The KonMarie method

dragonette

Not much progress here. Was away visiting family for a couple of days, and noticed 2 things very very quickly. Lots of toiletries in coordinating colours in the bathrooms - but very old packaging. I have never bought toiletries with the only intention being as decorative bits of the colour scheme! The second was that I am now allergic/over sensitive to artificial air fresheners - blocked sinuses, raw throat, the works.

Ooooh, on a good note, I pestered lovely rellies to help me find bright or more summery colours that suit me. And discovered that muted or dull colours suit me best. My initial instinct wasn't too badly off

FurryBeastOz

MMF007 wrote: »

Igamogam, I couldn't agree more aboutthe book. I started the MK method soley because of the inspiring posts on here. I have bought the book, mainly because i felt i owed it to MK, having got all the info for free in the first place! If i had started with the book I am sure I would never have taken up the reins!

I agree. I'm reading the book slowly, but I'm not finding it as 'joyful' as I thought I would.

FurryBeastOz

GreyQueen wrote: »

Me Yippeee!!!!!!!!!! Bounces around like Tigger on speed.:j:j:j

I love that image GQ :rotfl:
I keep meaning to use up some old dregs of paint. I have a guy coming to do some small DIY jobs tomorrow. Maybe I'll join in with a paint brush, and do some touch ups in the hall. Which will require kondoing some coats as well (been trying to do this but need DH to make some decisions)

Becky_2

OH surprised me today, he started to sort out his DVD's.

The DVD's will now be stored in a DVD folder and the cases are being thrown away. Sadly it came to an end when the folder was full so I will now buy 1 more next week. 2 plastic containers are now empty in the garage.

Blue_Doggy

Lots of thanks to everyone for inspiring and/or amusing posts - they make this Kondoing lark more joyful!

I have been struggling through paperwork (and so comforted to know I am not alone ), some quite troubling episodes now shredded. I had a sudden LBM when I realised that a big part of the reason I am keeping so much paperwork is in case "someone" demands to see it and will punish me if I can't produce it (crazy or what!). No-one has ever wanted to see any of this stuff in years!!! So if they ever want to see it in future it's going to be tough cheese for them .

Blue_Doggy

Igamogam wrote: »

Its been,so far, an interesting 'journey', for want of a better description.................however I would not have even started it had I gone to the book first. I eventually bought the book once I was well an truly in full kondo mode, but at a bit of a stalled crossroads. I got half way through and had to out it down. It fulfilled all my thoughts about self help books ( never picked one up before) I found her patronising,repetitive,devoid of empathy, too whimsical and lacking in credibility, to be frank:D. Maybe it just didn't transfer culturally or there was something lost in translation HOWEVER I have taken on some of the ideas and methods but adapted to suit my own situation and needs. I am looking at my possessions in in different way (folding knickers !!!!!!! Who would have thought it could bring so much joy ) and questioning my motives for keeping them - so something did rub off:p

By far the biggest motivator has been reading posts on here. Taking on ideas,chasing up links,doing further research. So thank you everybody and I would like to single out iQueen and Grey Queen, if I may,for a special thanks, for some of the most interesting, thought provoking and funniest posts:T

I agree that the book has some oddities, which I too put down to translation losses. The best part for me was the change of mindset from "what to get rid of" to "what to keep", that was emancipating for me, along with the redefinition of some items as having fulfilled their purpose by being gifted to me (or "wished on me" as my Mum would have said). It made it so much easier to get rid of stuff.

And I've got serious cupboard envy: I want Japanese cupboards in every room!!!

SpikyHedgehog

Main thing kondo'd today was the remnants of autumn gold fence paint.

I felt really fed up about this paint - I don't like it and wanted to buy a soft willow green (the boys wanted beach hut colours) but then DH wanted autumn gold, but didn't use it before he left to live with his girlfriend. So I'd offered it to him to use in her garden, but he refused it as she doesn't like autumn gold! So the boys and I had painted the fence and shed, but there was a little bit left in the bottom of the tub, which DS1 had put back in the shed.

He found it this summer and I planned to use it up, but there's so little in the tub, I'd barely be able to do the gate. So will get a colour we like instead. I put the used cat litter in with the dregs to make them solid enough to put in the wheely bin, that being what the council's website say you can do with it.

iQueen

What a bit of luck - the forum down for maintenance! :j I thought I was going to be up till tomorrow catching up! I really must try to make 2 visits a day!

Thank you so much, for your comment, Igamogam, you're very kind, but I think, the beauty of this thread is that there is always something thought-provoking, useful, ridiculous, or side-splitting - we all lean on and support each other! Personally, I couldn't have embarked on this project without this thread, and a great group of Konverts, who have stayed 'on message' :T

I had to laugh about The Bible being your first 'self-help' book. I had loads (all gone now, except for THE one! ) Most that I've read, are just USA tosh and very judgmental, which MK is not. That's what makes it so great, we not only start with excitement, but we aren't constantly reminded that our clutter is a disease, a terrible flaw, unsociable, and something to be cured. All we have to do is kondo! :rotfl:

As for your dream - might it be a fear that your hard work could go to pot again, as you face the hard school term ahead? Don't let it get to you. I know that teachers work almost 24/7 in term-time - just set aside some time in the week/w'end for maintenance, and possibly, slot in a litlle 'break' for a kondo treat, now and then. It will soon be half-term!

