KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

loocyloo

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

I've decided that the best gift I can give my friend's lovely baby is not to burden him with possessions. I'm not going to give anything this year. In future years, when he's old enough to understand, he'll be getting vouchers for treats, days out, trips to the park etc to be redeemed throughout the year. She's fine with that, and I'm relieved. Maybe it's time to start educating a new generation.

Could you still give the baby a 'voucher' for a long walk to the park, or an afternoon with PollyWollyDoodle, so that perhaps mummy can have a rest or time to herself?


I'm pretty much giving EVERYONE Oxfam unwrapped gifts this year, unless I have had a specific request.
but educating everyone else that I don't want 'STUFF' is an ongoing struggle!

GreyQueen

I was asked by Mum last night what I wanted for Xmas.

I suggested nothing, but that isn't apparently on the cards. I then suggested a trailer-load of manure for my allotment, which I can have if I organise it myself and they will give me the money for it.

Will have to scour the lotties for someone who has still got our friendly neighbourhood farmer's number, as I had it on a phone which died, and see if I can organise a delivery.

I'm getting my people consumables, books (semi-consumables, they always come with an instruction to pass them on when read, if they want to) and clothing. Most of which is already bought and some of which is even wrapped up.

Love the idea of giving the baby's mother a present of some time to herself by looking after the LO.

milasavesmoney

The workroom is continuing to be tackled and one whole side is now neat and decluttered. Lots of things will go to the thrift center, some things now in the trash and the rest is neatly organized. My DH came in beaming.

There is just the back wall now as the other side has the freezers and water heater.
We have two upright freezers, both the size of a large refrigerator. They were so useful and necessary when raising our six, but as the youngest is now thirty and there are only three of us living here, I think it's time for one of them to go. That will take time because it's 3/4 full. My plan is to use up the food until it's empty and then give it to my DD1. She recently mentioned she was beginning to consider getting a freezer.

mavvymoo

Morning everyone

Laughing at the runaway linen :rotfl:How funny lets hope they both turn up soon.

Christmas gifts !!!!!!!! I do not want any and always say 'Nothing' thank you and get nothing normally which is all good.

But I am thinking as Polly said I also keep Chickens and have had in the past egg cups,mugs. trays, and other carp like that.I made it very very clear I had enough chicken 'stuff' to last a lifetime and people have stopped buying it.

But now I have the Cats :eek::eek:is it all going to start all over again ? I so hope not.


I also hate the gift sets maybe there is 5 items in there one of which you like I just give any I get to raffles etc

This year once again I am not buying anything for anybody (which always goes down well with certain people ) :rotfl:But as I have now said for the last couple of years they will get over it.

I sound so bah humbug and thats because I am :rotfl:I will be spending time with people I want to spend time with or doing something I want to do rather than buying 'giftsets' in hot crowded overpriced shops.


Merry Christmas

Mav x

PollyWollyDoodle

Absolutely - I make my own 'gift sets' sometimes, but buying them just means you're paying for fancy plastic packaging. I'm not brave enough to do 'no gifts at all' but we do lists in my family, so you know you're getting stuff that somebody wants. I struggled to come up with a list this year.

Baby's mama still has a book of 'vouchers' from the baby shower that haven't been cashed in yet. They included a cleaning session, a cake made to order and several babysitting opportunities. I definitely think that this is the way forward - I can offer decorating, cleaning, gardening and baking skills and this usually means spending time with the person too, a win-win situation!

Karmacat

GQ, I love your friend's antique-ish shop as much as I love your mum's loft more please.

Christmas presents - hmm, well, with the ongoing health emergency, none have been bought, and I don't think any *will* be bought, to be honest, unless its via a quick runaround on Amazon.

But the default has already gone to consumables, ages ago - I bought my sister some organic, cold pressed coconut oil, for instance for her birthday recently, she was thrilled For incoming gifts, I'm having a few problems - I got 3 books last year, all thoughtful, all things I'd have picked, but ... no more!

camelot1001

I've just bought a work colleague an ironing voucher to welcome her little one, she likes to have everything ironed but doesn't have the time at the moment.

Clearing the kitchen and there is quite a boxful of 'stuff' for the CS. DS2 had something delivered from Amazon, I opened the box, put a couple of things in for them, re-sealed it, wrapped it in brown paper and it has now gone off in the post - only stayed in the house for 12 hours. Mind you, it cost me £17.95!

elona

GQ

Are you quite sure these bottles are not "collectable".

It might be worth a punt on bay of e. It is amazing what old tat - er - treasures can sell.

It could be just the thing to add "ambiance" to a vintage shop, cafe etc or a museum display of real life in the sixties etc.

My very large bedroom looks as if I am one of those people on telly with a hoarding problem. ;)Some presents still to be wrapped, a duvet, pillows and bedding for the day bed upstairs and litter bin to be emptied etc.

Clothes airer has now been emptied, litter bin emptied, clothes put in washing machine and I will make up the day bed this afternoon so the bedroom should look a lot better by tonight.

I roll my tea towels now and put them in a kitchen drawer. Had to laugh when youngest was over and asked where the tea towels were- I told her - she looked at the drawer in amazement and eventually said "Oh, they take up less room this way- so that is why you do it- I thought you were just odd!"

silvasava

I roll my teatowels too and as they are washed the clean one goes to the back so they are used in rotation. Same for the kitchen and downstairs loo towels.
DH out at the moment so I've bought and squirreled away his Christmas Card. Like many on here I dont want or need anything for Christmas. DH will probably think of something for his trike that he wants (usually bright and shiny!) Just sent a get well card to a relly, will need to re-think the amount of cards I post this year - if they're reasonably local I shall hand deliver lol. I can kondo time on occasions but not money!

GreyQueen

We checked, elona, some things are just old tatt (pal is a dealer, remember?) and there is no demand. Besides, they have been in a damp cellar for 40+ years and the foil tops have disintegrated and the labels are peeling off and they look vile.

Four down, 33 left to go............. :rotfl:

And there's apparently FISH in the cellar. This isn't a typo or an autocorrect gone wild. Some fish was brought by a fisherman friend for the pal and stashed in the cooth of the cellar until close of business that day, when he intended to take it home.

Only it didn't get taken home. I recoiled with horror - even I have my breaking point - and said I'm not going back down there until he's sorted it out. The things folk do, hey?

Am taking a quick lunch break between coming in from his shop and running up to my lottie for a couple of hours.