The KonMarie method

Minimise-to-Maximise

Funeral talk is reminding me that I have a long to do list in this area before I can RIP:

Make will
Set up trust fund for disabled family member
Chose executors
Find someone who would take on my kids if still need looking after
Set up power of attorney
Decide on body disposal - leaning towards a natural burial rather cremation as is more poetic somehow. Not fussed about coffin, whatever is cheapest and greenest

The above have been on my to do list for ages! Maybe having everything done is the house will help with this as I will have all my paperwork to hand and feel more together and up for it. I bloomin hope so anyway.

In kondo news I've continued putting all my personal, financial and work paperwork in one place ready for the big sort out. I keep opening cupboards and drawers or looking at shelves and finding folders, large overstuffed envelopes and stray letters and scraps that I had just stopped seeing. The financial stuff is not too bad as I've had periods of self employment and have needed to get stuff together to tax returns. The rest of it is a mess. I have potentially business confidential stuff relating to being a homeworker in the past that I didn't get round to returning. It's all duplicates so they don't need it back but I need to dispose of it responsibly. My shredder only does a few sheets at a time so this is going to be a long process. Trying to think where I can have a bonfire as my garden isnt very big.

selement

In amazement that I'm actually getting some eBay bids... My parents are currently decluttering their house so I'm getting all my old childhood toys given to me to clutter up my house instead (perfect time to start marie kondo). I put up an auction for all my barbies with clothes and accessories in very played with condition expecting to get nothing but I'm getting at least £5. I was expecting to resort to a car boot or bin to be rid of them! Hooray! Nothing rare just played with 90s barbies and shellys really

Karmacat

Minimise-to-Maximise wrote: »

In kondo news I've continued putting all my personal, financial and work paperwork in one place ready for the big sort out. I keep opening cupboards and drawers or looking at shelves and finding folders, large overstuffed envelopes and stray letters and scraps that I had just stopped seeing.

Uh oh, I can identify with this - I never thought I would, after being an mse member for such a long time, but my French paperwork, for the stupid French investment property, is all over the house. This year's is stashed on a bookcase (on 2 shelves) some is the tax year folder, some has been retrieved from the inbox on the desk, some was in a boxfile in the living room, and there's actually a plastic crate under the bed in the office labelled "French paperwork" :o:o I'm not quite as organised as I thought...

wort

My lovely dad used to say just throw him over the wall at the back! There was a huge walled field at the back that used to belong to a big house!
I think I would like a cheap coffin with cremation, ideally I would like my ashes to be scattered where mum and dad are buried, Wether that's allowed or not I'm not sure.

Selement if you find getting rid of things that don't bring you joy but can't throw away, remember MK says to thank the item for the joy and use it gave you in the past it sounds strange but may help you feel it isn't wasted. Also Jinnys quote is very apt.
Had a lovely day at the home show, and didn't spend more than a tenner! Fab time with sis testing anything gluten free and all the alcohol samples in the interest of research :beer:

PollyWollyDoodle

Ok, since there's a funeral discussion, I'm going to put this out there just in case it helps someone, one day. I work in the industry and I wish there was more open discussion about this. Usually the first time you come across this is just after someone you love has died, abd you're not in the best position to ask questions or make decisions!

There are really very few rules about what you have to do. You can have a shroud, not a coffin; you can be buried in your own garden although there's a bit of paperwork (and it might impact on the future value of the house!); you can hold a funeral service anywhere not just a church or chapel; you can take the body to the crematorium in an estate car if you want. Now, I'm not anti Funeral Directors - most people don't want to do all this themselves, FDs have a lot of knowledge and experience and will take care of all the details for you, and most of us would like a dignified occasion for their loved ones. But there are lots of options - you can order a cardboard coffin over the Internet, with your own design. Direct cremation, where nobody attends, is much cheaper, and it's also cheaper to have a slot early or late in the day. You only get 25 minutes at a crematorium, but you could hire somewhere else for a service and have as long as you want ... There's so much I could say on this, but the Natural Death Centre has lots of information.

Sorry for the long post but I'd really like more people to know the options! It's a really significant life event yet it's usually planned at very short notice and at a time when those planning it are not best placed to make choices. I'll get off me soap-box now ...:rotfl:

Minimise-to-Maximise

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Ok, since there's a funeral discussion, I'm going to put this out there just in case it helps someone, one day. I work in the industry and I wish there was more open discussion about this. Usually the first time you come across this is just after someone you love has died, abd you're not in the best position to ask questions or make decisions!

There are really very few rules about what you have to do. You can have a shroud, not a coffin; you can be buried in your own garden although there's a bit of paperwork (and it might impact on the future value of the house!); you can hold a funeral service anywhere not just a church or chapel; you can take the body to the crematorium in an estate car if you want. Now, I'm not anti Funeral Directors - most people don't want to do all this themselves, FDs have a lot of knowledge and experience and will take care of all the details for you, and most of us would like a dignified occasion for their loved ones. But there are lots of options - you can order a cardboard coffin over the Internet, with your own design. Direct cremation, where nobody attends, is much cheaper, and it's also cheaper to have a slot early or late in the day. You only get 25 minutes at a crematorium, but you could hire somewhere else for a service and have as long as you want ... There's so much I could say on this, but the Natural Death Centre has lots of information.

Sorry for the long post but I'd really like more people to know the options! It's a really significant life event yet it's usually planned at very short notice and at a time when those planning it are not best placed to make choices. I'll get off me soap-box now ...:rotfl:

Thank you polly! I didn't know much of that. It's a good point about not needing everyone to trek out to a miserable crematorium and then trek somewhere else for the wake.

greenbee

ooh... so all those empty lofts could be used to store our cardboard coffins ready for when they are needed

Thanks PWD - it really does help to know what the options are. Obviously it's important to make sure the details of what you want are easy to find too.

Karmacat

Thank you Polly!

hebwood

Hi there


Well done everyone on their km-ing.


I started this in January (this year!), and its still ongoing - RL gets in the way. I am not putting any pressure on myself, it will happen when it happens. But this thread is fantastic. Thank you.


On the subject of funerals, just for info, you can get a felt shroud, beautifully made in natural wool, with a felted design of your choice (eg. flowers, tendrils, trees) - not cheap but very eco-friendly.


As part the planned 'winter projects', I will be updating my will, POA and related stuff. Makes sense for the people that are left.


Have a good weekend.

grunnie

Thanks for that Pollywollydoodle. I found out how to arrange a funeral after a dear aunt died very suddenly. Choosing the hymns and readings and even the time at the church and the wording of the notices to the newspaper. Even choosing the plot and gravestone and then the wording for the stone. I tried a few years later to ask my mum what she wanted and got told off so I had to choose what I thought she would have wanted when the time came.
So I am organised as my youngest son knows where my will is and he has power of attorney for me.
One thing for sure is as I have KM the house my home will be easier to clear then my aunt's or my mum's.
My mum's house was huge and her idea of tidying was to put everything in a cupboard or wardrobe and she never threw out anything.
I think that is why I found Marie Kondo so easy to follow as I had tried to tidy out many times as always landed up acquiring more stuff.