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.

Hello all! I haven't been Kondoing much as work has been frantic but I did finally get my two bags full of shoes out of the house and into my DM's for my DSIS. She loved them all so a v positive Kondo result

Lions I liked your handbag post. It made the process seem quite restful and I must admit I find the folding process quite relaxing so I might implement the handbag tidying too.

My house looks like a bombsite but actually only by my new definition of a bombsite so there are no toys lying on the living room floor. The worktops are mainly tidy as is the utility room, DS' room, my bedroom and the bathroom.

I still haven't made peace with DH's clothes for ironing lying around the place. I'm actually considering putting them out to be ironed or getting a cleaner who would do ironing if that's even possible?

I'm going to spend today catching up on washing and then reKondo clothes as it has been a few months since I did them and I'm pretty sure there are some more items that can go.

I still have the Kondo corner of doom in the living room. I need the co-operation of DS and DH to keep it tidy and they've been resistant to everything I've suggested.

Right my Kondo resolution for today is to Kondo the komono stored behind the couch and then tackle the corner of doom. Whilst doing constant washings. Wish me luck! I may be some time! I'm also going to spend some of the vouchers I found when I first Kondoed as DS needs new school shirts and some of the vouchers are for M&S.

Feel like I'm really stalling since returning to work. I'm also ill this week and so is DD so I'm trying to rest when possible.
Going to try and do DVDs today though, mainly because DD keeps pulling them off the shelf and I'm fed up of picking them up. I expect we'll keep most but I'm going to put them in a folder then put all the cases in the loft incase we ever decide to sell any. Then the small shelving unit they are on can go on Freecycle and we'll have another corner of the room back!

Couch I have an ironing lady for the only stuff that gets ironed - work shirts. She collects them and drops them a couple of days later. One of our best investments ever.

I kondoed my handbags yesterday. They now take up the same amount of space but are neat and tidy . Turns out that shelf was also hiding a LOT of scarfs. I never wear scarfs but people buy them for me frequently. I have about 3 left which I've you tubed a video of how to wear

OMFG. I am fuuuuming!

Had to leave moving the furniture downstairs till this morning, because husband was sick last night. So we had a stressful hour, partially dismantling the enormous cupboard (2m x 1.2m x 0.45m and HEAVY), so it would just about squeak round the angles of the landing, rubbing the woodwork both sides, and scarily negotiate it down our steep stairs. We finally Got it safely down, clogging up the entire hall, when BHF called to cancel the collection... Apparently their van has broken down.

Now I know that they're not to blame for their van breaking down. I know they don't owe me anything. But I am so disappointed that we're going to have that fucking furniture making all of downstairs look like a junk yard until... Either next weekend, or whenever I can take time off work to let them collect it. I know I'm being irrational! but it feels like two steps back, and I could just cry

Trazzle I am open-mouthed with joy at the thought of someone coming to collect the ironing as I was just trying to work out the closest ironing place and if I could incorporate it into the school run. I have a lot of madly irrational guilt about paying someone to iron and/or clean but I think I have to come to terms with the fact that I am not (a) a domestic goddess (b) my mum (c) a failure as a wife and mother if combining a career with a clean house is beyond me!

Hermione that's frustrating. Are there any other charity places that might collect it instead? We have a salvation army shop and a homeless charity that both collect.

Hermione that's so annoying, not surprised you are cross! I hope they are able to collect it soon.
I have about 8 DVDs to get rid of, think I'll see what I can get on Music Magpie - hopefully enough to pay for the folder!

Sloping back in to apologise for the hissy fit. The postman showed up just after that, with my made-to-measure birthday boots, which I wasn't expecting till next week, so that cheered me up for a start. More inclined to look on the bright-side, I realised that however crap the hall looks, upstairs must be improved, so I went and put together the replacement shelves for the box room. They are quite agresively mid-century, and my husband was quite sniffy about them until he saw them in situ, especially ornamented with my iconic 1970s sewing machine I absolutely love how much airier the room feels with (uncluttered) open shelves.

Hermione you don't need to apologise! I'm glad your day has picked up. Your shelves and sewing machine sound amazing

I'm just checking in to remind myself what I said I would do. I've had an enjoyable morning, spending the vouchers I found when I first Kondoed I've used them on items I've discovered I needed through the Kondoing process including school shirts; winter coat; boots; new bedding and a soap dish! A bit of an eclectic mix.

