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Joanna Lovering, Style Coach, shares tips and tricks to help you make the most of your closet as you build a style that sparks joy. After a successful weight loss journey in 2011, Joanna founded Copper + Rise, a New York City-based style coaching service dedicated to personal and professional empowerment. A passionate stylist and trained executive coach, Joanna pairs her seasonal sensibilities with leadership development techniques to help clients rise to the next level. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. Join The Spark Joy Club today! (https://www.patreon.com/sparkjoy) In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - How Joanna made the jump from organizational psychology to fashion styling Joanna’s personal transformation that led to her style philosophy The importance of closet editing as the first step in building a wardrobe that sparks joy How letting go of clothing that doesn’t fit or doesn’t work for you turn getting ready in the morning from stress to joy Learn fashion tips from Joanna that will help you find the perfect clothing items regardless of your body type Learn about "The Line, The V and the Rule of Three!" Joanna's favorite styling tip: “If you chose to wear something voluminous on the top, wear something tighter on the bottom and vice versa. And if you wear pants that are cropped, your top needs to be shorter as well. It’s all about proportions.” What sparks joy for Joanna: "I’m planning an event in New York for curvy girls. It’s important to me to show women that they are not tied to some traditional concept of fashion. It’s important to me that all women are recognized.” To connect with Joanna, visit her website at Copper and Rise (https://www.copperandrise.com) and her Instagram @CopperandRise (https://www.instagram.com/copperandrise/) Gems: “My ideal client is someone who just doesn’t have the time to think about what they are going to wear that day.” “When you think about your closet, what percentage of your clothes that you actually wear?” “My thought is that if you want to keep that sentimental dress, then let’s get a nice box and call it your ‘Nostalgia Box’! “ “How you feel and how you want to make other people feel should be the only consideration when it comes to what you decide you wear.” “As Tim Gunn always says, “That’s a lot of look!” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home (https://www.theserenehome.com/) You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy (https://fortheloveoftidy.com/) Special Guest: Joanna Lovering.

Sarit Sela, fellow KonMari Consultant, shares her favorite minimalist inspired buying and shopping strategies that can enhance your KonMari journey and help you maintain a clutter free lifestyle. Sarit Sela is a minimalist mom, Bronze certified KonMari consultant and visual storyteller. She is an Israeli living in Stockholm, Sweden for the last 8 years and is the founder of Minimalist Me, Her mission is to bring a creative, visual world of minimalism, scandinavian design and KonMari to her clients. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. Join The Spark Joy Club today! (https://www.patreon.com/sparkjoy) In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -Learning how and why Sarit became a KonMari Consultant How minimalism has played an important role in Sarit’s personal journey and in her work with clients What minimalism means to Sarit. It’s not what you may think! Sarit's method of working with her clients using the KonMari Method and minimalism How it's not about the number of things you own in any category. It's important to not focus on the number but on the joy and use of the items to YOU The challenges, and JOYS, of being a mom in our consumerist culture and how to help your children be more focused and mindful How Sarit has navigated setting up her business in both Sweden and Israel and the differences in both cultures when it comes to tidying What makes a good KonMari Consultant in Sarit’s view Sarit's favorite tidying tip: "It's important that when you open your wardrobe and feel that it is pretty to look at. It's not about the number of clothes but that you put things around you that spark joy." What sparks joy for Sarit: "Soon, I will be in Tel Aviv to lead a workshop on minimalism. It's going to be one of the biggest events I have done so far." Sarit’s parting words of wisdom: "Many people are concerned with the habits of others in their homes. But I have found that if you change your habits, you will be able to help others." To connect with Sarit, visit her websits and blog Mimialist Me (https://minimalist-me.com) or follow her on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/minimalistmeblog/) Gems: - "You will know exactly what you need and don't need. It must work for you." - "Combining the two things, KonMari and miinimalism, was something that felt unique." - "Who needs five boxes of pasta at any one time?" - "I think there are two things to teach kids. The first is to learn to tidy and the second is to carefully chose the things they want in their lives." - "It's so important for a KonMari Consultant to have compassion." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home (https://www.theserenehome.com/) You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy (https://fortheloveoftidy.com/) Special Guest: Sarit Sela.

Today, we explore the mindset and reasoning behind holding only things because they represent a particular dream, goal, or investment that has been left unfulfilled or incomplete. We call these items “unfinished business” or “maybe someday items.” Things that represent an ideal, aspiration or a dream that you had about the kind of person you wanted to be. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. Join The Spark Joy Club today! (https://www.patreon.com/sparkjoy) In this episode, you’ll enjoy: Learning what unfinished business looks like KonMari category by KonMari Category. Understanding why and how unfinished business accumulates and why it’s so hard to let it go. How the unfinished business in the Clothing category can fill your closet with things that need to be mended, tailored or ironed and what to do about it. We revisit Ep 75 | Exploring the KonMari Book Controversy with Robin Mitchell Cranfield (https://fireside.fm/s/m4Lov-_t+A1DPAn_r) to discuss letting go of unread or unfinished books. Three additional categories of paper to consider. How hobbies and aspirational do it yourself projects can cause us to purchase supplies that are often never used or partially used. These items are classic “maybe someday” items that pile up in drawers and closets. How to use sentimental items so that they are not just hidden in boxes and never appreciated. We encourage you to get creative and either use these items or consider why you are holding onto them. How donations and discards are unfinished business until they are out of your home. Your tidying is not finished until things are on their way to their next life. The importance and value of your time when deciding whether to reduce, reuse or recycle items. This can be a stumbling block toward getting things on their way. A solution! Consider the Five D’s: - Do - Diminish - Delegate - Defer - Delete We all have unfinished business. It’s just a part of life! - Here are Karin’s: - Deciding about some closet storage upgrades. “I can’t decide!" - Doing some home maintenance. “There’s always something that needs to be done." - Recycling used candle jars. - And, Kristyn’s: - Photography organization project. “I’m committed to get this done in the next decade.” - Recipe compilation project. “My friends want some of my great family recipes!” Gems: - "When your KonMari tidying journey is over, you’ll have the time, resources, and energy to pursue these passions. So, it’s important to make sure every second of that time counts by filling it with high value activities edited down to just the things you love and intended to complete in your lifetime." - "Buying craft supplies can become the hobby. Those yarn and fabric stores are so tempting!" - "It’s really ok to decide something is just not for you or maybe what you DID accomplish with a hobby was just the right amount." - "What is the point of keeping those things hidden away and could you make a different plan? What are some of the options?" - "Sometimes your unfinished business and “someday aspirations can literally stand in between you and your goal of a clutter free lifestyle." - "We’re human and it’s ok to make mistakes. We’ve all invested our time, energy, and money on things that didn’t work out for whatever reason. Trial and error is a necessary part of learning, growing and adulting." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home (https://www.theserenehome.com/) You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy (https://fortheloveoftidy.com/)

