KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

LizzieR

Decided it was time for a bit of a blitz on the kondoing as things have slowed again recently. I've arranged for my Dad to come round and fill the car up with stuff for the charity shop later today - somehow I can decide to ditch stuff and load it into the car but actually making the trip to the charity shop is beyond me! I suspect it's partly because I'm worried that if I drop stuff off myself I'll have a sneaky peak around the shop and end up coming home with other random stuff that I don't need! I have quite a small car too, so would have to make more trips hence increasing the temptation...

Anyway, lots of stuff is in the garage awaiting departure, but I think I've reached decision making saturation now, so thought I'd pop on here for some inspiration. I've been going through boxes of stuff from when I moved about 4 years ago - you'd think it would be easy as these things haven't seen the light of day for so long, but I keep finding things I love. I'm definitely not properly following the KM method at the moment as I'm not working through categories as such. The aim is to get rid of the easy stuff and reduce the sheer volume so I can then start getting things together and really assess them in the suggested categories.

Been through loads of bedding today, and discovered I seem to have an obsession with the stuff! How many quilt covers, brushed cotton sheets etc does 1 person need - I only have one bed! I think I now have 5 sets left..... A couple of them which are on regular rotation are getting pretty shabby though, so I'm thinking of losing them soon. Had a real dilemma over one set which I bought years ago and used until it had holes in it - nonetheless I had kept it as I loved the pattern and kind of intended to use some of the fabric in a patchwork or to make cushions. I should mention I don't do patchwork and probably have more cushions than a soft-furnishing shop! Anyway, I gave myself a good talking to about what craft projects I will actually do in the next few years and the set has gone in the rag bag - it will leave here shortly so I can't change my mind!

One thing that really gave me pause for thought yesterday as I was going through a box was finding a set of wine glasses that I bought with some money given to me as a graduation present some 20 odd years ago. These glasses are really lovely and it makes me a little sad to let them go - I changed my mind about 3 times whilst looking through other boxes! However, I realised I have nowhere to store them, so they'd likely have stayed boxed up, and given that I don't drink alcohol or fruit juice and am basically anti-social so don't have anyone round to visit who might use them, there is no sensible reason to keep them. Do they spark joy - yes, they do, but along with that is perhaps just a tinge of sadness over what might have been had I made different choices when I finished Uni. So, instead of being saved for Justin or encouraging me to rethink decisions made many years ago (with the benefit of hindsight) they are off to have a new life with someone for whom they will spark joy and hopefully enjoy a more sociable existence than I would ever give them :-)

Also on here looking for a bit of advice. I still have more clothes than I need, even having reduced them by about a third already. Many of them don't really spark joy, but as I've previously mentioned I've lost about 4 stone in the past year, and still have plenty to lose. I've been pretty good at ditching stuff that's become too big so as to avoid the temptation of gaining weight again and still having clothes that fit. The problem is all the stuff that now fits or is a little too small still - to be even more specific it's the more summery clothes that are the issue - I'm hoping that I may be able to drop another couple of stone by the summer so some of these things may then be too big, making it an easy decision to let them go, but I'm not there yet. I keep finding myself standing staring at the clothes in the wardrobe wanting to get rid of some but somehow unable to make any decisions about them. Taking them out and trying them on doesn't really seem to help either. Any suggestions? Should I perhaps just leave clothes for now and focus on other things, letting the clothes go as and when they (hopefully) become too big for me?

Apologies for the essay!!

[Deleted User]

I am inspired by the last posts about bedding and realise that I have almost new bedding in a box on the landing and stored under my bed. Why on earth am I hanging onto it? They, two single sets of throws, cushions and pillow shams. brand new just a couple of years ago and matched my then curtains, I only used it to decorate the two single beds a couple of times. V&A and looks a little old fashioned, the main thing is that I have a conflict within me. Almost brand new, cost quite a lot of money v (versus) does not give me joy, my children would not want them and someone may well be able to use them as well as the hospice shop earning money. Ok now being realistic, they would just languish in that box for ever and a day and someone might actually use them to stay warm

Packing them into big black bags later and off they go tomorrow, to the hospice shop

Might even do the same with white 600 count bed linen in the future but got to sleep on that, its something I need to work out

Igamogam

As I was passing the CS today I dropped in a bag of books........silly of me not to About a dozen mainly technical work type books and a couple of reference. University town so they tend to sell I did come out with a PB which will be read and returned and a couple of 70% off craft items which my DDs will like in their Christmas stocking 2017 !

Siebrie

I semi-unintentionally helped my sil kondo In the ten years that I know her there has always been a large glass display cabinet in her living room, well lit, with a dozen of every possible alcohol containers on show: white wine glasses, red wine, whiskey, brandy, etc. Lovely crystal cut, but in all those years I have seen her neither drink nor serve anything alcoholic. Before-last time we visited, I started a chat about wine, and which ones she liked. She did answer, but I am not sure whether that was truthfully . Anyway, last time we visited, the cabinet and contents were gone! There is breathing space in that living room!

[Deleted User]

I have packed the sets, stuffed them as hard as I could into an overflowing large shopping trolley, I would never have managed two heavy bin bags. Put my gift aid number in there. I think they may well get sent to a bigger branch where they will fetch a higher price. I`ll only feel good about it though, when I arrive home tomorrow, when they have really gone. I find it terribly hard to think I have spent so much money and for what? oh well, what goes around comes around

greenbee

Lizzie - pack up the summer clothes and leave them all till summer. Now is NOT the time to be deciding on your summer wardrobe.

Filthy weather here, but finally managed to do a CS drop off. Very little to go this time and the last, but it feels better not to have it hanging around in the garage.

Floss

Kittie I hope you said thank you to the bedding as you squished it into the trolley!

elona

I emptied the fridge , cleaned it with anti bac and then threw out anything I knew would not be used, then re filled it. Managed to hang out a load of washing and sort through the linen cupboard.

Soup is cooking in the soup maker and a meat delivery arrives on Tuesday which is low fat.

It looks as if the bridge is now open :j:j:j:j:j so I will have a look round the supermarket at the other end of town tomorrow and get a big joint of meat and lots of veg for Sunday lunch as family are coming round.

Trying to find the fine line between having enough items so I do not have to use the washing machine every day and not so many that I cannot find stuff.

camelot1001

3 beds in this house, 2 sets of bedding for each and that's it! One of the quilt covers I really like had gone a bit tatty so bought a new one and put the old one straight out to the CS. I'm really proud of myself.

Well done on the weight loss Lizzie, why not leave the clothes for a couple of months?

I have just about packed my case for a weekend with DS in The Netherlands, a large pile of 'stuff' has now been removed from the bedroom floor.

maddiemay

One and a half carrier bags filled with odds and ends collected from around he house as I cleaned /tidied up and dropped off to small independent CS in nearby town. Several grocery items taken out of store cupboard in kitchen, will check for more (all in date) and dropped into food bank early next week. Digestive problems mean that I am "off" beans and pulses for the time being and it will be better if hey can be put to good use in the meantime. Still have paperwork mountain to tackle, but I like to do this when on my own, as I can spread things around, the weather has meant that DH has been having too much cycling downtime:(