Latest / More Organised Less Clutter / 234. From shopaholic to mindful Professional Organiser
Transcript
- speaker-0: Welcome to More Organized, Less Clutter, a podcast to empower individuals and neurodivergent families with practical, realistic tools to create a more organized, sensory-friendly, clutter-free, and intentional home that works with your lifestyle and brain, not against it. I'm Narelle King, a professional organizer and neurodivergent mom who understands the unique challenges of family life. I help people just like you simplify your space build sustainable organisational systems and create more breathing room physically and mentally. Every fortnight, you'll hear solo episodes and guest conversations filled with practical strategies on decluttering, home organisation, routines for neurodivergent families, mindful living and how to build a home that feels safe, calm and functional. You'll walk away with actionable takeaways you can implement even if you only have 10 minutes to spare. speaker-1: you speaker-0: Today on the podcast, More Organised, Less Clutter, I'm talking with Mel from Live Life Organised. She's a professional organiser, certified KonMari consultant, and former psychologist based in Tasmania, Australia. She works with clients in their home and through online coaching programs, and she specialises in supporting people in need life. and life transitions. She shares her personal journey with clutter and also first steps that you can take to begin decluttering without feeling overwhelmed. This conversation is a video recording that you can watch on YouTube. Let's jump into this more organised less clutter with Mel to get started on your clutter. Today on more organised less clutter, I'm talking with Mel from Live Life Organised. She's a professional organised certified Konmari consultant and former psychologist that she works with clients in their home and through her online coaching programs specializes in supporting people in midlife and life transitions. And today she is going to be talking about the psychology behind clutter and sharing some practical ways to get started. So welcome Mel. ⁓ it's so good to have you back. It's so good to have you on. speaker-1: Thanks for watching. speaker-0: I'm going to start with a question, which I do with every person to find out a little bit about yourself and the interests you have. So if you were a Barbie doll, what two accessories would you come with? speaker-1: accessories. Okay, probably my running shoes and my mobile phone. speaker-0: So tell us about your running shoes. What type of running do you enjoy doing? speaker-1: I discovered running in my midlife and before I turned 50, I wanted to tick off a marathon. I did that and then I became addicted to destination marathons. I've now done seven and I'm training for my eighth. So definitely my running shoes and I love to take photos while I'm running. So I take my phone with. speaker-0: So when you're running you take your phone even in the marathon as well? Yeah. Yeah. And so what's your favorite marathon that you've done? speaker-1: Look, it's probably a tie between New York and London. The atmosphere for those runs. Yeah, it's amazing. speaker-0: And was the weather good for it? Like not too hot? speaker-1: Hot? Was it? Yeah, probably those two runs were quite good because I don't run, hate hot weather. So yeah, I was very lucky on the days for those runs. speaker-0: because it can be really humid and that wouldn't be good to be running. speaker-1: not good at all. take a couple of those and I do a lot of walking. speaker-0: Yeah. So it being both professional organisers, if I was to come to your house, what area of organising would you like supporting? ⁓ speaker-1: My big Achilles heel is my digital clutter. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. speaker-0: Definitely that would be mine is my photos. It's so hard to get on top of it at times. speaker-1: Yeah, is. And you do, you've got to stay on top of it all the time. Otherwise it's, I mean, like a physical clutter, but yeah, it's, ⁓ yeah, it does my head in. speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. And I'm sure it's like you too, is that it stops you getting started, which is what we see with clients as well, isn't it? Yeah, correct. It's like, where do I start? There's just so much. speaker-1: Yes, and then you don't start. speaker-0: So what strengths do you bring to your business that make your service unique? Because there is, like we said, it's like that midlife and transition area that you do work with a lot of people. So what are some of your strengths? speaker-1: I mean, my background is as a psychologist. I left that quite some years ago, but when I started in the space, I discovered the Konmari method and I loved that method because it's very introspective. And so it really encourages you to think intentionally about every single item that you own and to do that thinking about what truly matters to you. And so I love that sort of mindful, intentional approach. And by following that process and examining every single item that you own, learn a lot about yourself. And so for me, as I said, the psychologist in me was really drawn to that method because clutter is just not physical items. There's a lot of emotion, you know, lots of emotions attached to our clutter. And we really need to explore that, explore what we're feeling and thinking about those items so that we can move forward. speaker-0: Yeah. So what about your story? Because you have a really interesting journey. speaker-1: Yeah, for sure. So I think as a kid, I was definitely neat and organized with my mum, as I was. But then when I started working, I suddenly had disposable income and I discovered shopping and I became a serious shopaholic. So I would shop if I was sad, happy, stressed, if I had to travel for work, that deserved a reward. And so what happened is my house started filling up. So all the cupboards were full. On the outside, still, you know, if somebody walked into the house, it still looked quite neat and organized, if behind the closed doors, it was a completely different story. And then what happened was my cupboards were so full around our room. So then I started storing stuff in my home office. So that became my storage room and that sort of filled up. And then in 2020, the pandemic hit and I moved to working from home. I could not even open the door to my home office. So I spent the whole time working on my kitchen table because it was just too overwhelming to think about clearing that room. Um, and then it all changed for me in 2021. Uh, I was actually made redundant from my work role and I took a bit of that holiday. And during the holiday, I discovered Marie Kondo and her book, The Life-Tenured Magic of Tidying Up. And as I said, I read the book and it really struck a chord with me and I thought, well, like I've got cleaved hips spare time on my hands. So let me try this method. And I did and applying it alongside my own learnings in psychology. And as I worked through all of the items in my home, the transformation in my mindset and behaviors was so amazing that I thought I've got to share this with others. So I hopped on and I Googled and discovered you could train and become certified as a Convari consultant. So that's what I did and then set up my business. So I decluttered my career as well as all the physical items in my home. And I might share my story because I think that if I can change, anyone else can. And so today I am, I'm no longer a shopaholic, which still amazes my friends. So I'm a very intentional and mindful shopper now. speaker-0: now, like being intentional with what you buy, do you also, and I think working in the space, have you found that you've maybe adopted different practices in your shopping as well? Like, is it more secondhand than what you did in the past or not? speaker-1: a little bit more secondhand and also very much look at, you know, the quality of the items. So that fast fashion, you know, which you wear a couple of times and then you've got to sort of try and dispose of it. So yes, I have become much more mindful about the types of items I buy, but the quantity has reduced significantly. So, cause I now know everything that I own. I know what I need. I'm just not out there shopping for the thrill and for the dopamine. speaker-0: Yeah. And how do you find that that helps some of your clients that you work with by you having that experience? speaker-1: Uh, I think, uh, lot of my clients, you know, when I share my story, they see themselves in my stories. And so I hope that I can inspire people that because, you know, I was able to make that change. And if I could do that, then hopefully other people can feel that, um, that they can do that as well. You know, I'm quite open about sharing my story because, know, there is a lot of shame attached to class. Um, and so I think it's important. that I share my story. speaker-0: So you do find yourself working maybe with many people in mid life, especially, you know, they're surrounded by so many items and things from their life. And so why do people find it so overwhelming then to declutter and even, you know, what to keep and what not to keep anymore. speaker-1: Yeah, I think, I mean, I love working with mid-lifers and beyond. I'm one of them myself. And we've spent a lifetime accumulating. so we have, you know, our homes are full of decades of possessions that represent different stages of our life and different versions of ourselves as well. And there's lots of ⁓ memories attached to those items, maybe some aspirations, et cetera. speaker-0: Yet. speaker-1: So I really enjoy supporting people to work through those items. And it can feel overwhelming because as I say, not only because of the quantity, but because of the relationship and the attachment you have to those items. so, and it's also lots of postponed decisions as well. So that obviously can feel incredibly overwhelming for people. so. I really enjoy supporting people to overcome the overwhelm and start that gradual process of working through their items. And it's certainly not a quick fix. You know, we've spent decades collecting these items, so they're just not going to go quickly. But it is about starting, starting small and just each step you get more and more momentum. speaker-0: Yeah. What do you find, what's some of the harder items for people to let go of do you find? speaker-1: And it was one that I had a lot of in my home is gifts. So you just have this obligation, you know, you've given these items from people and you feel like you can't, it'd be disrespectful to let go of them. And so I was taught with people about the fact that the purpose of a gift is to be given and received. with love and gratitude and beyond that, there's no obligation. And if you're hanging onto an item and storing it in the back of your cupboard, just because it was a gift, that's actually not being respectful to the item or to the person who gave you the gift. And so if it's not something that fits you and your lifestyle, then it's okay to let it go and actually pass it on to somebody who can appreciate it. speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. And do you see what sort of things do you see helps people to let go of that particular item that has been maybe a gift? speaker-1: I think with any item, the letting go is really hard, but I think people often find it is easier to let go of an item if they know where it's going and let know that it's going to be appreciated. So maybe that could be to a family member or a friend or a local charity. And lots of my clients are now established relationships with local community groups or charity shops where they know that their items will be appreciated. And that makes letting go a little easier. speaker-0: Yeah, definitely. That's what that's definitely what I find if you worked with someone and they've got something and they're like, as soon as you make a suggestion, we could