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SeaStar
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Anyone doing the 2016 Challenge in 2016?
I just use plain graph paper to keep track of what is going out the door. I have to admit it is very satisfying to mark off each little box and see the numbers grow 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Mackfam
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I've been following along with the Come Clean Challenge at cleanmama.net. Those are helpful to me and I like the printable I can work through and check off as I tackle/deep clean an area.
Last year I found a resource at iheart organizing and I modified the free printable she gave to be on my cozi app so I can carry it around all the time - Shopping With Intention. The idea isn't anything new, but it's helpful in considering purchases...which may lead to clutter...and thus, this thread.
I first heard about konmari through my daughter a couple of years ago. Initially, I thought it sounded good but wasn't something I needed - I'm a pretty motivated declutterer/organizer and I definitely have my own systems. But this thread and another conversation somewhere around the web has me reconsidering. Actually, reading Erin's blog about her decluttering efforts is really inspiring! I can't believe what a great job you've done, Erin! I used to think decluttering with kiddos was tough at times - teens and adult kids bring an entirely new perspective to this challenge! And yes - husbands!
Anyway, I'm really intrigued listening to y'all's conversation - I may have to see if I can get my hands on an inexpensive or borrowed copy!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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CrunchyMom
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Erin, I have folded my clothes that way, and it helps SO much. I love it. I have been trying to teach everyone else to do it, too, though, so I don't have to do all the folding. The smaller plastic drawers seem to make this easier to keep tidy for the boys. Time will tell, but there is just not as much room for "stuffing" like there was with the wider dresser drawers. Plus, there is no top of dressers anymore to pile things!
countrymom wrote:
CrunchyMom wrote:
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She describes how so many of us "rebound" after decluttering and organizing and insists that with her method, there is no rebound effect, and I have to say that I believe her.
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This quote has made me put the book on hold at the library.. After Don Aslett, I thought I knew everything about decluttering and letting go. But after a few months of resale shop rebound mania, I am right back to where I began...well not completely, but enough stuff has come through he doors for me to say "Help!" |
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I really liked this post, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for Kids. She describes how it *is* different when you have a house full of growing and changing kids. You will have to continue to declutter regularly to stay on top of things. It won't end in the same way Konmari describes for her single clients. I mean, I am about to have our first girl, and her clothes, specific toys, and future sleeping space have not been factored in, yk? That doesn't include changing hobbies, activities, etc... Plus, we'll never be able to just have all the clothes including the seasonal ones out at once. It isn't practical for us if only because of laundry or preventing toddlers from insisting on wearing shorts in the snow. Also, repeated pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, rinse, repeat means that my own clothing--while I've made strides in paring it down--can't be as straight forward as she describes. I actually do need to keep a variety of sizes. It isn't just wishful thinking that I'll get back in that outfit, I've done it before a few times, lol.
But I want to encourage you that it probably isn't as bad as you think. In the new book, she talks about a client who called to say she had "rebound" and she was thinking, "oh no, it has finally happened." But when she went to visit, they were able to take care of most of the surface clutter in under an hour. Everything still DID have a home, and she emphasized that just because things get messy with surface clutter because you didn't put things away doesn't mean a rebound, it just means you need to put things away, lol.
Also, I did our clothing (including linens), books, and toys (I skipped paper and figured that in our house, toys/games/puzzles were as much its own category as her big three before tackling komono) last summer before I pooped out.
Now, 4-5 months later, "the boy level" (we have a split, so there is an entire upper level that is two bedrooms, one we use as a toy room, and a bath) was a disaster area, and family visited over the holidays, so they had gotten out toys that had previously been put away to only pull out on rotation. We still are not quite done, and I won't lie and say it has been easy, but it hasn't been as hard as it was or as I'd feared, certainly not as painful as past years.
I can't say whether we "rebounded" because I never actually finished our whole house, which is essential to her method, but I will say that my tubs of origami clothes (it works so well for that, too, not just in drawers) were considerably more peaceful to work with than in the past. I had two hampers of all the outgrown and seasonal clothes, unsorted just tossed in as I'd folded laundry, waiting to be put away, but as long as I'd obviously put that off, it was not so terrible as I'd imagined it would be because the work I'd already done was still fruitful. And, the practice my endeavor last summer gave me made it easy to toss the stained, holey, or unpopular items instead of storing them another year.
