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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 08 2016 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
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She says save memorabilia to last, so that is what I am doing, lol. 
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Erin
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Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Feb 09 2016 at 12:36am | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
| That is an amazing post, Erin! Over 800 books?! Did you just feel relieved or what? |
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Hugely! I'm no longer feeling overwhelmed, I felt as if the books were morphing. I felt that I was drowning. Yes I still live on a building site; no hot water in my kitchen, no electric lights, no backdoor, holes in the ceiling etc. But I can cope with that, I couldn't cope with the clutter. Edging around furniture and books was nearly my waterloo.
SeaStar wrote:
| What surprised you most about the process? Was it that it became a lot easier over time? Or did what your kids value (compared to what you value) surprise you the most? |
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I actually already realised that alot of my books the children didn't value. Particularly my Australian collection. This was a large part of why I'd procrastinated, I knew I'd have to get rid of my books.
It was fascinating though to see what books they really valued and what they didn't.
Culling books was easier than I thought, maybe cause I was desperate and had reached the letting go process before beginning, too it does gain momentum. It gets easier. That's why I suggest starting with books it's easier to make decisions about and then progressing.
SeaStar wrote:
| I am about half way through Spark Joy, which I think is even more helpful to me than the first book. |
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I'd love to get hold of this book. Our library has it coming and I'm 11th on the list 
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: Feb 09 2016 at 12:54am | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
"Crapple?" he asked. "What's that? Is it a new word you learned in your new book?"
"No."
"What does it mean?"
"Junk. It means junk."
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Oh my! Laughing out loud here! That is hilarious, Lindsay! I might start using that word. I say cr*p way too much in reference to junk. If the kids call me on it, I am going to say that I said 'snapple'. :)
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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SeaStar
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Erin wrote:
SeaStar wrote:
| What surprised you most about the process? Was it that it became a lot easier over time? Or did what your kids value (compared to what you value) surprise you the most? |
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I actually already realised that alot of my books the children didn't value. Particularly my Australian collection. This was a large part of why I'd procrastinated, I knew I'd have to get rid of my books.
It was fascinating though to see what books they really valued and what they didn't. |
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Yes- I find that, too! Books that I like, or I thought they would like, get an "eh" and shoulder shrug. I am getting better at letting them go... because someone out there will enjoy them, and I will enjoy not dusting them and seeing them just sit on the shelf. Then the ones they do like can shine.
I did a huge KM book purge last summer, and after having lived with the results for a year, I am anxious to do one again. I have learned a lot and know we can let go of a lot more, plus I want to have room for the new books coming in.
I also take my kids to book sales and find it interesting to see what they pick out. Those books come home and get read... which is the way it's supposed to work, right? 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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CrunchyMom
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As I move on from the big three (clothing, books, papers), I am noticing that I have a much harder time going by category because I simply can't always recall where everything is in a category. Add in the fact that children are like magpies, constantly taking and hiding things or just shoving random things in random places when "cleaning," and I have found I DO need to go room by room to some extent and move like to like temporarily before I will be able to cull each category accurately.
I love your post, Erin. That is extraordinary! I do not have so many books, but I do find it is a category I'll have to revisit with regularity. Marie Kondo has a very different relationship with books than those of us here. Her philosophy on books is too extreme for me, but I admit that it is part of why she will never have to organize again. I will have to periodically revisit books and reorganize them because A) I *will* be acquiring more, and B) My children will not always put them back where they belong!
Melinda, I am glad you are enjoying the new book, too! I agree that there is much more about what to do with these seemingly random things that do in fact spark joy despite the fact that they seem quite "useless." It is all the more clear from this book that her method is NOT minimalistic, and to me, there is great freedom in this.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Feb 09 2016 at 7:32pm | IP Logged
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No- definitely not minimalism. I think this book really gets more into the heart of what she is trying to teach people, and she offers many practical ideas and examples. Today I took her suggestion to stop storing items in the plastic bags and wrappers/labels that they came in. Instead I found a few empty storage bins and tackled everything under my bathroom counter.
Now when I open those cabinet doors, everything is so beautifully stored that it is just a pleasure to look at. A few days ago I redid my dresser drawers, folding and storing items in the exact manner she recommended. I thought it was silly at first, but in the book she says that her clients report feeling joy when they open their drawers and see their stuff stored that way. I thought: really?
But, yes, really. I am startled now when I open my drawers at how neat and even pretty it all looks.
Also- got to the part in the book today about keeping things for sentimental reasons. She said some of her clients have school uniforms they can't part with. So she encourages them to put the uniforms on and wear them around so they can truly enjoy them... and then people quickly realize how silly that is and are able to let them go. LOL- that was my funny for the day- just made perfect sense and was humorous at the same time.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Erin
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SeaStar wrote:
| I did a huge KM book purge last summer, and after having lived with the results for a year, I am anxious to do one again. I have learned a lot and know we can let go of a lot more.. |
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Melinda
According to KM you only need to do this declutter once and then done for life. This is an area I disagree with her in that when one has a family, in particular a family of all ages and stages. Once for life is not realistic.
So I'm not surprised you're re-doing and I suspect that if I was to revisit in a year we would find more books to release.
CrunchyMom wrote:
| ...I found I DO need to go room by room to some extent and move like to like temporarily before I will be able to cull each category accurately. |
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Lindsay
Totally understand this
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 09 2016 at 9:57pm | IP Logged
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So what is the most ridiculous thing your realized you were keeping?
I have to say that for me, it was a small rubbermaid container of old black beans. I can remember why I'd decided they weren't worth eating, if they were contaminated somehow or forgotten and lost for so long, I thought they'd be bad. Anyhow, for the past THREE children, I kept thinking I'd be all Montessori like and let my toddlers play in these beans. Yk, when my life was in better order, etc...
I mean, I can't tell you how many times I have cleaned out the art/schoolroom supplies and KEPT those stinkin' beans. And really, how expensive could it possibly be to replace them if I ever find I do in fact have it in me to let my 2 year old play scooping games with a bin of them?
However, I did pass them off to dh to have him dispose of them the best way he saw fit a couple of weeks ago and let him have the container for the garage, and he never did, so I did steal some of them back again for my bean sacrifice jar this afternoon STILL. They are definitely on their way out!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Leocea
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This book has changed my life! Seriously. Something clicked. My household runs better, things have a place. Yes, I have gotten rid of things I never dreamed of getting rid of. Yet we are not minimalists. We can see the things we like now that the other things are gone. I have "thanked" items by thanking God, or just reminiscing and remembering the joy they brought and being happy about it.
I do have to say that with 6 kids at home, I will need to go through at least once per year, and we still have too much stuff! So, it is not once and done. It is a mind change.
An example: I love Fiestaware dishes. One of my cereal bowls developed a crack. My husband said, we can't use that, I'll put it downstairs on the shelf. I said If we aren't going to use it, why would we keep it? We just looked at each other, and he threw it away. Before, we would have stored it, because after all, we paid a lot for it, an it is collectible!
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Your sister in Christ,
Leocea, wife to Ken, mom to KC 22, Caitlin 17, Malea 13, Mary Catherine 10,Elina Rose,6,Andrew,3 and Lauren Celine,1. Angels 5/05, 5/08, 2/11 and Cameron 7/26/11.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
