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Original poster

KonMari Support Needed

21 replies

lizard202 · 11/04/2018 23:01

I have become increasingly frustrated with the sheer volume of stuff in our house. Combination of all if us keeping so much that we no longer need means that I fighting a losing battle to tidy, to the point where I was despairing and giving up. I made the decision that this year I will declutter and off the back of various recommendations have gone with the KonMari method of tidying.

I have her book and have read two thirds so far but was wondering if anyone on MN had already gone through this and how did you find the process? How long did it take? How often did you tackle a new section? Were there any unexpected challenges? How did family members respond and were they also inspired to declutter?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

divafever99 · 11/04/2018 23:13

Hi op, I started the process about a year ago and still not done! . I do however have 2 small children so getting time to do anything is difficult. I do however chip away whenever I can. I haven't strictly followed her order of what to organise first but I am getting there! The loft and shed is now done and all the baby items have been passed on/sold. I've still a long way to go but the places I have managed to sort look so much better and this has spurred me on! At first dh was resistant but now he has seen how much easier a clutter free lifestyle is he is now starting to help.

CocoLoco87 · 12/04/2018 06:47

I'd say we are pretty much done and took about 6 months. DH loves it. We have 2 small DC too. The only area we struggle with is what to do with clothes that are too small for DS1 but don't yet fit DS2. We don't know how / where to store these. But otherwise, it's really changed our home and our outlook on material things!

Original poster

lizard202 · 12/04/2018 07:31

Thanks both, I'm so happy to hear that your DHs are bought into the change as mine is very resistant to throwing out certain things (books mainly). This gives me hope that he'll come round through the process. How did you find the actually decision, did her advice on what sparks joy resonate or was there a more practical approach?

I did start on my own this year so have already made significant progress, baby stuff all gone, large chunk of wardrobe gone though reading her book there are still items in there that I was holding one for the wrong reasons. I just want to get to the point where I can enjoy my house and family without feeling so trapped by clutter. Going to finish clothes (everyone's) Friday then Saturday start on papers and stuff. Tbh I'm the worst fir keeping things, especially as I like crafts so keep every bit of that that 'might come in handy' 🙄

Wish me luck and also if it took six months how often were you tackling the next section and how long did each section take?

Thanks 😘

OP posts:

CocoLoco87 · 12/04/2018 08:11

With clothes, I did an initial clear out very quickly. 1 and a half orange recycle bags off to charity shop. And I think that is key. You MUST take the charity shop stuff quickly otherwise it's still cluttering up space. I did go back and do clothes again after about 3 months.

The sparking joy part works but something that helped me was to think (and sorry, it's about to get morbid!) when I die, my kids will have to sort through this mess. And that's not fair on them. After reading her book, I saw my things as just 'stuff'. I have baby boxes for my DC with special memories, knitted hats, scans etc but I don't have that many sentimental items.

Once you start clearing and can be a bit minimalist then it really encourages you to keep going!

Me and DH still ball our socks though... And I'm not sure I've thanked every item of clothing I've got rid of

cloudtree · 12/04/2018 08:35

There are some very long condo threads on here if you do an advanced search. I am going to do it properly one day when I have more time but for now its tricky. I'm rubbish at letting go too. Things get sorted and put in bags to go to charity but then never manage to leave the house...

cloudtree · 12/04/2018 08:37

kondo - autocorrect

Original poster

lizard202 · 13/04/2018 10:35

Thanks, I am so inspired by this approach, I am reading some of the larger old kondo threads but will also have a look for a current thread where I can ask questions as I go. Heading home to start on my clothes now 😜 already visualising so much that can go!

OP posts:

BrutusMcDogface · 13/04/2018 16:05

I've started this a couple of times and not got far enough....really up for starting again, as baby number 4 is on his/her way- eek! Need to clear some space

I think I'll have to reread the book to get her theories back into the front of my mind. I love the concept of grouping by category and only keeping what you love/need rather than keeping things "just in case".

Original poster

lizard202 · 14/04/2018 21:24

Wow, good luck with baby number 4. I have spent two days at it and have got rid of 5 black sacks of clothes and 7-8 boxes of books. Plus have culled my filling from a two drawer filing cabinet and two huge boxes to just one box file. Starting to feel the weight lifting already. If I can do it anyone can x

OP posts:

justanothercreditissue · 14/04/2018 21:53

I've done it. Not fully there. It's the onslaught of toys at Christmas and birthdays as well as ever frowning children that gets me. We still have too much stuff.

justanothercreditissue · 14/04/2018 21:54

I have nothing in loft or garage though.

torthecatlady · 14/04/2018 23:08

I love the Marie kondo method. It made me realise how much crap I hung on to. It helped me get rid of a lot of sentimental items too that I was keeping because I felt like I had to, rather than sparking actual joy.

