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.

Love it, Violet! I was the same! My first two didn't even have a baby-bath - they had a large (new) washing-up bowl. I still have one of their 'bath' hand towels in use!

I can't believe the stuff that's on the market today. It's all designed to make us feel 'bad' parents unless our child has all this clutter!

Just checking in although sadly I don't have any new kondoing to report.
Going back to cutlery dividers, I got a wire one from Homebase years ago. It has 3 long compartments and a short one that we use for tea spoons. The sides don't slope, it is small and doesn't waste space at all. We keep our cutlery in it and there is space at the side to put large kitchen knives in the same drawer.
Large utensils e.g. wooden spoons, whisk, ladle have always been in a jar on the work top as I like to grab them quickly when I'm cooking. Smaller utensils e.g. tin opener were shoved in a drawer until I discovered MK and realised that the drawer was easily deep enough to store them vertically in some empty tea and coffee tins. They are now organised so there is a tine for measuring spoons & baby spoons and another tin for the tin opener, potato peeler etc. I have a few very small utensils e.g. pasta cutters which are in a plastic tray in the same drawer.
I still haven't attempted my cake decorating box as I think everything in there brings me joy but it does need some organising.
Oh yes, and I used the baby bouncer until the day when I left DD in it while I made a cup of tea and returned to find her dangling upside down from it! I just drink tea when she is asleep now!

I'm shaping up to do wrapping paper, and other long, thin things. There's a old curtain pole that I've been keeping for... Err... No, I haven't a clue! anyway, I suspect that some of the rolls of wrapping paper actually gave very little left on them, so I'll unroll them and fold to A4 size. Much more space-efficient. If anything long and thin survives the cull, I'll use some of my fabric stash to make a drawstring bag to store it in.

Oh, and my new (old) shelves are getting delivered on the 2nd, so I need to arrange collection for The Monolith, and maybe some other stuff. I'll give BHF a ring tomorrow. That gives me a deadline for clearing the rest of the crap off The Monolith. Yippee!

Iqueen one of my favourite memories was bathing my babies in the sink and occasionally a bucket!

A miracle has happened, DH has decided to declutter his stuff in the study! It really is true that if you lead by example, others in the household will (eventually) follow! X

Fizzybubbly I have one of those wrapping paper holders. It is very big! But I think has saved me money as i put any paper or cards inside it as soon as I get them, I used to buy stuff and lose it and then re-buy..
Was good in Ikea and just got a kitchen cupboard shelf (so you can store more stuff under it) and the shelves for my Trofast unit as planned and chocolate but we don't count that

Feeling really proud of myself today. Terrible night with the baby, then DH and later DD1 developed a vomiting bug so I had to play nursemaid. But I got my kitchen things done today and my kitchen is so empty and beautiful.

2 boxes for the charity shop, two full boxes for recycling and perfectly arranged cupboards. It feels really good. DH is loving it too.

We got an ok offer on the house today as well so will hopefully reserve our new build tomorrow! Yay!

BrandNewIggi Chocolate is OK... unless it clutters your body! Or, you leave it lying around! And who can do that?

Well done Grouchy!

And my Dh has definitely got the bug too.
He's done his paperwork (both stuff in his office and from the loft). I explained about the sentimental stuff waiting til last so he's put some to one side.

I've started on my desk - not sure what category it is really but it's a lovely old bureau from my grandad groaning under heaps of shite and craft stuff.
I've recycled loads, binned some, got a pile for preschool. Added various contacts to my phone and binned cards/letters.

Also been working on my laptop - which is now not working! - synced phone, deleted loads to free up space and backed up to new external hard drive. Then tried to restart and its died. Oh well for once k can actually say I backed up recently

I'm sure the startup disc will get it going again but it's showing its age. Not that old really but that's tech for you.

I have also had a breakthrough today! DD (13) was out all afternoon and I decided to use the opportunity to make a start on her room she's been saying she would tidy up for ages but has done nothing!
I have basically just de-cluttered and cleaned but didn't get rid of any actual possessions. Her room was an absolute tip and the floor hasn't been seen in months.
I thought she would go nuts when she got in, but was the total opposite. She said it had been getting her down but she just couldn't make a start on sorting it as it seemed like such a huge job. She's asked me to help her go through and get rid of things and get it all organised

Thank you for the tips on utensils & cutlery. My utensil drawer now has a large tupperware for small things like potato peelers (stored widthwise : if it's longer than the width of the box it doesn't go in), the lid to hold slightly bigger stuff lengthways, and a jug of spatulas etc in a deep drawer. I have a couple of pots for measuring spoons and medicine cups/spoons/syringes.

I also have a pile of giant metal utensils and 2 rolling pins that don't fit anywhere vertically. They're in a drawer for now but I might see if I can hang some of them inside a cupboard door or something.

I'm not 100% about this, I feel I still have too much stuff but i love to cook and I do use it all. Failed on the knife decluttering because DH and I have different favourites, and between us we like them all. All in all, mixed results but at least it's done.

Have moved all books and old bookcase out the way so the 'new' 6-foot one can go in my alcove and let me get lots of boxes out the way. Then MrNC's gaggle of folders of sentimental stuff can go in a box in the crawl space and we'll be in a much better place.

Doubt much kondoing will happen this weekend keeping three small kids happy while it rains - unless I throw out every toy someone hits another with...

hi, I've been reading for a while, this thread is so inspirational. Can I join in now? I just got my copy of the book from the library yesterday. Had a clear out of clothes a while ago, but I've been having another look at the ones that are left. I keep walking round the house looking at the random things are just "there" and don't bring joy, desperate to just get a big box and just put them all in. oh and I folded tea towels and stood them all vertically in the drawer. the folding is so satisfying!

I'm still bogged down in paperwork. I have sorted and got rid of loads, but have some I need to discuss with dh. Trying to get him in the same room as me is a nightmare, think he's avoiding me! To be fair he is busy, I have today or tomorrow to corner him so I can clear the floor and see how much I need to store. I could lure him to the bedroom under false pretenses.

Hi Gluten - welcome!

Light- I just put stuff in a box and whenever DH said he could do it I put the box in front of him. Made it as easy as poss - bin, recycling bag, to keep box, Etc.

And not too much at once.

Have combined all my to do lists into one finally.

Also have refined my active paperwork pile into one place.

Have managed to restart my laptop and updated software. It may still have life in it yet

Welcome Gluten: we've got people at all stages here. I like that, because it means I'm constantly reminded of the main principles of the method

No very serious kondoing going on here - I've been dabbling in various categories. No room in the wheelie bin for anything except the routine household waste (I half-filled it last weekend!)

I've done a bit of paperwork: a carrier bag full for recycling, a small pile for burning, and I've made a good start on filing the really important documents. Actually found my degree certificates, which I'd pretty much given up for lost! I have also spent some time thinning out and organising the tangle of elastic, ribbon, bias binding and trims in my sewing kit - urgh! Well now they're all in separate bundles, secured with masking tape, so I can get one out without all the rest coming too!

Mostly, though, I've been doing a bit of cleaning and fixing. Now the house is much more reliably tidy, I'm starting to get round to the jobs that were neglected (for years, sometimes) because there was always something more urgent. I've replaced the under-cabinet lights in the kitchen, which have never really worked properly, and have been completely defunct for the last 3 years. I've cleaned my bedside lamp... It's the cheapest of cheap ikea table lamps, translucent glass, open at the top, and there were pads of dust, about 0.5cm thick inside it, and on top of the bulb

Oh, and I've kondoed the dog poos in the garden. Not a lot of joy to be had from those! [barf] they are now stored vertically in a shoebox

Pmsl at dog poos

Have done the class teddy book - what a mission! Great relief to have it back in its bag though.

Pil here for a few days. Normally good time to Kondo but I'm off to a spa hotel on my own tomorrow.

Focusing on laptop again now. So many software updates!

Wow, spa hotel sounds like just what you deserve, JKS... Enjoy!

My husband's volunteering to do something with my laptop. It's a great little machine, but very limited storage. I'm not letting him near it this weekend, though as I need it for work on Monday!

Loving the kondoed poo! In my garden it would be fag butts I need go get rid off (neither of us even smoke )
Have kondoed the teddies and feeling Now sitting in the dcs room surrounded by chaos. Have got so much stuff ready for bin or charity shop, yet the floor/table/bed is now covered in random toys. There is no end in sight.

Enjoy your spa JKS

As some of you may remember I am on sentimental items. Today I culled my photos and it was no problem. I thought I would find it hard as I had a whole lot I had not looked at since before my split with the ex and that was a long time ago because I have been with my DP for 12 years! Ex and I travelled a fair bit so there were loads of scenery, which were easy to get rid of and ones of him or us was also easy. I was pleased that there were ones of just me in all of the places we visited so I can put them all in one album. There were others of student days with people I can barely remember. Out they went. And lots of friends that I have loved but lost touch with (not so easy to keep in touch when moving around a lot before the social media days). I have kept these. I may do a journal type thing with photo of these friends with snippets of memories of what we got up to and what they were like. At the moment all the photos are in a plastic folder until I work out how many albums I need.

Iggi -I can imagine. Ive never had much luck clearing out teddies before.

Cool - well done on the photos. I just keep finding more randomly scattered around the house so making piles of them as I go.

Have done a few more toys - well hidden them in dh's office in case they get noticed and asked for back. Some of the big chunky ones will be great to move on from. A rocking cow (?mil!?) a ride on pink monstrosity (raffle prize) and a wooden bike that I actually wish was a bit bigger to last longer.
Also felt awful as I opened a zipped up box and hiding in the box were all the toy story toys I apologised to them

JKS , my DBs used to have a rocking cow! I wonder if it's the same one, or whether there's a big market of lots of different types of rocking cows out there...

The DBs have now Kondoed clothes, books, papers and CDs/DVDs (and tapes - which have actually been kept for when/if we get a new tape player, because they and I just love them so much). Their room is not noticeably looking better, but that's because toys are their biggest problem. They're just 13, and they do still play with most of the toys they have. And don't get me started on the soft toys! They must have at least 60 between them, and wherever you put them, they always end up down the back of DTB1's bed - he's on the bottom bunk. Any ideas for storing them?

This afternoon, the three of us did the board games cupboard, and my car boot is now full of games to take to Church, as board games are pretty much a disposable item there, because they get lost/broken fairly quickly due to the volume of children using them. Most of the games we're keeping are now stood up in the cupboard, filed left to right rather than front to back. I might try and take a picture tomorrow.

Yet to read the thread but weasel please don't bother with a chest of drawers with a changing bit on top. Even if you use a regular chest of drawers with a regular changing mat on top, it will be short term. After a few months the baby will be rolling, then sitting, then running! A changing may on a bed or floor is better and lower.

Realised with kids in bed I could Kondo the toy boxes of tat in the living room - 3 full of 'bits'.
Half a carrier bag binned, similar for charity (in a tied-up non-see-through bag!), ditto for my secret drawer of stocking fillers and surprises, 20 Megablocks put together as I want to get rid of the lot, and some useful bits found and put back together. And some Lego. There's always Lego...

Can't wait for BIL+MrNC to bolt new bookcase to the wall tomorrow so I can add shelves and get so many boxes out my room!

Have added 5 addresses from saved cards/envelopes to my Addresses.doc file.

And bag of clean textiles is labelled and ready for charity shop. Hopefully the Cancer Research is open tomorrow as usual, as it wasn't 14 days ago and MrNC dropped stuff at another new charity shop which he said had nice old ladies there but it was a bunch even Google hadn't heard of, called Cash for Causes, so bit concerned.

Next: photo nappies and try to sell on FB.

I also managed to kondo DS's baby clothes yesterday. I have just kept a handful of stuff - things like his outfit when we brought him home from hospital. Amazingly, DP got his big box of sentimental items out and kondoed many many items.

I was wondering if someone could help with how to store a very precious item. It is an army uniform of DP's brother who died in combat. At the moment it is just stored in a drawer with his brother's other stuff but we would like to store it a bit more carefully.