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 TidySpecial Guest: Brian Heiser.

Today’s Quick Tips episode focuses on packing joyfully for travel year round, no matter the length or purpose of your trip. 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: It’s all about the list! Create a master travel list that contains just about every type of item you want to consider when packing for any type of trip. As per good KonMari practice, break it down into categories: clothing, shoes, accessories, necessary documents, toiletries, medications, and technology. Make it as detailed as possible for your particular travel needs. You certainly won’t be packing all these things for each trip, but it’s a good idea to review each time you pack. -Tip: A good strategy is to make copies of the list and put a copy in each suitcase. Having a copy of the list right there forces you to look at it and think through what you are packing without relying solely on your memory (while charging). store in plastic or laminate. If you forget something on a trip, write that item down on the packing list to continue to customize and remember frequently left objects. -Tip: Anyone who takes The Tidy Pledge receives a copy of an illustrated KonMari folding drawer liner and bonus travel KonMari Packing list, also available here. -Tip: Timing is key. Don’t wait to pack at the last minute. Especially if it’s a fun trip, it’s so much nicer to get ready in advance so you are relaxed on your journey. Scrambling around the night before a big trip is no fun. -Tip: Have your toiletries bag packed and ready to go. This is one time that having a few duplicates can be helpful. Your toiletries bag set up and in your suitcase can save lots of steps in packing. Just be sure to restock your supplies after each trip. -Tip: If you are trying to pack lightly, think in terms of “If I need this, could I get it there?” Most hotel bathrooms have all the basics stocked and some hotels now provide workout gear for you to borrow at many of their locations. -Tip: If you are sensitive to certain skin care products or someone who is very loyal to my favorite brands, please do invest in reusable toiletries bottlesthat you can fill with liquids. -Tip: The Serene Home in the New York Times regarding those bottles and their impact on the environment: NYT: Those Tiny Hotel Bottles are on Their Way Out -Tip: Pack outfits, not items. Think: top, bottom, socks, shoes accessories for each outfit. Don’t pack a top unless you know what bottoms, shoes, and accessories you will wear with it. Avoids getting to your destination with incomplete outfits. -Tip: Conversely, don’t pack outfits you probably won’t need. “What if” outfits can eat up lots of space. Yes, there might be a sudden unexpected cold snap, but pack for the “probably” and not the “maybe.” -Tip: Packing cubes can be very helpful in keeping things orderly. Buy a different colored set for each member of the family. In most cases, you’ll pack a cube based on type of object: socks in one, undies in another, tee shirts in another. Or, you can pack each one with a different complete outfit if that idea appeals to you. -Tip: Carry on packing: If your luggage doesn’t arrive with you, could you charge your phone, find your hotel, get your rental car, take needed meds, have enough money/credit cards to buy what you need? Those are the items that for sure should go in your carry on. With a little preparation, travel can be one of life’s greatest pleasures, full of memorable adventures and perfectly packed suitcases. Happy Travels! We are pleased to introduce the new Joy Sparker members of the Spark Joy Club. Welcome! Julia Franco Kate Hudson Helen M Richie Maile Shoul Soraya Rudofsky 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

Christina Jurges, fellow KonMari Consultant, helps us explore the intersection between KonMari and the our workplace. Our guest, Christina Jurges takes the KonMari Method to the corporate world by coaching businesses and professionals on how to create room to grow. She helps you create an environment that fosters personal and professional development and growth by teaching you how to remove mental and physical obstacles. She helps her clients increase their creativity, focus & motivation and live their best 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: Christina's path to KonMari Why it's so important to create room to go in the office How to shift our work environment towards one of joy and gratitude The importance of removing both physical and mental clutter at our desk The connection between a cluttered home and office How to turn your office into the KonMari Power Spot Where to begin when it comes to making your office more joyful The KonMari categories that don't apply to the workplace Christina's favorite tidying tip: Be the gatekeeper of your own space. What sparks joy for Christina: Coaching people to help them live a life they love. To connect with Christina visit, organizedbychristina.com on on Facebook If you are excited about embarking on you personal KonMari journey but unsure where or how to start, Christina is offering Spark Joy listeners a free pdf kit which includes a vision sheet template and a few exercises to give you the best start in creating your clutter-free life of your dreams. You can download your kit here. Gems: -"Clear space, without obstacles. The room to grow." -"Our workplace can either support us or hold us back." -"We generally want to move in spaces that energize us, and support us, and help us become our best selves." -"A clear space helps you create a clear mind." -"Your desk is not a museum." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Christina Jurges.

