Spark Joy

Single mom Amy DeCillo walks through how her 15 hour KonMari tidying experience impacted her family and the benefits of working with a KonMari Consultant along the way. Amy DeCillo is a single mom of her 12 year old daughter who has some mild special needs. She works fulltime in healthcare and she’s working on an MBA in Public Health. She enjoys a good workout, organizing her home, and doing puzzles with her daughter. Amy is one Kristyn's clients! They tidied for 15 hours together over a period of three months and she is a For the Love of Tidy Graduate of Tidy. Today we will take a deep dive into her KonMari tidying journey and the impact it’s had on her family. 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 @sparkjoy_podcast. In this episode, you’ll enjoy: How Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo sparked Amy to find a KonMari Consultant in Chicago to help her organize How knowing Kristyn was returning Lesson after Lesson was the perfect amount of tidying accountability to keep Amy motivated Amy's original vision: quick maintenance, workouts, and time with daughter and family without worrying about cleaning at home How Amy made tidying a priority for three months, politely saying no to social events to stay on track Amy and Kristyn's most memorable moments Amy's favorite post-tidying event maintenance strategies Other areas of Amy's life that she can seamlessly navigate now that her tidying journey is complete How Amy plans to guide her sister and other family members get organized, now that she has this new life skill What sparks joy for Amy: Surprising her daughter Sophia with a phone! Final Words of Wisdom: I would highly recommend anyone going on this journey to hire a KonMari Consultant and follow the steps and plan they suggest for you. Gems: "I did not think that we were going to get as much as we got done in the 15 hours that we had together." "I was just amazed at how motivating it was to keep going." "Don't stop. It's OK to thank things and move on." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Amy DeCillo.

Eliette and Marieke Staub of Clarity Home Detox join us to discuss the joy of tidying and their role as official lecturers and educators for KonMari Media, Inc. Eliette and Marieke Staub are Swiss twin sisters and founders of Clarity Home Detox. In the Summer of 2016, they took part in the first ever KonMari certification course outside of Japan. The twins are both master level consultants as well as official lecturers and educators for KonMari Media Inc. Eliette and Marieke live mindful, and joyful lives respectively in Geneva and Lausanne in Switzerland. 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: -Learn how they both discovered KonMari and their journeys toward becoming KonMari Consultants -How KonMari was life changing for both of them and the dramatic changes that led to their decision to become business partners. -How their business got underway, the amount of work involved and how their underlying desire to help others propelled them forward. -The principles of KonMari that they believe are the most important in their practice. -Hear about the differences in European homes when it comes to practicing KonMari. -And, the challenges of working as a KonMari consultants in Switzerland. -Why seeking help from a KonMari consultant can actually create a greater measure of efficiency and produced a more satisfying result. -Our episode 94, KonMari Quick Tips: KonMari Lite, we discuss the importance of ongoing joy checking. -The twins discuss what it’s like to train potential consultants in their work with KonMari Media, Inc. -Hear what they believe are the primary factors in becoming a good KonMari Consultant. And, you can review episode 33, How to Become a KonMari Consultant Clarity Home Detox is happy to offer a 10% discount on all of their services for any local listeners! Please use the code Spark Joy Podcast for your discount. You can reach Clarity Home Detox at Clarity Home Detox Favorite Tidying Tips: -Remember to first focus on sorting before you begin to think about organizing. Focus on what sparks joy for you. Be patient! -And, when you have completed KonMari, consider buying less in the future. Invest in yourself instead of things. What sparks joy for Eliette and Marieke: -The trust that their clients give them by allowing them to enter their lives. -The Twins are also excited that they will be speaking at a TEDx presentation in Switzerland later this year. It’s a big honor! Final Words of Wisdom: “Just take it easy, move forward and never try to be perfect.” Gems: “I knew that my life was forever changed.” “The method is not just about organization, but about choosing joy.” “What you surround yourself with really defines your life.” “It’s never perfection, it’s always progress and we each define the steps toward progress for ourselves.” “Empathy is the most important ingredient in becoming a successful KonMari consultant.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Eliette and Marieke Staub.

