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Housekeeping

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Has anyone read about the Kon Marie method and decided NOT to put it into action?

69 replies

CrochetBelle · 10/07/2018 20:33

Just that ^

Is it worth buying the book? Will it really change my life or will it just bring more clutter into the house?

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 12/07/2018 09:19

I think it works well for clothes and clutter. I Kondoed some of my wardrobe last night during the football and it was actually helpful to look at a top I bought for a party and think "well that was a fun party but it was two years ago and I haven't worn it again...thank you for your service!"

It was also very helpful to collect all the same things of the same category from all over the house and blitz it. I did magazines and papers a few months ago, they were scattered through the house so gathering them all into one place was an eye opener. I had one or two magazines in almost every room to get round to reading which seemed doable - but when I saw a stack of 16 magazines in one place it was obvious I never would read them all.

I don't think I will kondo the DCs stuff again though, because what they like and what I like are so different and when I did bin things they always asked for whatever it was that went out the door. We're doing the toy library/cycling toys thing now instead and it seems to be working well!

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 12/07/2018 09:23

The really useful bit is letting go of the guilt that makes you keep objects. So if a friend or family bought you something you hate it's ok to get rid of it.
This is what I have always found difficult.

MonumentVal · 12/07/2018 09:30

I was on some of the original Kondo threads. It helped me get much more organised rather than reduce clutter, but then the main reason to reduce stuff was to be able to find things.

So I started putting certain categories in a set place whenever I found an item, and now we have a battery drawer, a light bulb/torch/candle drawer, takeaway menu drawer, and did have a craft drawer until dd got older and had birthdays and has enough craft stuff to take over the house.
It worked for my clothes, too. And partially for DP's clothes - he agreed he doesn't need more than 20 black, 20 white and 20 other T-shirts, so loads of others got binned. Ditto shirts and polos, pants and socks. And a few old suits. I did have to tell the charity shop that half the clothes should probably be in the textile bag but they were all clean - they were very happy.

I have found that some items keep giving me a feeling of 'maybe I could give that to the charity shop' and in general, that means I should.

KimWexler · 12/07/2018 09:36

Nah. I don't want to get rid of all my stuff.

Also, on a related note, and against current orthodoxy, I've decided I much prefer to get things as presents and not 'experiences', which usually come with a whole lot of faff and annoyance.

KimWexler · 12/07/2018 09:37

Also, sometimes you don't need something for years but it's still useful to have.

We don't have long on the earth, I'm not going to waste days and weeks getting rid of every shred of my existence yet.

ScreamingValenta · 12/07/2018 09:39

Read it and sent it straight to the charity shop

I picked a copy up for 50p at a charity shop earlier this week (perhaps I got yours Grin )- haven't started reading it yet though. My house is too cluttered so am hoping there might be something I can implement to improve things.

ConfessionsOfTeenageDramaQueen · 12/07/2018 11:02

I'm literally in the middle of Kondoing right now.

Read it during mat leave - agree the best thing was it dealt with the guilt of getting rid of gifts etc and I got rid of tons of stuff but didn't do a proper Kondo.

Now with baby here I feel overwhelmed with stuff so am doing it properly. The best thing is it really makes you think about why you've been keeping something - it's quite therapeutic.

I'm in the middle of papers atm and despite thinking I didn't have that many and the ones I did have were all nicely organized I've already sent out 4 bin bags full of shredded paper and am only half way through.

Re: partners - a lot of people report (and it seems to be true with my Dh) that once you do your stuff and your OH sees the difference they're inspired to do their stuff too.

Am very interested to see the difference it makes at the end although I am aware I'm putting a lot of eggs in the Kondo basket (in the sense that I'm hoping it'll change my life - make me more organized etc) which is typical of all self-help books.

GeekyBlinders · 12/07/2018 12:10

I haven't read the book but have friend who rave about it. I can kind of see the appeal of getting rid of everything and having a nice clean empty space, but then I'd miss my lovely stuff and spend a fortune replacing it all.

ChaffyMcChaff · 12/07/2018 14:26

I Kondo-ed over the Easter holidays. It was very liberating and I have to say it really cleared my mind as well as my house! I did it in the order specified, which does actually make sense. Started with clothes and worked my way through. I even went through all my paperwork, and now can put my hand to anything I need in a minute...something I've never been great at as I never knew where to find things Blush.

As previous posters have said though, I suspect it's easier if your single or there's just two of you. It would take an age to do for a family of 6!

Glad I did it though...I'm now organised and clutter-free. And I haven't missed any of the crap I got rid of either!

Oh...it took me a week of my holidays to do my 3-Bed house and garage. It's not a 'quick fix' but well worth the effort.

AnnabelleLecter · 12/07/2018 14:36

William Morris sums it up in one sentence
"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful"
Simply put without needing all the clutter of all those extra words that Kondo uses.

IDismyname · 12/07/2018 14:46

I found her approach really good. Got rid of a lot of stuff, and I find it useful to get everything of the same type together. That’s when I realised we had about 18 baseball caps in the house. Most of them freebies. I would not have twigged there were so many!

My socks and pants drawer have been tidy ever since, too.

Just wish my DH got on board, because all that’s left his his crap!

I’d have no hesitation in doing it again.

lljkk · 12/07/2018 21:01

I buy several cheap reading glasses at once, so I have specs anywhere I am in house. One pair a tiny screw fell out so arm doesn't stick... I thought oh well, binned that. Next day, another pair the arm broke off but screw still there... (lightbulb moment) dug the old pair out of rubbish bin, repair with spare screw from Pair2. Keeping half-dismantled Pair2 now for its spare screw coz where else would I store a tiny screw otherwise without losing it?

