Summer is always hard to let go of especially if you live in a place with four seasons, it really doesn't last long enough. When September comes, it's that time again for parents with school aged kids to get back into routine again. As a mom to an eight year old boy going into grade four, I want to make life even easier for my son and myself when adjusting back to school. I'm sure there were many kids who felt some anxiety returning, it's just like adults going back to work after a much needed vacation...it's totally normal and I have to admit I felt it a bit too.

I wanted to share some tips at home that can make life easier when getting ready for school everyday and extra curricular activities for the kids.

When kids get home and unwind it's best to empty their backpacks right away and place items in their temporary homes until they get packed again in their bags. You will know if your child has any homework, or forms to fill, if their lunch and snacks have been eaten and of course if anything is missing! You can create a temporary home either in the entry way, mudroom, or the bedroom all depending on the space you have. You can even place a magazine vertical box or rack for your child's papers that need immediate attention in this area you designate as well. You really don't want to find a wet towel or bathing suit in their backpack from the time they went swimming, all wet and stinky!

When preparing what food to bring to school, get your kids involved in helping out with picking what snacks or lunch they would like to have. Create a snack station and make it easy for your kids to reach items in your pantry or the fridge and get your kids to help you out with packing their daily food. It will be good for kids to get use to preparing things the day before, or in the morning and gain some independence, and overall will make life less hectic everyday. This will allow you to enjoy your mornings having breakfast with your family.

Having lunches placed in a bento box that include a variety of healthy and tasty items to eat will make lunch time more enjoyable for your kids, but are also so much easier to prepare and it's a win-win for both parents and kids. There are so many combinations of meals you can do in bento boxes from pasta, wraps, deli meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruits, hummus and dips with crisps (crackers, chips, pretzels) and more. Just simply drop the food items into the box and they look nicely presentable and fun for kids to eat up. Your child will be sure to come home from school with lunch and snacks all eaten (or most of it) and you can feel good that it's always going to be a good meal. If your too tired to prepare the night before, take a day to wash and cut up veggies and fruit in advance and have them in containers ready to place in the bento box. I know some fruits like apples or avocado will brown in advance so leave those fruits for the day of.

It's important to have reminders for everyone when it comes to things that are happening in and outside of school. Keep your schedule and upcoming plans organized so that everyone is aware and prepared for things to come. There's a great calendar app called FamCal:Shared Family Calendar and family members can all be included to share the calendar with upcoming activities, tasks, shopping lists and events. If you are not digital savvy, you can always have a printed calendar in the kitchen where everyone can see what's going on, you just need to be sure to remember to write on it.

We all know that in order to do work properly you need to work in a peaceful space that is clutter-free no matter what age. Make sure that your child can do homework or study with no distractions and it's best to avoid doing homework in the living room and in front of a TV. Get your child to either work from a desk in their bedroom, or use the dining table and have school supplies ready to use so that it's easy to get the work started. Have your child choose the school items that spark joy so that they want to work with these tools and then have them show gratitude to what no longer brings them joy and let it go. An area that sparks joy to work in will help your child to focus on what he or she needs to do. The same goes for a good spot for reading, you can either choose the same spot or create a reading nook for that time to practice reading.

Have you tried the KonMari Method with your child? I have done this with my son when he was only 6 yrs. old and then he did it again (on his own) a year later when he was 7 yrs. old. Now he has a streamlined wardrobe (and bedroom) with everything that sparks joy and it's easy for him to pick out his own outfits to wear everyday. If your child is still too young to try the method out that's ok, make it easy by having their outfits for the week all prepared on the Sunday before the week starts. You can have the outfits ready in a hanging closet organizer with days of the week labelled on each compartment, then your child doesn't need to even think just get the outfit, put it on and go. Remember if your child likes to pick out what to wear on their own, be sure to let them choose their own outfits to avoid any issues getting ready.

Here's my son and I on the first day of school, he's a big Naruto fan with his leaf village headband. This time he let me pick his outfit for the first day, but he had no issue with what I chose cause everything sparks joy! I usually let him pick out his own outfits everyday.

There you have it, some of my tips to help with life back to school more simple everyday!

​This blog is not a sponsored post.

