KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

WeeMidgie

I am now officially retired from work, so that's a very satisfying kondo... still a while to state pension age, but leaving at the Easter break is the right time to go. I'm still to fully take in the freedom from work related stress, and it will probably take a few weeks to fully grasp it.

More time for KM! The category I really need to do next is paperwork. Now that work won't be taking so much of my energy, it will feel less like tackling Mount Everest!

Oh, a wee update on reducing cutlery and crockery in the kitchen. I have one of everything in daily use, and it's working perfectly. The rest is in a box under the stairs, easily accessible if needed for visitors. It's been a good piece of simplification, and I enjoy the lack of clutter and feeling of ease and space.

MMF007

Whoop, whoop, weemidge :j :beer: :j :T

iamsalt

Yay well done.

I have kondo'd a job today, and I start my new job in May, and in between I have kondoing and holiday and I am so excited!

WeeMidgie

Great news iamsalt! Enjoy

iamsalt

Thanks weemidgie, I might follow your lead on paperwork. It's an area I haven't done, and now my dads estate has been finalised, I think it might be time to let some of that go, and also some of the old recipes I have kept. I haven't recently kept recipes Unless I cook them first and assess them then but I do have a file from a while ago that needs looking at.
X

Frogletina

WeeMidgie wrote: »

Oh, a wee update on reducing cutlery and crockery in the kitchen. I have one of everything in daily use, and it's working perfectly. The rest is in a box under the stairs, easily accessible if needed for visitors. It's been a good piece of simplification, and I enjoy the lack of clutter and feeling of ease and space.

My daughter's kitchen has been kondo'd of a lot of crockery, but this was not at my suggestion, unfortunately.

I've been telling her for ages that she had too much crockery, especially mugs, in one of her kitchen cupboards but she justified them saying they were mostly given and how could she decide which ones to let go of. Add to that a lot of plates and bowls, and possibly glasses too - it was crammed to the gills.

Well, she is currently on holiday with her husband and a friend's son was in the house to feed the cats. He reached into the cupboard to get a mug and the whole cupboard fell down, landed on his foot and left the kitchen floor covered in broken crockery. Fortunately he is ok and so are the cats - it could have been so much worse.

However, although the mess has now been cleared, she still has to deal with the damage and replacement of broken crockery, etc. It is a rented house and the kitchen has only just been gutted and refitted by the housing association. It is possible that the workmanship and quality of the cupboard was not good enough, but I'm sure none are expected to take the weight of the quantity of items that were in there.

frogletina

MMF007

I kondo'd the giant panettone to my brother's family! We were given it because the xmas recipient did not want it!! He lives close to all his in-laws so there are enough of them to eat it at a family gathering
I nearly asked him for the tin back because it might be good for 'andy or justin but i realised it was too big by far, except as a waste paper bin perhaps!

Today is housework day. Things are very untidy and rooms need cleaning. I have not kept on top of it due to the 2-week cold. Finally got a night's sleep so defo on the mend. I know i can get things ship shape today, once I get stuck in

Bad news is that I have passed the cold onto DH and he looks pretty awful, (normally he looks lovely ). I so hope he has a lesser version. He has work today then 2 days off, but we are supposed to go away next Weds and I know he will still be feeling awful by then. Doh.

PS- the present he was given is a mug and as Frogletina says, you can have too many of them!. As we cleared out all excess last year not sure what to do (ie, can't do one-in one-out because we have kept just the ones we really want and space is at a premium in our few kitchen cupboards). Will have to think about dealing with it. Am not entertaining alternate uses either - tried that before and ended up with three pen pots :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Ahhh MM and wd with the panettone

The reason I love this thread so much is that it is one brilliant mix with the continuous theme of kondo and de-cluttering and consequent increasing good energy flow, mixed in with that are how life is with many of us and tips and help with everyday stuff. Everyone is so nice and there is much kindness and also humour. No wonder I come on here for a daily uplift. Yesterday, I didn`t see a soul apart from the delivery man but there was so much companionship, I went to bed content and slept all through. For those with busy lives then the thread is also a cosy corner, a cave to which people can retreat for a while and a place to share news, good and bad and a problem shared is really a problem halved :coffee:

Muji is on its way, just a few small bits but the missing links to dividing my small drawers perfectly. If I am lucky they might be here today and I can get on with the makeup, jewellery etc. I should end up with four kondo`ed and tidy drawers in two chests of drawers. They are large chests and I dithered about keeping both, it used to be one each but they are now utilised fully. I have put a tv and dvd on top of one, never thought I would ever have these in a bedroom but am thinking ahead to maybe poorly times, when it is nice to be snuggled in bed with something to watch

While ordering stuff, I did get some shallow dividing boxes for my desk drawer in my sewing room. Nothing will ever be wasted. I did make a plan, which I kept, so putting them in the right place will be easy

It is easy to think that we retain strength and energy as we get older, particularly when we feel well and energetic. I was boogered last night and so tired, I did bits all day but oiled my bench and tiny table at 4pm when the cans arrived. It took 1 1/2 hours and was easy but there were so many bits to do and then I turned them over and did the undersides. I cannot believe how tired I was afterwards. A warning to get these jobs done while we can, this robbing of youth is devious and sneaky and creeps up quietly :huh: I have to do another coat today but only on the bench and it will be relatively easy. Going to start that now, no time like the present

MMF007

kittie you are right again! Yes this thread is great, yes chores take more out of us as we age (but we mostly can still find ways to accomplish tasks, just takes longer!), yes storing things properly is sooooo rewarding.

We live in a very small house and i guess we have enough stuff to look sensible in a 3 bed semi....... We are not hoarders, don't have hundreds of anything, don't keep broken stuff, but we have 30 years of accumulated things. Even our modest diy equipment takes up valuable space indoors because there is no outside storage (except a very damp stone-built 'shed', built into the side of a hill. Thought about tanking it but not practical for various reasons).

There is still too much here! I want to release more but DH is very resistant. The usual reasons - it was a present/souvenir, it cost good money, we might need it one day. ........

I do have my eye on 2 particularly large items that would make a massive difference if they were absent. There is a slim chance that item number 1 may be released but almost zero chance of item number 2. I racked my brain, little though that is, to think of alternative location in the house to minimalis impact of said item - a large, beautifully made, scale model of a boat - but my only option seemed to be a shelf in an alcove in the bedroom (on DH's side of the bed :rotfl::rotfl:) but he doesn't want it there. So it sits in the LR, looking over-sized in the small space. Oh, i have talked myself into re-starting the campaign to move it, as he won't let it go

silvasava

Kittie - so with you on the increasing lack of energy and strength as one gets older. That was the main reason for getting rid of my lovely wrought steel garden furniture - it was so blooming heavy I could just about lift a chair!
Our local Hospice is having a hat and handbags sale so my 'posh' hats are going which will clear the top shelf in my wardrobe. Two of them I've never worn!
Had an email to say the part for DH's trike has been despatched, he's hoping it will arrive today or tomorrow so he can get it back on the road & enjoy this weather.
Having another trawl through my clothes to see what more I can donate to the club sale. It's very sobering to see how much I've got for Justin and how much has never been worn - still it's raising funds for a good cause and will hopefully give someone else joy.
Have a good Easter chums and be on your best Kondo behaviour when disposing of all those chocolate eggs!