I think perhaps this is some of the beauty of her method of going by category. Even though I'd stopped, those major categories were still largely done. Does that make sense? In a way, it has been easier than I'd imagined to pick up where I left off, so I encourage you to just jump back on and try again, and I think you'll be surprised that it won't be as much like starting over as you might think.
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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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Mackfam wrote:
| Actually, reading Erin's blog about her decluttering efforts is really inspiring! I can't believe what a great job you've done, Erin! I used to think decluttering with kiddos was tough at times - teens and adult kids bring an entirely new perspective to this challenge! And yes - husbands! |
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Well I have a post in the works on the nitty gritty, the revelations learnt along the way. actually probably a couple of posts cause the books deserve their own say.
Bottom line though for me is although I say they children and husband hinder the process, I'm just as at fault. The biggest revolution was inviting the children to select what doonas, jigsaw puzzles, books, board games, toys they felt worth keeping. And then me letting the rest go. Okay I made a couple of executive decisions to keep a few items but mostly I let go. I'd been keeping cause 'it's educational, worthy, cost' etc but if they won't use them then it's only taking up space.
Now my house can sigh with relief, actually there is probably more that could go, but the letting go mentality I've taken on I do feel is here to stay so the more will go with far more ease.
I've always constantly decluttered, particularly since years back when I discovered Don Aslett but still I've kept way more than I have now.
CrunchyMom wrote:
| Erin, I have folded my clothes that way, and it helps SO much. I love it. |
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Wonderful!! Were you skeptic at first? I was and resisted for a long time.
CrunchyMom wrote:
| I really liked this post, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for Kids. She describes how it *is* different when you have a house full of growing and changing kids. You will have to continue to declutter regularly to stay on top of things. It won't end in the same way Konmari describes for her single clients. |
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I found a few excellent posts when I googled Kon Mari and kids, this was one of them. It so is different, for example I was ready to ditch half our dress ups, we have a huge collection, boys, girls, of all ages. but the children were part of that process and my dramatic 14yr old kept most! I had to be okay about that. Though I did say "If no one plays with all these in the next 3 months more are going" big dress up day happened immediately 
We still have perhaps way more toys, etc etc than some people but I do believe having a large family of a wide age range just makes it so and there is nothing I can do about that. For example we have two huge tubs of lego but when six kids are building all at once which is how it happens then this is perfect.
and the dress ups, there are boxes of little girls and medium girls and big girls and same for the boys, so it is different but still I knew we could pare down.
CrunchyMom wrote:
| I think perhaps this is some of the beauty of her method of going by category. |
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Lindsay
As I haven't actually read her book, just been inspired by it, can you explain a little more about her going by categories? I may have been doing this anyway but am just wondering
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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countrymom
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Erin wrote:
The children have banned me from singing Frozen's "let it go' as I tossed each item, I rather thought my new words were witty. oh well.
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my daughter wrote a whole parody to Let it Go with the theme of a mom who gives away all of the junk to goodwill  When she gets back from the March For Life, I will have her find it and I ll post it here. You'll all laugh!
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Erin
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Please, please do!!! Oh and then I can sing it and drive my kids wild 
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CrunchyMom
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I think the categories are really important to her method. Instead of going room by room or "a little at a time" she has you do the entire house but starting with ALL clothing. Then you move onto books, papers, and komono is basically Japanese for miscellaneous, which includes everything else. But you still work through komono by category. I think it is just that the order is not so essential with your miscellany, but you still would work through it all by category.
Also, part of her strategy in storage is that all like things are stored together. She says that many people struggle because they have like things spread all over their home I have not finished the second book and am sort of waiting to wrap my head around this a little better. Obviously, an individual person's clothes are in their room, but how that applies to other household items, I am not sure. For instance, cleaning supplies. Label for each bathroom? All in one place. All in one place except the single spray bottle for the kitchen? Or office supplies versus school supplies? We do have a little pantry office upstairs while our school room is downstairs with the computer.
What I referenced earlier about like things together is how she describes in the new book of putting like materials together within a larger defined space, like all bowls go together, but putting the ceramic ones together and then glass ones together on the shelf or in the drawer is going to make that space feel more harmonious.
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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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ekbell
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I think that there are two main considerations with storing like items.
One is that it becomes simple to know how many of item x you have and if you are running out when like items are stored together. This is particularly useful for consumables.
