Kondoing away the chaos: Kondo thread 7 for yet more life-changing magic

[LinzerTorte]

The Book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo, Cathy Hirano

Summary of the process link from mipmop

Article of top tips by Marie Kondo

Thread 6
Thread 5
Thread 4
Thread 3
Thread 2
Thread 1

Tips and links thread

And BeCool's copy of Coughles list of ORDER from Thread 2 for everyone:

"ORDER TO DECLUTTER/LOCATE THE JOY*

Clothes folding by rummy
Books
Papers
CDs
DVDs
Skincare products
Make-up
Accessories
Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc.)
Electrical equipment and appliances (digital cameras, electric cords, anything that seems vaguely ‘electric’)
Household equipment (stationery and writing materials, sewing kits, etc.)
Household supplies (expendables like medicine, detergents, tissues, etc.)
Kitchen goods/ food supplies
Other (If you have many items related to a particular interest or hobby, such as ski equipment, then treat these as a single subcategory.)

KonMari stresses that sentimental items should be left till the end. So for example, when you are doing papers, don't include photos of your children, love letters, old school reports etc, leave anything with a sentimental connection for later."

*As discussed in previous threads, your order for decluttering and finding the joy/spark/recognizing may be different to recommendations.

when we moved into our apartment I arrived to find BIL´s two horrible settees from the 70's there before me [anger], two slightly depressing years later it was finally sent to his MIL's and out of our place. Only then did I find the will to start decorating the lounge according to my own wishes.

I even managed to kindly explain to my MIL that we will be replacing their dining room table and chairs (given to us after they moved back to their family home after an extended field service stay in another country) for something more suited to our needs. As a background I was perfectly happy with my tiny 4 seat dining table but thought I'd accept the offer of a dining table without seeing it first as none of siblings had own place and when the family came over to dinner we were 8.

Tomorrow DH will take the cupboards worth of wine sherry and port glasses also inherited from MIL when they moved back home, down to cellar or out to glass depot. we only ever use 8 of them on new years eve when the family comes over.

I´d rather buy and toss them out with the christmas decorations. Or get a small set of crystal bubbly flutes especially for guests.

In other news, I've made a start on chipped and mismatched glasses and mugs by swapping them for IKEA Pokal glasses which double as latte or tea tumblers as they are heat resistant. Winning!

Also some DCs puzzles and word games that werent being used except as floor decoration have been swept out the house. Same goes for old colouring books and annoying cd & dvd covers. Once I transfer the audiobooks and dvds to usb stick, they can follow.

I have just kondoed my spice cupboard.

There was a jar of nutmeg with a best before date .... of 2003!

When I opened the jar, the smell of old dust was overwhelming, as though I had just broken into some ancient Egyptian's tomb. It was a very archeological experience.

works do remember she says in the book if something has emotional significance or sentimental value, you should do it as a separate category, so if you're finding some clothes too hard, put them into that category instead.

Hahaa at the old nutmeg experience I'll always remember with my mum, we moved house in 1998, and a few years later we did a big clear out of the cupboards. Forever, we'd had two tubs of drinking chocolate, one instant, one "cadbury's drinking chocolate". We always for some reason or other used the instant but didn't really realise. When we tried to check the best before date, it didn't have one because it was too old. There was a special offer on the side about collecting tokens and sending away for a paint box (how quaint and 80s) and the offer ended on 31 December 1989 My mum had probably bought that drinking chocolate before or shortly after I was born!

Kondoing has really changed my life. Life is simpler, easier and it's positive to be surrounded by joyful well ordered items.

BUT I am driving my extended family and close friends insane talk ing about it. I am turning into a kondo bore! I also worry that my enthusiasm might be taken as boasting so really must shut up! I have had time to throw at kondoing, while friends are sometimes time poor.

I do think my house looks less interesting as a result of kondoing. My favourite friends houses are in fact the ones that have lots going on and would I'm sure be considered cluttered by Marie kondo.

My house may look less interesting but on the positive side, the order does make me less stressed about keeping on top of things.

