KonMari 2020 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying

Slinky

At the request of MSE, I've been asked to start a new thread for KonMari for 2020. The previous one covered 2018-2019, plus there are links below to previous years.

Here's the links to the old threads with thanks to VfM4meplse and greent

2018-2019

2017

2016

2015


'The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up' by Marie Kondo is a home organisation/ decluttering book like no other. Instead of looking for things to discard, Marie Kondo says we should instead look for things we wish to keep - using the 'does it spark joy?' method. Ultimately this means that everything in our homes should spark joy for us :j You might not think that everyday and seemingly mundane items can't spark joy - but you need to think around it a little. So whilst an iron may not spark joy, wearing ironed clothes may. A cheese grater may not spark joy, but your child may really like grated cheese in their wraps - which brings joy.

Marie Kondo also says that this should be done quickly and properly. This may take six months to achieve, but tidying properly should mean doing it just once. This is against the often-seen decluttering advice of doing 15 minutes a day, or a drawer/ shelf a day.

MK suggests an order as to what to sort through first and subsequently. This is important - she starts with items which many people do not have an emotional attachment to (clothes) and builds up to sentimental items (photos) so that a person's joy-meter can be developed along the way.

Many MSE-ers have been following the KM method (kondo-ing) successfully. It fits into the MSE ethos by changing your mindse - you will no longer want to shop mindlessly for something 'just because' or 'it'll do' - you will want to buy only joyful items, thereby often saving ££ on random, impulse purchases.:money::T


From the 2016 thread

How/ Where Can I Dispose of My Unwanted Items?

It is vitally important to make sure that you dispose of your unwanted items asap - less chance of any doubts creeping in and items making their way back!


To make money and/ or save items from landfill, you may find the following ideas useful:

Money Making:

www.ebay.co.uk - am sure many will use this already. Be careful of fees - ebay now charge final value fees (FVF) on your postage as well as the amount which the items sells for.

www.ziffit.com - can sell any unwanted books, CDs, DVDs & games. Download the app onto your smartphone/ tablet for ease of use - scan the barcodes and it will tell you if the item is accepted and what price they will give you. For even more money, go through a cashback site first (such as www.topcashback.co.uk or www.quidco.com) (tip: save your accepted items in your virtual 'cart'. If you have any items which they initially refuse, try re-scanning these several days later - I find about another 20-50% of previously unaccepted items go through on another attempt!)


www.preloved.co.uk - Quidco are currently offering 60p to new members to Preloved (Jan 2016); plus you get 10p for posting a new advert. It's free to join and post adverts to Preloved, you can post things for sale or free to a good home so might be an alternative to eBay, free cycle, facebook selling pages to offload unwanted, unloved items. All free ads include a photo and private ads are completely free, no listing fees, no selling fees and no catches


www.gumtree.com - free online classified ad site


Recycling/ Reusing Items: (often raising funds for charities at the same time )

Bras
You can post them to the Breast Cancer charity here http://www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/recycling/513/bra-recycling/ or you can go hand them in to a branch of Bravissimo.



OR : raise funds for Nowzad Dogs - the only official animal charity in Afghanistan: http://www.nowzad.com/help-us/bras-for-nowzad/


Unwanted pens
You can post your unwanted pens to people overseas to help schools and orphanages via http://www.pensforkids.co.uk/how_you_can_help.html


Ink jet Printer Cartridges
Can be dropped off at Sue Ryder stores or posted off freepost for a charity from wide list or Tesco club card points for you via http://www.therecyclingfactory.com
/our-partners/


Books & Music
British Heart Foundation and Oxfam both do specialist charity shops that sell books and music so you could separate those donations to maximise the money the charities make



Postcards: can raise money for Great Ormond St children's hospital. http://www.gosh.org/fundraise-us/shopping-and-recycling/recycling-and-environment


Stamps: GOSH also take all stamps, special and everyday, as do the RNIB http://www.rnib.org.uk/donations-and-fundraising-fundraising-your-community-recycle-us/used-stamps-appeal


