Anybody tried the Konmarie purging method?

[lambskin]

I have my own method of decluttering which is basically shifting stuff around to new places and throwing out /donating 'some'. Obviously not working. So my plan is to declutter my way first then watch her and go back and do more. Does not sound efficient I know but whatever will work....

 

[cmd2014]

I was very interested in her folding because my drawers are not well organized. The question I have is how you can tell one shirt from another when folded up like that? I can see myself creating a mess trying to find the right shirt in the morning.

What we did is that we hung most things up. So DH's shirts, my blouses and t-shirts, our pants, my skirts...all of that is hung in the closet, now organized into sections according to purpose. So I have a section of work clothes (suits, blouses, skirts, etc., that I wear to work, going to left to right with skirts/pants, then camis, then blouses, then jackets). DH has a section of work clothes also organized by pants, dress shirts, and jackets, and we each have a section of casual clothes (mine has all my t-shirts together, followed by the sweaters on the top rung, with the bottom rung holding all my casual skirts and pants, so I can see what I have of each kind of item). DH has a similar section with his casual shirts and pants. It makes life super easy, as I can see exactly what outfits I have available each morning for work (as does DH).

What we have in the drawers are underwear, socks, bras, hose/tights, shorts, and DH's t-shirts (as he prefers them folded to hung). My issue with the t-shirts is that all of mine are of similar colour, but with different necklines (which you wouldn't see when folded), so I prefer them hung up. DH's are all different colours/patterns and it is easy to see what is what when they are folded.

It took us a whole weekend to do the closets. It was overwhelming. That was the biggest job by far. Now we will agree on a space that we are going to declutter and just do that on a weekend and that is much more manageable. I think that is why we stopped following her method but kept the spirit of the idea. It means that we are still making progress but are not necessarily having to devote an entire weekend to one thing. We still have a long way to go, but we are getting there.

 

[SomethingNew]

To me, the article is silly. Yes, it explains why people get attached to stuff but poverty isn't an excuse for hoarding. I grew up very poor so I know I can survive on very little with very basic clothing and household items. Keeping old things just clutters up the space to the point no one can find anything or know what they have. And most of the sentimental items she talks about have been sitting untouched for decades. If they are so important, they should be part of her regular life, not shoved into the basement slowly decomposing into dust.

The fear that you may throw out things you might need one day is the reason 1-800-junk is such a successful business. Can't take it with you so kids or grandkids have to get large containers to clean out the house before selling it.

i totally agree. In one of her episodes, the couple had so much in the garage that it was impossible to find stuff or to know what got buried in there. After they purged everything out, not only they got the garage back, but to also created a space in the garage to display the sentimental valuables from a previous generation. I think that's a very valid point, if you have inherited so much from family and you feel like you can't get rid of them because they have sentimental values to you, but you end up tucking them all in boxes, you don't get to treasure and celebrate the memoirs that are important to you. Same thing with the baseball cards (in that same episode), the husband has so much cards that they were kept in boxes and boxes and collecting dust. With the purge, he kept the ones that are meaningful to him and was able to display and enjoy them.

 

[anne_h]

I have not tried the KonMarie method specifically, but I read the book and have watched a few of the Netflix episodes.

I already keep my spaces very tidy and clutter-free, because that is how I like to live. My kids like it too.

Her guideline about keeping only what sparks joy makes a lot of sense to me. I've used that periodically when making decisions.

I agree with a PP who said the trick is not let new things into the house. So no random shopping just for fun.

Right now, I am overstocked on clothes, purses and candles (yeah, I know). I'm no longer buying new clothes or purses, but I discovered scented candles last year and it's been a bit of an... issue. lol

Anne

 

[lyra]

My closet is not a problem. My kitchen and family room, and dining room/craft area are the real problems. We don't have enough storage in this small house. I'd love to live in an uncluttered minimal space, but that would also require all new furniture IMO, to have the real effect. I am not sentimental about anything. My DH is sentimental about everything! I love to purge. He does not.

