Thinking About Change in 3 Easy Steps

Thinking about changing your space and reducing clutter?

Not sure where to start?

Here are a few easy steps to help you get started.

1️⃣ Recognize the progress you’ve made. Contemplating change is difficult. Learning more about how to do it and who can help you is an important step. It may sound cheesy but for just a moment give yourself some recognition. You might pat yourself on the back, give yourself a round of applause, look in the mirror and say thank you, etc

2️⃣ Get in touch with how you feel about your space. Try leaving your house for a few moments, walk around the block, and come back in. Walk into your front door or take a moment to observe your response. What thoughts come to mind? How do you feel? What objects do you notice first? What do you feel drawn to do?

Take a moment to write down some of your observations or use your phone to record your thoughts.

3️⃣ Use the pro/con list below or create your own to understand how changing your space could impact you. Take a look at the observations you wrote down and/or listen to the recording of your thoughts. (Free Download)

If changing your space appears to be the next best step, you can use the button below to set up a free consultation. There is no obligation to schedule a session. I understand that it’s important to find the right fit for you. A free consultation will give you a sense of my working style and process.

Decluttering Books - KonMari Tips from a Librarian

I’m excited to share the first guest blog post on my home organizing website. The second KonMari method category is books 📚 . Just like with clothes, there is no right number of books 📚 . I love ❤️ applying the KonMari method to home organizing because it allows you to focus on how you feel about each item. If you love to read, decluttering your books can be challenging. I focus on keeping the books 📚 that I enjoy reading over and over, such as any Jane Austen novel. However, I thought it would be fun to ask a librarian and KonMari method enthusiast to share her tips. Lindsay Sakmann Rafer has an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh. She's worked in both academic and public libraries and gives the best book suggestions. 

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It’s a pandemic and I am determined to declutter my home: what do I do with my books 📚 ? 

Spring is in the air and with that, my urge to purge. As a librarian with experience in both academic and public libraries, I know the importance of keeping my collection relevant, which means I also understand the importance of proper culling of books 📚 .

When decluttering books and preparing for donation, consider the volunteers who work at the charitable organization. It takes time and resources for organizations to process book donations. Donating a large quantity of books 📚 that are out of date or unsuitable for donation takes away from time that organizations can use to generate resources for the particular charity. 

Quick Check Before Donating:

Important to know before looking for organizations who will take donated books is to know what makes your books 📚  ineligible to any organization: 

• Mold: nothing spreads faster to kill a book collection than mold. Once one book has mold, others next to it will get it unless you identify and dispose of the moldy book right away.

• Odor: if a book has a heavy odor or mystery stains, thank it 🙏🏽 and throw it away.

• Sand: often books read at the beach bring the beach home in the form of sand, which goes everywhere and is impossible to clean. Thank it 🙏🏽 and throw it away.

• Age: Printed information is dated. Policies for large, urban libraries, for instance, is to buy no book over five years old. Check the copyright date on the inside cover of your book, and if your book is over five years old and otherwise in good shape, recycling is your best option.

• Trends: Even though information on how to knit may not change, styles do change. Most would not want to use a book with 1985 fashion patterns in 2021. Craft books are also susceptible to trends. Macramé was a popular trend in earlier years, and if it becomes popular, most readers would look for an up-to-date book on macramé. Everything comes back in style (hello scrunchies!), but there is no need to hold on to a craft book for 25 years.

Many factors exist to make it difficult to find an organization to take donated books. The Marie Kondo philosophy of a home filled with only the items you love has prompted a rethinking of how much stuff we need. The digital age causes us to rely more on digital works than physical paper. Organizations have limited space to house relevant materials and operate with limited budgets and a downsized staff. The pandemic exacerbates the situation with those homes more than usual taking time to organize, downsize, and declutter. Many libraries adjusting to pandemic protocols stopped taking book donations altogether.

If you believe you have books that contain relevant material, check with the organization before dropping anything off. The following are organizations that may accept donated books:  

Programs that accept donations by mail:  

The Women’s Prison Book Project: This program is specifically for women and transgender individuals in prison. Founded in 1994 near Minneapolis, MN, the WPBP is looking specifically for books on crochet and other nonfiction books.  

Better World Books: BWB is a wonderful resource for libraries to send their used library books. You can mail your donations to BWB or you can search for one of their drop boxes.   

Programs that require in-person drop-off or a scheduled pick up:  

Opportunity House: Opportunity House is a charity based in Reading, Pa for the homeless. They run a retail shop called the “ Opp Shop,” with proceeds supporting Opportunity House. They will accept book donations in their donation bins or at their drop-off facility.  

