The KonMarie method

PollyWollyDoodle

Tattycath, paperwork was the hardest category for me (so far - I haven't tackled photos yet!)

Bank statements, opinions on here varied with some saying keep, others saying shred after a year - I don't know how far back yours go but I decided I can get mine online anyway so I just kept annual summaries which my bank send me, and the last 24 months and ditched the rest.

As far as the cards are concerned - did you know they were there? If not, then it's no loss to dispose of them. Do they make you feel joyful? And if you were to send a card now to someone in a similar relationship to you, would you expect them to still have it years later?

Same goes for uni stuff - is it still relevant, and would you know where to look for anything if you needed it? You don't need the files to prove that you went to Uni. You'll feel much better when you've got rid of a lot of it, trust us!

tattycath

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Tattycath, paperwork was the hardest category for me (so far - I haven't tackled photos yet!)

Bank statements, opinions on here varied with some saying keep, others saying shred after a year - I don't know how far back yours go but I decided I can get mine online anyway so I just kept annual summaries which my bank send me, and the last 24 months and ditched the rest.

As far as the cards are concerned - did you know they were there? If not, then it's no loss to dispose of them. Do they make you feel joyful? And if you were to send a card now to someone in a similar relationship to you, would you expect them to still have it years later?

Same goes for uni stuff - is it still relevant, and would you know where to look for anything if you needed it? You don't need the files to prove that you went to Uni. You'll feel much better when you've got rid of a lot of it, trust us!

I've probably got about 10 years worth of bank statements.
I never forget that I have the card, I can't always say I know exactly where it is. it does make me smile when I look at it ,when I know where it is...

iQueen

Thank you again, to all you lovely people, who have posted good wishes! Your kindness, in your busy lives (you are busy kondoing, aren't you? ) is really supportive and bringing me immense joy! :T:T:T

supersaver1000 wrote: »

Just checking in again. I have kondoed 9 out of 12 boxes of papers and have just stopped to revitalise myself.


The final three boxes are the oldest so probably the hardest. Wish me luck fellow Kondoers.

You may find that most of the last 3 boxes can be ditched! Fingers crossed for you.

Then, can you pop over to mine and help me with my mountains? It's not even in boxes, and there are no newspapers/mags amongst my papers! It's probably all carp! :rotfl:

mavvymoo wrote: »

Good for you xx

Mav x

Looking forward to the rainbow bruises - :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

And definitely Yorkshire tea, that you can stand a spoon in!

iQueen

Have tracked down 2 articles by Martin about this:

Old Tax records

Bank Statements

List of articles - there may be other relevant stuff here - all MSE.

Hope the links all work!

supersaver1000

Thank you iQueen and Kondoers. I have all but finished my papers. I have two bags for destruction, a box of card and a box of paper for recycling plus a small box of rubbish (plastic folders etc). I have kept just one box of my papers (out of 12) plus I have a couple of small piles of komono type stuff that I've kept to one side as I need to revisit it when I have regrouped my kondo-esque-ness. I also found numerous photos which will go onto the photo pile for another day of Kondoing. I've still to do photos, ornaments and kitchen cupboards.

Feeling rather exhausted, that was a mammoth task. No wonder I have been putting it off but it feels totally worth it. I had a couple of weeps along the way - finding stuff from departed rellys and from sad times in my life. The only way is up now though

Lol iQueen, I would love to help you with your mountains - I can't believe you have as much as me though. I've even just thrown out my maternity notes from 1999! :rotfl:

Bless all who kondo! I have just read the afternoons posting on here, your words are keeping me going x

GreyQueen

Afternoon all.

I'm smiling to myself because I've just discovered how to use the speakerphone function on my landline phone. Doh, have only owned this model since Jan 2013. Used to press the speakerphone button and no sound came out, so I assumed it didn't work.

Today, on hold with the polis for 20+ mins (non-emergency call) I read the instruction booklet and discovered that the sound is muted until you replace the handset in its cradle.

So, I used it properly for the first time and was able to check my bank statement, file some paperwork and do a few other bits and bobs whilst waiting 'on hold'. What a productive use of a bit of dead time.

iQueen, glad it's a BCC not something nastier. My Mum's been treated for one of these, and her photo (or the side of her nose anyway) was photo'd during the treatment process for a medical text book! It's never come back. BCCs are the least-worse kind to have by a long shot, although I would wish that you didn't have any kind, of course, nor anyone else. Get well soon, my dear.