Arika Clark Alejo, founder of ThriveEpic, joins us to help us vision board our way into the new year! Our first guest of 2020 is Arika Clark Alejo. Arika’s on a mission to help people be leaders in their own lives and be happy. So, while her official title is Founder and CEO of ThriveEpic, she likes to think of herself as a Chief Happiness Officer. She spreads messages that help people thrive through being a life and leadership coach, dynamic speaker and event facilitator. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. Join The Spark Joy Club today! (https://www.patreon.com/sparkjoy) In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - Arika's journey from career burn out to a coach who helps people move beyond the status quo - Why vision boarding is Arika's favorite thing to help people design - How vision boards help you align with your goals and learn more about what you have and also what you're missing - The best time of the year to create a vision board and where to start - Non-visual vision board alternatives - Arika's favorite vision board - What not to include on your vision board - How to ground your aspirations in reality - Where you should hang your vision board and when you should refresh it - How to course correct and fail forward when we veer away from our vision - What Arika has on her vision board in 2020 What sparks joy for Arika: Getting ready to prepare for her big Summit (https://summit.thriveepic.com/#)! To connect with Arika visit thriveepic.com (http://www.thriveepic.com/) Don’t forget to sign-up for Arika’s free virtual Intentional Empowerment Summit (https://summit.thriveepic.com/#), January 31-Feb 2, 2020. Exclusively for Spark Joy listeners Arika is also offering $100 off her 2020 retreat that will be announced soon (https://thriveepic.com/events). Contact Arika at arika@thriveepic.com and mention Spark Joy. Share your vision board with us via Facebook (https://facebook.com/sparkjoypodcast), Instagram (https://instagram.com/sparkjoy_podcast/), or Twitter (https://twitter.com/SparkJoyPodcast)! Gems: - "I found coaching and it changed my life. It helped me understand what it means to be a leader in my own life." - "You are a leader for yourself." - "It's really hard for things to manifest if you don't put it out there." - "Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to have?" - "Be proud of [your vision board] and look at it with intention." - "Be proud of who you are and the dreams that you have." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home (https://www.theserenehome.com/) You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy (https://fortheloveoftidy.com/) Special Guest: Arika Clark Alejo.

Jen Smith author and creator of modernfrugality.com explores how to follow your journey to paying off debt and reaching other big financial goals. Jen Smith co-hosts the Frugal Friends Podcast and author of Amazon best-selling book, "The No-Spend Challenge Guide" and latest book "Pay Off Your Debt for Good." REMINDER Don’t forget you have until November 26 to enter our Spark Joy Giveaway. We’ll announce our winners during our “Best of” show on December 3. Head over to sparkjoypodcast.com/reviews for instructions on how to leave a star rating and written review on iTunes. Then, shoot an email to contact@sparkjoypodcast.com with your username for a chance to win one of 6 coveted KonMari-themed prizes that spark joy in celebration of our two-year anniversary. Thanks again for your support! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - Learn more about the ideas behind frugality and debt management including the Financial Independence or FI movement. The philosophy behind Modern Frugality The growth of the Modern Frugality platform and movement It’s not about being cheap! Learn about the Four Pillars of Modern Frugality: -Value based spending -Minimalism focused -Environmentally friendly -Simpler and cleaner Learn about Jen’s KonMari journey and what she and her husband learned along the way Why Jen is a big fan of KonMari folding The importance of focusing on the Big Four of expenditures: housing, transportation, bills and food. Focusing on these big expenditures and making changes will make a bigger difference in getting rid of debt than cutting back on small things that you love, things that Spark Joy! Be sure to check out Ep 6 | Declutter Your Path to Wealth with Tess Wicks and Ep 58 | KonMari + Financial Freedom with House of FI for more ideas finance and debt management Jennifer’s favorite tidying tip for people wanting to live a life of modern frugality: “Clear your surfaces. If you can clear your coffee table, your TV stands… your cloud of clutter will begin to lift.” What is sparking the most joy for Jen: “I’m a new mom and watching my husband become a dad has really warmed my heart.” Parting words of wisdom: “Find the brand of financial freedom that works for you.” You can find Jen at modernfrugality.com She’s on Facebook and Instagram at @ModernFrugality Her podcast can be found here: The Frugal Friends Podcast and you can grab a copy of her book on Amazon: The No-Spend Challenge Guide: How to Stop Spending Money Impulsively, Pay off Debt Fast, & Make Your Finances Fit Your Dreams For Spark Joy Podcast listeners, go to modernfrugality.com/debtfreeworkbook and get the free workbook that walks you through each activity in her new book, "Pay Off Your Debt for Good". Gems: “Having control over your spending and having the confidence that you are spending money on only the things that you WANT to be spending your money on.” “Learning a little bit about everything and finding what works for you. The radical middle!” “If you try it for just a little while, you will be surprised at the things you learn about yourself. And I think that in itself if work the practice.” “I follow "values-based spending" which is essentially spending without guilt on things that spark joy and eliminating or lowering spending on everything else.” “So many things came to light while we were paying down our debt, I wanted to write a book about it.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Jennifer Smith.

