KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

maryb

A tip to get skirt hems even. Use a rubber band to fix a wooden metre stick to the side of a sturdy heavy jar sticking upwards, then turn around in front of a mirror and make sure the hem hits the stick at the same level all the way round. I have a sway back so my skirt hems dip at the front if I just make them level from the existing hem

A_Frayed_Knot

maddiemay wrote: »

Positive vibes on the way, but if you don't mind too much I have kept hold of some - a much loved younger family member should be 5 hours into 6 hour + major surgery at the moment.

Positive vibes sent right back to you and your younger family member.

A_Frayed_Knot

kittie wrote: »

I am with you `a frayed knot`

Back home and this is stage one over. Did a lot in a short time and already everything in one small wardrobe fits me and is nice to wear. Bed and floor are also emptied and all empy hangers put away, floor is vacuumed. This afternoon, I am quietly going to start shortening and should manage two skirts, being sensible, I am starting with two winter weight ones. Tailors chalk and a ruler, then hopefully a quick overlock and a one or two line narrow hem. Another day to kondo tops and then the dreaded coats and jackets

Btw I blame `justlastseason` as they have had stupendous sales and all their eastex skirts fit me perfectly

maddiemay, you too, hugs

Wow you are a fast worker I should stop "thinking" about it and get up and "do" it.

PollyWollyDoodle

Bit late to the party but GoingToDoIt thank you so much for your post - that's exactly what I'm aiming for, and every so often I get a flash of it. It's easy to forget how I used to live but a domestic disaster had me giving all the downstairs floors a really thorough clean and it was so quick, a job that would have taken me hours in the days when I had boxes and bags of stuff lurking everywhere.

Kittie, I'm laughing in sympathy with you about the skirts. If someone had asked you, I bet you'd have said you had 10 or 12! We've all been there.

You are so right about a 'transit' area. I put stuff on the stairs if it's destined for the office/bedroom and take it up when I go, that works quite well because it annoys me enough to keep it moving; but I still have a bad habit of putting stuff down on flat surfaces and losing sight of it.

hebwood

Kittie - I laughed as well! You are doing brilliantly, well done.


GoingToDoIt - As lots of people are saying, thank you for that post - what I aspire to.


I am plodding on, the pile of paper being worked on is now all in sections/date order, put away but accessible. Maybe a candidate for the loft later on.


Photos are slowly being gone through, first pass, the rubbish/no longer around/unwanted memories/etc., etc. Second pass will be putting into date order/category. Hopefully a lot more will go but must confess to having difficulty with family shots, must cull them down to the best!


Out into the garden weather permitting, weeds/dead shoots/tidying etc. Potted up some summer bulbs, some more to do. Planning a visit to a garden centre later this week for one or more large pots, plus a few colourful flowering plants to brighten up a table top basket, which will be planted out into the garden when finished flowering.


Few more items going out, very pleased with a large cushion that did spark joy but no longer does.


Onwards.


H

Frogletina

Frogletina wrote: »

I have in the main been filing paperwork as soon as I receive it, or have dealt with it, but the items that need to be dealt with is growing. I think that amount is a worry, but if I concentrated on one a day on my 'to do' list they should get done before too long.

frogletina

Update on my to-do list

31 items of paperwork dealt with and thrown away and 34 dealt with and filed. Glad I didn't decide to stick to one a day.

These included copying a poem onto facebook, adding a phone number to my diary (already asked for it twice) and putting a discount voucher into my handbag (it expires tomorrow).

18 items still to deal with - I keep leaving the more complicated ones, but will try again tomorrow.

Includes one appointment to make (but none available online at the moment), notes I wrote when I was at the lowest point in my failed relationship 15 years ago! - I want to re-read and decide whether to dispose of them (maybe a set of poems from them would put the ghosts to rest), and two warranties to be set up online - for some reason I hate doing this type of thing (much preferred it when you sent a card away).

So, as you can see, a very mixed bag of items indeed.

frogletina

oldtractor

its good to be able to just fetch things without searching once the tidying and chucking has been done.

[Deleted User]

a super excellent tip Maryb and pollywolly yes I honestly thought I had about 10 skirts

I have taken four skirts up this afternoon, only three inches or so each but they now feel nice on, three were tricky but all now look professional. Its been a fab day, you could say eye opening :rotfl: and best of all, my bedroom is nice and tidy, so going to bed with a book tonight will be joyful and tomorrow will be more satisfying sewing, something to look forward to

I feel so incredibly positive about life, it is what we are doing, making our lives positive the paperwork, the photos, the clothes, crafts, kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms. You lot are infectious

GreyQueen

Oh kittie, grinning at the thought of your 35 skirts, that's one-a-day for five weeks without needing to repeat yourself - respect!

Impressed at you having shortened four in one day, tho, very good going.

Hugs to maddiemay's young relative and good vibes to A Frayed Knot.

Been to work and home again, nothing kondo'd per se, other than the recycling, some more scratch paper and another stubby pencil used up beyond the point where it'll fit with my big hands.

There are actually gaps appearing in the shelf of to-be-read books. I keep looking at them with a sense of wonderment. It's even better than it appears at a glance because I have acquired two new books since counting them last time and one is already read and in the Out Pile.

I had a thought about how to manage the volume of Stuff in my micro-flat; don't automatically replace something which is used up or worn out.

As in, if something is finished, rather than reflexively heading to the shops to replace it, to take a time-out and consider if I really want this particular kind of thing around again. By giving myself a small breathing space, rather than acting on autopilot, I believe I can identify what is actually a need or a want from merely habit.

MMF007

my new hobby, painting, has introduced some more items into my multi purpose room! I have kept it to a minimum atm, not wanting to buy loads of stuff incase this is a flash in the pan. I have baggsed a lovely narrow 'shoe box' DH got some sandals in (in the sale!) and this holds my paints and brushes. My canvass pad, sketch pad and a few other necessities reside happily in a strudy 'bucket style' bag which carries everything to class. I therefore feel that i am still in control despite the new additions

I have just painted a stylised flower for my mum as a Mother's day card. I wonder if she will stick it on the fridge :rotfl::rotfl: ? I love the colours and the painting has turned out how I wanted, but tbh it is a fairly simple design

Tomorrow i shall kondo some HM soup to elderly neighbour and lemon marmalade to a friend but no time for serious kondo. I am now weeding texts and emails every couple of days and have always dealt with incoming post asap.
I have finally thought of how I can release a mahoosive panettone we were given at xmas (does anyone actually eat it in the UK or is it like the dreaded boxes of meltis fruits that your gran kept re-gifting?). Anyway, I shall give it to my brother His family may well enjoy it, but if not they can re-gift it, can't they?!!

Thoughts and soothing vibes to the post-operative youngster and Frayed Knot.
M