The second consideration is convenience. If the items are used in two fairly distant areas of the house it can be problematic to store them all in one place.
Personally, I've decided that items such as toilet plungers *need* to be stored close to where they are used - I don't want to waste time when the toilet is overflowing! Whereas other items such as toilet bowel cleaner can be stored in a safe central area without problem.
The real problem is with stationary items (pens, markers, etc.) where I do need to know when we're running out but they are taken all over the house due to my children's normal working habits and desire for separate work stations.
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CrunchyMom
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ekbell wrote:
I think that there are two main considerations with storing like items.
One is that it becomes simple to know how many of item x you have and if you are running out when like items are stored together. This is particularly useful for consumables.
The second consideration is convenience. If the items are used in two fairly distant areas of the house it can be problematic to store them all in one place.
Personally, I've decided that items such as toilet plungers *need* to be stored close to where they are used - I don't want to waste time when the toilet is overflowing! Whereas other items such as toilet bowel cleaner can be stored in a safe central area without problem. |
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That makes a ton of sense, and I had not even considered not having a plunger and toilet brush in each bathroom for the reason you describe.
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| The real problem is with stationary items (pens, markers, etc.) where I do need to know when we're running out but they are taken all over the house due to my children's normal working habits and desire for separate work stations. |
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Yes!! This is where I struggle. But I guess that if they are taking these things all over creation, it only makes sense that they have a central "home" since it isn't as if they are only using them in one or even five distinct places sometimes. If we are doing our regular quick tidies (please, Lord, I want to make this happen!!!), they can be zoomed back to the art cabinet.
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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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Erica Sanchez
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Erin wrote:
So I suspect and challenging your here my friend  you may need to 'let go' of even more papers!!
Do you really need what is in your files? Bet once you get in the groove you could at least half it! |
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Erin, I was up half of the night purging and organizing papers! When stuff is held onto for so long, most of it goes right into the recycle. I could do this for weeks and I do think that if I had that time, I could get to a good place and maintain. The trouble is that I have papers spread all over the place (lots of Rose's that desperately need to go into binders) and I have to attend to other things. Piles start getting messed up and more papers keep coming in. I am pretty determined though. Maybe I'll just stay up again tonight. But that's getting harder to do as I get older.
Thanks for cheerleading!
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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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Erin
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Erica
Well done sooo impressed!!!
For weeks, wow sounds like you do have plenty to sort through. Is there a system to your filing already or are you starting from scratch?
Do Rose's papers need to go in a binder? What sort of binder do you mean? Just thinking that file folders would be quicker to drop papers into.
Could you set aside an area, table, maybe a folding table that is your 'work area' to tackle this?
Cheering you on!
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Erin
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Erica Sanchez
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Erin, I Instagrammed a picture of my work and explained the binders in my comment. :)
I am very motivated to get all papers under control and I think I can maintain once I do. I bought a bunch of pretty clipboards and I think they will work well for a lot of things. I have files for school things and one file for bills and such. I need to go paperless on some of this which would really help.
I think I am nesting a bit in preparing to take Grace. I wanted the house to be tidy for her last few days here thus the staying up late to clear table and counters.
More when we get home. :)
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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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CrunchyMom
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I finally convinced dh to start doing papers with me last night!  He was always on board with the idea, but he had trouble finding the motivation to do it, and I couldn't do it without him, but we got rid of two grocery bags of papers and manuals (most to things we don't even own anymore  ). He's yet to do the nitty-gritty work of going through the boxes with potential tax documents. Some years, I couldn't stand the piles anymore, so I just scooped them up and put them in a banker's box in the attic! But still, I think he was very excited to get rid of so much in just an hour and hopefully he'll keep on rolling this week.
I have read most of the second book now. It is really great if you have done your decluttering and are now trying to figure out what to do with your stuff. She gives a short little breakdown of each room of the house and what will make it "spark joy" specifically. I think I would like to reread Hallowed Be This House (Splendor in the Ordinary) by Thomas Howard to sort of fill in some sacramental insights that she likely misses in her Easter "kookiness" but are relevant.
She does take some categories of komono separately as well as some lengthy chapters for both the kitchen and bathroom. One thing I thought was interesting is that she basically tells you to leave your kitchen until last. She said that if you start there, you'll never progress and that the practice you get doing the rest of the house will be important for making the most of that space. Some of it I just skimmed so that I could come back and read it in depth as I got to those areas, but overall, I think it will be helpful in giving those little nudges of why the space might not feel quite like you think it should.