Vanessa Van Edwards, bestselling author of Captivate, joins us to navigate friendships and relationships that may or may not spark joy. Vanessa Van Edwards is Lead Investigator at Science of People — where she unlocks the formulas and patterns behind human behavior for hundreds of thousands of students in over 200 countries. She is the national bestselling author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding With People, available in 14 languages around the world. 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: Vanessa's path to the study of human behavior from being a self-described recovering awkward person Vanessa's interview with Tom Bilyeu that addresses how fake or ambivalent friendships can steal your joy just as much as toxic ones The connection between your relationships with people and your KonMari journey Vanessa's tips on how to break up with a friend that addresses how fake or ambivalent friendships can steel our joy just as much as toxic ones The only personality trait study backed by science. Take the free OCEAN personality quiz here to see where you land and share your results with us! How being labeled neurotic can work in your favor and is a part of how your body responds to worry Vanessa's Ted Talk and research on how our hand gestures influence the way people digest the information Internal and external considerations that will help you get motivated to tidy by considering if it's a pain pill or a vitamin Why it's very important to fully explore how you worry and how you self calm Vanessa's favorite tidying tip: Allowing herself to only watch trashy TV while she is actively tidying. What sparks joy for Vanessa: Her newborn daughter Sienna. To connect with Vanessa, visit www.scienceofpeople.com . While you’re there, sign-up for People School. All the soft skills you wish you’d learned in school. Gems: -"You should be in control of every single relationship in your life." -"There are people in your life who you're constantly wondering, 'is this person good for me?'" -"Our hand gestures add depth to our ideas, and our thoughts, and our personalties." -"Our hands are our notes along with our words." -"Everyone deserves to have relationships that make them feel good." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Vanessa Van Edwards.