Ania Schwartzman, PhD, The Fashionologist, helps us understand the value of using the clothing we wear as a vehicle to align ourselves with who we are at this very moment in our lives. Ania is a licensed clinical and school psychologist working for nearly two decades with children and adults. She founded The Fashionologist to help women align themselves with who they are at this very moment. She combines her expert skill as a therapist, passion for clothing, and solid research to back up her understanding of the value of clothes in order to provide a personalized, simple, and strategic experience with each client. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -Learning about feeling “powerfully confident and in control” when it comes to your fashion choices -Clothes Cognition Theory is a thing! -Hear about studies that demonstrate the importance of clothing in our mood and in our daily interactions. Here are two studies that Ania spoke about: Enclothed Cognition and the White Lab Coat and Informal Clothing Effects Negotiation -How Ania uses her background in psychology in working with her clients -The importance of good closet organization in feeling empowered about your clothes -Learn some simple tips for recognizing if your closet is working for you or against you -Listen to previous episodes on fashion in our series, Closet Joy: - Ep 38 | Closet Joy Part I: Find Your Style with Jessica Louie - Ep 39 | Closet Joy Part II: Build Your Capsule Wardrobe with Courtney Carver - Ep 40 | Closet Joy Part III: Buy It Once with Tara Button Ania is at TheFashionologist.com You can also find her on Instagram @TheFashionologistNyc Ania has a special offer for Spark Joy Podcast listeners! Mention you heard her on the Spark Joy Podcast and get 20% your first Mindful Closet Edit Ania’s favorite closet styling tip: “Have only your seasonal clothes either in your closet or at least keep the things you can wear in the front...and, hangers! They should be good solid ones. Good hangers show respect for your clothing. What sparks joy for Ania: Her kids and being able to spend some good unstructured time with her kids over the holiday. Parting words of Wisdom: Ania’s favorite quote comes from Coco Chanel: “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” Gems: - “Clothes have a systemic influence on the wearers psychological processes and abilities.” - “I function as a coach; as a wardrobe strategist.” - “It takes a lot of courage to invite me into their closet and I take that very seriously.” - “My job is not to toss out items they don’t need, but to shift their thinking toward what is working for them.” - "People don’t always realize what they are projecting out into the world with their clothing.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Ania Schwartzman.

Michell Domke, KonMari Consultant joins us to discuss how we can show up in the world as our authentic self every day. Today we’ve invited Michell Domke, Ohio’s first KonMari Consultant, to explore authenticity and how we can channel, discover, and work within it during the tidying process. Michell’s currently based in Columbus and she fell in love with creating a life based on joy and wanted to support others in creating joyful lives. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: Michell's KonMari story How Michell defines authenticity and how it influences her business and clients Correlations between lack of authenticity and clutter How the question "does it spark joy?" helps us choose what we love without judgement Why it's important to make choices based on the feeling and vision we are trying to achieve rather than logic Tips for those struggling to be confident in their own choices and decision making, including Jenn Davoust's Tune Into You Meditation podcast Why you may want to try not creating a "maybe" pile while you're tidying The one thing KonMari and authenticity have in common How to embrace what you have now Michell's favorite tidying tip: "Organize last." Withhold the urge to buy before making choices about what to keep/let go What sparks joy for Michell: Her clients. To connect with Michell, visit www.michelldomke.com and on Instagram and Facebook. Mention hearing Michell on Spark Joy in her contact form or on the phone and receive $25 off a virtual KonMari session or $50 off when you book an in person package of three or more sessions. Gems: - "Clutter really comes from that conflict between who we think we should be and who we actually are." - "Authenticity means being true to yourself." - "It's an active choice to choose what you love." - "Accepting it into your life by choice, not by default, is really important." - "Choosing a life of joy is really a radical idea, and it's also one that's worth pursuing." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Michell Domke.

Brian Heiser of 1-800-GOT-JUNK discusses what to do with all those big, bulky discards that just aren't going to fit into a few bags for donation. Brian grew up in rural upstate New York. He holds two degrees in management and one in Math and Physics. Brian is a volunteer fireman on Long Island and was the Director of Operations for an electronics manufacturer for 15 years before starting the first 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchise in the New York area in 2002. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -How to get rid of things that are big, bulky or don’t have an obvious donation option and keep them out of the landfill -Learn what 1-800-GOT-JUNK does with all the discards -How Brian got started in the business -How one person’s junk can Spark Joy for someone else! -The oddest thing Brian has ever seen in a home -How to make better decisions about what comes into your home in the first place Brian’s favorite tidying tip: “Start with the small stuff.” What sparks joy for Brian: "Family is always first, but I love having a growing business that is helping liberate people from the burden of excess stuff." Parting words of wisdom “Start small but start now.” To connect with Brian and 1-800-GOT-JUNK you can call or visit 1-800-GOT-JUNK Gems: “Once it gets in the truck, it could end up in one of several places.” “We try to donate first, if it can’t be donated, we take it to recycling, if it can’t be donated, it might end up in the landfill. However about 70% of things stay out of the landfill.” “To see the appreciation from our clients when we are solving a problem for them is very gratifying.” “We see the power the people really confronting their things.” “Embrace the space! You don’t need to fill empty space. Just enjoy it” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Brian Heiser.