Erin, this printable might help you get an idea of her household categories Konmari Checklist
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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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CrunchyMom
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Today we cleaned out an attic closet that will become my sewing room. I asked ds7 to pick up all the blankets and other things that were piled on the floor at the foot of the stairs and in the door to the (old) sewing room. He said, "Ohhhh, so we can move all that stuff out of that room and to the new space in the closet?"
Exasperated, I said, "There doesn't have to be a reason! It just needs to be picked up. It is just something we do. You know, in normal places there isn't cr*p all over the floor."
"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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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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Erica
Enjoyed the pics on instagram
Finally posted in full my thoughts and our process of KonMari and large families well that is except for the book culling. That's a whole post coming in itself.
How's your paperwork going?
Lindsay
Cheering you on with paperwork
Ah tax papers, the bane of my life, being married to an accountant we keep it ALL for YEARS. However dh too has been inspired and said he thinks he can reduce our filing cabinets by at least a half. The file cabinets are our last area waiting, cause it involves dh and he can only focus on one project at a time. Presently he is involved in gutting half the 'old house' and rebuilding my library and kitchen shell. So I've given him an 'excused card'
Dear me, hope your 7yr old didn't announce his new vocabulary word at dinner
Is the attic ready to become your sewing room?
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Erin
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SeaStar
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That was very inspiring to read, Erin! 
I can't wait for your post on books...
I think one of the biggest ways the KM method has helped me is that I now can find things much more easily on my shelves and in my house, plus I enjoy what I have more.
I am also finding that having less is helping me take better care of what I do have- because what I have are items that I really like and want to last.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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sunnyviewmom
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I just want to say that I am following this discussion and it is proving very helpful and inspiring to me! Thanks, ladies!
Dana
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CrunchyMom
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Erin wrote:
Erica
Enjoyed the pics on instagram
Finally posted in full my thoughts and our process of KonMari and large families well that is except for the book culling. That's a whole post coming in itself.
How's your paperwork going?
Lindsay
Cheering you on with paperwork
Ah tax papers, the bane of my life, being married to an accountant we keep it ALL for YEARS. However dh too has been inspired and said he thinks he can reduce our filing cabinets by at least a half. The file cabinets are our last area waiting, cause it involves dh and he can only focus on one project at a time. Presently he is involved in gutting half the 'old house' and rebuilding my library and kitchen shell. So I've given him an 'excused card'
Dear me, hope your 7yr old didn't announce his new vocabulary word at dinner
Is the attic ready to become your sewing room?
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The attic is ready to house my sewing room and has new lighting, but it still doesn't have an outlet. Dh is making our teeny garage over to better suit his needs as a workshop and is taking out the ceiling to insulate our bedroom above, so I am hoping the outlet happens soon while the ceiling is open.
And, thankfully, I think my 7 year old has forgotten his new word, but I did find it sweet that he thought of "mom's new book" as the source.
Still plugging away. Dh has not done much more with the paper, but I'm fine with the garage project. It was impossible to work in, and he is getting rid of things, and his having a proper workspace means that he isn't so overwhelmed when tackling my projects, so I can live with that.
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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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Melinda
Culling Book post is written I can't emphasis enough what a feeling of lightness moving on this many books has bought to our home.
Can anyone tell me what KonMari has to say about culling photos? A friend left a comment alluding too and my googling isn't giving me the answer.
How are you all going in your efforts? Where are you up to Dana?
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Erin
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SeaStar
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That is an amazing post, Erin! Over 800 books?! Did you just feel relieved or what?
I really liked your comment about how your younger kids couldn't really find or enjoy the books the older kids liked because of the sheer volume.
Treasures can get lost... amen. I think that has been one thing that has really motivated me to purge and purge more. I hate it when I can't find a book I am looking for and instead keep searching through books that no one is reading or even likes very much.
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?
I am about half way through Spark Joy, which I think is even more helpful to me than the first book. I like the attitude of "keeping with confidence" items that make you happy. Also- LOVE her ideas about how to display and enjoy items that just plain make you happy. Some of them are pretty clever. I haven't gotten to anything about photos yet... maybe Lindsay?
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
