The KonMarie method

mrs-moneypenny

Evening all
Hugs to all that need one
Welcome to the new kondoers
Kondoed the freezer today can't believe how many old pitta breads I had!

Igamogam

yellowbear wrote: »

I tell the kids 'it is necessary to wear one belt (c), and two braces (s)

One collar (c) and 2 socks (s) in our household:D

luxor4t

iQueen wrote: »

... On the way out, I picked up a leaflet on 'how to complain' about the Big Cheese! :dance:

"Big Cheese" is clearly well past his sell by date!


(I won't pass on the series of 'cheesy' jokes DH is making about that arrogant doctor, but some of them are rather ripe....:D )

Sally_A

OK...can see a lot of you are fans...I have big problems letting go of excess "stuff"...do I buy the book? (Haven't found one yet in the charity shop).

PollyWollyDoodle

Ideally, get it on a Kindle! I reckon it's worth buying the real deal though.

I have decluttered for years, read Don Aslett, Flylady etc but for some reason this has worked for me where others didn't. I have got rid of stuff I had kept for more than forty years and I have no regrets. There's no pressure to shed stuff - if you love it, you keep it, but it has changed the way I see things.

Susan1962

Sally_A wrote: »

OK...can see a lot of you are fans...I have big problems letting go of excess "stuff"...do I buy the book? (Haven't found one yet in the charity shop).

Hi Sally - it's a fairly recent book and a popular one so it's probably unlikely to be in the charity shops yet. I ordered from my local library and am at the end of a long list. They had two copies but one seems to have been "lost" (yeah right!) and so we're all waiting on one copy. I just caved and bought the Kindle version which I think is a bit cheaper.
Like Polly I'd tried different systems. Didn't quite "get" Don Aslett, loved Flylady (despite all the cutesy stuff) but found it didn't make a lasting difference. MK has done the trick. I'm still only partway through but what has been cleared so far has stayed clear and that's a biggie for me. Good luck with MK - and remember to take what's useful to you and don't worry about the "woo woo" stuff - she's more than a little eccentric but her system really works!

GreyQueen

The largest part of the book is autobiography about the early life of Marie, and about clients. There isn't a lot of detail about decluttering but, somehow, this thoughtful slim book is making a lot of changes in the lives of people who have tried and been unsuccessful in shedding stuff before. That's the WOO Factor, I guess.

I have isshews with Stuff which Might Be Useful. No problems with decor items, don't like many of them. But if it Might Be Useful, oh what a struggle.

I have a large perspex set square, about 18 inches per side. It was bought about 30 years ago and used when pattern-cutting. It was hard to find one to buy and I had to go all over looking for it. I haven't used it for about 25 years for pattern-cutting, and have possibly used it once every couple of years when needing a straight edge longer than a ruler. I have moved it several hundred miles in the course of the last 30 years and have somehow managed never to break it. But it is a beggar to store.

I came across it again a few days ago and was looking to find another place to store it, when I had a LBM. I don't use it. I could use it, I know how to use it, if I ever started pattern-cutting again, I'd need to use it, but what is the balance of probabilities that I will do that? I'd say, expressed in percentages, something on the lines of 0.00001%.

So it can go. It might be just what another sewer is looking for and finding it secondhand will give them joy, whereas for me it's just a nuisance. And I won't have to expose myself to the negative feelings which will happen when it gets cracked or the points of the triangle get broken off.

In summary:

It's useful - but I don't use it - it can go.

It's wearable - but I don't like wearing it - it can go.

It's ornamental - but I'm bored with it - it can go.

It doesn't fit my life anymore - but it'll fit someone else's - off it goes.

It's died in storage - but its parts are recyclable - bits can go.

GrannyKate

Like your summary list GreyQueen.

Slow progress here but like others no lingering regrets. I know why paperwork and photos come last as it means facing memories good and bad which is tough.
Gradually doing paperwork by sorting into categories all in one place and then tackling a pile at a time. have done my writing stuff today - happy memories of things published and rekindled interest in getting on with those other half written stories and ideas. Found letters re some comps I have won which was another good memory. All stuff neatly filed and labelled all in one place. Lots of empty files but I am keeping the nicer ones until all paperwork finished then any good spares can go to CS and damaged ones to tip. Found 4 half done puzzle books which will go on holidays this year and will not return in my luggage!!
Kondoed last of the small pots of shower wash collected over years of conferences and holidays. Most used up- some had died in storage or actually smelt that awful in the first place. I now have a tray of assorted moisturisers and skin creams to work through.
OH kondoing fridge to make an omelette for tea. After that I need to redo first aid kit for holiday so will sort bathroom cupboard again. Don't think I was strict enough first time round.
Onward.

Lara

I need to pack a suitcase in a couple of days time. OH reckons all this folding lark takes up more room than layering it down in the suitcase. What do you all think? I'm taking a cabin case as refuse to pay the amount some airlines charge for a suitcase!

MMF007

The key thing about the Kondo philosophy is that you are not thinking about letting stuff go, you are examinig each item to see if you get a good joyful feeling from it.
It turns the usual de-clutter on it's head. The approach is entirely positive - I am keeping this because I love it. :j
Anything else can be set free for others to enjoy (via charity shop), recycled to the benefit of the environment or joyously smashed to make crocks for your garden pots (yep, 2 disliked, damaged,inexpensive teapots went that way from my house!) .

Sometimes the choice may simply come down to,' do I prefer the space this will free up or do i prefer to keep this item'. Having more space is key for me.

I have lived for years in a tiny house, gathering items over time without really getting rid of much. I realised it was really bugging me, having clutter in e
very room and drawers over-filled so nothing was easy to find, and little heaps of things grew in corners and under the table etc. It was messy and caused me stress because I spent time digging things out when life could be so much easier and less stressful.

Somehow the MK method gets to you, start with the easy wins, underwear drawer is a great one we've all succeeded with, select the items that bring joy, dispense with the rest, fold so you see them all at a glance (no more rummaging frantically before work), and you WILL, for sure, keep it that way and be itching to carry on the good work.

It is not a quick process but I guess that's why it works, because you change as you do it, you really do change.

I'm still working on it but I have already made good progress