Spark Joy

Kristina Browning, home functionality coach, shares tips to help you mold, craft, and shape your home to your family's values and needs. Kristina is a licensed Realtor in Portland, Oregon. She is also a Home Functionality Coach and Podcaster. Her passion is helping people create a home that thrives, not just for today, but for the long haul. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: How Kristina became interested in the concept of home space design What's motivating home owners these days and what to consider when you're thinking about making a change in your home- renovation, re-decorating, tidying, or moving How to make the most of the home you want with the space you have How to make renovations part of the fun of home ownership instead of a chore Surefire ways to add value to your home Simple upgrades that will make your home spark joy for you Learn about Hygge. Kristina finds this philosophy very inspiring The Little Book of Hygge-Danish Secrets to Happy Living Kristina's favorite tidying tip: Buy the storage solution for the gift you are giving-consider that as part of your gift as well! For example, a pretty box for jewelry, or a lovely planter for a plant. What sparks joy for Kristina: Vertical grow wall. It sounds amazing! Read about them here: New York Times: Vertical Gardens You can find Kristina over at spaceandreason.com and on Instagram at @spaceandreason Check out her podcast: Home Space and Reason Gems "I ask my clients what their passions are and if the home is supporting those passions and those values." "Take bite size pieces of a project without getting overwhelmed." "Plants humanize our surroundings." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Kristina Browning.

Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism: The disciplined Pursuit of Less joins us to discuss how his philosophy can complement your KonMari journey. Our guest Greg McKeown has dedicated his career to discovering why some people and teams break through to the next level—and others don’t. His New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” has frequently been the #1 Time Management book on Amazon. The book challenges core assumptions about achievement to get to the essence of what really drives success. Greg also hosts a podcast called Essentialism with Greg McKeown. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: The personal and professional, experiences that led Greg begin to pursuit the essential Essentialism boiled down Essentialism's connection to our personal energy management How to build life by design instead of default Essentialism's impact on Greg's family culture of "resounding yes" clarity The difference between Essentialism and "No-ism" The first episode of Essentialism podcast with Greg's wife Anna The short cut to Essentialism and how it impacts projects at home How to explain Essentialism to children How to journal like an essentialist Greg's tips for reevaluating what's essential as we navigate this pandemic Essentialism 21 Day Challenge Greg's favorite tidying/productivity tip: Discard one thing right now. What sparks joy for Greg: Making a list of twenty things that spark joy for you. You can find Greg over at essentialism.com and sign up for the 21 day challenge. Gems "[Essentialism] is the anecdote to the undisciplined pursuit of more." "Non-essentialism is a con...it doesn't deliver." "I want to do the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons." "Anything less than 90% important is at least questioned, or in fact entirely discarded." "Essentialism is about becoming more of who you really are and less and less of who you really aren't." "Is it essential?" "Protect the asset." "You can design essential activities to be fun or you can design them to be awful." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Greg McKeown.