 

[ame]

So, I can give one very specific reason my husband and I (him even more than me) are packrats/hoarders...We both had our parents come through our rooms without warning while we were out of the house and throw everything away that was 'in the way'. So when things that are very important to you (in my case even my school textbooks) are tossed out without any sorting at all, that scars the hell out of you and when you finally have control of your own space and stuff, you tend to keep stuff or accumulate stuff you maybe shouldnt. As I have gotten older I've been actually asking my parents to come throw all my shit away, and they have a few times. The problem though is that we just replace all that shit with new shit. And my husband REFUSES to let anyone throw any of his shit away, and his shit is ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OVER THE DAMN HOUSE. Literally every surface except my vanity desk in the bedroom has his gaming shit all over it.

Just thought this was hilarious. But honestly, I just asked my husband if we could start organizing again.

I LOVE Matt Bellasai. He is a RIOT.

 

[TooPatient]

So, I can give one very specific reason my husband and I (him even more than me) are packrats/hoarders...We both had our parents come through our rooms without warning while we were out of the house and throw everything away that was 'in the way'. So when things that are very important to you (in my case even my school textbooks) are tossed out without any sorting at all, that scars the hell out of you and when you finally have control of your own space and stuff, you tend to keep stuff or accumulate stuff you maybe shouldnt. As I have gotten older I've been actually asking my parents to come throw all my shit away, and they have a few times. The problem though is that we just replace all that shit with new shit. And my husband REFUSES to let anyone throw any of his shit away, and his shit is ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OVER THE DAMN HOUSE. Literally every surface except my vanity desk in the bedroom has his gaming shit all over it.

I LOVE Matt Bellasai. He is a RIOT.

DH and I both had that experience with parents. He also had the ugly divorce where his ex kept most of his stuff and packed for him to take basically trash. Having everything taken is not something you can just forget!

Add to that both of us spending large chunks of life not being able to afford things... It makes it difficult. We are both most comfortable keeping several weeks or more of food and household goods around and more when practical (toothpaste, etc). Carefully rotated to stay fresh! We have both experienced multiple times in life where the worn out clothes we were going to toss became the best we had.

Neither of us get very sentimental over stuff. I sold my diamond back to the jeweler to keep the car paid when he was laid off. It does make you think twice before getting rid of things! It also means we are prone to buy extra essentials when sales come along. (Luckily! That was a huge help when we had no income for a couple of years...)

 

[GliderPoss]

I've been following the Minimalists https://www.theminimalists.com/start/ for years, long before I ever heard of Marie Kondo and I think honestly they have a better approach. Less chatting to your goods... I guess it's not about HOW you fold your stuff but WHY you have it in the first place?
Having moved so many times, I've always been tidy and we de-clutter every time we were posted elsewhere so it never accumulates! Still enjoy the odd "tidy-up frenzy" though...

 

[GliderPoss]

https://www.theatlantic.com/enterta...ie-kondo-and-the-privilege-of-clutter/475266/

To me, the article is silly. Yes, it explains why people get attached to stuff but poverty isn't an excuse for hoarding. I grew up very poor so I know I can survive on very little with very basic clothing and household items. Keeping old things just clutters up the space to the point no one can find anything or know what they have. And most of the sentimental items she talks about have been sitting untouched for decades. If they are so important, they should be part of her regular life, not shoved into the basement slowly decomposing into dust.

The fear that you may throw out things you might need one day is the reason 1-800-junk is such a successful business. Can't take it with you so kids or grandkids have to get large containers to clean out the house before selling it.

I'd agree with this too, my MIL is somewhat a hoarder mostly due to a poor, abusive childhood and financial strain all her life. Even now in retirement she has boxes & sheds of stuff which sadly she rarely uses or enjoys. It has become a huge burden upon her and her kids will likely have to deal with it all in the future (which we are dreading!). Recently she has spoken of selling the house to downsize but the demand of actually emptying it & the sheds is so off-putting...

What is the point of having objects if you don't use and enjoy them?

 

[redwood66]

My mom's side of the family co-owned a custom furniture factory in the midwest from 1880 until the early 1900's. She and her sisters all have/had heirloom pieces made by my great grandfather, the owner. Grandma is 97 and the only one left, she has almost all of it now. My sister and I are the only grandkids so it will all come to us eventually. We will have to keep it all of course, it is beautiful. I may need a new house for the gigantic dining room table.

