KonMari 2018 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

VJsmum

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Siebrie, I've changed - or perhaps diverted - careers several times, I'm currently on my last role which will see me up to retirement in a few years. I've never regretted it. It's much easier to carry on with the status quo, no matter how painful it is on a day-to-day basis, but changing can bring many benefits. If you can afford the cost of further studies and qualification/starting again at a lower level, then go for it. It doesn't sound as if your current role is sparking much joy!

Same - qualified as a quantity surveyor, worked for private practice, contractor and claims specialist; when DD came along i 'diverted' into education and was an academic for 20 years; then, aged 52 started a PhD that i am about to enter the final year of - after that, who knows?:rotfl:

hello all - i read along but haven't much to contribute atm. DS went back to uni last week, with all his stuff :T

That bl00dy filing cabinet is still here

natlie

The only thing I am finding difficult about MK is the amount of time it takes, we are a family of 5, eldest daughter gets it and has now gone to Uni with stuff she loves and has left very little at home. Middle one has not got it at all her room is stuffed full of junk. we've moved her into a bigger room, which she now refuses to clean - argh!!!!!!!!!!!! Son has been awesome, he's only 7 he has the tidiest bedroom ever! he even puts all his toys away after he has played with them.

Hubby is not interested, he has clothes on the floor that he feels belong there as they are lounging clothes grrrr

I find that its a never ending circle of stuff and I do get distracted by rooms or things like the garage, loads of stuff has gone and we've made the house look lovely in places, like the lounge and the kids play room but other rooms are still a mess

Siebrie

Several of dds' summer dresses in the attic, some to donate, some from big sis for lil sis the year after next, some in rag bag.


We need to buy dd1 a swimsuit, as school prefers them to wear swimsuits rather than bikinis for the weekly swimming class. Dd2 will only wear bikinis, though, as she still has limited bladder control (she's 7 and we are seeing a doctor about this). Of course, school informs us just as all the shops start their autumn and winter collections, and swimsuits are only slim pickings. It doesn't help that dd1 is tall for her age, and her swimsuit size often comes with premolded cups!! She's 10!

greenbee

Hopefully you'll get lucky in the sales Siebrie. 'Proper' swimsuits from sports shops/websites don't have cups. And you may find a tankini would be a good compromise for DD2 as it would look like a swimsuit and make it less obvious that she's different to the rest of the class, but still be easy for going to the toilet.

luxor4t

My favourite leather bag has worn into a little hole in each corner and got very shabby. We worked out that I've been using it steadily for at least 8 years. I am keeping it going until Christmas, so DH will know exactly what to buy me meanwhile, I broke out the leather dye and gave it a good polish afterwards.


I also sorted out a pair of shoes to use up - I glued the insoles back in, so they will do until I find exactly what I want to replace them.


Using the Bay of E I have made 11 sales and have bids on a further 2 items. This means a box of rug making supplies is being used by various people and I am really glad to get the space back

GreyQueen

I'm pleased to report that the WIP was sewn up and, that very minute, added to a donation bag and then was off to the chazzer with some other things.


Mum just re-found a book which was one of several I gave her last Crimble and which had somehow got lost in her house before being read, she wouldn't have known where it had come from but for the fact that she'd left the gift tag inside the cover.


She read it in under a week, loved it, finished it yesterday and it's now up on the Bay. I give books with a standing instruction that they're to be disposed of as and when the recipient desires, I don't go checking bookshelves in other people's homes to see if they still have them. Let the books be free and be read elsewhere, say I.



Went swimming first thing this morning and gave a pal the book that her pal had given me exactly seven days prior, with the instruction that I could donate it when I'd finished with it. Our mutual pal had pipped up that she'd like to read it, and I read it first and got it to her in a week.


Am now working on the next donation bag. One of the things which I was swithering about which went into the bag which has just left were four of those blue and white chinese rice bowls, those pretty ones which are basically little funnel shapes on a 'foot'. You'll have seen the kind of thing, I'm sure.



I bought them from the chazzer and liked them but they didn't get used much because I don't entertain with drinkies and little nibbles (no blessed room at home) and thus weren't used and were taking up a bit of cupboard. Since they're generic objects and there are certainly hundreds of thousands of them in the country with the identical pattern on, if I really wanted them again, I could get them back with no particular trouble.


