KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

oceanspirit

One t-shirt in CS box over the weekend.

Was feeling smug that bathroom cabinet didn't need Kondoing as there's nothing in there that shouldn't be, however a similar cabinet in bedroom was always stuffed full and when opened things fall out. For some reason it never occurred to me to Kondo it .

Opened it this morning to get some pills out when another landslide took place so took everything off bottom shelf only to find several things have died in storage, plus there are two posh body lotions which can go to a friend and two bottles of shampoo can be used by OH. Found some ancient paracetamol on top shelf which will be taken to pharmacy for proper disposal when next go.

A bar of soap from the dressing table is now on the soap dish in the bathroom to be used and a second bar from the dressing table is in the cupboard where it should have been all along.

Accidental Kondoing - it's great!

Redlady.....

Karmacat wrote: »

GQ, you and SG really are stars. I was reading this article this morning, about the way neighbours can really bring an area back from the brink (Birkenhead was the next-door-town for me when I was growing up): https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/30/life-after-community-death-food-bank-lesson-labour I think that, or things like it, happen much more than we realise.

That is so inspiring, well done ladies, thanks Karmacat.

Igamogam

GreyQueen wrote: »

I'm a practical sort of environmentally-aware person. Sometimes, you have to be.

I would do exactly the same:o At the end of the summer term I spent a week doing daily visits to my previous place of work which was moving to a brand new build - what they were told to throw by a cash strapped council was criminal - my ex colleagues obviously knew me well and just told me to fill the boot with whatever I wanted. So me and my current colleagues went every day and filled our cars - think we emptied 6 skips - all going to landfill:eek: Everything usable and very expensive to buy:eek:

Karmacat wrote: »

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/30/life-after-community-death-food-bank-lesson-labour I think that, or things like it, happen much more than we realise.

Interesting article Karmacat. I read it and was reminded , yet again, how fortunate we are to live where we do. However in what might be seen as rural isolated splendour we too have our social and community issues:(

In the next village we have a Pay as You Feel Cafe - they take food from local food outlets and supermarkets and make fab meals 5 days week - we have been a few times. Its open to everyone and anyone and is always busy!

Sometimes you just have to 'crack on' and do it yourself - me I am on a one person campaign to pick up the litter around the village - if everyone just did the bit in front of their house drive or whatever the place would be litter free.........I have a litter picker and bags and a high viz bib if I think I need it, in car all the time now. I am waiting for some one to stop me and ask what I am doing............boy will I tell them! I started when I saw a group of people from another village, out on the grass verges picking up litter and I realised that always on the approaches to this village it was always immaculately tidy and devoid of rubbish - beyond their village boundary was a mess and waiting for the council to come along 3 times a year and clear it.......with cuts I doubt now that they do it all:o The rubbish is not the councils fault BTW - its ours!! Oh I could go on but I wont. Dont get me started on recycling...we have added a new R in the recycling mantra Reduce Reuse Recycle and REFUSE - refuse the extra packaging - since when do bananas need to be in a plastic bag:mad: Just one last thing - if anyone lives near the coast look up 2minutebeachclean . Its something I do on a regular basis. Can be done in inland areas too;)

luxor4t

I'm looking forward to GQ's "adventures of SG" stories ..... http://static.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/biggrin.gif

Took something back to a shop this morning and stopped in M&S for a drink. Standing in the queue I was given a voucher for a free hot drink by another customer. How kind!

Then, I got chatting to the lady at the next table who saw my stick and told me to replace the wrist strap. She was quite right to do so, I keep dropping it at exciting moments! The wrist strap cost was almost the amount I saved with the coffee voucher, and went to a small trader rather than a chain.

She also suggested I get some holographic wide silver tape for the stick as it acts as a reflector at night, so I must sort that out too.

Off to use up some more of my fabric stash now!

Charly27

Igamogam wrote: »

I would do exactly the same:o At the end of the summer term I spent a week doing daily visits to my previous place of work which was moving to a brand new build - what they were told to throw by a cash strapped council was criminal - my ex colleagues obviously knew me well and just told me to fill the boot with whatever I wanted. So me and my current colleagues went every day and filled our cars - think we emptied 6 skips - all going to landfill:eek: Everything usable and very expensive to buy:eek:



Interesting article Karmacat. I read it and was reminded , yet again, how fortunate we are to live where we do. However in what might be seen as rural isolated splendour we too have our social and community issues:(

In the next village we have a Pay as You Feel Cafe - they take food from local food outlets and supermarkets and make fab meals 5 days week - we have been a few times. Its open to everyone and anyone and is always busy!

Sometimes you just have to 'crack on' and do it yourself - me I am on a one person campaign to pick up the litter around the village - if everyone just did the bit in front of their house drive or whatever the place would be litter free.........I have a litter picker and bags and a high viz bib if I think I need it, in car all the time now. I am waiting for some one to stop me and ask what I am doing............boy will I tell them! I started when I saw a group of people from another village, out on the grass verges picking up litter and I realised that always on the approaches to this village it was always immaculately tidy and devoid of rubbish - beyond their village boundary was a mess and waiting for the council to come along 3 times a year and clear it.......with cuts I doubt now that they do it all:o The rubbish is not the councils fault BTW - its ours!! Oh I could go on but I wont. Dont get me started on recycling...we have added a new R in the recycling mantra Reduce Reuse Recycle and REFUSE - refuse the extra packaging - since when do bananas need to be in a plastic bag:mad: Just one last thing - if anyone lives near the coast look up 2minutebeachclean . Its something I do on a regular basis. Can be done in inland areas too;)

Hello all and hugs to all who need them. Feeling very grateful not to be as physically challenged as some of you lovely Kondoers.

