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.

I am confused by komono. I've started on a few bits but it's such a slog. I've got an evening free tonight so might try and see what I can get done in the kitchen.

Welcome Teapot.

I've not been around much this week, however apart from the sofas everything from lounge is boxed up in the study, furniture all over the place. On the good side the said lounge has been painted, and new carpet laid, looking fantastic so far. The plan is to only to put things back in that we need. Plan to redistribute childrens stuff to playroom (when decorated!), or out of the house. I'm getting my coffee table back from lift, hopefully husband won't injure himself as its a heavy piece of oak, but I love it but never been right in this house, until now. Love having cream carpets back, after moving here a year ago I will glad when all signs of 80's Wilton carpet have gone. Only another 8 rooms to go.

Had one of those days where you don't stop but never really achieve anything. Hmm.

Got borrowed mop back and collected ds1's bike from the shop. Nothing has left the house.

Off for fish and chips for tea later try again another day

Toast, the key to komono I found was sub categorisation. It keeps up the momentum by quick completion of sub categories and makes it less overwhelming.

There were some lists posted before which might help - I think you could find them on pinterest also.

Had a busy week with RL, but managed to start on books and a BFL full went to charity today.

Will be continuing books over the weekend and catching up with chores. Glimmers of success, so might be a good idea to do some tidying to consolidate the visible areas.

I've had to stop throwing out and do a wee bit of tidying too, to make things livable!

How did I accumulate 6 bags of laundry to put away, when I've thrown so many clothes away?!

Iggi999 How did I accumulate 6 bags of laundry to put away

You're a step nearer than me - I have a laundry basket full of clothes for washing and I'm nowhere near to going naked! Obviously, I still have far too many clothes!

Anyone know why I'm no longer getting notifications of posts from MN, please?

Help! I'm drowning in all this clutter!!!! It's really getting me down because I just don't know how I'm ever going to get through it all .

On a more positive note, I kondoed a rather large buggy this morning and am now down to one single and one double so definite progress there eventhough I almost cancelled the sale.

I've also got 5 items listed on eBay today...still have about 100 to go (and that's after culling anything worth less than £10!!).

My previously kondoed clothes drawers are currently empty because everything is piled up on my bed/dressing table/any surface available. I always thought my clothes were fairly under control but the opposite seems to be the case at the moment. I just can't find the space to get it all out and sorted...unless I bring it all downstairs and do it there.

I'm feeling the pressure more because my landlady wants to arrange a boiler check but the boiler is in my bedroom which is the worst room of all!! And, we're going away in just over a month and I really wanted the house to be in a presentable state before we go. Can't bear the thought of coming back to this chaos.

Hmm, must stop moaning and just get on with something...more eBay listing, I think.

I have never got notifications! Are you on the app or the website?

Outgrown car seat sold yesterday after being on Gumtree for a week.
I sorted out a bunch of MrNC's paperwork so that's a carrier bag full in the recycling.

If only he could be trained to write obscure phone nos, addresses, computer codes etc in one notebook rather than 20 million scraps of paper that then have to be kept forever...

BrandNewIggi I'm using my laptop (no hi-tech phone!). The 'watching' button is checked and until about a week ago, I got an email when someone posted. I'm thinking that maybe the MN cookie has wandered off my computer? I haven't altered anything in my MN account.

Iqueen I have a utility room of washing, and that's after putting three baskets away and still having a basket of ironing or 2. It's mainly childrens clothes and husbands.

Task today washing.
Husband, gardening
Both deciding what goes back in lounge!

My daughter when putting her laundry away removed about 15 items that no longer fit, which could be a promising habit.

Yorkshiremummyof4 Having a laundry bin is bad enough for me - there's only me and I wear things several times before they end up in the laundry!

Wish I could develop your daughter's decisiveness!

I think I've been too careful, as I can't afford to buy anything new at present. I shall just have to bite the bullet and take out all the items that I would ditch, if money were no object. Then, I will only put back anything that I literally cannot do without, for the moment.

I mostly use my phone so don't get notifications so can't help there.

