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Housekeeping

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Kondo thread 8

993 replies

Isisizzie · 25/03/2015 12:02

New thread for Kondo addicts.

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
36
BrandNewIggi · 21/05/2015 19:29

Kondoed (half) my job today. Feeling nervous Confused

JKSLtd · 21/05/2015 20:01

Well done Iggi :)

I think once the DC grow out of the huge toy kitchen we can get an old sofa for in there with a TV on a lower level expedit type thing. But stick with the big one for now.
I loved it when we got it but is just become more and more impractical as the DC get older (but not much taller) and as I've kondoed their toys.

Went out for a pub tea with them (dh was due to join us but got held up) luckily the weather was fab and they all played while I drank wine Grin

Zippidydoodah · 21/05/2015 23:30

We have four expedits!! All in different rooms and different shapes and sizes, though.

Been luuuurking...not much kondoing.

Zippidydoodah · 21/05/2015 23:31

Actually that's a lie! Can now get into my study! Grin

NotCitrus · 22/05/2015 00:56

One advantage of inner London is I can get new functional furniture on Freecycle any time I like as if you have a vehicle and say please, you get offered most things you ask for. Which means any low-value furniture that doesn't spark joy can be offered and eventually go, then I can get a new sofa or wardrobe. I'm sure I could get an Expedit on Gumtree easily - only took a week to get a 6-foot Billy and a new mattress from Freecycle! And anything metal left outside is nabbed by a scrap merchant within a day, so the microwave that died last week and some crap saucepans we found in the granny flat have been disposed of.

Got given more hand-me-downs for dd, so sorted the 'clothes for the kids to grow into' drawer, found a few nice things that should fit dd now, and snuck into her room to remove the less-nice nearly-small equivalents and replace them. Also ditched some stuff for her to grow into that I doubt would bring either of us joy. So one bag clothes listed on Freecycle, larger bag for chazzer, some WEEE and light bulbs bagged for recycling on the way to school, and finally my bag of expired drugs to return to the chemist is I think all I own... Which means the meds drawer is neat and I can find the opiates as needed. :-)

While I was at it I chucked out some plastic tat and 'art' and a bunch of toys for the charity bag. Doubt ds would sleep soundly enough for that though!

Actually I think the two pairs of worn-through boots destined for charity bin have also been nicked. Again, fine by me.

3 large items to list on Gumtree tomorrow, if its login stops playing silly buggers. And MrNC agrees a rubbish saucepan and fry pan can be chucked as soon as I get a replacement.

Down to only 2 magazine files of papers not in the filing cabinet. Though piles do keep appearing... Still, definite progress felt this week as all suboptimal makeup, toiletries, hair stuff etc is all gone, and more batteries put in the battery drawer, pencils in the pen/pencil/crayon drawer, and most other craft stuff fits again in the craft drawer.

Sadly have to catch up on day job tomorrow after dealing with Atos crap most of today. The one thing that triggers my anxiety and depression (and doesn't help the pain) is having to argue for disability adjustments. Trying to stay angry, not depressed, but not conducive to sleep...

NotCitrus · 22/05/2015 01:00

Also ditched pair of cushions into a textile recycling bin - MrNC said they matched the sofa but I pointed out the sofa they matched went to the tip last year! May replace the current sofabed (from Freecycle again) as its in good nick and comfortable, but ugly and modern. Does wipe clean, so will keep until another leather sofa comes up at least.

JKSLtd · 22/05/2015 08:29

NC - agree hate filling in the forms for ds2's disability. His comes up for renewal next jan and I'm already dreading it.

Today is rubbish day yey! All the tat I extracted yesterday and successfully hid (by keeping the dc out of the house lol) can go while they're all at school.
Bag for friend I'm seeing this morning.
Bag of educational bits of school wants them going in this morning too.