It's also made it really hrs for me to buy new things because they don't "spark enough joy"!

BrutusMcDogface · 15/04/2018 00:12

Lizard, that's brilliant! Well done! I must admit I'm in the staff of wandering round with a black bag and discarding random stuff; two weeks of dc at home and it's a midden! I'm going to start in earnest with categories when they're back at school; I work part time but have an hour here or there to get bits done.

BrutusMcDogface · 15/04/2018 00:13

*stage, not staff! And thanks for the congrats

DancingLedge · 15/04/2018 00:18

Nothing in loft or garage???

Wow.
I've got a long way to go.

I do the touch it, and ask if it sparks joy. And have got rid of loads.

But an empty space in the house- I still somehow fill it really quickly.

hmmwhatatodo · 15/04/2018 10:24

I made a good start a couple of years ago but didn’t finish due to getting busy with other things. I loved the change though (it helps that I seem to find it very easy to chuck things... perhaps a bit too easy!) It took me ages to figure out what it meant to have a vision of how I wanted it to be/look but I think my vision is just as simple as ‘tidy and minimal.’ I honestly feel a lot better when there is less stuff. Hiding it in cupboards would still stress me. I will be back on it again in August when I aim to have a good solid week of completing the process. Weirdly I have struggled to get through the books though and am amazed at people who can read it quickly in a couple of days.

purplegreen99 · 16/04/2018 13:15

I've done clothes, books and papers, it's taken me over a year and I've got loads still to do (& would like to go back and do clothes again), but it is making a big difference to my life. I have got rid of endless boxes and bags of clutter. It has really helped me to make decisions about letting go of things and I am looking forward to finishing (hopefully by the end of the year) and having a calmer, more organised life, with a lot less stuff in it.

I've been doing it slowly as I've had a huge amount going on in the last year both with my family and work, so haven't had the time and energy to do any more. The UK Konmari facebook group is really helpful and I've noticed on there a huge variety in how long it's taken people to finish - some seem to take a couple of week and others a couple of years. Obviously it depends on just how much stuff you have and the time/energy available to deal with it.

Definitely finish the book first, and do the 'vision' as Kondo suggests. I didn't do the vision properly at first and I think that's why I want to do clothes again, because I didn't have a clear enough idea of what I was aiming for. Try and do it as closely by the book as possible - some of it seems a bit nuts, but the more I do the more sense it makes!

Sadly I haven't yet found my family joining in yet, but still hoping...

SnowOnTheSeine · 16/04/2018 19:10

I did it in a about a year. And most of all it made me really think about what I bring in to the house.

But now I've lost weight I need to do clothes again as several look awful and don't spark joy... but I hate shopping for replacements.

We're also moving soon so I want to minimize what I have to pack! I'm hoping DS2 grows out of some stuff too (a lot is getting a bit tight)

We've decided to only give one present for birthdays for the D.C. With family and parties they get about 12 anyway so don't need loads from us.

Original poster

lizard202 · 16/04/2018 20:52

I was really energised this weekend and also started on my craft stashes. I collect hobbies and all the crap that goes with them, but managed to clear out two plastic storage towers (which will be going so I don't fill them up again) and half a bookcase. Still more things to go but feel like I'm making progress. Surprisingly DS came out with 7 books for the donation so I can only hope this continues with the rest of the family. 🤔

Good luck to all of you in your journeys and we'll find to those that have finished. I find clutter heightens my anxiety but I'm often too tired to do anything about it. I saw a way forward that seems achievable for the first time in a while but I am so impatient I just want to do it all now.

I suspect I'll find it harder when I get to the sentimental stuff, especially a collection I was given when a family member passed last year, I don't know what to do with it. Some bits spark joy but others don't, I just feel awful getting rid of it.

OP posts:

SnowOnTheSeine · 17/04/2018 08:30

Thank it for the pleasure it gave to your family member then pass it on to the charity shop so it can give pleasure to someone else

Why don't you take a photo of the whole collection for the memories before you pass stuff on ?

I did that with my sports trophies. I had loads from when I was a teenager and they took up loads of space in a box. I took a photo of them all and got rid of all except 2 which were special to me.

torthecatlady · 17/04/2018 14:25

My husband just handed me a pile of his clothes that no longer "spark joy".
It definitely rubs off on other members of the family... eventually!

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