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

999 replies

LinzerTorte · 07/02/2015 14:58

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
HearMyRoar · 10/02/2015 10:58

girly we have all our books and dvds in our bedroom. They fit nicely in there and as the livingroom acts as lounge, dinning room, study, craft space, yoga room....etc, etc.... it is really important to us to keep it as clear as possible. We do live in a small flat though so popping to the room next door for a dvd is hardly a bother. Might be different if I had to go upstairs.

I have also had a kondo dream last night! I dreamt we bought a new house, it was really huge and full of furniture and stuff. I was walking around deciding what brought me joy and wondering how I was going to get rid of all the other junk. I think this is starting to get to us :o

Congratulations on your decision Zippy! I am sure you will find it is the right thing for you, and if not then you can find something that does bring you joy instead :)

I have promised to lend a friend the book. Their house is full of stuff that people have given them and then they feel bad about getting rid of. They really liked the idea of only keeping things that brought joy and getting rid of the guilt of chucking away things you didn't want or ask for. I am looking forward to having kondo chats with them once they get properly hooked in :o

mixedpeel · 10/02/2015 11:01

A very occasional poster on these threads, but I've read them as often as I can from the first thread, so have been kondoing for a while now.

Girlybags - I agree with the practicality of having things where they are used, so it's a case of find somewhere that pleases you. Even before kondo, our wii controllers/nunchucks etc were on a tray that happens to slide neatly underneath the cupboard our TV is on. The wii itself is inside the cupboard. This works, because it's easy for the boys to pile the wii bits onto the tray and push it back underneath, but nothing gets shoved so far under the cupboard that it gets lost. Wii games fit in the cupboard, too. I'm considering taking them out of the boxes and into one of the flip folders (have done that with our CDs), but have been very much working on the principle of not doing things that belong to other members of the family, so haven't broached it with them yet. Since kondoing the DVDs as a family, there really is plenty of room for the wii games at the moment.

What I came on to say, is how the process is really making life more pleasurable, as well as easier. As other people have found, kondoed areas do genuinely stay kondoed, and the house is easier to keep tidy. Last week, I realised that a skirt I'd kept was bugging me for some reason, and also I'd not worn it since kondoing my wardrobe in November. Out it came, into the charity bag, and suddenly the shelf where it had been folded looked so much more restful to my eyes! It was a bit of a revelation, and made me wonder how much mental energy has been taken up over the years by being surrounded by things I actually don't like.

And, the enormous pleasure to be found in actually looking after the things you do like! It will probably sound barmy to people who haven't long started the journey, but washing and folding clothes is now less of a chore, because I actively want to look after them, and put them back in their homes with their other friends!

The other benefit I've found, is that a spare few minutes is now enough time for a quick clean or sort, if I'm in the mood. And it's easier to sell to the boys as a quick job. Previously, we'd have had to move so much to even think about hoovering the crumbs off the floor or whatever, it just wouldn't have been done. And, similarly to the clothes-washing, I'm somehow much more motivated to keep up with the housework, rather than feeling weighed down by 'chores'. It feels like looking after the house, rather than a great long list of 'shoulds'. And, it's easier for all of us to see that something has been left out, so it just gets picked up and put away. Of course the boys still need a bit of asking, but it just feels so much easier to all of us.

Those who are a bit stuck, do keep going. It really is life-changing!

BertieBotts · 10/02/2015 11:19

I do love the philosophy. It's a brilliant concept. And I haven't brought in anything new that I don't love.

Now onto those socks I was going to start an hour ago...

Snowfire · 10/02/2015 11:30

Paperwork today! I've got all my old uni work out, box files of 'important' stuff, overflowing letter rack etc. I heard the letter box flip Angry it was a letter from the council checking on who lives here for the electoral roll. As there are no changes it says I don't need to respond, it is now on the fire Grin before I would have kept it just in case I needed it (???)

BertieBotts · 10/02/2015 11:34

Can I ask - what are people doing with bulky knitted jumpers and hoodies and jeans and such? I can't fold them to make them stand upright in a drawer. I suppose I could put jumpers and hoodies in my wardrobe? At the moment, the hoodies are hung up with the coats, and the jumpers are mashed into the side of the drawer.

mixedpeel · 10/02/2015 11:42

Bertie, I've got bulky jumpers and a couple of jumper dresses folded on the top shelf in my wardrobe. Stacked not vertical.

Jeans are folded into a drawer, again, stacked not vertical. I've found this fine, tbh.

Zippidydoodah · 10/02/2015 11:45

In part time with 3 dc, ohhelp, but still finding it unmanageable. The children bring me joy but absolutely nothing else does! So I could be a supply teacher or Ta or something... We'll see!