Maternity items/ baby & children's clothing/ nursery furniture/ toiletries/ nappies - a baby bank (like a food bank, but maternity and child related items for families in crisis) Lots springing up around the country. Some independent, some part of a small network. http://www.babybanknetwork.com/how-you-can-help-2/ www.gloucestershirebundles.org http://www.littlebundles.org.uk/cambridge/donations Up to date list can be found on stripey stork's website


Toiletries/ make-up/ clothing (women's and children's) - women's refuge centres. Google your local area for one - but be prepared you may have to drop off to a 3rd party point - for obvious reasons they do not always want to publicise their location! Or post to : http://www.carolinehirons.com/p/give-and-makeup.html to help women and children in the Southern/ London area

charity shops
ziffit
ebay
gumtree etc

luxor4t

Ooo, shiny new thread! Thank you, Slinky.

I have, I hope, put away all the Christmas stuff and had a little kondo on the way.

A small collection of non-xmasy things is ready to take to the CS tomorrow, along with all the cards to somebody who can use them for a project.

GreyQueen

Nice new thread, thank you, Slinky.

pavlovs_dog

On a jaunt to the city yesterday I finally disposed of items destined to be culled many months prior. In a bid not to drive hubby or myself mad, I'm tweaking my approach to decluttering somewhat. Historically I have piled like things up, only to move the piles (or worse still leave them there) without actually dealing with them. Decluttering then becomes 2 steps forward, 1 step back.

A mantra by Gemma Bray of the Organised Mum Method is to have an exit strategy. Know how you are going to get something out of the house and once it has been earmarked for rehoming, deal with it ASAP.

Another mantra I am using is that clutter is delayed decision making (a tip from Youtuber Do it On a Dime). This is certainly true of my piles of things that I'll 'get around to'.

No more!

kboss2010

I filled my car yesterday & am taking everything to charity shops tomorrow.

My kondoed stuff isn't hanging around this time!

camelot1001

Car load going today to the CS.

A rather large beverage jar (with a tap on the bottom) has been in the loft for about 7 years, it was a gift for DS1 when he was a student but has never been used. Also a rather nice stained glass type lamp shade I brought from my previous house but really doesn't fit this one. There's a bag of christmas decorations and clothes too.

A king sized winter quilt is on its way to DS1s, I don't have a king sized bed here any more and he lives in a very cold house.

Can you tell I've been in the loft?!

Former_MSE_Tine

Well... I'm joining in with you all

Today I did the En-suite bathroom, go me! We are about to hit the clothes this evening because we're THAT rock and roll in this house hahaha

What a way to spend a Saturday night :money::rotfl:

GreyQueen

Another big bag of donations out to a chazzer this afto. More still to go, a little at a time via the old pushbike.

VJsmum

So current resolution is to kondo at least one thing a day - I know it doesn't sound much but it will add up and the emphasis is on the 'at least'. And this is not kind of - that envelope, that would go anyway, but like yesterday it was 'that pot of hundreds and thousands cluttering a cupboard when it's 3 years out of date and we don't really make cakes or trifles..."

I'm also working through a pile of DD's mini shower gels that have a tiny bit in the bottom so she's abandoned them (she works in Lush so gets loads). I just shove a bit of water in them and get two more uses.

I also have a chazzer donation bag on the go but it's taking a while to fill.

Siebrie

A friend offered me back 7 books I'd stored at her place when I emigrated 12 years ago. She finished reading them and was going through her bookshelves before Christmas. They will now be donated to some charity she favors. I had a short wobble, because dd1 is almost going to secondary school and will probably start reading English classics, but then I realized that the school will require annotated books from a specific publisher and year, so my old books would be useless.

In addition to my back-up gala dress, I have bought a bright red Wallis military type winter coat for €20 in the charity shop. It's rather expensive for second hand, but IT FITS. That sparks joy: long enough sleeves and a cheerful color in winter

Siebrie

VJsmum, do you have an old soap dispenser? You can empty all the (diluted) soapy leftovers in one container and use it for washing hands (or maybe just combine all the similar smells and finish those first).