Co-hosts Kristyn and Karin share KonMari inspired storage solutions and tools you can use to uplevel your space and honor the things you love. We chat about how to store and organize after you’ve completed your KonMari Tidying Journey one signature clutter category at a time. 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 -Karin is speaking at the invitation of Eli Lily and Co. during the ASCO International Conference -Kristyn has committed to writing 30 blog posts in 30 days as one of her Tidy Mastermind goals. Connect via fortheloveoftidy.com to follow her progress -Review the importance of tidying by category instead of location in Spark Joy Ep 9 | Tidying by Location is a Fatal Mistake KonMari Storage Tips -Organize items that spark joy so they are visible within a designated space -Things are stored so that they are easy to put away and easy to get out -Storage should bring you a sense of order and calm -Reuse and repurpose wherever possible. Shop your home -Save your bins and baskets until you’ve joy checked the very last item -Storage is fluid -Reduce visual clutter KonMari Tidy Tools -Your calendar -The Tidy Home Joy Journal - Join The Spark Joy Club to receive your copy and exclusive access to the SJC community -Your Vision (see Spark Joy Ep 5 | How to Visualize Your Ideal Lifestyle and Living Environment -Trash bags: Glad Large Drawstring Recycling Bags -The Spark Joy podcast! Listen while you tidy! -Label Remover -Tape measure Clothing Category Storage -Principles of KonMari clothes hanging: -Rise to the right -Lighter, shorter, more delicate things on the right -Heavy, longer, darker things toward the left -Always, like things go together -Hanger options: -Velvet Hangers -Wooden hangers -Bins for clothing storage: -Bins for open shelving to create drawers -Underbed Storage Note: Following Feng Shui principles can be done if you are so inclined, so be sure to review our episode Ep 71 | Feng Shui with Master Laura Cerrano -Future donation bag/box -Three closet essentials: -Hamper -Step Stool -Trash Can -Drawers for clothing storage: -Soft Sided Boxes -Drawer Dividers Books Category Storage -For a review of how to sort books head over to Spark Joy Ep 75 | Exploring the KonMari Book Controversy with Robin Mitchell -Book Ends** Paper Category Storage -For a review of the three types of KonMari paper categories, go to Spark Joy Ep 45 | KonMari Paper Category: Cutting Paper Clutter -Tools for paper storage: -Locking File Box -Fun File Folders -Label Maker -Slice Precision Cutter -Fireproof Box -Virtual paper storage -Dropbox -GoogleDocs -Evernote Komono Category Storage -Spark Joy listener Angela submitted a question about managing charging stations and office items: “I’m starting this journey but the area that bothers me the most is how to organize an office/charging area. These both tend to lend way to the kitchen for ease of use and accessibility. We are a family of five so we have a lot of devices. How would you suggest maintaining an area in the kitchen that could mainstream both of these purposes (paperwork and device charge/overnight storage) without cluttering the counters?” -Cord solutions: -Kitchen: Mesh Stackable Shelves -Kitchen: Shelf Liners -Kitchen: SCUBB Ikea Boxes -Toiletries: Kristyn's favorite Soap Dispenser and Soap Refill -Make up: Acrylic Makeup Organizer -Holiday decor: wrapping paper holder and ornament holder Sentimental Category Storage -The importance of making your sentimental storage thoughtful, meaningful and safe -Milestone Binder - Full "how to" video available with Spark Joy Club membership -Review methods for digitizing your sentimental items in Spark Joy Ep 55 | Digitizing Sentimental Items Gems: -"We want you be more mindful of the things you’re keeping before jumping into finding the perfect place for your things to be stored. Stuff over storage." -"Storage should bring you a sense of order and calm, whatever that means for you." -"Their real joy is based on being able to see them and to acknowledge what they represent to us." -"Is this a chance to highlight your legacy, who would be happier if I keep this?' -"In some ways, the organizing step is really the most fun and it serves as your reward for all of the hard work joy checking and editing that will takes place in your home." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Design Twins Heather and Heidi of Joyful Living join us to discuss their TV Show and book filled with interior design tips that spark joy. As long as they can remember, Heather and Heidi have always had a passion for interior design mixed with a passion of writing. They love to combine these two things to tell the stories of their clients through design. 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 how Heidi and Heather went from designing jewelry and accessories to their focus on interior design. -They both have a houseful of little ones! Learn how their kids keep them on their toes and looking for more ways to find joy in the everyday. -Their shared belief that joy is found in the overall experiences of life, including the good, bad and indifferent, and how this philosophy has helped them in challenging times. -Finding out more about their TV show on The Design Twins on UpTV!. -Discuss their new book Joyful Living and listen as they share some great tips on interior design in a busy home: Joyful Living. -Learn about their favorite storage solutions along with their great and practical design tips. -Listen as Kristyn finds the perfect accent piece for her home! Heather and Heidi’s favorite tidying and design tip: -Use fresh scents with candles, home sprays or fresh herbs to brings a peaceful mood to your kitchen. -Don’t be afraid to use color and use it purposefully! -And, the Roomba is magically! What sparks joy for Heather and Heidi: -Their children are their greatest joy, of course! -Exploring their talents and stepping out of their comfort zone has brought both of them great opportunities in their home and business life. Be yourself! To connect with The Design Twins, visit www.joyfullivingco.com and find them on Facebook. Heather and Heidi are offering a discount on their Joyful Living book! Use coupon code “sparkjoy” for 20% off their Joyful Living book found on JoyfulLivingco.com. Gems: “Recognizing that the journey is what living joyfully is all about. Experience the moment.” “Outer organization creates inner peace.” “With kids, you can either learn to laugh or cry at times. And laughing is always a greater success.” “The more you engage, the less chaos there will be.” “Amplify white in a room as the wall color for a great way to lighten up a space.” “Bringing living things into your home make an enormous difference.” You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Heather and Heidi, The Design Twins.

