Don’t panic! It’s just the holidays.
I’m here to help you map out a season with less stress and more joy. And I’ve even got a handy worksheet to help.
One of my absolute favorite tools to teach is the 4Ds, and the holidays are the perfect time to teach it. The 4Ds were pioneered by legendary professional organizer Julie Morgenstern in her book Time Management from the Inside Out, and they are MAGIC.
It’s going to be a short and sweet one this week because this month has been BONKERS! (I’m already 3 days behind schedule on posting, but who’s counting?)
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen that the joy sparks have been flying up in New York City. I am now officially a KonMari instructor, training the next cohorts of aspiring KonMari consultants. I’m feeling some major ripple effects in motion, as these lovely people prepare to spread out across the world and help so many people create lives that spark joy. Check out all the action!
These days, there is a lot of important work to do.
There are wrongs to be made right.
There are children to raise into kind human beings.
There are lives to be improved.
There is beauty to be created.
We don't have time to be bogged down with physical and emotional clutter.
We don't have time to be surrounded by things, people, and activities that drain us.
You’re in line at your favorite store. In your hands, you’ve got a scented candle, a pair of sunglasses, and a mug with a cute inspirational saying. (You should have gotten a cart.)
You’ve also got a shirt that you’re worried might be a little too baggy, or not quite the right color, but it should be fine.
An announcement comes over the loudspeaker that the registers are down and will not be up again for 30 minutes.
Would you wait?
I’m an Obliger.
According to Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework, that means I need external accountability to get practically anything done.
In fact, it took some major external accountability to complete my own KonMari journey.
Three years ago, I was a member of the first class of trainees to begin the KonMari certification in New York. And of course, as part of the certification, I was required to complete the KonMari process in my own home first.
About a year ago, I started asking myself a question that gave me dramatically more clarity (and joy!) in my work and life.
The question was:
Is it fun and easy?
Why did I start asking this question?
Because I was overwhelmed by the "shoulds."
I have ALWAYS have been overwhelmed by those blasted shoulds, but I felt particularly overwhelmed as a new entrepreneur. Suddenly, I, alone, had to dictate how I would spend my precious time.
Sometimes, we are just tired. We might be getting sick. We might have little ones who aren't sleeping through the night. We might have a major work project going on.
Whatever the reason, it’s frustrating to feel zapped of energy, especially when there is still so much to do. (Just ask that adorable, fuzzy koala.)
Being tired is especially problematic when we want our homes to be tidy, but after a long day of parenting or commuting or care-giving, we can't muster up the energy to spend even 5 minutes getting things back to where they should be.
Have you ever felt amazing after a day of de-cluttering, only to realize that you have NO idea what to do with all the things that you’re ready to let go of? Should I donate this? Does this have value? Should I have a garage sale? Should I consign? Can I recycle? Where?
Never fear! I’ve got some resources to help.
There are many excellent organizations right in our community that can make use of items that you no longer need.
Last year, I published a blog post on how I pack for camping. Now that it’s camping season again (yay!), I’m bringing this oldie-but-goody back.
We've been camping in the pop-up for 3 summers now, and we are finally getting good at simplifying things. This helps SO much, because when you bring too much stuff, it's WAY more work and WAY more schlepping.
We do what I call "camping with a K", aka Camping the KonMari way.
Pre-PS - I’ve got an amazing new partnership going and I’ve got a special code for you today! Read on to learn more ….
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I’ve always been super fascinated that some people can wear certain colors, and others can’t. I’m sure you’ve said to yourself, “This does nothing for me”, or “I look so drab in this”. But how do we know exactly WHICH colors light us up and which drag us down?
When I work with my clients, we’re usually focusing on two things. One, we’re doing a massive de-cluttering and organization of what they own. Two, we’re working to instill new habits so that they can continue to enjoy their newly simplified life.
One snag people hit is trying to communicate with others about doing their share in the household. We often get frustrated that people just don’t do what we want them to do. We say things like:
“I wish my spouse would help out more.”
Sometimes, we’re surprised by what sparks joy.
In my living room, I have a glass cabinet where we keep wine glasses, fancier tea cups and some other little tschotskes. As you might imagine, I’m not a fan of tschotskes, but many of them were gifts or things I feel too guilty to get rid of.
I felt especially guilty because this little knick-knack haven was an affront to the advice that I give clients - to let go of what doesn’t spark joy. I even wrote a whole blog post on how to let go of gifts, for Pete’s sake.
I love it when life comes full circle.
When I moved back to the States from Chile, I took a job at the prestigious Wharton School to create customized learning programs in their Executive Education division. I got to travel all over the world, working with amazing clients like the United Nations, the World Bank, and even the government of Shanghai. What I loved about this work was that it was PRACTICAL. We were giving people real-world knowledge that they could go back and apply to their work right away.
I’ve been doing the Mindset Reset program with Mel Robbins this month and it is ROCKING MY WORLD. If you haven’t heard of Mel or this program, go to her website at melrobbins.com/mindsetreset and check it out. It’s a FREE, month-long program to help you literally re-program your brain so that you can create a healthier and happier mindset.
One of the most important life-changing aspects of the course has been establishing a morning routine.
The excitement over the new Netflix show has been nuts!
Every day I get texts and messages from friends showing off their newly folded drawers and transformed closets. I LOVE that the show has been a catalyst for so many people to begin simplifying their homes and their lives.
With all the buzz, I’m been getting lots of questions. In today’s blog, I’m answering your most pressing questions about the show and the method.
If you’ve been watching the new Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, you might have the sudden urge to purge.
Luckily, you can EASILY get in on the action. You can achieve your very own reality TV show “before and after” results in your closet, and it only takes 5 hours. Think about inviting a friend over to do this with you, and vice versa. (And if you REALLY full stuck, you can, of course, call me!)