Starr Books: Starr Books/ Gently Used Books is a used bookstore in Douglassville, PA. They accept donations of books for store credit. Once you have donated your books you can use your credit to shop in their store. If they do not take your books for credit they will donate or recycle them. They have a fantastic selection! If you are donating a large number of books, please contact them to arrange a drop-off.   

Greendrop: a service that offers scheduled pickups of items for donation. Proceeds go to various charities in the Philadelphia Area such as The American Red Cross. 

Vietnam Veterans of American: A nonprofit dedicated to helping not only Veterans of the Vietnam War but all veterans. Pick-ups can be scheduled by visiting their website.  

  By Lindsay Sakmann Rafer, MLIS 

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If decluttering books 📚 leaves you feeling overwhelmed, a virtual organization session or home organization session will help. Please contact 📧 Yuriko, certified home organizer in Maryland and Pennsylvania, if you feel stuck. Anyone, including people who feel chronically disorganized, can live in a tidy and organized space. Organize by category and reach out if you need support.

Get Organized and Spark Joy

I’m so excited to have been interviewed by Berks County Living Magazine.

“Are you looking for a way to spark more joy and clear out some clutter in at home? A perfect way to start off a new year is by making a new start. Organizing and decluttering the space around you is a great place to begin. Many of us are familiar with the professional organizer Marie Kondo, whose Konmari method of tidying up is practical, effective and mindful. While she cannot personally come to each of our homes to help us, Berks County does have a certified Gold Level Konmari consultant who can. Owner Yuriko Beaman, of joyandspace.com, has an extensive background in psychology, yoga and Konmari, all of which have intertwined beautifully to turn her enthusiasm of organizing and helping others into the thriving business she runs today. Keep reading to learn more about her services…”

You can check out the full article at https://berkscountyliving.com/around-town/get-organized-and-spark-joy/

Virtual Organizing

Virtual organizing is empowering and good for your budget. Since you handle and move your things, you'll have a greater connection to them and how you feel about them. (Choosing what to keep is not just about if something is useful. We are connected to our things.) You'll learn organizing skills that will allow you to finish organizing as you're supported by an expert. Also, it's easy to schedule virtual organizing at times that work for you.

How Virtual Organizing Works:

1. We'll start with a guided visualization to help you settle into this mindful organizing process. (As a registered yoga teacher, I can help you to relax before we start organizing.)

2. You'll "walk" through your space by holding up your laptop, phone, etc. 

3. During the virtual tour, we'll discuss your goals, challenges, and successes. As we talk, I'll start working on ideas to help you cultivate an intentional space and life. Using Marie Kondo's decluttering method, we'll create a unique plan that will shift and transform your space.

4. You'll receive options to work on organizing in between sessions or wait until our next session to keep going. Even if you opt for "homework" there is no pressure to complete it before our next session. We can pick up wherever you left it.

5. During the next session, we'll talk about any challenges you noticed and make any needed changes.

Benefits of Virtual Organizing:

• Empowering experience that will allow you to build organizing skills. I believe that anyone can be organized. We'll start with an easy category and then keep building your skills.

• Mindful and patient organizing support that fits your budget! A three-hour virtual organizing session costs $165. You can schedule more hours or as little as two.

• Organizing by category is great for the chronically disorganized. Rather than focusing on a room, I'll help keep you focused on one category at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. I also use my counseling and ADHD expertise to attune to your body language and energy levels to suggest breaks as you need.

• Reduce decision fatigue by focusing on one category at a time and with shorter sessions. I'll also remind you throughout our session of your vision and goals so you can make intentional decisions.

• Practice gratitude. A gratitude practice can help to boost your levels of happiness. Since I'm certified in Marie Kondo's method, I'll encourage you to thank the items that no longer support you.

I know that starting a decluttering and organizing process can be stressful and anxiety-provoking. If this mindful approach to organizing your home speaks to you, please reach out to me. I'm happy to talk with you via phone or email. I'll listen to your concerns, offer suggestions, and let you know how I can help. Just like with any support service, I understand that you have to find the right fit for you with a virtual organizer. (I'm also not a saleswoman, I'm a yoga teacher and a helper so there's no pressure to book a session. )

I hope this helps you on your organizing journey. Remember that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. Just take it one step at a time.

Joy & Space’s Guide to Holiday Gift Giving

The holiday shopping season has started. There is so much pressure to find the perfect gift and at the best price. Our inboxes are overflowing with deals and gift suggestions. 

As a home organizer, KonMari consultant, and mindful shopper, I want to offer some suggestions for sifting through it all so you can give gifts and shop mindfully:

1. Consider the recipient

• What activities do they enjoy, especially now that we are spending more time at home? 

• Can you picture them enjoying their daily routine? 

• What might bring a smile to their face?

2. Picture them using the gift

• Can you see the recipient using the item?

• Where might they store it?

• Will they need to purchase anything else to enjoy it?

