Marie Kondo - Anyone want to discuss?

[runwad]

For years, this is how my parents would get rid of their stuff. It got so bad that every time I visited I had to lock my car doors and put the keys in my pockets or else I'd find all kinds of junk hidden in my car when I got home.

I think a lot like you do as well, I "might" need it some day. Of all the things I've ever donated or gotten rid of, I might have actually wished I had 1 or 2 items back. That's it. So, I remind myself of this when I find myself thinking that way.

Oh no I won't unload it on them if they didn't want it! My DD20 lives in an apartment at college (1st year in apartment) her and the roomates went out and bought all their Christmas decorations, made me sick as I had a ton they could've had for free!

So when I was putting Christmas decor away, I started a box of things I didn't use and off to goodwill it went. I won't keep it, I want to get rid of stuff. I guess I'm just thinking of how I was at that age (didn't want to waste my $$ on that kind of stuff) but they aren't like me! My luck, they take after the inlaws.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Does decluttering really require instruction? All it takes is a determination and time to do so. I started a couple years ago and have made great progress. I pick a couple areas every year and purge (nearly 30 years of attic clutter was a huge undertaking!) It's very rewarding and every purge makes me want to do more. It also makes me want to buy less. So win/win.

For me it did. I needed to not feel guilty about getting rid of certain things. My grandparents were great depression people so saved EVERYTHING and my parents got a little of that.

 

[slpeters]

I've been watching and going through stuff and I have to say I LOVE it!

I actually had never heard of her before I saw this thread. So I read a fair amount online about her. A lot of people seemed to have strong feelings. The impression I had was that a tiny Japanese woman was going to convince me to give away all my things and we would then do cartwheels of joy through our empty home. No thanks!

But the fact that it wasn't going to change my life didn't mean it couldn't be entertaining for an evening; so I gave it a shot. And it seems to me that it was totally different than I had been led to believe. It seems to me that a lot of decluttering philosophies fundamentally pitch the notion that things are a trap. And for many people to varying degrees they are. I've seen Hoarders--and occasionally I think about it when I ponder that corner of the dining room where stuff tends to congregate but Hoarders isn't really my life.

And that's where I really like Marie's approach. I feel like it matches more effectively my experience of things. Things, for me, aren't an unhealthy obsession; often times they can be a source of immense joy. I can sit on the couch in my living room and look about at the artwork and the books and the photos and souvenirs and be absolutely overcome by the beauty of the life that my husband and I have shared. And yet really most of the things I look at as I sweep my eye over the rooms of our house, the things that make me feel that way, are kind of useless. I don't "use" them; and a lot of decluttering systems seem to think that each of them is just "one more thing to dust."

But the point here doesn't seem to be to get rid of stuff. She even tells one of the women who has lost her husband to stop focusing on what she needs to get rid of and focus instead on what you want to keep and how you want to keep it. the point is to fully feel the joy that your possessions are able to bring you. In this system the tragedy of the garage isn't that there's boxes of crap out there, it's that your wedding DVD is in one of those boxes, along with a lot of other stuff that might really enhance your life and bring you joy if you just knew where it was.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying it and think it makes a LOT of sense. I've even started the folding thing--which I totally thought was bat sh*t crazy when I first saw it.

 

[luvsJack]

If it doesn’t brin me joy, I don’t keep it? So basically I would be left with my TV, my pjs and fuzzy socks and my dogs. Lol.

I have seen a lot of people raving on fb about her. I may check it out because we are in serious decluttering mode at my house. We have too many years of stuff to get through. Our stuff, dd’s stuff, ds’s stuff and some of the dgd’s stuff. And some how we became the storage spot for some wrestling stuff. Soooo lots has to go or there won’t be room for me, my fuzzy socks, the TV and my dogs!!!

 

[mmouse37]

I watched a few episodes and found it interesting. I don't have a desire to refold everything but I did start to take a drawer or cabinet at a time and start organizing and downsizing them. I attempted to clean the closet and when I started I tripped over a bag. Opened it up and dumped the contents.....30 Mickey Mouse rain ponchos!!! I have been hoarding rain ponchos over the years! I had no idea I had that many so I kept a few and got rid of the rest. Before I did I asked myself who in the world needs this many and my answer was really no one but, but, what if 29 of my friends and I want to go to a ball game and it starts to rain? I am definitely in the "what if I need that some day" camp. I do agree though once you start to purge things it makes it easier and can be very euphoric.

