KONDO Thread 9

[Iqueen]

Kondo your Home and your Life. Live the JOY!

Only adding to the stuff here with McDonald's toys. Though ds2 in particular gets huge joy from minions to be fair.

I think there is an argument to kondo digital things as you know in the back of your mind there is excess stuff there. But obv it doesn't take up space in the house so it's not a priority.

I wish the DC would all go on holiday for a few days so I could do something/anything!

evening all
ended up with long day at work, then had to take dogs for injections. Got in about 7 and di an hours painting in little ones room...
have also generally cleaned and tidied the lounge. No real kndoing though so far today...
have found a forgotten pile of paper stuff I need to do, and need to go and sort shampoos etc in bathroom...but may not muster the energy..
just going to eat something first....

I'm loving Kondo! Read the book and couldn't wait to start.... Then got a bit daunted so didn't start! Then before the nursery run this morning I decided to have a quick look in my wardrobe to see what I could take to the charity shop while I was out.... I think it took about forty five minutes to have two full binbags ???? I didn't take everything out (too much stress with a three-year old and a ten monthold) but now everything is either folded or hanging neatly and I love it! I did stray from the list/order by also doing some make up and jewellery as they are stored on shelves in the cupboard. Can't wait to get on with doing whatever is next on the list. I even looked forward to ironing and putting the clothes away this evening so either I'm very VERY ill or there really is something to this.... I'm not sure the ironing excitement will last though!

Hi all, this is great. Just finished the book and am very excited! Been trying to read all the threads - am sure this is covered somewhere but can't find it, it's a basic question: Marie Kondo repeatedly says the question to ask is "Does this spark joy?", but what about the many objects that spark no joy yet are simply necessary? I kept expecting her to tackle those things and felt I was missing something. If I should actually be saying "Does this spark joy and/or do I need it?", why doesn't she say that? Sorry to be thick.

Sorry if I end up posting twice - my first post disappeared. V excited after reading the book and all these threads. Sorry I'm sure this has come up but I couldn't find it: what do we do about items that we definitely NEED but spark zero joy? I'm expecting to find a lot of these and was surprised MK doesn't really talk about them - ?

Hi lawn, I'm only on books (category two) so I'm not too sure about what you do about objects that you need but don't especially spark joy. With clothes it's easier, they mostly do or don't, except for socks and underwear I suppose where I got rid of the ones that I didn't really like and was left with a sensible amount.

What I've been using as an additional test if I'm unsure is, "If I didn't own this thing and saw it in a shop, would I buy it?" I'm finding that that cuts out quite a lot whilst doing books e.g. books that are out of date, I've already read, were given as gifts but I wouldn't have bought myself etc.

I also did a mini kondo of a kitchen drawer the other day and rather than thinking "does this spatula spark joy when I hold it?" I thought, "When I use this spatula do I feel content or does it being too short, too long, the wrong colour, having a burnt bit on the side irk me?"

I'm feeling quite chuffed right now as the enormous, tottering pile of discarded books is getting smaller. Yay! A local Oxfam shop agreed to take 150 paperback fiction books and I can drop them off this week.

I've also only really done clothes but I suppose another way to look at the more practical things is 'would I be lost without it?' So in that way a potato masher or vegetable peeler could spark joy of sorts as you'd be lost without them.... However six half melted birthday candles or five eggcups might not necessarily spark the same feeling.....Daunting task ahead in MY kitchen cupboards!

Thanks both, that's helpful. Odd that MK doesn't tackle this category of things in the book.

She's a bit bonkers so I think she really can find joy in everything!

Buffy I totally agree!
And my ds1 thinks so too. He'll always return one of the less joyous spoons for a joyful one.

All our wedding cutlery is joyful in two ways, both to feel and to think about.

I'm not really sure where I am in the list I really need to try and get back on the wagon.

Everything that stays in our homes should 'spark joy', either directly or indirectly.

That means every item of clothing - otherwise it should be discarded. If necessary, it can be replaced with a version that does spark joy... better fit, colour, style.

Items like fridges, vacuum cleaners, spatulas, furnishings etc, are measured by what they do for us, how they operate, and their aesthetic pleasure. So, if a split spatula is annoying, because it has a split and is a bu88er to clean - bin it!

Oops!

Also, anything that never gets used, or whose task can be happily done by something else - discard, eg the foot spa in the loft, and all those gadgets, that seemed a great idea at the time!

Yes, completely agree about things being pleasant to use and doing their job well.

Last night ds1 asked me to 'Marie Kondo' his clothes, and was most put out that I had done everyone else's ages ago. He also asked me to show him how to fold them properly but I'm not sure how long that will last.

Unfortunately, most of the things that sparked joy for him are ancient, tattered and too small!

I still haven't done my shoes so might tackle that tonight.

bobblypop I also have loads of decorating to do - how do you get the right balance between decluttering and decorating?

I painted my kitchen ceiling a few weeks ago but have done nothing else - still need to get dishwasher fitted, plaster around window repaired, paint walls, cupboards, tiles and worktop!

Had my MRI and it wasn't bad at all. The drink wasn't gross and the actual procedure was fine. Results in a couple of weeks.

I'm still KMing away. DH is getting interested and been so impressed when we've had unexpected visitors, the house is presentable.

evening all
very Im struggling with the balance between kondoing, general cleaning work and sleeping at the moment! dc are away for a few days which is a rare, rare occurrence so am trying to basically fit everything in!! I am slightly prioritising decorating as I have to have their bedroom done by the time they get back!

I am on call tonight, so may not get much done but did get home form work early and goat another 1 1/2 painting done in the bedroom. second coat on walls should be finished tomorrow evening then can do woodwork at weekend.
Really need to do a bit more general tidying/washing this evening....and WILL declutter the bathroom cause its really annoying me!

I'm also shattered though due to lack of sleep so really hoping it is a quiet night on call!!!

Glad to hear that the MRI wasn't too bad pretty hope the results are helpful.

My house looks less, rather than more presentable as most of my books are downstairs and whilst the bookshelves are now lovely the huge heap of discarded books on the floor isn't. I am, very gradually, moving them out, and whilst the house now looks very cluttered, I do appear very well read!

I'm sort of thinking that I shouldn't start paper until I've cleared the discards from the previous category.

Hello, I am a newbie. I have read about 1/3 of the book and think I love this lady! I am itching to start but trying to be good and read all of the book first. I read her section about papers and felt lighter just reading it! We actually don't have loads of stuff compared to others, as we have moved a few times recently so have got rid of stuff, but still so much more than we need. Also, organisation, especially of paperwork is shocking. DH keeps EVERYTHING in no order whatsoever, and I used to be organised but now just stick everything in his huge box .
I just have a few questions:
She talks a lot about throwing stuff away, I'm assuming it's OK to send to charity, I hate waste!??
Clothes - I'm looking forward to this bit BUT I realise there are a few things I wear a lot, that don't bring me joy but I'm not convinced I could easily find something to replace them. Do you think it's OK to replace things like this when you can, otherwise I would have nothing to wear? Also there are things that don't bring me joy in themselves but form part of an outfit that does bring me joy (e.g. I wear leggings under long skirts which aren't very attractive but are the right colour to go with the skirt etc), do I keep these?
Papers - she advocates throwing awayb bills, statements etc, but don't you need these for stuff like applying for mortgages?

Advice for a kondo virgin appreciated, thanks!

I have one or two items in my clothing category that have been given another chance... however, I am very aware of MK's guidelines on the items in question, and they have a temporary stay of execution.

If they don't 'prove' themselves to me by Christmas (they are winter items), then they will go.

(TBH, I have probably just weakened, but I know the rules...)

I've not done much Kondo-ing for a couple of days, but just being on this thread brings me a sense of calm, knowing that others are clearing out too.

Perfectly - yes, send to charity, or pass on to others or recycle...

I have turned several of my holey T shirts into dusters!

morning all
pretty glad scan went ok
ophelia I really need to do some serious garden kondoing! I hadn't thought of the garden in terms of kondo but it does need some attention! (loving the thought of a garden bed complete with pillow and duvet!)
and yes....the utility....that one will be a challenge - not quite ready for that yet!!

so I am thinking about the whole "sparks joy" thing.... all my crockery is currently old and mismatched and I dislike it all. so really it should be discarded and replaced with joyous crockery...BUT it is all still perfectly functional and it just seems a bit indulgent to replace it all.....dunno - will have to ponder. Should I replace it as per true Kondo style???

off to work shortly, then this evening need to finish off second coat of paint on walls in little ones room then do some actual cleaning!
DH and DC back on Monday so need to have a productive weekend...

perfectly I would definitely keep the leggings if they are in good condition, as they are fulfilling their function well.

The approach to judging functional items is described well a page or two ago.
I think most people have ended up keeping a few items that don't spark joy if they can't be easily replaced.
Although i do sometimes wonder whether i was too cautious, and what it would be like to end up with only a handful of things in my wardrobe. Would it spark an entirely new approach to dressing?

I can't bring myself to even think about dealing with the garden, or the shed or the 'utility room' (which is a sort of enclosed yard with leaking perspex roof, oh joy!).

Well, I did doing nothing last night, as i was late home from work and ended up having a pillow fight with the dcs while dh went to get a takeaway!

I hope you had a quiet night on call, bobbly, good luck with the decorating.

pretty, glad the MRI went ok, and hope the results will give you some answers.
Iqueen, so sorry to hear about your diagnosis but glad it's not too serious. You seem to have such a lovely positive attitude to everything, I bet your children adore you.

I should
I have done the putting clothes on probation thing, although it is against kondo advice. I had four cheap summery dresses that I kept in case of hot weather. I promised that if i didn't wear them this summer, I'd get rid. After that scorcher on 1 July I realised that however hot it got I could manage without them. It was so good getting rid. And they will look great on a teenager.
:)

Perfectly
I wear vest tops under everything (£10). They don't spark joy apart from seeing them all folded and ready to wear but the are part of my outfit. Keep the leggings.

One criticism of my is her bin everything attitude. Not sure what the recycling culture is in Japan but just give to charity shops or free cycle.

Bit worried about the poster a while up thread who has done clothes, books and paperwork in days. I'm concerned that in a couple of weeks she will start a thread to say that she is sitting in an empty house with one chair, one cup, etc.
:)