 

[AV_]

I feel free knowing that a good life fits in luggage I can carry. I wouldn't know how to bottle this - it is a pleasure to fit in and overdo every thing (no Shinto).

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

I'd agree with this too, my MIL is somewhat a hoarder mostly due to a poor, abusive childhood and financial strain all her life. Even now in retirement she has boxes & sheds of stuff which sadly she rarely uses or enjoys. It has become a huge burden upon her and her kids will likely have to deal with it all in the future (which we are dreading!). Recently she has spoken of selling the house to downsize but the demand of actually emptying it & the sheds is so off-putting...

My in-laws were like this too. Depression era mentality. 5 years on and my husband is still working on cleaning out their house. They had crap shoved into crawl spaces and the attic, and you couldn't even move around in the garage. It doesn't help that he has to analyze every piece of paper and shred of garbage. He has the hoarding gene too.

What is the point of having objects if you don't use and enjoy them?
Because "things" become trophies. I live this. My mother threw me out of the house when I was 15 yo with only the clothing on my back. Everything I acquired was a treasure. I only throw things out if they're broken or rusty. I take care of my property and it lasts perpetually. I have high quality designer clothes I haven't worn in 20+ years, but I still value them for what they represent(ed), for the value they brought to my life when I saved up and bought them. My values are different now, but getting rid of my vintage Donna Karan silk dresses, Thierry Mugler wool coats and Anne Klein leather is NOT going to make me happier.

 

[seaurchin]

Great thread! I just watched a few episodes, after reading these posts.

So far, I especially like the clothes folding method because our dressers are always a mess. I usually do a Spring cleaning and de-cluttering so my place isn't too bad. It's getting to be that time of year. I plan to try some of her methods this time around.

I think I'll skip the more drastic stuff though, like pulling all of the clothes out at once. I'd rather just do one drawer, shelf or cabinet at a time.

 

[Keeliamira]

My husband and I are in the midst of doing this hard-core right now. I sat all of my kids down and made them watch a few episodes of Marie’s show on Netflix. Then they were all sent to their rooms to Konmarie the heck out of them. So far, we have taken five truckloads of stuff out of the house including some furniture.

I was already a nut about my closet (everything is rainbow color organized down to the hangers LOL) But purging it made it that much better. We are onto paper now which should be accomplished this weekend. In light of the fact that we are likely making a cross-country move shortly it makes sense for us to do this all the way. I will say, it has brought a lot of peace to the house and that the visual clutter is gone and I feel much better about walking into my kitchen and my family room, let alone my bedroom.

The only thing I can’t really bring myself to do, is donate costume jewelry. I have a ridiculous amount of costume jewelry that is high end, vintage, antique, etc. It doesn’t get the love it deserves But donating it just feels like a no no based on value. Trying to figure out how to sell it enmass is my next headache.

 

[seaurchin]

The only thing I can’t really bring myself to do, is donate costume jewelry. I have a ridiculous amount of costume jewelry that is high end, vintage, antique, etc. It doesn’t get the love it deserves But donating it just feels like a no no based on value. Trying to figure out how to sell it enmass is my next headache.

No idea if this will help you but I donate just about everything I get rid of and just consider that my part in helping out those less fortunate. Of course, it also means I can skip messing around with it all too much and feel good about it rather than feel like I'm just being lazy and wasteful.

 

[Keeliamira]

@seaurchin I totally agree with you in theory. The hard part, is being a jewelry packrat definitely has its drawbacks in this area. I have donated so so so much that I could have legitimately sold but chose to give rather than receive. I’m sure it will get to the point where it’s A zero sum game and it will likely be donated in the end LOL.

 

[bludiva]

My husband and I are in the midst of doing this hard-core right now. I sat all of my kids down and made them watch a few episodes of Marie’s show on Netflix. Then they were all sent to their rooms to Konmarie the heck out of them. So far, we have taken five truckloads of stuff out of the house including some furniture.

I was already a nut about my closet (everything is rainbow color organized down to the hangers LOL) But purging it made it that much better. We are onto paper now which should be accomplished this weekend. In light of the fact that we are likely making a cross-country move shortly it makes sense for us to do this all the way. I will say, it has brought a lot of peace to the house and that the visual clutter is gone and I feel much better about walking into my kitchen and my family room, let alone my bedroom.

The only thing I can’t really bring myself to do, is donate costume jewelry. I have a ridiculous amount of costume jewelry that is high end, vintage, antique, etc. It doesn’t get the love it deserves But donating it just feels like a no no based on value. Trying to figure out how to sell it enmass is my next headache.

That is super impressive. I'm trying to get inspired to do a purge and reorganize...dreading it! Re the costume jewelry, I've seen a few similar lots sell on LoupeTroop etc. Or maybe donate to a purpose specific charity like Dress for Success which helps supports women in need through the job search process. Good luck with the move!

 

[Keeliamira]

@bludiva I am a natural born pack rat and, what I’ve dubbed, a recalcitrant perfectionist. My anxiety goes up if things aren’t tidy and orderly and my preference is to have things “just so” like the color organization in my closet. However, I also have ADD so I shed clothes and things like a tree sheds leaves and once things get out of sorts, they REALLY get out of sorts and it takes an act of god to get it back together because my anxiety goes up and I get totally overwhelmed.

This method has really helped me a ton. My daughter is just like me and her room was a nightmare of clothing tossed everywhere. I think she got rid of 2/3 of her belongings when she purged and she actually told me now loves cleaning! And her room has stayed clean. Unbelievable!

The loupe troupe idea is a good one. I’ll have to look into that. My only problem there is that someone hacked my PayPal once upon a time and I am permanently blocked (well until I move perhaps).

 

[eapj]

I’ve done my dresser drawers - I donated a bunch and I love the folding method! I need to do my closest but that scares me!

I also have a packrat husband. He’s 100 lbs heavier than when I married him but refuses to get rid of his old clothes so they’re jammed in his dresser and the closet. He’s also a collector of anything and someone who sees a half used tube of 15 year old toothpaste and says, “that’s still good.” I can’t park my car in the garage because of all of the empty boxes in it.

So the Marie Kondo thing has worked for me in the few places I’ve used it.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

While I acknowledge we tend to use our homes as storage containers, I remove stuff on a regular basis. That said, my DH gives "intention" to everything he owns thus creating undue tension when I suggest we don't need to keep his High School curling pants.

Less is more except when it is a discussion about jewellery.

cheers--Sharon

 

[baby monster]

The only thing I can’t really bring myself to do, is donate costume jewelry. I have a ridiculous amount of costume jewelry that is high end, vintage, antique, etc. It doesn’t get the love it deserves But donating it just feels like a no no based on value. Trying to figure out how to sell it enmass is my next headache.

She says that if it makes you happy, keep it. Maybe sort out ones that you don't love 100% to sell or donate. Organize the rest in a way that makes it easier to wear. I have lots of nail polish, more than any regular person needs. I'm selective with adding new ones and do weed out ones that I can't see myself ever wearing again. But I do keep the polish that I love even if I only wear that color once a year.

 

[seaurchin]

What I dread the most is papers. I have a stack a couple/few feet high in my closet. Whenever I don't know what to do with a paper, I just stick it on the pile and forget it. Sorting it out will be quite the walk down memory lane.

 

[TooPatient]

What I dread the most is papers. I have a stack a couple/few feet high in my closet. Whenever I don't know what to do with a paper, I just stick it on the pile and forget it. Sorting it out will be quite the walk down memory lane.

I am DONE dealing with paper in our house. I'm purchasing a cheap backyard burn stove and just burning everything. (Some obvious keep stuff is in the filing cabinet and the rest I may flip through just to be sure...) Have to get through the next two weeks here at school but then it is happening!

 

[baby monster]

I am DONE dealing with paper in our house. I'm purchasing a cheap backyard burn stove and just burning everything. (Some obvious keep stuff is in the filing cabinet and the rest I may flip through just to be sure...) Have to get through the next two weeks here at school but then it is happening!

Get some marshmallows for the bonfire

 

[TooPatient]

Get some marshmallows for the bonfire

I like the way you think!

