Wednesday KatMari

[rachelmanija]

This has really been a breakthrough for me. I have previously never in my life been able to do any sustained organizing that did not involve some favorite hobby. Marie Kondo's show, at least, is basically about being a therapist for people's relationship with their possessions and their living space; once I realized that and started considering mine in those terms, all of a sudden tidying became my own personal therapy and thus an enjoyable and doable task, rather than something I inevitably got bored or frustrated with, wandered off having accomplished not very much, and then procrastinated on trying again for weeks/months/years.

Also, she has some good practical tips. My big discovery is that putting stuff in transparent boxes makes it a million times easier to find things - I'm very "out of sight, out of mind" for a lot of stuff, so it will essentially not exist for me unless I can literally see it. I have been hitting the Daiso (Japanese dollar store) for boxes. I realize that this is one of those things that's easy and tempting to shame people with: "How did you get this old before learning something any normal person figures out at age five?" But in fact I did not figure it out until age 45, due to watching that show.

I am currently working on the kitchen. Alas, I AGAIN forgot to take proper "before" photos. You can extrapolate what it probably looked like by the fact that yesterday I unearthed a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese that expired in 2011, which is probably also the last time I ate it.





Alex and Erin help me sort stuff from a drawer I had forgotten existed for literally years.



Erin helps me sort packaged food. I did not notice the Hello Kitty crackers till after I took the photo.

My kitchen has two of these cabinets/counters, one on each side. Here's what they both looked like "before:"



And after:



Erin approves my progress! (I feel like I need to note that I do eat stuff other than packaged snacks. It's just that the healthy stuff is mostly in the refrigerator.)





I put things I use daily or near-daily, plus non-refrigerated perishables on the counter, so I will see and eat them rather than having them go bad because I forgot they existed.



Please no negativity in comments. If you don't like this topic, please scroll or blacklist the decluttering tag.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I would start with episode 2 or 3, or really anything but 1. The first is my least favorite by far.

[sylvaine]

I've loved boxes as extremely useful organising tools for years, and if nothing else I'd be fond of Marie Kondo solely for converting girlfriend on that front, too, where before I'd never quite been able to explain why they're so great! :D

[copperfyre]

I just wanted to say I've been really enjoying these tidying posts, and you've inspired me to go pick up a copy of Marie Kondo's book. I always find cleaning up and decluttering really stressful, so I'm hoping it will give me a boost in the right direction!

[grayswandir]

Hi there. :) I wanted to say that I've been really enjoying your posts and pictures, and was actually inspired to do some closet organization after seeing them (I had watched some of Marie Kondo's show a little while back, so I'd already been intending to do some reorganizing -- I actually like organizing things, and was glad to learn some new tricks from her -- but for some reason your posts were what got me to actually make a start).

Also love the cats. In fact I have the perfect icon for this occasion. :D

[rachelmanija]

That is possibly the most apt icon ever.

I'm glad my posts were inspiring!

[eglantiere]

ahhh i love it, such amazing cupboard! and kitties are the best helpers, haha, although martha was mostly interested in discarded boxes :D

[kulturschnepfe]

Longtime lurker here. My comment may sound like negativity at the start, but by the end it won't be, I promise.

I tried reading the KonMari book, but only made it through the first chapter or so. The author sounded like my Mom to me who had tried to educate me through constantly criticising me. It's a German thing (if I don't criticise you, it's praise enough...). So I put the book down and didn't look back.

Intrigued by your comments on her Netflix show and your efforts (and successes) I watched a couple of episodes, where she comes across as much much kinder. And though I thought the "put everything in a heap, then decide what to keep" method would overwhelm me, it made so much more sense when seen in action. To realise how much stuff one really has (and how much of that doesn't spark joy or isn't really necessary) might be the way to go after all. I might give it a try this year, after the hubbub at work has died down a little.

TLDR: Thank you for inspiring me through your comments and actions that the KonMari method might be a good thing after all. Keep up the good work :D

[rachelmanija]

Thank YOU for commenting. That was really lovely to hear. Please let me know how it goes if you do give it a try!