Today I am sharing - Household Supplies
If you are new to my blog, Welcome! In case you missed it, be sure to read my Introduction and Getting Started post, so you know what the KonMari Method is all about and the reasons why I am doing it.
Also in this series:
Komono: Skincare products, Make-up & Accessories
Komono: Valuables & Electronics
Komono: Household Equipment: Stationery
Komono: Household Equipment: Craft Supplies
In a nutshell, Marie Kondo has four rules she recommends people follow when doing the KonMari Method:Komono: Valuables & Electronics
Komono: Household Equipment: Stationery
Komono: Household Equipment: Craft Supplies
1. Tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible.
2. Sort by category, not by location
3. Selection Criterion: Does it 'spark joy?'
4. Order of tidying: Clothes, Books, Documents (Paper), Miscellaneous items (Komono), and Momentos (Sentimental)
As suggested in the book, I will start doing the KonMari Method with my own 'stuff' first, then I will work though the kids items, because I am too sentimental and would find it hard to part with their things right off the bat. I also need to get my head around this new process of de-cluttering, tidying and organising, so hopefully when it comes to purging my kids stuff, it will be a lot easier (well, let's hope so).
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The fourth category of the KonMari Method is KOMONO (Miscellaneous). Now for me, this category is probably bigger than the Paper category. Do you remember in my Introduction post, I mentioned I felt overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I had stored in containers sitting in my office, well majority of them fit into this category. I have containers of miscellaneous items - that I haven't really touched for the past 3 years and includes stuff I have kept for over 10! This category may take some time, however I will be following Marie Kondo's recommended order (see below) and will hopefully (fingers crossed) find a new home for everything and only "keep things because I love them, not 'just because'" (Marie Kondo) - which is totally why I always rebound, and why I NEED the KonMari Method in my life.
Over the next couple of weeks or however long it takes me, I will be tackling Komono (miscellaneous items 1) which includes:
- CDs, DVDs
- Skincare products
- Make-Up
- Accessories
- Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc)
- Electrical equipment and appliances (digital cameras, electric cords, anything that seems vaguely 'electric')
- Household Equipment: Stationery & Crafts
- Household supplies (expendables like medicine, detergents, tissues, etc) <------YOU ARE HERE
- Kitchen goods/food supplies
- Other
As always I will be keeping these three rules in mind when doing my purge:
1. Tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible.
2. Sort by category, not by location
3. Selection Criterion: Does it 'spark joy?'
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I wasn't sure how to tackle this sub-category, because Marie only mentions 'expendables like medicine, detergents, tissues etc'...After reading a few blogs and watching a couple of Youtube videos, I figured it would be a good time to go through ALL of our cleaning products and laundry products. I didn't think I had a lot because I don't use much when I clean our home. Well...I was wrong.
As always, I gathered every item that fit into this category - all of our household supplies and spread them out on the kitchen floor. I was actually quite shocked at how much stuff we had, and a lot of the items are products I haven't used in a VERY long time! I keep some of these items under the kitchen sink, and majority of them were found in the laundry/towel cupboard.
BEFORE
As I was going through the massive pile of cleaning products, I found a bottle of bleach that had a use by date of 2008! I KNOW - 2008! I don't even know why I still had it and have no idea how I missed it when I did a de-clutter of my cleaning supplies at the beginning of the year (oops, my bad). Safe to say, it has now left our home. Yaye!
If you are doing the KonMari method in your own home, I would love to know the oldest 'use by date' and product you found while doing this sub-category. Or maybe just for fun, have a look at your cleaning products and let me know in the comments if you find anything that is dated before 2014!
AFTER
It took me about 15 minutes to complete the purging part of this sub-category, as I knew what I wanted to keep and the rest went straight into the discard pile.
Cleaning Caddy
One of the things I absolutely love and it really does 'spark joy'...is my Cleaning Caddy. I have had this since I did the 20 Days To Organise and Clean Your Home Challenge with The Organised Housewife. It's amazing and everything I need to clean our home is in this caddy. My caddy includes: Sugar soap/water, Vinegar/water, All Purpose Spray, scrubbing brush x2, toothbrush (for hard to reach/small places), cloth (multi-purpose & micro fibre), baking soda, plastic bags for rubbish, gloves, dishwashing liquid, Chemico (Gumption alternative) & toilet discs.
