KonMari 2018 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

greent

The lovely weather has meant I've been out in the garden - have got rid of most of a mostly-dead lavender bush (huge - we planted it at a good size 10 years ago and have some new small ones to replace it), some dead bits of plants from last year, some dead plants (lupin in a pot totally rotted) and planted my Mothering Sunday bulbs and some bargain primroses in the pretty Spring flower bed (Will get the benefit next year now )

Have also been through the receipts/ gtee/ instructions boxes (2 foolscap boxes, not both full) and removed 1 item - and added several more! Also been through some household filing and removed a heap - most of which will be ending up in the chiminea to be burned

[Deleted User]

not much time for specific mk at the moment, allotment needs attention every few days esp the grass all around. I use a push mower, twice a week at the moment, then I trim the two 105 feet edges. Keeps me going and is good to have aims at my age, even if it is just keeping the paths in order. However I hoe`ed, chopped up a tall brassica for the hot bin and generally tidied up. All physical work but easier than the 5 litres of paint that I put on masonary yesterday. I ran out of paint and have another long session to look forward to tomorrow

PollyWollyDoodle

Crikey Kitty where do you get your energy? I don't think I could use a push mower if I tried. I cut the grass at home for the first time yesterday, still quite wet and it had got very long over winter. The mower overheated four times and cut out!

No active Kondoing here and if I'm honest the spare room has got a bit untidy, I really need to do something about the fabric stash. Despite a moratorium on any incoming fabric it is getting out of hand, I had to do a quick search for something the other day and it wouldn't all fit back in the cupboard. However, I'm planning to use some of it up - some new cushion covers badly needed.

Slinky

I'm still waiting on the chap to come and mow ours. He was supposed to come yesterday evening, but I got a message late on saying he'd forgotten but will come this afternoon.

We used to have a push mower when I was a child. You must be very strong kittie!

ETA our onions are coming up really quickly considering they haven't been in a fortnight yet. And the blossom on the trees, 2 days ago there was barely a sign; the edible cherry is now in full bloom and the pear tree next to it will be by the end of the day I'm sure.

Still waiting to find out what colour the lilac will be. Fingers crossed.

[Deleted User]

I don`t know Polly, I listen to my body, I am not always energetic and if it says rest, then I rest but just now I am raring to go. Waiting for more masonry paint today, I am coating the very big expanse of high garden wall, being safe as always, almost finished one coat but ran out of paint, 5 litres used but much quicker with a roller than a brush. Hoping to finish first coat later today, will have to wait for the paint which will likely arrive at 4. I get sprayed head to toe and do get stiff by the end but I have ways to get rid of the stiffness. Second(easier) coat next week otherwise any heavy shower tomorrow night would wash the second coat off. I just wish I were 6 inches taller, 4` 11 is so restricting

slinky, keeping strong is very essential when getting older (after age 40) , keeping muscles strong will protect bones and pushing a mower is good, I push/pull it back and forth and there is a certain amount of impact exercise. I do cycle easily so have strong leg muscles but we all need impacts to keep bones strong, hence me moving my re-bounder into a space behind my sofa and keeping some hand weights handy for arm strength, using them if I remember but not needing to use them at the moment

juliettet

Kittie,

Please can you tell me what squeegee you use. My Brabantia is kaputt after 20 years!

silvasava

Finished the new cover for one of my boat cushions so that will be going down there tomorrow along with the rest of the bits and pieces for her. DH made me a temporary sewing table from two trestles so that can be dismantled. Ive got a small drop leaf garden table in the loft so may bring that down to use as I've a few more sewing jobs and kondo when finished with. Encouraged DH to kondo some undercrackers - he looked like Eric Morecambe in his bell clapper shorts they're in the rag bag along with the damaged piece of boat cushion (my fault - left a cleaning spray on the cushion, it leaked and left a big stain)
Got a Lemon Balm I potted on to give to DS1 - just general tidying lately (it needed it!) rather than any particular kondoing
Hope everyone gets to enjoy some sunshine today

GreyQueen

Pooky wrote: »

I kondod a happy half hour this afternoon visiting our new allotment plot! I'm still at the over excited stage at the moment, I'm sure that will wear off slightly as I get stuck into just how much needs doing. But yay!!!