I feel inspired and glad it's not just me! I am on a mini litter picking campaign on our estate and particularly in the park which everyone has to walk or drive past to get to their homes. At the beginning of the summer hols I thought one old man was going to tell me off but he actually thanked me and said I'd made his day; if everyone was like you, if we all picked up one piece of rubbish etc etc. I didn't understand why I felt so strongly about making sure that things didn't build up until my daughter told me there is an actual theory for this called 'broken window syndrome'. Go GQ, SG, Igamogam:T and all of us, 1 thing at a time.
Karmacat thanks for posting this, sad to hear as this is where I was born only a little more than half a century ago. I still have family in Wallasey. Be the change you want to see in action. If we waited for someone else to do it it just wouldn't happen. Wonder if they'll be 'honoured'?

Well yesterday we fnally Kondoed the drive (well no the drive is still there) but the glass shower door, metal, plastics and textiles all went to recycling. At the end of the day I did the dog stuff in the cupboard under the sink in the 'utility' room {the smallest in the World so no room for clutter}. I ended up taking a bottle of dog beer, some wash and go shampoo for doggies, 2 dog whistles, 4 tuggy ropes (washed first) and one of those clickers to the CS this morning with the horrible grey plastic 2 tier stacking thing and a top with them. I started KMing the decking too and found 2 of the plastic plant trays left on the south facing decking for 5 weeks haven't fared well at all so they will be making a trip to rigid plastics.Someone posted a while ago about these; will I never learn!:eek: My first official day back at work is Thursday. There is a skip apparently so I'll have to keep my eyes peeled; not that I want to keep it but I like to know it won't go to landfill. I realised I have Kondoed every school classroom I have ever worked in. Hopefully if I keep asking 'does it spark joy?' colleagues will be able to 'let it go'

Charly27

Also Kondoed pounds of raspberries at the allotment as well as 3 cardboard boxes for the bottom of some raised beds. Apparently if you put a layer of thick cardboard over the grass it will kill the grass and also compost down. Worth a try methinks as I think I took my black plastic off too soon, blinking weeds. So no time to plant me garlic as I was on a meter today! Did KM the grass though.:)

Floss

Charly27 wrote: »

Also Kondoed pounds of raspberries at the allotment as well as 3 cardboard boxes for the bottom of some raised beds. Apparently if you put a layer of thick cardboard over the grass it will kill the grass and also compost down. Worth a try methinks as I think I took my black plastic off too soon, blinking weeds. So no time to plant me garlic as I was on a meter today! Did KM the grass though.:)

If you can get some manure to put over the cardboard in a good layer, your beds will be even better next year

greenbee

Igamogam - where my parents live there is a village litter-pick every 2 months. The parish council supplies hi-viz jackets, grabbers, bin bags etc. Everyone is advised to wear gloves. Most of the village join in (you are assigned a specific area to clear) and most of them pick up litter as they go now. The perennial problem is bagged dog poo. why do people put it in bags if they're not going to take it home? It won't biodegrade (particularly not if they hang it on a tree).

Igamogam

greenbee wrote: »

The perennial problem is bagged dog poo. why do people put it in bags if they're not going to take it home? It won't biodegrade (particularly not if they hang it on a tree).

I dont get it....really dont get it!

Charly27 schools are the most wasteful, no wait, second to the NHS, most wasteful institution I have experience of. I know a good few who fly their Eco School flag very high but their recycle bins would be classed as 'contaminated' and all go to landfill. What they throw out and could be passed on is shameful..........:eek: Its ironic as every child in a wasteful school could quote you chapter and verse the principles of recycling but somehow it gets lost in translation in terms of acting upon both within and beyond the school gate. Of course we wouldnt have to recycle so much if we didnt bring it inot our homes in the first place.

Sorry must really kondo my soap box...........:D

Cant settle to one job today and got lots of little ones on the go....GRRR!

mrs-moneypenny

Well done to everyone for their communal kondoing activities.

I persuaded Dh to kondo a whole shelf from the attic yesterday, the new ladder is much more solid than the old one but hire so I convinced Dh that if he took down part of the scalextix shelf for track he run around the eaves it would be easier to get on and off the ladder through the side, the track hasn't been used up their for years and it turned into a two their dumping ground for light or fragile things. My goal is to have it all taken down so the attic is just home to minimal things like suitcases Christmas & hallween stuff and maybe the bare minimum of sentimental stuff.

This morning I washed all the ornaments from off the cupboards in prep for the decorating, as I was wrapping and boxing them I made a mental note that about 40% will be thanked and go to the CS after we've decorated.
I'm currently washing down and sanding paintwork ready for glossing.

Be joyful all.