Start with the closet. Photo courtesy @tidyla
As a skeptic (and a slob), I was surprised and pleased by how Meredith Ryness responded when I asked how she approaches those who are skeptical of Marie Kondo’s method.
“Honestly,” she said, “it isn’t for everyone.” I’d read (some of) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and I’d even done some tidying based on what I’d read, though I’m pretty sure I did it wrong. I found the book to be aggressive, or passive aggressive I suppose, and couldn’t get fully on board. If a member of my household just threw my stuff away without consulting me the way young Kondo had, we would have had serious words. I understand that the method is born from a culture very different from my own, and I appreciated Meredith Ryness’s reinforcement that this probably wasn’t for me. Considering she’s a small business owner, I admire the honesty instead of the sales pitch.
Ryness owns and operates Tidy LA, wherein she offers several services and packages designed to relieve you of clutter based on the KonMari Method™. Ryness is one of only 200 or so organizers certified in the KonMarie Method™ outside of Japan, and less than ten of them work in Los Angeles. It was the Method itself that brought her and her family to LA a few years back. Ryness was living in a “cozy” NYC apartment with her husband and three small children when she picked up Marie Kondo’s book and something just clicked. The point of Kondo’s method of course isn’t just to be organized; her method of organization helps declutter your mind as well, putting your priorities into a clearer perspective, and freeing up your ability to build the life you truly desire. Ryness’s experience with the book led to a drastic downsize and a cross-country move that brought her family closer together and allowed a fresh start void of frigid winters and cramped living.
Ryness with the master herself. Photo courtesy of @tidyla
Ryness describes her role in her clients’ tidying as something akin to a personal trainer. She offers unbiased and empathetic guidance and support, but she can’t do the workout for you. Once you hire her, you and Ryness become a team. The method doesn’t work without a perspective shift, so Ryness is very honest and upfront with clients about the level of commitment required to make this work. In retrospect, not having a trainer to keep me accountable (and calm) was probably the primary reason why my personal tidying foray failed so magnificently.
You can tidy pretty much anything. Photo courtesy of @tidyla
Tidy LA offers several services—from office organization to full life organization—so that you can tailor the experience to your own needs. For more info or to book an appointment, visit tidyla.com and follow Meredith on Instagram @tidyla.