I've also kondod 2 more tins of paint, lots of cardboard packaging and several lengths of old skirting board. My newly decorated hall is look fab and thanks to some serious kondoing I've only put back what I actually want out there, not just what fits.

:j :j:jCongratulations on your new plot, may you have many a happy hour together.

Just came back from my plots, spent a 1.5 hrs up there now it's cooler, has been as hot as a midsummer day here, far too hot for working. A lottie pal had a day off work earlier this week and decided gardening shirtless would be a good idea (male pal, obvs) and is nursing some serious sunburn and a heat-derived headache which has taken two days to shift. He'll not be doing that again in a hurry, bless.

:T My broad beans, sown 12 days ago on Plot2, are peeping up, and I have worked some more on the once-berm, digging out yet more plastic (how I hate plastic, let me count the ways :mad:) plus some random badly-corroded-fell-off-the-back-of-a-tractor-type bits of metal, plus nails, glass, pottery sherds and even a swatch of chicken-wire which was well underground.

I have also taken the rake to half of the area and shifted the soil down and across, the other half is a fight for another day - was losing the light.

I still have A LOT to do to get Plot2 under full cultivation, as there are a lot of nasties like brambles, nettles and couch grass to deal with, but there's now about six months of decent weather to play with, and I shall get there in the end. Oh, and the first bit of potato top has breached the baulk on Plot1, cue usual anxious weeks until end of May when the frost risk passes in my region. Fingers crossed!

Plot2 already looks a lot better because, each time I leave, I chuck some recyclable plastic carp into the bike basket and pedal off with it.

Haven't done much kondo-ing at the flat (have barely been at the flat when not eating or sleeping) but, on the positive side, have been too busy to shop for anything but grub, so no clutter coming in.

Have a good evening, lovely peeps. GQ xx

Pooky

Think I will be spending a lot of happy hours up at the allotment - this plot has not been used for the past year and has gone to grass but the allotment caretaker has offered to spray, rotovate and cover the entire patch in weed membrane for me so that I can roll back and start on one section at a time. It's a big plot, on a slope and very uneven currently so getting the rotovater in will help me get it into some terraces which will be slightly easier to work on. I do appreciate rotovating isn't the best start but if I can keep the bed areas covered for a while to help it all die back then I at least stand a chance.

Our back garden is small and over the past 2 years I've turned it into a really low maintenance area with a small lawn and lots of gravel beds and minimal weeding. So all my gardening tools will come in useful at the plot. MIL has offered to buy us a shed - she's a star (although she was pointing out £400 ones where as the one I fancied is £160 - I do appreciate the more expensive one might last longer but £160 worth will last long enough if looked after and it's only to put a few tools and a couple of chairs in.

Kondoing my 3 piece suite today, a friend is coming to pick it up this morning. DH was finding it near impossible to get in and out of as it's too low and slopes the wrong way. Hopefully he'll find his new chair much easier (need to put it together this afternoon)

GreyQueen

How many square meters have you got, Pooky?

Re sheds, if the MIL's proffered shed is bigger, I'd take it. You may think you'll just have a few tools and some deckchairs at this point, but allotments tend to require a lot of containers (trugs, buckets, baskets, pots) not to mention bean poles, bags, compost etc etc. You'll be astonished at how many bits and bobs you'll have up there.

Plus, a more expensive shed, if there's no difference in size, is likely to be of better quality wood and roofing felt. I once made the mistake of buying a cheap shed from W1ckes. The sides were as thin as fence panel wood and the rain drove right through them! I made the store take it back for a full refund, but the whole business was a faff and involve me with my don't-mess-with-the-fierce-lady face on and a meeting with the boss in the store manager's office.:rotfl:

This morning I am going to the juntique shop to work my magic decluttering mojo. SOS from my dear pal, who does me many a favour and has offered to bribe me with lunch and some bags of horse manure.

Err, I do hope I heard the offer right, and the manure isn't intended for my din-dins..... :eek: