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.

I've also noticed the thread slowing down. I'm not really losing enthusiasm, but things seemed to get a big tangled-up for a while, and I burnt myself out for a while with some complicated stuff at work. Maybe it's the time of year... You get a little impetus at new year, but I don't think you get the energy you need to see things through until Spring kicks in.

I'm still slaving away over the sofa covers... Turning out nicely, I think, but good grief, it's a labour of love! Best Kondoing in weeks, this morning: we took a car-load of books to the city library! One more to go, next weekend, but at least we've cleared the landing. Feels like things are moving again. Next weekend is looking promising too, having booked a collection of furniture and electricals by BHF on Saturday.

Thanks for the latest article... My favourite one so far.

I noticed that too. I wondered if some of the new year enthusiasm was wearing off. I'm still keen but finding it hard to make time now I'm back at work. Also I've reached a point where I have a lot of stuff piled in the spare room that I need to sort and find homes for and I keep putting it off!

I think lots of people are getting tangles in other things - a bathroom redo for us; grouchy moving house; JKS with ill family. Maybe also term timekicking in as there are so many teachers here

I'm still here, I just don't have much to post :) It's better for me when the chat moves more slowly anyway because I can't keep up when you lot fill a thread in two weeks

Have spent most of today helping a friends dd move flat. Cleaning, hoovering, carrying, etc. Body is exhausted and back is sore!

Dh has managed the dc all day and sorted a roast for in a minute. Mmm.

Did acquire some cardboard boxes to put chazzer stuff in which will help.

I am still going. Think I have stalled a bit as part way through the kitchen and edging towards the sentimental, which will be more difficult - partly because there is lots of stuff in the loft so more awkward to access it all.

I'd say I'd lost some of the enthusiasm. For me it's struggling to get the momentum back up after I've had to slow down to get the stuff out of the house. I won't just throw things out, the guilt about the waste would outweigh any positive feelings about clearing things out. Most of it's going to charity, but some things are actually worth quite a bit, so I'm selling a small bit of it. (used the profits so far to buy a yearly family pass to a local attraction, and a few bits for the DDs, so very much converted to joy)

Between that, stress at work, illness, and family birthdays/events etc, in the last few weeks, until yesterday, I'd done nothing bar finish DHs paperwork. The good news is that the Kondo'd areas are still kondo'd. Cleaning is getting much easier.

Then yesterday I decided to sort the bought-lots-as-they-were-on-special cleaning supplies box. That soon evolved into a full blown attack on the conservatory/utility room. It has LOTS of storage, all the DIY stuff is in there. Toolbox, power tools, left over parts for things, spare sockets, light fittings, door handles, bulbs. If B&Q sell it, I probably had it in there somewhere. I actually only threw out 1 bin bag, recycled one big box, but what's left is actually organised, like with like, and tidy. I have one box of "parts" left to sort through as I ran out of time, but all the surfaces are clear for the first time ever, and I've cleared 2 whole shelves of anything but empty storage boxes. I know where everything is again. It's like a breath of fresh air in there now. And I don't need to buy fairy liquid for the rest of the year! (I thought we were about to run out! )

Well, I guess when I started I was on compassionate leave, so now I am back at work full time I just don't have as much time to tidy it post. Also the kitchen was a bit intimidating so I stalled a bit while I gathered myself to start it.

To be honest I found it a bit much when the thread was going really fast, so quite like it now it's slowed a bit as I can actually keep up.

I'd love to be able to do each category cleanly - sorting, discarding and then organising but am not ruthless enough with the discarding and then I move on to the next category and do the same and just sort of ping pong backwards and forwards in random areas! The paperwork / digital information is neverending - it is slowly getting better but, having bought a shiny new laptop, I can't bear the thought of putting all the old dross on to it so I've done e-mail, documents, 10 years of photos (but definitely could be more selective) and now need to think whether I really do need to check the many many bookmarks I have and haven't looked at or should I transfer them to Pinterest??? Any advice?

I haven't even started on digital stuff. I'm a year+ behind on printing out any dc photos and really want some on display too.

I am embarrassed to admit that I looked in a shoebox sat on the kitchen counter and found my old iPhone. I had given it to the DC to play on when I got my iPhone 5. Last January. The old phone was 'lost' soon after and never found.

The shoebox was right next to where we charge phones downstairs.

I haven't looked in that box for about a year

My enthusiasm is waning because I've had huge stuff to deal with... And I'm sad to say that it's slowly getting bad again, mainly because I'm letting clean clothes build up and not having the chance to put them away. Haven't got much schoolwork tonight though so will have a bash at sorting my room.

I just need some long, child free days to get on with it as the desire is very much there but the time is seriously lacking, and by the time I've done the everyday stuff I haven't any time or energy.

glad to here you're all still out there!

coat - I have a portable hard drive to keep most stuff that I don't use everyday on, feels very kondo!

10years of photos is a lot, when you have a spare week perhaps order prints? I like to make photo albums

hear

I haven't been on the thread much as I feel like I'm firefighting all the time here. By the time I have done the regular chores such as washing up and laundry then I don't have any time left for Kondo. Also my DH keeps taking all the cardboard boxes to the dump as they're 'cluttering up the garage' so I don't have anywhere to put things I want to discard. It's very disheartening as I feel as if I'm running just to stay in one place iyswim.

