Meet Another KonMari Consultant: Stephanie Ward
It’s no secret that I love Marie Kondo and the KonMari Method. When I was considering becoming a Consultant years ago, I devoured content related to KonMari Consultants from the Spark Joy podcast to reading about Consultants on the KonMari website. There is a wonderful network of Consultants across the globe. Our goal as Consultants is truly to support each other and celebrate each others’ successes.
So today I wanted to introduce you to Stephanie “Steffi” Ward, a fellow KonMari Consultant based in The Scottish Borders, Scotland. Steffi and I have been meeting together with a lovely group of Consultants for the past few months. A few months ago, Steffi mentioned that we as Consultants bring our unique backgrounds, including prior careers and life experiences, into our tidying work. This is something that really resonated with me, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. It’s been great to get to know Steffi and learn more about her journey, and it’s something I wanted to share with others!
Meet Steffi!
How did the Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up come into your life?
In 2015, I was travelling from Zurich via Basel in Switzerland airport and picked up a Newsweek - one of the magazines they have - it contained an article about Marie Kondo and the tidying process and going into someone’s home. It clicked immediately with me and I got its concept straight away on so many levels. It tied in with my own academic research on Well-being within our interior space - made perfect sense.
What did you learn (or rediscover) about yourself when you went through your own Tidying Festival?
I rediscovered my love of colour and my passion for travelling in South East Asia. My clothes hiding were bright and flowers and cheerful. Same with foods I reconnected with my passion for South East Asian food and layering of flavours.
What did you let go of that wasn't just physical clutter?
After deep inward retrospection after the Tidying Festival but really honing and feeling in my gut I, with a heavy heart, let go of my husband. After time I used the process to regain a friendship with him sharing some of the things we loved together and had been good at together.
Thank you for sharing! Our work goes so much more beyond the home.
Here is Steffi's yarn innovation!
Tell me about this yarn that you invented - and how this type of work intertwines (pun intended) with your work now as a KonMari Consultant.
My yarn invention was about light and how we respond to light and our moods within our interior settings. I had worked on major houses in South East Asia for clients honing this skill. It intertwines because when you invent something you are looking for clues, how something moves, how something responds - my yarns respond to light. I can observe clients as I work only one to one and the cues as to their joy factors, body movements, facial expressions. I don’t interrupt this process let them have their time rediscovering the aspect of their lives.
What is the one thing you wish everyone knew about the KonMari Method that isn't just about 'neatly folded socks’?
If you really pay attention and allow time to do the work you will find that things you had envisioned do start to come into play, if you let them. It really is about connecting to the things we love both, what serves us now and what does not serve us. Gratitude is rather a special sentiment.
You told me that one of your clients said to you, "Everyone needs a Steffi!" I love this! What is it about your work with clients that makes them say this?
My client, who particularly said this, was a psychiatrist and realised that her life with herself had taken a step back. I am patient, I observe, I empower people to make their own decisions but can be a little tough when it calls for it. My vision I think is what she means, I ‘get it’ for each and every individual client because everyone is individual with their own story.
What is your favorite KonMari category to organize with clients?
I only do Tidying Festivals because that way the client really gets the true benefit of the process and the magic that entails - that's my favourite part seeing the progress along the way.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming a KonMari Consultant but is on the fence?
Doing your own Tidying Festival is not always reason for coming into being a consultant. If you do decide, you will also bring a wealth of knowledge with you, we are not starting from zero experience. A business has to be worked at slowly and has different criteria to working for a company, that is a learning curve in itself.
“A picture taken in my Happy Place on the sea and with camera,” says Steffi!
Lastly, if someone is interested in getting in touch with you, how can they reach you?
I have gone off using a website as it didn’t spark joy so I use the KonMari Website for my handle and Dubsado for those interested in making contact.
Thank you, Steffi, for letting me highlight your journey! It is truly a joy to get to know other Consultants and learn their stories and experiences.
Kim Shiu is a professional organizer and Kansas’s only Certified KonMari™ Consultant. Through her business, Tidy for Good, LLC, she helps busy people in the Kansas City area transition from overwhelmed to organized. Trained directly in the world-renowned methods of Marie Kondo, Kim provides the expert structure needed to create a home that truly "sparks joy." You can work with Kim by getting in touch here.