Kondo Marie vs Julie Morgenstern?

Moneysaverme wrote: »

Oh my word GREYQUEEN,

That website you posted above... I had a look just before 9pm, found a challenge on it ('Clear 100 things in one hour'), did the challenge up to 10pm and am now sitting looking at a big pile of stuff that I do not use, do not need, forgot I had etc etc.

Thank you so much! I am now off to have a thorough look through the website to see what else inspires me. I might even repeat the challenge tomorrow. If anyone is in need of some inspiration, take a look at the site GQ posted at the start of this thread.

Thanks thanks thanks!

I might give this a try.

Haven't read either book but I did follow the KM thread for quite a while, then I got really really stuck on 2 categories - paperwork and wardrobe, so I gave up.

Must be a huge energy block in there somewhere, but I find I cannot force myself with either.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Or, rather than books that cost money, etc,

1. If I had to leave the house at night because it was on fire, would I run back in to get this or pick this up on my way out?

2. If the house burned down, would I have to replace this immediately?

3. If the house burned down, would I need to replace it soon?

4. If the house burned down, would this be likely to be an integral part of the fire, whether by starting it, adding fuel to it or getting in the way of my escape?

5. If the house burned down, would I be crying over this being burned for years to come?

Have you sought treatment for your apparent pyrophobia? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Have you sought treatment for your apparent pyrophobia? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

In all seriousness, hoarders' homes are fire hazards. My mother's rooms were filled to overflowing with Stuff, no way of getting into the rooms to check whether the appliances plugged in were safe, the stairs covered in huge piles of stuff, the windows couldn't be opened because of furniture and stuff in front of them, the only way into the kitchen was through a little goat path through the mountains of stuff in the living room and then squeezing sideways and there were great mountains of boxes, pans still covered in old grease stacked on top of the still used eyelevel grill, several appliances plugged into one adapter socket and on the one time I was permitted briefly to try and help, it took me an entire day to get 3 foot from the kitchen 'table' to be able to open the back door - where I was confronted by tools, plastics, flammable cleaning fluids (unused) and old furnishings/furniture.

If there were a fire, not only would she have likely locked herself in convinced the firefighters would steal her things, they wouldn't have been able to reach her in their equipment if she wasn't standing immediately by the front door - if a fire had started there, there was absolutely no way of getting either to the side or back of the house nor anywhere inside.

(by the way, when I was trying to help her, being very patient and focusing purely upon gathering categories together, out of date things and broken/rusted/unrepairable items, somebody asked me what I really wanted to do. My answer was 'Napalm the whole bloody shebang and go down the pub' :cool:)


Not everybody is a hoarder to that extent, but I have seen some places which aren't that far off in terms of putting things in front of doors because 'there isn't anywhere else for it' or rooms filled with bin bags of clothes to chest height with no floor visible because they liked buying things but not washing them or putting them away, so could never find x item of clothing and went out to buy another (coming back with two big bags, rather than just the pair of black socks they couldn't find - out of about 50 pairs that had been put in those bags).

I haven't read Julie Morgenstern, but I can testify to Marie Kondo being life-changing. As a lifelong clutter-collector, although not a hoarder, I can't believe that I now have empty drawers, clear worktops, and bookshelves with only one row of books on them. I've tried various methods over the years but nothing has ever really worked before, I'd 'tidy up' and it would all come back.

I've never found the 'if there was a fire ...' questions very useful because in reality if there was a fire you'd just grab one or two precious things; but we all live with more than you could carry out of the house in one armful.

I would say go with MK first because as I understand it Julie Morgenstern is more about organisation. You can't organise clutter, many of us have tried ('I just need more storage!') and that way lies madness. Once you've got rid of the things that don't make you happy, organisation is easy.

Dandy-candy, there are no rules other than 'does it spark joy' - you decide what to keep. If it makes you feel sad, then why keep it? If it secretly makes you happy that you once had that relationship, then hang on to it.

I second PWD and Maman.

Somehow the Marie Kondo method of seeing what you love and want to keep, and how to release the rest of the Stuff really works for me.
The way of organising does indeed encourage continued neatness, which in turn makes life A LOT easier. Being able to open a drawer and instantly see the full range of undies, t-shirts, nightwear, or whatever, same with kitchen implements, books, craft supplies (!), etc, etc, is a joy in itself. Saves SO MUCH time and stress!

Dealing with your entire stock of one item (be that coats, shoes, tops, pans, mugs, scissors, pens, necklaces, chairs, or whatever) is a sure way to find out you have far more, say, scissors thatn you realised or need! I bet everyone has been surprised by the number of things they have in each of the categories.

Whichever way suits you, you will not regret reducing the amount of Stuff in your home.
Good luck!

M