donate that here, like something really, you know, particular and small, like even books this week, was like, ⁓ we could donate those books then to a kinder daycare. And I'm like, ⁓ my gosh, that would be amazing. Yeah. All these books to me then, but they'd been sitting there and their kids feel like teenagers. But it's just like, I don't want to take them to the op shop because speaker-1: Take care. speaker-0: I don't, at the moment I've seen Sian saying, no, we're not taking books. She's like, but I just want them to be appreciated. Yeah. And schools, schools are great for donating books as well. They really appreciate it. Yeah. I think people don't, I suppose, think out the side, the square, because they're not, they don't have to, whereas we do with, you know, our cars can be full of stuff. And it's like the op shop is not going to take all this. And even I'm sure small town, like where you are in Tasmania, you'll find. up shops are full, they're not taking it. then you've got to, where are we going to get these things as second life? speaker-1: Yes, that's right. Yeah. speaker-0: So for you, if people wanted to get started, what's something that you would say is the first step for them to start when they're feeling really overwhelmed? speaker-1: I actually think the first step is not actually to declutter. It's actually to do that thinking work first. And so one of the key principles of the Konmari method is that we think about what's our ideal vision for our lifestyle. So what, how do we want our home to look, but how do we want to feel when we're in our home and how do we want our day to flow? And so if you have that really clear vision, then when you actually start decluttering, if you're holding an item, And you're thinking, ⁓ not sure whether I want to keep this or let go. Think about that vision and ask yourself, is this item going to support me to live that life? And if it's not, then maybe it's time to let it go. So having that clear vision. And then when you actually start your decluttering, start very small. choose a very small subcategory. And I always love to suggest socks. It's. Yes. And so it's. It's contained, it's managed and so you can say, say, yeah, I can do more sock draw. And so just focus on that one small category. And when you finished, you get this overwhelming sense of achievement and you, telling your brain actually, your brain telling yourself that you can actually do this. And then that builds that momentum and it's motivating as well. And so just choosing that one small category still feels completely overwhelming. ⁓ tip always suggest is setting a timer. So just set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes. That feels achievable. And a lot of people, once they get going, just keep going beyond that 10 minutes. speaker-0: I know some clients will be like, three hours. How are we going to get, what are we going to do? And then at the end, they're like, wow, I can't believe how much we got through. Like the other day we did draw by draw and we did so many draws. I think we did eight draws in the kitchen. And she was like, I really didn't think it would take us that long, but it did to get through them all. But it was amazing how much, how much easier it was to open and close the drawers. speaker-1: Yes. Yes, it's speaker-0: It's something that's small and not so sentimental either. Which is socks isn't. speaker-1: Yeah, so yeah, you want to start with something that feels really easy and manageable. In the KonMari method, we always suggest starting with clothing as a first category because it's something that we see, we touch, feel every day. And then we leave sentimental items to the very last because as you're making decisions and working through your items and your categories, you're building up your decision-making muscle so that for the time you get to sentimental, it's still hard, but you've learned. how to make decisions and you feel much more confident in making those decisions. Yeah, definitely don't start with sentimental idios. speaker-0: Sentimental or admin digital? Because you can't see, can you? It's not as visual. Yeah, that's definitely. So what's one thing that you wish listeners would do to be more organized? speaker-1: Commit firstly, think committing some time and effort to looking at their items because it is a commitment both physically and emotionally and so you really need to prepare yourself for that. And then, you know, the golden rule for being organized is that every single item in your home has its own home. Because that way it's so easy to find things, but it's also so easy to return items. So rather than just dropping things. That actually goes there in that shelf. I'll it there. speaker-0: Otherwise we end up with the doom piles because we don't know where everything's going. Yes, definitely. Mel, thank you so much for your time and sharing your tips and tricks as well. What's the best way for people to connect with you? speaker-1: I have a website which is www.livelifeorganized.com.au and I'm on all the socials. So yes, just look up Liv Life Organized and you will find me on Instagram, Facebook and speaker-0: LinkedIn, I think it's the same as well. Yeah. I'll share all those. Yeah. Share all those in the show notes, but thank you so much, Mal. It was so great to connect with you and in person like this so we can see each other. speaker-1: Yeah, thanks, Narelle. It's been lovely. speaker-0: Are you struggling to find ingredients to put a meal together? It's time to bring ease and order to your kitchen space with our free step-by-step pantry organisation guide. Our comprehensive guide walks you through each step to help you create a pantry that's both functional and organised. Head to simplyhappy.com.au to the resource tab to get instant access today. I'd like to acknowledge the Wathaurong people of the Kulin Nation on which this podcast is recorded. As the traditional custodians of the land, I pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.