Marie Kondo - Starting today

[MyView2]

I can’t see a current thread on this but happy to be redirected if there is one.

I’ve finished reading ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying’ and I’m ready to get started. I would be delighted if there were others joining me on the journey so we can encourage each other along the way.

I’m starting with my own things in the order set out in the book and then will move onto the kids things in the same order (I’m hoping my husband will be swept up in the process and join in too but that may be wishful thinking!)

Today I’m getting started on my clothes, not sure how long it will take. Is anyone with me?

I’ve already done it! Enjoy it - it’s very worthwhile 🙂

I'm starting this too. I spent 6 months living in a caravan whilst in between houses with most of my stuff in storage. I had a huge clear out when I was selling my old house but still had too much stuff!
Was only supposed to be a few weeks. Ended up buying new winter clothes and house hold stuff rather than digging through the storage. So my new home (I've been here 4 years) is full to the rafters of stuff.
I've had a massive clear out of my wardrobes but still have a bit to lose. I'm trying to get out of the habit of wearing old scruffy clothes while my wardrobe is full of "for best"
I've got a bag of worn/torn/bleach stained clothes to go to the rag people and it's hard not to reach into it!
Yesterday I gutted my front room and actually threw away some sentimental stuff.
My dining room is the sacrificial pit at the moment, everything that doesn't belong in the room I've tidied is going in there to be tackled, the next job for me is paperwork.
I dream of a clutter free clean and tidy home where I'm not ashamed to open the door to people.
My old house had a porch, so at least I could keep people from seeing inside

I did my clothes and the childrens clothes a few months ago and it was fantastic it really did make me feel better . I've just done toys and junk recently too . Enjoy it op and sometimes it can be a bit difficult but it's worth it

Great to hear from those of you that have made it to the other side successfully and good luck @cherrytree63. I’ve gone through all my clothes (not shoes, bags or scarves yet) and now have a nice pile for the clothing bank that I will drop off this afternoon. I’ve also done the folding for the items I’ve kept and my drawers are looking very neat. I will go through them again over the next few days as a lot of items do not spark joy but I’m in danger of having nothing left to wear as I’ve chucked a few favourites out that were falling apart.

I did my clothes a few days ago. Trouble is I now spend quite a bit of time opening drawers and rails just looking at how organised they are. I seem to be in a post kondo bliss state. Paperwork next but not getting on with it.
Bought some under shelf kitchen baskets a few months ago - spent ages opening cupboards to look at how brilliant they were !

@MyView2 I have tried the folding method before, but found I had to have a full drawer for the clothes not to fall over which means I need more clothes
I must have already done a huge paperwork declutter session as I had hardly any to do (unless I've got a load hidden in a "safe" space). I've got a folder of receipts to sort and that's another box ticked.
Trying to get OH on board but his solution is putting everything in cupboards out of sight.
Another area I need to tackle is the "get in and pile hats/gloves/keys/headbands/ general pocket stuff" etc, so untidy but we're both in and out a lot and it needs to be accessible.
May invest in a hall stand.

You need drawer inserts to solve the not full drawer issue

Thanks @Caspianberg

I had a giggle at your post @HeronLanyon as I spent a few minutes admiring my tidy drawers this morning whilst contemplating what to wear from my ‘joyless sparkless’ remaining clothes. I went through my shoes, bags and scarves today and have filled another two bags for charity. It seems people like to gift me scarves, bags and dressing gowns-I’ve now got it down to a manageable number I actually use with no guilt!

@cherrytree63 I forbid you to buy any storage until the process is complete as per Queen Konmari’s orders!

@MyView2
I've actually got two empty chest of drawers now, going to spend the next four days cracking on.

Excellent progress @cherrytree63.

Today has been my favourite so far as I tackled my books and have got rid of…..five!! This is not as bad as it sounds as I only had sixteen books to start with. I love books but not book shelves so I tend to read and get rid or use the library instead.

Onto paperwork tomorrow, I don’t think I have much but fear I may be kidding myself!

I've whittled my CD and DVD collection down to just a handful.
Books will be painful but needs must!

I’ve had a bit of a stall in proceedings as I had to go back to the office for a couple of days and didn’t have the energy to continue when I got home. I’m back on the wagon now though and have sorted out my paperwork. Considering I didn’t have much I still managed to fill four bin bags! I still need to sort out the kept items but the drawers are now quite empty which is lovely.

Onto my kimono next which I’m not looking forward to at all since that seems to be most of what I own. Any tips on dealing with this? Do I do a room at a time?

I hope you’re still doing well @cherrytree63

I ought to join in. I haven’t read the book but have watched her YouTube clips. I did the T shirts a while ago and I have kept it up.i do like some old clothes for gardening but ought to get on board more.
Sentimental which prevents me from getting rid of some stuff. I have lots of books too. I keep a box of books in the car much to DPs annoyance. I can give them to people I see and might want them. I can also drop them off at a charity shop if I am handy.
Tidy the knickers in her method and it is great. You can see them at a glance. It is easier with Sloggies.

