Decluttering Your Home With the KonMari Method | Reduce Stress, Mental Load & Decision Fatigue | Erica Lewis EP 224

Clutter might look like a pile of stuff, but it often feels much heavier. It can create stress, overwhelm, decision fatigue, and the feeling that your home is running you instead of the other way around.

In this episode, we sit down with Erica Lewis, a certified KonMari Consultant and professional decluttering and organising expert, to explore how decluttering can transform more than just your home. Erica shares her personal journey through postpartum exhaustion, returning to work, and an unexpected redundancy that led her to discover the life-changing power of the KonMari Method.

We discuss why clutter affects our mental wellbeing, how a chaotic environment can increase stress and decision fatigue, and what "sparking joy" really means in everyday life. Erica also shares practical tips for tackling sentimental items, letting go of guilt around gifts, overcoming scarcity mindset, and creating simple organising systems that work for busy families.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by clutter, looking for home organisation tips, or curious about the KonMari Method, this conversation is packed with practical advice to help you create a calmer, more intentional home.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• How clutter impacts stress, mental load, and decision fatigue
• The principles behind the KonMari Method
• Why decluttering is about more than getting rid of things
• How to handle sentimental items without guilt
• Practical organising tips for busy mums and families
• Simple ways to create sustainable systems at home

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a little more calm and clarity in their home.

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Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_00 1:06

It's after a very transformational time in their life, or someone who's going through a divorce, or someone who just started a new relationship or started a new job or has suffered a loss in their life. So usually what sparks this process is something big happening in someone's life.

Anita Mattu 1:24

Today's guest is Erica Lewis, certified Conmari consultant and professional, decluttering and organizing expert. Welcome, Erica. Thank you for having me. Hi, it's such a pleasure. I know a little about the method, and I must say I do fold my socks in her method. I'd love to know more, and this is really exciting. And let's face it, who doesn't need to declutter and organize themselves, eh? Exactly. Yes. So with that said, what is one of the most courageous things that you have done?

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Wow, yeah. So I think really one of the most courageous things that I've done is over the past year taking action and turning something that was really a difficult time in my life and moving forward,

A Layoff That Changed Everything

SPEAKER_00 2:12

even through uncertainty, not knowing what was going to come next, what was really on the other side, and still taking that leap. So last year when I had my second child, I was preparing to return back to work. She was just three months old, and I also had a two-year-old at home. So being postpartum and sleep deprived and preparing to go back to work was a lot. And then the very next week after I went back to work, I was unexpectedly laid off. So during an already crazy chaotic time, my life just continued to kind of turn upside down. And during that time, I felt a loss of control. And as I said, everything felt chaotic. So I was desperately seeking that back. And that's when I really turned towards my environment and spending so much time at home during that time, that was my environment. So I had followed Marie Kondo, of course, throughout the years, but I took that time to actually sit down and read her books and complete a tidying festival through my own home. And it was so freeing to let go of, of course, the physical things, but it's also a very emotional process as well. And when I completed that, I thought, you know, this really can be life-changing. I can help other people do this as well. So I made the move to become a certified consultant in the Conmari method. And that is what I'm doing now, and have the honor to also help other busy families through what can often be very chaotic times to find a little bit of calm and regain a sense of control and peace.

Anita Mattu 3:46

That's absolutely wonderful. And like you said, absolutely at a worst time possible, you get laid off. Yeah. Yeah. A very emotional time, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Very much so, yes, for many different reasons.

Anita Mattu 4:02

Yes. At what point did you realize decluttering was becoming more than just organizing?

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Yeah, so and the way we go through the Kanmari method is you go through category versus by room. And so when you start in the categories, you start with what is easiest, which is clothes. And so you start to go through your clothes, and you may have a little bit of emotion evoked going through those because you might think you come across a shirt that you forgot about or a shirt that might be connected to a previous memory or a previous time in your life. And so you'll start to see those glimpses of how it can really impact your mental and emotional state. But then as you keep going through the process and you get to some other items that may be more sentimental, whether that's books or papers or photographs, that's when it really starts to evoke those emotions. And as you go through those and revisit them, and in many cases decide to finally let go and free yourself of things that may be holding you back, that's when you really start to realize that this is a big shift. It's not just about getting rid of things, it's really changing your entire

When Tidying Turns Emotional

SPEAKER_00 5:09

mindset and around material items and things.