I may rearrange the playroom later as realised vehicles/airports/fire engines are in multiple areas which makes no sense. Ds1 said he wants a weapons area Hmm

NotCitrus · 22/05/2015 11:42

JKS - it seems to be better for children - dn was just awarded DLA in under a month. I guess he does need it but I keep thinking he's fine, it's just the rest of the world can't deal with him (ASD).

Turned out the boots had just somehow come back in the house but are now in the shoe recycling bin. Also a couple light bulbs and electrical items are in their recycling bins rather than sitting in my room like they've been for the last year.

Time to see what I can extract from ds's room while he's at school. His friends are selling toys on EBay to get more so he's thinking about getting rid of train sets and possibly even the Octonauts (which would make me very sad - they've been a big part of our lives for nearly 5 years!)

educatingarti · 22/05/2015 16:06

"MrNC said they matched the sofa but I pointed out the sofa they matched went to the tip last year!" Grin

About to start on the office/workroom! Trying to summon up the energy!

Iqueen · 22/05/2015 17:16

GO GO, GO, educatingarti! Grin

JKSLtd · 22/05/2015 19:43

Go Arti!

NC - I think the same about ds2, lol!

Quick charity run with a box of assorted books and toys.
Rearranged toys to more logical setup.

Next stage is looking at all the toys that have escaped from the playroom into the 'toy free' zone. Haha.

educatingarti · 22/05/2015 20:12

Thank you for your encouragements - it has really helped! I'm not exactly Kondoing (If I got out all books or paperwork, I'd never be able to teach in the room tomorrow) but I've been doing a pre-kondo clear-up getting paperwork into files or into the recycling bag that I can't empty because they've not emptied the paper recycling bins outside for nearly 3 weeks You've given me some inspiration though and I now have much clearer (for me) work surfaces and an empty filing tray!

NotCitrus · 22/05/2015 23:34

Outdated meds dumped at the chemist, and loads of useful errands run today. I'm still in a sort of pre-Kondo phase for almost everything except clothes, getting stuff together and slowly establishing a place for each subcategory, and only then able to chuck out items. Ds's room and toys in livjng room I think tomorrow.

JKSLtd · 24/05/2015 14:14

Morning spent in the garden. Long overdue. Lots more to do but rain stopped play and I'm planning some TV sports viewing instead.
Hoping to jet wash some bits to pass on tomorrow. Or later today of I'm inspired and the weather improves. Unlikely though now I've sat down!

defk0ndo · 24/05/2015 23:03

Hi all - am back. Haven't done much more. Still stuck on clothes. I revisited them as I did a little style update lesson thingy and hv come up with some new ideas about how to dress. That part is going well but I am finding it hard to actually mark the category complete. I feel the need to "catalogue" my clothes in an Excel spreadsheet or a handwritten list. This then becomes a project which runs away with my time as I start to think of categories etc, ways of cataloguing them. It's starting to feel a little obsessive. I just cannot bear to think of it as complete... Is this perfectionism ? What is going on?

I did books already and have no problem regarding those as complete, and no desire to catalogue them. Weird.

Iqueen · 25/05/2015 12:35

defk0ndo

I've put my clothes on hold until...

I am not the person that I was when I started kondoing 6 months ago! As I'm kondoing slowly, I expect to have changed even more by the time I finish. So, I'm leaving clothes to the end, unless I have a major LB moment on the journey.

The way I dealt with the 'unfinished nagging' was to say out loud, "I haven't finished with you, Clothes, but when I come back to you, I shall have a better idea of who I am, and which of you bring me joy!" Psychologically, this should (and has with me) got rid of the nagging, because I have set a future time to finish clothes, and why.

(Currently, my clothes are scrapping about which will stay or go... BUT they are all back in place, and neatly behaving, when I open a drawer or wardrobe!) Grin

HTH

defk0ndo · 25/05/2015 15:35

Iqueen- that is very helpful. When I read your post I felt able to move on from clothing. As you said before, we are changing and i think it is something to revisit in due course. Great.

