Sunday, May 1, 2016

Francine Jay, Founder of Miss Minimalist and author of The Joy of Less A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize and Simplify - featured on Get the FUNK Out! Clutter can put you in a huge personal and professional FUNK! Tune in for a great conversation about de-cluttering and finding Joy in Less!



Listen here to today's show here!

ABOUT FRANCINE JAY
FRANCINE JAY is the bestselling decluttering expert and founder of MissMinimalist.com. She has helped hundreds of thousands of people organize their homes and simplify their lives, and has been prominently featured in national media. She lives in Portland, Oregon.


ABOUT THE JOY OF LESS
In this fully redesigned and repackaged edition—featuring never-before-seen content—Jay brings her philosophy to more readers who are eager to declutter. Rather than a "crash diet" approach found in other tidying up books, Jay shares simple steps to develop a minimalist mindset and form new habits to pave the way to lasting success.


The easy-to-follow STREAMLINE method works with families and can be applied during clutter-inducing life events such as moving, getting married or having kids. Implement Jay’s minimalist method on a single drawer, closet, room, or entire house to reclaim the space and open yourself up to the potential of a serene environment.


The Joy of Less is a refreshing and relatable approach to decluttering that belongs in every home.



PRAISE FOR THE JOY OF LESS BY FRANCINE JAY
"I loved the many words of wisdom in this book. The Joy of Less puts power back into the hands of all who feel like objects have overtaken their home or life.”

- Holly Becker, author and founder of decor8blog.com



“An invaluable tool for the veteran and budding minimalist alike.”

- David Friedlander, contributor, LifeEdited.com



"Stuff and stress go hand in hand, and The Joy of Less demonstrates how letting go will make room for a happier life.”

- Courtney Carver, founder of bemorewithless.com



“An inspiring read for anyone wanting to downsize, finally park the car in the garage, or just clear out a few closets.”

- Rachel Jonat, TheMinimalistMom.com






ABOUT MISS MINIMALIST

I’m Francine Jay, and I’m a minimalist.

To me, being a minimalist isn’t only about white walls and empty spaces. It’s about eliminating the distractions that keep us from fully appreciating life.

The less stuff we have cluttering our homes (and the less “to-do’s” cluttering our time), the more energy we can devote to the things that are truly important to us. My goal is to find that elusive point of “just enough,” whereby I own nothing more than that which meets my needs.

I believe that minimalism isn’t about emptiness for the sake of emptiness—but rather making room to move freely, think clearly, and open ourselves to the beauty and wonder of life.

I’m the author of The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify, a book about the joy and lightness that can be found in having less stuff. Here’s what you’ll find inside:
an inspirational pep talk on the rewards of paring down
the STREAMLINE method: ten easy steps to achieve (and maintain) a clutter-free home
a Room by Room guide to more space and serenity
a family-focused program to help children and partners (even reluctant ones!) declutter
a look at how living lightly can help save the planet

My readers often tell me that they’ve put down my book in the middle of a chapter to clear out a closet or kitchen cabinet. That’s what I love to hear! I want you to be as excited about decluttering as I am, and discover the sheer exhilaration of letting go of the excess.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy hiking, doing yoga, and traveling. In the last few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the following places: Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Iceland, Venice, Florence, Rome, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona, Madrid, Koln, Copenhagen, Prague, Helsinki, Tallinn, Oslo, Stockholm, Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Vienna, Budapest, Athens, Istanbul, Lisbon, Vietnam, Thailand, London and much of England.

I started this blog in 2009, when I was a carefree nomad with all my possessions in a suitcase. Since then, my husband and I have had a beautiful daughter (nicknamed Plumblossom on my blog), and have settled down in our own home. But even though we’ve stopped wandering, the wanderlust remains—and we hope someday to resume our travels with the little one in tow.

When I began writing about minimalism, I never expected to have more than a handful of readers—but the response has been incredible, and this blog has grown beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve sold over 150,000 books on the topic, and been featured in CNN, BBC, NBC TODAY, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Financial Times, Forbes, Huffington Post, Spiegel, and The Irish Times.

Why does this thrill me so? Because it means 150,000+ people are interested in minimalist living, transforming it from a quirky lifestyle choice into a mainstream movement. 150,000+ people want to reduce their clutter and consumerism, and are taking the steps to do so. How wonderful is that? It gives me great hope for a kinder, gentler, more sustainable future.

Coming up! UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts - Joel Veenstra, Chair, Department of Drama, Head of Stage Management

Chair, Department of Drama Head of Stage Management Joel Veenstra is a professional stage manager, production manager, producer, and improvi...