Anita Mattu 5:13

Wow. Absolutely. And we don't want to let go of things because they're sentimental at times.

SPEAKER_00 5:19

Yeah, that can be very hard.

Anita Mattu 5:21

Yeah, definitely. And how did the Mari method help you regain clarity and control?

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Yeah, I think it helped me regain a sense of control because I was constantly making decisions about what I wanted to stay in my home. So I had to be very intentional about what I wanted to keep and what I wanted to let go of. And in the method, we learn to not only just keep and get rid of things, but we really think about what sparks joy. And so you really have to confront yourself about what does spark joy for you. And that can be different for everybody. Um, and it can be different based on the type of item, whether it's you know something in the kitchen, kitchen utensil you may not think sparks joy, or you could have a favorite book that very much does spark joy. So you really have to think about that and go deep within yourself to answer those questions.

Anita Mattu 6:16

Wow. I think like I mean, at the moment I'm decluttering, I'm getting rid of a lot of things. That I've kept thinking, I'm gonna use them one day, and I was thinking, I'm never gonna use them, just get rid of it.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

Oh, the one day thinking, that is so common.

Anita Mattu 6:30

Um and it's not even like I was thinking, oh, you know, it's in good condition. It's some some things like I've got a brand new trampoline. Um, I've wanted to exercise. Have I ever exercised on it? Maybe once, twice, and I've decided I'm gonna get rid of it. Um I'm gonna take it to the tip and that's that. Because it's just sat there. Right. Taking up space. Yeah, absolutely. Yes. So what gave you the courage to completely reinvent your career? Because that was a big thing.

SPEAKER_00 7:02

Yeah, it was. And and I was just thinking about this. I spent over a decade building that career, and even further back than that, um, including when I went to college and what I studied. So it really was a big shift to step away from that. I believe I had part of my identity tied to being successful in my career. I had gone through the ranks to be up through senior leadership levels by the time I was let go. So it was very hard to step away from that. And I think being in this season of life and kind of being forced to confront what do I do next, I think is is what gave me the courage to move forward because everything was uncertain at that point. So the only thing you can do when you want change is to change something yourself. And so that's what I really leaned into.

Anita Mattu 7:51

That's brilliant. You did that. So, how can tidying up your home impact your life emotionally and mentally? How can tidying up your home impact

Courage To Reinvent A Career

Anita Mattu 8:02

your life emotionally and mentally?

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Tidying up your home is really tied not just to the material things as well, but it really does impact your mental state. When you think about looking around your space, even just seeing, of course, you know, clutter on counters and things of that nature, but if you look around and you see a bunch of different colors on labels and packages and boxes and things laying around, even if it doesn't look like clutter on the outside, it could still be in your mind and cluttering your mind.

Anita Mattu 8:33

Why do you think clutter creates so much stress and overwhelm for families?

SPEAKER_00 8:39

Yeah, for families in particular, especially when you've got small children and you know you've got their toys and clothes that they're constantly outgrowing, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff that you may not have otherwise. And when you don't really know what to do with that, um, it just continues to add up and add up. And when you've got so many different things going on, every item asks something of you. So it asks, how do I maintain this? How do you clean me? How do you clean around me? How do you take care of me? Where do I live? Where do I go? Where's my home? And so all of these things that continue to add up, you have decisions around them as well. And when you avoid those decisions, now you've got decision fatigue and you're already making hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions each day. And so the cycle just continues and it builds and it builds until you're at a complete state of overwhelm.

Anita Mattu 9:35

Can understand that because it it does get overwhelming. Definitely. It really does, yes.

Why Clutter Creates Overwhelm

Anita Mattu 9:41

And I think some people avoid it because of that. They think, yeah, I'll get back to it, and then they don't want to tackle it and it gets bigger and bigger, and it's a mountain before they know. You know, or some people just like it's terrible, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Yes, avoiding it is definitely something that is super common until oftentimes you're actually forced to confront it at some point or another.