This episode will help you catch up! If your circumstances allow, now is a GREAT time to get things done during this difficult season, so we can land on our feet on the other side. 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! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: What's sparking joy for Karin: Outdoor dining What's sparking joy for Kristyn: TEDxNorthbrookLibrary | Saturday, August 1 | RSVP here We previously address "someday" tasks and unfinished business in Spark Joy episode 115 Top “someday” turned “today” projects that our clients frequently uncover during their tidying event: Post-KonMari "Act Now" pile Selling - Spark Joy episodes 42-44 Mending, cleaning, fixing - Spark Joy episode 29 and 125 Shredding, throwing away, recycling, donating, gifting - Spark Joy episode 89 and 132 Read Someday Books - Spark Joy episodes 57 and 75 Unsubscribe from Mailing List - Spark Joy episode 45 Digital Clutter: Files from old laptop/camera/external drive & email inbox - Spark Joy episodes 54 and 109 Sentimental items: photos, scrapbooks, albums - Spark Joy episode 55 Aspirational hobbies (gardening, cooking, knitting, sewing, writing, etc.) Home Improvement Projects & Gardening - check out nine episodes about how KonMari intersects with design in our Spark Joy Podcast Episode Map/Listening Guide You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Spark Joy Club member Jen Kobrick joins us from Florida to share her KonMari journey. This year, we’re trying something new. We’re bringing on listeners from our Spark Joy Club for a special Member Spotlight! We’re dedicating a few episodes to shine the light on all of the tidying progress our Spark Joy Club members have made while listening to Spark Joy Podcast and leaning on the community. Jen Kobrick is a homeschooling mom to two delightful little people and the wife of a space geek in central Florida. She loves adventure, travel, scuba diving, spending time in nature, ballet, and knitting. Her other passion is supporting parents in finding more joy and connection in family relationships as a Holistic Family Consultant with The Consciously Parenting Project. Jen has been a Spark Joy Club Member for the past 6 months and is now officially done with her items and her entire family has nearly completed their KonMari tidying journey, once and for all. 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! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: What made Jen decide that she and her family was ready for her Konmari journey How Jen approached her Tidying Festival with two small kids and a busy family The layout of her home and the challenges she faced in managing the categories Learning about some of the things that worked didn’t work as she got organized Some misconceptions that stood in her way and how she overcame the pursuit of perfection to work toward her vision for her home. Jen’s inspiring and joyful hints for making your KonMari journey work for you and your home Jen’s favorite KonMari tips: Consider hiring a “Mother’s helper”: a sitter or care giver who can entertain the kids while you are tidying. Do super small subcategories when you have small children and cannot devote a large period of time. What sparks joy for Jen: “My kids!” “The joyful new design changes that we have made in our bedroom space inspired by our KonMari journey.” Gems: “Leave the kid’s stuff aside. It is much easier if you do your things first.” “Support can come in many forms.” “Let the things that bring you joy become the lens of your life.” “It’s not about the stuff” “I was looking for a clean counter, but instead I got in touch with my authentic self.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Jen Kobrick.

Brother-sister tidying duo Sheila and Kevin Carroll share the lessons they learned while spending over 20 days organizing Kevin's home in Connecticut. Kevin is a game inventor and Spark Joy podcast fan from Connecticut. His sister Sheila is a certified KonMari Consultant with Moreganize in Vancouver who helps people find more happiness in their life by organizing their homes and workplaces. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: How a move from California to Singapore sparked Sheila's interest in the simplicity and led to her becoming a certified KonMari Consultant How Kevin's crowded dresser planted the organizing seed that led him to call on her sister for help How Sheila and Kevin tidied for a total of 20 days, with Sheila traveling from Vancouver to Connecticut The size and scope of Kevin's home/project in his Connecticut cottage Kevin's vision: get rid of the clutter and lighten up his stress level The pros and cons when it comes to tidying with family members How organizing KonMari style impacted other areas of Kevin's life more broadly How tidying has impacted their brother-sister relationship How Sheila's work with her brother impacted her work with clients Sheila's favorite tidying tip: 70% is full Kevin's favorite tidying tip: What do I want to keep rather than what do I want to get rid of. Put felt pads on the bottom of appliances so they slide easily on countertops What sparks joy for Sheila: Gardening What sparks joy for Kevin: Inventing a new game with his son To connect with Sheila Carrol, visit moreganize.ca and on Facebook To connect with Kevin and learn more about TENZI visit ilovetenzi.com Exclusively for Spark Joy Listeners: Sheila and Kevin are offering a TEN-TEN special! 10% off a Morganize session PLUS a FREE game of TENZI! Gems: "Only take it if you love it or you need it. "I called clutter my kryptonite. It just paralyzed me." "When I work with a client, you get a combination of gentle and powerful." "By having less clutter around, I just feel more efficient with my time I'm not caught up in looking for things and getting frustrated I can't find them." "I'm now much more conscious about what comes into the house than I was before." "Going through the process brings up lots of stories...our experiences growing up and what we've shared." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guests: Kevin Carroll and Sheila Carroll.

