Kondo thread 10

[SnozzberryMincePie]

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

I've kondoed my clothes now - there's still a bootload full to go to the charity shop as I couldn't get parked nearby yesterday, but once that's done, my clothes are done.

Papers next. I am not looking forward to this. Our default way of dealing with papers has been to stuff them in a box and forget about them. We have loads of boxes to go through, and obviously I can't just chuck them all without looking at them in case something important has been stuffed in along with the junk mail [kicks self for previous disorganization]

Papers should be straightforward for me I think....I'm pretty ruthless with them already. Everything that can be done online is so I don't get many paper bills or statements.

I just have one A-Z box file for 'important docs' although there is also some 'sentimental' things in there too which I will move to one small gift box I've put aside to be a 'memory box'.

Honestly you don't need as many documents as people think...the only things I keep are:

• Docs from the tax office
• Docs related to current car
• Latest rental/mortgage agreement
• Employment contract
• Ts&Cs for any current loans/finance/etc

There are probably some other bits and pieces but that's pretty much it!

...and I've never had any problems with that. If I need bank statements in hard copy (very rarely) I can just go to the branch.

Actually read that Slate article now. It's a bit harsh, isn't it?

For example, talking about photos, it was very clear to me that MK was talking about editing down, not discarding all, photos. She talked about something like not keeping more than 5 photos per day of your holiday. Frankly, we are doing well if we remember to take 5 photos per week while on holiday.

So, to my mind, the article is exaggerating for effect.

Congratulations bambino and stiff. Impressed with the birth and even thinking about sorting anything!
Gift wrap /bags and wrapping paper and cards all sorted here. Alcohol almost done(!)
DVDs done (but we didn't have many!)
CDs next and then eek the kitchen...
Although I randomly kondo-d 3 drawers last night whilst waiting for my husband to get home!

Additional congrats to bambino and stiff!

I now imagine stiff as an absolute Amazonian arse kicker of a woman who can give birth in the morning and Kondo a wardrobe in the afternoon

I have a big pile of stuff to eBay and Ziffit from Kondo efforts thus far today. Think I'll do books while I'm at it as don't have too many left.

That will then be clothes, underwear, shoes/handbags, makeup and books done. Next will be paperwork which will be quick for me and toiletries.

Do you mind if I join?
Started a big sort out his morning, gone through bra and undies drawers and have 30 + bras and over 50 pairs of pants to go, many new with tags, or just new unworn - what a waste! Sure I've heard of a charity for the bras, so will research that.
Have two bin bags of tops, and thats only 1 of 3 cupboards started on......
With everything I tried on today, I asked not only did it bring joy, but did it bring comfort too (fit properly and not be too small or tight) felt almost festive with all the comfort and joy going through my head

Welcome geepee. The older I get, the more joy I get from comfortable clothes. I kondoed my only pair of heels, which I never wore...

I think I need to get the book and digest it properly, I could cull half my clothes again and still have too many! With you on the heels cutYourHair!
But do feel good having made a start and inspired to continue.....

Ooohhh please could I join? I bought the book about 3 weeks ago and started on Monday by Kondoing my clothes, coats, shoes, handbags etc. Just remembered scarves but will do them tomorrow. I have started reading the book but got impatient so needed to make a start. Initially I spent my whole Sunday a few weeks ago throwing bags and boxes out of the loft for charity shop 😊.
I work from home and cant bear the clutter! Am feeling liberated already - although I'm dreading the sentimental stuff.

I still need to do scarves....where do people keep their scarves once Kondo'd?

My problem is that I have some lovely scarves but they're kept in an old washing basket thing on top of the wardrobe so they are 'out of sight, out of mind'....I'd like them to be more accessible once I've whittled them down to a few that spark joy...any ideas?

Scarves are rolled in a box in my shoe cupboard (along with hats and gloves).

You can get special scarf hanger things to go in your wardrobe if preferred

Stumbly- I've just knotted mine into large wooden hangers in my wardrobe, but I know others have different ways of storing so that they're kn display. Actually I saw on fb someone had used tension rods- the metal poles you can use to hang up shower curtains without having to drill into the wall- between cupboard and wall and had knotted the scarves on that.

