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!)
Last year on the Happier podcast, Gretchen Rubin and her sister, Liz Craft, introduced the awesome concept of “18 for 2018”. It’s a fun spin on the traditional New Year’s resolution.
Think of it like a bucket list for the year ahead.
Instead of putting all of your eggs in one basket with ONE BIG FAT PRESSURE-FILLED New Year’s Resolution, why not instead create a list of LOTS of things you’d like to do in 2019?
So … let me start with a shocking statistic, just to get you in the holiday mood.
The United States has 3% of the world’s children but buys 40% of all toys sold worldwide.
Yeah, I know. It’s terrifying. At one point, I think 40% of the world’s toys were living under my daughter’s bed.
This month, if you’ve got kids, you’re likely going to have an influx of new gifts and toys, so it’s the perfect time to learn how to help kids wade through the toys and create space for what sparks joy.
When we de-clutter our lives, we are often faced with figuring out how to give our items a second life.
For high-quality, gently-used clothes, consignment can be a great way to let them spark joy for someone else, while also giving you a little cash back for those investment pieces that you still need.
How much cash back exactly?
The number one question that I get is “What should I do with clothes that don’t fit?”
As my fellow KonMari consultant and wise friend Christina Rosenbruch says, the beauty of KonMari is that it brings us into the present. It’s about celebrating who we are TODAY and surrounding ourselves with what brings us joy TODAY.
So, what to do? Change the script.
I often say, “Our clothes are talking to us.”
People often say to me, “your house must be perfect.”
It’s not.
My friends and family can attest to that.
Sure, it’s my own little Petri dish and I have a lot of fun figuring out how to make it as organized as possible. I get to experiment and tinker in the hopes of a more streamlined and peaceful existence.
But it does NOT look like the cover of a Martha Stewart magazine. Or a model home for the Container Store. Or a recent HGTV makeover.