Anita Mattu 10:03

Yeah, for sure. What changed internally for you after completing your own tiding festival, let's say?

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Yeah, I think I had a completely different mindset after that. I was really looking for what sparks joy for me? And I know we hear that phrase all the time, what sparks joy? And it can seem so abstract, but when you go through the entire process, it really does become a way of thinking. So, not even just in my own house as I'm moving through life, I think, does this activity that I'm doing, does it serve a purpose? Does it spark joy for me? Is it worth my time and effort? Is it worth my energy? And when you follow your joy, as I like to say, you are living a life that is more aligned to the life that you want to live. And so you're more likely to spend more time actually enjoying life versus just going through the motions.

Anita Mattu 11:02

Yeah, that's really interesting because that really nicely goes on to my next question. How does a peaceful home

Living By What Sparks Joy

Anita Mattu 11:09

environment affect confidence, relationships, and productivity?

SPEAKER_00 11:14

Yeah, I think when you have a clutter-free home or a relatively clutter-free home, it really clears the mind so that you can focus on those other things. You can focus on your career, you can focus on your relationships because as I mentioned before, with every item asking something of you, it's not always in the back of your mind that these things are waiting for me. Or in the case where people are avoiding those clutter piles, that's no longer in the back of your mind. So you your mind is freed up to focus on those other things that really do matter.

Anita Mattu 11:46

So how is your approach different from traditional organizing methods?

SPEAKER_00 11:50

Yeah, the conmari method is, I would say, very different from traditional organizing. Because when you think about traditional organizing, or at least I did, I thought about someone coming into your home, maybe even when you're not there, and just organizing your things for you and maybe adding some pretty clear bins and baskets and making everything look very nice on the surface level. But to me, and what the Conmari method really gets at is addressing the underlying root cause of the clutter. Why did the clutter accumulate in the first place? And how do we stop that from happening again? So I'm not just coming into your home or guiding you through organizing at a surface level one time, and then a couple months later down the road, you're calling me again. Uh, I need you to come back again because it's right back where it started. That's what we try to avoid by again addressing the issue and changing your mindset around your belongings. And again, we're focusing on not so much what to get rid of, but what to keep based

KonMari Versus Traditional Organising

SPEAKER_00 12:52

on what serves you in this life and what what sparks joy. Um, so we're not so much focused on the surface little pretty aesthetics. While at the very end it does it does look pretty based on what we've done and the process that we've gone through, but it's much more deeper than that.

Anita Mattu 13:09

I can imagine because everybody doesn't want to get rid of stuff or they want to keep it for a certain reason. But like, is it sparking you joy? So what does sparking joy actually mean in practical everyday life?

SPEAKER_00 13:26

It can be hard, especially when you think about it for the first time. I know it sounds so abstract or maybe cliche or silly even, but when you ask that question, you want to be touching the item or the thing that you're talking about, or at least connecting with it in some level, so that you can feel and sense how your body is reacting to it. So even with a shirt, just as an example, if you touch a shirt, you may notice that you feel a little bit lighter touching it. You like that shirt, it means something to you. Or you may immediately recoil because maybe I don't like the way I fit in that shirt. And so you can kind of notice how your body reacts, especially when you're touching something, whether it sparks joy for you in that way or not.

Anita Mattu 14:10

It's funny that because we've all got I speak for myself, but I'm including everyone in this, bear with me. We've all got lots of clothes in our wardrobes that we don't wear, but we'll wear one day, and sometimes you pick them up and say, Oh, never gonna wear that. You know, get rid of it.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

Yeah, I've always heard we wear maybe about 20% of the clothes that we actually have.

Anita Mattu 14:32

How

Defining “Sparks Joy” Practically

Anita Mattu 14:33

does intentional organizing help reduce decision fatigue? Because that's the thing. We have all these clothes, this everyday thing. What shall I wear today? What shall I not wear? Having it organized, having less of it as well.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

So yeah.