3. Consider sustainability and longevity 

Some companies, such as Patagonia, will repair clothing if it gets torn or ripped. (They’ve mended one of my favorite cardigans.) Others, such as Coyuchi, offer renewed items that are on their second life.

Buying used items from ThredUp or your local consignment store gives clothing new life and can support a local business. Consider giving a gift certificate if you’re giving it to someone who enjoys shopping.

4. Give experiences over things

If you are hesitant to give a gift that might turn into clutter, experiences are a fun option. Here are some of my favorites:

• Gift certificates to a local salt lounge or their favorite yoga studio

• Gift subscription to an app, such as Calm, DuoLingo Plus, or Goalsetter

• A home-cooked meal dropped off at their front door

• Gift certificate to their favorite local restaurant

• Membership to a local running club

• Gift subscription to Disney+ or CBS AllAccess

• Self-care voucher, because 2020 isn’t over yet (download the free pdf in the Spark Joy Store)

5. Let Go of Pressure & Have Fun

2020 is a year like no other. Since we will be celebrating differently, give yourself space and let go of the pressure to get it just right. The purpose of a gift is to convey that we care and that recipient is in our thoughts. Let that be your guide.

Organize Your Week: Weekly Time Management Tool

Set goals for your week on Sunday so it will spark joy!

I created a weekly panner to help you clarify what you will spend your time on.

It’s best to write down big picture items that you want to accomplish each day.

If you know what your biggest distractions are, write them down. If you notice that your distractions are keeping you from your priorities for the day, thank the distraction and the gently shift your attention back to your priority for the day.

You can download this free printable in the Spark Joy Store.

If you’d like to receive more freebies from me, sign up for emails that spark joy. (I don’t send emails often and they typically include my latest organization tools and tips.)

Four Questions to Help You Curate Your Closet

Are you having difficulty finding something to wear? As a professional organizer in Bowie, Maryland and Reading, Pennsylvania, I help my clients to organize and simplify by focusing on what they want to keep in their closet.

Spend a few moments reflecting on how you want to spend your time and energy? Start this seemingly simple question... 

Do you want to take care of it? 

1. Is it worth your time and energy to fold it or hang it up after each use?

Placing your clothes on a chair or leaving them in the laundry basket is a quick solution in our busy lives. However, we are often left searching though the pile when we are rushed. 

It takes time to create a space for the items you choose to keep. Investing the time and energy signals to you and others in the home that you are changing how you will use the space and the things in it. 

2. Is it worth your time to mend it or take it to the dry cleaner?

This indicates that the article of clothing means something to you, which is why you would take the effort to take it to the cleaners or to spend time mending it. 

3. How much energy do you want to spend on it?

Your brain pays attention to everything in your visual field. Clutter is overwhelming to the brain and creates misery. You are spending mental energy on everything in your visual field. Many people find that seeing projects, including laundry, throughout the house is stressful.

Find a place to store clothes, especially laundry that needs to be folded, that isn’t in your line of sight when you enter your bedroom. Keeping the laundry to fold in one place will help to reduce stress until it's time to fold, hang up, and put away.

I hope the questions above will help you as you uncover the joy in your closet.

If you have questions or would like to schedule my mindful home organizing services, , contact me .

Shifting from Scarcity to an Abundance Mindset

Cultivating a mindset that sees the resources and opportunities surrounding us can be a challenging task. Especially if early experiences weren’t consistent with our current levels of success and support. The terms “scarcity mentality” and “abundance mindset” were coined by Stephen Covey. However, I view them from the lens of organizing rather than business. 

Observing our beliefs regarding our sense of vulnerability, possessions, and locus of control can help us to understand our current mindset and to shift to a more abundant one. To go a little deeper, note how these beliefs are associated with our early experiences. 

Beliefs Regarding Vulnerability

When you notice a change that will impact your life, how do you feel? What thoughts come up? After some initial trepidation, can you see some opportunities as a result of that change? The year 2020 has left many of us feeling vulnerable and unsteady. Take a moment to reflect on previous changes that you have successfully navigated. What skills and strategies can you use again to help you in this new situation? 

Even if the changes won’t impact your safety and comfort, you might experience a sense of loss. When change comes your way, take a moment to express gratitude for the things you have to let go. Notice what comes into your life and home after you let go. It might not be another possession, but rather the time and space to focus on current goals.

Beliefs Regarding Our Possessions

What values do you hold about the instrumental value or usability of your possessions? Most of the clients I work with don’t enjoy ironing. However, most of them have an iron and an ironing board. If you had access to a very cheap ironing service, would you find as much value in your iron? 