So i launched into papers and made a proper start. Have now liquidated another ring binder with docs about speeding Tickets, old smear test results, ancient electoral registration letters and the like. Honestly! I wont keep that sort of thing in future. Isolated some old medical notes and info which might be helpful, at least I will be able to find it now instead of having it Buried.

Some pregancy related info moved into sentimental (not sad, just a reminder of how weird it was at times). Onwards and upwards! That binder was quite easy. A good start to papers.

morethanpotatoprints · 25/05/2015 16:46

Hello all,

I joined the thread a few pages ago but was waiting for the book, which I am now reading as we go along.
My clothes are done but dh won't listen to me and wants to do it his way.
I am finding other peoples clutter frustrating now. he could have halved his wardrobe but only managed a quarter, but he's started.
everything for charity or to sell is now in the spare room which we are unable to enter atm, but at least our bedroom is looking better.
I have filled our wheelie bin and bottle recycling bin now so will have to wait until wednesday before I can throw more out.
Definitely taking charity shop bags tomorrow though Grin

HiccupHaddockHorrendous · 25/05/2015 16:47

Hi everyone!

It's been months since I did any serious kondoing Blush. And for this, I am deeply sorry!!

The house is in a terrible state and I have been thinking about rejoining these threads for a couple of weeks. Lack of time has been my biggest barrier. However, I have an unexpected day off tomorrow so really want to crack on a make a bit of a dent in my room and hopefully, ds' room too.

I haven't read any of this thread yet. Just wanted to check in and mark my place. Will have a read through later this evening.

Iqueen · 25/05/2015 17:00

Hiccup Don't beat yourself up! MK's tremendous popularity is due to her non-judgmental approach.

I haven't got much further than when you last dropped in - still plodding along, but enjoying amazing new happiness (considering how far I still have to go!) Blush

This thread has slowed down quite a bit now, which, in one way, is good - less time reading and posting, and more time for kondoing! Grin

Just keep your goal in mind, kondo when you can, and when you can't, maintain. Wink Cake

JKSLtd · 25/05/2015 17:08

Definitely. We all have to just do what we can. But everything little thing gone is a bonus Smile

Little tikes cube and rocking horse and bag of random toys passed on today.

Need to track down some bigger bikes for the boys then give back the borrowed bike to neighbours.

Plenty of gardening done. Green bin overflowing and big pile ready for next week already. Lots of flowering bushes though - I have it in my head that I shouldn't prune them when flowering is that true?

Also lots of laundry down which now needs sorting sigh.

Iqueen · 25/05/2015 17:25

JKSLtd Most flowering shrubs do not need to be 'pruned' - just cut out unwanted stems/branches that are dead or untidy, after flowering. There's no reason not to do it during flowering, except it may spoil the natural display.

Some shrubs, eg camellias and rhododenrons/azaleas, set buds for next year immediately behind this year's flowers, so if your are too ruthless, your flowers might be a bit sparse in 2016!

anotherdayanothername1 · 25/05/2015 18:02

Hello all! I have just ordered the Kondo book Smile

I really need to sort stuff out - moving soon and desperately need to dump the junk

And be ruthless.... There is stuff under the bed in boxes that has been there since we moved in more than three years ago including an easel that I just need to get rid of! Also have a load of vacuum packed cushions - do I chuck them? Sell them? They're nice and what if I fancy using them again? These are the decisions I will struggle with. I'm fairly ruthless with clothes.

Got some knick knacks tha I'm not sure whether to chuck. My tastes change fairly regularly and not sure if I'll come back to them...

Decisions decisions Smile

JKSLtd · 25/05/2015 19:31

I mostly want to prune as the bushes get too big and straggly. I'll wait til after flowering I think as the flowers are the best bit Smile

No idea what most of them are but they've survived random pruning in the past Grin

Iqueen · 25/05/2015 19:45

JKSLtd Most of them stand up to ruthless cutting back, (says ThrasherQueen!) and some eg Buddleia (Butterfy Bush) should be cut down to 6in in winter!

Enjoy the flowers, and then kondo them until you're happy! Flowers