Kondo thread 10

[SnozzberryMincePie]

Just noticed the old thread was full, so hope no one minds me starting the new one

Oh, and socks. I've found socks in every cupboard and shelf.

Lots of coins, and socks. I took a huge bag of random coins to the new Fourex machine at Blackfriars station and made £14! I really recommend using these if you're in London, just tip all those komono coins in & get sterling in return. I have another bag to exchange today. MIL is letting me keep the money as "payment".

I'm giving myself 2 weeks to Kondo paperwork. It keeps being shifted around every time the cleaner comes and its the fly in my otherwise tidy ointment.

I've been for a mooch around the shops today for some longish black vest tops for breastfeeding (but not specifically designed for bf) and I can joyfully confirm that I have finally managed to get 2 for one up one down feeding. I must have been in 15 shops to find the perfect ones but I just don't settle for things that aren't right any more.

I'm saving DS's clothes in case DSis has any more children but I think I will Kondo them again to free up some storage space in the loft.

Advice please from a Kondo virgin!

My clothes are out of control - I am typical that I wear 5% of my clothes 95% of the time, I buy duplicates cos i forget / can't find the original.

Space is actually not a problem, more finding stuff.
However most of my space is in a wall of fitted wardrobes, loadsof hanging space and shelves. I do have 2 chests of drawers but they are shallow drawers maybe 6"/ 15cm deep.

I am ready for the "chuck everything on the bed" stage and choosing what I keep rather than choosing what I chuck. But how best to use the storage I have?
I will most probably carry on hanging stuff up but how best to use my shelves for kondo storage?

I'm starting paperwork tonight. Such a daunting task. I've been surrounded by piles of paper since I was a teenager - pages torn from the 5/6 magazines I'd buy every week, pages and pages of notes from the books I read (not for school, just for fun...) There's just so much. This is one category where I am not going to be able to gather it all at once!

Alison The Spark Joy book suggests that you don't worry about storage until the whole process is finished and you can see exactly what you have. I am kondoing and then putting things back where they were for now. I have a feeling I'l be able to discard a hanging rail, but Marie recommends you don't throw out any storage until you're finished.

You might find you can hang everything and use the shelves for other storage?

Thanks Clarence. Useful point.
Yes, I'm hopeful that the shelf stuff can go in drawers, and I can use the shelves for non clothes storage.

I have read the book twice and am now ready to start - I have 4 days off next week and no DC so am hoping to make excellent progress then.

Please can I ask those of you who have finished or towards the end of your journey what you are most pleased about? I think I am wanting to hear that it has given you back time - tidying and cleaning being so much easier? I have loads of stuff I want to do and because I work much of my free time is taken up with household chores.

I'm still in the middle of the process - clothes and some other categories done, but living in a building site still, and having professionally emptied two other flats and obviously kept useful stuff, there's a lot of komono still.

However managed to get another bag to charity shop yesterday. I did sniff at saying goodbye to dd's coat that has been her identifying feature for 3 winters (loved wearing it even in the house), but she has a new one now and told me the old one is too small. So I thanked it profusely, pinned the matching mittens to it, and let it be gift-aided.

Also got half a carrier bag of rubbish out of ds's room. And two pictures on the wall...

On the plus side, I have done three craft activities with kids this holiday, and knew where all the bits were!

Well, I've made a small start with the clothes...
5 drawers of pants, tights, bras, tights, socks, tights, sports socks, tights, camisole vests, tights, tights and nighties. Did I mention tights?

Now reduced to three beautiful drawers. Despite a cull on tights, there are still too many pairs ( and yet I always seem end up with the same bobbly pair with the low slung crotch...) .
But I'm thinking that any pair worn that are not up to standard are going in the bin after use and not being returned to laundry and drawer.

Also first pass at remainder of drawers mean they are already half empty so this gives me some temporary space to put stuff as I try to get all my sports gear in one place.

I'm still not sure about "sparking joy" but the William Morris mantra of things having to be "useful or beautiful" works well too.

So no, none of my underwear really sparks joy.
But my Kondoed drawers do, and being able to pull out a short pair of socks rather than several long pairs sparked joy, so I am inspired to finish the job...

Hello, can I join in? I read about this method in a magazine at hospital (as I have no other time and was waiting to take child home!)

