Marie Kondo (left) and Katrina Hassan at the first European KonMari™ seminar in London in April 2018.

Marie Kondo (left) and Katrina Hassan at the first European KonMari® seminar in London in April 2018.

Katrina Hassan

Katrina is a Certified KonMari® Consultant and the founder of Spark Joy London. As an experienced teacher working in an 'Outstanding' graded school in Central London for over nine years, she has a passion for helping people achieve their goals. She was a Lead Teacher for Westminster and within this role she supported teachers in developing their skills to deliver outstanding practice. 

Katrina discovered the book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' by Marie Kondo when she was pregnant with her first child. She followed the principles of the KonMari Method® to organise her home when planning a homebirth. It was important to her to feel secure, calm and confident in her home in preparation for the birth of her baby. Two years later, and after successfully delivering two children at home, Katrina completed her training with Marie Kondo to become a Certified KonMari® Consultant. After experiencing such a positive transformation in her own life, she is committed to teaching and supporting others in achieving a more organised life, which sparks joy.

 
Katrina Hassan ~ Certified KonMari Consultant

Spark Joy with Katrina

Whether you want to make better use of your space, are moving house, helping a loved one, renovating or expecting a baby, Katrina, through a series of hands-on KonMari® tidying sessions, can help you transform your home into one that reflects how you want to live now and in the future.

First she will carefully guide you in identifying and keeping only the items that spark joy for you. Then she will support you in storing and organising your possessions so they are easy to access and maintain. Together, you go through each of the five categories sequentially:

  • Clothes;

  • Books;

  • Papers;

  • Komono (miscellaneous items including but not limited to kitchenware, food items, toiletries and cosmetics, children's toys, stationary, etc.) and;

  • Sentimental Items.

It is advisable to complete all five categories of the KonMari Method®, to ensure it has a significant and lasting impact on your life. However Katrina will tailor her service to your needs meaning you can choose to work on fewer categories or one category alone. The KonMari Method® can work for anyone regardless of what stage you are in life as long as you commit to the process. Services are always confidential and discretion is assured. 

 
 

The One Show: Katrina supports a client in Kingston with the first KonMari® category ~ clothes.

 
 

The KonMari Method®

'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' by Japanese tidying expert and best-selling author Marie Kondo is a guide to decluttering your home, which takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method® for simplifying, organising, and storing. Some of the key KonMari® principles are:

Katrina Hassan ~ photo credit to Lily Sawyer Photography
  • You focus on keeping items that 'spark joy': The method is about surrounding yourselves with items that will support you in your life. You are encouraged to hold each item in your hands and become aware of how your body responds. This process is not about getting rid of things; it's about keeping what 'sparks joy' for you.

  • You organise by category, not location: Instead of organising room-by-room, you organise by category.

  • You follow a specific order for your tidying: You start with clothing, before moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous) and finally, sentimental items.

  • Complete your tidying marathon in one set time period: Instead of spending years decluttering your house one area at a time, this method is a one-time event with a start and a finish. This allows you to confront your clutter in an effective way, resulting in lasting change.

  • You use what you have: There's usually no need to invest in expensive organisational products and solutions. Most of the items needed to organise and store things are already in your home.

  • Once complete, every item in your home has a place: This prevents the build up of clutter over time.

As of 2019, over 11 million copies of 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' have been sold and it is available in over 40 countries.

 
Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom

Cherry blossom is a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, the fragility and the beauty of life. Known as "Sakura" the significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture dates back over a thousand years. 

For Spark Joy London, the cherry blossom represents the beautiful journey one embarks upon by simply asking, "Does this spark joy?" Many people experience a renewed appreciation and gratitude for their belongings, their home, and their life once they have completed their tidying experience.

Time is precious, so with less distraction one is able to focus on what truly matters to them in life.