KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

GreyQueen

Charis wrote: »

Has anyone else finished MK's second book, 'Spark Joy'? I found it different to the first, less vague (there are illustrations for folding and storing, and less of the 'throw it out' and more 'recycle it'). I think MK has realised we don't all live in a small apartment with giant storage space.

The first book on its own was a life-changer. I'm four months into KM, just finished paperwork,which was a long struggle. During those months my attitude to everything, even to myself, has changed and that vague dissatisfaction of living with relics from the past and yearnings for the future is almost gone, even before I tackle Komono. I have been living in the past too long and it's time make some big changes.

Like MavvyMoo I feel the need to move to another location, but have no idea where. Yet.

Yes. I got it out of the library last month, had ordered it up in early December before it was even in.

I thought it was much better than the first book and the illustrations were only part of the reason. The first book was largely autobiographical, about how Marie came to be this strange, enchanting and wonderfully effective decluttering guru. Which was interesting but relatively little was devoted to the whys and how to's of shedding stuff.

Which makes it all the more remarkable that such a slender book, which is mostly an autobiography, can have changed so many lives across so many countries.

Today I have been at work and nipped into a chazzer to buy the 10th book in my birthday sequence. I was going to get this from the library, but my branch's only copy is MIA, the other copies are across the region and have to be ordered up and paying for the privilege, and I could get the 10th book for only £1.25 and I finished the 9th last night and am champing at the bit. Once finished, I shall see if online bookseller brother wants it, if not, back to a chazzer.

Am taking a breather from hauling out the furniture one section at a time, to de-fluffify ahead of hauling it out in earnest tomorrow as my electicians will need access to all sockets and I wouldn't want to be taken for a sloven. It's not actually that long since I last did this, but with tiled floors instead of carpets, dust has a habit of accumulating in little eddies and forming tumbleweeds.:rotfl:

When I was pulling the yarn cache about yesterday, I realised that I have some brand-new balls of unused yarn that came from the pal, in two different colours, which are really a bit too good for the blankets so I will be taking them to the chazzer for making into a child-size garment/ accessories respectively.

Mum tells me she is joking to family and friends that I am decluttering her before she dies, but seems to be thoroughly enjoying the process of me getting stuff out a little at a time. I have designs of the Cupboard of Doom in her bedroom but that is an all-day job which I have pencilled-in for Easter weekend. It'll make a change from the loft and hopefully there will be no dead birds in it...........:rotfl:

I am also quite excited about the Loving Hands movement, which I'd like to discuss with Mum to see if she'd like to release some of the SABLE yarn to their cause. I was thinking in particular of a big box of baby yarn which might be just the thing. It's not mine to give but we can have the conversation.

Mum is learning what I've known for some time; giving stuff away can be much more pleasurable than holding onto it.

mrs-moneypenny

GQ loving hands is a fab group, I do most of my charity and good cause knitting and crafting through them. Alough now to save postage I try to give my finished items to the local hospital and animal sanctuaries.
(Ad mental note I must get some bits made before I go on holiday to kondo onto Mavvy or the sanctuary and group she supports)

Spent the day quilting, once this quilt is finished all the binders, magazines and the shapes will be kondoed to the CS. I may keep one eat of the prepared templates but I'll store the instructions in my head where they take up less space.

musogirl295

charis I read the 2nd boom within a week of finishing the 1st whilst I was at the Peak of motivation! I thought it was so lot more "normal folk" friendly!

DD1S is no fully kondoed! The only stuff of hers that is on the lower 2 floors is a plastic drawer set for her art stuff. Everything else has been removed nearly in her bedroom. I'm hoping that it will be easy for her tidy up now because a) she knows it goes in her room and b) she did it with me so there's no excuse for her not knowing where something lives. This may be a pipe dream....

Took another bag to champagne today with excess kids pictures and random items like grown out of hats and scarves.

Even the kitchen diner is starting to look half reasonable now after being the temporary holding area for things whilst kondoing.

Going to do cleaning stuff tomorrow which should be a nice quick one I can do with the baby around.

ScotinLondon

Floss wrote: »

Procastinator do you have space for a step or maybe a folding step-stool?