I have given away 12 binbags of clothing and bedding, and well over 100 books, plus shredded a decade's worth of bank statements, and I still feel overwhelmed! My fake Christmas tree is still in pieces in my room because I don't have any space to store it away in its usual place yet.

I am going to get back to paperwork this week, but I'm doing makeup now. I sorted out lip products tonight. I tried them all on and my lips feel raw, but I was able to get rid of a Glossybox full of lipsticks and glosses. And I have found a couple of products I thought I'd lost, and I can see everything I own instead of having to sift through a pile.

When I read about your makeup sorting it makes me very glad to be a non-makeup wearer

I still feel overwhelmed when I look at certain areas. And I'm not sure what category they fall under. Other than komono. Sigh.

I've stalled a bit because life has got in the way. Completely agree with StuntNun re firefighting, atm I barely have time to keep the house running let alone Kondo.

I think I've also stalled at books because so many are actually Dh's, it seems pointless to just do mine when that will hardly touch the sides? But I will have another go when I get a minute. I might skip forward to DVDs as they are much less sentimental for me.

I am getting rid of bits and bobs as I come across them though. I'm keeping a charity bag constantly on the go and getting rid of it once a week. It doesn't have the same impact as several bin bags in one go, but I do at least feel as though stuff is continuing to leave the house.

JKS I've never printed out digital photos so this is a whole new world for me - I aspire to the beautiful books I've recently seen on the internet but in the past could never even have contemplated it ... so at least if it's now on my radar that must be progress! Weasel I've got a portable drive now too and have just sorted and cleaned it today, so am inching forwards

Paperwork and sentimental are really difficult and I've been putting them off since before Christmas.

Everything else is working well and it's lovely having got rid of so much that we can have things on display that have been stuck in the loft for 10+ years.

The only thing I've backtracked on is the sock folding and have gone back to sock balling but kind of standing up in the draw; balling is just so much quicker to put washing away.

Maybe next weekend when it's quiet I'll attempt papers............. wish me luck....

I've stalled but I do feel like I got rid of a lot of stuff and the cupboards close easier x Having serious regrets about a cotton/linen summer skirt I sent to the charity shop though, it was cold and rainy when I sorted my clothes and I thought I'll never wear that, and then remembered at 2am that it was actually the perfect holiday skirt, didn't crumple, looked ok with converse trainers and was a neutral colour....... oh well. we all make mistakes....

Hi everyone. I am new here, but had to register and join in the discussion after finding myself close to tears over a pile of popsocks.... Of all things! Clothes aren't supposed to be emotional, are they? Well, I now know that they are.. My old life. My job, the office, the suits. No more. This whole process is very emotional. I have been kondoing for a few months already, and have got rid of loads (clearly not in the right order though ... i missed out popsocks when I did clothes the first time round, perhaps it was subconscious? ) They used to be part of my 'uniform', it was such a big deal in those days getting the right ones for my shoes and suits, making sure I had enough, etc etc. (esp. Living abroad with unfamiliar shops etc.) but my whole lifestyle has changed and I realised last night that I hadn't worn them in about 6 years, but they were right there in front of me every time I opened my drawer to get dressed, ready to go .... It was sad. It is really bringing home to me that I am no longer the same person with that life. I have been following your chats and would just like to share some of this with people going through the same thing.

def, it can be very emotional, it's okay, I think you will feel a lot lighter once you are rid of the popsocks. I am sure you will be more conscious of the person you are now.

I got the kids to do a mini kondo yesterday, and DD (a hoarder!) did let go of quite a few things, I kept saying "keep all the teddies tou love, just give the ones you are not so keen on to charity" and she was fine, I'm very proud of her ;) DS has started giving unwanted items for me, and I have stopped telling him off for not wanting them ;)

DH is a bit difficult, he keeps lots of his business bits in the garage, although he has a large lock-up. He keeps saying "But we have a large house and it doesn't affect you". I keep thinking of how horrible it was to move house this summer! But he is very good with his ersonal things, he doesn't have many, so I let him off. He does have a man drawer that he hasn't looked in for years though.

I should ditch them, shouln't I? I kept some.... About half ... In case I need them.
I suppose if I ever decide to go back into an office I will have time to buy some before any possible interview ;-)

But what about evenings out? Maybe keep one black pair....?

I've completely stalled having not even finished clothes, toiletries and stationery which were the first categories I tackled. I have more or less kept on top of clothes folding but I don't think I was nearly ruthless enough with clearing out so need to start again really. Half term got in the way and we all had stinking colds so are still in catch up mode and I'm now flat out with work so it will be a while before I get going again. Just trying to maintain the status quo and not bring stuff into the house...

Welcome newbies and welcome back others. It's so tricky when you lose you 'mojo' getting started again.
I have found just forcing myself to go through one drawer or small area really helps. Not full on kondoing I guess but it helps get things going again.

I have sawn off the extra bit of an old shelf so it can go back up for my 'kept ' books. This involved extension lead, jigsaw & sander from shed. Being out in the cold and putting everything away.
Do need to wash it and possibly paint the new edge but excited to put it back up after school runs.