Anita Mattu 14:50

Let's talk a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Yeah, decision fatigue is is such a big part of this. And I know as a mom myself with little kids, and I hear from other moms all the time, we constantly feel decision fatigue through our life. And I think the clothes example is a really good example. When you start your morning, that's usually one of the first things you do. You get up and you make a decision about what you want to wear. So if you're having to struggle with that decision because your closet is cluttered, you can't even see your clothes, you're already starting to have decision fatigue at the very beginning of your day because you're struggling to make those decisions. So when that struggle is taken out of the equation, because you can see everything that you have and what you have as things that you actually enjoy, it really reduces that mental load from some of those micro decisions that add up throughout the day.

Anita Mattu 15:36

Yes, that's really true. So, what are some common misconceptions people have about decluttering?

SPEAKER_00 15:44

I think a big one is that people may think you have to be a minimalist in order to declutter successfully and have an organized home. And I think that's not the case at all. While you can certainly be a minimalist, and and I think that's great for some people, my focus and the focus of the Konmari method is being surrounded by the things that serve you and that make you happy and that you enjoy. So while some person may hold on to very sentimental things, if they're actually enjoying them and they're on display, that's great. Whereas another person might want to just get rid of all those types of keepsakes and things. So I think that's a big misconception is that you all of a sudden have to be a minimalist and you can't have any material things.

Anita Mattu 16:26

Why do people struggle so much with letting go of items?

SPEAKER_00 16:30

There are many reasons that I've seen that people struggle to let go. Of course, there's the emotional attachment with sentimental items. A lot of people think that memories are tied to those items. But one quote from

Decision Fatigue And Closet Stress

SPEAKER_00 16:42

Marie that I love is our memories are inside of us, not in our things. So even if those items were to be gone, you still have those memories inside you. And I think another reason people struggle is guilt, especially with things like gifts, maybe that someone gave them. They'll think, oh well, someone gave me this. I don't want to get rid of that. Maybe that's rude. Or this costs a lot of money. Maybe I should keep it and maybe one day I'll use it. And then, of course, the one day thinking, one day I might need this, that's also very hard to get rid of things when there's a scarcity mindset.

Anita Mattu 17:17

Have you seen clients experience emotional breakthroughs during this work? Because I'm kind of guessing there must be a lot of emotionals going on.

SPEAKER_00 17:25

There is. And honestly, I think when most people come to me and other consultants, it's after a very transformational time in their life. Whether like in my situation where I had just had a baby and a job loss, or someone who's going through a divorce, or someone who just started a new relationship or started a new job or has suffered a loss in their life. So usually what sparks this process is something big happening in someone's life.

Anita Mattu 17:54

Yes. And I think that you've just covered to my next question, which was what are people really searching for underneath the desire to organize their homes?

SPEAKER_00 18:03

Yeah, I think people are searching for a way forward that feels more aligned to who they are and who they want to be, and just feeling that sense of calm and peace again.

Anita Mattu 18:18

So what is one small step someone can take today if they feel overwhelmed by clutter?

Guilt And Scarcity Mindset

SPEAKER_00 18:24

Yeah, I think there's two different ways that you could approach this depending on where you are and and how you feel comfortable. Now, with the Kanmari method, we always say to start with clothes because that's the easiest category to sort through and determine what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of, because it's usually least sentimental. So if you want to go that route, my suggestion would be to start with a very small subcategory of clothes so it's not overwhelming. Something maybe like just short sleeve t-shirts and just go through that and sort through that category and decide what you want to keep and what what you're ready to let go of. But if if it's someone who's really busy and struggles to even just get started, and even that feels overwhelming, just to sort through short-sleeve t-shirts, my suggestion is just to pick one drawer. I think most people have what I call a jump drawer. A lot of people have those in their kitchen where it's just a drawer of random stuff, papers, tools, things of that nature. If you have one of those, whether it's a drawer or a cabinet, my suggestion

One Small Step To Start Today

SPEAKER_00 19:25

would be to just start there and see how it feels to take everything out, sort through it, decide what's really useful, what you actually use, and ask yourself a couple of questions. When was the last time I used this? Does this spark joy for me? How do I feel when I touch this? And go through that process in that really small space. It really shouldn't take 30 minutes max, a lot of times even less than that. And once you feel how that feels to tidy up that area and go through that process, a lot of times you'll then have the momentum and motivation to continue the process.

