KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

GreyQueen

luxor4t wrote: »

I thought I had kondo'd the giant 1950's solid wood double wardrobe to somebody who had just moved and needed lots of storage....sadly, it is too big for them.
I fear we will have to take it to bits and offer the wood on freecycle as it is so large won't fit in most houses and there isn't much call for unremarkable brown furniture.

Unfortunately, this is what I hear from pals in the trade; you can't even give a lot of this stuff away, it's oversized for many people's homes and, unless it's a lovely antique, the bigger bits won't sell at all.

I was astonished to see a superb Georgian mahogany chest-on-chest struggling to find a buyer at £600. Then I thought about it; taller than my own nearly 6 ft, wouldn't fit thru the front door of most homes like my 1970s building, wouldn't go through internal doorway; there are a severely-limited amount of places which could take in such a big piece. It was probably about the same size as a smart car.

Small furniture positively flies out of the dealers' rooms, tho.

Am just up and tea-ing up and then breakfasting and up to face the day. Which will include a dump run at some point; I have some very pernicious and uncompostable weeds on my plot so they go in the green waste section of the tip. I have decided to keep dock roots (the dippy woman down wind of me has let plenty set seed over the years so they germinate freely on my plot). Keeping them and drying them out on the glass window cold-frame lid and then they'll go in the burn bag. Read somewhere they bring up minerals from the subsoil so am going to try to reclaim them via bonfire ash.

[Deleted User]

Its a shame about big solid furniture but they just don`t fit in most houses these days. We had a very expensive ercol dresser bought about 20 years ago, we were so proud that at last we could afford a good piece of furniture. Dark brown, big round table and chairs too. Cost lots of our savings but it was a kind of rebellion against all the retro second hand stuff we had for 25 years. We managed to give the table and chairs away and then had to pay £50 to have the dresser taken away. Learnt a lesson from that and any furniture bought since has been light colour modular, which would fit in any home.

I got a second wind last evening and managed to stay up until 10, cleaned my sewing machine and sorted some sewing bits. Found 5 bottles of machine oil and umpteen boxes of pins, all current pins are out and am starting afresh with new pins. Was satisfying, not bulky stuff but did find my long lost darning mushroom and I feel that I made the most of the day

Today am going to do a stage two in there but a gentle clear as most is good, might only clear by sewing

Floss

We're lucky in that we live in a 1930's double-bay terraced home with generously proportioned rooms, so my parents' 1950's ladies & gents wardrobes & triple-mirror dressing table look fab. I understand the dark oak Ercol situation though, from when my in-laws' dormer bungalow home was cleared last year. One dresser, one sideboard, one 8-seated table & chairs, 3 large wardrobes...all taken by house clearance

Igamogam

Wish I had time at the moment to keep up with this thread - you all have such interesting things to say ! Kondoing is slow and steady here,in that I do a bit little and often and am keeping on top of stuff that tends to build up - paperwork especially - now so much easier that the bulk has gone - such freedom. I have NCT sale coming up in a few weeks so a large amount of stuff going to that - my DDS are grown up now so I ma selling all the stuff I use to keep for work and things that I have bought in the past and used for work - dont need them anymore as fed up of subsidising and storing the stuff! So I am happy to get some cash back and help a good cause.

OH is making V E R Y S L O W inroads into his clutter - he is not really getting the idea and there is no telling him.............

tibawo

Glad to see everyone's posts, even if you've not posted and are just lurking I hope you are chipping away too! We've had a busy week so i am just about keeping on top of the chores so little done here.


The furniture tales are interesting as i know when I have rented in the past that these pieces are sometimes left in the property and the landlord thinks they are doing you a favour by leaving them. If they suited the house then i think it enhance the image but we are talking small dark or box rooms and do nothing to make you want to rent the place.


I am also on the count down of nine more days until i am back in control of my budget. Not that all the debts will be cleared but there has been that many events, bills and emergency buying that i never thought it would end. My store cupboard has three tins left it has been that bad. It also means i can get some paint to freshen some of the walls which i am hoping lifts the mood!

silvasava

Went down to the boat yesterday with DS1 and kondoed a few more jobs before lift in. She's starting to look spruce now. I was musing and realised everything on board has to be essential or useful. It also needs to be stowed so it can be retrieved immediately when needed. Bit like Kondo really - now just need to get the house in the same state
I haven't got a Lottie as we've a large garden. Some of the things I do battle with are Aquilegia (from neighbour 40 years ago!) Wild violets - my mistake.
With you all on the large furniture - my friend wants my big dresser and console table but has no room for the dining table and chairs so they will be going to the local hospice shop.
Grey drizzly day here so will make my to do list for next week as we've a lot on and go from there.

greenbee

silvasava - I will happily have your aquilegia if you want to send them up here And violets.

I'm currently starting the long slog of rescuing my garden from the building site. Although downstairs hasn't actually be started yet...

LizzieR

kittie wrote: »

Haha Lizzie. Its the big in your post that would have me taking them to the cs, hems are one thing but `big` no way, far too much work and you`ll never be big again, will you?

Yep, you're right Kittie, I think it's the charity shop for them as even if I took the time to alter them I don't think I'd be wearing them for long.... It'd be good for someone else to enjoy them! I certainly don't ever plan on fitting in them again, and have been ditching anything that's too big as soon as it becomes too big, but there's just something about these skirts - I guess 'cos I've held onto them for so long, and they remind me of being in my late 20's / early 30's. Though to be honest I wouldn't really want to be that age again, so I don't think I'm wishing to go back there!!

it's strange how much stuff I can happily dispatch whilst other unexpected items just seem to be a sticking point.

luxor4t

luxor4t wrote: »

I thought I had kondo'd the giant 1950's solid wood double wardrobe to somebody who had just moved and needed lots of storage....sadly, it is too big for them. .....and there isn't much call for unremarkable brown furniture.

Floss wrote: »

..... I understand the dark oak Ercol situation though, from when my in-laws' dormer bungalow home was cleared last year. One dresser, one sideboard, one 8-seated table & chairs, 3 large wardrobes...all taken by house clearance

This rang bells with me! I had the table, dresser and 4 chairs (could not afford the full set).

I stripped and repainted my brown, dearly loved, Old Charm dresser. It is currently a Farrow and Ball cream colour and looks lovely, especially after I removed the Jacobean-style small leaded glass doors on the shelf part. I use the huge table (well covered) in my sewing room because it is sturdy and holds a lot of fabric. We are still using the chairs, but they don't look too brown...:o

The wardrobe is semi-dismantled: the back is plywood and I think the front is actually veneer now that I have inspected it closely - it came from the YMCA furniture shop about 6 years ago for the princely sum of £25 as DS2 liked it best from the wardrobe city along the side of the shop. They don't want it back though.....:(

Floss

:beer:

luxor4t wrote: »

...The wardrobe is semi-dismantled: the back is plywood and I think the front is actually veneer now that I have inspected it closely - it came from the YMCA furniture shop about 6 years ago for the princely sum of £25 as DS2 liked it best from the wardrobe city along the side of the shop. They don't want it back though.....:(

How rude! :rotfl: