KonMari 2017 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Sj62

I'm impressed. I need it at 20! Mind you I put that down to the arthritis. OH would have it at 22 if he could ...

GreyQueen

Interesting convo with Mum this evening. Apropros of nothing, she announced her intention to get rid of a very large piece of woodworking equipment. She said she doesn't think she can use it any more, due to increasing disability.

It's been the elephant in the room (or rather, the elephant in the shed) and has been a niggling worry at the back of my mind, as something we'd have to deal with as a family, eventually. And she's the only one who knows about all its many components.

I had deliberately not mentioned it, even in passing, as I didn't want to upset her with the thought that she couldn't use it any more, as it was bought on retirement and was going to be her pastime. But, for us ladies, domestic duties often interfere with pastimes, the years drift past and, before you know it, you find yourself in this position.

I don't feel gleeful, as letting it go is a sad acknowledgement of ill-health, but feel a profound sense of relief that she has decided to release it. The mechanisms of when and how (it has considerable cash value) are yet to be determined but, once a decision has been made, the rest is just logistics.

Floss

:grouphug: for you & your family GQ xx

silvasava

The realisation and decision must have been hard for your Mum GQ. She is so lucky that you are sensitive to her emotional reasons and history. You have been so gentle and caring to her.
Only thing gone out the house was a very posh bottle of champagne re-gifted to a friend with a significant birthday. TBH I prefer Asti or as DH calls it 'big girls lemonade'!

elona

GQ

At least she feels it has been her decision but I am sorry her health is not up to using the item. Maybe a sale would let them have a treat that they really would enjoy.

Middle dd came round for lunch and we dismantled the tree and packed up the decorations etc into boxes and even labelled them properly.

I have dug out my pedometer and put it round my neck for the last couple of days and found my "quiet days" are less than 2000 steps and even a slightly less active day is only around 3000 steps :eek:
Both dds dragged me out for a walk and pedometer is now nearly 6000 steps which is a start to getting a bit fitter.

firebubble

Pavlovs Dog - that is very amusing! I sent it to an American friend of mine; she's slightly despairing of her country, so I think she'll find it (blackly) funny too.

Beany - I haven't heard of kakeibo, but there is a similar method explained in Your Money or Your Life, by Joe someone or other. It's a truly brilliant book on money, it really gets you thinking about what it is and how you treat it. I used that method of recording when I first started to get my debts under control to deal with my constant spending. It's really useful. The trick is to split out the spending categories into very specific headings. For example, if you put 'food' and include all your spends, it won't really tell you where your money is going, I found it better to split food into 1. Supermarket shopping (ie raw ingredients for meals to be cooked at home - separate out non-food purchases such as cleaning products into other headings), 2. Entertainment food (ie meals/snacks/coffee/drinks out with friends - this is the food that is part of your social life), 3. Random food spends (ie a bar of chocolate, takeaway coffee, bottle of water etc).

When you do this, you can see that the random category can be eliminated first, as it doesn't need to be spent at all.
Then supermarket food can be cut back where possible, but it will never be zero. Entertainment food needs to be thought about a bit more creatively, as if you cut this out entirely you'll be miserable and isolated, but you will see how it can be reduced, and how much you're spending. I also at first shamefully had another category of food waste, but that soon stopped once I was recoding it. It's a good method for nudging you to better habits, as it's so clear to see what is going on, and makes more sense than the oft repeated 'make a budget', which is pretty meaningless.

In other news, I've just spent the weekend reorganising things, I didn't think I had much to declutter but I've filled 3 binliners with recycling rubbish, and have another bag of stuff for the chazzer. Suffering from decision fatigue overload now I think!

Pooky

I spent last week draught proofing the spare room (window seals had all come unstuck).once removed the gaps around the window were hideous and the plaster along the top of the window came crashing down. So gaps now filled, plaster board and skimming finished, all sealed, all painted all draught proof! Then as the room was empty I tackled the gap between floor and skirting, the room is so warm now! Painted it a lovely warm terracotta colour (was DD2s room and painted turquoise which was too cold a colour for me). It’s now full of my office furniture and all my craft stuff that needs sorting and putting away (today’s job). The small bedroom that was my office is now sorted with double bed and 2 chest of drawers (they need sprucing up but will wait until spring to paint them) and our bedroom had a complete turf out, tidy up and turn around. It was like being in a hotel last night in such a tidy and minimalist room.

All these areas had been kondod before but I was expecting more stuff to go as it moved around but no, just one dressing gown of DDs kept here for the odd night she stays (she’s taken it home with her) and the newspaper and decorating bits used up, ready for the bin. Seems like I’m getting there.

Siebrie

Dd1 gave their bedroom a good clear and clean last week (my condition for a friend to stay over). When she was otherwise occupied I removed a few old cuddly toys. I will wash and donate them. These are not the favourites, just ones that tickled their fancy for a second and now lie unloved and unplayed with. Dd has really done a good job.

The local youth club went 3-Kings singing yesterday, and when they came to our door I gave them a largish bag of our leftover candy (that we got from the youth club’s St Nicolas visit in the first place ).

Someone in the village is giving away rabbits, and we are going to pick our new pet up on Wednesday. I’m now hunting for a cage, etc. I like rabbits Its brother was still there, so maybe I will pick him up, too. Apparently, its better for them to have company.

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
I hope everyone is well
Had a kondo of ood tins in the cupboard, brought on my dh fancying some toned grapefruit for his breakfast and thinking it tasted slimy he led the date bbf 2013 whoops! We had 6 tins of evaporated or condensed milk that I don't ever use tucked at the back the youngest of which was bbf 2014 I think they may have been tombola wins as itsnot something we use.
Spurred on by that spent yesterday afternoon blitzing mils kitchen it needed a really good clean and cupboards were also long overdue a sort out. She's 90 so needs lots of help.

Got 5 things to kondo from my wardrobe that are way past their best to the extent the velvet dress i throw on as a relax outfit is falling in holes at the seams.

Have a good day all. X

wort

Oh Siebrie, that's tough, always hard to find extra money at this time of year. You seem to have some lovely customs over there too, I love reading them.
I'm luck my energy supplier, just emailed I'm in credit and my monthly payments will reduce by 10.00£ .I did get a new boiler in summer though, so not sure if that's made the difference.