Kondo thread 8

[Isisizzie]

New thread for Kondo addicts.

Sorry I can't do all the links that were on the top of thread 7.

Yes, Shoot Peppa make sure that your friend knows that you want to put another baby into the one DS had! I hope you find a peaceful resolution (either your friend manages to get it back or you grow accustomed to the loss of this item)

Tricky situation, Peppa. Best of luck with your health.

I'm reading the last chapter. Whoa!

Also can the friend not buy her friend a new item and give yours back?

Oh just read she doesn't speak with them any more. Ugh. How awful.

Peppa :( hugs and sympathy.

I'm really struggling with paperwork. Just realy floundering which is bloody annoying. And consequently rverything is going to pot.

Ah Peppa, sorry to hear it. I also think you should ask for contact details of the one "friend" loaned your item to. What a horrible thing to do, without asking you first! Shame on her!

Trazzle - me too! I have however found the check-list linked to previously to be really useful. It has made me see tthat categories I thought I had completed, I haven't really. So for example, I thought I had "done" books, but hadn't thought about old telephone directories, catalogues and magazines. A whole load of magazines have gone!

Trazzle - I feel your pain regarding paperwork. I find it difficult just to know what to do with the random stuff that comes throught he letter box each day. I'm self-employed so I have "work" and "personal" paperwork which I find makes things harder (and I have to keep records for longer).

Have you tried the checklist that was linked to? It does suggest smaller sections you can break things down into which I find helps a little bit.

I've been off work over Easter, but haven't done much Kondoing. I've made a first stab at sewing and embroidery threads (a bit random I know but I had them out for a project and realised they were scattered over various boxes/cupboards in the flat so it made sense to get them all together in one place) and then I've got rid of the afore-mentioned magazines and catalogues. Other than that I've been archaeologying again and finding more interesting (displacement?) activities rather than Kondoing. Now I am supposed to be working again, I want to Kondo I think this becomes the displacement activity to working!)! Life eh!

I'm self-employed so I have "work" and "personal" paperwork which I find makes things harder
YY to this. I'm sure I have much more paperwork than KonMari would allow but it is super organised and easy to access so I've made my peace with the fact that it doesn't follow her guidance completely.

Thanks everyone x

Iqueen you may well be right, I suppose if I end up falling out with "friend" over it I will have some painful memories attached

I'm probably overreacting and will settle in a few days but I don't feel she's much of a friend in return at the moment after I lent her so much to help out when she was in a tricky situation and she didn't think to even ask me before loaning on an item, ESP something like that.

Peppa hugs re the health issues, friend issues and loss of sentimental item - it must be all too much to bear. How old is your ds? I've found it similarly hard to say goodbye to baby things close to when ds/dd were tiny, but as time has gone on its been easier to let things go. I've found it harder with the bigger baby items - as losing those means I'm accepting I won't have an, impractical but wanted, 3rd baby. Letting go of those big things will mean I'm stating that my family is complete, which is hard to accept... And I guess this kind of 'grieving' for the family you thought you'd have is part of what's upsetting you?

Could I suggest that even if you got the item back now it'd be 'tainted' by the annoyance of the situation with your friend; that using it for a decent dgc may well not be possible/welcome due to h&s issues and that you'd be storing it for a v long time when it might become old/damaged/faded anyway?

If I was you I'd immerse myself in memories of the item. Close your eyes and really remember and focus on each fond memory you have of ds using it and each time consciously smile and maybe even thank the item for the warmth, comfort, protection and happiness it gave to ds and you. I think the feelings will be more real and important than photos, so it might help you to say goodbye and let go more?

Sorry if a bit woo... but at least it's not as woo as konmarie's idea of putting blindfolds on teddybears!

Ignore the 'decent' before dgc, and possibly other extra words or typos - stupid predictive text on phone!

I think your right - it's the grieving for the letting go of the family I thought I'd have which perhaps upsets me more, because there's still a small glimmer of hope that it's not over till the fat lady sings I'm a clinging on more so than perhaps in other circumstances I would be.

I haven't actually read the book, been getting all my info of forums and articles etc so I didn't know about blindfolding any teddies why do we need to do that?

DS is still a pre-k'er so we haven't let any teddies go yet...

I've read the book but don't remember anything about hooded teddies!?!

Peppa that sounds so hard. The feelings and the memories are more valuable than the item, but the "friend's" behaviour sounds very hurtful.

I would say the house has mainly stayed Kondo-ed since before Christmas, with two annoying exceptions: the hall cupboard is not as bad as it was pre-Kondo, but it feels cluttered again, and it's frustrating. It's where I keep craft stuff, DIY stuff and tools, and seasonal stuff like decs. Sigh.

