No, I haven't done any. I usually start in October.

We would be like your friends if dh had his way! I'm the purger and he's the saver. My problem with having storage areas stuffed is that, yes, you saved it "just in case" but you could never find it if you needed it. My very sentimental mom inherited a TON of furniture and other items from my grandma and aunt, and could not bring herself to get rid of any of it. She would lament that she couldn't help it that the house was stuffed. I'd suggest getting rid of some of it, and she'd look at me like that was the weirdest idea ever. I like having a few special pieces from family members, but if you have piles upon piles then none of it is very special IMHO. I love my mother and I miss her, but I would not love her more or treasure my memories of her more if I had a roomful of her things. Re: Christmas decorations: have you ever tried having a more minimalistic Christmas? Maybe you could pare down what you decorate with this year to only what you love the best, and then see if you might be able to get rid of some. I have toys and books for future grandchildren, too! I even have a few vintage toys from my own childhood. I am not getting rid of my Huffy Puffy train or my vintage FP Little People. I get these toys out for visiting friends' kids to play with. If you are not that cluttered, it sounds like you're on the right track. Good job on the clothes!! I love reading this thread, too. It motivates me and makes me happy to read what others have accomplished.

I second airbnb. We used them in Paris and our dd and her husband used them in Scotland. I looked at their web site and was surprised at the number of places listed, even in smaller towns around here.

Oh, well, my ROOM will be nearly done but my CRAFT STUFF..mostly fabric and yarn..is still downstairs. That will be a fun job. Cough. Maybe you and I can hold each other's hands through that task, Arctic Mama.

I delivered all my bags of stuff and pile of blankets to my friend yesterday, and gave a sewing machine (left in a storage unit) to another friend for her grown daughter. I have another pile for the local thrift store and a little more stuff to go through. Then my sewing room will be completely KonMaried!!!

Sometimes I don't either, but this thread has me on a roll! While you're bagging up stuff, think about where would be the best place to take it...the easiest place, the place you're most likely to take it. Then put it right in the car, even if you're not taking it there today. The next time you're out you'll already have it with you ready to donate.

Today I got a LOT done in my room of doom. It's looking more like a sewing room all the time. The back of the car is packed with about five bags and a stack of quilts for my friend to take after Mass tomorrow, and I have a sewing machine that was left by a tenant, to give to another person.

I always like to have a week's worth of clothes, minimum, not including any athletic clothing or dressy clothes. It does depend on how often clothes are washed. Mine usually wore jeans more than one day so they didn't need seven pairs of jeans/pants.

You can also use pretty mugs to hold pens and pencils, knitting needles, makeup brushes, whatever.

{{{Hug}}} I can't even imagine. I have things from my mother and sister who are gone. Over time I have been able to let go of a lot of it and keep my favorites but it took a while to get to that point. Do you have any other place you could keep those boxes for now? I think Marie Kondo advocates decluttering sentimental items last, after clothing, books, papers, and miscellaneous. I hope you will come back and let us know how things are going.

Do you have any reusable fabric shopping bags? I love mine.

That was a very creepy thread! I don't think they ever solved it.

My piles of giveaway have grown!! I have a pile of quilts and three bags for my friend to pick up to take to the clinic, and another pile for our local thrift store. Once these are out my room of doom won't seem so doomy. It seems to take foreeeeevver though.

Did you buy any??

My dh is exactly the same way. I think my kids have pitched most of their sports trophies. It's so silly. Every kid on every team gets a trophy just for participating sometimes. It's not like it's an award for winning a tournament. I feel a twinge of guilt sometimes for throwing stuff out when dh isn't here..and yet..he likes a clean, uncluttered house. It does not compute.

My dh hurt his back. Yesterday I helped him with his inspections. He goes into people's homes all the time and sees everything from the pristine to the should-be-condemned. One house we entered was lovely. No clutter anywhere, freshly vacuumed. The kitchen counters were bare except for a bowl of lemons. Even the kids' rooms were tidy. When we went upstairs out of earshot of the homeowner, I whispered to dh, "Wow, it's so clean!" There was a large Pods container in the driveway, which I assumed was for moving. Dh pointed out that it was probably to hold their excess belongings. The house was staged. I like family photos and a few meaningful pieces around. I don't want a staged home exactly, but I want the calm feeling of that house.

I'm not following that order and I've only listened to a small portion of the book. I did my clothes and dh's clothes. Right now I'm working on my "room of doom", one grown dd's former bedroom that will be my sewing and craft room. I stuffed all kinds of things in there and can't imagine organizing by category. It would take me ten times longer. I am still asking myself, "Does this spark joy? Does it bring me happiness in any way?" That helps. We have seven kids so I understand trying to do things with little ones underfoot! When they were all home (years ago) I would periodically declutter with their help. Toys were an issue. I would ask them if they were willing to part with a seldom played with toy so that another child could enjoy it. They liked that idea. But yes, it's hard to do with littles around. However, the older ones entertained the younger ones and also would make dinner or fold laundry to help me out while I decluttered. It's hardest when everyone is five and under.

Oh, and a big pile of miscellaneous stuff in the background that still needs to be sprinkled with the magic KonMari dust.

A pile of freshly washed quilts and blankets to donate, candlesticks, a bag of thread, a trash bag full of clothes and kitchen items.

My dh had surgery for a torn meniscus in both knees, about ten years apart. I think they were around 1999 and 2009. He was on crutches and had that cold pack that is connected to a cooler. It continuously circulates cold water around the knee to prevent swelling. I had to keep replenishing the cooler with ice as it melted. I don't remember exactly how long his recovery time was but he did well and had no complications.

I liked this post but I wish there was a Love option. Love it!

I feel the burden of STUFF. We're not hoarders like on the TV shows. I have periodically decluttered and given away bags and bags over the years. But it's not enough. Eventually it overwhelms me again. I'm ready to be radical in choosing what to keep and what to allow to come into my home. A woman at church regularly takes car loads of giveaway stuff to a clinic that ministers to the poor. They will take almost anything: clothing, household items. I have three perfectly good quilts, other blankets, clothing we don't wear, kitchen items, things in good repair that we would use but we simply have TOO MUCH. Some things will go to our local thrift store. They are staffed by volunteers and the money they make helps people in the community with things like utility bills, and in emergency situations. Off I go back into the room of doom. I will feel lighter as I unburden myself of stuff, and happy that someone else may benefit.

Yup. It's good for working in the yard...etc. etc. Speaking of fishing, my dh had a buttoned short sleeved shirt printed with fishing lures. It was the ugliest thing. It slipped into my giveaway bag once and he has never missed it. It just did not spark joy in me. #stealthKonMari

I ordered the tulle online. It would be a pain to return it. I had this image in my head of lots of tulle draped from the ceiling, going out from the center like a starburst, with white Christmas lights. Do you know how difficult and time-consuming that is with a 16-foot ceiling??? We had a very tall ladder and my mechanical engineer SIL but it took ages...so they did it but not nearly as much tulle as I had envisioned. It was still pretty. I think I'll put the fabric squares in a gallon ziplock and label that before donating.

I'm still in my "room of doom" sewing room but I've got a big pile of stuff to go out the door...three quilts, clothing, blankets, lots of miscellaneous items. I don't know what to do with some of the wedding stuff. For example, I cut large squares of fabric to decorate the centers of the tables at the reception. I hate to throw them out. Would a thrift store want them? They could be used for quilting or another craft. And bolts of tulle I didn't even use. Do I store it until the next dd gets married? Who knows when that will be, or if tulle will be wanted for decorating that possible future wedding.