I'm joining in, I've been reading the threads for a while and it makes so much sense. I am a bit of a hoarder particularly in the clothes area (I have 8 or 9 of the huge plastic lidded storage boxes -80 litres I think size) full of clothes that do not fit. Last month something snapped in me to do with the amount of space it all takes up- a full length cupboard is also full plus eight under bed drawers. There are literally hundreds of outfits that I have never worn, most from charity shops/ebay that I bought to diet into. I cannot cope any more with the amount of stuff. I have to do something about it and use the stuff I have.
However, I cannot bring myself to just get rid of it. Since I snapped I have rigidly stuck to my diet plan/healthy eating for over a month and am a stone down so far (6 more to go).
Already a pair of trousers has made it from the box to the wardrobe, I find it so much easier to think about now I have the mindset of being able to use the clothes even if it is just for a month or two and then let them go.I'm doing the one in one out just for the next week or two until more fits so the pair of work trousers that I have been wearing for the last three months have now gone.
Also, someone said on a thread somewhere about having nice crockery, I want to use crockery that gives me joy and this is helping me to get rid of stuff from the kitchen.
I think the kondo principle has helped me to stick to good eating, if it isn't good for me or gives me joy I don't bother eating it now and for the first time in my life (51) I do feel a bit like I am in a long term mindset.

Hippy- that's great re: food! It fud actually ring a bell with me, too. They say kondo changed your life!!

Good luck!

*changes your life! Silly autocorrect!

Did a few bits out of order today...I did books (again) because the first time I did them was before reading the relevant chapter of the book.

I had held on to several reference books...but realise in reality I've never actually referred back to them in the years they've been on my bookcase and so was unlikely to in the future.

I think Kondo is liberating in some ways because you are accepting yourself for who you really are instead of who you think you should be. I've accepted that while I'd like to be the kind of intellectual reader that reads War & Peace I will never read it. So it's going!

Oh and did kitchen gadgets today. Out of category order but that cupboard had been doing my head in for months!

Am not well at the moment so am spending the time reading old Kondo threads, looking forward to letting go of clothes. Just been thinking about the 'sparks joy' thing, back in 1989 I fell pregnant with DS2 and Mothercare had a drop waisted dress with tiny peach flowers on it. I coveted that dress so much and nowexDH bought it after we were invited to some Naval function. It was about £30 which was a lot back then but I loved it. I probably wore it for the majority of the pregnancy, it was thin so dried quickly and it was a very hot summer. I don't think I've ever loved a piece of clothing as much as that dress and even now I can 'feel' how I felt wearing it. I guess that is the kind of feeling we are aspiring to.

I'm not properly kondoing, but im just gonna lurk. Have had a massive clothes clear out today

Finished yesterday off by putting my books on Ziffit (£70!) and starting to work my way through clothes/shoes for eBay (31 items up so far!).

eBay lots include a £500 dress I've worn once and which no longer fits and has negative emotions tied to it but I'd held onto it for years because it is Vivienne Westwood.

DP hasn't read the book but has been inspired by my de-cluttering and went through his wardrobe getting rid of several suits, shirts and ties since he doesn't need to wear them for work anymore.

The flood of pink stuff into my house has started

DH has been on a size-swapping mission already and I have another bag of swaps/returns ready by the front door. I have a ton of girl stuff borrowed from my DSis and I cant justify letting perfectly good gifts go to waste - financially/ environmentally so knowing that the gift has already done its job by being given it can be thanked (I don't do that!) and swapped for some new bath sponges and a thermometer which will actually be used.

This is so impressive, losing weight, Decluttering after giving birth, making money. It is so strange because the book is such common sense, but we needed someone to point the way.

I would be interested to know if charity shops have received lots more stuff recently.

I posted about using my nice crockery, and a couple of MNeters have picked up on that. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside to think of people Decluttering then sitting down with a cuppa in their favourite cup or mug.

stiff we did this and in fact I wish I'd been more aggressive with it as there was stuff that didn't even get worn. I took so much back and have accepted so many hand me downs that I still have about £90 on gift cards for her at 8.5months! (Possibly more!)
We have done various subcategories in the kitchen now. The house is finally starting to look better and I'm feeling positive about putting it on the market soon.
In sad news the Facebook group which was awesome has had a huge influx of people, most of whom haven't read the book and it's not nearly so inspiring now. Hey ho, hopefully they'll catch up and a new load of people will Konvert...

I just wanted to share that DS2 (2.5) is loving his kondoed t-shirt drawer.

Previously his t-shirts were just shoved in there with minimal attempts at folding etc.

I've gone through it, removed all the t-shirts that are too small or that no-one liked (mostly well meant gifts from people with different tastes), and folded them vertically so you can see a bit of the front of the t-shirt.

I showed DS2 his neatly folded t-shirt drawer a few days ago - and every day since then, when he's woken up, he's been straight in his t-shirt drawer picking out the t-shirt he wants to wear Loving it

Hi. Moving house soon and would love the new place to stay as perfect as possible. Can someone talk me through the process of "kondo"ing please?