topic Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying? in Community Chat

Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

gidgetgh — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 14:58:48 GMT

I've been working on decluttering and organizing our house. Not that we've ever been overly cluttery or disorganized, but since I haven't been working and have alot of time on my hands I've kind of turned this into one of my hobbies- LOL.

Anyway, I'm deep into my project- just about done, but a few months ago read the book on the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying. The book was great, in my opinion, and I incorporated several of the author's ideas into what I was already doing.

I just wondered if anyone else has read Marie Kondo's book and is following her method? If you are, we could share some stories and pictures of some of our "finished" areas.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

emma bunting — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:02:24 GMT

I've never heard of that meathod, gidget......can you give it to me in a nutshell? Is it the "keep/donate/toss idea?

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

KonaKat — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:04:05 GMT

Haven't heard of it but am open to suggestions. Off to google it!

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

KonaKat — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:09:01 GMT

Kondo's philosophy emphasizes the mental attachment we have to our possessions and her approach is quite simple: declutter first, then store. To declutter a space, she asks her clients to go through every item in their possession and question whether those items "spark joy." If a certain object fails to do so, chuck it.

Once clients have completed decluttering their homes, Kondo's "KonMari" method requires that clients find a specific place for EVERYTHING that's left.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chanel-parks/konmari-decluttering-method_b_6533574.html

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

Vickiv — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:10:49 GMT

No I have not read the book but I will. I always worry about clutter. If I buy something then I have to get rid of something. If I find I am not doing a good job of de cluttering I watch the show Hoarders. That gets me motivated quick. I love pretty things and my house is Victorian style. I am always changing things so I must trade off when I bring in something. I once asked my son is the house filled up. He said that you are surrounding yourself with things you love and it is not junk. Wow I felt better and went out and bought more things I love. LOL

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

emma bunting — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:11:47 GMT

Thanks for the "nutshell" KonaKat. This is inspiring me to get rid of shoes I haven't worn in years. Something about tossing or donating shoes just goes against my religion. But I really need the space. I love the idea of only keeping things that bring you joy. Does that apply to husbands too?

(just kidding! )

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

Vickiv — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:15:21 GMT

I love that idea of keeping what you enjoy. It makes it easier to make decisions on what to do away with. Interesting. Have to get the book.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

qualitygal — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:21:51 GMT

I read her book, even applied a couple of things. I'm pretty organized though. Had a teacher once complain to my mom that everytime she looked my way, I had my head in the desk, top of the desk open, and I was in there straightening it up. (Elementary, you see). I also as a kid when I was home sick, used to put my viewmasters in order. See,you have the gene or you don't. ROFLOL.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

lilypadfrog — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:20:38 GMT

The book is called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up . You can get it on Amazon. I highly recommend it. Its a very empowering book.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

qualitygal — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:23:12 GMT

My library had it.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

gidgetgh — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:33:27 GMT

@emma bunting wrote:
I've never heard of that meathod, gidget......can you give it to me in a nutshell? Is it the "keep/donate/toss idea?

The basic "take away" from the book, at least for me, was keep what brings you joy. She specifically says what "sparks joy". That's pretty much what I've been doing for the last few years, but hadn't really assigned a name to it.

She gives you a very specific order of how to clean your "stuff" out- starting with clothes, because they have the least emotional tugs at you. Then you work your way to harder categories and end up with the hardest- mementos and photos. By that time, you know the process and those harder categories are easier.

She's Japanese and there's certainly some cultural differences and a few things that I rolled my eyes at, but overall, I loved her suggestions.

I've lost quite a bit of weight in the last few years and my closet has gone through a complete overhaul, at least twice now. Again, not just with the clothes, but with everything I've been purging, I realize now that the things I've kept ARE the things that spark joy in me. I love looking at my side of the closet now. I love looking at the things in our house. They all bring me joy.

The book is a short read, but I thought it was terrific. I joined the Facebook Fan Page (unofficial) and people share ideas/pictures all the time there. One of my favorite FB pages.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

gidgetgh — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:36:30 GMT

@qualitygal wrote:
I read her book, even applied a couple of things. I'm pretty organized though. Had a teacher once complain to my mom that everytime she looked my way, I had my head in the desk, top of the desk open, and I was in there straightening it up. (Elementary, you see). I also as a kid when I was home sick, used to put my viewmasters in order. See,you have the gene or you don't. ROFLOL.

QualityGal- me too. If you look up organized in the dictionary, you're likely to find my picture. So this is right up my alley. I've always been very organized and efficient and non cluttery, while maintaining a comfortable house, but this has really turned into a hobby for me and I love the end results.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

Burnsite — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 16:28:28 GMT

One of her suggestions I have been finding handy: clean by category, not room by room. Categories include cosmetics, magazines, books. Another is: start with clothes.

If an item does not "spark joy," you should get rid of it or pass it on to someone else. If an item does "spark joy," you _must not_ discard it. You must find a place for it.

