The KonMarie method

GreyQueen

I'm really enjoying this thread and hearing about your experiences and LBMs etc.

Just relaxing with a cuppa before getting ready for work and had a tiny LBM moment of my own when reaching into the utensils pot. There are items in there which I don't use, including two out of a three-item utensil set (itself a gift) which aren't used. I kept them because they didn't take up that much space and are an attractive colour, but then I thought to myself that this is absurd, they're utensils, not decor, they're meant to be used.

So they will go in the next donation bag. As will the wine glasses (2) which I've decided to release. If I drink wine, even with guests, I use a tumbler as I'm inclined to knock over stemware. The rare people who'd drink wine at my home are dear friends of long-standing and I don't think they'd be horrified if served wine in a tumbler, more likely a slight surprise for about 3 seconds. I'm not running a restaurant or bar in here, and I don't need to organise my household along certain principle because it's the done thing.

I will also release a DVD which I bought used in January with great pleasure. It cost me £1, I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and may watch it just one more time before letting it go. It's not a movie of sufficient depth to stand the test of time, it's a bit of hokum. I shall let someone else enjoy it, and hopefully it can circulate onwards.

Just as I think I have got to the bottom of the decluttering, more things come to my attention, sometimes at the most random times, when my brain is relaxed doing something else. It's not a forced process, it's more a natural evolution between having too much and having just enough.

PollyWollyDoodle

Interesting thought to ponder - why do we have so many different types of drinking containers? I've got champagne flutes (they don't get much use!) wine glasses, beer glasses, sherry glasses (a bit less active than the champagne ones), ones I use for squash or water .... the whisky tumblers broke and I haven't replaced them even though I drink it. It tastes just as good from an indeterminate small glass. Most of my friends drink beer straight from the bottle anyway.

I haven't got as far as the kitchen but I can see some shelf-space being freed up when I do!

GreyQueen

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Interesting thought to ponder - why do we have so many different types of drinking containers? I've got champagne flutes (they don't get much use!) wine glasses, beer glasses, sherry glasses (a bit less active than the champagne ones), ones I use for squash or water .... the whisky tumblers broke and I haven't replaced them even though I drink it. It tastes just as good from an indeterminate small glass. Most of my friends drink beer straight from the bottle anyway.

I haven't got as far as the kitchen but I can see some shelf-space being freed up when I do!

I think a lot of housewares are some kind of knee-jerk reaction to a long-gone gentility. As in, we're trying to recreate some kind of homage to Downton Abbey-style aristocratic living with lots of highly-specialised stuff, like all these different shaped and sized drinking glasses. Or, we mostly haven't even thought about it, we've just gone along with convention, received them as gifts etc, and kept them.

It'd be a bit silly to take a tot of whiskey or sherry in a pint glass, of course, but middling sized tumblers can do for all sorts of beverages.

No end of household items can fall into this category, especially food service and kitchen implements. Have you ever in your life used a fish kettle or a souffle dish? Made jelly in a jelly mould? How many tablecloths do you have and who was prime minister when one of them last had an outing? The list is endless.

We won't be barbarians if we say Life's too short to launder tablecloths, polish silver or faddle around with cruets.

mavvymoo

iQueen wrote: »

Hi, iTwin!

Until Kondo, I used to roll most things, but now 'folding and filing' makes more sense and space. :j

Now, I only roll my dusters. I did roll my towels, when I kondoed linens, but only because they look so cute... the bath sheets are folded, rolled, and standing on end like a row of soldiers, at the back of the airing cupboard, with the bath towels folded and rolled, lying in front - all visible, accessible, and tidy!