Some close friends responses do make me wonder if I'm over doing the kondoing too.

I've been a dynamo sorting through the house. It's been a radicle change for me. I've gone from very very cluttered (can't see my bedroom floor, random piles in each room and mixed up overfilled messy cupboards) to only about 1/3 of the stuff and all well stored with clutter free surfaces/floors. I'm almost finished now.

It feels good to me but I wonder what will happen next? Will I become freaky about cleaning? We are clean enough but could be a lot cleaner. I'm not one to mop or get the Hoover out very often. The house feels a bit grubby with finger marks on paint and dust and cobwebs. I usually only clean properly before guests arrive.

Maybe direct more of your enthusiasm to the thread of fellow enthusiasts rather than RL people who might be less interested :)

I don't know if it is something you can overdo really - I suppose anything can become unhealthy if you obsess over it too much. But this is supposed to be a one time process, really. Do you think your house really has lost something? In that case is it an idea to start looking for things (that you love) to bring that "interest" back? Have you done the sentimental items putting on display bit yet?

In terms of cleaning, if you have the time, I don't think there's much wrong with cleaning to a high standard.

Violet, I understand your worry that it'll become less interesting, but once you've tamed the clutter, you can rethink the look of the rooms. you might find you want to have a bit of a reshuffle of furniture at the end, then you'll be able to think about the mood and personality of each room. You might want to do a bit of redecorating, or it might just be a case of strategic accessorising: Some great pictures, a simple vase of flowers, great-grandma's silver candlesticks or whatever. If you have one or two beautiful things, the space around them allows them to sing.

i love the look of a house that's bursting with interesting things. But it takes time, and money, and taste to do that well, and there's no question that it makes for a much higher-maintenance home. When a house like that is impeccably tidy and clean, it's a thing of joy, but when it gets a bit scruffy and grubby, it can feel like the walls are falling in on top of you.

I bet you anything the stuff you're clearing out is NOT what makes your home interesting. Who's really that interested in other people's ironing piles, or empty DVD cases, or tangles of electrical cables? They just remind us of our own similar piles of crap, and so we'd rather not see them. Once all that's gone, you'll be able to concentrate on the things of genuine interest.

When the process is over, I would like a chair in the bedroom for reading..

Like a small chaise longue. A chaise short?!

At the moment, the space is taken up with laundry baskets of DH's paperwork.

A previous poster said that their aim is to sit in different places and that resonates with m I need a spot to sit at the bottom of the garden where DS plays but our garden furniture rotted, so hopefully we will have time to choose new items more wisely and then care for what we already have.

UUGGH, had a very frustrating un-Kondo experience yesterday. Some of you may remember I got a Debenhams voucher for Xmas that I was determined to 'not just spend on 'stuff' just for the sake of spending it' as would have happened pre-Kondo. Then there was also my post about my clothes not really working cos I don't have shoes/boots for a lot of outfits .
So I was delighted to combine these 2 things into spending the voucher (with a discount code ) to get 2 pairs of boots and I just had to top up my online order by £20 on my card to cover the cost along with the voucher . Happy Days, voucher spent on something I need and will make me happy - but no, the blasted voucher didn't go though, so I ve spent £30 I didn't need to and have the voucher still sitting uselessly in my wallet to annoy me further ( though at least I didn't immediately chuck it in the bin I guess ).
VERY annoying, though I guess only kondo-ists would really get it, everyone else is 'oh but you still have the voucher to spend!'.....but I don't want to buy more 'stuff' !

Milky could you return them and buy again with the voucher in store?

It does sound like you needed the boots, though, and the voucher will last for years so I'm sure you'll find a time to use it that isn't just stuff.

Milly what if you phone customer services and explain, surely they could add the voucher on for you?