KonMari Quick Tips! Every few weeks, we dedicate an episode to quick tips around a particular topic requested by a Spark Joy listener. This week’s KonMari Quick Tips episode is dedicated to Spring Tidying! This is an annual review of your home to address those minor repairs and little improvements that can be made to keep you home and belongings in joyful condition. We are OVERJOYED to announce that we have surpassed 1 million downloads of the Spark Joy Podcast! We are so grateful for the support from all of our listeners. Thank you so much! We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Head over to Apple podcasts to subscribe and review the show, which helps us reach others along their tidying journeys. To extend your tidying experience, you can join the Spark Joy Club! Visit sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Join the Club” to become a member of the Spark Joy Community or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. KonMari Quick Tips: -Tip: Take a tour of your home interior and exterior condition subcategory by subcategory. Inspect the walls for paint touch up, especially the woodwork and doors, which get a lot of dings. Wipe down any fingerprints or splatters. -Tip: Review the floors and carpets for cleaning needs or repairs, check to see if tiles need repair or re-grouting. -Tip: Review your plumbing and electrically systems: need some new light bulbs or could you change to higher efficiency bulbs? Could your drains use a good cleaning? -Tip: Consider all the things in your home that have a filter such as your heating and cooling systems or your humidifiers. The spring is a great time to replace them. -Tip: Take a look at your furniture and furnishings including your drapes and curtains. Does anything need cleaning or repair? Have you decided that something you once loved no longer sparks joy? Remember your taste and needs change over time and things wear out. -Tip: Inspect your kitchen cabinets and your overall home storage. Could your shelves benefit from new shelf liners? Do they need a good wipe down? -Tip: The exterior of your home: Have the gutters cleaned out, paint touched up and windows and doors properly sealed. Consider the springtime activities associated with your landscaping including making sure that your lawnmower and garden tools are clean and in good repair. -Tip: To get started on the annual project, do a walk through inspection first, making a note of everything that needs action. -Tip: Make a project plan: Do you need to purchase supplies? Do you need to delegate a task? Enlist your family and friends or look to hire the right professionals. Give yourself a reasonable time line and address each item in turn. A well-maintained home will bring amazing joy to you and your family! -Tip: Take a look at your Fall and Winter specific items. As always, review by category. Do you have heavy winter clothes, including coats, sweaters, boots or skiwear? Did they bring you joy this winter? Is the future use of these items clear, for example, do you see yourself wearing them again when fall comes? Do they need to be repaired or cleaned? -Tip: Storing Winter gear: We both believe that all your clothes should be kept together regardless of the season, but for many of us, this is just not practical. It’s fine to pack away your seasonal items if necessary as long as you can say for sure that they spark joy! -Tip: Getting ready for Summer! Start by revisiting your vision. What are your hopes and aspirations for the upcoming spring and summer? What activities do you see yourself participating in and enjoying? What are your goals for living your best life this spring and summer? When you get your summer wear out, make certain that all your things are clean and ready to be used. Do you have lawn furniture or summer sporting goods to bring out of hiding? -Tip: Use any outdoor space to do your sorting and joy checking! -Tip: Bring fresh air inside! Marie Kondo talks about opening the windows and letting the fresh air in everyday. This can be really great during the spring mornings as a way to greet the day. -Tip: Spring is a great time to bring fresh flowers inside. Treat yourself! -Tip: After your annual Spring Tidying, invite people over for game nights and barbeques. Plan a capstone event to work towards! We are pleased to introduce the new Joy Sparker members of the Spark Joy Club. Welcome! Tania Rutini Kristen Munro Lindsey Hardegree Brooke Curran Visit sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Join the Club” to become a member of the Spark Joy Community You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Spark Joy podcast co-hosts release a very special tool for listeners to extend their tidying experience! It’s been a very exciting time for the Spark Joy podcast! Our audience has grown so much since the beginning of the year and the release of Netflix’s “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” As KonMari Consultants, we’ve received so much positive support and feedback from clients, colleagues, family and friends as well as you, our listeners. In today’s episode, we have a very special announcement. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -What’s Sparking Joy for Karin: Weekly flower delivery from a real florist and not just picking up any old flowers from the deli! -What’s Sparking Joy for Kristyn: The Life Changing Magic of Instacart! -What’s Sparking Joy for both of us: Spark Joy hit 700,000 downloads and is growing by the day! -Media outlets and events both Karin and Kristyn have been featured in recently Karin has been featured in: - Money/Time Magazine: Marie Kondo KonMari Method Consultant Certification NY Magazine: How to Declutter Your Book Collection 6Sqft City Realty: Meet New York City’s Master KonMari Consultant Kristyn has been featured in: - HuffPost: 6 Lessons From Marie Kondo’s Netflix Show You Can Apply To Work And Career You Need A Budget/Wander Wealthy Podcast And the Chicago Tidy Tour | KonMari 101 continues! -Our special announcement: Introducing The Spark Joy Club! -Spark Joy podcast announces two levels of membership: The Joy Riser Tier - At this tier, you'll receive: - A thank you shout out during an episode of Spark Joy and in the show notes during the month you join - Access to the custom Spark Joy Episode Map and Listening Guide, which is updated following every episode This tier is $3 per month The Joy Sparker Tier - At this tier, you'll receive: Everything above, plus… - Full membership in The Spark Joy Club on Facebook Mix and mingle with our clients and fellow listeners and get support and feedback from us as well as the community - A copy of The Tidy Home Joy Journal via Amazon This tier is $5 per month -Learn more about The Tidy Home Joy Journal -Join The Spark Joy Club today by heading over to our website, and clicking Join The Club! Gems: "This is a brand new membership only group." "We are looking forward to seeing you in The Spark Joy Club." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Our guest, Saya Hillman, helps us answer the question “why not?” instead of “I can’t?” in order to live a Life of Yes℠. Today’s guest challenges us all to think beyond fear and embrace a Life of Yes℠. Saya Hillman started Mac & Cheese Productions℠ in 2004 after she got fired from her last full-time job and had no idea what she wanted to do. Being fired turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Mac & Cheese Productions℠ is now a lifestyle business that provides creative solutions to common problems through its Life of Yes offerings. At its core, is the belief that the segments which make up our lives shouldn’t be sources of stress, but sources of joy and ease. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - Saya's journey from wanting to feel invisible in order to avoid sticking out in a crowd to unapologetically embracing a life of yes - How Saya came up with her memorable business name, Mac & Cheese Productions - How Saya's networking events break the mold and reflect who she is - How sharing each other's vulnerabilities connect her guest "Cheese-Its" together - How you can get further in life by being experience focused instead of results focused - How Saya helps people transform by embracing productivity, public speaking, sales and other things that cause people stress and pain to be filled with ease and joy - How you put the hardest tasks behind us by eating a frog at the beginning of the day - How Saya makes her every day life easier and more productive by staying within her Life of Yes radius - How sharing a spontaneous moment of sharing her vulnerabilities helped Saya relate to her audience during - How the Spark Joy paper clutter episode connects to the path of digitizing our life - A travel hack Saya and her husband use to avoid getting overwhelmed with digital clutter - How Saya manages her "to reads" - How letting go of productivity systems that ultimately don't spark joy will set you free - When it is the right time to go nuclear on your inbox - How Feedly helps let go of subscription guilt - Why Saya decided to go completely paperless when it comes to her business and how she cleans her "digital closet" - How bulk work can help you handle your work and not hate your life - How the simple act of silencing push notifications can help you feel in control when it comes to technology and incoming information - Why improv was the top three adult choices Saya made as an adult that changed her life Saya's favorite tidying tip: Digitize all of your sentimental items What sparks joy for Saya: Travel hacking her way to Japan with a $250 first class ticket To connect with Saya visit www.macncheeseproductions.com . You can also find her on Twitter or Facebook . Gems: - "What makes you different are not things to be ashamed of, but to hold up to the light." - "I want my business to reflect my personality." - "We set ourselves up for disappointment when we are results focused as opposed to experience focused." - "Do you have a source of stress that is self created?" - "You should set up your life in the way you want it to be lived." - "My way isn't the right way. The right way is what works for you." - "Such magic can happen when you do voice whatever it is that is causing you any type of negativity in your life." - "The perfect time unicorn doesn't exist. You need to do that thing you need to do, and do it now." - "I'm completely paralyzed because I know i have a problem, but it's so overwhelming I'm not going to do anything." - "Are you spending a lot of time spinning your wheels?...and if you are, how can you stop that?" - "Have your default be yes instead of no and why not instead of I can't." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Saya Hillman.