Anita Mattu 19:59

And yes, absolutely. What category do people usually struggle the most with?

SPEAKER_00 20:07

It definitely varies by person. I think universally the sentimental category, which includes photographs and keepsakes and memorabilia, is the hardest for obvious reasons because there's emotional attachment to it. But you would be surprised too at how hard it can be for some folks to go through a category like papers or books, because there can be a sentimental attachment to that there. When you think about papers, a lot of people keep old course materials, and so they think, oh, I might refer back to this again, or they think, oh, this reminds me of a time when I was in college or when I was taking this course, and it kind of keeps them tied back to that point in their life. And so that can be a real struggle to finally let go of that.

Anita Mattu 20:54

So, how can busy mums create systems that are realistic and sustainable? Because every mom wants to know that.

SPEAKER_00 21:04

Yeah, I think as a mom, and when you've got young kids especially, the best way to keep it sustainable is to get the kids involved. And the best way to do that is through connection and having things accessible to them. And I think usually starting at about three years old is when they can actually get involved and enjoy helping you with these things. And so getting them involved in the process and they can kind of understand from that age and above what they like and maybe what does not spark joy for them. Um, and I personally, as a mom with a three-year-old and a one-year-old, do this with them as well. And we keep all of their toys in accessible places so that they know when playtime is over, they are capable and have the independence that they can put the things away themselves because it's accessible to them, they can reach it, and they enjoy having a clear space at the end of the day. My son, who's three,

Sentimental Items And Family Systems

SPEAKER_00 22:00

he says that it makes it easier to sleep at night.

Anita Mattu 22:03

God bless him. Oh, that's lovely. So, what habits help maintain a calm and organized home long term?

SPEAKER_00 22:12

Yeah, that's a big one to avoid the rebound that I talked about earlier, where you have everything nice and organized, and then three, six months down the line, it just creeps back in. And the mindset shift, I think, is the big part of this to stop that cycle. When you have completed an incomplete tidying festival and you've gone through your entire house, it really feels like you have gained a new perspective and respect actually for your belongings. So you actually want to take care of the things and you want to take the extra few seconds to put something away in the home that you have designated for that item versus just leaving it on the counter, so to speak. And so I think that makes it easier and you're more willing to see it through. And it becomes a habit to put things away and to not continue to accumulate the clutter.

Anita Mattu 23:05

Yeah, so is that so. Thing, isn't it? It's about I think sometimes we get rid of things, then somehow or or another we'll fill it up with something else. Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

Because now you have that empty space and you can fill it back up.

Anita Mattu 23:20

If there was one key takeaway you want every listener to walk away with today, what would that be?

SPEAKER_00 23:26

I think the takeaway that I would have for everyone is that your environment really does impact both your mental and emotional state. And when your environment is clear and it's peaceful, then you start to feel that in your body and in your mind as well.

Anita Mattu 23:44

And I think that's so important, isn't it? Because it's about how we feel about it as well. Yes. Yes. And it's just so stressful taking on all that stress. You look at one side of your house and think, oh gosh. Um yeah, absolutely clear.

SPEAKER_00 24:02

Yeah, when you're surrounded by clutter in your house, your mind tends to feel cluttered as well and chaotic.

Anita Mattu 24:09

So where can the listeners find you online? Your website?

SPEAKER_00 24:13

I have a website, it's elorganizingco.com, and that's also my handle on Instagram and Facebook as well, EL Organizing Co.

Anita Mattu 24:23

And all listeners, all the links will be in the show notes. So do please

Habits That Prevent The Rebound

Anita Mattu 24:26

go ahead and connect with Erica. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. By doing so, I'm sure you've impacted so many people and truly made a difference. I'd really like to acknowledge you for that. Erica Lewis.

SPEAKER_00 24:42

Thank you very much. It was a pleasure speaking with you.

Anita Mattu 24:45

Thank you. And we are all about create the courage to be fearless podcast here. What is your definition of courage?

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Uh I think my definition of courage is taking action and moving forward, even when there are plenty of uncertainties and there's no guarantees, but you still choose to move forward, anyways.