The KonMarie method

Charis

allybee101 wrote: »

There could be a whole season of Kondo TV
Strictly Come Decluttering
Britain's Got Too Much Stuff...

Haha, love it. How about

The Excess Factor
Come Fold With Me
Down to Nothing Abbey
I’m A Hoarder... Get Me Out Of Here
The Great Pottery Throw Out

and for the finale
Grand Declutters: House Of The Year with Kevin McCloud

Charis

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. ... 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 for this, and for the link. It has helped me make my choice, and I have a local final resting place in mind. Hopefully I won't need it any time soon, but I will feel happier knowing that it's all sorted and not left to others to race around and organise at the last minute.

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
My boys went to a frank turner gig last night, I was obviously worried after Friday but no one should let terrorists dictate what they can and can't do so I'm glad they went and had a great time. Youngest is complaining his knee hurts as he got landed on when frank leapt of the stage, but I think that story will give him bragging rights at school for months.
I did sleep easier once they were back home!

On kondo land we had a move round in our bedroom yesterday, loads got thrown out, we've even removed the glass table top that's been stored just incase under our bed for over 20 years!
Room looks and feels so much better now, can't believe we haven't done it before. Dh has asked if we can kondo the lampshade and get a more joyful one.

Managed to watch two DVDs that will leave the house over the weekend and I've konvert two balls of wool into crochet snowflakes that will leave the house next week.

Have a joyful day all

mothershipton

Am enjoying the Christmas discussion. We don't buy many presents. OH generally buys all his relatives books as that is what he wants! I am terrible to buy for ( like Rachel from Friends ) and generally take my mils gifts back or to the charity shop. Although now she knows I like beach huts I get something related which I like. Ds are 18 and 22 so generally get money and a few little bits from us.

I try and get food well before Christmas and refuse to go to the supermarket in the week before Christmas as it really depresses me the amount of stuff people buy.

I think it maybe the four of us as in laws are going to my step silver which is a relief!

Am kondoing the shower room today in the hope the plumber turns up to start work on it.

greent

Adding to the Xmas discussions, we put our (7) trees up the weekend after eldest's birthday, which is the 11th - although this year that probably means putting them up on Sunday 13th - the following weekend is too close to Xmas. The whole day is devoted to the two main trees and it is done with Xmas songs blasting out


We take them down on the 5th (unless that's a crazily busy day for some reason - when it'll be the 4th) - it all has to be done by then as child no 3's birthday is Jan 6th


Cards and presents.... have drastically cut down number of cards sent. OH is a contractor so doesn't have the cards-at-work issue and I work as an exam invigilator, so Xmas isn't when I'm at work anyway. Swap them with my friends at the charity I volunteer for and some neighbours (about 4 or 5 in the street), some family and then a few are posted (less than half a dozen) Smallest 2 children are still of an age where they send to everyone in the class, so that's 60+ cards alone - their cards are small ones bought in the sales for pence. The two teenagers - DD sends cards to her close group of friends (about 10) and DS1 sends none (not the 'done thing' in an all boys school, apparently! )


Presents - again, we have cut down on who we buy for - and also how much we spend. Some family deaths over the past few years have reduced our list further, not just by the deceased person, but also by people we only bought for out of obligation who were connected via the deceased person. Have just checked this year's spreadsheet and the only ones on there I feel obligated to get presents for are two aunts, who only have token gifts anyway - one of which I get an 'Oxfam' gift for - so I donate to charity instead of buying a gift (and the same in return) and the other usually has homemade jams etc but this year has a bargainacious local cook book and a Xmas candle bought in the sale.


I don't like too much excess. We're not religious and I like Xmas to be about spending time together as a family, with some catching up with extended family members. Food wise it *is* only a fancy Sunday roast - after the bird (none of us really like Turkey, so we have a huge free range corn fed chicken instead) we have about 7-8 veggies, roast pots, stuffing, bread sauce, Yorkshire puds and pigs in blankets. We're usually too stuffed for pudding (and only 2 of us like Xmas pud and Xmas cake, so I don't bother making those any more) but the small ones might eat some chocs. We eat about 3pm, so don't eat properly again that day - smallest ones will have sandwiches or cereal before bed and the teenagers and us will have toast/ fruit etc. Usually a big meal again with extended family on the 26th or 27th.


Extra food to be bought for Xmas - not much- it's the only time of the year I make bread sauce and red cabbage - but I make loads and freeze it for use over the next few months in the NY, so I have to buy a red cabbage. I may buy a small fruit cake from Aldi as a token gesture. None of us like mince pies, so I don't bother (I used to make them for visitors) We have 2 tubs of chocs (already bought @ £4 each) - we're bound to get others as presents. We do have choc advent calendars (well - the children do) and I make sure we have ice cream and extra thick double cream in. I no longer bother buying lots of cheeses, as I found that it was always me eating them come January! I try and get extra fruit in as we tend to crave it after the richness of other foods.


x

Rainy-Days

iQueen - like your post! For many years I did not know what I wanted to happen to my body after my soul had finished with it. Then we moved up here and the issue of looking after my late parents grave became a source of concern for me.

I go back to Northants a few times a year. I buy new silk flowers for the grave and also put a Christmas wreath on as well, but I have thought more than ever what happens when anything happens to me. We have no children - by choice - so who will look after it? The answer is probably no one! My God children will move on with their own lives and I don't want the burden of that befalling them.

