Kondo thread 10

[SnozzberryMincePie]

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

Drum roll. I'm tackling the paperwork. Clothes and cosmetics were easy this summer but this is my real junk. So so much of it.

Does anyone want to guess what kind of cough I might get this winter.
I have found 4 bottles for catarrah cough, 2 dry chesty cough, 1 for tickly cough. All still in date.

Before I adopted the same thing I. The same place, it was too easy just to go,and buy new, rather than searching.

I totally see where the Bible came from when I see how we fill the gaps in MK words of wisdom!!

Paperwork is my nemesis. It will be dealt with once the loft conversion /junk room has been painted so it can become the study/guest bedroom we need it to be.

Living room is so much easier to keep clean and tidy since we sorted it and I love the Kondo folding system for clothes. DH still has a tendency to stir his drawers but he's much better than he was.

Very few of my clothes spark joy beyond their purpose of keeping me from freezing/ common decency, apart from 1 pair of lightweight joggers which are so comfortable. Think I need to know what I want to do with my life (and lose 2 stone) to find my wardrobe click point. Although I do still find my smart shirts spark joy even when I'm ironing them and I want more opportunities to wear them!

Jeans and bras definitely don't spark joy at the moment - still stuck at least bad option on fit - bra wise I'm definitely bigger than a 28K but in total denial until I have reached my target weight as anything beyond that is silly money!

Beginning Kondo today! I picked up the book for £1 in a charity shop (where it was obviously waiting for me!)

Clothes will be a bit job, but not difficult. Books the same. I'm absolutely dreading komono but I guess I'll be working up to it.

I've tried to be quite ruthless with my decluttering recently, but the book has really helped with my total inability to get rid of shit 'just in case'

Hoping the toddler has a nice long nap so I can get stuck in today.

Feeling a bit annoyed, as we still don't seem to have made enough progress for it to be obvious. The house still looks messy more often than not. I'm thinking of printing one of those printables some people have shared online and ticking through them as I go.
Hopefully it'll soon get to a much better state!

I started yesterday...did all my clothes (bar swim wear, hats, gloves and bags). I seem to have developed wrist tendonitis as a result of excessive folding! I have beautiful drawers though and chucked loads of stuff

Got Kondo for Christmas and feel like I can finally see a way forward...

Have done socks which took a week. Very few were paired or in the right family member's drawer...

Is anyone around to advise on books?

I am here, not sure what you want to know, but will,help if I can

Advice on how others have kondo-ed books?

I did think that was what you meant but did not want to jump in without checking.

Many people find books the absolute hardest of all. I started with three piles. Books I felt sentimental about,books that still had a practical use and then the rest.

The ones that did not fit into either category, were very slowly taken to the Charity shop. Some of them sat in boxes for months before I could take them.

Well, dh and I have been really falling out about books.
He is a professor in an interdisciplary subject and wants to build a library. Trouble is, because of his subject, everything - like my granny's old science textbooks - are kept and put in the library. Also books have "sacred" status with him. It's a big part of his upbringing (books made his mother feel safe).

As you can imagine, surfaces which are not bookshelves end up full of books.

I have been getting rid of my own books to make space for his new acquisitions and feeling resentful...

He is far far better than me about everyday tidying though -does the lion's share...

Should add, he also has two rooms full at the Uni.

He is not like this about anything else...

The advice in the book about other people's clutter seems to be basically to finish kondoing your own stuff first, and then they'll be inspired to sort their own stuff out.

It sounds though, for your DH, that books fall more under the sentimental items category, so if you're trying to kondo stuff together, it might work better for him if he were to leave sorting his books out until all the other bits - clothes, papers, komono, other sentimental items - are completed.

Is he ok with you getting rid of your own books or is he pushing for your books to be kept in his library too?

Sounds like you need to speak to him about not spreading into your newly cleared space as it's going to keep on being massively demotivating for you and then hope your kondoing is contagious.
I'm another one who has found doing books really difficult. I have boxes of them in the loft which is ridiculous. I've also considered rebuying when I can't find the one I want.

Thank you both.

I hear what you say.

I need to start on my own stuff.
He will be fine with me pruning hobby books and modern fiction. There is no conflict over classic novels. My old English literature texts are harder:many are from my grandparents but I would let them go in the main...
The book has stopped me resenting my own pruning.

Yes to guarding spaces against being filled....he never looks in cupboards (just shoves junk inside the nearest one) so that is the way to go till he sees I am serious and that there is something in it for him...

I started reading these threads and got up to page 14 ... inspired enough to order the book from the library, which won't be available till the end of January so plenty of time to mull over the kondo...family have already heard enough and dh has warned me about going near the garage...and his tools,!
But, books is going to be my down fall. I've been teaching both ft and pt, primary and now at a nursery school...and I've got so many books. Some are stored in school but lots are in a walk in cupboard or in the garage... lots and lots... l can't imagine getting rid of them...or the text books...
As a teacher l seem to hoard so many things...which will come in handy! Craft bits,wool,material...pipe cleaners....
Do you think there's any hope for me?!!?

I think the relationship we have with books is quite deep and personal...

So basically it will take lots of thinking about...

I can't see books as clutter, unless I've tried them and not liked them (fiction), read them and realised I won't read them again (also fiction), or they're hopelessly out of date (legal text books). DH justifies his text books because anatomy doesn't change as fast as the law and he uses them. Also books on shelves categorised appropriately aren't clutter - scattered uselessly they might as well not exist because you will never find it when you want/need it!

I also can't see any problem keeping "useful" things for a primary school so long as there is one place for those things - a box in a study - and it gets reviewed every time a need for "things" arises for work.

@haveyourselfamerry - I found books easy... I held each one, closed my eyes and let myself FEEL if it sparked joy... And to my amazement, it was very clear ! The results were spectacular. A 70% reduction in number of books (I had nearly a roomful). It was fabulous. Read what she says about books again (first book). Try it. Honestly - heart over head really worked. Intellectual approach never would have.

Anyone still here? I've done all my things and am on to electronic clutter - documents, emails, photos, scans, e-music etc. It's been over eighteen months but its working....

Hi, progressing here since my "Conversion" at Xmas.....

Just got rid of all London maps save for one....

Lingle - excellent!!! I remember binning various dog eared A to Zs. And some that were unused but obsolete. Kept one as sentimental ... Handwritten notes, mini format, was my first A to Z when I moved to the Big Smoke.

aw....

its purpose was (is) to keep you in touch with those adventurous days. Sounds like it sparks joy.