Kondo thread 10

[SnozzberryMincePie]

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

just to say I was merry-the-book-question-asker.

DH and I are definitely happier since I started Kondo-ing. I pull my weight more in the house because I like putting things back where they belong.

Yes! Me too. And I can report that my Kondoing has indeed as predicted rubbed off on DH. He also reports feeling 'lighter' and we are feeling renewed energy after 10 yrs in the house and a bit of a rejig of decor/furniture/stuff.

:)

Kondo has definitely made downstairs much better. And my clothes. Currently wrestling my nemesis to date - the dreaded paperwork. Shredding pile now contains credit card and bank statements 1999-2010 (keeping 6 years) and other stuff I've carted around through several house moves, all filed - but I really do not need them and never did. All pre 2010 financial gubbins is going, other than important stuff - and I'm checking I have killed all my unneeded credit cards and all addresses are up to date.

I'm a bit of a hoarder about "important" paperwork but hate sorting it so have boxes and boxes of unsorted mess and can never find anything.

Best thing is details of National Savings certificates cashed in in 2001.

This sort out was triggered by a need to empty and repaint our ugly second hand filing cabinet as damp in the old house made it go rusty. I am desperate to get to the point where it can be replaced by a 2 drawer model - spending money on a nice 2 drawer filing cabinet will be a nice reward. Might be a while though but we're accumulating less and less as most of our bills are online!

We have been making excellent progress, passing on baby stuff that we don't need anymore and stuff that we are 'loaning out' until our 1 year old DD is big enough to need. Then a kind person brings another load of stuff they've picked up because its pink and might be of use in 2 years time, even though we have already passed on the same item in blue, red and green!

I went to a talk on decluttering at our local WI and Spark Joy the Illustrated guide has just arrived. I am normally a tidy person (toddler twins allowing ha!) but no good at the decluttering side. Really inspired and ready to get started!

Bump, because I'm nosy!

One day in and I'm totally evangelical about it already. I did my clothes yesterday and got rid of two very large carrier bags of stuff!

Doing stuff by categories is so so logical and my obvious downfall in past attempts as I used to do it by room and had a junk basket/under bed container in each room to dump stuff I didn't know what to do. I cannot get away with it now.

I have decided to only do my own stuff and general household so not clothes/ stuff belonging to DH. How do you all do it for others you live with?

I have today found my Kondo book! I bought it about two years ago then promptly lost it. Haven't even opened it yet.

I've just started Spark Joy, and she talks about temporary clutter due to your life being busy is not rebound as long as the stuff has a home. I think it's a disclaimer for the 18+ years of mess children bring in case anyone comes to her house, now she has a daughter.

I read the first book last year, started with clothes and books and papers and DVDs fairly successfully. But then I stalled due to various toddler problems. The toddler is now slightly older making things a bit easier. I've still been de cluttering drawer by drawer instead inspired by KM rather than following it to the letter. Once the toddler is in pre-school I will go through it from the beginning again and do it properly! I've been putting stuff into categories as I go along. The downstairs of my house now just looks "a bit messy" rather than a very special episode of hoarders.

I love reading about everyone else's journeys and hope they inspire me more!

I've been meaning to restart kondoing for ages (knickers are still folded from last time I started a few years ago), saw a thing in Facebook for 40 bags in 40 days - basically decluttering for lent, and decided that would tie in perfectly.
Started this morning, so far 2 bags of rubbish and a bag of recycling plus a pile of stuff to go to the charity shop. Have done PC desk and downstairs toilet. This is my first sweep, they will be done more ruthlessly next time. I just needed to separate the obvious rubbish first and things like 30+ loose tampons which I don't use as I prefer pads! Tampons definitely don't spark joy for me...
Having a coffee and a break before next task, but I have written a list of all the areas in my house - eg sideboard, wardrobe, landing so I can cover everywhere. I think I will write a category list as well, once the worst is done I can kondo properly but I am not ready to it alp by category I just don't know where everything is!

All going well here and I have done about 98% of my clothes - just pants and scarves to sort out.

