|
Post by ponygirl on Sept 21, 2015 13:06:21 GMT -5
I believe it's okay to quote short passages from books? Listen to this, by Marie Kondo:
'The fact that you possess a surplus of things that you can't bring yourself to discard doesn't mean you are taking good care of them. In fact, it is quite the opposite. By paring down to the volume that you can properly handle, you revitalize your relationship with your belongings. Just because you dispose of something does not mean you give up past experiences or your identity. Through the process of selecting only those things that inspire joy, you can identify precisely what you love and what you need.'
I find that truly empowering.
This is what I will keep in mind when I get to 'komono'...the Japanese word for miscellaneous...which covers just about everything in one's home! The art supplies...Lawdy, I love art...and ALL supplies. I'll never use up all I have...or it will go bad before I get to do so. Dryed-up paint does NOT spark joy. The horse show accoutrements...No plans to show again anytime soon. Half-a$$ed finished 'projects'...You name it; I have it. DVDs I'll never watch again...Or, never watched at all. Why did we buy them?! Gifts received that I'll never use...I truly appreciate the thought of the gift; however, I'm not going to store it forever without a use. No joy there. Will be releasing to find new energy. Candles...Gosh, how did I get so many? I NEVER use candles, even in storm situations we use battery operated lanterns and flashlights for safety. I can tell you already that...when I get to komono/candles...all of those suckers will be gone pecan! Electronic stuff...'Nuff said. Office supplies...Bet I could start a small store with what I've hoarded. I love office supplies; however, I guarantee that not all of this will be joy-sparkers! (See 'art supplies') Fabric...I thought I would sew again, as I did in high school when I made almost all of my clothes. I don't even own a sewing machine now. Bedding/towels...Without even looking at all of it (which is in many places) I know I have too much for us AND the animals. Hair thingies...I like one kind of pony-tail bands. Why do I have all these other doodads and barrettes? These bad purchases taught me a lot of things, according to MK. Soaps/lotions...see 'hair thingies'
I could go on and on!
|
|
|
Post by peaceandfreedom on Sept 23, 2015 7:13:46 GMT -5
pony girl, I find your postings so inspiring!
I've begun tackling the guest room. Been going through the closet, applying the Joy Question as I go. It is so much easier to use that method than it is to try to sort and discard the old-fashioned way. I agree with what you said: it's much easier (and more effective) to decide what to keep instead of trying to decide what to discard. Such a small shift in perspective, but so mighty! And truly amazing.
This is is only my second venture into KonMari-ing, and it seems to work just as well on "things" as it did last week on my winter clothes. Have not gone back to working on clothes yet; I sort of wanted to try it on other things too. So will likely bounce back and forth on working on the guest room and on clothes for a while.
Have a large black bag of items from the two sessions to take to Goodwill today. Onward!
|
|
|
Post by ponygirl on Sept 23, 2015 11:40:52 GMT -5
Thank you, peaceandfreedom! I'm trying to remain uplifting and I'm glad it's inspiring you! It really is amazing. As you said, the small shift in perspective is the key to success. By identifying the items that inspire joy, it automatically eliminates the rest! Simple, it is! My method of attack is similar to yours because of my time constraints and the location of everything in my place is haphazard at best (read: a mishmash of stuff...hardly anything has a home and no categorization whatsoever). You are doing great! Gangbusters even! Onward indeed! I'm looking forward to reading of your progress. I've got another donation bag and box started...still doing clothes and venturing into 'komono' as I come across other items.
|
|
|
Post by ponygirl on Sept 23, 2015 11:42:30 GMT -5
I really hope everyone...SooSers, and lurkers alike...read Marie Kondos' book and sample this method. It works. As I've said before, if it works for me, it can work for anyone! 'Cause I'm a 'hard case'.
|
|
|
Post by ponygirl on Sept 23, 2015 11:51:21 GMT -5
I have two (yeah, two...sigh) rooms that are completely full of all kinds of stuff, I can barely walk into them...clothes, tools, books, office supplies, art supplies, paintings, pet supplies, files, dvds, tack (equestrian equipment), shelving (broken down, not holding anything, just leaning up against a wall...behind other stuff), plant stands (I haven't had an indoor plant in ages),two desks (completely covered in clutter and totally unusable), all of my tax files and records from the past 30 some odd years, electronic stuff and their boxes, guitars (I don't even know how to play...yet...I may keep one), amplifier for the electric guitar (may keep that, because I think I'm keeping the electric one...it's the palomino colored joy-sparker!), laundry baskets (full of stuff), plush animals (don't ask), containers full of print photographs (THAT is going to be a huge project), figurines (mostly horses, some cats...if they're hidden, how can they spark joy? They are being buried as if being punished.), briefcases (I already use a favorite everyday...don't need any others), luggage (I don't plan on traveling anywhere)...
