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Post by ponygirl on Sept 3, 2015 11:45:26 GMT -5
I'm not throwing my clothes in a pile on the floor to work though KM. You do not have to do this 'straight up' from the book. The method works if you try it! Let's face it...for most of us, what we HAVE been doing is definitely not working great or we wouldn't be here seeking support. I've been working on my socks and underwear category and, wow, I'm down to what I love to wear in that respect. I purged at least 3/4 of it. Maybe more than that. I'm not a counter, per se. I'm using a few of the socks for cleaning rags (I need a LOT of that done.). The rest of the socks and underwear went into the burn pyre. Patting self on back...heehee...
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Post by peaceandfreedom on Sept 3, 2015 13:11:41 GMT -5
I'm still painting the back porch, but I really want to give it a try soon as that project is done. I notice that, just from reading the book, I'm starting to look at clothes and ask if they bring me joy. Yesterday I put a lovely blouse into the Goodwill box-- because it must be IRONED! Right there, I decided that any piece of clothing that needs to be IRONED does not spark joy! ( or, it would have to be something mighty wonderful to make the cut and still need to be ironed!)
I'm reading the section now about folding your clothes. I don't know about that part. I hang everything up, so I can see what I've got. But, definitely keeping an open mind.
As you say, what we HAVE been doing isn't working great! Yay for ponygirl, and please keep reporting on your progress.
Yay for ponygirl!
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Post by ponygirl on Sept 3, 2015 14:04:39 GMT -5
Thanks, peaceandfreedom! And, a huge congrats to you on seeing how the 'spark joy' test really works! Your revelation about not wanting to iron that blouse is spot on KM reasoning! Ah, the folding! Be gentle with yourself on this, and don't fret. It's truly easy and the clothes do seem to rest and rejuvenate when stored this way! There are online videos that illustrate, and I can find a link if you need one. About the hanging...she addresses this in the book, stating about her preference for as much as possible to be folded...however, there are plenty of things that truly should be hung...jackets, blazers...anything with structure, dresses, woven/button up blouses/shirts, pants (in my opinion), skirts. I do plan on hanging by type and length (less so on color).
Yeah, I've tried everything and read just about everything available. This...this is really helping!
Thanks again, and let us know of your progress as well! I don't post as much as I would like...and sometimes I'm away for a long while...but, I'll try to get back more often!
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Post by peaceandfreedom on Sept 4, 2015 0:23:08 GMT -5
ponygirl, good idea to look for videos on how to fold. Will pursue that, as it is kind of hard to picture. (I am reading the book on Kindle, which has no pictures. Does the printed version have pix?) Seems like they would get wrinkled, but she says they don't.
Today I learned about socks! I have always used the "potato ball" style for storage. It never occurred to me that one could simply fold them together and put them into drawers. And her method of hanging clothes from left to right is interesting. For some years, I've hung mine by colors, all the greens together, and the purples, etc., rather than by category.
And I read what she says about seasonal clothes and no need to store them outside the closet. I would imagine that depends upon how large the closet is. Mine is fairly small, not a luxurious walk-in one like some folks have.
But, I'm keeping an open mind on all fronts. I have to say, this book is certainly expanding my horizons, and it gives me a lot to think about!
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Post by ponygirl on Sept 4, 2015 11:15:37 GMT -5
peaceandfreedom, I, too, have the ebook (no pics). There are many videos online for her folding. Some are of MK herself doing the folding. Others are illustrative. The folding is very revealing in many ways! It truly makes things easier to find, and it is easier on the clothing. I love the standing rather than stacking/piling. Makes a huge difference. The clothes do not wrinkle. I've never stored seasonal clothes outside of the main closets.
I agree...keeping an open mind here and modifying everything to suit me individually.
Wish I had time to work on this for a long time straight! Some days, I don't have time to do anything.
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Post by perfectionist on Sept 4, 2015 11:26:28 GMT -5
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Post by ponygirl on Sept 4, 2015 15:15:33 GMT -5
Cool! Thanks, perfectionist!!!
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Post by homesteph on Sept 6, 2015 23:11:49 GMT -5
Just started listening to the audiobook this morning, while cleaning up the junk on my front deck.
I am approaching her book like this: I consider each point, observation, technique, task, and conclusion she presents and ask myself, "does this resonate with me?" If yes, I embrace it to incorporate into my journey. If not, I discard it.
