Simply..The Friday Fling....

22/1/2015

Are you sticking to Marie Kondo's rules?

(Some of us are using Marie Kondo's book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying to declutter our homes once and for all!)

I am - almost - am not doing out of season clothes. I can see the reasons why she suggests doing things in the order she prescribes.

Clothes are my category this week and I've done tops, bottoms, coats, jackets, socks, underwear.....I'm now on bags.

I do like bags and although I tend to use the same two over and over, I am keeping all but one.

I bought the big shiny very useful tote in Paperchase sale, and the foldable plain bright coloured ones were £1.85 online in a great range of bright colours (no logos/writing/pictures - not my thing!) and I always try to carry one inside whatever bag I'm using.

The one I use most is the little (child size) purple backpack. bought for £10 or so a few years ago in Cornwall. I like my hands free and I like the casual look of it with dressy clothes, and I like to wear a dressier, leather version with casual clothes - just so as not to be too predictable!

Apart from the foldable ones they are all navy, pinky/purple or ecru - they all go with everything.

Following the rules I collected them all together from all cupboards and corners and I am a bit surprised to find I have this many (13) but I'm pleased to find just how much I like them all. (Picking them up and asking 'Does this spark joy?')

There are - 2 back packs, 2 briefcases/satchels (I may get rid of one when I'm sorting papers as they are both full of papers, but I'm very attached to my satchels), 1 week-end bag, 1 picnic backpack just big enough for coffee and a sandwich, 2 shoulder bags, 4 summer bags including a beach bag (last used last century! but I like it) 1 'book bag' the spotted cotton one, a gift from my sister, which I always use to carry books, and I'm giving away the navy clutch and as I write this I've just remembered a little soft basket I love to use in summer which is on a high shelf....and....a bum bag. The only thing I don't have is an evening bag, but I don't have the occasion to use one either - if the occasion arose I could always find a little clutch bag easily I think.

I hope I haven't bored you with my bags of bags. (Kondo's tip to store them inside each other with the straps hanging out is a good one..)

Yay! Done! It's been fun.

My shopping list so far consists of some new underwear and some thermal socks for inside wellies. Are you making a shopping list as you go?

Next - scarves, hats, shoes....and I may get to starting books before next Friday which is just as well as I am squeezing them into the shelves just now.

How are you progressing? Are you also finding you really like knowing exactly what you have in each category?

11 Comments

Madeleine

22/1/2015 09:58:14 am

Hi Freda,

was happy to see the words'Friday Fling' when I opened up your blog today :) Hmm, no, I'm not going in order even though I very much think I should.

My reason for disobedience is that I could not possibly start back at work with my paper work in the disarray it is in. I know that once work and school are back on I just won't get to it, and the stress will be unbearable.

I got halfway through the book category - by sorting and alphabetising my extensive music collection - but didn't get to novels and reference books before I realised that the paper stashes HAD to be tackled. But I will go back to the correct sequence once I'm done.

What a good idea to note things you need as you go!

Madeleine.x

Freda

22/1/2015 08:05:21 pm

I think papers are the most difficult, but am also looking forward to getting them sorted! Good luck - think how great you will feel when they are done!

Madeleine

23/1/2015 05:46:36 am

Papers now done. I think a celebratory glass of champagne is in order!!
Madeleine.x

Alison

22/1/2015 11:51:10 am

Hi Freda,

I love your pink tote -- it really "pops" (much like your red gate does) and it looks very handy too. If I may ask, at what site did you find the folding cloth bags? I have sort of similar ones that are patterned and a bit busy -- so would like some solid colours when it comes time to replace them.

I'm a bit out of order with Marie Kondo's approach. Mostly because I was in the midst of de-cluttering when I first came across her book through Fiona's "How to be Chic" blog. I had a huge number of books in storage (about 25 boxes) and have reduced that down to two and now just have a limited selection that I'm actively using in my apartment. Paper was a big concern for me too, and it's under better control than it was. It's not overwhelming now.

Anyway, on clothes, a sort of similar story, although I think I'll do the whole routine this weekend as I have a feeling it needs another look through (except for socks and underwear, which I've just recently done).

Although the KonMari Method order of categories makes a lot of sense, I find the main thing is to focus on bringing the items in a category together as you did with the bags. It makes it much easier avoid getting caught in the "what if I need it" way of thinking, rather than the "does it spark joy?" way of thinking.

Freda

22/1/2015 08:07:52 pm

Well done with your books Alison - that's fantastic - I'll ask you more when I get to books! I can't find exactly where I got my bags from but if you put in 'non woven tote bags' you will find some similar..

elaine link

22/1/2015 03:54:32 pm

Bags - 1 fuschia, 1 navy, 1 black, 1 purple - tick. For me shoes are the hardest thing to get rid of and I do seem to have accumulated a lot of coats but they do all get used in one season or another. Clotheswise I now only have items in my wardrobe that I enjoy wearing and make me feel good - still probably far too many items but I do like a bit of variety so they are all staying.

Freda

22/1/2015 08:10:05 pm

Well that 'click point' will be different for everyone. I do find I know when I've got to the point of having just enough that I can 'properly handle'. Sounds as though you do too and your wardrobe must look and feel great!

Swissrose link

22/1/2015 06:54:17 pm

I got caught up in a dear friend's enthusiasm for shoes and bags and found myself with far too many of both, so in the course of my wardrobe decluttering, I got relatively radical!
I normally only carry one handbag and have found that I prefer a very small cross-body bag so I can't fill it with junk. The one I have now is a natural leather zipped pouch and the strap is removable, so it would make a very respectable clutch if I needed one (I haven't so far!) and should last a long time while still looking nice (the last one was an orange flower…). I got rid of all other handbags, though I do have a bright pink rucksack for sailing and short trips and a small orange wheelie case for travel.
Shoes was more difficult, but I became a lot more discerning and only kept comfy shoes and got rid of most sandals, as they're usually scruffy after a season of barefoot wearing, same for flipflops, which I now discard at the end of the summer. In fact, I probably won't get any more because my feet have begun to hurt without good insoles… I have two pairs of long boots in black and brown that are almost all I wear in winter, much as I love colour :o However, I just bought some Clarks dress shoes on sale that are natural leather with red trim, which I find most satisfactory :) Otherwise, I now rarely even bother to shop for shoes, which puzzles my husband!! But I will be looking for new summer shoes - last ones were silver, which I'd do again, went with everything...

Freda

22/1/2015 08:14:33 pm

Shoes are next on my list. Isn't it funny how easily we can be influenced? I shop on my own mainly. Leather is good, both for bags and shoes. Good luck finding summer shoes!

cath

23/1/2015 12:45:02 am

You are all way ahead of me. This week I read the Introduction and the pages you suggested Freda. I am beginning to 'get a feeling' about the ideas and it makes me want to take small steps. So next week I will start with socks.. as I want both to experience if/when I feel the 'enough' point as well as the joy.

Freda

23/1/2015 12:54:43 am

Fast or slow really doesn't matter - but the joy does! Wishing you little sparks of joy with your socks...

Simply..The Friday Fling....

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