Australia’s first certified KonMari Consultant and Evaluator shares stories tied to her experience of KonMari around the world. Our guest, Gemma Quinn, is Australia’s first certified KonMari Consultant, but she also practices worldwide! She's also a KonMari Consultant Evaluator and works with future consultants during the certification process. Her KonMari approach is informed by over 15 years of experience in business operations and human resources management within the design and creative industries. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -How Gemma's grandfather sparked a love of thoughtful organization. -Gemma's introduction to the KonMari Method and how it changed her life. -Find a book that spoke to Gemma from the Tim Ferris Book Club review here: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday -How Gemma helps her clients determine what sparks joy even if it involves a mundane household object -What a KonMari evaluator does and how she works with KonMari Consultants to ensure that the quality of the Konmari practice is consistent -Gemma’s international practice as a traveling consultant -How Gemma conveys the guiding light of the KonMari practice to clients regardless of where they live. (Spoiler alert: she doesn’t believe it really changes from place to place -Gemma shares home and lifestyle differences around the world including the confusion around baking ingredients and how many blankets should be on the bed -Read a blog about duvets in Germany! Two Duvets are Better than One! Sleeping the German Way Gemma's favorite tidying tip: "Grow your sensitivity to knowing what sparks joy for you. It will change your life. And... use boxes! Try to get to the point that every item in your house has a box." What Sparks Joy for Gemma: "People! The engagement of people in my life and work. They bring me so much joy." Gemma's parting words of wisdom: "Start by writing out your list of categories and subcategories and just get started with the KonMari Method. We are here to support you!" You can find Gemma at: Gemma Quinn or on instagram and Facebook at: @gemmaquinn.konmariconsultant Gems: “The act of joy checking and thinking about my ideal life allowed me to connect and engage with my belongings far more than I ever had.” "The risk was minimal because being able to help someone lead a life of joy was a risk worth taking." “We are there to help them manage that risk and to be a supporting hand guiding them to help them through this so that they know they are not alone.” "Knowing what will bring you joy does change from culture to culture." "Engaging with other peoples and other cultures personally brings me a huge amount of joy." "Some cultures have more difficulty expressing their feelings. So I try to help clients find ways to be truthful, but still will bring them joy." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Gemma Quinn.

Frank Molignao helps us to explore the alternative practice of homeopathy as we explore ways to infuse our KonMari homes with more health and wellness. Our guest, Frank Molignano, has worked extensively in the mental health field as a homeopath, biofeedback specialist and reiki master. He facilitates a deep connection to well-being, integrating unresolved trauma, and through his practice, supports individuals in moving from contraction to expansion, and from limitation to freedom. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - How Frank's father inspired him to look into alternative practices as a teen - The difference between homeopathy and home remedy - The Homeopathy credentialing process - How Frank put Homeopathy to the test to heal himself after being diagnosed with Lyme Disease - The history of Homeopathy - How Homeopathy shifts your attention to holistic health management rather than symptoms-centered care - Homeopathy related common myths and misconceptions (common KonMari myths are featured in Spark Joy Episode 25) - Risks associated with Homeopathy - The importance of consulting a professional alternative practitioner - Where conventional treatment vs. Homeopathy may be more or less appropriate - What well known remedies should be in your Homeopathy first aid kit in your home - How to find a Homeopathy practitioner near you via: - Council for Homeopathic Certification - National Center for Homeopathy - The North American Society of Homeopaths - What makes you a good candidate for Homeopathic care What Sparks Joy for Frank: Minimize the amount of sugar in your diet and drink more water Frank's parting words of wisdom: Homeopathy! To connect with Frank, head over to The Healing Narrative, and find him on Facebook and Instagram. Exclusively for our Spark Joy listenters, check out Frank's Cold and Flu Homeopathic Remedy Chart. Frank is also offering a 25% discount off his initial two hour consultation. Be sure to contact Frank at thehealingnarrative@gmail.com and reference that you heard him on the “Spark Joy” podcast. Gems: - "For as big as the branches are, so too the roots are deep. If your prune back one of the branches, it's not treating the whole." - "This is about cultivating and reclaiming wellness." - "It's not homeostasis. It's really a more dynamic state of health and wellness." - "I think we all have a moment along our wellness or healing journey when we start to question our results." - "Is there a better alternative?" - "The homeopathic model really honors and respects the body and mind in a way that there is an inherent state of balance that we can all come back to." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Frank Molignano.