@MyView2 hug your kimono, thank it for it's service and wish it well as you post it to me
I've had another wardrobe sort out, I have 17 empty hangers which I keep stroking whilst grinning as I pass them (yes I am a bit odd).
Considering that not so long ago I was crying my eyes out because I had too many towels FFS that is a big achievement for me. But I think that it demonstrates that mentally you need to be ready, as Kondo says, hoarding is because you can't let go of the past or you're scared of the future.
Today my aims are to put my clean laundry away, plus a small load to wash (fingers X'd I don't need to use an empty hanger) then I'm moving to paperwork.
Also I'm trying harder to "not save my best for best times". IE I have horses and dogs, and I've been wearing a jacket that's gone lumpy and covered in paint, whilst my very expensive Berghaus that I bought for dog walking in the cold has been in the wardrobe since I've bought it as it's too good for the dogs lol.
I'm sadly excited by the thought of a tidy ordered house, that I can just whizz round to clean.
I've been totally overwhelmed by it all, literally crying whilst stuck in a state of inertia as it was all too much to even start.
But now I set my targets, and if I don't finish I'm still satisfied that I've accomplished something.
When I told my daughter that I was doing this she laughed and said she'd heard it all before so I said this time it's a "death clean".
Much love and virtual support to everyone who is on their Kondo journey for whatever reason

@Redsquirrel5 I have a trunk of sentimental things, I rarely look through it but I'm definitely not ready to get rid of any of it.
I tried Sloggies but I found the leg elastic really tight even when I sized up, are there types with nicer elastic? I have some running knickers from Decathlon that are super comfy and don't ride up, like a cheaper version of Runderwear. I was going to stock up on them and chuck all my others away, but they've changed the material now.

I’m itching to Kondo the house. But need to get OH on board. He just blames having a tiny house, but the reality is - he (we) have too much stuff. At the very least I need to chuck out some kids stuff before Christmas.
@cherrytree63 - totally hear you when you say keeping stuff for best but never using it. I’m wearing 2% of my wardrobe atm. I have to stop buying stuff for ‘going out’ as I never do go out and on the odd occasion I do I never dress up.

@Farmhouse1234 it's taken me years to get my OH to help, he has a habit of when I've cleared a space he fills it with something else
Last week he actually offered to help me and we earmarked the weekend.
He helped me on the Saturday but kept disappearing into his man cave for a tool which took about 20 minutes each time (his man cave is the most organised and tidy space so not sure what he was actually doing lol) so didn't achieve as much as I wanted.
Sunday he was recovering from "the night before", which consisted of staying in bed all day except for food and loo trips, which put me back a day as I have some disabilities which restrict my mobility and I can't lift much. But it is a major improvement.
My dining room has been the dumping ground for so long, it's so empty now it's got an echo and get actually said it's like a new room and he feels more on board with helping now.

he, not get

Cherrytree63 No, I don’t have much problem with the elastic just occasionally. I have two different sizes so maybe I am wearing the bigger ones more. They fold nicely. I am going to go through the drawer and remove some that ride down and annoy me though. I went through my sock section and chucked some of those out which had worn a hole in.DH noticed and said I must have something wrong with my 👞 🤣 I have quite a few pairs so he obviously doesn’t notice I wear different ones. The socks are just old. Some are probably about ten years old. I need to go through my wardrobe.
I did discover the thin hangers a few years ago. I bought a few packs and they are great as you can fit more stuff in. By accident I had bought different colours so now put( or try to) skirts on one colour, dresses on another, tops, jackets so each is in a section and easier to find though still a bit much in. Rest folded in drawers. T shirts, trousers & leggings, tops, jumpers, pjs and vests( we live in the north) so easier to find stuff.

I don't want to sort my socks (and confess to buying some more when I was in town on Tuesday ). I've chucked all the holey ones away and it seems very wasteful to throw them away when they're in good condition.
My OH is really OCD about his socks, I made the grave error of balling them.up when he first moved in, apparently he could feel which one had been stretched.
He has them graded: thick, thin and intermediate. Each category is all the same, so if one gets a hole he keeps it as a spare.
Something I aspire to

@Farmhouse1234, But need to get OH on board. He just blames having a tiny house, but the reality is - he (we) have too much stuff.

If you get a bigger house, you'll (or he will) fill that too

Hello all.

I did this a few years back and it has been transformational.

6 years on and my clothes and undies are all still pristine. They need a top up tidy / thinning every now and then, but I know what I have and I take better care of it.

Kitchen and tea towels fabulous. Electrical drawer . Paperwork at a minimum. Fabric stash all sorted.

It really does change your outlook

It was hard work but the result reduced my stress immeasurably. It has also increased quality of life and reduced ant we spend. I'm a real advocate.

As my kids have grown and changed, we have some new discarding to do, but know how to approach it. The only areas not properly done are the loft and sentimental.

Good luck! It's so worth it.

There is a lovely group on Fb too Kon marie UK and Ireland that I'd recommend

Forgot to add that we shed about 60% of our house contents and don't miss any of it!

@KirstenBlest absolutely! He just can’t throw anything away. We have a massive plastic box of out of date vitamins stored upstairs. He won’t get rid of them, but won’t use them either. Some old paperwork has followed us through 2 house moves. Etc etc. I despair…