The other problem area is the larder cupboard in the kitchen. It was SO organised. It's not now! This is firmly linked to sliding into a habit of going to the supermarket too often, buying impulsively, and expensively. Both habits need sorting. I have made a list of everything in my food cupboard tonight, and am seriously considering laminating the list and using it as a ticklist to kind of monitor the stock levels - is this crazy? Is there an easier or more efficient way? Help!

Right, I really cracked on today now I've finished the book. Did our bedroom. All clothes are done, paperwork in there is done. Moving to living room tomorrow to go through more papers.

Three bags of rubbish, a bag of cycling, three bags to charity, giving away a toy box to a friend and put a handbag up on eBay. Not bad!

*recycling!

The hooded teddies I think came from a translation someone on the threads posted of another kondo book published in Germany ? Think it was more to do with an adults collection of cuddly toys rather than a childs, but I can't remember why they were blind-folded ?!

Weren't they blindfolded because it's hard to discard something that is actually LOOKING at you with big, doleful eyes?!

Two recycling bags full, and about half the papers processed and returned to filing cabinet, though I need to label all the hanging files again, and shift some contents around accordingly. Will be easier with space to manoeuvre - so many duplicate financial leaflets and letters! I'm also filling second 'sentimental' boxes for me and MrNC, so stuff that only has sentimental value isn't clogging up the filing cabinet when we need to find papers. The sentimental boxes can be gone through if (when??) I run out of other categories...

MIL gifts have been processed and useful clothes put in correct drawers (I have one 'too big' drawer under my bed. If clothes dont fit in there or the kids' being-used drawers, some get kicked out!), a pile of books is ready to be donated to school, and a charity bag is full.

Id feel more cruel for blindfolding them first - like a betrayal

Hi again all. Have been on hols and busy with work so paperwork/any systematic kondoing has stalled but I have been enjoying hearing everyone's news (other than Peppa's' obviously).
Am finding enormous relief though in being able to a) find things in kondoed categories b) know that if things are lying around they do have a home, I know where it is and that in due course they will be returned to their home, by me , when I get the chance c) immediately bin items clearly not bringing joy eg tonight a very large item which had some very bad memories associated with it for me went out of the house, and boy am I happy about it ?? d) look forward to tidying things away after use, which is definitely sth new for me! e) focus more clearly on the task at hand, in many areas of life: for this I credit Marie's insistence in the book on starting a category and keeping at it until it is done thoroughly, and not moving on to another until it is finished. This seems to me very similar to what I understand mindfulness to be - not flitting between different things but immersing yourself fully in a task, really feeling the emotions that throws up, be they good or bad, and then making decisions consciously f) feel joy at seeing only items I love in kondoed categories g) save time and no longer be assailed by random, unneeded objects falling out of cupboards on top of my head as I try to access things... I feel a sense of peace, even though I am only partway through.
Whoever thought they had too much filing, but had made their peace with it because it was easily accessed, etc... APlace, I think? Well, seems to me that that is fine. If you've found your sweet spot in terms of the amount that makes you feel secure and protected, withought being burdened by unnecessary info, then all to the good! As I've said before, I don't have much truck with konmarie's approach to papers. I think it's a bit naive...

Sorry, been painting the stairs and only just checking back... yes, the blindfolded / hooded teddies were from the translation of the sequel to this book and it was to deal with the guilt of giving away stuffed animals - so you can't see their sad little eyes as you consign them to a charity shop bag... very odd!

I've found reading these threads addictive, even when I've not kept up with the kondo-ing, but forgot not everyone would get the reference!

Hi all, following my weekend's revelation, I have finished the papers that I can do on my own! Well, mostly- there's a box of papers that DH scanned that i'll need to go through and I'm sure that I'll find more hiddencaches that I won't be able to bin without going through "just in case" but the worst is over!

Keep on it, all of you in this stage, and you WILL get through to the other side!
Unidentified SO that's great to hear about most of your home! I've been wondering about back sliding, and whether the relapse rate was really as low as claimed- that your home is basically tidy except for 2 problem areas and has stayed that way for 4 months-including over Christmas! - me to hope that I'llget there, too!
For the food/pantry: a laminated list is what a friend used to have, I'll check with her and see how long that system lasted. Be sure to get rid of things that you tried but didn't like, first! Give them away to friends or coworkers or Freegle, don't be like my DM and hang on to them until way past their expiry date because you "can't bear to waste good food"- let them move on to someone else who will enjoy them while they're still in their prime!

Ha Cycle - there will be a lot of Kondo-ed rice cakes abandoned aspirational January eating plan

I have got the larder organised again. A shockingly high amount of food really. Most of it moderately long-lived, so am thinking of ways to use it up in meals my 3 yo will actually eat Would love to hear if your friend found a system that really lasted.