But I am going to try 'folding and filing' later, as a possible further refinement - anything to make life easier! :rotfl:

iTwin snap again the only thing rolled are dusters and cloths and T towels. Thats as they fit in the drawer better rolled. All clothes are folded and filed :rotfl: It does take a bit of practice. But as MK says they do have a point where you can fold them right. Big bath sheets are more of a challenge but I only have 2 so not to many to fold. I would think if you have a lot of them they may take up loads of space folded rather than rolled. But then maybe not :rotfl:


I do find it amazing now everything that can be folded and put away when it comes off the washing line is !! where as before MK it would have sat in the basket for days if not weeks.Now I wouldnt dream of leaving it hanging around.Its just strange how you change during this process:)

Also how quickly I get ready now as everything is grouped together and I can see everything takes 2 mins where as before I would be looking for something and would always find what I wanted screwed up in the bottom of the basket :eek: So annoying

Have a bit of ironing to do today and a bit of cleaning but still no tidying :rotfl:


Have a nice day konverts

Mav x

System

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Interesting thought to ponder - why do we have so many different types of drinking containers? I've got champagne flutes (they don't get much use!) wine glasses, beer glasses, sherry glasses (a bit less active than the champagne ones), ones I use for squash or water .... the whisky tumblers broke and I haven't replaced them even though I drink it. It tastes just as good from an indeterminate small glass. Most of my friends drink beer straight from the bottle anyway.

In my house if you want a drink you either get it in a mug or a stubby type tumbler.:)

silvasava

:rotfl:Oh bum - now I'm going to have to sort out utensils & glasses. Can I have a smashing time?

mavvymoo

I do not own 1 table cloth I have never used or owned a fish kettle :rotfl::rotfl: I would like to know if anyone uses one on a regular basis ?

2 of my friends still own hostess trolleys :eek:Which shocks me they never ever use them but they are filled with carp and covered in piles of carp. So are used for storage so fish kettles, pickle dishes, sandwich toasters, stainless steel butter dishes and those wooden boards with glass dishes fitted in them in sections :eek:Boxes of sherry glasses and wine flutes I dont mind them being used for storage but they are so ugly to look at Dark brown melamine with not one bit of style !

Free yourself from your hostess trolley you will never use it or any of the stuff in it. Get some space in your life ( That is what I have said to them both )

If either of these were turned on they would most likely burn the house down as the plugs and wiring look so dodgy why keep them ?

So own up if you have a hostess trolley do you use it ? Is it filled with mismatched tupperwear that you cant find the lids for but might be useful one day Or pickle dishes or even that fish kettle.

I would be interested to know what the attraction is for the hostess trolley as its something that has been bothering me. Should I own one what am I missing :rotfl:

Mav x

cazmanian_minx

My mother-in-law has had a hostess trolley for 30 years and hasn't used it for about 29!

Sagaris

I've just reserved the book at the library - I will read it them implement the ideas. I've found a fair amount about the method online too. We are hoping to move house fairly soon, so I'm not sure whether to start now, or when we get to the new house? If I start now, hopefully I will end up packing less stuff to go! The trouble is, I do a lot of craft stuff - card making, knitting, cross stitch, crochet - so I have a lot of 'stuff' connected with that. I will have to see if I am encouraged to reduce that stuff too!

rosalie-lavender

I have been following this thread with interest. My elderly MIL is going to move in with us and so we are sorting out her house. I have been asked umpteen times "do you want the hostess trolley?" We don't entertain, don't have room for it and have no need for it. I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't want a hostess trolley in her life!

It was very useful when MIL first bought it because the dining room is a long way from the kitchen but it hasn't been used for years.

I also don't want her ancient sewing machine, (I have three of my own plus two overlockers.) I was met by looks of amazement and comments of "don't you want them?" when I put the baby clothes she sent to me in the charity sack. Eldest son is 25. I can understand her saving a nice matinee jacket or a babygro but a vest.:rotfl:

I am trying very hard to clear the clutter here and certainly don't want all her excess clutter to add to it. Of course she will have her own bits and pieces and will be bringing anything she values but I don't want to be cluttered up with the rest of the bits that she has stored over the years.