Co-hosts Kristyn and Karin explore how disorganized environments contribute to stress and anxiety AND how stress and anxiety contribute to disorganization. KonMari is designed to confront some of the causes of organizational stress by working toward a home and work place that is intentional and supportive of your best life going forward. 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. Joy Checks -Karin is excited about concluding her backpack search with a couple of awesome finds. Here’s the day pack: KAVU Rope Sling Bags and here’s her travel back pack: Raf Simons and EastPak Collab -Turns out Kristyn loves backpacks also! Her favorite backpack is from Topdrawer -Sparking Joy for Kristyn: Her No Buy, No Spend strategy with toiletries. She is evaluating her products, using up what doesn’t Spark Joy, and then buying exactly what works best for her. -Caution! KonMari is not a substitute for professional help. Here are resources if you are suffering from symptoms of anxiety. Help is available! Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and National Alliance on Mental Illness: Anxiety Disorders In this episode, you’ll enjoy: -Learning the difference between stress and anxiety -Some of the signs of stress related to disorganization -What Karin’s days were like before KonMari -What Kristyn’s days were like before KonMari -The book that defined "drift" for Kristyn: Design Your Future: 3 Simple Steps to Stop Drifting and Take Command of Your Life by Dominick Quartuccio -The emotional consequences of being disorganized -Look back at Ep 5 | How to Visualize Your Ideal Lifestyle and Living Environment Practical tips you can use today to manage your stress -Send your stress reduction strategies to us via @sparkjoy_podcast on Instagram Gems: “Working the KonMari Method is not the same as working with a mental health professional by any means.” “If only you could get organized once and for all, things would be so much better, right? “ “Certainly, achieving a tidy home will not 'cure' clutter anxiety, but it may help reduce the out-of-control feeling that many of us experience before tidying.” “By thoughtfully pulling together the idea of what you would like for yourself going forward, you will be able to structure your method. It IS your method, after all, everyone’s idea of what they want for themselves is different.” “Coping with stress requires some trial and error. You will find that certain ideas work better than others for you and that some techniques will leave you cold. The only way to know is to give them a try!” “What is the future use of this item?” “Hope pushes back against stress.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Laura Swartzbaugh of Laura Scout Coaching shares the secret sauce to living a meaningful, engaging, and joyous life. Laura works with female entrepreneurs who KNOW they are on the brink of success, but they can’t break through. She helps them become unstoppable, make real money, and create the business of their dreams. 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: Laura's path from high school teacher to life coach, which began when she turned 52 The reality that we've created exactly where we are and we also have the power to change everything How to harness the power of loving ourselves through a challenge or a goal How to harness the power of our prefrontal cortex to get things done The importance of deciding what's going to happen tomorrow, today How to handle procrastination that delays our tidying activities The difference between our circumstances and our thoughts The importance of self-love and compassion when it comes to getting back on plan How to set yourself up for success for the next round The importance of allowing ourselves to genuinely feel our emotions What sparks joy for Laura: Seeing her children growing up and adulting; Growing her business. To connect with Laura or read her binge worthy blog, visit www.laurascout.com and Facebook @laurascoutcoaching. Exclusively for Spark Joy listeners, Laura is offering a 1 hour free virtual consult call. To apply, email her at laura@laurascout.com and tell her Spark Joy podcast sent you! Gems: "Everything that we create in our lives is based on our thoughts." "Our brains are so plastic. They can really be trained." "As humans, one of our greatest privileges is that we can think about our future and we can plan." "Make decisions today about what you are going to do tomorrow "Circumstances are not the same things as our thoughts." "If we didn't have sadness we wouldn't have joy." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Laura Swartzbaugh.

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 TidySpecial Guest: Ania Schwartzman.

Today’s Quick Tips episode will focus on a strategy for post-tidy maintenance we call KonMari Lite. The beauty of Marie Kondo’s Method is your KonMari tidying event, when executed properly, gets you to a place where you are surrounded by only the things that spark joy. So what happens when down the road your joy changes? Your maintenance strategy may be in need of a KonMari Lite. Today we’ll walk through scenarios where KonMari Lite is appropriate after your initial tidying journey comes to an end and how to approach this transition. Note: We also discuss tidying maintenance in Spark Joy episode 41: How to Maintain a Tidy Home Post-KonMari 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. NOTE The strategies we cover are advanced, and should only be applied once you’ve reached a click point in your home. Everything has a place. Everything that crosses the threshold of your home sparks joy for you and you are a confident decision maker. This one of the many reasons why it’s so important to implement KonMari quickly and all at once the first round. As months or even years go by before completing the next clutter category vision may become a moving target and you may be at risk of taking two steps forward three steps back. Are you just getting started with your tidying journey? Head over to Spark Joy Episode 1: KonMari 101 for the fundamentals. Reasons why you may need to KonMari Lite If the vision of your ideal lifestyle or ideal living environment has changed significantly (See: Spark Joy Episode 5 | How to Visualize Your Ideal Lifestyle and Living Environment) When you invite someone into your home or send them a fond farewell as they move out If you are a parent of young children, you may need to KonMari Lite fairly regularly If the boundary of your space changes (See: Spark Joy Episodes 77 and 78) KonMari Quick Tips: Keep tidying up on your radar by engaging with the tidying up community. KonMari your existing vision Take an overall joy inventory by category to determine which category of items are in most urgent need of a joy check Evaluate what sparks joy? If at any time during this process you feel like you’ve reached a tidying plateau, reach out to a KonMari Consultant (See: Spark Joy Episode 49 why hire a KonMari Consultant We are pleased to introduce new members of the Spark Joy Club. Welcome! Joy Sparker: Katherine Ko Joy Riser: Linda Paxston 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

Who do you have to be in order to live a clutter free life? Guest Jerry Emeka joins us to share how to harness imagination and creativity while letting go of limiting beliefs. Jerry Emeka is a keynote speaker, performer and facilitator who enjoys lighting a spark in people’s eyes. He helps you conceive the man or woman that you’re truly here to be and realize that in order to make a change in the world you must first reimagine your conception of self and hold that as if it has already happened. 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: Jerry's path to public speaking, which included acting, singing, dog walking, and more! How to become aware of how much you imagine and how to use your imagination to create your reality How to imagine yourself in a tidy space: Know what it is that you want Devise a scene that implies that the desire is fulfilled Every night, replay the scene that implies the wish is fulfilled to program your subconscious mind How Jerry used imagination to manifest his dream home How to be aware of imposter syndrome and let go of limiting beliefs Imposter syndrom core competencies The perfectionist The Superwoman/man The Natural Genius The Soloist The Expert How to check in with how awesome you are! To connect with Jerry, visit www.jerryemeka.com . If you want to make the What sparks joy for Jerry: His two-year-old son Gems: "Even before you can have a thought, you have to imagine something." "There's not one thing that exist in this world that wasn't first imagined." "It is within before it is with out." "Do these beliefs that I hold actually spark joy in my life?" "Who would you have to be in order to live a clutter free life?" "There's no way you got to this point in life had you not been an awesome person." You can't just take actions coming out of a place of fear because you are only going to perpetuate more of the thing that you don't like." "Reimagine who you are and step into that reality and let that objectively show up for others to see." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Jerry Emeka.

Meet Jennifer Vaughn-Estrada, a mom who won a tidying Lesson with Marie Kondo! Our very special guest today is Jennifer Vaughn-Estrada. She currently works as a college instructor in Economics and is passionate about promoting the social, economic, and emotional wellbeing of multiracial and multiethnic individuals. Another reason she is so special is that she was the winner of the "Got Joy" contest hosted by Netflix’s Tidying Up with Marie Kondo! She is one of the select few people on this earth who’ve experienced what it’s like to welcome Marie Kondo into their home to tidy up. 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 what compelled Jennifer to enter the contest. What she posted on Instagram that caught the attention of the contest and led to her winning! What some of the categories Marie Kondo and Jennifer worked on while Marie was in her home. Find out what surprised Marie about Jennifer’s home. What were the tips Marie gave Jennifer on the different categories. Relisten to the Spark Joy Podcast episode 45 on the Paper Category: Ep 45 | KonMari Paper Category: Cutting Paper Clutter How Marie focused on the importance of keeping things visible when they discussed. Hear more about the importance of visualization in Spark Joy Podcast episode 5: Ep 5 | How to Visualize Your Ideal Lifestyle and Living Environment Jennifer's favorite tidying tip: : “Starting the journey by being clear on your ideal life style is so important. Don’t skip that step!” What sparks joy for Jennifer: “So happy to have gotten back good news about my health recently. Tidying is important, but good health is the most important thing to me right now.” Gems: “Are these your husband’s items?” “I’m moving on! This served me well and now I don’t need it any longer.” “She was very understanding. She said, ’Ok you are in the process and you’ll do whatever you need to do to get it done!’” “It’s easier to part ways with these items because I have a clearer vision of what’s important to me now.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Jennifer Vaughn-Estrada.

Co-hosts Kristyn and Karin take a deep dive into how to motivate others to tidy and the importance of considering the role of others you share your space with during your KonMari tidying journey. "Don’t force people to tidy if they don’t want to. Only when we accept unconditionally people whose values differ from our own can we really say that we have finished tidying." - Marie Kondo 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: Joy Checks Kristyn introduces Spark Joy listeners to For the Love of Tidy Power Partners Karin's collaborations in the area of fashion and interior design The importance of tidying things you take ownership of How to avoid "tidy shaming" How to lead with respect, empathy and patience when encouraging others to tidy Top tips to help you motivate others to tidy: Prime everyone who is impacted by the goal of getting tidy Shine by living a KonMari life of joy Start with asking about their vision for the space Share an episode of Spark Joy podcast or Netflix's Tidying Up Offer assistance when they show interest organically Focus on your own space to quiet anxiety How to navigate the delicate circumstance of suggesting tidying up to a loved one you don't live with to get organized Gems: "Tidying is a self-care activity." "KonMari is intentionally designed to help you reestablish the boundaries of your items in your home." "When you've reached that point where you feel everything in your life is sparking joy, then it's time to switch your attention to other people." "It's not your decision to make." "You should only be making decisions on the things you own." "Don't create the narrative for the person without giving the activity a fair chance." "Shine by living the lifestyle." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

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 TidySpecial Guest: Michell Domke.