...and more 'komono' of every other conceivable category!
When I clear these rooms...and I WILL clear these rooms through Konmari...I will be one joyful person!
|
|
|
Post by creativechaos on Sept 23, 2015 13:28:55 GMT -5
ponygirl, the post you made on whether something sparks joy is simple, clear, and inspiring! can i just go for what sparks joy and what doesn't, without reading the book? how about if you write on your experiences with konmari and i just use what you write? i see that it probably works best for hoarders like me, and i live alone, so that part is easy. i too have tried other methods but never stuck with any of them; that is a fault in me rather than the methods. but something in the fact that she is shinto buddhist resonates with me - since i would say my spirituality is animism anyway. that's why i think her method and thoughts (deemed "crazy" and "ocd" by many Americans) would make perfect "sense" to me. has anyone had success with just using a few of her principles and NOT following the entire book? there is a long waiting list at our library - like 6 months long - so if i wanted the book before than i would have to buy it. i can get a book + shipping on amazon for 10 to 12 bucks; i wouldn't mind "wasting" that money as i have wasted sooooo much more. thoughts, anyone? can i watch her on youtube and get the gist? : ie is she free with her info, or do you have to buy the book for best effect? there are things i like that i am reading in the posts on this thread about konmari; i am grateful and hopeful to read how well it is working for the people using it. maybe i could be one? or is this the next self-help fix it thing and i am fooling myself, because any method is only as good as my willingness to stick with it?
|
|
|
Post by Arid on Sept 23, 2015 13:59:09 GMT -5
Well, why not just "give it a go," creativechaos, based on what ponygirl already has shared?!
You'll soon be able to tell if you need to buy a copy of the book before the book becomes available to you via your local library.
Arid
|
|
|
Post by flotsam on Sept 23, 2015 14:32:09 GMT -5
creativechaos, did you follow the link angela posted on page 1 of this thread? The second page there lists all the things in the suggested order, even more detailed than in the book (I skimmed the book while in a book shop). I'd say: just start. Ad when you feel it's good, you can always buy the book. Or wait until it's available in the library. An imperfect start is better than no start.
|
|
|
Post by peaceandfreedom on Sept 23, 2015 16:36:51 GMT -5
When I first read about it here I'd never heard of it before, but I became curious. So I googled it and found a bunch of articles about it. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. But at the time I was busy painting the outside of my house & garage, and I didn't dare stop working on that. But something funny began to happen.
At odd moments here and there, my eyes would land on something in the house and all of a sudden I'd find myself mentally evaluating it as to whether I felt joy about it. And I began deciding that no, that item did not spark any joy. I didn't take any action, just made observations. Other things, yes! Those were joy items. It was not maybe, it just either was or wasn't.
As to whether you should get the book, may I suggest that it likely depends on how you best learn. Some of us (myself included,) learn best by reading; others learn by doing, others by listening. So for me, reading felt necessary, and I got the Kindle version. Still have not read the whole thing. And, I'm a novice at the doing part still,but I can tell you that for me, as ponygirl says, it is not a difficult thing to do.
I have the impression that there are videos out there that might help, but I'm not a video person, so for me the printed word is best.
I also made some notes as I began reading, so I could easily go back and reread sections.
If my experience is any indication, and this thing just seems to reach out and grab you as it did me, then you'd probably benefit from pursuing it further!
|
|
|
Post by procrastinator on Sept 23, 2015 17:46:36 GMT -5
has anyone had success with just using a few of her principles and NOT following the entire book? there is a long waiting list at our library - like 6 months long - so if i wanted the book before than i would have to buy it. i can get a book + shipping on amazon for 10 to 12 bucks; i wouldn't mind "wasting" that money as i have wasted sooooo much more. thoughts, anyone? can i watch her on youtube and get the gist? : ie is she free with her info, or do you have to buy the book for best effect? there are things i like that i am reading in the posts on this thread about konmari; i am grateful and hopeful to read how well it is working for the people using it. maybe i could be one? or is this the next self-help fix it thing and i am fooling myself, because any method is only as good as my willingness to stick with it? I think you could look at a few articles and a few blogs and get the basics. I am not doing exactly everything by her method, but it seems to be working. I did try the verbal thanking to items, but it's not for me. So now I internally say something like "this taught me I should stay away from the clearance rack" or "this was a great sweater, but it is time to pass it on to someone else." As someone who mixed up the order, I'm sort of regretting that. I think I would have had more momentum if I had done clothes first. But those are all done and I was astonished at just how much I purged and how little I have regretted it. Going to tackle books this weekend.