 

[baby monster]

Looks like I need to reevaluate my clothes again. Got an email from office manager that my job is going from business casual to casual. I'm not a big fan of jeans but I can wear them couple times a week. My other non-work options can do double duty now. Think I'm going to stop buying clothes for now until I sort out my closet including pre-pregnancy work clothes.

 

[bibiloves]

I'm not a hoarder but I lack that organizing genes so my house is always a complete mess. I'm trying to change that though. I'm slowly organizing and trying to make sense of where I put things and make sure everything has its own place.

So far I've tried her folding method and tackled husband's t-shirts drawer. Three weeks in and the drawer was still organized so I continued with long sleeved shirts, sweaters and jeans drawers. I'm working on shorts, undershirts, and undies drawers next. I also file folding the kids clothes and organized them into fabric bins I found at ikea. I found them to be the perfect sizes for my kids clothes (they are 4 and 6 years old).

I also found a way to manage socks, mittens, and hats in our household. These items are no longer in our drawers or closets in our bedrooms. Instead I store them in one of those 6 compartment cube organizer we had by the front door. This saves so much time and energy getting ready in the morning.

I'm planning on organizing kids toys next but not sure how I want to approach it yet. Our house is small and the kids do not have a dedicated play room. They don't have a lot of toys (mainly legos for my son, and dolls and dolls house for my daughter) but it is still all over the family room and it drives me nuts. This is the only family room in our house, we do not have another living room. I was against having toys in their bedrooms because I was afraid that it would affect their sleeps. Does anyone has any suggestion? What works for your family? Yes or no to toys in the bedrooms?

 

[TooPatient]

@bibiloves what about something like a coffee table with storage under it? Lots of options if you Google search. Some show plastic bins stacked neatly underneath. Others are more built in. I have seen some great ones of this style you might check out options.
https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/p...able-with-lift-top-stools-rdbs1818.html?piid=


I saw some really neat Lego storage ideas one day. I am trying to see if I can find them again....


ETA: here is one Lego option that is sort of cool and doesn't depend on being sorted by size and color each time. https://www.thescrapshoppeblog.com/diy-giant-fabric-bins-lego-storage/

 

[baby monster]

@bibiloves My kids don't like to be by themselves in their bedrooms so they don't keep toys there. What has worked in keeping my living room somewhat organized is bins that fit inside tv credenza and a storage ottoman. Bins hold smaller toys and can be pulled out, toys played with and put back. Ottoman has a lid that opens and holds lots of books. Here's a pic of one credenza sections.

 

[msop04]

I read the book and did a small scale 3 years ago when we moved. was forced to do that because I didn't want to pack useless stuff. I dislike throwing away useful things so I didn't go full-on Kondo. I made use-up piles of various categories and wrote lists of things I had because I was buying duplicates as things weren't organized.

I did save my pre-pregnancy clothes with the hope that I'll lose weight and I'm actively trying to do so. They are in a separate storage area so my closet now has only clothes I like and can fit into. BTW, Kondo says not to force people to declutter so I didn't. Couldn't get DH to go through his clothes so they are still in the same moving boxes which proves the point. Did the papers and shredded so much. Scanned important documents. Donated books to the library.

The book really changed how I view purchases. Supporting the economy is good but clutter drives me nuts so I had many conversations with the family regarding bringing "stuff" into the house. Birthday presents for the kids are now experiences rather than plastic toys, I also ask for consumable gifts and DH is cut off from buying kitchen gadgets.

I loved watching Neflix series and did a little bit more declutter in the basement. Gave away remaining baby stuff and clothes to someone who really needed it and was grateful for not spending money. Went through all the bigger kids clothing I was saving and donated what my younger won't be able to wear.

I am really wanting to do this... we plan to build a home in 2020, and I want to use that as a great excuse to declutter and REALLY get rid of stuff we don't/won't use anytime in the near future. We have a walk-in closet that is "mine" and I have a huge long dresser packed to the brim... my poor husband has to use the spare bedroom's closet for his stuff. (yikes!)

Would you mind sharing the name of the Netflix series? I think it would be therapeutic for me to try to adopt this decluttering method... for life.