Marina Wakil hired Karin to help her execute an intense tidying event for her studio apartment in NYC to make room for her to pursue her passion for culinary studies and journalism. Our guest, Marina Wakil, is a college student at NYU and a recent culinary school graduate. She lives in NYC, by way of Venezuela and Miami, in a modern apartment on the Upper West Side. She’s 20 years old and she’s an aspiring food journalist or maybe a food policy writer. While on vacation last summer, she made a decision to reorganize her entire apartment with a KonMari Consultant to meet her changing goals and her upcoming academic plans. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - The moment Marina reached out to Karin and made the commitment to tidy her NY studio apartment with a KonMari Consultant within a period of three weeks prior to starting at NYU - How Marina found a KonMari Consultant after her mom introduced her to KonMari style organizing - How setting a specific, clear goal date helped Marina stay focused and purpose driven - How walking into to the process with a high level vision of what she wanted helped Marina remain intentional when 1) completing homework assignments 2) donating/selling/consigning things quickly - How Marina remained mindful, even though she was executing her tidying event at a rapid pace - How she creating themes within her closet and her kitchen to align with the things she loves to do - The most difficult category Marina had to tidy - How the KonMari signature folding technique made a lasting impact on Marina Marina's favorite tidying tip: Everything you fold, fold it into rectangles!; Check in by asking yourself "Why?" to see if the chaos is attributable to your home or inherent to you. What sparks joy for Marina: Winters in New York Gems: - "When my apartment is hectic, I'm hectic." - "I really just wanted to come to a place where I was really happy with where I was living and that the environment allowed me to create the way I wanted to and be focused." - "It's so beautiful to honor the things you have by giving them a space and giving them place in your home." - "If it's there, it has a purpose." - "I was taking advantage of the space I was at, as opposed letting it take over me." - "This is an object, but it still kind of has it's own little life of it's own." - "My clutter taught me how many things I'd been emotionally holding onto that I hadn't been ready to let go up until that point." - "My clutter taught me more about myself because it was a reflection of where I was at that time." - "Our spaces are so much a reflection of us and who we are as people at the time in which we are inhabiting them." - "Find what makes you happy and believe in yourself!" You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Marina Wakil.

Kristi Meyer, KonMari Consultant, shares tips for the chronically disorganized on how to adapt the KonMari Method in a way that results in lasting change. Have you ever said to yourself: I’ll never be organized. I’ve been this way all my life. I always struggle to keep things tidy I’m such a hoarder! Why can’t I be and stay organized like everybody else? Our guest, Kristi Meyer of Simple Surroundings Consulting. Kristi is a certified KonMari Consultant and a Certified Professional Organizer based in Charleston, SC. She is also an Institute for Challenging Disorganization Specialist in Chronic Disorganization, Hoarding and ADHD and a longtime member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. For the last ten years, Kristi has been helping her clients achieve dramatic change that forever transforms the way they feel and function in their homes. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - How Kristi's love for teaching organizing skills to her K-8 students branched into a professional organizing and KonMari practice - The similarities and differences between Kristi's conventional organizing experiences and her KonMari practice and journey - The "aftershocks" that led Kristi to revisit certain aspects of the KonMari Method - More information about how to nail the vision of your ideal lifestyle and living environment - Spark Joy Episode 5 - Hoarding experts featured on Spark Joy Episode 3 and Episode 19 - Kristi's definition of chronic disorganization and hoarding disorder and the tell tale signs of each - How Kristi keeps the basic rules of KonMari intact when working with the chronically disorganized with some adaptations - How Judith Kolberg's book, Conquering Chronic Disorganization influenced Kristi's practice - Kristi's Five Unconventional Rules for the Chronically Disorganized: - Make it social - Overpersonalize - Make it emotional - Adapt to your individual learning and organizational style - Set up a maintenance plan - Kristi's top resources for those who may be struggling with chronic disorganization or hoarding - The Institute for Challenging Disorganization - Dorothy The Organizer - Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding by Tolin and Frost with accompanying workbooks - Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring by Michael Tompkins - Children of Hoarders - Therapists, professional organizers, or certified KonMari Consultants Kristi's favorite tidying tip: Simplicity. The less detail the better. What sparks joy for Kristi: The KonMari Consultant community and her daughter. To connect with Kristi, visit www.simplesurroundingsconsulting.com . While you’re there take, her free quiz "How Organized Are You, Really?" Gems: - "...academic performance could really be correlated to how organized a student was." - "I wanted to have a really huge impact on their physical space and also their mental space." - "I started to realize other stuff around me that seemed to really change my outlook and my thoughts about what I wanted for the future." - "If you find that [clutter] really undermines your quality of life, then that could be considered chronic." - "Talk out loud. Whatever you're thinking in your head, vocalize it out loud." - "Find your treasures. Find the things you absolutely love." - "If you keep [maintenance] very simple simple, it's also going to lead to more relevance to your current self." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Kristi Meyer.

Co-hosts of House of FI podcast join us to explore a simpler path to wealth, shifting our awareness and mindfulness from the pursuit of more stuff to the pursuit of financial freedom. There’s one thing we know for sure. We put our time, energy, and our money towards the things that we value. But what happens when our values are incongruent with our consumption behaviors, placing us in danger of missing out on the freedom associated with living the life of our dreams? Here to help us explore the intersection between the KonMari Lifestyle and Financial Independence are co-hosts of the House of FI podcast - Wendy and Timika. House of FI helps families who dream of retiring early, but are unsure how to do so AND raise a family, figure out a plan. Their guests share their journey to financial independence, early retirement, and debt freedom. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - The true definition of Financial Independence (FI) or Financial Independence Retirement (FIRE) - What led Wendy and Timika to start down the path to FI - Common myths and misconceptions associated with FI - Timika's marathon KonMari tidying experience with Kristyn and how it relates to her financial journey - The "eels" that attach to us, as mentioned on John Roderick's podcast - The end goal: How do you know when you've reached FI? - How influencers such as Mr. Money Mustache or The Dough Roller have calculated fees associated with actively managed retire accounts - How to the get over the getting started hurdle when it comes to FI - The importance of using a tool like Personal Capital to track and manage your net worth - How the FI community handles healthcare coverage - The importance of taking and celebrating the small steps - Podcast's that House of FI recommended to extend your FI community: Journey to Launch and ChooseFI Wendy's favorite FI tip: Tracking your fixed and discretionary expenses Timika's favorite FI tip: Wendy's meal planning tips; Refinance your mortgage to a lower rate when appropriate to free up money for debt pay off; Get a roommate, move from a single family home to a multi to generate rental income, or buy a car that's not brand new. Use travel credit cards to generate reward points. What sparks joy for Wendy: Launching House of FI! What sparks joy for Wendy: Launching House of FI!! To hear more from House of Fi, check out their podcast via houseoffi.com or connect with them on Facebook. After catching up on their latest episodes, leave a review of House of FI on iTunes for a chance to win a copy of Kids Money Habits by Amy Koit. Gems: - "...essentially, setting yourself up so you're in a position to have choices." - "People are also beginning to think more about how to optimize their lives so they can do more things that bring them joy on a regular basis." - "The idea that you have to be extremely frugal to the point of deprivation is one myth." - "When you add it all up, you see the huge mound of money that's exiting your bank account; just like I saw the huge mound of clothes that my three year old climbed on top of when we put it all in one place and went through it one by one." - "What is it that you're doing this for? What are you going to retire to? What does financial independence look like?" - "It's really being more intentional about our money...the balancing of each financial decision..really sticking to the goal." - "Don't be an island. Make sure that you're connected with other people and a community." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: House of FI.

