KonMari 2018 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Slinky

omgaechylus wrote: »

I'll admit I got into this via Netflix....!

Me and OH have perfected the clothes-folding (we just need a wardrobe to put them in) and are working on decluttering one area at a time.

I'm wary of throwing out too much when it can be sold/donated - which is fine, but we've come up with two main areas of difficulty:
-Underwear. We both have plenty which no longer Sparks Joy. We don't need any more rags for cleaning around the house. They're not something that can be donated. We've come up with a few patchwork-type ideas but really we're both too time-poor to ever get round to it. Is there anything more beneficial than the bin for old pants and socks?

If you wash them, bundle them up in a plastic bag and stick a label on identifying them as clean rags (so they don't have to sort through them) I know that Age UK will take them. Some other charity shops may do also if you enquire.

savingsharon

omgaechylus wrote: »

I'll admit I got into this via Netflix....!

Me and OH have perfected the clothes-folding (we just need a wardrobe to put them in) and are working on decluttering one area at a time.

I'm wary of throwing out too much when it can be sold/donated - which is fine, but we've come up with two main areas of difficulty:
-Underwear. We both have plenty which no longer Sparks Joy. We don't need any more rags for cleaning around the house. They're not something that can be donated. We've come up with a few patchwork-type ideas but really we're both too time-poor to ever get round to it. Is there anything more beneficial than the bin for old pants and socks?

-Makeup. Again, we've both got items we've used in the past but no longer use. Some are mostly full and it seems pretty wasteful to just throw away. Anything that's gone bad (e.g. separated nail polish) has been binned - but is there a better use or place for used makeup?

You can send old socks to website londonsockcompany.com/second-annual-sock-amnesty (sorry cannot post the link) where they can donate them or recycle them if they're not suitable - it's Freepost too!
Hope this helps.

GreyQueen

Red Cross can also take clean rags, as can Sense, these are ones I know about personally. It's enormously helpful to the hard-working volunteers and staff if you can segregate and label rags so they don't have to sort stuff. They don't get a huge amount per kilo but, given the quantity of stuff they shift, the ragman's fee is a useful chunk of cash for the charity. HTH.


Had an excited call from the mothership and their new secondhand sofa will be delivered Monday and their existing secondhand sofabed taken away at the same time. All for £55 - she's made up. Not at all bad for a leather sofa, hey?:rotfl:


*buffs nails on lapel, it was me who pointed her at that charity shop*

JCS1

Article about Marie Kondo on BBC News website:


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-46875137

oceanspirit

kittydfw2012 wrote: »

I know some people are doing the Konmari method over time but I definitely found it therapeutic to blast it over a few weekends rather than months and years. It's a much more intensive and I would argue meaningful process to challenge yourself. I never regret a minute of the time invested or any of the things that I let go because a) I got to keep everything that was precious to me and b) really really good things came into my life - remember the name of the book is the 'life changing magic' of tidying, not just a bit of decluttering. I believe there really is magic in it if you embrace the process. It definitely has allowed me to make some seriously positive changes in my life and I've never gone back to the untidy, disorganised stress monster that I was before (OK maybe occasionally, I let work stress affect me but now my 'stuff' doesn't add to it.

If you're unsure, I would really say to go for it, get the whole process done and wait for the magic to happen. Follow Marie's advice to the letter.

I totally understand what you're saying, and if you have the resources of time and energy available to you then going for it is great advice. However for those of us who live with chronic illnesses and others who may be short of time for various reasons, doing it that way may not be an option. Kondoing your home bit by bit can be just as lifechanging.

I started with my underwear drawer 2 or 3 years ago followed by the rest of my clothes, category by category. They remain tidily stored in an easy to find way, and also are so much easier to pack for going away. The paperwork has taken much, much longer and is still going on but I am now on the home straight and it will be completed in the next few weeks.

The lifechanging magic continues as a lifestyle, not just as a one-off clear out. For example, occasionally I take something from my wardrobe and discover that when I originally Kondoed my clothes the item did spark joy but now it no longer does and it can go. The magic also prevents excess stuff from coming in as my thought process is different.

So, don't feel disheartened if you're not able to Kondo quickly, taking it at your own pace works just as well as an overall positive lifestyle change.

atc239

My teammate built this template based on the KonMari method, and we decided to publish it in Coda's template gallery free for anyone to use! coda.link/mse-konmari

mmmmikey

My finest Kondo moment was clearing out all the junk from the corner kitchen cupboard - the remains of old dinner sets, tumblers, a few odd pots and pans, etc.etc.. I put them all in a box and put them on Freecycle - the girl who took them had just split up with her partner and struggling to set up a flat on her own. She was almost in tears when she took them - junk to me but essential kitchen bits and bobs to her, obviously came at the right time. So if any of you have that in-betweeny stuff that isn't quite right for the charity shop, but too good for landfill, give Freecycle a try.......it may no longer give you joy but it could bring joy to someone else.

GreyQueen

mmmmikey wrote: »

My finest Kondo moment was clearing out all the junk from the corner kitchen cupboard - the remains of old dinner sets, tumblers, a few odd pots and pans, etc.etc.. I put them all in a box and put them on Freecycle - the girl who took them had just split up with her partner and struggling to set up a flat on her own. She was almost in tears when she took them - junk to me but essential kitchen bits and bobs to her, obviously came at the right time. So if any of you have that in-betweeny stuff that isn't quite right for the charity shop, but too good for landfill, give Freecycle a try.......it may no longer give you joy but it could bring joy to someone else.

:T That's such a brilliant thing you've done there and a lovely heart-warming start to my day. I shall definately bear that in mind, I'm a freegle/ freecycle veteran but have been left disenchanted by the bad attititude of some folks wanting stuff, it's good to be reminded that there are still genuine people in need out there. Thank you.

kittydfw2012

Totally agree that one of the best things about Konmari is when you can give things to people or charities that really appreciate them. I took a big car load of stuff when I did the tidying festival to Oxfam and a few months later got an e-mail saying they'd been able to generate over £100 from it which is a great way to give when you have stuff but not much actual casheroo.

So many benefits to living the Kondo life.

silvasava

Know what you mean about some of the people on FC GQ. The woman who wanted my icicle lights faffed about & as I had some other requesters I offered them to one of them. The guy lived round the corner & came straight round & was really pleased. I've got a whole load of decorative China to get rid of - need to box it all up. There's a local charity that does work for trafficked girls so it will probably go there.