zozee

I'm purging using the Kondo method right now. She claims that none of her clients has ever rebounded )(I.e reverted to a cluttered home). House stays tidy ( or takesless than a half hour to straighten). I'd recommend her book. She has a system and sensible reasons to support it. I've purged the first category already ( clothes) and am a fourth of the way through the second (books). Already feels better!

kay carlson

I am expecting visitors in two days. The top of the guest room bed had been piled high with books, genealogy info, misc. magazines, out of season clothes and photos. Today, I chose one thing to accomplish.

I sorted through only the pictures on top of the bed. Portraits automatically went in archival sleeves and empty picture frames of high quality are boxed together for recycling when I choose to redecorate. I sorted dozens of 4x6 photos.

If the photo was of poor quality, it was immediately discarded, but not torn up. Photos were placed in piles according to subject: certain wedding, house remodel, etc. Then, I selected one subject area to resort. Only the best images representative of the occasion were saved. Larger greeting card envelopes were dated and marked with contents.

At a later point, I can go back to the envelopes and label individual photos. Discarded photos were destroyed.

No one wants to see every picture I have taken throughout my lifetime. I am cutting clutter, lightening the load, and will be selective in what would be important to my family when I am gone. It is easy to do this with digital photos, as well.

If I can't find a home for the remaining items on the bed within the next 60 minutes, they will be hidden in a box put in the closet. It's not moving everything to a new place. Purge, purge, purge on one area and get 'er done. It works!

zozee

When I reread this, it sounds line I mean my house stays tidy and only takes a half hour to straighten up. Hahaha!!' I meant to say that, after I do the Kondo method which should take six months (she says), that is the outcome.

newbee3

I REALLY never heard of this method you are referring to. But that is what I have been doing one drawer at a time then one shelf so it is getting better still have clutter my home is lived in

youngduncan

Organizing my sewing/quilting room reminds me of the old joke: How do you eat an elephant? Take one bite at a time! Ha! Ha!

It really does work, though. I managed to get involved in a couple of major projects at one time. Even bloodthirsty tornadoes would avoid my room if they chose to come near here. I got a couple of boxes and bags and put them where I could easily insert pattern pieces, fabrics, notions, or whatever. It took a couple of days, but the job was accomplished with not too much effort.

If you need to clean or organize, do it a little bit at a time so you don't feel overwhelmed with everything at once.

NJ Quilter

With respect to Kay Carlson's comments...let me just say I have spent many hours over the last 3 days sorting through thousands of photos from my SIL's house. She passed away 2 years ago and her son (our nephew) just a few weeks ago. Hubs and I have had the distinct displeasure of going through their home. In some cases there were no less than 20 of the same photo. I can not tell you how many photos were tossed because they were totally over/underexposed. Her line about folks not wanting to see every photo of hers that she has taken in her lifetime is absolutely true. People who we (or other family members) have no clue as to who they might be, etc. We've pared it down to various family-member piles and those now just need to be distributed.

It gives me a renewed sense of responsibility to continue this process with my own photos.

cactusmomma

My sister and I have been reading her book and started doing some of the exercises. I rearranged my sock drawer and my socks are so happy now and it gives me more joy in the morning when I am getting dressed. I want to rearrange lots more but still working full time and cleaning out another house where I've found lots of items for Goodwill.

cactusmomma

That is basically the Kondo method. But I agree with pasovasz, Kondo's end result would drive me nuts.....absolutely no clutter.

tessagin

I went to Walmart yesterday looking for some containers and as I trying to decide which ones to get, I am also trying in my mind to decide what to get rid of. I wash pushing around an empty cart and another woman was trying to decide which clear container to get. I spent more than 10 minutes and decided to leave and offered the cart to the other woman. She was grateful and I was still saving money by walking out empty- handed. Came home and rearranged a couple containers. Before I knew it I had 3 empty containers and freed up a lot of space. the containers were 64 qt./62 L. Made a trip to Goodwill.

quiltinghere

If I don't have a large amount of time to sew/quilt, I use the short timeframe to clean up and put things away. Then when I do have several hours to sew/quilt, my studio is inviting and everything is in it's place!

How do you eat a x-large pizza? One bite at a time!

Nan