The KonMarie method

GreyQueen

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

greyqueen and katsu - I'm really interested in what you say about minimalism. What does that word mean for you?

I've always been drawn to clean lines and things minus frills and folderols. I like to see shapes contrasting with each other, such as the clean line between the edge of my wall unit and the wall, whereas a cluttery friend was distressed by that same 4 ft bit of wall because it had nothing on it (I have just three things on my sitting-room walls, a painting and a mirror above the sofa, and an arty calendar on another wall, but this wall is bare and that's important to me).

I grew up in a hoarderish house and hate the amount of time and stress caused by excess belongings. I also hate the wastefulness of things dying in storage, such as shoes and clothes rotting, and the bad feelings of having taken useful resources away from the rest of us.

It's an aesthetic preference that I've had since earliest childhood, and the mature understanding that if one is good, ten isn't better, and there are only so many hours in the day and so much energy in one body, and that I have better things to do with my time that shuffle Stuff around.

I guess minimalism for me means trusting that life will continue to provide what I need at affordable prices and that I don't need to have a lifetime supply of X, Y or Z stored away.

Oh, and less dusting..............:rotfl:

luxor4t

GreyQueen wrote: »

.........I have just three things on my sitting-room walls, a painting and a mirror above the sofa, and an arty calendar on another wall, but this wall is bare and that's important to me.....

This chimed with me, I have one picture and two mirrors in my main room (which is two knocked together).
I do, however, have an over-the-top wallpaper complete with pink birds and climbing plants so the whole wall is a picture iyswim.

greenbee

Lara wrote: »

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!

I use a combination of rolling and folding - small things inside shoes, shoes in the case first, then rolled stuff round them, to form a base for folded stuff.

I have a clamshell case for work and suits are folded with tissue paper in the smaller zipped side, with a few rolled items round the edges to fill the space. Space in suitcases is bad as stuff then moves around.

I hate packing marginally less now I'm getting the hang of it...

GreyQueen

My room is 9 ft 7 wide x 12 ft 5 long. One of the shorter walls houses the sliding door into the kitchen, the other wall opposite is virtually filled by a window, which has a very lively print but muted colour pair of curtains. Eathtoned stripy rugs (2) underfoot, cheerful fruit and flower print tablecloth, patchwork runner over a cabinet, the rest is plain. It's both warm and restful.

OK, off to w*rk now, happy kondo-ing, everyone.

PollyWollyDoodle

Thanks Greyqueen. I asked because I can't ever see myself being minimalist - I have lots of photos, pictures, books and china and I like a slightly chintzy look.

My aim is to reach the point where, say, my beloved pine dresser only has the things on it that I really enjoy - it will still have china on it but not the random notebook, old postcards, loose screws, sewing machine oil and broken ornaments that it currently houses.

I grew up in the sort of household that social workers describe as 'chaotic'. :rotfl: there was an abundance of Stuff, as well as love, and cleaning didn't happen unless visitors were coming. I dread ever reaching that stage but don't feel comfortable with the very spare look. I am really appreciating being able to see my floor, though! I've always, always had bags/storage boxes/stashes of stuff under furniture or tucked in corners. The rooms look much larger when you can see more floor.

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
Hope everyone is well
Gave the ice cream maker to DD2 when she came yesterday so a little more space in the kitchen.
Dh took a couple more DVDs to work with him this morning for colleagues.

School has finished here and Ds2 is on two weeks work experience so I'm basically home Alone so going to use this time to restart my kondoing.
Going to re visit my wardrobe today.

mavvymoo

Morning kondoites
Reading all your very JOYFUL posts this morning and realising you are all now catching up with me You are all feeling the same as I did /do. The ease of finding things you need with no stress,Cleaning as you go along with your day.Just doing things when you need to. Noticing space and free walls and sufaces, Also when walls need a lick of paint As there is space and no junk to hide the grubby finger marks anymore
Welcome to kondo world where life is better and keeps getting better the longer you stay on track

My head is so much clearer still and I think I make better choices and can make them more quickly as well.I am having much more fun strangely and dont really know how that has come about :huh:


I am so so glad I found this skinny little book as it honestly has changed my life in some way but you dont seem to see it coming it just sort of creeps up and says 'You are different now you are not the same person as you were' :rotfl:I never really get stressed anymore and feel peaceful if that makes sense.


On a fun note 'Gary' :rotfl:(not GQ towel) The manager of the cold call company phoned yesterday as I was one of the very very lucky ones they can help I told him Sunday was a day of rest and I never spoke to anyone on Sunday apart from the ducks (which will become clear if he phones me back today as promised.;) So we will see :rotfl:

Have a lovely day all and no matter what you are doing try and have fun its good for the soul


Mav x

iQueen

Morning, Kult Konverts! :coffee::coffee::coffee:

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Supersaver, interesting what you say about cleaning - I usually hate it and until I gave up full-time work I had a paid cleaner - I feel slightly embarrassed admitting that on a money-saving forum. Part of the inspiration to do MK was the realisation that I needed to make it easier to clean the house, for my own sanity. Now I find myself thinking 'ooh, I'll just run the Hoover over that' - it's so easy to do now. I'm even finding myself thinking 'I must paint those walls'. :eek: what is happening to me?

greyqueen and katsu - I'm really interested in what you say about minimalism. What does that word mean for you?

I have never been a fan of housework and any excuse for avoiding it, was welcome. I relied heavily on the saying: Boring women have immaculate homes. I knew some very boring women, with such homes!

Kondoing is now showing me that a tidy, stress-free home releases more time to do interesting things, with interesting people!

Minimalism, for me, means having basic necessities and a few things that I regard as luxuries - electric blanket, spinning wheel, sewing machine, radio, library ticket, my car, a pair of comfortable boots.

Actually, thinking about my personal vision of Minimalism, I realise that I don't need 90% of the Stuff in my home. As long as we have reasonable health, food, shelter and clothing, everything else is a bonus, we should be grateful for. None of us is 'entitled' to anything at all. :dance:

katsu

Hi Polly. I guess I largely mean decluttered. I too grew up in CHAOS as fly lady calls it (can't have anyone over syndrome without a tidy up first) and I want to have room for friends to sit without moving things, to have space on the table to use it without moving things, to have less stuff in the rooms attracting the eye and making the place look cluttered.

On the positive side I want to love my home. To feel it welcomes me and welcomes our friends. To be happy to have visitors, to move around easily instead of going past/around stuff and to enjoy looking around the rooms. To be able to use all the rooms not the space in the middle of the room iyswim.

katsu

I feel over burdened by all this stuff in my life. I still love lots of my clothes, love to knit etc but I have to be able to enjoy my yarn stash and use it up not just have it out of sight and out of mind in the loft whilst stuff clutters everywhere else!