I have not read the book. Does it also talk about maintaining after all the purging and not getting back to the same place?
Yes - It talks about changing how you think of your possessions so you don't feel guilty getting rid of gifts you don't love, items that work fine that you don't love, etc, so the idea is that if you only keep what sparks joy, and you only bring things into the house that spark joy, you won't "relapse."
At the beginning of this i took an assessment of our storage totes and made a goals to cut them down by 1/3. we had 12 totes, and i thought getting rid of 4 would be monumental. yesterday i sold 4 empty totes and was delighted!
this afternoon we got into the storage space again and i'm down to 2 totes. we got rid of a lot of stuff, but some of it was following her rule of not storing off season items. we don't have to pack away all our winter coats when the coat closet is sitting mostly empty. h's colder weather work clothes are now one neat stack that fits in the top of the closet... and conveniently, that shelf in the closet that was always threatening an avalanche of clothing is largely empty too.
I have not read the book. Does it also talk about maintaining after all the purging and not getting back to the same place?
She talked about the moment when you've finished and everything clicks. It's like a switch flips in your brain. Your relationship to your current possessions changes, your buying/acquiring habits change, etc.
I was a bit skeptical on this myself because I love shopping. Just wandering around the mall was a favourite hobby. I'd get up on a Saturday morning and drive around to yardsales. But over these past two months I have no desire to do any of that. I've has to shop a couple times because I needed things and I enjoyed looking then, but it was purposeful. and I wasn't tempted by things on the clearance rack just because they were cheap! I'm interested to see if this is a long term change for me or if I'm just riding the high, so to speak.
I have not read the book. Does it also talk about maintaining after all the purging and not getting back to the same place?
She talked about the moment when you've finished and everything clicks. It's like a switch flips in your brain. Your relationship to your current possessions changes, your buying/acquiring habits change, etc.
I was a bit skeptical on this myself because I love shopping. Just wandering around the mall was a favourite hobby. I'd get up on a Saturday morning and drive around to yardsales. But over these past two months I have no desire to do any of that. I've has to shop a couple times because I needed things and I enjoyed looking then, but it was purposeful. and I wasn't tempted by things on the clearance rack just because they were cheap! I'm interested to see if this is a long term change for me or if I'm just riding the high, so to speak.
Hearing this part has inspired me to put the book on hold at the library. I get in phases where I like to purge but then I slowly start toget stuff again so it becomes a cycle. I am tired of collecting stuff and having a bunch of stuff in our basement.
I am 6th in the hold list. I can't help but wonder if any of those are mmm.
Clothes going. Threw away almost all my art & architecture projects from school. That part was a bit painful but they'd sat in my garage for 15yrs untouched.
I'm on hold with regard to clothes at the moment. I purged items I KNOW don't bring me joy, but I have a double wardrobe at the moment: maternity/nursing clothes that I NEED right now but will sell as soon as I am done with them, and regular clothes that I don't want to get rid of until I lose the baby weight and see how they fit.
I have finally gotten DH on board with this. We purged five boxes of books and he donated six garbage bags of clothes. Six! The big black ones. He had been holding on to clothes from college that he literally hadn't worn in 10+ years because he felt guilty getting rid of them. With books, he got rid of anything he has had for longer than 6 months and hasn't ever read or anything that he won't read or use to teach again. Victory!!
I finally got my MOJO back this week after struggling with morning sickness for a couple weeks. I cleaned up my kitchen pantry and have a bunch of kitchen electronics to post on our garage sale page. I hope to sell them so I feel less guilt about getting rid of them. I also did a bunch of my cabinets as well. This week's goal is,to sell stuff in preparation for some tidying this coming,weekend.
I haven't finished the book and actually started the process yet, but I did go through our fridge, freezers and pantry today to purge outdated food. It's sad how much I got rid of, but feels so nice to know exactly what we DO have before I grocery shop for the week.
Post by indifferentstars on Aug 2, 2015 20:38:53 GMT -5
I finished paper tonight! It was 95% done but I just didn't feel like slogging through to finish it when I originally did it so I'd moved onto komono (Tsk tsk). Tonight I finished it and our filing cabinet is now in the donation pile. Weee! I did not go quite as limited on what I kept as the book would dictate but we got it down to about 20 (thin) hanging file folders and I'll buy one of those small file boxes to hold them in a closet instead of the 2 drawer filing cabinet taking up floor space in our office.
bunch, how was your yardsale? make lots of money?!
It was okay. It was super hot and not really 'yardsale season' but I made about $100 and had the thrift store truck up all of the rest. In an attempt to get ready for the yardsale I did a quick purge of the basement. I'm looking forward to going back and being a lot more thorough.
Big wins:
I got rid of half the kids toys. Not only do they not care, they have a much easier time cleaning up and it's less stress for all of us. Their clothes are up next.
The things that I've bought since are exactly what I've wanted and I really enjoy each purchase.
Dh has gotten into the spirit. Our entire bin of tshirts from our elementary school years and beyond is gone and we obviously don't miss a thing.
I found my 12 yr old Chacos in a basement bin. They're great.
Is there an online list of the order in the book somewhere? I just had it from the library, and it's limited to two weeks because it's so popular right now, so it went back as soon as I finished reading it.
Books will go pretty quick. Well... my books. DH has given me permission to get rid of some uni textbooks, and the kid's books are pretty scary.
I can't even get motivated enough to read the book. This doesn't look promising.
Right?!? It's been sitting on my nightstand for 6 months. Maybe I should get rid of the book in the honor of keeping only things that "spark joy."