Have passed on some garden kids bits - but also bought some new chairs in b&q for them. Drilled a hole in a cheap ikea table for a new cheap parasol I bought last year. New bigger garden set sorted. Also bought another b&q lounger as I ways have to fight for mine. Went out just now and one kid in each! Not going to buy 5 of them!

(Hankering after that nice rattan stuff for a corner sofa unit thing but a bit too pricey for now.)

Have cleaned and put away the cat litter tray - kitten has been going out for months but I put it off and off and off!

Have hurt my foot so having a sit down for a few minutes now.

Second car boot sale done. I didn't make much but its the taking part that counts!

I proably got rid of 70 items (plus my "I'm Free!" box of things) and got a bit of vit D in the process.

I've stalled a bit because of work and poor health, but still getting through tiny sub cats. I've sold two items for £35 total. So not bad! I'm repurposing a lot around the house too and giving stuff a better purpose.

I've been away from these threads for some time, and still not exactly finished, but have been easily keeping the 'done' bits tidy.

Also, to say how remarkably altered my mindset is. Because I've sorted everything out, I feel like I 'know' the house and its contents so much better. This has had the knock-on effect of making me want to keep things tidy, and kind of cherish the house I suppose, and so whipping out the hoover or wiping down a surface is something I (mostly) want to do, rather than feeling like a tedious chore to be put off, and off, and off (until we got visitors!).

And, as previous posters have said, getting rid of all the crap makes it a hell of a lot quicker to do a bit of cleaning.

My house is still nowhere near as neat as the pics posted by prettymess, but just in a different league to this time last year.

The other pleasing side effect was, when we got a rescue puppy just after Easter, puppy-proofing the house was reasonably straightforward. And having her has definitely forced us to the next level of kondo, as everybody in the house has to keep their stuff out of reach if they don't want it chewed to destruction. And, often, that means people put stuff away!

Ha, I can show you the state of my kitchen floor to make you feel better! DH put it all in the baskets an hour ago and I did three loads today. It was all in big piles on the floor this morning. Sorry to burst the bubble

Hi everyone,
I was briefly on the first Kondo thread but fell by the wayside. However I've just downloaded the book and I'm going to get reading, but where is the best place to start, practically-speaking?

NC, can you take photos on the random stuff on your phone and then bin the bits of paper? Thats what i do.

SKWK, start with clothes.

Hi softkitty I remember you from the early threads, I too have fallen off the wagon recently! we are moving house so trying to get back with it. Also trying to remember that I have gotten rid of a lot in the past, which at least is less to move.

SoftKittyWarmKitty Read the book first. Don't start kondoing until you understand the method. Follow MK's list of categories, until you have the decision-making embedded. Don't try to do it by area (except obvious areas, where everything in a category is naturally stored eg kitchen).

It is important to get closure on each category, to keep motivation growing, and to recognise that following the process closely, is likely to change your thinking about life generally.

NC - you could buy your husband this notebook and insist that allinfo from random paper is copied into it! That'll larn him!!

I agree that it definitely does, Iqueen. Change your thinking about life in general, I mean.

I haven't actually read the book, but was on the first few threads when a lot of us were new to it and really going through the process together, so the general principles seemed to make sense to me.

Therefore I don't know whether this change in your thinking is actually mentioned in the book or not. All I can say is that It is Real! Not a panacea to all life's ills, of course, but I do definitely feel more in control, and therefore more relaxed, if you know what I mean. I know that I know where things are. I know that even if the house gets a bit messy, it won't take long to restore order, because it is easy to put things away, and easy to clean. I know that I like all the clothes in my wardrobe (btw I do still hang more than marie would recommend), and there is room for them all, and I have enough. So when I'm out and about I'm not hankering to buy anything new. We needed to go into town yesterday for kids shoes, and we came home with........kids shoes! I had no urge to 'treat myself', because it doesn't feel like a treat to have to find a new spot for a top I don't need.

Those of you wondering about eBay versus charity - do bear in mind that getting rid might actually save you money longterm, so the eBay/charity equation might not be quite so pressing. Depends on your immediate circumstances, though, I appreciate that.