I was thinking that but it's a lot of faff ( and I'm too lazy to be carrying boxes back into town on the bus lol ) . I think I've been 'kondo-ised' too much though, the voucher has been iarritating the heck out of me in my wallet since Xmas :)

Intending to kondo ds1's clothes today. For some reason he got left out in the first run! But I've realised until I know how much space he needs (currently a full wardrobe and a couple of Trofast tubs) then I won't know how much space there is for toys etc. We rent a storage room and it's a bit of a fantasy to be able to let that go. There is a reclining chair in it id love to have back in the house again, if any space could be cleared! Hope everyone has a nice Sunday

I'm still trying to catch up (on page 10 )with the rest of you, after being tied up with an ongoing family headache. I haven't started kondoing paperwork yet, but the past week or so has resulted in this topic's paperwork being properly organised! Really looking forward to having a clear field, so I can immerse myself in serious kondoing!

By way of relaxing breaks, I have been kondoing whatever small things that catch my eye - out-of-date cans, catalogues, some spices, a few more clothes and some books.

Hermione Sorry if someone else has suggested this, further ahead, but your unneeded sewing patterns should sell on eBay, as they are complete/uncut - they are so expensive new!

Back to reading!

I did email them immediately after the order went through when I realised it didn't look right but the reply was basically ' yes it all went through on your Visa but you can use the voucher anther time ' :( . Knowing my luck when I do try to use the card it won't go throgh cos I've already scrathed off the PIN and entered it ! Would be so typical of my life lol !

Finally, I've caught up on the thread and had lunch... but, now, everyone else is 'out to lunch'!

To everyone who has been feeling a bit de-motivated or meh, don't forget that this time of year is miserable for many people - the winter weather post Christmas hols and still some time before the the daffs come out, etc. - to brighten everyone up!

oh bought myself a bunch of daffs yesterday, make me smile everytime I see them in my lovely jug :) . On the other hand the bloody great big vase sitting on the work top cos DP keeps forgetting to bring it to charity shop is setting my teeth on edge !

Push the vase to the back and just absorb the daffodil joy, Milly!

First week back was ok thanks, bring. There were tears on Monday morning (mine!) but it wasn't as bad as I expected and DD had a lovely time with daddy. I even made a start on kondoing the big cupboard in my classroom!
I tried to buy some sort of receptacle for paperwork to go in before we deal with it today but couldn't find anything suitable. Any suggestions?

Pointless - a box? How long will it stay in there? Do you need to access it in the meantime? Etc. if it's just to hold it in one place any old box or bag should do.

I've taken down one set of shelves in the boys room. And moved the other set into the corner. So more floor space.
And filtered the crap as well as books on there. Some bits to bin. Some toys I've hidden 'half way to bin'. Much better.

And I've moved the books ds1 has read into the spare room as he likes to look at them and keep them in order. Eventually he'll move in there (pre loft conversion anyway) so that's made him happy.
Still loads of komono in there though but I'm determined to get rid of it all.

I'd ideally like to put it on top of the radiator cover which is about 6" wide. It will be in constant view so I'd prefer something pretty. I also want something that doesn't have too much capacity so that I a forced to deal with the papers regularly and not end up with huge basket full to sort out every few months!
My other idea was to find a pretty envelope file, cut off the flap and stick it up somewhere.
I hate having papers lying around but if I put them away I tend to forget about them so I really just want it as a temporary but obvious place to put papers that need dealing with.

For paperwork, WHSmith do a great box file which has sections A-Z with suggestions for each one. I used to find that really helpful, I need another one.

Notice board for new ones, or stick them to the fridge?

Thankyou hermionie, bringme and Bertie. I've got rid of tons and I do need to put up photos, rearrange the furniture, frame some paintings and buy some new bedding to pull everything together.

Oooh, good idea iqueen. I usually can't be arsed to sell stuff on eBay, but sewing patterns would be so easy to post, it wouldn't be a hindrance to getting them out of the house.

For those of you taking an interest in the sofa cover, I've nearly finished the mock-up of the body of the sofa. Still got the back panel to fit, then two large box cushions to do, but compared with the complex fitting I've already done, those should be easy-peasy!

Really pleased with this weekend's kondoing. The stationery was a big mental barrier for me... Like some kind of guilty secret that stood in the way of the tidy, organised person I want to be. Starting to feel like maybe I am that organised person already.