Hey, Kondo says...
"So when deciding which books to keep, forget about whether you think you’ll read it again or whether you’ve mastered what’s inside. Instead, take each book in your hand and decide whether it moves you or not. Keep only those books that will make you happy just to see them on your shelves, the ones that you really love. That includes this book, too. If you don’t feel any joy when you hold it in your hand, I would rather you discard it."
I just did the vast majority of DS's clothes while he is out. It is liberating to realize he doesn't need 18 pairs of underwear, and to notice that half the socks in his drawer certainly don't fit, and get rid of the stuff he never, ever chooses to wear. I need to do DD's tomorrow and then do another OUAC run. I've probably got about a garbage bag's worth already.
I just did the vast majority of DS's clothes while he is out. It is liberating to realize he doesn't need 18 pairs of underwear, and to notice that half the socks in his drawer certainly don't fit, and get rid of the stuff he never, ever chooses to wear. I need to do DD's tomorrow and then do another OUAC run. I've probably got about a garbage bag's worth already.
My son's sock drawer probably contains at least 50 pairs. Totally insane but I've been putting off dealing with it because I don't want to try to figure out what fits and what doesn't. Plus it will have to be done after he's asleep or out of the house or else chaos will ensue
I just did the vast majority of DS's clothes while he is out. It is liberating to realize he doesn't need 18 pairs of underwear, and to notice that half the socks in his drawer certainly don't fit, and get rid of the stuff he never, ever chooses to wear. I need to do DD's tomorrow and then do another OUAC run. I've probably got about a garbage bag's worth already.
My son's sock drawer probably contains at least 50 pairs. Totally insane but I've been putting off dealing with it because I don't want to try to figure out what fits and what doesn't. Plus it will have to be done after he's asleep or out of the house or else chaos will ensue
I just skimmed the ones I know he's worn recently and blindly got rid of the rest. "Choosing what to keep" and all that jazz.
But yes, DS is 4 and I can not include him in this yet. He wants to keep EVERYTHING FOREVER. But does not notice when I get rid of this stuff at all.
Is there an online list of the order in the book somewhere? I just had it from the library, and it's limited to two weeks because it's so popular right now, so it went back as soon as I finished reading it.
Books will go pretty quick. Well... my books. DH has given me permission to get rid of some uni textbooks, and the kid's books are pretty scary.
I'm almost finished with the book and am SO EXCITED to do the clothes tonight. I did books before reading this about a month ago, and donated 2 trash bags full. DH is hopeless though...I had all his books out too and asked him to give me any to donate and he gave me ONE BOOK. I said "Are you sure? You haven't read this since we've been together (8.5 years)" "Yes, I'm going to read it again!!!!11" I need to make him read the book
@ffbride0813, DH and I started listening to the audiobook and it gave us the giggles. She's so funny when she's reading the testimonials and so dramatic about her love of tidying and how upset she gets when things are out of order.
Oh she is crazy. I don't think I would be able to listen to her in real life without laughing. She does speak some truth though underneath the hilarity. I rolled my eyes a ton.
Is there an online list of the order in the book somewhere? I just had it from the library, and it's limited to two weeks because it's so popular right now, so it went back as soon as I finished reading it.
Books will go pretty quick. Well... my books. DH has given me permission to get rid of some uni textbooks, and the kid's books are pretty scary.
I know its clothes, something, something, miscelaneous, and sentimental. I know clothes are first and pictures are last.
I am a dumbass. What am I doing with this checklist? LOL NO, I haven't read the book and may not get to it but always have a need to declutter. My issue is that I have been burned in the past with prematurely purging items and then needing them later on.
I know its clothes, something, something, miscelaneous, and sentimental. I know clothes are first and pictures are last.
I am a dumbass. What am I doing with this checklist? LOL NO, I haven't read the book and may not get to it but always have a need to declutter. My issue is that I have been burned in the past with prematurely purging items and then needing them later on.
The checklist is just some ladies idea of where to start. The idea is to start with clothes. Remove them all from your closet and then purge whatever doesnt bring you joy. Then do books and keep on going through the list. She says in the book to just get rid of things. If you need it later rebuy it. I thought that was odd but if you think of it there is a cost per sq ft of keeping that stuff. If its no use then get rid of it. If you have to rebuy then maybe next time it will bring you joy or at least you didnt pay to store it. I have a big attic so I dont really feel like I am paying to hold my crap but I did have a lot of kitchen electronics I never used but kept because they were expensive.I am getting rid of them because i would rather have a well organized tidy space then stuff.
That list is exactly what I need to organize my organizing, lol.
I've listed some of the "good stuff" for sale. I'll give it a few weeks and if it doesn't move, I'll add it to the giveaway pile. I need to book another pick-up from Community Living and eventually make another Once Upon a Child (followed by Salvation Army for the rejects) run.
DS's dresser is so much more pleasant now that it's not overstuffed.
I have an unexpected day off so I'm organizing some things. DS's closet and dresser are done and I want to do the bathroom cabinets today too. If I'm still off tomorrow I'll tackle our closet/dresser and the office.
Our garage needs to be cleaned out in the worst possible way. That's not a solo job though.
I have like a thousand instruction manuals. They come with everything! Do you keep or toss these? If you keep how do you store them?
Do you ever reference them? Even if I keep them, I'm more likely to google the pdf in the rare event I need instructions. Recycle all.
Totally. Some nerd somewhere has scanned in the instruction booklet for EVERY electronic, home gadget, expired car seat, etc., in the world. Recycle bin!