Single mom Beth Walker walks through her 60 hour KonMari tidying experience while discussing significant changes in her life and the benefits of working with a KonMari Consultant along the way. Today's guest, Beth Walker, is a single mother of three boys and a recent "empty nester." She currently works full time as a Technology Consultant, a career she began out of college, took a break from to raise her boys, and has since gone back to. Beth believes in hobbies and passions outside of her job, the most recent being a keyboard player and vocalist in local rock bands playing throughout the suburban area. In addition to music, she has a passion for all things domestic - knitting, crocheting, cooking and baking...and now tidying! In addition to being a Renaissance woman Beth is one of Kristyn's clients! They've tidied for over 60 hours and are almost to the finish line. We take a deep dive into Beth's journey as she shares the benefits of living clutter free. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - How Beth's life coach's suggestion to read The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up led her to seek out to find the support of a KonMari Consultant (Kristyn) Beth's vision of her ideal lifestyle and living environment that grounded her process How tidying has significantly impacted Beth's life in the following areas: Health Career Finances Relationships Community How Beth experienced significant shifts in her ability and confidence to maintain her tidy space How Beth found the accountability and customized support Kristyn provided to be mission critical to her success The temporary sacrifices Beth made to ensure tidying remained a priority and to keep her momentum going Spark Joy Ep 49 | Why Hire a KonMari Consultant Gems: "I've been a hopeless organizer and I could never find that one way to keep it up." "It's so easy to think about what you don't want." "I thought I was shooting for the moon to be honest but, I can tell you I absolutely live that life right now." "This isn't just organizing, it's coaching. It's sitting down...goals, values, how do you want to live your life, let's do it." "Overall, with KonMari, it's allowed me to focus on other goals in my life." "This is the way my house is and this is the way it's going to be and this is who I am now." "It definitely spreads from your physical world to your energetic and spiritual world in ways that you almost can't explain." "It's shown me so me parts of myself I didn't know were there. Or, I wanted to be there." "It was so much work, but so much fun." "...You don't realize you are changing as you're doing it. You don't have to change in order to do it." "I'm not doing [KonMari] because I'm supposed to or I want to. I do it because there is this part inside of me that doesn't want to do it any differently." "You think you're hiring someone to hold to you accountable to a process in a book. what you're really doing is hiring a coach that helps you change your life." What sparks joy for Beth: Having the time freedom to focus on goals and other aspects of their life beyond tidying. You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Beth Walker.

Our guest, Bonnie Shay, breaks down solutions for organizing, digitizing, and preserving your most sentimental items. Do you have boxes and boxes of printed photos/movies/slides/memorabilia that you haven't done anything with? Are you overwhelmed with a huge quantity of digital photos and videos you’ve collected on your computer, camera, tablets, and smartphones? Today we’re dedicating this episode of Spark Joy to one most high anticipated and feared signature KonMari Categories - Sentimental Items. Bonnie Shay joins us today to talk about managing our digital legacy. Bonnie is the founder and owner of Mariposa Photo Organizing established in 2007. She’s managed a photography business for over 20 years and is a Certified Member of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers. She currently curates family photo and video collections that are, shareable, enjoyable, manageable, safe and secure, both now and for generations to come. NOTE: We should remind our listeners that the Sentimental clutter category is the absolute last category to declutter. It should be handled with care and only after you warm up by addressing Clothing, Books, Paper, and Miscellaneous items in that order. If you still have some tidying work to do, we suggest heading back to Spark Joy Episode 1: KonMari 101. Also, if you’ve paused your KonMari progress after addressing miscellaneous items - then this is the episode for you. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - How Bonnie believes she was genetically predisposed to making order out of disorder - How Bonnie's 20+ experience in both general residential organizing and photography triggered her current business of curating family photo and video collections - How Bonnie discovered the Associate for Personal Photo Organizers - The tipping point for sentimental clutter in our home and why quality over quantity is important - Reasons why we delay processing sentimental clutter - How you should get started curating your collection and selecting things that spark joy - How to "pile" your digital clutter and some unexpected places it could be hiding - Marie Kondo approved Sentimental item tips - How to grab your content from antiquated media formats - The two ways you should organize digitized sentimental content - How focusing on your intent helps you shape your digital legacy - How to handle inherited collections or digital files that are "trapped" on antiquated machines/formats - Why you should start locally to find a archival service via APPO Partners APPO Partners or Save Your Photos - A backup related rule of thumb Bonnie's favorite tidying tip: Set a timer that gives you a sense of urgency and celebrate at the end What sparks joy for Bonnie: Her dog's morning happy dance :) Bonnie Shay can be found at www.mariposaphotoorganizing.com . She has a special offer just for Spark Joy listeners. Visit www.maraiposaphotoorganizing.com to sign up for Bonnie’s newsletter and receive the Top 12 ways to curate your photo collection. You can also connect with Bonnie on Facebook and Twitter Gems: - "Let's look at the best of the best that tells your story and focus on that." - "Any pile of stuff...represents a pile of decisions left unmade." - "We don't necessarily want the item, but you want to remember the sentimentality of it." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Bonnie Shay.