Kim Howard of Howard Homes Chicago helps us turn our attention from the possessions within our homes to the special relationship we have with homes we buy and sell. Our guest Kim Howard is a top-producing Chicago real estate agent with Howard Homes Chicago – Keller Williams, that she co-founded with her husband Joe. They focus on both the city of Chicago and select suburbs, and have implemented a mindset of gratitude in their daily practice that helps them spark joy in both their personal and professional 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: The moments Kim took risks and stepped into the unknown as she grew closer to realty How to handle the things that are out of your control as you buy or sell by shifting your attention to your mindset The critical first steps for home buying that sets you apart from your competitors The reality of reality TV How to get your financial home in order before you shop for homes How to stage a home through a lens of joy How to find and attract your target buyer Kim's favorite tidying/staging tip: Keep it open and neutral and highlight the good stuff. Have a plan. What sparks joy for Kim: Living in the moment (being present) To connect with Kim Howard, visit www.howardhomeschicago.com and on Facebook. Gems: "At the end of the day, the whole thing is unpredictable." "Who you have on your team matters." "The unknown is hard, but just being excited for the end goal is huge." "Buyers want a blank canvas so they can envision themselves there." "Your property is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it, not necessarily what's inside it." "Sparking joy, in terms of your personal life, will only lead to better things in the real estate world." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Kim Howard.

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

Caitlin V. Neal, sex and relationship coach, helps us tap into the power of intuition when making minor and major decisions about our home and our life. Our guest, Caitlin V. Neal, is a sex and relationship coach who helps men and women have the best sex of their lives. She’s based in Chicago, and works with clients all over the world on experiencing greater pleasure, knowing exactly what they want, and feeling confident in their relationships. She helps us understand how we can leverage our intuition when visualizing our tidying event and making decisions about what sparks joy. 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: Caitlin's journey from a Masters in Public Health to sex and relationship coaching How to practice using our intuition to speak to us on various levels while we're making decisions Caitlin's KonMari journey - ways we can use the KonMari Method to unmute our connection with our intuition Why it's so important to not lose track of the joy How to distinguish intuition from stubborn determination How deeply intuition is connected to your overall wellness Guided Visualization - starts at the [26:33 min.] mark Caitlin's favorite tidying tip: Tidy in cycles or seasons What Sparks Joy for Caitlin: Working with a personal trainer To connect with Caitlin, check out her podcast The Oral Report with new episodes each and every Friday and her YouTube channel viewed by millions youtube.com/caitlinv. Just for Spark Joy listeners Caitlin is offering a free 30 minute consultation call. You can sign up by heading to bettersexcoach.com and click on “contact” to set up your call. Gems: "Where have you been ignoring your intuition?" "Intuition is sort of like a friend that you haven't called in a long time...it may be a little hesitant to jump in and start speaking loudly." "These things that I've accumulated are not the key to my survival. In fact, I am the key to my survival." "Intuition can speak more loudly in stillness and in quiet." "Fear is going to exist. Trust is the opposite of fear." "We are the sum total of the stories we tell about ourselves." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Caitlin V. Neal.

Brad Stulberg, author of The Passion Paradox, turns our attention to how we can KonMari our mind and our calendars to improve our performance and more intentionally explore our interests. Our guest today is Brad Stulberg. Brad researches, writes, and speaks on health and human performance. He is an award winning author of the new book The Passion Paradox and the bestselling book Peak Performance. Brad caught our attention when he wrote an article for Outside entitled Use the KonMari Method to Tidy Your Mind. 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 by heading over to our website, and clicking Join The Club! In this episode, you’ll enjoy: Use the KonMari Method to Tidy Your Mind How a moment of workplace burn out impacted Brad's health and inspired him to study high performance from an evidence based perspective The damaging impact of "busyness" and how to KonMari our way out using three key steps The alternative phrase we can use to replace the classic "I'm busy" response to set boundaries - being a minimalist so you can be a maximalist How to stay on top of behavioral addictions that end up being time and energy vampires How to be OK with saying "no" Brad's new book The Passion Paradox, that explores both the positive and negative sides of pursuing your passion Tips on how to avoid obsessive passion and lean into harmonious passion Why having a sense of community is so important for your mental health Why people rarely stumble upon a passion The three things to seek in interests that set themselves up well for passions Brad's favorite tidying tip: Take the intertnet (social media and email) off of your phone What Sparks Joy for Brad: His 13-month-old who is learning how to walk! To connect with Brad Stulberg, visit, bradstulberg.com or follow him on Twitter Gems: "What percentage of your time and energy are you spending doing things that align with your core values?" "I am not prioritizing this with my time and energy." "To be really be good at something, you have to do very few things to go very deep." "It's exactly when it feels like you don't have control, that it's time to exert your control." "It's very hard to be balanced at the same time you're passionate." You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of TidySpecial Guest: Brad Stulberg.