Jeannie Stith-Mawhinney of Color Guru helps us shop efficiently by understanding what colors work best for us in our KonMari wardrobe. Jeannie is obsessed with helping real women look and feel amazing in their clothes. She is the founder and CEO of Color Guru, where she helps women create the wardrobe of their dreams by analyzing their hair, skin, and eye color in order to give them their ideal color palette for clothing. She teaches an online course called "Style Secrets for Everyday Women." Jeannie is a wife and mother of two girls in Arden, DE. Her work has been featured on the Design Mom blog, This Organized Life Podcast, and Philadelphia Style magazine. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: Learning what a color palette is all about and how it can help you find more joy in your wardrobe Can a color palette help you in your KonMari journey? Yes! How Jeannie became the Color Guru and how she works with her clients What are the different color “families” and how do they differ? Jeannie and Kristyn go in depth about the revelations Kristyn learned from her own color consultation with the Color Guru Discover new ideas and great tips for how to make your colors work for you Jeannie's favorite tidying tip: “I have arranged my clothes in order of color instead of type. I love that my colors all work together.” *If you follow Jeannie's suggestion that you should only buy things that work with things already in your closet, this will help you easily pull outfits together! What sparks joy for Jeannie: Jeannie has been thrilled with her blooming Peonies in her garden this year. To connect with Jeannie, you can find her at YourColorGuru.com And, she’s on Instagram @yourcolorguru Just for Spark Joy Listeners: The Color Guru is offering you 10% off of any color consultation or gift color consultation! The coupon code to use is “SparkJoy”. Gems: "It’s not our fault that we have trouble knowing what works for us colorwise, we are all just guessing." "Wow, I don’t wear these colors, but they are in my home." "We get so many messages about what we should want to buy, that we stop trusting our own intuition." "Understanding your shape and style is important as well. Color and style all work together" "Does this purchase work with at least five other things in my closet?" You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Jeannie Stith-Mawhinney .

Today’s KonMari Quick Tips episode is about having Safe Summer Fun in 2020. Summer means fun outdoor activities, events, markets, vacations and an easier, more relaxed way of life. At least-that’s what summer usually is all about. But, this is a summer like no other for most of us. No matter where you are in the world, it’s likely that you’ll be much more mindful about where you’re going and how you’re spending your time. If you are looking for ideas, this episode is for you! We want to hear from you. Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. 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: Be mindful of good, preventative actions that will keep you and your family safe. Explore your Vision for a safe Summer. Let your vision be your guide! Look into Thrillist.com and consider one of their local newsletters for up to date activities-virtual and in person. Karin loves the NYC newsletter that arrives every Friday morning. You can select your own town to get one just for you! Learn a new skill. Kristyn recommends: Dabble I Can't Podcast - virtual workshop on July 9 Share your voice in your community. Check out virtual town hall and city hall meetings and get involved. Most are virtual now and it’s an easy way to know what is going on. Find your favorite musical artist online. Many of them are hosting virtual events on Instagram and YouTube. (examples: @dnice and @verzuztv Explore your local parks and nature centers. Bonus points for visiting ones you have never been to before. Consider getting into one of your “someday” activities. Have you always wanted to start painting or cross-stitch? What about catching up on your reading or movie list? Maybe explore new methods of photo organizing (see Spark Joy Episode 55. Support your local businesses! They need you and will be glad to welcome you back. Begin that big organization or home renovation project you have always wanted to do. You may have a better idea of how your home can best serve you and your family now, and this would be a great time to make changes that will bring you more joy at home We are pleased to introduce the following new member of The Spark Joy Club, joining at the Joy Sparker level: Welcome! Jessica Shepard Join over 180 serious Tidiers who are making 2020 their very last year of being disorganized. We welcome you to extended conversation around taking action, living, and maintaining a tidy lifestyle. Please join the conversation by visiting sparkjoypodcast.com and selecting Join the Club You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Marni Jameson, author and columnist, joins us to discuss the difficult, emotional journey of downsizing your home or your aging parents' home. Marni is a nationally syndicated columnist, author, journalist, TV guest, speaker and America’s most-loved home and lifestyle expert. Her weekly column “At Home with Marni Jameson” appears in papers nationwide reaching millions of readers. An award-winning journalist, Marni is also the author of five books, including Downsizing the Family Home and Downsizing the Blended Home. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: The personal event that sparked Marni's interest in writing about the process of downsizing her family's home Where to start when it comes to downsizing and the emotions attached with the activity Questions to ask yourself (beyond "does it spark joy?") when you're deep in legacy management How Marni made decisions about childhood memories Spark Joy Episode 7 - Design and the Future of Minimalism The importance of keeping the end game in mind The difference between an antique and a valuable antique - it's all about what the market wants! Tips on compromising about what to keep/discard when you are downsizing a blended home How Marni knew when to lean on professionals during the process Example: Everything But the House (feat. in Spark Joy Episode 44 or Maxsold Marni's tips for those those who are downsizing Marni's favorite tidying tip: -Two phrases that are off limits in her household: "for now" and/or "later" -Clear counters - put it away! (visual harmony and peace) What sparks joy for Marni: Her yard and backyard oasis To connect with Marni Jameson, you can find her at marnijameson.com Just for Spark Joy Listeners: 1) Email Marni at marni@marnijameson.com using the subject line "Spark Joy Special" 2) Within the email indicate which book you'd like to purchase ("Downsizing the Family Home" or "Downsizing the Blended Home") through Marni's team 3) Receive your book plus a FREE copy of Downsizing the Family Home: WORKBOOK, which retails for $15 (offer available for 10 lucky Spark Joy listeners!) Gems: "You want to honor the family legacy, and memory and history, but you can't take it all with you." "When everything is important, nothing is important." "I have enough. They are alive in my heart." "It's important for parents to not be a storage locker for their kids." "You can't hold on to everything and you have to learn to evolve and roll forward and be present in who you are now." "Has it served its useful life?" "It's freeing to let things go and realize they have served their purpose." "I love stuff. I just don't want to have something that's not me anymore, that's not useful to me anymore, or not who I am today." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Marni Jameson.

