KonMari 2017 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

daisy_1571

catshark88 wrote: »

I don't remember ever seeing any item at my Grandmother's house that was broken beyond repair or worn out. Well used, mended, cheap when they had little money or better quality as they got a bit richer yes, but nothing actually worn out. She wouldn't have stood for it...

I have my answer lovely people and I thank you all. I shall write about it, thank it and definitely hug it and possibly shed another tear. Then when (if!) it stops raining, I'll let my lovely but rather bemused husband do his thing.

My house is quite linear and this has been the literal and emotional plug stopping the completion of my km process. I can almost hear the water bubbling once the blockage has gone.

Moving, sounds like you are sorted xxx

GreyQueen

Evening all.

Lovely, lovely posts in response to catshark88's dilemma. Couldn't agree more with the answers, I can almost hear my old Nan saying in her gentle way; whatever do you want to keep that old thing for?

Yup, everything has a finite life and somehow, disposing of it by fire has a satisfying ritual element which speaks to us on a deep emotional level.

We had a few bonfires on my late Nan's garden. The things were burned were no use to man nor beast, and often riddled with woodworm. The cleansing power of flame would have cooked their goose, any metal elements were raked out of the ashes, down to the smallest fragment, and went into the trailer load to the scrappie. All which was left was a deep, nourishing bed of potash.

And the new people (Dad has spoken to them, we still visit Nan's lifelong friend and next door neighbour) are staunch gardeners, too, which will make them only the third incumbents of that bungalow and garden since it was built just after WW2. I hope they planted spuds in the ashes, they do love a good bonfire site, do spuds.

I have been gardening, and have kondo'd seven of those big ginger slugs, mwah ha ha! and pulled up some gone-over sunflowers. Some of the others are still in the green and flowering.

Next month, I will be indulging my love of pyromania and burning the dried out remains of this year's plants, to return their nutrients to the soil. This will include horrors like couch grass and horsetails, the best use I can think of for the dadblasted things.

I was doing a little repair job on the pushbike, taking off the now-gooey electical tape which was wrapped around one of the handlebar grips. I'd done this years ago when the handle split to hold it on. I was thinking about re-wrapping it with different PVC electrical tape when I thought; y'know, kiddo, you're not quite as poor as you once were - live a little and buy a new pair of handlebar grips for this 24 y.o. bike, it deserves a little treat. :rotfl:

MMF007

What a lovely lot of folks on this thread. Some wonderful ways of dealing with an item of powerful sentiment that brought sad feelings.
I remember, I think it was the 2015 KM thread, where someone had very personal very sad memories that were brought to mind when they looked at a small collection of objects. Ultimately our fellow kondo-er decided that they wanted to release the items because they just got upset when looking at them.
After reading about their experience I realised that there were a couple of items which I had hung onto that made me unhappy and/or cross, so they went pronto! I don't want inanimate objects to affect me like that when I can simply remove them, and enjoy doing so!
As GQ said very recently, not liking something (or the feelings it incites) is a perfectly valid position. If we don't like it, it can be thanked and let go. It is so liberating!

I really really loved Daisy's idea, to give the item a huge hug. Gonna keep that for when it is needed!

[Deleted User]

I am looking out at some items that do this to me, they make me feel sad and guilty at the same time. I know how to reduce this burden, it involves plants in very heavy salt glazed pots. At one time, when we could only have a patio in communal leasehold, I bought very many of these pots over time and they were wonderful and served their purpose. We moved and hoisted all of them to here, adding more very large pots because we have hard landscaping, they hold trees, acers and more

My next and last move will definitely have a normal garden, so I will have no need of these pots, which make my current back tiered space look lush. In process of thinking about MK and getting ready to sell, I need to remove some pots, on their own and empty, they are just about manageable, to bring down from the higher tiers. I need to think well in advance as I do not want to lug those lovely heavy pots with me but I need to keep the plants in situ for viewing etc, could be in six months or more. Am I prepping or is it MK? I think it is both

I have come to terms and will be going out today, to get three resin pots and will quickly transplant three rapidly growing young blueberries, take them out of large stone pots and put them into smaller cone shaped light pots, next year the root system will be more difficult. The remaining soil will need to go onto my allotment, a bucket at a time. I am biting this bullet hard, doing the MK while I can, while I have strength. They were glad of the two pots at the `tip` yesterday so will be glad of these, one pot at a time. These are plants that I want to move to my new garden, I am hoping that any buyer will want the large trees and their pots

PollyWollyDoodle

Kittie, I was just thinking that it's likely any buyer will want to keep the pots. Just say they are part of the 'fixtures' that are staying.

It's surprising how instinctive this process has become. I opened something yesterday, more about that later, and a card fell out. It was a Christmas card from my mum and dad (both now dead) to me and my (now ex) husband. I immediately thought 'that makes me feel sad' and binned it without a moment's hesitation! Before MK I'd have spent ages looking at it, feeling upset and then wondering what to do with it.

MMF007

Polly, that's it, exactly.
In a similar but less upsetting scenario, My DH holds on to everything he has been given, even if it is useless, a nuisance, or whatever. He feels guilty even thinking about releasing stuff.
This is where MK wins hands down. She is spot on when she advises, as we have all done upthread, to thank the item and release it. Even if the thing was never loved, we can be thankful that someone thought enough of us to gift it, or that it has taught us what we really don't like or need, or that it once had a place in our lives but is no longer performing the useful/happy role it once did.

My pov is that it is no good having items that bring to mind sad events. Not to deny the events ever happened, but why have an item that you will happen upon when you open a cupboard or glimpse as you pass by, that makes your heart sink. I don't think the person you associate with the item would seriously want you to feel like that, would they?

The MK magic is far more amazing than I ever anticpiated!

Right, recycling is out for collection, all bags from Magic Sunday are either at CS, or at the tip. Just have one pillowcase* of gardening mags to take to a friend who, I have just found out, is on the allotment waiting list
* in a pillowcase because paper and magazines so easily rip through plastic bags AND they are heavy so this is the strongest thing I have in which to transport them :rotfl:

Oh, I have just this minute decided to release a last-used-in-2014 wheeled box trolley (the sort you see people towing at flower shows). Although useful in its time, I can't see a purpose for it in this household now but someone will love it, so I shall put it by the backdoor and take it to CS on Monday when I pass by.

Picklepot

camelot1001 wrote: »

Hope you're ok picklepot, I had to laugh at your post - I put cs bags in the car too only I tend to forget they are there. There's one in my boot that's been there for about 6 weeks!

Yes thank you camelot101 im fine :rotfl:
I have cured myself of driving around with cs bags for weeks in the car boot. I now put them in the footwell of my passenger side which is a huge annoyance and in the way for passengers but does get me to dispose of them asap.
Big box to CS with an additional bin bag of textiles today.
I put my gift aid code on the bags and box. They said they could tell i was a regular (swells with pride little do they know i am just a MK fledgling :j)

Also returned big item to family member that i dont need (never did) but they think is too good to throw away (!) this is common in my family moving stuff onto each other instead of making the decision and letting it go.

whiteguineapig

ooh pickle pot, not just your family!!

silvasava

Packing for my holiday finished and in the process 4 blouses, 2 tops, a pair of trousers and a skirt released - I've also just added a pair of strappy sandals that cut into my little toe and a pair of cheap ballerinas that made my feet sweat (ugh) all ready to go in a large bag
My car is in the garage so I'll be CS'ing them on my return!

Siebrie

Yesterday I had a brainwave and put 6 small garden chair cushions into 1 bag for life and hung it on a screw that was already above the washing machine in the garage. It's a perfect fit and makes me smile.