|
|
|
Post by italianlady on Sept 23, 2015 17:49:25 GMT -5
I saw a video about the folding method on YouTube and spent an entire day on my room and my closet doing this. I also folded all my sons clothes that are in the chest I used to use for table linen in the dining room and did the linen closet in the bathroom. I weed out old stuff periodically anyway, twice a year at least so I didn't have many things to get rid of, but I moved some closet things to the drawers and had a lot of fun folding things and putting them away so neatly. Everything looked so nice! Then the problem hit. It takes me twice as long to fold and put away the laundry . However, I am still doing it. I fold my daughter's things and put them on a chair in her room, just regular fold and let her deal with them however she chooses to, and I take our things into the bedroom and fold them on the bed. If I do a load of laundry every day or every other day then i don't have too many things to fold and put away in there. I wash my clothes separately in Woolite and all that so mine are all done at once, including my night clothes. That isn't a fun thing but then again it's only once every week or two, and I keep a laundry basket in the back of my closet for my stuff to be washed. It's still worth the effort to see it so neatly in the drawers. For now, anyway. It seems like I'm the last person alive to know about this method of folding because when I found it I was so excited about it I texted three friends, invited two neighbors in to see the beauty of all the clothes standing up in drawers, and called my boys who don't live at home to tell them about it and put it on FB. Everybody was already aware of this. I felt a little silly, but I kept showing it to people. One day I may find someone who has never seen this. I haven't read the book but does she say anything about how to organize the kitchen cabinets and such? I saw a video about organizing books but I have my own system for that. Side note, I also got all my purses and stuffed them with blank paper from the newspaper office wadded up to make them sit right and lined them up on the top shelf of my closet, put all my hats in separate hat boxes and put wadded up paper in the hat to hold the shape and stacked them on the shelves on one side of my closet and I stuffed wadded up paper into all my boots and lined them up on a shelf too to help them hold their shape. I saw this on another video on YouTube and thought I would pass the tip along. It's supposed to help things keep their shape better. I also found that I'm more likely to switch purses or wear a hat if I don't have to go to a lot of trouble to get to it or try and whip it back into shape quickly. Things seem to hold their shape nicely after being stored that way for a little bit. This whole frenzy of folding and organizing all started because my scarves would always end up in a big pile in my drawer no matter how often I folded and stacked them. I've used several a week since adopting this new method and I've folded and put them back vertically the way she shows us to every time since, and it's still neat! It's almost a miracle! I haven't read this whole thread yet, as I'm piddling around in the kitchen and putting up supper while knocking around on the board, but is the book mainly about throwing stuff out of is it mainly about organizing? I have the throwing stuff out part down to almost a science, but I am always happy to try a new way of organizing.
|
|
|
Post by papermoon on Sept 23, 2015 17:56:19 GMT -5
I'm not sure if I read on this forum or elsewhere... but someone said that Konmari's videos on YouTube tell the whole story, so you don't actually need the book. I'm waiting for the library book, though. The wait list is quite long, and it's discouraging to see that of those people who've already checked it out, they've given it a rating of only 2 stars out of 5. But I will reserve judgment until I have the book in my own hands. Konmari's method seems rather similar to that of Brooks Palmer, which I've used successfully for every category I've decluttered so far, over the past couple of years (books, clothes, papers, and 9000 emails from my ex ). Brooks' gentle compassionate approach appeals to me and my need to be gentle with myself.
|
|
|
Post by procrastinator on Sept 23, 2015 18:20:10 GMT -5
I don't believe she goes into detail on kitchens. There was some stuff I ignored because it is quite clearly more relevant if you live in Japan, and I don't.
This is the basic gist of her method:
1. Sort by category. If it's a really big category like if you're like me and you have a zillion clothes, you can do it by subcategory, so like all your tops. It's important to try and sort ALL of the category. And also, to only do one category at a time.
2. You put the category all in one place. So far I've used my bed and my dining room table, but it doesn't really matter. I think this is so you can see just how much you have of something.