And yes I feel damn well pleased about the £2 I just salvaged.
This is what I mean about frugal instincts conflict with Kondo.

IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying · 12/07/2018 21:14

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful"

I threaten my teens with that line all the time Wink

IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying · 12/07/2018 21:15

Getting rid of one thing a day decluttering challenge: Part 4www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3298777-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-4

Here's the link to the decluttering thread if anyone is interested

purplegreen99 · 12/07/2018 21:22

*Nah. I don't want to get rid of all my stuff.

Also, sometimes you don't need something for years but it's still useful to have.

We don't have long on the earth, I'm not going to waste days and weeks getting rid of every shred of my existence yet*

None of this is Kondo. She is not minimalist - you can keep as much stuff as you like, but it's about keeping only the things you want, not all the other junk we accumulate. Also she doesn't say to get rid of things you don't use for years - if you really want those things you keep them. She also says to do it all as quickly as possible so that you can get on with enjoying your life - if you are thinking about decluttering it's probably because the clutter is getting in the way of you leading the life you want.

Kondo has changed my life. I haven't finished yet, but I am already so much calmer, more organised, have freed up more time and my house is a nicer place to be.

I have previously tried the one thing a day/one bag a week/15 mins a day, etc - those would all be fine if you don't have much stuff but don't work if you have tons of clutter - it would have needed to be something like 5 black sacks a day to make inroads into my clutter. Kondo works because you do a whole category at a time and get rid of a lot at once.

I find it helpful that she goes into the emotional hold that stuff has on us. Thanking everything seems mad, but actually it makes sense when you see it as letting go of whatever emotion it is that has made you hold on to things. THe handbag emptying also works - mine used to be stuffed full of old receipts, pens, tissues and other junk, now I just put what i need in there each day and I no longer have the frustration of searching for things in my bag, emptying it out in shops while i find my credit card, etc.

It's easy to read the book and laugh, and I do understand why it seems odd and funny, but it really can be life changing, and some of the the strange things do make sense when you try them.

Hushnownobodycares · 12/07/2018 21:27

Get it from the library then decide. Personally I found it a bit wanky twee but plenty seem to rate it.

Gibble1 · 15/07/2018 18:37

I loved the book. I thought she was utterly bonkers and very sweet but I ploughed on through the book. I actually did what she suggested and gathered everything together but I used to do that anyway- I remember 12 years ago dragging ALL of DH’s clothes downstairs and lying them on the living room floor to show him how much stuff he had. DD said “Wow Daddy, you really have got a lot of stuff!” And it made him able to look at the pile and reduce it massively.
Things like nail clippers in our house. I have a large waterproof bag which I made the nail bag and put all nail clippers, nail varnish, remover, cotton wool etc into. Bloody DH scatters them all over the house. Why the actual heck do we need a set of clippers in every single room in the house? You should only be cutting nails by the bathroom bin anyhow!
I think the point I’m trying to make is that if you live with someone else, you will have to keep doing this. DH has bought many more sets of clippers and spread them around the house. Whenever I need a pair I go to where they live and lo and behold- none there!

MissCherryCakeyBun · 15/07/2018 18:58

The idea of decluttering is good but the idea of folding socks? Only works off all socks are the same size and shape. As for laying bras flat GrinGrinGrinmy 40hh are not going to lay flat....bit like mountains in the drawer
It's also great if your kids are under 5..... the idea of teenagers doing this Hmm

HouseOfHorrors · 15/07/2018 20:15

I've just got a free one on Kindle (had a £1 coupon and it's only 99p). I thought for free it was worth a look. Now I just need to make sure I don't procrastinate by reading instead of doing Grin

CrochetBelle · 15/07/2018 22:36

House Oh that's fab, it's gone to only 99p. I've just ordered it thanks Grin

OP posts:
Gibble1 · 15/07/2018 22:53

Oh, I also fold all of ds’s clothes and he no longer has a wardrobe. Everything is filed upright and easily visible. (Until he drags it all out and fills the drawers up with junk 😬).

cleancleanclean · 16/07/2018 04:57

I am a total Konami convert. Her book did actually change my life! So, clearly, I'd recommend it. I think you have to have a little kookiness for it to work though. Like, you have to be able to imagine your socks have feelings Wink

Monty27 · 16/07/2018 05:02

Never heard of it. Maybe I should have got in there first Grin

Xiaoxiong · 16/07/2018 09:28

cleancleanclean can you tell us some stories about how it changed your life as motivation? Grin I love hearing before and after stories!!

I just finished Kondoing my wardrobe and vanity table (I know you're not supposed to do locations but all my beauty stuff and jewellery live on the vanity table so it made sense to do it all there). I'm somewhat in awe of how much stuff I was holding onto - a whole bin bag's worth of rubbish just from the vanity table and FIVE massive ikea blue bags of clothes!!

Now onto papers and filing...really dreading this one...

Knitjob · 16/07/2018 09:38

I found the idea of going through a category at a time useful. I piled up all the kids books from around the house on the floor and was horrified by how many there were. That was a real eye opener. I ditched more than half of them and no-one even noticed.
I didn't really like the parts about folding clothes and rolling up socks.
And I rolled my eyes about the 'sparking joy' part but it did start to make sense towards the end and I do use that idea quite often now.

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