When it comes to spring cleaning, it's important to deal with the tidying part first (of course) before cleaning, because it will make cleaning much easier. As the tidying guru Marie Kondo says "Tidying is the act of confronting yourself; cleaning is the act of confronting nature." In Canada (and most countries located much north of the equator), spring cleaning is the transition from winter to spring and preparing the home for enjoying outdoors.

Here are some tips that I have that you can use to get your spring cleaning started:

• When removing tarp or covers from your outdoor furniture or central air/air conditioner, be sure to spray them down first to remove the dirt and then fold them into the smallest rectangles and place them in a clear container vertically, so that they all live together in your shed or garage.

Hey guys, I'm really happy that Modern & Minimalist has reached a milestone today and turned two years old on Instagram! I started my account when I was discovering minimalism and wanted to become one. Then I tried the Minsgame for a month and tracked my journey, it was a fun game but lead me to wanting to have even less. So I read "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo (which I had given as a gift to my mom in 2014) and then I decided to read the book, got inspired to do the method in my home and it changed my life! I was so amazed that I wanted to share this with the world. I found Marie Kondo's website and learned I could become a KonMari Consultant, and then I knew this was the work I wanted to do to help others live with more joy and less things! I have been really blessed to continue to live with more joy helping others learn the KonMari Method and transform lives. 

So today I wanted to say thank you to all of you for following me on this journey and also to welcome my new followers. 

2019 has just started, and the launch of Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method in a reality documentary series called “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” has been all the hype right now as it strategically released when people are starting to commit to 2019 resolutions and goals, it’s perfect timing.

There are eight different families in California, who are visited by Marie Kondo who helps them to confront their clutter-filled homes. Each family has a different home situation and reasons that prevent them from living in a tidy and organized home. They go through the KonMari Method of all five main KonMari categories: Clothing, Books, Paper, Komono (Misc.), and Sentimental items. Marie Kondo teaches them how to tackle the category starting with Clothing, and then leaves them homework to do until she returns to see their progress. 

 So as a Certified KonMari Consultant, watching this is so exciting because I get to see Marie Kondo in action, she’s the whole reason why I decided to become a KonMari Consultant of course! When I did the KonMari Method myself it changed my life and inspired me! Marie Kondo is also so adorable to watch and hearing her speak Japanese is so lovely to hear.

It’s so amazing to see the kind of work that I do by the tidying Guru herself, helping people transform their lives by choosing joy and teaching the method. However since this is a reality show, you don’t see everything that happens during the process and there is a lot more work that goes into doing the KonMari Method in your home.

When I do KonMari sessions with my clients, it really is just a one-on-one appointment with only one member of the home at a time. In the show Marie talks and works with the whole family, obviously it’s faster to do this way in a 40 min. episode, but in a real session I only work with one member of the family, so that there is no distraction going through the process and no judgment from other members. It helps to do it this way so that the client and I can focus.

So at the start of the session, I first check out the home and storage places to get familiar and know the clients pain points in-person. Then we sit together and I ask the client to talk about their ideal lifestyle and get them to write down some goals. While the client is doing this I greet the home, and I do just like what Marie Kondo does to greet the home, I kneel on the ground and close my eyes. Sometimes I have my eyes open and speak out loud, and I introduce myself and let the home know I am here to bring peace, joy and positivity and the method to the home. I know that this may seem weird for some people even watching it on the show, but this really calms the client (and myself too) because there will be a lot of work to do, but good work of course. 

After the greeting, we start with the Clothing category and I get the client to gather all the clothes that they own in the home, (no one else’s clothes) and I help with this too. We usually work on the floor or on the bed, but usually the floor as long as there is a drop cloth or bedsheet underneath. I always spend five hours on the first session, going through each item of clothes, choosing what "sparks joy", and I work with the client and do “joy checks” which help him or her decide if they get stuck, and I help sort and take clothing that no longer sparks joy. The client will thank items that no longer spark joy and pass to me and I discard in a donation bag (client must be responsible for taking items out of home to donate). Sometimes I sit on the floor while this is happening, but mostly I stand (cause I’m pumped and excited) the whole time too! It takes a lot of energy both mental and physical to go through the process every time. I also do a folding demo and teach how to fold the clothing during this session. With the clothes that spark joy, the client folds all the clothes on his or her own on the floor. Then after we have been through all the clothes, I help temporarily store back the clothes. I give some homework to do like going through shoes, bags, hats, etc. but if there is time we go through this too. I do not leave the client until a huge amount of the work in this category has been done. What you don't see on the show, is each family go through the all the categories in order, as you must follow the right order in the method.