RL dealt my family a bit of a body blow on Monday this week. We're awaiting confirmation diagnosis of a serious medical problem with Mum, but we rallied. It is as it is, treatable to a degree but incurable, and we will stand together as a family and cope.

Life is potentially full of woe but you just have to get on with it and try not to let it make you miserable.

I came across something like this, can't recall where or when and am quoting from memory; If all the troubles of the world were piled together, and each of us were forced to take an equal share, most would be glad to pick up their existing burdens and carry on.

Today I have kondo'd some cash to the opticians in return for new windows and have joyously bought some bargainous cake and chocolates to share with friends tomorrow evening. And I have a party invite for the weekend in a yurt! I've never been in a yurt before, so that'll be an experience.:rotfl:

* wanders off wondering what to wear to the yurt party - clothes, probably. :cool:*

Transformers

I'm new to this thread and to Marie Kondo - so this has been a revelation and I'm starting tonight on my bedroom.

Just got a few questions please:

When you fold t-shirts and trousers / jeans don't they look really creased when you take them out to wear them? Any tips to avoid this?

How have you all dealt with any obsessional stuff - I have the worlds supply of cookery books and I tried to weed them down but just couldn't - the pictures of all the lovely dishes just made we dream of cooking them - but, in reality, I just never will get around to all those recipes.

Oh, i do have one tip for getting rid of paperwork that worked for me: a garden incinerator:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DW6JI8Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

I bought this to get rid of all the personal stuff - it is really easy to use and far, far quicker than a shredder. There's very little residue too so nothing much for the dustman.

Right - to battle!

Transformers

GreyQueen wrote: »

RL dealt my family a bit of a body blow on Monday this week. We're awaiting confirmation diagnosis of a serious medical problem with Mum, but we rallied. It is as it is, treatable to a degree but incurable, and we will stand together as a family and cope.

Life is potentially full of woe but you just have to get on with it and try not to let it make you miserable.

Sending you good thoughts - enjoy the good days and make the most of them. Those memories will make you smile for years to come.

Wishing you strength for your journey.

GreyQueen

Transformers wrote: »

I'm new to this thread and to Marie Kondo - so this has been a revelation and I'm starting tonight on my bedroom.

Just got a few questions please:

When you fold t-shirts and trousers / jeans don't they look really creased when you take them out to wear them? Any tips to avoid this?

How have you all dealt with any obsessional stuff - I have the worlds supply of cookery books and I tried to weed them down but just couldn't - the pictures of all the lovely dishes just made we dream of cooking them - but, in reality, I just never will get around to all those recipes.

Welcome to the Klub and thank you for your kind comment, it made me well up for a moment, feeling a bit fragile this week.

Re folding, I think the trick is to smooth the garment as you fold, so that the item has minimal creases. I like to do my kondo folding on the ironing board, even it the item hasn't been ironed. I smooth as I go.

Items which are woven have a warp and a weft (up and down and sideways lines of thread which become a cloth) and tend to like being folded in certain ways, although they are made from shaped pieces, not flat cloth, in most cases. Some items are made from knitted threads or synthetics like fleece and are far less prone to the creases anyway.

The Book acknowledges that some clothes aren't suitable for folding, especially very structured things made of thick cloth (coats and jackets spring to mind) and also very thin and wafty things are better hung than folded.

I have about 95% of my wardrobe folded. There are a few things hanging up which are probably foldable, but there is presently no free drawer space for them, so they'll bide where they are until that changes.

Re obsessional love of your cookbooks, are they bringing you joy? If you love to take them down and pore through them, looking at their lovely pictures, they are joyful and should stay. If you don't look at them, or they cause sadness at not having cooked these dishes, or having tried and failed at them, or guilt at not taking the time for them, then they're non-joyous and you may want to let them go.

And remember, no category has to be all-or-nothing, you can let one or a few of the least-loved items go, without having an internal dialogue which says I have 500 cookbooks, that's so bad, I must get rid of them all.

My own take on Stuff is that I have a limited ability to interact productively with too many things, and a very small flat means that whatever I own is very much in my face, under my feet and making its presence felt. I haven't a spare room or loft or cupboard to hide things in, so every excess item impacts in the livability of my space.

Therefore a bit of Space is much more joyous than almost anything I could choose to put into it. HTH.

grunnie

I mentioned a little spot at the side of my eye ( it is behind the leg of my glasses)to my doctor when I had an appointment about something else and he said he would refer me to get it removed. Went home, the phone was ringing and this was the hospital to say come in tomorrow and get it removed. No scarring and the stitches were removed a few days later and I have less wrinkles on that side.