less:the Paradox of Choice'. Loved it.

Hi everyone!! Not much kondoing here over the last few days.

Been trying to get my tax return done but have encountered a rather serious hurdle - I can't find receipts for the tax year . I know there are some but they're not with all the others. Tonight's mission is to tackle the paperwork, upstairs, in the hope that I unearth some receipts. I'm doubtful there'll be any up there but it'll make me feel better just clearing some of the other mess.

I'm not a teacher either, but I used to be on admin and my last job (before becoming a SAHM) was all about tidying documents so I think it fits.

Haven't managed to do anything today. Spent hours on the phone with utilities people so day feels a little wasted. Having some Me time tonight as DH will be out so I'm going to write a list of everything I need to do this week. Should be able to make sure I get time for Kondoing that way. And I love writing lists!

I'm a teacher too. I'd love to do something less stressful.
I think teachers have a tendency to hold onto things that might be useful for school e.g. resources, display material.
I go back to work from mat leave very soon and I am going to try and Kondo my classroom.

I hope you are up and about soon pointless.

Well I showed my amazingly organised kitchen cupboards to DS1 and he was the opposite of bowled over! Bowled under would be a appropriate statement if such a term existed . It's funny, he's actually resisted the kondo process and made statements such as 'I don't care if my rooms tidy or not'. I can tell he is really pleased with his room though and it seems to stay tidy with minimal effort.

Hermione, Aplaceonthecouch, and OPs I found the comments on 'what's next' usefully illuminating, thank you.

Warning! Heavy post

My clutter has got out of hand since I retired (from Teaching! My sister's a Translator!) My house is functional (just), but I recognised that all the de-cluttering advice I have read in books, websites and attempted, was not particularly helpful. Until I discovered MK at Christmas!

For some years I have been trying to identify the psychological reasons behind my slump into such a mess. I have made quite a few LB discoveries about myself, but the biggest one was what advantages my messiness was giving me.

Sadly, many experts, say that cluttering results in isolation, but I realised that cluttering protects isolation! I didn't want to be around people!

In the past, the 'noise of clutter' had begun resonating with me, along the lines of the 'cluttering and isolation' theory. Then, the remarks further up-thread brought another LB moment: the 'noise' of clutter hinders our minds, and prevents us from confronting concerns, worries, or issues which we really need to address, or at least, give some thought to. I had seriously considered that the state of my mind had caused the cluttering. No, it is the state of my life and 'what's next', that needs fixing!

I have always had a goal in front of me. Until I retired.

MK has given me a goal. More than that, she (with help from you lovely posters!) has shone a light into a clean, spacious future. My future may be relatively short, with opportunities and cash much, much less, but the possibilities are still amazing.

I need the woo. So thank you for all the little nuggets of wisdom that have resonated with me.

So, today I part-kondoed my head!

Iqueen I'm with you! This whole thing is great for decluttering the mind.

Hello everyone. My you've been chatting extensively.

For my tuppence worth:

Someone asked about drawer dividers. I make mine by cutting up cardboard and sticking it to the insides with tape. Works for me and can be personalised. Virtually free.

I work in health care/ prisons interface, so something different.

However I'm unconvinced clutter is profession related, although I can see how some professions might lead to more in particular categories. As well as personal/individual reasons, i think clutter is a problem of current society. Easy and cheap availability. A materialist capitalist emphasis on the material, of making money and consequently having stuff as representation of self worth. Affluenza anyone?

I haven't done much KM the past two days as it's hard to get much done with a baby to entertain, but I have chucked some more stuff out, and I am going to KM our medications tonight. Just looking for some containers to store them in. I have so many half finished boxes of painkillers as I can never find them so I buy more.

I took some nice gifts that don't bring me joy to the charity shop and they were really pleased to receive them. One gift is extremely distinctive though, and I worry it will somehow work its way to the person who gave it to me.... how do you plan to respond if someone asks why you don't have their gift? Truth or white lie? This was a gift marking a meaningful occasion, so I think they would be hurt. But whilst I appreciate the sentiment I disliked the object and would never use it, and I remember the occasion fondly without it.

Some up thread talked about baby sleep.... my baby has been sleeping much better since we started KM ing. May be a coincidence, May be not..... I am certainly getting her to bed quicker as no hunting around for night things.

Starface I also don't think clutter is profession-related. In fact I didn't have any at all well not much anyway until moving in with my clutter-inclined DP and having children! We are really struggling with it now. Have been getting rid of stuff for more than a year now though and with KonMari I think it's going even better.

I cleared out a whole box of baby clothes today, going to the charity shop and a pregnant family member. There's a smaller box of komono/books still sitting here but it will have to wait until the morning as I've got a bit more work to do now. I think it will end up completely empty, just needs to be sorted between recycling/bin/charity shop.

Then back upstairs where I'll do all my clothes properly and see what really brings joy. (Hope there's something left at the end of it all, I don't have many clothes TBH.)

thankyou starface and bringme. I'm very tempted to make my own dividers now.