Where does everyone put school bags? DS' tends to stay in the sitting room but I'm wondering if anyone has a better idea?

Couch it's quite common I think. I found her on yell.com

Pleased your day improved, Hermione. Those shelves sound fab!

I saw somewhere the other day about turning a bookshelf on its side for bag hanging. I quite liked the look of it. Bag and coat space per child. I'd need 3 spaces and it wouldn't be too big I don't think. School bags atm end up on the kitchen floor in the way or in the hall looking messy.

I'm very new to this. I Kondo'd some years ago when I moved in with my partner (got rid of a whole house of stuff!) and now am surrounded by DP's clutter. How do I get HIM to get rid of his stuff? The dcs stuff is almost entirely in their bedrooms, so not a problem.

School bags stay on the handles of ds's scooter which is already in the hall, nursery bag on the buggy (and left at nursery as much as possible). Dd is just 3 and while I could get her to walk to nursery, there's no way she could walk afterwards to ds's school in 10 minutes followed by 1.2 miles home, so the buggy will be cluttering up the place for a while yet. Which means I store a lot in it!

Have got rid of a surplus car seat and bike seat via Freecycle. Charity bags are mounting up in the hall but it's hard to drive to one when they are open. Have found more papers in a cupboard I'm hiding widgets in, so that's my kondoing task for tonight.

If there's anything you can't bear to part with just because it's so pretty or because you've had it so long it feels like part of the fabric of your home, it really does help to take as many photos as you like, from all angles, in all lights, etc, so you have the visuals. Then just let it go! Keep the pics in a file on your computer and then look at them in a year and see if you still need them.

I seem to be burning through my perfumes now. The loo air freshener one for this month is done already (thanks new foster cat with nervous bowels...) and the one I had designated for this month is almost finished too so I'm about to choose two more. It helps so much to just focus on just liberally using up one, instead of a spray from any of a dozen.

I'm getting more and more brutal now. It seems like every day I pick up something random that has been sitting around for years and just toss it in the bin. It's fun No-one believes that I'm on the way to being a minimalist, but if I keep on going this way they'll have to eventually. There won't be anything left on my surfaces!

I'm still going through paperwork, but I've ordered some dvd folders, so that will be the next job I think

That was weird... I totally lost the thread from 'I'm on', and couldn't see it anywhere under Good Housekeeping. Let's see if this post restores it, otherwise I might have to do something drastic...

Couldn't find the exact post about shelves-bag storage but did get distracted and spent ages looking at DIY ideas.
Got very little done yesterday what with cinema and friends show and general dithering.

Must do better today...

I was rubbish yesterday. The only Kondoing I managed was the vouchers and although I am very very happy that I will soon have a new winter coat and boots, the house doesn't look any better for the loss of three little vouchers! However, I have had only 4 hours sleep so am going to be realistic that I'll probably achieve little today too . . .well, except for sleeping.

OH dear, I'm so tired, I used my winter name - duh! Will check in when I am more awake.

Sounds like a tough night!
I didn't get my toy kondoing done yesterday as had a full afternoon of arguing with dh instead something else I should kondo perhaps Would like to buy some nice mugs for the kitchen when I'm out today, but it's probably wrong to buy replacements before I throw anything else out! I could keep them in the bag as an incentive perhaps? (Clutching at straws!)

Iggi, are they to replace ones you have but don't love? If so, buy some, then throw out the old when you get the new ones home.

HermioneGrangerHair made-to-measue boots ???!!

I NEED to know more !

Mango they are studenty style mugs with slogans etc. will have usual struggle to get dh to part with his!

I still have a few tatty slogan type ones from student days. Very useful for giving tea to workmen. We keep them in the cupboard, out of line of sight, and have the pretty ones I use for MIL etc, on hooks underneath. I sort of made a deal with myself, if I cleared out enough to halve their space taken, I could buy naice new ones. Would he get on board with doing it like that?

That's a good idea, I was just planning on chucking them out! I doubt he will even notice if I don't tell him. A few "accidents" maybe! Tbh we don't have visitors at home much, and I keep a lot of extra plates/cups for twice yearly visits - it's madness.