Luīze Ratniece, KonMari Consultant, introduces us to Orden a Tres [Order by Three], the first podcast dedicated to the KonMari Method in Spanish. Luīze Ratniece is Latvian, and she’s lived in Spain for more than 10 years. She holds a PhD in sociology and is a textile sustainability activist. She wanted to be a fashion designer as a child, and is now channeling that wish through professional organization, ideal wardrobe workshops, and clothing swaps. Luīze is a fellow KonMari consultant, certified since 2019 and ⅓ of the first podcast dedicated to the KonMari method in Spanish: Orden a Tres [Order by Three]. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: Luīze's KonMari journey The benefits of being in conscious relationship with the objects around us Why Luīze enjoyed Marie Kondo's book "Spark Joy" over her debut best seller "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up." The KonMari book controversy, addressed in Spark Joy Ep 75 How Luīze practices extreme empathy when working with our clients How KonMari and professional organization is received in Spain Luīze's KonMari podcast Orden a Tres - "Order by Three" in Spanish Luīze's favorite tidying tip: Nothing beats finding a place for each thing. and KonMari Lite, also referenced in Spark Joy Ep 94 What sparks joy for Luīze: Launching an app for wardrobe tracking. To connect with Luīze Ratniece, you can find her at Un Armario Verde. Check out her podcast Orden a Tres. Gems: "Bringing the 'keeping what sparks joy' logic into our lives beyond the very immediate object." "We are now looking into creating more synergies among the spanish speaking [KonMari] Consultants and exploring this cultural richness that we can access thanks to a common language." "There is no better way to make your wardrobe more sustainable than wearing what you have." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Luīze Ratniece.

Relationship expert Angela N. Holton joins us to share Conscious Dating strategies that focus on self-love and connection, even in the midst of social distancing and quarantine. Angela N. Holton, is an International Dating & Relationship Expert, Speaker, Author and Founder of Love Sanctuary, an online spiritual and personal development site centered on helping women and men create more love in their lives from the inside-out. She is the Creator of The Conscious Dating Method, a modern and revolutionary approach toward dating and relationships and the author of The Conscious Dating Method Workbook Journal. 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. Book a custom Virtual Tidying Experience with For the Love of Tidy Join The Spark Joy Club today! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: How Angela became an international dating coach Angela's definition of self-love and why it's so important as we date How to build self-love into our homes, schedules, and routines The Conscious Dating Method - how to become what we are seek How letting go is a common theme across both tidying and dating Tips for navigating dating during quarantine and beyond Social distance dating ideas How to make dating a priority when there are other things fighting for our attention Tips (do's and don'ts) to help you make online dating spark more joy and how to get started Angela's favorite dating tip: Have fun and date with curiosity. What sparks joy for Angela: Waking up and sharing her gifts. To connect with Angela, you can find her at lovesanctuary.com and on instagram @angelanholton. You can also pick up Angela's book, The Conscious Dating Method Workbook and Journal. Gems: "Relationships begin and end with relationship with self." "We are naturally wired for connection." "How are you learning how to be in a relationship if you're not dating?" You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Angela Holton.