The KonMarie method

mrs-moneypenny

Welcome to the thread RC

Hope all are well.
Busy doing Christmas stuff at the mo. Ideally wrapping more to leave the house than will return. Wrote a stack of cards out for the kids at school tonight. I haven't bought cards or paper for a couple of years as I have a huge stash to work through

hebwood

Hi to newbies - plug away - you will get there.


Just started the xmas wrapping and got rid of loads of stuff - it was 'there', not 'seen'.


Take care everyone.
H

Charis

I joined you all quite late in the year, having stumbled across this thread. I'm currently part way through paperwork, having found a haven of space in my previously stuffed wardrobes, then Kondoed 192 books. Daughter and best friend have caught the bug (what is it about rolled knicks that compels?). I have found the process very cathartic, sometimes quite difficult as it is arranging my worldview when I think about why I keep the things I do, and what memories lay behind them. Why was I keeping things that made me feel sad every time I encountered them?
Anyhow, I never expected to be able to let go of things on such a grand scale. I'm gradually reading through the thread and yesterday gave some thought to the concept of planning a basic wardrobe as shown in the Minimalist link, about last April. It was fascinating to design a scheme designed around my favourite colours, and I liked the finished choices, but I wondered why I had never possessed garments in some of those colours. I realised that our choices are limited by manufacturers and it's far, far harder to find a nice winter coat in Forest Green or Teal than it is to find the ubiquitous Black, Navy or Grey. Winter clothes = a narrow range of 'winter' colours. Unless you are wealthier than average, I assume.
While musing on all of us spreading the word about only owning what you love, I wondered what would happen to the current financial system if it catches on worldwide? It's currently propped up by people getting into debt to buy whatever is the latest fad. If we all refuse will the system collapse? Trash only sells if we are beguiled into buying it. Then I realised that we will all have more of our readies to buy better. The olds always said 'buy the best quality you can afford' and 'buy cheap, pay twice'. I had a couple of painful lessons on the latter when I had a kitchen revamp in 2014. If we go for quality rather than quantity, maybe more goods of a better quality will be produced nearer home and Chinese citizens will be able to breathe clean air and not spend their work hours painting plastic Santas and wondering who the heck this fat God must be, cos the Europeans must have replicas in every corner. MK may have sparked a quiet revolution.

Siebrie

I took half a carbootful to the cs. Not many items, but they have left the house at last. I am still re-arranging and clearing the attic; the mousetraps that I put down yesterday were devoid of peanut butter, and one had even been moved about 20 cm, but they had not 'sprung' (insert frustrated smiley). I've tried again today.

remote_control

Hi

I've got another question for you, what do you do with things that spark joy that you know you don't need? It deviates from her method but I still have to think if things are useful and whether I need them. For example I have bags and shoes I used to wear a lot and I love but I know I won't really use again.

Thanks!

dragonette

remote_control wrote: »

Hi

I've got another question for you, what do you do with things that spark joy that you know you don't need? It deviates from her method but I still have to think if things are useful and whether I need them. For example I have bags and shoes I used to wear a lot and I love but I know I won't really use again.

Thanks!

Those are the groups I've found it helpful to thank and then let go. But again, you could keep them separate atm? I find I'm still refining this in-between category as I go along

remote_control

I found the thanking really helped with some clothes. If I do it by pure 'spark joy' I would keep the item. But I know I don't need it. Its hard isn't it! I want to make sure I do it all properly so it is a once in a lifetime tidy.

Listing on ebay tonight and a bag went to the clothes recycling today

greenbee

Siebrie wrote: »

I took half a carbootful to the cs. Not many items, but they have left the house at last. I am still re-arranging and clearing the attic; the mousetraps that I put down yesterday were devoid of peanut butter, and one had even been moved about 20 cm, but they had not 'sprung' (insert frustrated smiley). I've tried again today.

I found that if the mousetraps were sensitive enough to catch mice, I couldn't set them but my brother can. He's had more practice. Also try baiting with a raisin coated in peanut butter. Or chocolate.

PollyWollyDoodle

If you're stuck on something that you love but don't need, it's worth thinking about why. MK says that we hang on to stuff for two reasons - I'm paraphrasing here - attachment to the past or fear of the future.

If you're holding on to bags and shoes, is that because you have not been able to afford nice things in the past and worry that you might be in that position again? Or is it because they remind you of the good times you had when wearing them? Will you forget those happy times without these to remind you?

I reserve the right to keep some stuff simply because I love it. However when you think about packing it, storing it, insuring it, moving house with it and someone else unpacking it one day and saying 'what did she keep these for?' it may change your focus. The other thing that I find helpful is the thought that someone (I hope) will be so joyful when they find the perfect item in the CS. Lovely shoes deserve to be worn.

milocat

God okay so I started out with the best intentions!

I have a friend who doesn't have much in the way of belongings, ie only one set of bedding. I went through my pots and pans (that's totally a kondoing category, right?), and managed to clear out and organise a whole cupboard. Including glueing together a load of china that had broken

I also packed up some bedding, and some lights for the christmas tree. SO I went over to hers this morning and dropped it off, 3 bags worth, and somehow came home with a bag of baby clothes for my daughter. Oops.

Tomorrow I will kondo baby clothes! And organise the nursery in general, because its an awful mess.