I return to the clients home sometimes the next day, or in a week (or whenever the client is ready for another session) but usually in a week. I contact my clients via email prior to the next session to give feedback and encouragement, cause we are like tidying coaches! When I come back to the home, I check the homework and see what the client has done and then we move on to the next category of Books, I spend about three hours with the client (if less we move on to the next category). Then I visit again and we work on the next category of Papers, this could take 3-5 hours but if we get through it fast we also move onto Komono, the biggest category with many sub-categories.  The home will not look pretty at first but it’s part of the process and I am there for it all, going through every single item and the client has to be there too. Komono can take up to three or more visits (from 3-5 hours each), but it all depends on the amount of stuff a person has and how a person is in their decision making. We work very different from what you saw on the show, and even typical home organizers, where you can also leave while they work. After the sessions I also return things back temporarily because eventually we will make sure there is a “home” for every item.

Finally there is the last category which is Sentimental, this is going through the items of the home that have any emotional attachment like photos, scrapbooks, journals, keepsakes, gifts/ items from parents, relatives or friends, anything with a story or memory behind it. We will go through everything and store and organize photos so it’s easier to find and enjoy in an area of the home that they should live. Sometimes these sentimental items are in the home that can't even be enjoyed (or remembered). Then after all the categories are done, I go through the home and we see what storage we can use, usually there’s lots of empty containers and boxes left over no longer needed. Finally we make sure that there are homes for everything and that these items return to their homes after every use.

I get to know my clients really well because we spend a lot of time together and I learn about their lives, their past, their hopes and dreams, and the people they love and they get to know me too. I do this because I love connecting with people and making a difference in their lives. This experience is more than just decluttering and tidying the home, it’s learning to live with joy in every aspect of your life, appreciating what you have, it changes habits and behaviours, becoming more mindful, which will change and transform your life. You will gain the gift of time and learn to enjoy life more, and consume a lot less.

What you didn’t see, was that there were two wonderful KonMari Consultants working with the families behind the scenes they are Jane Grodem and Tricia Fidler, who assisted on the show. Those families were assisted by KonMari Consultants to get through everything in the home, of course it's a long process so you don't see that part but that is what we do...we support, motivate, encourage and teach our clients in a non-judgemental way to experience the KonMari Method, and our passion shines through on to whomever we work with. I am definitely proud to be a part of the KonMari community and so proud of Marie Kondo in the debut of her show, she is my inspiration!

So if you are interested in learning the KonMari Method and need the help of a KonMari Consultant you can obviously contact me if you live in the Toronto, Canada area or you can find a KonMari Consultant closest to you! There are 200+ consultants worldwide transforming lives through KonMari. Choose to live with joy always my friends, it will make life and the world so much better.

The holidays are always a happy time for everyone, but also a really stressful time when it comes to being able to afford gifts and holiday get togethers. Many people worry about going into debt just to be able to buy and give gifts. According to a CIBC poll in 2017, the average Canadian will spend about $700 on gifts and will use credit cards to purchase instead of cash or debit. While most people enjoy giving gifts, nearly half of the respondents said they feel obligated to give presents.

In the past, I use to shop specifically on Black Friday in order to get the best deals and save money on buyng gifts for all the kids that I planned to give gifts to, but that has changed. The past few years I have viewed "things" in a very different way of course, and I value experiences much more than having another item enter my home. Our homes are already filled with so many things and kids own so many toys and games that they don't even play with. I think more about what I am buying and if it will bring any value or joy to someone when I gift something to someone.
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So I wanted to really come up with other ideas of gifts to give that were obviously experience gifts instead of things. However, I also realize that some experience gifts are not always affordable and sometimes "things" are more affordable to give, but if I am going to give "things" I make sure that they are consumable and temporary items as much as possible.

