The KonMarie method

catshark88

Hi,

May I ask some advice?

I'm going to attack my clothing tomorrow (& am really looking forward to it).

The problem is, I've put on a lot of weight recently and really don't want (can't afford health wise) to stay at this size permanently, or indeed for long. Should I bin all clothes that don't fit me now, or should I keep a few that it is reasonable to expect that I will fit again and that I like enough to wear again when I achieve this miracle of weight loss....

All advice appreciated!

Blue_Doggy

Hi catshark88 If you believe you can drop the weight quickly (or don't mind wearing out-of style clothes), then keep them. You have to be ruthlessly honest with yourself, though.

If you like to look up-to-date, then better to get rid of the small clothes now and replace them with new clothes which fit your regained size and shape. Don't forget that stored clothes can deteriorate - elastic in particular is prone to "Death in Storage". That's leaving aside enemies like moths, damp, etc..

FWIW, I weigh more than I'd like and have clothes which fit me at my target weight. I've kept the ones that are still joyful for me, as an incentive. But I don't care about fashion. And the weight has been a companion for longer than I like .

Susan1962

Hollyboll wrote: »

- I really really didn’t get the joy spark / body reacting to things … whilst I was probably a bit more ruthless than Ive been when I’ve tried to declutter before, and whilst it all looks a lot more beauteous in drawers rather than shelf, I’m disappointed not to have ‘got’ this and not sure if it’s just nothing brings me real joy (but as others have said I can’t get rid of entire wardrobe) or if I’m missing something … did anyone else find this???
- the folding thing took me forever. Whilst I LOVE being able to see everything now and can absolutely see fewer creases this way, I won’t sustain if it doesn’t speed up. Does it?? ….

Hi Hollyboll -don't worry if the "joy" bit doesn't kick in immediately. It took me a while as I think of that as one of the "Woo" bits of the book! But after I'd gone through my clothes and started folding them away, one day it just sort of hit me. I was standing in a CS (my favourite place) and had picked up a lovely skirt and some other bits and pieces. As I checked the skirt for damage, my hands started Kondo folding by themselves!! (How Woo is that?? LOL) and I found myself smiling without meaning to. That, to me, is joy. So you may find it "hits" at a different time for you. Also - as you read through you'll notice that just about everyone has to Kondo certain things more than once. Most of us don't have the time to Kondo our places. After all MK lives in a small flat with big cupboards - she doesn't have a houseful of stuff to sort out.

So, the best advice I can give is to enjoy the process and revisit the parts you need to as you go along. You will become more ruthless with your stuff over time and things that you aren't sure about will suddenly crystalise into keep/throw much more readily.

Good luck!

PS - the folding does get quicker - the more you throw the fewer things you'll need to fold and the prettier they'll look in their alloted spaces :j

Mojisola

catshark88 wrote: »

I'm going to attack my clothing tomorrow (& am really looking forward to it).

The problem is, I've put on a lot of weight recently and really don't want (can't afford health wise) to stay at this size permanently, or indeed for long. Should I bin all clothes that don't fit me now, or should I keep a few that it is reasonable to expect that I will fit again and that I like enough to wear again when I achieve this miracle of weight loss....

I would keep them but move them away from the clothes that fit you now. How about wrapping them up like a parcel and keep them as a present to yourself for when you lose the weight? Something to look forward to that will bring you pleasure in the future.

ivyleaf

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

Before he died my dear father inlaw gave eldest Ds a cream dinner jacket, when he was about to attend his prom. DS tends to pick this jacket as the one he wears on special occasions, I have a lovely joyful photo of him in it when he was awarded "young person of the year" by our local council a few years ago. When I see DS wearing said dinner jacket my main thought is how proud his grandpa would have been of how he's turned out. It's almost feels like including him in the occasion.

