KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

VJsmum

Hugs Sieberie.

Hello all - back from my hols. We went to Southern Africa (Zimbabwe and Botswana) and have spent 3 weeks travelling in a 4x4 with 2 tents on the roof! Not every night was camping but we didn't spend more than 2 nights in the same place so travelling light was a must.

I have said before that i travel very light - this time i had a cabin sized suitcase (that weighed 9.6kg when i checked it in) and a 25l rucksack. This proved invaluable as, every night in the tent, suitcases lived on the owners seat in the car so a big case would have been a problem. three of us went and each had a similar sized bag. But mine was the only one KM folded - it opens in half and i can instantly see what i have in there. Finding things was not a problem. OH and DS had more issues with theirs :rotfl:

Our total checked in luggage for the three of us was 30.2 kg - the allowance for one person is 32 :eek: and some definitely made the most of their allowance. I still bought things back unworn.. Our luggage also contained 3 pairs of binoculars, 3 guidebooks and a load of maps. Sorry if i sound smug...

It's cos I am :rotfl:

Slinky

Hugs Siebrie, I hope it's just a temporary feeling and life improves for you all.

Has anybody seen Mila? Haven't seen her post for ages.

Slinky

I've just noticed this Sticky re disappearing threads at the top of the forum, given the length of this one (and the title 2016) would it be as well to get greent (or somebody?) to start a new thread and ask for this one to be locked in case we lose it? It would appear it can be wiped out by too many accidental/real spam reports, and once lost cannot be reinstated.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5680765

Fen1

Siebrie, my heart goes out to you. Living with someone who views you with such contempt, even if only briefly, is deeply troubling. You have often written of how your OH has little comprehension nor appreciation for all you do as a wife and mother. How do you bear this? You also write that when the good times are good you get along well together, but is this really enough?
How does OH behave around the children? Does he turn on them?

GreyQueen

Nice one, VJsMum.

I travelled around NZ for 6 weeks with a small rolling suitcase (cabin sized) and every single person involved with luggage, from check in staff to bus drivers etc etc commented favourably on it. On the return journey, it even had space for several books, including one doorstopper hardback.

Heck, I've seen ladies backpacking with suitcases they could have curled up and gone to sleep inside. And not just petite oriental girls, even a strapping wench like me could have nested inside them. Can't figure out why you would need so much Stuff on holiday. After all, it's hardly a break if you take it all with you, is it?:rotfl:

One of my fave packing tips is silk. You can fold a silk garment up and slip it into a sandwich bag and its weight and volume are both neglible. Handwashes easily and more robust than people imagine - the mongol horde wore silk shirts to invade Europe from the east, and if it's good enough for Genghis Khan, then it's good enough for me.

Nipped into a couple of cookshop-type places recently with a view to buying a smallish cast-iron frypan, some wooden spatulas and something like my L & L salad pot but made of stainless steel.

Came away with the spatulas. You apparently have to take out a second mortgage for new cast iron ware, assuming you can find what you're looking for anywhere. Who knew? My big cast iron frypan cost me £1 from a bootsale, better keep hunting similar places for a smaller one.

I had a LBM when fossicking unsucessfully for the metal container - why not use one of the 0.5 litre Le P@rfait jars? Several of them are idling in the cupboards, so that's that sorted.

Oh, and my first bit of kondo-ing when I came in this afternoon was a bright green cricket from my bedroom. I debated leaving it there as snack for the large spider I've seen on the ceiling (different places, obviously alive) on two consecutive days, but I thought that might be a bit too darwinian. So I captured it in a glass and took it outside.

silvasava

I've just released a lovely little cricket out of my bedroom window - he was much bigger than the spider!

GreyQueen

Mine was very cute, too. Actually, is it crickets which are bright green and grasshoppers sort of brown? This was bright green and was perched on my clothes airer, the one I have leaning like a ladder. I was worried it would ping off somewhere before I could catch it.

Some old hands may recall my Year of the Locust, when I started a New Year about 3-4 years ago with a large non-native locust in my sitting room followed, in the next few weeks with hot & cold running crickets.

Someone, not a million miles away, was being careless with live food for an exotic pet, apparently.

Good job I got it out of here because my spindly spiders are sure to eat the proper spider (they do that) and then the beggars might have ganged up on Jiminy.

shanks77

GreyQueen wrote: »

Nice one, VJsMum.

I travelled around NZ for 6 weeks with a small rolling suitcase (cabin sized) and every single person involved with luggage, from check in staff to bus drivers etc etc commented favourably on it. On the return journey, it even had space for several books, including one doorstopper hardback.

Heck, I've seen ladies backpacking with suitcases they could have curled up and gone to sleep inside. And not just petite oriental girls, even a strapping wench like me could have nested inside them. Can't figure out why you would need so much Stuff on holiday. After all, it's hardly a break if you take it all with you, is it?:rotfl:

Free board and lodgings if you want to try and show my mum how to pack lightly. Think it is easier to herd cats but if your up for the challenge let me know lol

[Deleted User]

siebrie, another bend in the road, a crossroads. Maybe your OH can see a hypnotist as a last ditch chance, he needs to get hypochodria out of his brain so you can make a good life together, going forward

I am concentrating on wardrobe, still. Putting items in, yes but hm and now all mixing and matching and co-ordinating. Items have to come out and they will, took two out last week but I need out to go as fast as in. The weather is the problem, too warm for long sleeves but long sleeves will be needed. I am eventually aiming for a couple of cardigans to go with half sleeves, a cross between short and long. Its a work in progress but I am enjoying the journey

silvasava

Actually GQ I think it's the grasshoppers that are green and crickets are much larger and brown ( cricket on the hearth? Where did that come from?) Any unwanted insects in our house are gently removed and returned to the garden - except flies!!