Here's a list of my tips and gift ideas to be more mindful (and minimalist) during the holiday season: 

​3. Special events and shows. My Dad use to take me to see a musical when there was a good show playing in town, and sometimes these were birthday gifts... but why not a gift for Christmas! I really remembered these moments with my Dad and I think its so important to introduce music, arts and culture to kids to open their minds and a life of creativity. Why not give a ticket to concerts, music festivals, or even sporting events that are great for the sports fan.

​4. Memberships. Give the gift of an annual gift to the museum, art gallery, science centre or even the zoo, with access to special exhibits included. These memberships are great for an entire family to enjoy for a whole year and you definitely get your money's worth if you go more than 2x a year. I usually visit the museum during March break, summer holidays and even Christmas holidays, so I can imagine that other people do as well and memberships would be really useful.

​5. Single passes to attractions. This is a great gift idea for your friends kids or even extended relatives. Why not give a single or a couple passes to the movies, zoo, aquarium, museum, art gallery, etc. if memberships are out of the budget.

6. Activities. There are lots of activities out there that people can enjoy from bowling, arcade/video game venues, lazer tag, escape rooms, cat cafes (if your city has one, usually there is a fee to enter), axe throwing, photo walks, rock climbing, the list goes on and I'm pretty sure they all offer gift certificates.

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​7. Consumable gifts. There are so many gift options in this category, from chocolates, baked goods, wine, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, candles, etc. These gifts only temporarily live in the home which is great.

​9. Food & Drink Experiences. Enjoy options from wine or beer tastings, local food tours, beer crawls, high tea, cheese tastings, beer festivals, food & wine events, and there are so many Airbnb experiences (they don't just offer accommodations, locals offer experiences too!) to also choose from.

Overall ​I think what people should give more of is their presence than an actual present, since time is what people don't always give much of...but this may only work with adults and not so much what children want. Also donating to those in need will really make the holiday season more meaningful when you can make someone feel good about celebrating this time of the year.

Hopefully these options will help make your holidays filled with more experiences to enjoy rather than things that will create clutter and unwanted things. Be mindful of your spending and don't be afraid to let people know if you are not able to participate in gift giving or any celebrations if it does not fit into your time or budget. As life gets more and more expensive, its better to make life easier during the most major consumer holiday and change what this season has been about for so many years. The holidays should be a joyful season, and not a time to go into debt and be stressed out...it's just not worth it. Happy holidays to you all!

When I was in-between jobs and had more time at home, I decided to declutter my home because it would bother me to see how many things that my family and I had in the home. In 2016, I was able to create a room in my home to rent out on Airbnb and this side-gig helped me to have some income while I was figuring things out. 
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While I was working on my e-commerce business in January 2017, I was working from home of course and was still not happy with my home and the amount of stuff I had. I had watched "The Minimalists" on Netflix and that really opened my eyes and it made me feel very strongly about this lifestyle and how people should live. I was inspired and I wanted to become a minimalist, so I started an Instagram account "modernandminimalist" to track my journey. I did different methods to declutter, like the "Minsgame" where you let go of things for 30 days and start with one thing on day one, two things on day two, etc. It felt good to let go, but I still had too many things.

In February 2017, I decided to read the book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by bestselling author and tidying guru Marie Kondo. I was so glad that I read it and then decided to do the method...because this finally worked for me! I got the results that I wanted at home, and I felt so excited that I discovered a way to live that made me change my way of thinking and how to choose what to keep in my life. I was so impressed with the book and the method, I decided to look up the KonMari website, and voila...I discovered you could be a KonMari Consultant! I think this was the magic I experienced with the method because this was what I felt I really wanted to do for a living and as an entrepreneur. I strongly felt the universe has lead me to this path, so I decided to train to become a KonMari Consultant! I then changed my Instagram account to follow my journey to become a KonMari Consultant.

The KonMari Consultant Training seminar in New York City (Sept. 2017) was an amazing experience, and I met so many great people who were so passionate about the method and being their own boss. Attending this training seminar inspired me even more and pushed me to continue on this path. I was such a fan girl when I got to see Marie Kondo in person and meet her, I felt even emotional (kept it inside of course) because I felt that because of her I was able to discover what I could do for a career and to help people learn the method. When I started my training it took a couple months of doing practice sessions and in less than six months I became a Certified KonMari Consultant in March 2018! 

