Welcome to Joy of Less
Transform your home, change your life
Who we are
Joy of Less is a community dedicated to conscious consumerism, decluttering and organization. The community is a place to learn and share based on our unique life experiences.
Joy of Less is hosted by Marina Ramalho, Canada's first-ever certified KonMari Consultant. The KonMari Method is a renowned decluttering and organizing system developed by Japanese best-selling author Marie Kondo.
Why you should join
You might consider joining if:
You want to be part of a judgment-free space that will support you through the challenges that come along with aspiring to a life of mindful consumption and organization
You’re interested in learning practical information on decluttering and organization
You want to hear stories from real people on how they approached specific challenges related to decluttering, organization, and conscious consumption
You see the decluttering process and mindful consumption as an ongoing process and approach to life.
* gain instant access to this 40-minute webinar on creating a capsule wardrobe
A dedicated community space
Why not just join a Facebook group?
This specially designed community platform, accompanied by a fantastic smartphone app, provides the best user experience anywhere. You'll find the community platform makes it easy to access, easy to contribute, and easy to connect.
Plus, unlike Facebook, there's absolutely no advertising, no paid-for posts, and no 'influencer' fakery or annoying trolls!
Gain access to
- A community of like-minded people interested in topics related to mindful consumption, decluttering, and organization
- A monthly live Q&A session as well as regular guest speakers
- Instant access to on-demand videos
- Theme-focused groups for stages of life or other areas of interest (parenthood, downsizing, organization with ADHD)
- Monthly book club
- Direct messaging with fellow members
- Free resource center including guides and checklists
By the time we are done, I feel as transformed as my closet looks, and more than ready to escort the difficult, the worn-out and the useless parts of my wardrobe, and my life, out the door.
DENISE RYAN, FEATURE EDITOR, THE PROVINCE
About your host, Marina
Marina's interest in conscious consumerism and organization began during her time as a nanny in homes across Europe, the United States and Canada. Her intimate view of family relations revealed the powerful, and often negative, role that "stuff" can play in the home. Whether it was battling over messy rooms or massive credit card statements, the accumulation and storage of more and more seemed to lead to less and less happiness.
It wasn't until reading Japanese author Marie Kondo's best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up that Marina realized there was a way out of the accumulation trap. The book details a system known as the KonMari Method which provides a step-by-step process to liberate yourself from accumulation.
In August 2016 in New York City, Marina joined the first-ever cohort of non-Japanese trainees in the KonMari Method. The course was led by Marie Kondo and her senior Japanese trainer. In November 2016, after months of training and apprenticeship, Marina became the first Canadian and second-ever certified consultant outside of Japan. While she has decided to step away from the KonMari organization in 2018, she retains the inspiration and wisdom of Marie Kondo and the method.
A Message from Marina
I have to admit that I started on this journey from a purely selfish perspective. I wanted to rid myself of the stress and anxiety that came from living in a cluttered, disorganized home. I knew it was having a negative effect on my life and it was impacting my work, relationships, and mental outlook.
But I didn't understand the extent to which clutter and disorganization can damage our health.
A team of UCLA researchers recently observed 32 Los Angeles families and found that all of the mothers’ stress hormones spiked during the time they spent dealing with their belongings. According to researchers, clutter overloads your senses, making you feel stressed, and impairs your ability to think creatively.
Another study published in the Environment & Behavior Journal suggested that the more cluttered our environments, the more likely we are to overeat. With an organized kitchen, you might be less likely to go on a 20-cookie bender when you're scrounging for a nighttime snack.
You can feel it, can't you? The anxiety and stress that you feel when you walk into your home and know that even if you spend an hour tidying, you won't make a dent. Or that feeling of walking into a messy kitchen and deciding that maybe Chinese takeout would be easier. We know it's not good for us, but hey, it's just easier. Or how about the dread you feel when you look at the credit card bill and realize that maybe you shouldn't have made those impulse Amazon purchases?
Is This Your Moment?
There was a moment in time when I decided enough was enough and I committed to a major change. I immersed myself in books and courses on organization, ultimately leading me to the KonMari Method. Once I had tackled my own home, I decided to take the leap to help others because I understood the impact it could have.
That has led me here, to Joy of Less, and to creating this community. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege to work with people from around the world through teaching online courses and one-on-one coaching. But I have always dreamed of creating a community like this. Well, here it is!
I hope you will join us!
Marina
