Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayli Thorpe
Hi Hayli, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was growing up, there was nothing more exciting than a visit from Grandma and Grandpa. Without fail, a visit from them meant swimming in the hotel pool, long games of cards, and a new shirt from the JCPenney store. It was magical. However, there was always some stress in the days leading up, as my mother frantically scrambled to put our house in order. My siblings and I would be clearing the dinner table, putting away clothes, and wrangling toys at lightning speed in an attempt to make the home presentable. On occasion, this would take so long that it chipped away at our visit time. And even as a kid I remember looking at that (temporarily) tidy and organized home and thinking, “wouldn’t it be easier if we just kept it this way?”
I’m happy to tell you that it is indeed significantly easier and less stressful. If a friend found themselves in Plano, Texas unexpectedly, I would welcome them inside my home without a bit of hesitation. Now, when I have company over I only worry about some light cleaning- emptying the garbage, sweeping, etc. – but never about putting things away or organizing. Admittedly, I have always been a very clean and organized person. While my siblings were often just asked to clean their room, I was given extra duties because I voluntarily kept my room clean. But until a few years ago, I hadn’t figured out how to help OTHER PEOPLE organize. (Seriously, my version of “helping” my little sister organize was to take all of her junk that was cluttering our shared bedroom and hiding it in a box. And then accepting bribes to tell her where her stuff went.)
In 2015, my mom gave me a copy of Marie Kondo’s “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” I devoured the brief volume while out of town over Christmas, and it took enormous will power to not start tidying the AirBnb where we were staying. I couldn’t wait to get started. While my things were pretty well organized, I had no idea how MANY things I owned until I applied the KonMari method in my own home. Unlike some traditional organizing advice, the KonMari method preached keeping those items that “sparked joy,” regardless of their practical implications. The book also instructed to tidy by category (clothes, books, papers, Komono (Japanese for miscellaneous), rather than location. The difference in strategy was groundbreaking. I filled up my Corolla three times with items that no longer “sparked joy”- zebra print club clothes from college, kitschy kitchen appliances that only do one thing, and stacks upon stacks of unread books. I was hooked.
Shortly after applying this decluttering method in my own home, I wanted to learn how to teach others the same. I knew KonMari Consultant training seminars happened once a year, but the travel and cost associated were prohibitive. So I kept working my day job (general manager of a restaurant) and waiting. And in 2020, a virtual consultant training program was offered (a silver lining of the pandemic!) Now I am completely certified and ready to help you create a home that is calm, organized and serene. And a place that your grandparents can stop by anytime they like!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I can’t imagine anyone starting a small business would call it a smooth road! I knew a ton about organizing, but nothing about running a business. In the past few years, I’ve gotten better about asking for help and not trying to do everything on my own. I’ve also become really good at finding answers on Reddit and Youtube!
As you know, we’re big fans of Mindful Tidying with Hayli. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Mindful Tidying with Hayli is a professional organizing business based in Plano, Texas. My team and I help people who are completely overwhelmed with clutter and chaos in their homes. We declutter and organize everything from huge closets to dusty garages. My specialty is using the KonMari method with clients- Marie Kondo’s theology of keeping only those items that spark joy. This method is a game changer for clients looking to shed the extra clutter. For me, the biggest compliment I can receive is that the client’s life was a little easier after our work. If a client tells us she’s arguing with her husband less or having an easier time getting kids out the door because her house isn’t a mess, that’s a huge win. In addition to decluttering and organizing, Mindful Tidying also offers virtual organizing, packing and unpacking, and new home set up.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be scrounging change from around the house with my little sister so that we could go buy a bagful of frozen chocolate covered bananas from the local ice cream shop.
Pricing:
- One Day, Two Organizers $900
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mindfultidyingwithhayli.com
- Instagram: @mindfultidyingwithhayli
