About this Episode
Jenny Ning, Marie Kondo's first employee in the US, shares what it's like to work for the Queen of Tidy and her journey from KonMari super fan to Bay area home organizer.
Our guest, Jenny Ning, was Marie Kondo's first employee in the US, and helped to grow the KonMari brand from mid-2015 to the end of 2016. In this episode, Jenny recalls her instant attraction to the KonMari Method and how confronting her clutter at home combined with some passionate persistence helped her attract a position on KonMari team. Since moving on from working for Marie Kondo in 2016, Jenny is now a practicing home organizer in San Francisco, and continues to introduce people to the life-changing magic of the KonMari Method. Driven by a desire to improve the status quo, Jenny also founded the startup Tummymom that helps connect all parties within the surrogacy community, making the ideal matching process easier.
To connect with Jenny Ning, you can visit her at www.jennyning.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@jennyorganizes).
Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast
In this episode, you’ll enjoy:
Why Jenny calls The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up her bible
How the KonMari Method shifted Jenny's attention to what she wanted to do with her life, rather than what she should do with her life
What led Jenny to question if her job sparked joy and how the answer to that question inspired her to quit 5 months later
How being a super fan and strategically inserting herself before the KonMari team helped Jenny land her dream job
What steadily grew the KonMari fan base and the passion behind the followers
How the KonMari team is inspired to make business decisions based on what "sparks joy"
How planning the first US based KonMari consultant seminars inspired Jenny to commit to formal training
Why cluttered living is a challenge in the Bay area, considering notoriously high rent and tight living spaces
Jenny's favorite tidying tip: 1) "Sometime means never." - Marie Kondo. Accept who you are right now. 2) The 20/20 rule: if you can replace something in 20 minutes for $20 or less, then you can give yourself permission to let it go
What sparks joy for Jenny: Her startup, Tummymom (www.tummymom.com).
Gems:
"KonMari helped me step back and reevaluate my life."
"With that question, does it spark joy?, you can't really avoid the answer."
"Jenny Ning: Marie Kondo, I'll quit my job to work for you."
"The KonMari team uses the KonMari Method to make business decisions."
"Examining your relationship to things provides a lot of clarity about life."
"Stop and pay attention to whether the things in your life align with your vision of what you want your life to be."
"Even an average amount of possessions can make a tiny space feel cluttered and chaotic."
"Are you willing to let things go in order to feel better?"
"Sometime means never."
"20/20 rule: if you can replace something in 20 mins for $20 or less, then give yourself permission to let it go."
"Life truly begins only after you have put your house in order."
You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy