KonMari 2018 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

PollyWollyDoodle

Kittie, take a breath and stand back - you haven't got your house on the market yet? You could be living with stuff packed away for months. I know you'll want to pack a lot of it yourself, but honestly removal men are brilliant, they will know what's involved when they quote for the job, and you'll have time to pack once you have a buyer.

I've always left curtains etc to the last minute - as and when you get buyers round, you just say that curtains aren't included. It's not likely to make the difference between whether they buy or not! You'll surely need the bedroom curtains till you move, and things like that make the place look lived-in. Remember, you're selling a home, not an empty space full of boxes.

I say this because a friend sold her house (or thought she had) a few years ago; she was living out of boxes, using one plate and spoon etc, for ages and when the sale fell through, she had to unpack stuff to make the house look 'dressed' again. Slow down, you'll have lots of time.

[Deleted User]

Ahh, you are so kind. I don`t need the two curtains up, I have triple glazing and honestly am only putting away what I definitely don`t use. If I see a door curtain on a RM photo, then I immediately think cold and draughty, hence me taking it down as it was just cosmetic. The lounge has blinds anyway, bedroom curtain is staying up

I suppose I am thinking consolidation eg I have packed many lock n lock boxes, will definitely not be using them again until after move. I am now thinking that I will concentrate on using one side of shed for storage of definitely packed items. I will dismantle the tall narrow chrome unit and put the `really useful` boxes in a stack instead, takes up less space. Oh those boxes are marvellous, bought them ages ago to sort out the carving and garage for dh and the shed for me. I have given a few away to dd but will keep the rest, all fully labelled with contents. Anway it is a job for another day, too wet and miserable out today

I did decide to remove an air cooler from a cupboard this morning. The type that contains water and cools the air. I used it on 2 days last year and none the year before. It is not earning its keep so is out on the landing. It is big for a fan and straw but very light and will go at the weekend

oh btw, the changed, same wattage new light in the utility is so much brighter. One of those flat figure of 8 types, fluorescent low energy. It has made a very significant difference

mummyjane

I took 8 Black bags worth of old clothes and rubbish to the tip, some went into the textiles bin and card bin. Emptied out the top of our built in wardrobe in the bedroom, mainly lots of boxes for things we no longer have so really no need to keep. We are in the process of swapping bedrooms with dd as she needs the extra space more than we do. Still struggling to get dh to kondo his clothes, I gave him a bin liner which he filled (I got very excited as I thought it was for the charity shop/textiles bin - turns out he wants me to ebay them when I get the time that is).

The hardest thing I'm finding is the lack of free time I have to go through everything. I'm getting there slowly but I'd love nothing more than just having a week to blitz the whole house and do it in one. I guess that's the joy of living with family, you have to take their wishes into account. The house is slowly getting there though. Next job is to go through our bedding (again) as we have so many spare sets and blankets. Will try and do that and take it to the textiles bin next week if I can. Will also try and go through books again and send another lot to webuybooks, must be strong and charity shop those that don't come up on their list if I no longer want/need them. Books definitely come under sentimental for me, I find it hard to let them go but really want to be able to enjoy the ones that spark joy rather than losing them in the mountains of books we currently have.

silvasava

Mummyjane - if you are strapped for time maybe DH could photograph his clothes or write the descriptions or both ready for you to post on fleabay?? As GQ says it's the exit strategy that counts! (It can also be the stumbling block!)

mummyjane

That's a good idea silvasava, I'll get him to do that

Fen1

Wort: thank you. Will have a poke around on those sites.

Thankfully, I'm not squeamish, so handling gift-corpses or meat doesn't faze me at all.

I cannot cope at all with poop. That's why I have cats and not dogs.;)

Siebrie

I'm enjoying myself kondoing the office! Our reverent leaders in their wisdom have decided we will go open plan and paperless. I'm in the Legal Department.....
so now I'm taking the time ditching all my normal obligations and spending the time getting rid of our paper responsibly. Lots of shredding, unpicking bound meeting books (I bind them with a metal spiral binder) and collecting the cardboard front and back, and coloured divider pages for the local kindergarten, putting empty binders back in the stationery room (in the right corner. Oh, it's full? Let's re-arrange the stationery room!), rearranging the remaining binders on less shelves each time, checking our files in the basement (bringing along colleagues who never even knew we have a basement, and now have the task of cleaning 'their' part of the basement...).
I've seen the EC's bonus programme, I'm not too bothered about my using my time creatively; they can afford to lose some.

MMF007

Oh, some great progress and projects going on this week!
I have made 2 cards, with 2 more planned today. Craft stash is in good order and nothing to kondo at present. Wrapping paper is also OK, I found a better way to store some so it is more accessible. I wrapped a couple of small gifts in pretty tissue paper with some nice ribbon and a bauble. DH was very impressed and has asked me to wrap 2 items in the same way for his sister's birthday on Friday. I love making things look pretty

I got my bank statement today and one of my clients has paid 2 months at once (she said she would probably do this because she is going away for 2 weeks). As a result I have kondo'd a relatively small amt on a bargain 2-night hotel stay for DH's birthday in April - it was an offer i found last week but was mulling over, today they reduced it by another £20 :T

[Deleted User]

nice happy vibes from you again beats doing booger all

ok I made good progress today. Car boot with back seats down contains much heavy wood, kind joiner was retiring, heard I had lost hubby and was staring carving and he gave me pile after pile of joinery wood, mahogany, sapele, oak, I was very grateful at the time esp because he was being so kind and he was glad to have it re-homed but in truth it is not the right wood and too dry and I have stored it for almost three years. Today I let it go and it is ready for the wood pile at the tip, to be re-cycled. It was bulky and took up considerable space

Last 2 sets of tall chrome shelving came down, bigdug shelving, fantastic shelving and so versatile. Dd already has a very wide very tall set from me. I re-built the selving as 3` tall modules and already the garage space looks more defined. Boxes are on there temporarily, wood on the wide ones, ready to be moved by removers. Next fine day I will consolidate the box contents eg sanding, modelling, tracing, sharpening and will label. They will then also be ready for the removers and so far, on that one wall, everything will be taken as is. I do have to work my way around the garage sides but feel that I am getting to a good stage when I can just have everything removed to my new place

Needless to say I was about 2" shorter with all the lifting, so have had to use my inverter to regain height but there was no lack of impact exercise and muscle building, all good for the older woman and I certainly go to bed happy tonight

Pooky

You!!!8217;ve been very busy again Kittie - we tried an inverter for DH (recommended by his physio) but he couldn!!!8217;t get on with it, I tried it a couple of times and ended up with vertigo each time. Needless to say we kondod that.

Miserable day here so set about redoing clothing drawers and airing cupboard. One large sack for CS, a few items in the selling pile and one large bag of ragging stuff. DH joined in and let me suggest what could stay and go so his drawers look much better now.

I also kondod a few old cat toys, a couple of old cat blankets that had seen better days.