I used to make blackberry vinegar, every autumn - great diluted with hot water for colds! My children loved it.

wort: buy moss-killer, mix some up and paint it on the stones!

GQ, I think, I have very few (if any) unitaskers, because I've always had to be very mindful about what to buy and unless something can multi-task, it doesn't normally get a second thought. (I've frequently said that I need a wife!) Even my spinning wheel can spin yarn, and then ply it! :rotfl:

Years ago, entrepreneurs, discovered a need, and made their fortunes by supplying it. Today, there is a solution for our every need, and some. The craziest unitasker that I ever saw (and refused to buy, on principle) was a certain antiseptic handwash dispenser... that had a sensor in the top, so that germ-ridden hands never had to touch it. What was the point of that? :huh:Whether dirty hands were placing bacteria, or retrieving it, from the pump,,, hands were going to be disinfected straight after! :shocked: Obviously, we no longer have real needs - the manufacturers are having to dupe us into parting with our spondulicks. :rotfl:

BTW, the red petticoat - if you can't be 'fast' when you're 'Just Married' when can you be? :laugh:

Love those tables, galleygirl! I want the coffee table version. Hope it's still available when I finish kondoing!

mrs-moneypenny and any other genealogists: I was asked by a friend, a few days ago, how to obtain a copy of a particular Will. So, I sorted out the details for him yesterday. However, in the process, I discovered the government probate website! And spent the whole day and evening looking at ancestors 'fortunes'.

It is a great site, from 1858 to now. The older Wills give the date of death, estate value and the names of those granted probate or administration, together with the reference number. Modern Wills just give names, date of death, address, etc. £10 to order a copy. Wills often contain lots of useful information.

I found a single relative, who changed her surname, via the London Gazette. She married a man of the same name, 17 years later, after his wife had died.

I discovered a daughter on Free BMD, but there were 2 entries, 1929 and late entry for that year, giving her surname from 1949, the same as her mother's husband. It occurred to me that the daughter must have been adopted by her natural parents, as she was under 21, so I was not too surprised that there were 2 entries for her subsequent marriage, one in each of her surnames! (There probably wasn't a separate register for adoptions then.) Then it got really confusing. The daughter's spouse also had 2 entries - her latter surname and another! I have concluded that he must have taken her surname on marriage. I love genealogy - I've found quite a few skeletons among my 'highly respectable, pillars of the chapel' ancestors! :eek:

So, no kondoing yesterday, nor today - spent today trying to fix my printer! At least I managed to cure the damned thing of telling me to "check the colour cartridge"! So, simple... when you know! :j Just got to persuade it to stop printing patchy docs, now!

Having a :coffee: and an early night, ready for a kondo day tomorrow!

Ches

GreyQueen wrote: »

We are also shedding an Ewer, an old jug which would have once been part of a basin and ewer set. Found it in the shed with the emulsion and was baffled as had never seen it before.

Turns out, they got it foisted on them by Auntie R, who herself got it foisted on her by a decluttering neighbour. I shall take it up to the city where there's a market for such things and foist it on the charity shop, who I expect will sell it the first day of offering.

.[/QUOTE

GQ these sell in our CS for £20 each so they should be very pleased with your donation. I collect old J&B sets and have 1 on each of my bedroom COD's. I dislike small twitty ornaments and clutter so these give me great joy.

supersaver1000

Kondoed the baking trays and roasting dishes today. After a discussion with DH about Yorkshire puddings sticking and me being fed up of unfruitful scrubbing. So almost all old tins were bagged up ready for the metal recycling bin and a rare trip to town took place. Only purchased 3 trays that gave great joy and very satisfying to put them away. They were pretty reasonable too, not sure now why I haven't done this before. This book truly has a magic effect.

I have my eye on the big cupboard of cooking dishes tomorrow morning, along with a trip to the rubbish dump

I managed a CS delivery on Saturday. The whole family now has kondoed drawers! I think they are konverts. But I am still amazed at how there is something being kondoed most days. It isn't overwhelming but I can't see the end of it yet. It's like a huge chain reaction. Will it ever end?

DD emptied a set of plastic drawers which I will kondo my sewing things into from a bamboo shelf. The bamboo shelf will replace a small unit by the bathroom and will hold a few towels and things. The small unit will go the top of the stairs with a few of our books on, and the deep unit currently at stair top will probably go into the living room as a log store (I saw something similar on Pinterest so hope it turns out okay).

MK says not to buy anymore storage until you've kondoed and she is so right. I have been using newly freed up containers and even giving them away. To think all that searching for just the right storage solutions was just trying to contain the mess, instead of setting it free :rotfl: I always stop myself from buying any cleaning 'solution' these days - I know I'm just trying to avoid the cleaning, but that no gadget will take away the fact that you just need to get on and do it (and that gadgets are just guilty clutter) 😄

Hope everyone has a great bank holiday and manages to get some rest and just a bit of kondoing done :rotfl::D:):)