I have folded all underwear; tights; t-shirts and jumpers. Oh yes and tea towels in the kitchen.

The other day husband said I have no pants! very early in the morning and my smug reply...You have 12 pairs. They can't all be in the wash.

They are all black as are his socks so as you can imagine in the dark of morning with man look....

Half Kondo 'd the kitchen. Have so much space now!

Can anyone tell me that this process has helped you to like a house that you didn't like living in before?

My home was supposed to be a temporary compromise which we're now stuck in due to financial situation. It has some negative memories associated with it. I'm confident that KMing will make it a much nicer/more functional place to be. But I'm secretly hoping it will help me move past the regret that I didn't buy more wisely when I had more options, and help me appreciate what I have. Is this unrealistic?

Meanwhile I have mastered the art of folding clothes one armed whilst holding toddler...result.

I have the last of my clothes in the wash/dryer. So I will be ready to throw some clothes.

What do you do about too big and too small clothes ?

I lost 5.5 stone and bought a few outfits at that size and now I have outgrown them but back on the health wagon and losing 2 lbs a week on average. So another few months and I should fit them again.

So shall I store smaller clothes. Keep ones that fit and throw larger ones ?

I have my 'slimmer' clothes in DH's wardrobe so I know everything in mine is current.

I've been trying to do paperwork but I am in the pre-Kondo stage of getting the volume down so I can properly Kondo by category of papers. I am keeping all the pension stuff rather than just the last letter/statement. Its not a category I am prepared to risk discarding.

My general thoughts on kondoing paperwork - urgh!

Hi all. I have been doing KonMari since Jan but have had about 7 weeks away from it due to illness.

I have managed my clothes, DC clothes, all kitchen cupboards, downstairs cupboard, under stairs, the dining room, all household paperwork (need to revisit it soon), the living room & DC room.

I still need to do the airing cupboard, guest room, bedside tables (komono).

Phew

Hello Kondo ladies

What do you think of THIS

www.apartmenttherapy.com/marie-kondos-joy-sparking-tokyo-home-229957

?

Just wanted to jump on to let Sonnet know that Kondoing really can change how you feel about yourself and your home. I did it about a year ago when the book first came out. The benefits: My home is easy to clean properly because its not full of stuff; every time I want something I can find it, or know that we don't have one because I know what we have; I wear all my clothes instead of having a wardrobe full of mistakes and things that don't fit, or look awful. Best of all, I save money because I only buy what I really need and really love. Have to admit I didn't buy shampoo for eight months after Kondoing my bathroom which is rather shaming. We had five bottles almost all full!

Downsides; there aren't any. I don't miss any of the mountains of stuff I got rid of. Haven't needed any of the things I was keeping 'just in case' and now realise I probably never would have.

So go for it. You'll feel lighter, brighter and maybe save money. Good luck

This arrived yesterday!! I'm so excited to get stuck in :)

Sorry for duplicate pic! I meant get stuck into the book, not the toffifee

Spider no evidence there of her dc - I thought she was supposed to have had a baby since writing the book. It looked very sterile and unlived in to me. Is that all she has in her life that sparks joy?

What did everybody do when you got as far as household linens/towels? I have frequent guests and have always worked on having 3 of everything (1 in use, 1 in wash, 1 in airing cupboard) so I guess that sparks joy because I'm not constantly loading the washing machine but did she say something about just having two of everything?

Marie's house looks lovely.
Just wait a year until it's filled with acres of plastic shit toys...

That house tour is Apartment Therapy's April fool! MK is notoriously private- maybe she is a secret hoarder, tee hee!
Re sheets- have as many as spark joy for YOU. If you secretly hate one (or more) of your 3, try living without it. If not, you're golden.

Very unjoyful day today.

After whizzing thru underwear and tops, today I decided to tackle skirts and trousers.
Quite a few potential Joy bringers went into the Out pile as they are too small.

I've accepted that I'm never going to be 9 stone again, and the weight I am is the weight I'll be (hopefully not more!)
I went through a Cute twinset phase a few years ago and the extra weight on my boobs mean that they are all too tight and too short. So since today is a good drying day, they've all gone though a wool wash and are currently drying out in the sun.

It's very hard saying goodbye to real favourites that will never fit again .

Also found several pairs of reading glasses secreted in my clothing drawers.
No longer needed since laser eye treatment.
any suggestions for a charity that might use them?