3. You touch each item. If it "sparks joy," you keep it because this whole process is about making room for the things you really love. For the very practical things, like, oh, let's say a frying pan. I look at the item and might say something like, "I love using this pan. It's the perfect size and it's in great shape. My eggs always come out right when I use it," or "You know, this is kind of meh. This is the frying pan I had when I was in college and it's dented and it's too big and I have nicer, better pans."
4. You thank each item that you are getting rid of. Maybe that's you literally saying, "thank you, frying pan for all those times I used you" or "thank you, low-cut sequinned top for teaching me that sequins and me are not a good mix." If that seems silly, maybe that's you going, "it was a good frying pan, but someone else can love it now."
5. When you're all done. THEN you organize. With clothing, she likes the vertical folding method and for that there are a zillion videos on youtube. Oh, and she's not really big on you buying a bunch of organizing stuff. She suggests you can use things like shoe boxes, for example. That's what I did in my drawers so that stuff doesn't roll around.
There's stuff about dealing with other people if you share a home with others. I live alone so I didn't pay too much attention to that.
The categories and order she recommends are: Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono (misc), Sentimental items
Hope this helps.
|
|
|
Post by italianlady on Sept 23, 2015 19:18:35 GMT -5
I don't believe she goes into detail on kitchens. There was some stuff I ignored because it is quite clearly more relevant if you live in Japan, and I don't. This is the basic gist of her method: 1. Sort by category. If it's a really big category like if you're like me and you have a zillion clothes, you can do it by subcategory, so like all your tops. It's important to try and sort ALL of the category. And also, to only do one category at a time. 2. You put the category all in one place. So far I've used my bed and my dining room table, but it doesn't really matter. I think this is so you can see just how much you have of something. 3. You touch each item. If it "sparks joy," you keep it because this whole process is about making room for the things you really love. For the very practical things, like, oh, let's say a frying pan. I look at the item and might say something like, "I love using this pan. It's the perfect size and it's in great shape. My eggs always come out right when I use it," or "You know, this is kind of meh. This is the frying pan I had when I was in college and it's dented and it's too big and I have nicer, better pans." 4. You thank each item that you are getting rid of. Maybe that's you literally saying, "thank you, frying pan for all those times I used you" or "thank you, low-cut sequinned top for teaching me that sequins and me are not a good mix." If that seems silly, maybe that's you going, "it was a good frying pan, but someone else can love it now." 5. When you're all done. THEN you organize. With clothing, she likes the vertical folding method and for that there are a zillion photos on youtube. Oh, and she's not really big on you buying a bunch of organizing stuff. She suggests you can use things like shoe boxes, for example. That's what I did in my drawers so that stuff doesn't roll around. There's stuff about dealing with other people if you share a home with others. I live alone so I didn't pay too much attention to that. The categories and order she recommends are: Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono (misc), Sentimental items Hope this helps. Thanks! I was hoping she went into more organizational stuff though. I really like organizing stuff, when I'm in the mood. I saw them talk about sparking joy when deciding to keep something or toss it, but does she never talk about need? I am good about staying on top of things and junking stuff I don't use or like or need several times a year, but there are lots of things that don't cause any emotion at all in me that I need and use. A whole lot of my possessions don't cause any emotions one way or another when I touch them. It's there because I use it from time to time. I had wondered if she mentioned need in anything when I saw it on YouTube. I was just assuming that need was a given and there was no need to mention it, but now I'm curious. I didn't really pay much attention to the telling something goodbye part, I thought she meant it metaphorically, like "Kiss all your junk goodbye and say hello to nice clean organized space to use" or something like that. I had absolutely no clue she meant to actually do that. Thats why I'm wondering about need, and if she wants you to only keep things you really like.
|
|
|
Post by procrastinator on Sept 23, 2015 19:41:46 GMT -5
She has suggestions about papers and clothes as I recall. The vertical folding really does save a lot of space. She also suggests that the stuff you do hang goes longest to shortest, longest being on the left, oh, and light to dark.
There are a ton of blogs out there and a lot of articles where people talk about how they organized stuff. There's one woman on youtube who did her entire house.
As for need, again, I think it goes back to looking around at what you have, really looking at it. Maybe there's a better, higher level of function to the item. Oh, like I have 3 vegetable peelers, but only 1 really works well.
Edited to add: I think you have to remember that the author is Japanese writing for people in Japan where the spaces tend to be smaller and designed differently, the rules are different about paper retention, etc. And honestly, for me, it's been revolutionary because it's about trying to make space for the stuff you love, rather than looking at what you can get rid of.
|
|