I feel less in control of the forthcoming categories though. I have a lot of books and I am going to be a complete mess at the paperwork one. I think I will meet my nemesis there. I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into the kitchen though. As usual I have nice stuff that never see the light of day because there is so much in the cupboards. Only being able to do it on a Friday makes me very impatient though!!!

Mrs Wombat, I doubt her daughter would dare mess up drawers of perfectly folded vests!

Do you think she organises her toys? I'd love to see how. My two pre-schoolers could certainly do with some tips on that department!

Ten weeks in still going strong.... got a spice drawer today! Didn't have to buy any storage stuff just emptied the other drawers through Kondo.

Who knew how many notebooks I had and how resistant they are! Am just managing to gather them together.

Well done! I can't wait to start the kitchen, but I need to do paper first.

This weekend I passed on our double buggy and car seats and tidied up the kids toys. Got rid off two bags of stuff and a boot full of detritus to take to the tip on Friday as soon as I drop off the kids at nursery!

I'm about to start a huge Kondo spree but sometimes I worry I'll end up with nothing!

I get a bit ruthless and everything suddenly seems crappy and I throw it.

I have beautiful cookbooks for example but honestly I've not looked at them in years.

Not all my clothes spark 'pure joy' at all!

Has anyone found they go too far, or does it honestly feel wonderful chucking all out?

I think you have to do it her way, building up skill she as you go.

This morning the neighbour had a huge, white teddy out for rubbish collection. DH remarked on it and I foolishly said that it would be a companion for my BiG Bear, currently having a holiday on the Council waste land.

You would have thought I had sent one of the children, judging by the face. It was 50 years old and had lived In our garage since we moved here 40 years ago. I Should have kept quiet though.

:)

It takes a while to bring other people round to it...

Sorry for posting again, but I had a eureka moment r.e. the emotional side of kondo-ing.

I've come out of a horrible 12-year marriage with a very controlling partner but am happily in my new home with the children. My exH vetoed anything he didn't like (I.e everything of mine) and I didn't actually have much, or anything that was mine in the house. In fact I don't have anything really that sparks true joy! Nothing was bought out of joy, it was bought surreptitiously or on the cheap.

I have a few things that are 'nice', but going back to my earlier post, I could easily discard the lot.

Part of me would like to see what happens if I do this huge purge and end up with a lovely, light and empty space. The other part is terrified that I won't have anything left.

Would that be so bad? Everything reminds me of my old life, and I am very happy now so maybe I dont need anything!

I used to be very bookish but even books remind me of me ex. Now I am much more outdoorsy and would love to come home to somewhere empty (ish with 3 kids) with just my tea and a yoga mat...

What are your thoughts on an extreme kondo purge?! Do you think I'd regret it or is this the ultimate clean slate?

I am all for a purge. It takes a lot of courage to move away from a bad relationship. This is a new you now, the less you have to remind you of the past the better.

This is nowhere on the same scale, but, last year my last bit of Kondo was to have my garden completely cleared and a new easier one . I kept lots of the previous plants in pots, then at the very last minute I ditched them all. I suddenly realised that I was bringing the old problems into the new garden.

Hmmm

So, what is the purpose of these items in your life?

speaking of gardens, I've been eyeing up mine.

Unfortunately, my garden has been changed by a neighbour's building habits over the last decade.

I've spent a lot of time "hanging on" to things that were sunny and are now shaded....

I'm hoping to start Kondoing, leaving the emotional bits till last of course.

Thanks @smashedinductionhob (great name - did you get it fixed yet?!)

You're right - what is the purpose of those items?!

Those old books and vases? I am not going to read those books and I probably only need one vase!

The "things" I want in my home is space and freedom. It doesn't bother me to come home to emptiness, and for me that is calming.

I won't chuck the kids' things ...yet.. ... but maybe most of mine can go!... If I do the purge, I'll post pictures :-)

Can anyone help with these tips:

I get really stuck on "Special" clothes that I really like but only wear once in a blue moon.

I also get stuck on "valuable" items which I don't have the time to sell but then feel wasteful just giving to charity.

Cheers everyone