So, I made the decision for cremation. I don't want my body to taking up valuable land space and also I am not too pleased at the the thought of a Time Team style dig in 200 years time hoisting me up either! Nope, a few ashes scattered in the bay of Holy Island will be fitting and I leave no responsibility behind for future generations either!

PollyWollyDoodle

I was recently out with some friends, one of whom is from the USA and she said this year she's having some friends over, and what would a 'traditional English Christmas' include? I'm afraid we weren't much help ... suggestions included
'Get drunk before lunch and have a massive argument'
'Brussels sprouts - but you need to start boiling them now!'
'Nuts. Buy lots of nuts, even though nobody will eat them, the cat will kick them under the sofa and you'll find them in about March'
'Christmas cake - you'll be too full to eat any, but that's also traditional'
'Christmas pudding - ditto, except the kids will all have a slice in the hope of getting a charm in theirs '
and
'Watch the Queen's Speech, although most people will be asleep by then' :rotfl:

And we had to explain crackers, as not being something for eating with cheese!

GreyQueen

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

I was recently out with some friends, one of whom is from the USA and she said this year she's having some friends over, and what would a 'traditional English Christmas' include? I'm afraid we weren't much help ... suggestions included
'Get drunk before lunch and have a massive argument'
'Brussels sprouts - but you need to start boiling them now!'
'Nuts. Buy lots of nuts, even though nobody will eat them, the cat will kick them under the sofa and you'll find them in about March'
'Christmas cake - you'll be too full to eat any, but that's also traditional'
'Christmas pudding - ditto, except the kids will all have a slice in the hope of getting a charm in theirs '
and
'Watch the Queen's Speech, although most people will be asleep by then' :rotfl:

And we had to explain crackers, as not being something for eating with cheese!

:T LMAO, so funny. She will have a really traditional Xmas if she does all that.

Add - Mum getting up at sparrowfart o'clock to get a turkey in the oven, complete with attendant cat audience. Then running out of foil. Or gravy. Melting the vinyl floor covering/ burning ovengloves or even forearms moving already hot oven shelves. Arguing with spouse/ offspring/ inlaws and outlaws. Sending stay spouse/ offspring up to the supermarket to fight like barbarians for the last sprouts, which no one much likes but you have to have because it's traditonal. Watching Queen's Speech minus stroppy anti-royal daughter (me) who's gone for a walk in the woods with her Dad (to protect any passing criminals from said stroppiness).

Put the telly on too late and discover that a blockbuster film you'd quite like to see again is over bar the last 10 minutes. Argue about what to watch. It's either too early or too late for the good stuff. Turn it off in disgust. Get the Scrabble board out. Pick large and self-satisfied cat off the Scrabble board and pass her hand to hand when playing or she gets right back on again. Tell stroppy daughter drinking beer out of bottles is uncouth (true ) we do have glasses, you know.

Play cards, badly. Drink too much sherry. Bowl hazelnuts down the floor for the cats to play with - you'll find them again come summer. Insist stroppy daughter makes a trifle which amuses her but for which there isn't room in the fridge or people's tummies.

Look at Xmas cake which no one much cares for. Admire the fairy lights (we're all pro fairy lights). Neighbours come around and cats hide (rescue cats and a bit nervy). Neighbours leave and cats re-emerge cautiously, looking for likely Scrabble boards to sit on.

Finally wobble upstairs to bed with heartburn and an incipient hangover. The cats will wake the household at some point during the witching hours. Probably by bowling Scrabble tiles around on the floor downstairs among the hazelnuts.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, Christmas, you can't beat it, can you?:rotfl:

silvasava

Brilliant GQ!

loopychriss

Love your version of Christmas GQ!!! Hopefully ours will be quiet and peaceful, just the two of us. We see the children and grandchildren on Christmas Eve, so we can all have Christmas Day in our own homes. Except the last 2 Christmases have been spent half at home and half at hospital, with elderly parents both in the year before last with pneumonia, and mum last year in a diabetic coma, then rehabilitation. Keeping fingers crossed.

Playing catch-up with Mins Game.....

Day 14 - 17 items

1. Plastic 12" case for scrapbook papers
2. Bag of beads
3. Bracelet
4. Teapot
5 & 6. 2 cups
7. Top half of a cheese dish
8. Pack of loom bands
9. Toiletry bag
10. Tupperware box
11. Bag of pencils
12. Wallpaper sample
13. Craft embellishment
14. Cream jug
15. Wooden ornament
16. Mini suitcase made of card


Day 15 - 16 items

1 & 2. Earrings
3 to 11. Saucers
12. Bath confetti
13. Glass dish
14. Old potato chipper
15 & 16. Two plastic Christmas tree shapes


Day 16 - 15 items

1. Spare telephone
2. Wicker basket
3-6 Floor tiles
7. Posh storage box made of card but a bit battered
8. Large stone vase
9. Packet of table corner protectors
10. Book of postcards from Yellowstone
11. 'Love Is' laminated poem credit card size
12&13. Two fridge magnets
14&15. Two photo frames


The great migration out to the she-shed craft room started on Sunday, I have moved most of my things out there, it looks a total mess at the moment but that's before I've put anything in cupboards and drawers. Hoping I'll come across more as I sort and put it all away. It's a never ending job at the moment!