MJ

 

[4Mickeys]

Yes, watched it a couple of weeks ago... have started with the closets ... and organised the folded clothes. I have to say I feel much calmer when I walk past my walk-in closet or have to look for clothes. I want to bring that to the rest of the house as well. My house is not hoarder bad either but with 3 kids there is just stuff that accumulates and I am an emotional keeper of kid things. I enjoyed it .. Doing the new style folding doesn't really take that much longer than other style folding and it is more functional for me.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm hearing a lot about the folding, and I don't remember from the book - how do things stay upright?

I'm picturing, say, a drawer that holds 8 vertically-folded T-shirts in a row. They look all nice and pretty in there ready for selection, but what happens after I wear 4 and they go in the laundry? Wouldn't the other 4 fall over without the support of a full row, and make it all look messy again?

 

[lovemygoofy]

I haven't watched the shows but familiar from the book a few years ago. I have been actively trying to work on getting rid of things we aren't utilizing or enjoy. If things are piled in the closet or boxes or hidden away, it's not bringing anyone joy. If I give something away and it brings someone else joy then that makes me happy.

I have started in ways of groupings. I can't empty out my whole closet or I'd walk out. I started with ALL the tshirts and in my mind I wanted to do away with at least 15 of them. I moved onto blouses and sweaters and decided on 10 of these. These 10 do not include my rule of if was not worn in the last season (like summer clothes in the summer season) it has to go because I'm not likely to wear it in the next season.

When I do bathrooms, I work on bathrooms that day. I go through pare down towels, wash cloths, and hand towels. How many of these do we need to have anyways? So I pushed down to 4 sets in each bathroom. The hardest part for me was makeup and all the stuff I "need" from Ulta or other stores I need to stay away from. I was honest and what I actually use and wear and enjoy. The rest I tried to give to friends or others and put in kit bag to send to women's shelters. That included lotions and potions and samples things I have never used.

The hardest part for me is my husband. He has his mother in him and wants to keep everything but if I give him a task he can do okay. I told him to pick out 50 dvd's that need to go. From there I give him specific tasks and number of things to part with and he can do that task. I haven't even ventured toward the military gear because that's rather personal so we keep it stuffed in our military closet.

So now I'm in the mindset that I have beautiful things and stuff and I need to show it off or give it someone that wants to start having pretty stuff and makes them happy to see it.

 

[havaneselover]

I started to watch the first episode and I couldn't get past the lady who had to hire someone to do their laundry.

The first couple was annoying. They both (she more than he) kept calling each other Babe. I got really irritated.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I read the book over the New Year holiday. Watched the first episode of the show, but haven't had time to watch more.

I started with clothes and found the results to be amazing for my family. It was liberating to go through everything and implement her folding method. It's wonderful to be able to see what you have and what you don't need.

I'm struggling with the books this weekend. I have them in every room of my house, so it's a challenge to go through them all at once.

My plan is to get my entire house done by June, as that would be our 10 year anniversary here.

I think the clothing method is the most important and easiest to do. I agree with starting there. I don't agree with ALL of her method, but you don't have to! Do what's right for you. I think her book was just the inspiration I needed to get this done.

 

[PollyannaMom]

So I had some free time today, and decided to start watching.

I mostly liked the first episode:
I know I'm definitely more stressed when things are messy, so I really understood when the couple talked about feeling so much better. And the folding makes a little more sense, too. (I still don't think I'll be talking to my clothes, though.)

But the second is scaring me:
That is a lot of clutter! (At least I don't feel so bad about my own house now.)

I'm struggling with the books this weekend. I have them in every room of my house, so it's a challenge to go through them all at once.

I may go out of order on that one, as the books and sentimental categories kind of meld together at times for me. (If I designed my own house, it would have a library.) I may not be ready to do them so early in the process - maybe kitchen stuff?