Our guest, Saya Hillman, helps us answer the question “why not?” instead of “I can’t?” in order to live a Life of Yes℠. Today’s guest challenges us all to think beyond fear and embrace a Life of Yes℠. Saya Hillman started Mac & Cheese Productions℠ in 2004 after she got fired from her last full-time job and had no idea what she wanted to do. Being fired turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Mac & Cheese Productions℠ is now a lifestyle business that provides creative solutions to common problems through its Life of Yes offerings. At its core, is the belief that the segments which make up our lives shouldn’t be sources of stress, but sources of joy and ease. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - Saya's journey from wanting to feel invisible in order to avoid sticking out in a crowd to unapologetically embracing a life of yes - How Saya came up with her memorable business name, Mac & Cheese Productions - How Saya's networking events break the mold and reflect who she is - How sharing each other's vulnerabilities connect her guest "Cheese-Its" together - How you can get further in life by being experience focused instead of results focused - How Saya helps people transform by embracing productivity, public speaking, sales and other things that cause people stress and pain to be filled with ease and joy - How you put the hardest tasks behind us by eating a frog at the beginning of the day - How Saya makes her every day life easier and more productive by staying within her Life of Yes radius - How sharing a spontaneous moment of sharing her vulnerabilities helped Saya relate to her audience during - How the Spark Joy paper clutter episode connects to the path of digitizing our life - A travel hack Saya and her husband use to avoid getting overwhelmed with digital clutter - How Saya manages her "to reads" - How letting go of productivity systems that ultimately don't spark joy will set you free - When it is the right time to go nuclear on your inbox - How Feedly helps let go of subscription guilt - Why Saya decided to go completely paperless when it comes to her business and how she cleans her "digital closet" - How bulk work can help you handle your work and not hate your life - How the simple act of silencing push notifications can help you feel in control when it comes to technology and incoming information - Why improv was the top three adult choices Saya made as an adult that changed her life Saya's favorite tidying tip: Digitize all of your sentimental items What sparks joy for Saya: Travel hacking her way to Japan with a $250 first class ticket To connect with Saya visit www.macncheeseproductions.com . You can also find her on Twitter or Facebook . Gems: - "What makes you different are not things to be ashamed of, but to hold up to the light." - "I want my business to reflect my personality." - "We set ourselves up for disappointment when we are results focused as opposed to experience focused." - "Do you have a source of stress that is self created?" - "You should set up your life in the way you want it to be lived." - "My way isn't the right way. The right way is what works for you." - "Such magic can happen when you do voice whatever it is that is causing you any type of negativity in your life." - "The perfect time unicorn doesn't exist. You need to do that thing you need to do, and do it now." - "I'm completely paralyzed because I know i have a problem, but it's so overwhelming I'm not going to do anything." - "Are you spending a lot of time spinning your wheels?...and if you are, how can you stop that?" - "Have your default be yes instead of no and why not instead of I can't." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Saya Hillman.

Bestselling author Cara Brookins isn't afraid to think big. Learn how building a 3,500 square foot house with her four children using YouTube helped her change her life and help others reach their highest potential. What’s standing between you and your biggest goal? What’s standing in the way of your highest potential and true success? If you’ve let the barrier of lack of time, energy, motivation, or lack of skill stop from completing your tidying event or achieving any other major goal in life….this episode is for you. Today’s Spark Joy guest is Cara Brookins. Not only does Cara live in a tidy 3,500 square foot house of joy that’s beautiful and intentionally designed..she built that house with her four children by hand over nine months using YouTube videos as her guide, overcoming many obstacles along the way. Her bestselling book Rise: How a House Built a Family launched her career as a keynote speaker and media personality. She now helps people understand that reaching your highest potential isn’t just about how hard you work, but about adjusting your mindset and strategy to take full advantage of the hours you’re putting in. We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: - The events that led Cara to come up with the audacious goal to build her own house in 2008 and her children's reaction to this idea - How YouTube tutorials married with Cara's DIY mindset solidified her plan to build her 3,500 square foot, two-story home - How Cara convinced a bank to secure a loan and a local builder to sell her supplies without a contractor license - The initial reaction Cara received from friends and family when they heard about her goal - How Cara balanced the build with a fulltime job as a computer programmer - The challenges that showed up and the family communication that thrived - How anticipating and considering the worst case scenario helped the Brookins family alleviate fear of the unknown - How Cara determined when it was time to call on building professionals during different phases of the build to complement her DIY efforts and ensure her family's safety onsite - The history of the name of Cara's home - Inkwell Manor - For a peek inside the Inkwell Manor, head over to Spark Joy Instagram Spark Joy Instagram - How Cara intentionally only kept things that she loved in her home and separated nostalgia from joy - The impact this entire experience had on Cara's four children - The transition of Cara's story into a feature film - How Cara's experience with domestic violence led her to be the voice for victims, keeping their safety as the primary concern - The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1−800−799−7233 - The history of Cara's story going viral and her transition to pubic speaking as an extension of her passion for writing Cara's favorite tidying tip: (DIY tip) Everyone needs a cordless drill that you keep in the house. (Tidying tip) Anytime you go in a room, leave it better than when you went in. What sparks joy for Cara: Sharing a message in front of an audience and getting to listen to their stories To connect with Cara visit www.carabrookins.com . You can also find her on Facebook or Twitter and check out her book, Rise: How a House Built a Family. Gems: - "Day after day, it felt impossible and there was no evidence that we would succeed." - "I had to show up every day motivated and determined and positive and certain we could complete it because I had to be that person for the kids." - "Any kind of fear of a new circumstance can become absolutely paralyzing." - "If you don't take a step forward, you'll stay there forever." - "...identify what is the worst case scenario of this thing I'm about to try and can I live with that. If the answer is yes than there is absolutely nothing to fear." - "Never hold onto something because it meant something to someone else." - "Failure at something [the children] try isn't attached to their own self worth." - "Look at yourself. Value yourself and your kids." - "Don't wait until it's the right moment, because it never will be...Start doing it now." - "Tidying has to come not just in your home, but in your mind." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy Special Guest: Cara Brookins.