Under the Sink
I am fan of the EcoStore range, having used these products in our new home since we moved in last August. We have a hand wash refill (separate to what we use in the bathroom), dishwashing liquid and Multi-purpose spray all stored under the sink for regular use. We have our Finish dishwasher powder & cleaner, and a glass cleaner, along with the cloths stored in a basket under the sink too. I also keep our paper towels in the same cupboard - basically anything kitchen related is in this cupboard. The rest is in our laundry/towel cupboard.
Stock Pile / Cleaning Products
It makes me happy to know that I now only have one container for my 'stock pile' items...Mop heads, toilet paper, fly spray, sugar soap refill, multipurpose spray and carpet cleaner all in this yellow tray. No more rummaging through the cupboard to find something. I also have one bucket for mopping. I do need to get another bucket for 'other' cleaning up situations, so I will add that to my shopping list this week.
The bucket and my 'stock pile' tray are stored in the laundry cupboard, with my mop, broom and dustpan hanging on the back of the door. I also have my steam mop in the cupboard too.
Laundry Products
I keep our washing powder (we use the Eco Store range) in this white container/bin...it does have a lid (not pictured). I found it easier putting the powder in this container and recycling the box straight away - I just need a pretty label. We also have Fabric softener that I use for our towels, and occasionally the kids clothes and bedding. I also have this tub of Vanish Napisan for those stubborn stains...now that Master M is getting more and more adventurous, as toddlers do, there seems to be more stains on his clothes...so the Napisan comes in handy every now and again (thanks CJ).
Discard pile
It probably doesn't look like much, but I got rid of over half of the 'household supplies' I found in our home. The space in my cupboards is proof enough. My partner will be discarding these products safely, along with some other products he uses when he is painting.
I am really glad this sub-category was in the book. At first I wasn't excited about it...I think a lot of people feel the same way about cleaning (full stop), but it was definitely an area that needed to be sorted. I was amazed at how many cleaning products I had, compared to what I actually use. Yippee, no more unused bottles in my cupboard anymore, and I will only buy when I run out.
As for medicine - I have a bottle of Pamol and Ibuprofen (liquid) in the fridge, which we only got last month and we have one packet of Panadol in our First Aid Kit, which was updated in January. Miss B's Asthma kit is also up to date with inhaler refills and spacers. Our medicine supplies are one thing I do keep on top of and regularly check.
Do you own a lot of cleaning products?
Do you have a cleaning caddy?
Are you a person who stock piles?
When was the last time you de-cluttered, sorted and/or organised your cleaning products?
Next: 'My KonMari Journey' - Komono: Kitchen Goods/Food supplies
I am looking forward to this one! Watch this space.
I am looking forward to this one! Watch this space.
Please note: The Komono (Miscellaneous) category has several sub-categories, and I will be sharing a post for all of them (some will be combined, some will be split into two parts). Watch this space or Subscribe to my Blog, so you don't miss a post.
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I am super excited about this journey and I would love for you to follow along in this process, better yet, join me - Subscribe to my Blog, so you don't miss a post and together we can tidy our homes and change our lives, once and for all. I will also be sharing my journey on my Facebook page, and Instagram, so be sure to follow me there too.
Charlene
If you would like to give the KonMari Method a go, and you don't have the book - Here is a checklist of the fourth category - KOMONO (Miscellaneous items 1) . Click the image below and Save/Print. You can also view my previous checklists HERE.
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Oh my goodness, I had no idea there was an expiration date on cleansers! I have to go through mine. I also stock up on cleaner. Hm, wondering if I should stop that.
ReplyDeleteI love the cleaning caddy Charlene. I make a habit of going through my cleaning supplies every season. It means we use up what we have and prevents me from buying more which saves us at the checkout.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely need to do this! We have so many electrical cords, plugs etc and I find it hard to sort them out. Looking forward to reading more about the Konmari Method.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! Thanks for sharing.
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