The KonMarie method

jinny

http://youtu.be/O5XZMlRoUKY
Love this

lostinrates

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

I thought something similar myself when I read that bit .

No shame at all in stockpiling things - I stockpile stuff when it's on offer. Marie Kondo makes no allowances for economy and she doesn't have a garage or other out-of-sight storage areas for bulk buys. My garage has a lot of loo rolls, dishwasher tablets, kitchen towel, a larder cupboard full of non-perishables - I like to know that we have lots of spare 'necessities' so we don't end up paying 2 quid for 2 loo rolls in the local shop.

The garage is last on my list to be Kondoed, it's full to the brim of junk, though some of it will be done when I go through the categories.

She is opposed to stockpiles. One of the turn offs for me. Something that convinced me she is a singleton urbanite.

The 'do not deviate from this path' this will work for you, only works if you are in the same box with the same needs and requirements. I do not stock pile for the apocalypse, but I do for a period of a couple of months. As someone with health problems, living rurally I cannot access something I need it here.

Igamogam

ClootiesMum wrote: »

In a short break from the bill drawer I've been googling Marie Kondo & reading a few articles (sorry - it's what I do...)
She mentions about the worst stockpiles she has ever seen - she comments on one person who had 80 toilet rolls

Has she seen my cupboards? I buy them in bulk when they're on offer and in my defence I do live in a ruralish area and am a minor prepper

Anyhow - now slinking off in shame

And I have over 40 tubes of toothpaste..............and in my defence they were being thrown out:eek:

jinny

I too stockpile not excessively
but just get me through days when I can't get out.
I think it's a cultural thing.
In many places say tribal people
Just take what they need from the earth
And nothing more.
Or if urbanised say in big cities no need to stockpile
There is a shop open 24/7
or online shopping

Some of the book made me wince too
She doesn't mention recycling much
But Hopefully she means that when she says to discard stuff

Justamum

I checked our local library on-line to see if they had the book, but they didn't, so I looked on Amazon to see how much it cost, and before I knew it I'd clicked a couple of things and found I'd ordered it!

I should get it before the end of the week.

CEW

Hi Everyone,

I get the impression from the book that her opposition to stockpiles is more to do with the lack of space in Japanese homes, particularly those in the major cities. As I understand it the homes are very small compared to ours.

As regards the giving to charity rather than just discarding items I wonder if this is more to do with the Japanese culture. I have never visited Japan but I wonder if charity shops exist over there in the same way as they do here.

I love the book and most of the principles in it BUT I am adapting some of them to fit into my western lifestyle. I really don't think that any one solution will ever work for everyone in it's entirety. The trick is to take what works for you and to discard what doesn't.

Since Sunday OH and I have KonMari'd all of our clothes and books. The clothes will be going to the charity shops and recycle bins at the dump today, along with a few other items decluttered along the way. I've never been so excited to go to the dump :rotfl:

The books I no longer want or need I will be trying on Amazon Trade-In or other book buying sites on Friday evening as OH is off on a boys night out and won't be home until sometime Saturday. Any that I cannot sell I will donate to charity shops or in the case of my old study books I will check with the local college if they could use them in their library.

Today, after the dump and charity shop run, I am deviating from MK's order by going through all my Christmas stuff, decorations, wrapping paper, gift tags etc before starting on the dreaded paperwork. This will free up space in the spare bedroom as they can be stored back in the loft.

I am determined to get all my clutter cleared.

Thanks to everyone who has posted as it is so motivating to hear your comments, suggestions and success stories.

Chez x

maddiemay

I have read this thread from the very start, "the book" is on order, e-mail received this morning to say it has been despatched and I am ridiculously excited for a 65 year old woman, to say that I have just samosa'd my very first carrier bag:D (:eek: to iffy grammar:eek:)

I have been gradually sliding downhill into less than good health and the house, whilst not awful is in a muddle and I loose things all too often, there is no doubt that I have far too much stuff and whilst I have wanted to make it easier for myself I have not had the energy or the commitment. A couple of weeks ago I started to feel a little better and made a start by taking all the surplus bedding to CS, then at the weekend I came across this thread - thank you. I am starting with under sink cupboard, then it will be socks, nics, bras and camis.

My neighbour just came round to say that his shed had been broken into and that it seemed ours might have too (he has lost some expensive tools - retired builder, but we seem to have got away without loss, lock cut, nothing missing, I think that our dog might have disturbed them, we thought that she had spotted an animal visitor:eek:) I have had the wild thought that perhaps next time he calls my kitchen might be tidy - it would be a first:rotfl:

pondskater_2

Been reading this thread for a few days and have book on order at library. However, couldn't wait for it so have been kondoing undies, t-shirts towels etc.
I am amazed at being able to look in drawers and find items without having to rifle through an untidy pile of other stuff lying on top......wish I'd found this idea forty years ago.
I don't think I will be thanking my socks though and will probably, like some of you, pick out the bits that fit with my own lifestyle, cause I needs my toilet paper stockpile :rotfl:

lostinrates

[QUOTE=CEW;67510240,

I get the impression from the book that her opposition to stockpiles is more to do with the lack of space in Japanese homes, particularly those in the major cities. As I understand it the homes are very small compared to ours.

As regards the giving to charity rather than just discarding items I wonder if this is more to do with the Japanese culture. I have never visited Japan but I wonder if charity shops exist over there in the same way as they do here.

I love the book and most of the principles in it BUT I am adapting some of them to fit into my western lifestyle. I really don't think that any one solution will ever work for everyone in it's entirety. The trick is to take what works for you and to discard what doesn't.

[/QUOTE]

Sure. All fair points, charity shops don't exist in many places.

Neverthe less I found her book very 'consumer society'. Buy, then discard, but then discard.

I note for example the re gifting which she counts, and I experience, as a curse, but which many, even the op of a thread, feel can be beneficial. ( she gave a shirt? To her mother iirc the op here?).

That Marie is SO unyielding in her softly spoken but 'I am right' dictat makes me a little uncomfortable.

I was just out in the car and was thinking that while I am happy to do just as you say I'd love to meet her, show her our house , our lifestyle and our needs and say.......well.....what do you think....., because I think she would be forced to adapt too.

penguine

jinny wrote: »

I too stockpile not excessively
but just get me through days when I can't get out.
I think it's a cultural thing.
In many places say tribal people
Just take what they need from the earth
And nothing more.
Or if urbanised say in big cities no need to stockpile
There is a shop open 24/7
or online shopping

Some of the book made me wince too
She doesn't mention recycling much
But Hopefully she means that when she says to discard stuff

I remember hearing many years ago that Japanese cities had far more recycling categories than we do, e.g. they're expected to divide their recycling up into 10-14 different categories before it's taken away and people generally comply. So when I read about the huge bin liners of things her clients are throwing away I imagine them divided up into these different categories. I think that their landfill space is probably extremely limited too.

I stockpile a bit too; we go through shower gel and shampoo pretty quickly in our house and I want to buy the kind we like cheaply from Superdrug rather than go down to the corner store early in the morning if we've run out to pay 2-3x more for something we may not even like.