In addition to instrumental value, do your possessions have intrinsic value? Do they spark joy? (Unlike Marie Kondo, an iron and ironing board does not bring me joy.) Perhaps you don’t like ironing, but you have an iron that works beautifully, gliding over your clothes smoothly. Understanding the instrumental and intrinsic value of our things can help us to change our relationship with them.

As we shift towards living a life of intention, we choose to keep possessions that have both instrumental and intrinsic value. We notice that the items that add to our lives are both usable and speak to our hearts. Cultivating our sense of tokimeki (from the verb “tokimeku”) builds confidence in our decision making and allows us to shop and live more intentionally. 

Per Kenkyusha’s Japanese-English Dictionary, Tokimeku has two definitions:

1. enjoy [be in] great prosperity; be prosperous; prosper; flourish; thrive; have one’s day; be powerful; be influential; be in power.

2. throb; palpitate; pulsate; pulse; beat fast.

Beliefs Regarding Locus of Control

Is it easy for you to recognize how your actions contributed to the successes in your life? How much of an impact do external factors have on those successes? Fostering an internal locus of control will allow you to see how your actions can positively impact the outcome you seek. It will also help you to notice the power of your thoughts. For example, one of the first steps to having a tidy home is believing that you can and will be tidy. Believing in your ability to change your home and life is the first step.

Mindset Affirmations

As you observe the beliefs above, notice when your thoughts are rooted in fear, guilt, or shame. Think about organizing and decluttering your space and write down what you think will happen from a voice of scarcity and fear.

Then, write down the opposite of those fears from a voice of joy, pride, and abundance. Use this list to create daily affirmations.

I hope the questions above will help you as you shift to an abundance mindset. If you have questions or would like my support as you learn to tidy your space and mind, contact me at Yuriko@JoyAndSpace.com or schedule a free phone consultation with me.

“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Decluttering? Questions to Help You Choose What to Keep

Are you having difficulty deciding what to keep in your life? As a professional organizer in Bowie, Maryland and Reading, Pennsylvania, I help my clients to declutter by focusing on what they want to keep in their lives and homes.

Spend a few moments reflecting on how you want to spend your time and energy? Start with this seemingly simple question... 

Do you want to take care of it? 

• Is it worth your time and energy to create a space for it and to return it to it’s home after each use?

It takes time to create a space for the items you choose to keep. Investing the time and energy signals to you and others in the home that you are changing how you will use the space and the things in it. 

Create space for your phone and laptop with this charging station: https://amzn.to/2QzyIkX 

• Could it be something you want to fold and put away?

This indicates that the object has a value attached to it, it means something to you, which is why you would take the effort to fold it and put it away rather than discard it.

• How much time do you want to spend on it?

Your brain pays attention to everything in your visual field. Clutter is overwhelming to the brain and creates misery. You are spending mental energy on everything in your visual field. Many people find that seeing projects throughout the house is stressful.

Find a place to store pending items or projects, specifically, paper, that isn’t in your line of sight when you enter your home or office. Keeping these projects and papers organized and in one place will help to reduce stress until it's time to work on them.

I hope the questions above will help you as you uncover the joy in your space.

If you have questions or would like to schedule my mindful home organizing services, , contact me .

Start by Decluttering Paper?

Clients often contact me because they are overwhelmed by paper. Paper accumulates so quickly. It comes into the house six days a week and it’s often difficult to process. As Jane Austen says, “Letters of business too! How odious…” 

Take a moment to glance at a pile of papers in your space. If you had to guess, do you think those papers will bring a smile to your face? For most of us, the answer is no. 

Since paper isn’t typically a joyfully category, I strongly suggest that you don’t start to declutter paper. I’ve worked with a few clients who wanted to start out of the KonMari order and with paper. None of them moved on to the other categories. Paper appears to have sapped their motivation to declutter.

It makes sense that paper is a challenging category. You read each piece of paper to determine what it is and then are often left with an action item. The pile of papers represents a long to-list. It’s often easier to organize them and then move on to other more interesting tasks or experiences. However, you are reminded about those projects or bills each time you glance at the stack of papers. That’s why that paper is so stressful.

Give yourself permission to declutter or tidy two other categories first, clothes and books. You’ll build confidence in your decluttering skills and prepare for the paper as you work on the other two categories. Also, decluttering the other categories allows you to connect to your energy and sense of style. You’ll have a better sense of what spark joy if you start with clothes. When you are ready to start on paper, motivate yourself by finding some paper organizers that you love. It’s best to store items standing up, letter sorters and expanding files are great for this. 

The goal when decluttering paper is to let go of most of it. Yes, most of it! Paper is often a reminder to take action. Once you have completed the task, let the paper go. Look into online bill payment options so you have less paper to file. Remember, you are choosing what to keep in your life and how you want to spend your time. The more paper you keep, the more time you will spend on paper management.

If you have questions about decluttering paper, schedule a free consultation with me.

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