Hmm, am now thinking about the fabric stash, there are bits and pieces in there which have been there for some time, as in about 10-15 years. Offcuts of cotton fabric which I used to make curtains for the flat of a woman whom I'm no longer in touch with and who has moved at least twice since she lived at the flat the curtains were made to fit.


And I'm keeping bits of fabric less than 6 inches wide from that project because Justin might need them someday................? Saying it aloud makes it seem truly bonkers, I shall bag them up in a way that they can easily be offered for sale by the chazzer for patchwork, which is what I had loosely intended them for, but I lack the patience for patchwork now cannot see me using them.


Onwards and upwards, my lovelies, hope everyone is having a good Sunday. GQ xx

Igamogam

natlie wrote: »

I find that its a never ending circle of stuff and I do get distracted by rooms or things like the garage, loads of stuff has gone and we've made the house look lovely in places, like the lounge and the kids play room but other rooms are still a mess

Sometimes its hard to bring the rest of the family on board....my DD2 'gets it' but still needs to 'commit'. DD1 is a bit of a nomad ATM so her things are just boxed up in her room . OH spent years complaining of all the junk and stuff in the house and I could only agree but had lots obstacles in my way to deal with it as essentially it was my work stuff, the clutter of 2 children with lots of interests and my very strong opinions on waste,recycling and not filling holes in the ground!! Once I got my head round it all and started on the 'great declutter' - and not strictly in a KM way as I found some of her ideas odd to say the least - it became obvious that the clutter was not all my doing and its probably about 50/50!

greent

My eldest 2 have this week departed to their respective universities, taking with them a heap of stuff. They both also got rid of various items from their rooms before they left (mainly recycling)

I have sold some books of DD's (stc) and they should be collected tomorrow - only a few £ but better in her pocket than unwanted childhood books cluttering her room (she is an English student and actually finds getting rid of books quite hard!) I also have 3 dressing up (Hallowe'en) costumes I've dug out and will list those on fb00k this week - someone can hopefully grab a bargain (I'm thinking £2/ go) and I'll get a wee bit more space and a few more £ :T Will also list a couple of bundles of kids clothes at bargain prices too, just so they can hopefully go (I do have a CS bag on the go and will carry on filling it with other things)

GreyQueen

Just been in the fabric stash which is in a storage box, the largest of a set of three bought from L@keland with a gift voucher many years ago. It is 12 x 17 x 9 (tall) and was so full that the lid balanced on the top of the contents rather than sitting neatly on the box.


I suppose this isn't too heinous a stash but there are a couple of bigger bits of fabric in the airing cupboard.


I have filled two carrier bags for donation and added two semi-dismantled party dresses bought last year for pence to get the satin, into the box. They were lolling around the bedroom floor in a plastic bag before. They now fit and there is room to spare in the box. Also found some fabric I'd stashed for a project which I need to do in the next few weeks as it is intended for a present for someone late in October. That will reduce the stash by another smidgeon.


I can see the wally-trolley being needed tomoz.:o

Siebrie

As I was remaking the beds today, I found a pillow case that belongs to one of the duvet covers I put in the donate bag last week. A quick search in the attic, and case and cover are now snugly together in the donate bag.

Donated a tooth brush and a deodorant to a guest who came without either (unfortunately, that's rather common in my husband's circle of acquaintances). I have 2 stashes: one is for our own use, the other for unexpected or unprepared guests. The second stash has the brands of stuff we bought but don't particularly like, for instance the very cheapest unbranded toothbrushes from the local discounter, that I bought a sixpack of to test and found I did not like them longterm; or the spray deodorant that develops into a smell we don't care for on my / husband's skin. (Note: if it's really hideous, I'll throw it away).

Checked my medication stash and found two small boxes with expired meds. Paper packaging is now in the old paper recycling, strips are in small baggy to take to chemist's tomorrow morning.

I'm working on minimizing the med stash so that it fits in husband's bedside cupboard. It's currently inthere and in a cd tower (8-drawer cabinet) from ikea (in 3 drawers, the other drawers have make-up, hair accessories and miscellaneous). I want to get rid of the ikea thing.