For example, i totally relate to the way she reframes relationships with objects and their purpose, and shows me how to let them go with respect, gratitude and dignity. It helps me a lot, with the way I am wired.
But, I will not be hanging up my clothes in the order she suggested. I have a small, shallow walk-in with rods on both sides, my side is the left. I do not want to hang the longer bulkier items on the left of the rod. That puts the bulk at the entrance and feels obstructive to me. So, the purpose of her suggestion was to make me think about what makes my closet feel welcoming and accessible. With gratitude for the insight it gave me, I discard her suggestion, and hang short items by the entrance even though it is the left end of the rod.
It kind of feels like the spirit of the method is working, if not the letter, in that instance.
I am glad to have found this thread and will be exploring the links!
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Post by ponygirl on Sept 8, 2015 12:53:56 GMT -5
Homesteph, that is awesome! I'm wired that way, too...and releasing the items with gratitude and appreciation and dignity suits me as well. It's definitely resonating and I'm loving the progress. Best wishes! PG
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Post by procrastinator on Sept 11, 2015 18:04:05 GMT -5
I just got rid of four big bags of clothes, but I still have too much and I'm intrigued by this method. I'm curious--when she says to start with all your clothes, does she mean everything? Like shoes and accessories too? Or do you do those separatelly?
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Post by eatingbonbons on Sept 11, 2015 20:50:51 GMT -5
Procrastinator, shoes, scarves, handbags, jewelry would come after clothing.
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Post by procrastinator on Sept 14, 2015 20:26:08 GMT -5
I just finished the book. It appeals to me in a way that few other organization/decluttering books have. I think because the focus is on deciding what to keep rather than what to get rid of. It's about making room for the things you love and this really appeals to me.
There are some definite cultural differences, but the general sense of this...I'm excited to try it.
Edited to add: I did two mini categories going off of what I had read online and was shocked at how easy the process was. I had so much room afterward and it was like the objects could finally breathe.
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YaddaYadda
New Member
Joined: August 2015
Posts: 62
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Post by YaddaYadda on Sept 14, 2015 20:40:49 GMT -5
My book comes perhaps on Thursday but I have been looking on the internet for tidbits of information. Today I cleaned out a box of books (a really hard item for me to dispose of) and used the idea "does it bring joy". Amazingly I bagged most of them up, keeping only a few I use as reference and shutting my brain off about how much I spent on some. I did laundry and have one pair of socks that will be getting donated as soon as I find other pairs. I have probably 50 pairs but most I can't find the mates of and I'm down to these few matching pairs . I don't want to buy because I know I have more in my gigantic laundry heap on the sofa, . I too like the thank and release part. It speaks to me as well.
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Post by peaceandfreedom on Sept 14, 2015 22:03:22 GMT -5
I'm back, after not being on the site for 10 days or so. My life was sort of on hold because DH was in the hospital for 3 days. He is OK, had an odd episode of memory loss, which was scary.
I haven't finished reading the entire book yet, but as several of you said above, it resonates with me, too. I definitely want to try it on my clothing, but just a bit later so I can put away the summer clothes and get out the winter clothes and work through them all at the same time. Someone said earlier (on this thread, or perhaps another one?) that she had tried it on clothing without pulling every piece out and into a big pile as KonMari suggests. That sort of makes sense to me--like starting with the closet, doing it, then other areas wherever clothes might be. She said it was working well for her, so I think I want to try it that way. But, I want to finish the book first and then locate the videos that are available for the folding instructions.
Also like someone else said, her method of hanging items in the closet will not work for me, because my half of our closet has shelves on the left, then two bars, one high and one low. I have for years hung my clothes by color groups (all the reds together, all the blues together.) So, I need to do some thinking through of her suggestions to figure out what will work best.
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Post by procrastinator on Sept 15, 2015 5:29:29 GMT -5
Also like someone else said, her method of hanging items in the closet will not work for me, because my half of our closet has shelves on the left, then two bars, one high and one low. I have for years hung my clothes by color groups (all the reds together, all the blues together.) So, I need to do some thinking through of her suggestions to figure out what will work best. Something she wrote really hit me (I think later in the book). She suggested that you don't want to want to be considering how you will organize anything until you're finished with the category. I am not starting with clothes. Maybe for the rest of the world, that's an easy category. Not for me. I tested it on a subcategory of kitchen stuff. Maybe if I do clothes, I'll start with something less emotionally loaded, like underwear or socks. Handbags will be last
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