I live in a small house with a huge, give-a-party living room but no storage space whatever, and I have found her advice helpful.

She is from Tokyo, where people live in unimaginably small apartments (by American standards), so she really has given a lot of thought to this.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

Pqfan — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 16:31:46 GMT

I am considering buying the book but I have bought books about decluttering in the past so I am wary. I like to watch all of the youtube Kon Mari videos. This book is so popular right now! Right now I am using the Pqfan method which isn't working! LOL! I am supposed to be working today but instead I ordered a pizza and am watching tv.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

gidgetgh — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 16:38:42 GMT

@Burnsite wrote:

One of her suggestions I have been finding handy: clean by category, not room by room. Categories include cosmetics, magazines, books. Another is: start with clothes.

If an item does not "spark joy," you should get rid of it or pass it on to someone else. If an item does "spark joy," you _must not_ discard it. You must find a place for it.

I live in a small house with a huge, give-a-party living room but no storage space whatever, and I have found her advice helpful.

She is from Tokyo, where people live in unimaginably small apartments (by American standards), so she really has given a lot of thought to this.

Absolutely- clean/purge/organize by category. It's the most efficient and as you complete a category, well, you're done with it! I gave the book to a friend a few months ago. She hasn't read it yet, but has been trying to declutter/organize on her own, but has been frustrated because she doesn't feel she's making much progress.

I asked her if she was "flitting" from room to room and she said yes. I said, well stop that because it's too overwhelming and you'll never finish. Take two days to read the book and then start....with clothes. You do nothing else till you finish clothes.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

cowboy sam — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 16:51:27 GMT

Thanks that is interesting.

So if we do this.. one wouldn't get overwelmed trying to clean everything at once and give up.

It does make sense.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

smoky22 — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:05:09 GMT

gidget , you've done a wonderful job of explaining the book. I'm almost done with it, and while i find it most interesting, the basic suggestion of dumping everything you own (of a certain category) on the floor is a little radical. First you take everything, and she does mean everything (like all the clothes you own) and dump them on the floor and then start by discarding before you go back to organizing.

I'm not a messy person so I will never have bags and bags of stuff to discard as she says a lot of her clients have. I do like the main take away from her book that you should get rid of things that don't give you joy. And I like the way she respects her possessions, for example, thanking her clothes for keeping her warm. There is a lot of Japanese culture in her book and I found it extremely interesting.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

gidgetgh — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:20:56 GMT

@smokymtngal wrote:
gidget , you've done a wonderful job of explaining the book. I'm almost done with it, and while i find it most interesting, the basic suggestion of dumping everything you own (of a certain category) on the floor is a little radical. First you take everything, and she does mean everything (like all the clothes you own) and dump them on the floor and then start by discarding before you go back to organizing.

I'm not a messy person so I will never have bags and bags of stuff to discard as she says a lot of her clients have. I do like the main take away from her book that you should get rid of things that don't give you joy. And I like the way she respects her possessions, for example, thanking her clothes for keeping her warm. There is a lot of Japanese culture in her book and I found it extremely interesting.

Smokymtngal- I think I'd mentioned that I came to the book a little late in the party. I started on my "let's declutter the house" project in Jan. 2012 and I just read the book a few months ago.

Like you, there was no way on this earth that I was going to take every article of clothing I own and dump it on our bed. THAT was too overwhelming to me. My side of the closet was already in terrific shape and because of my weight loss just about everything in there is new, but the way I have it laid out, it's easy for me to look at each piece, visually, without going to the extreme she does. I think she does it to make a point though. To see it all in one big mass wakes you up. Do you really NEED all that. Does EVERY SINGLE PIECE bring you joy. Touch every single piece and see what it "says" to you. So I get her point, but I couldn't do that big mess.

I thought it was also interesting that she said gather your clothes from all over your house. All over my house????? Huh? Except for the coat closet downstairs, all my clothes are in our closet or in my dresser. My clothes have never been all over the place. I just don't live like that.

No way on earth am I going to empty my purse out every night and put the items in a tray and the purse on a shelf only to fill it all up again the next morning. To me, that's a time waster and not needed. But alot of people embrace that. And that makes them happy.

Like you, I love that she teaches you to love and respect your possessions. I love some (but not all) of her "tidying" methods.

So I just took the book as a helpful tool to help guide me on the journey that I was already deep into. I made several changes to my organizing because of it.

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

smoky22 — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 18:11:19 GMT

gidget, I agree with everything you said. She makes you really think about all your possessions in a different light. It was a very worthwhile book to read. I think everyone can take away something positive from it.

By the way, congratulations on your weight loss!

Re: Anyone doing the Konmari method of decluttering & tidying?

Nataliesgramma — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 18:44:34 GMT

I think that I am a pretty organized person, but I still weed out my closets, garage and storage area once a year. My hubby on the other hand, is an "Oscar Madison".....

When places like the kitchen junk drawer and garage start to get messy....it's time to tackle them before it becomes a major project.