Procastinator - I agree with Floss - do you have room for a small step ladder or one of those fold-up stools? I am under 5ft and I rely on those all over the house! lifesavers...


Am loving all the Georgian garden wall talk...Thank you all...


Hope that all had a good day, even if not productive.

wort

It's gone! It's gone!
On Friday I could wait no longer the wardrobe I emptied has been unused 2 weeks, so I got fed up waiting for oh to help shift it,so I took it to pieces, and rearranged the bedroom. It looks soo much bigger.

I'm back at work weds and have had a week off , the house is so much easier to keep clean and tidy now.
Re wellies I never liked them too cold for my cold feet. I have an old suede pair that get muddy and I don't mind! Would love to join in the secret garden though.
I often wander in mine wishing we didn't need to weed!! Some of my mistake buys have been for that fantasy garden ,balls of twine in cream tins with hole in top anyone?
My large casserole dish is used for baking as I use it instead of a mixing bowl as well as stews!

GreyQueen

Taking a breather from moving stuff around to accomodate the sparkies who are due tomorrow. Can't do more than contain small floating items as the place is so small that we'll have to hoik out the furniture and reveal the sockets one at a time for replacement.

I will be up bright and early tomorrow to put some last bits away and then it'll be several hours of mayhem with the power off (no MSE, wah!) before what passes for normality around here is restored.

Never mind, things like this are an excellent preparation for moving. I have no plans to move, btw, but the last two moves were done with only 3 days' notice due to matters beyond my control, so it's best to be ready to roll.

ScotinLondon

dragonette wrote: »

Oh goodness, I've had a revelation about how eccentric my housekeeping habits are. Hygiene wins out on chopping boards and toilet cleaning (and taps), frugal OS reusable cloths and vinegar with lemon juice for the rest. Also, I keep my hand held vacuum in the small wardrobe in my room - as that is the room I'm most likely to use it in. I realise that it's daft for me to feel like I have to justify the cleaning methods I want used in my home when I am paying (and at a fairly generous rate), but it feels like I'm being really awkward which isn't the case at all.

Dragonette - you are not being awkward at all - your standards are just higher than theirs. Besides, its your home, so its your way or the high way, as OH says.

PollyWollyDoodle

I would have offered some cake forks for the afternoon tea, but I got rid of those a long while back! I'll come and prune the roses though with one of my four pairs of secateurs... why am I keeping the two old blunt pairs when I have my lovely Felco ones and a very good second pair!

I can't wear wellies at all. My legs are too fat :embarasse

Siebrie

Still not well, but well enough to try work again tomorrow, called in sick today. I am only kondoing smelly wind at the moment, brrrrr.

DH had some excellent news: he managed to secure part of a sea container for €160 to get all our excess stuff to his African country and close to his relatives. The container will leave someday in March. Hurray! Finally the fridge from the garage, and the electronics and clothes from the attic can go. So, next few weeks: check with dds which items I have stored for them will they never ever wear?

dragonette

Thanks ScotinLindon, I don't think my standards are higher, just v fussy as I react to most commercial cleaners, esp those with artificial fragrances.

GQ good luck for tomorrow, I'm sure the sparkies will find your flat easier than some of your neighbours'!

wort yay for the reorganisation Hope it is proving to be joyful.

I think I abandoned my only survivng wellies when I left work, well it was a zero hours contract and the wellies were only for work as steel toe cap. If theres anything colder than wet wellies, its wet wellies with metal in them!! They are welcome to them. Never went back to pick up my things, largely because I didn't have the health to do so but also it allowed me to feel more of a clean break. I am never going back into that line of work again! Possibly something related, but not that.

All these bright clothes sound wonderful I could never feel comfortable wearing them, but the thought of lots of joyful brightness makes me smile.

I haven't actually read either of MK's books, and only recently did my underwear drawer. Very much out of the suggested sequence as long as it all gets done I'm happy

ETA: extra cleaning/cooking session booked for tomorrow now, one of my friend's is down to no rent for next month, no food and travel pass is almost expired. Overpaying and paying part in advance will hopefully help, even if its just the kick that can further down the road atm