I felt so good to finally be certified and that this was the one thing that worked out for me after all the rejection from doing job interviews and trying to figure out my new career path, it just felt so right. The KonMari community is also a really great one to be a part of because every consultant is so supportive and everyone helps eachother grow as a consultant and in their businesses. I was able to start getting paying clients by the time it was spring 2018, and that really made me feel like I could do this and provide for my family.

I became a KonMari Consultant because after all the paths I tried to take, this was the one path that made me feel like I was making a difference in people's lives because it made a significant difference in my own life. I use to work for other people and help make money for big and small companies, but now I can do something that is truly more fulfilling by helping others to live a life that they really want. Life is really interesting and the journey will lead you in so many paths that you don't expect. I'm glad that the KonMari Method lead my life to being a KonMari Consultant, taking my life into my own hands and creating a life that I want to live.

Tidying may seem like such an easy thing to do, but it's a lot more then just dusting, vacuuming, taking out trash and washing dishes. Shifting things from one room to another, or hiding things behind closets and basements does not solve the problem. As per the KonMari Method, cleaning is your confrontation with nature, but tidying is confrontation with yourself.
Here are some questions to ask yourself about your current house state:

• Do you spend too much time tidying and putting your house in order on the weekends (or even after work)?
• Do you have a hard time finding things easily when you need something? 
• Do you purge every few times a year when the realization of how many things you own happens when you change up your wardrobe for the seasons?
• Do you have no time to tidy, and you can't seem to put your house in order because there are better things to do, or you have a family that needs your attention?
• Do you avoid having guests visit your home because you don't want them to see the way you live?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you probably need direction in your tidying. When you take the time to really choose what you want to keep in your life that "sparks joy" then you can let go of what no longer serves a purpose in your home and let it go. Having less things at home definitely helps to get your house in order.

You can also read the "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" or all the other books by Marie Kondo and try to do the entire KonMari Method on your own, but sometimes people don't have the time to read or to really push themselves on their own to start the tidying journey. Sometimes getting the help you need to learn this method will be a great investment for your overall well-being and life. Don't be afraid to get the help you need and to live life with more time to do things that matter.
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I wanted to share a blog about my KonMari experience doing books with a seven year old kid, and this process went really well I have to say. I did the session during a Saturday afternoon and this worked much better than a session on a weekday after school. I think if a child has been busy with school and you plan to do a KonMari lesson, this will be overwhelming and the child will lose interest easily. I believe the same goes with adults after a long day of work of course, but flexible schedules are making this easier for people to do nowadays if you are lucky to have that. So if you decide to work with a kid make sure that there isn't a lot of things happening during his/her day like school or any extra curricular activities. Choose a day with less activities going on, perhaps a PA Day when there is no school or on the weekend if there are no plans. Rainy days or snow storms are always good to make this a part of the day.

So I laid out all of his books on the floor and I used a small desk to place the books that spark joy and that don't spark joy into two separate piles. I would take every single book from him and I instructed him on how to do his joy checks, basically which ones he would keep by deciding what sparks joy, and then for books that no longer spark joy to thank each book and pass them along. He knew right away which books were to stay and go, and he would even read some books a bit again to make sure.

Some of the books that he let go were of stories he had read when he was younger but about characters that he no longer had an interest in, or the level of reading was too easy. But he did keep some books of stories that he had when he was a baby, which were still special to him. 

We only took one break in between for a snack, but then getting him to continue was a bit tricky because he was losing interest, but I let him know that he was doing so well and that he could get through it faster. He pushed himself and he continued the session without any other breaks.

Tidying with kids can be a bit challenging, but just like adults, every person is different no matter the age. I attempted doing the KonMari method with my six year-old son and it was an interesting experience. If you are not familiar with the KonMari Method, it was created by Marie Kondo who wrote the book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up-The Japanese Art of Decluttering” which has sold millions worldwide. The main concept of this method is to tidy by category (not rooms) and to only keep what “sparks joy” and let go of what doesn’t. So I chose to do the KonMari lesson with my son after he had finished school with no homework, so it happened after 3:00 p.m. and after he had some play time. I brought him snacks and drinks to have in his room to get his energy up. Be sure to include a child’s favourite snack or treats to boost their happiness to do the lesson.