I love the fact that nowadays if I see something komono-ish lying about, it either goes where it's meant to, or finds its way to the bin! I can't wait to have a nicely kondoed house and be at the stage you are, mixedpeel!!

misscph1973 · 10/02/2015 11:52

peel, I am the same - an item of clothing can now bug me for one reason or another! I have become really good at spotting the offenders that just don't belong in my wardrobe ;)

I had my MIL, SIL and niece staying over the weekend, and cleaning the house before they came was easy, and whatever I didn't manage to do was ok with me! During their stay I found it easy to keep on top of things and I was happy to let them help. In the past I would have found it overwhelming to get the house in order, I would have fretted over things I hadn't managed to get done, I would have found it hard to keep on top of things and I would not have appreciated their help. I am just so much more relaxed, and I get to enjoy myself when we have guests!

educatingarti · 10/02/2015 11:59

Bertie - I hang bulky jumpers and trousers in the wardrobe as I think they take up less space like that - and I have a lot more space in my wardrobes (yes I have two but by luck not design) since I've been folding the thinner stuff and storing it vertically in drawers!

Zippidydoodah · 10/02/2015 12:15

Oh missc- your second paragraph is me to a tee! I find myself getting so stessed when preparing for guests that I probably seem really harassed when I open the door and not welcoming in the slightest Sad

Zippidydoodah · 10/02/2015 12:16

Ps I'm sure this has been covered (sorry) but do your clothes stay upright after you've taken something out of the drawer? Maybe I'm not folding then tightly enough?

iknowimcoming · 10/02/2015 12:21

Place marking as been absent for a few weeks whilst crazy busy/ sickly, on the plus side the house is not the disaster it would usually be following this sort of madness Grin kondo rules!

mixedpeel · 10/02/2015 12:27

Zip: mine don't always stay upright if several items are in the wash. I vary between shoving all remaining things up to the side of the drawer, which sometimes is enough for them to then stay upright, or leaving one folded flat in the gap, if you see what I mean.

Pragmatic rather than purist.

Also, haven't read the book. Have gleaned all info from these threads, and used it to suit.

ItIsntJustAPhase · 10/02/2015 12:28

Funny how many of us have dreams about it. Mine were very intense when I started.

marriednotdead · 10/02/2015 13:13

Thanks for the welcomes Smile

I hadn't realised just how busy these threads are!

When I took my charity shop bag in, there was a notice on the door saying no books for the moment- gah. I don't want to sort them if I can't offload them straight away.
I skulked about and pondered for a bit, and this morning have cleared out the bureau that we use as a hall table, and a small storage box of crap that now contains just light bulbs and a couple of other bits that we actual need. It's bin day tomorrow so if I have a chance to sort anything else when I get home from work, that would be a bonus Smile

A question if I may- what is komono? I keep seeing it mentioned but am still not sure what it is.
Have a good afternoon everyone Smile

marriednotdead · 10/02/2015 13:15

Actually, not actual- must learn to proof read...

girlybags · 10/02/2015 13:22

I think I'll try to condense all the games and most used DVDs into the largest bookcase and take the rest upstairs. I'm pretty sure I can fit the smaller 2 bookcases into my closet and, thinking about it, it's not a massive effort really to go upstairs for something. My house is hardly a sprawling mansion so I'm sure it'll be fine :)

LinzerTorte · 10/02/2015 13:40

married Komono means miscellaneous items. I thought it meant all those bits and pieces you have lying around the house that don't belong in any of the categories listed above (in the OP), but having just consulted the book, have discovered that it's actually everything in the list that isn't books, clothes or paperwork.

OP posts:
misscph1973 · 10/02/2015 13:42

married, "komono" is bits and pieces, things that have no home, clutter.

Could you sell the books on webuybooks: www.webuybooks.co.uk/?gclid=CInI3vTA18MCFQTLtAodwQ0Ayg

BertieBotts · 10/02/2015 13:45

We only have one of those zip up wardrobes, so no shelves and not that much space either!

LinzerTorte · 10/02/2015 13:46

There's actually a second list of komono in the book; the one in the OP is "Komono (miscellaneous items 1)".

"Komono (miscellaneous items 2)" consists of:

Disposables - things you kept 'just because'
Gifts
Mobile phone packages (box, manual, etc.)
Unidentified cords
Spare buttons
Electrical appliance boxes
Broken TVs and radios
Bedding for the guest who never comes
Cosmetic samples saved for trips
Products from the latest health craze
Free novelty goods

OP posts:
JKSLtd · 10/02/2015 13:54

I've binned some travel shampoo sachets. And me & dh have done cables. Box to try and Freecycle at some point.
Have hangers, batteries (Odd ones we don't need for anything) and now cables to freecycle.

I'm meant to be sorting problems with the broadband out...

BertieBotts · 10/02/2015 13:57

There's an order for clothes, too.

Tops
Bottoms
Items which need to be hung (skirts, shirts, suits, coats)
Socks
Underwear
... I forget the rest and have lost my book.

There needs to be a master post :)

LinzerTorte · 10/02/2015 14:07

Yes, I vaguely remember her saying you should first do the clothes that you wear closest to your heart (tops and jackets IIRC - bras don't count for a reason I can't remember now) and clasp them to yourself so you can gauge your true feelings for them. Or something. Grin

OP posts:
LinzerTorte · 10/02/2015 14:10

I think the OP is supposed to be the master post but it could probably be added to - order of clothes, komono part 2, etc.

OP posts:
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