How lovely, that's really made me

tibawo

Mojisola wrote: »

I would keep them but move them away from the clothes that fit you now. How about wrapping them up like a parcel and keep them as a present to yourself for when you lose the weight? Something to look forward to that will bring you pleasure in the future.

I really like the idea of keeping them as a present! When I look at some lovely clothes that are just a tadge too small i often wonder do I just get rid but I really do like them. I have got rid of quite a bit that I would not wear any more but the odd one or two I stilll love!

mavvymoo

Welcome to the newbies you are very welcome and jump on the roller coaster and buckle up its a very bumpy ride :rotfl:

I have never been a hoarder I have helped hoarders in a past life as some of you may have read a while back.

But I have also never been a kondoer either.

The trouble is with decluttering when I have helped hoarders to get rid.I have never felt they have got to the real root of the problem which is somewhere deep inside their head. Something way way back that started the hoarding.

With kondoing as you tackle each and every item. and you also seem to tackle each and every thought and memory good and bad.

How it works I really dont know but all of us on here have had bad and very good days.Days in tears and days as high as a kite

You kondo your 'stuff' you kondo your brain and you kondo your life :eek: And as a person you change so much and things that mattered before dont matter at all anymore.Things you wanted you dont want anymore. Things you wore you dont wear anymore.

With the poster who said about clothes not meaning anything. Not getting that spark.I think its most likey you have already changed with all the reading you have done And you will not be wearing any of those items once you are though Kondoing as you will have moved on like I have. My style has changed apart from gym clothes which I tend to live in :rotfl:

I am not the same person I was 6 months ago I am calmer happier and just want less and enjoy more

So Just look deep inside yourself and keep looking for a long long time

Mav x

Lara

My kondo-ing of the bed will start tomorrow. The charity people are coming to collect and as promised I have two quilts for them plus two sets of duvet covers and pillowcases. So someone is going to get a nice bed plus bedding. I gave new pillows away a couple of weeks ago to a friends offspring who had just moved into a house with partner. Once the bed has gone I can then set to and kondo the room before family arrive on Sunday from abroad. I have already started but would like to clear more.
Shall be feeling happy after tomorrow morning........:)

dragonette

I admit I'm not coming to this as a hoarder, but as my health has sharply deteriorated, the fewer things I have, the easier life is for me. There are minimal things that *have* to go, which is why the joy question is working for me. Filled a CS bag and ragbag today, then had to lie down for hours.

No strictly kondoing - but partially.

GreyQueen

Welcome to our lovely new peeps and more strength to your elbows. Good to have you with us.

I started incorporating the newly-gifted yarn into the blanket within an hour of getting it home, and I'm starting with the little bits which had got themselves into a rat's nest snarl. I unsnarled them and they're already half knitted up. I'm sure all my fellow yarn hoarders are familiar with the problem of these snarly bits.:p

Have got the yarn disciplined into a large clear bag in the sitting room, so I can see what I've got as I am knitting in spare moments. Thoroughly enjoying putting the colours together randomly.

I am aware of hoarderism as a kind of there-for-the-grace-of-something-go-I feeling which is always nagging at me. I tend to overbuy some things and have eyes bigger than my stomach, which can be things to read/ to wear/ to eat. I seem to have bought a lot of porridge oats and then drifted away from eating them regularly. Sheer laziness, the pot isn't that much of a beggar to wash up if you do it right away. So it's porridge every breakie until I have caught up with the porridge mountain.

Have been talking to the folks as today was the inception of the new CH project at their hoarderish house. The gas engineer is their regular guy, they've known him for yonks, but every bit of the house is at sixes and sevens.

They found a filing cabinet. I'd completely forgotten that this cabinet, which is a full-size ex-office jobbie, even existed as it hasn't been seen for years buried under boxes etc. We laffed..............

I have a sense that the process of moving stuff around for the work will cause some items to be reviewed before being returned. I have to take a softly-softly approach as I am a person of enthusiams who can be a bit bossy with family, and that's never good. Trying to lead by example and be a positive example.