You will have to give more breaks during the lesson with a kid, its definitely not the most enjoyable activity for them, but it really depends on the person. I taught my son the KonMari folding and he liked doing it once, but doing the folding for all the clothes to me won’t always be possible for kids to actually do. When I tried to get my son to fold again, he quickly lost his patience. If a parent has already taught their child at an early age to be tidy then this may be easier, however I am only starting to teach that now so for me its a whole new challenge. I think it’s important for kids to learn to be tidy so as they get older they will care about this and especially when becoming adults. As an Airbnb host, I have seen many adults who don’t keep their space clean and tidy and I am pretty sure they live like this at home. It’s better to teach these life skills now because it will help in the future. The KonMari method definitely will help as well, as it also teaches that everything you have has its own place, and you only keep what you truly love.

in the end my son was able to discard a good amount of clothes, which also included clothes that no longer fit him. His closet is only half-way full and he uses two drawers in a dresser for folded clothes, as well as a small trunk for more folded clothes that’s easy for him to reach. We also went through his hats and he let go of a few. His socks and undies have been decluttered not too long ago, so we didn’t go though that, but I think the parent can just go though this for the child as it will be mostly just letting go of what doesn’t fit. I think having a reward in the end of doing a KonMari lesson with a kid will make them look forward to doing the next category (which is books). Perhaps something small from the dollar store or a cool book will make them feel good about finishing their tidy lesson. I am starting to tell my son about earning an allowance, so he can work towards learning to save money. I have told him if he helps to tidy around the house he can earn some money and he was interested about that.

There is something about Scandinavian design that just makes you want to have your home look and feel this way. Scandinavian style homes look bright, minimalist, modern, simple and functional. The very first thing you must do to create this kind of space is to start by decluttering and try to avoid having too many storage boxes. Decluttering is a whole other subject that we will discuss in another blog. But for now here are tips on creating a Scandinavian home.

Create light in your room. By painting your walls white and allowing your windows to let the sun come in will help do this. Use white drapes to help let that light shine through (or no drapes), but of course this may be different in the bedroom as darker shade is necessary to get a good night’s sleep. If you have dark flooring, you can also change your flooring to be either white or a lighter wood but if you can’t do this, using a white or black and white area rug can do the trick.
                                                                       

Use neutral and muted colours. When choosing accessories or furniture for the home, choose more muted tones. It's okay to use some colour, but use it in wall art or smaller pieces like pillows or throws. Some furniture should be of natural elements. Bed linens should be white or grey and throw pillows can have some colour.


Choose a smaller sofa. It’s good to get a three-seat sofa instead of a sectional. A three-seat sofa allows for more space in the room, where you can add other seating if needed. It’s all about having more simplicity in the living room and having a huge sofa definitely does give that effect. Unless you can find a sectional that is smaller, than that can work. Make sure to give space to your furniture and let them breathe too.

Add greenery. Having plants in your home definitely adds life and makes the quality of air better for breathing in your home. Plants also add texture and that natural element that is simple. Succulents are becoming a favourite plant to have in the home, which just needs little water and light for them to last long.
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Make a gallery wall. Having a collection of art or prints is a great way to add that creative touch to your home. Be sure to mix up the frame sizes and art to display or you can keep it classic and have big frames aligned on the wall. Use nature inspired pieces of art, Scandinavian design always likes to show that element with also black and white pieces. If you want to display family photos, it is better to display in photo books, which are great for coffee table books.

Use patterns and texture. Patterns add more style and character to your home, but don’t go overboard with using them. If you add patterns keep the colours within the same colour family. Also add texture through out, by using different materials like a wooden coffee table to plastic ceiling fixtures, linen drapes, and mix-matched chairs, you can have fun combining many different textures.

Use accessories. Adding small white or black candles and vases are nice small touches and of course adding the natural elements again in these.

Declutter your home. Be sure to take time to do this, it is a process in itself, but necessary to achieve the Scandinavian look. Stay tuned for tips on this.
Now start creating that Scandinavian home that you will love to live in.
Image credits: Top image via Pinterest from blog.froy.com, second image via Pinterest from Homeyohmy.com.