KonMari 2018 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

RockTheShack

Hi folks,

I'm attempting a good konmari clear out / tidy up of my home, a big bag of stuff to go to the charity shop tomorrow but feeling a bit guilty as in the bag is a few bits of pottery my mum made me while on a course a few years ago. Would I be awful to give that away? I feel bad saying it but they don't give me a massive amount of joy knowing they just gather dust on cabinets. I don't think she'd spot that I don't have them, and its basically clutter as one of the items is a duplicate of a kitchen item we already have and it doesn't actually function. I'm justifying on the basis that if i give it to a charity shop someone else might really like it? Am I a terrible person?

Karmacat

RockTheShack wrote: »

Would I be awful to give that away? I feel bad saying it but they don't give me a massive amount of joy knowing they just gather dust on cabinets. I don't think she'd spot that I don't have them, and its basically clutter as one of the items is a duplicate of a kitchen item we already have and it doesn't actually function. I'm justifying on the basis that if i give it to a charity shop someone else might really like it? Am I a terrible person?

You absolutely would *not* be a terrible person to give that away! The list of doesn't-spark-joy is pretty long: gathers dust, duplicate, doesn't function. *Can* it be decorative? Because if it doesn't actually work, best not give it to a charity shop either, to tell the truth. I know ... you wanted to use it one day, and then it slipped off the work surface and broke. I'm very good at telling white lies like that - YMMV good luck.

Slinky

RockTheShack wrote: »

Hi folks,

I'm attempting a good konmari clear out / tidy up of my home, a big bag of stuff to go to the charity shop tomorrow but feeling a bit guilty as in the bag is a few bits of pottery my mum made me while on a course a few years ago. Would I be awful to give that away? I feel bad saying it but they don't give me a massive amount of joy knowing they just gather dust on cabinets. I don't think she'd spot that I don't have them, and its basically clutter as one of the items is a duplicate of a kitchen item we already have and it doesn't actually function. I'm justifying on the basis that if i give it to a charity shop someone else might really like it? Am I a terrible person?

You're not being a terrible person, but you must ask yourself will a charity shop really be able to sell your mother's non-functioning pottery? We must not burden charity shops with unsaleable items that they have to pay money to dispose of, just so that we don't feel guilty about throwing them away ourselves.


Thank the items for the joy they gave your mother in making them, and get rid of them in the most environmentally friendly way you can.

Slinky

Deep joy this evening, the suitcase handle came today from Vietnam, it was a bit of a faff to re-assemble the case, but we're now back in business. We will remember the kindness of those people every time we use it.

RockTheShack

Thanks Karmacat and Slinky, that's a good point, would someone else buy them? I would hate for them to languish on that awful charity shop shelf of mismatched glasses stolen from pubs and sports direct mugs. TBH they are quite nice decorative items, I'm just very picky and hate too much clutter.

GreyQueen

Slinky wrote: »

Deep joy this evening, the suitcase handle came today from Vietnam, it was a bit of a faff to re-assemble the case, but we're now back in business. We will remember the kindness of those people every time we use it.

:T Such a brilliant thing that company did, avoiding the wasting of a suitcase, or its retirement into a loft/ spare room somewhere to be used as a storage item. :T

Igamogam

RockTheShack wrote: »

awful charity shop shelf of mismatched glasses stolen from pubs and sports direct mugs.

I have bought some of those 'stolen' glasses before now - tall Peron! glasses that matched the ones I, ahem, acquired:rotfl: We love them in summer - long cold drinks when eating outside:D


TBH they are quite nice decorative items, I'm just very picky and hate too much clutter.

I friend of mine is an arty crafty sort and often buys odd bits and uses them in displays. On there own you can see why they are no longer wanted but she can transform them...so there might be someone out there looking just for what you are discarding!

bargainhunterss

JCS1 wrote: »

Article about Marie Kondo on BBC News website:


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

Thanks for passing on that article - very interesting!

bargainhunterss

Slinky wrote: »

Deep joy this evening, the suitcase handle came today from Vietnam, it was a bit of a faff to re-assemble the case, but we're now back in business. We will remember the kindness of those people every time we use it.

It's so lovely they did that. So many companies wouldn't do that for you, they've put the big orange plane company to shame!:T

Slinky

bargainhunterss wrote: »

It's so lovely they did that. So many companies wouldn't do that for you, they've put the big orange plane company to shame!:T

Indeed they have. Also the suitcase manufacturer who could have been more helpful and supplied a spare part but would appear to want to sell you a new suitcase instead. At £100 for the case and we've only used it half a dozen times, we were reluctant to ditch it and buy another.