Jill Yesko Diana Of Discover Organizing On How Simplifying & Decluttering Your Life Can Make You Happier

An Interview With Drew Gerber

When you release a possession, give it to a charity or a place you connect with or that represents your values. It will embolden you to continue this behavior if you keep feeding your beliefs with good food.

We live in a time of great excess. We have access to fast fashion, fast food, and fast everything. But studies show that all of our “stuff” is not making us any happier. How can we simplify and focus on what’s important? How can we let go of all the clutter and excess and find true happiness? In this interview series, we are talking to coaches, mental health experts, and authors who share insights, stories, and personal anecdotes about “How Simplifying and Decluttering Your Life Can Make Us Happier.” As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jill Yesko Diana.

Jill Yesko Diana founded Discover Organizing Inc. ® in 2003, forming the company on compassion and education, helping those in need learn how to create lasting systems of organization.

Jill is a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), earning a Certified Professional Organizer® designation in 2007, the inaugural year of the certification program.

To fill her customer’s growing needs, Jill expanded her service menu and started providing photo organizing, then life transition services, such as packing and unpacking services, which led to her becoming a National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers® (NASMM) member.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share your “backstory” with us? What was it that led you to your eventual career choice?

My first career out of college as a mental health case manager is the core foundation for my entire career. This role taught me how to connect those in need to the proper resources and ensure they received the necessary care and services. It was a natural progression for me to go from social work to psychiatric hospital administration as a human resources director before starting Discover Organizing in 2003. Relationship building and proper administration are two important pillars of customer care that I practice, but so is following through on promises we make to our clients.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

There are so many stories to share about client successes, however, the most significant victory in the last 20 years was my own maturity as I grew in my profession. I wanted the client to have a beautifully organized and meticulous closet or space for which they hired my help. As I evolved in this business, I became increasingly more concerned with the mental health issues and habits formed to sustain a system of organization that works for the client in daily living. Some of the best testimonials I can receive are the ones that tell me that the clients are still using the techniques that we implemented together!

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I founded Safe Moves for Seniors in 2022, a nonprofit that assists economically disadvantaged older adults to downsize, declutter and move at no charge. Financial barriers immobilize very vulnerable populations and trap them in homes that no longer are safe or serve them in any way. Creating a compassionate means for a clear and easy path to a more affordable and stable home has and will continue to help those individuals improve their health, decrease social isolation and minimize the overutilization of the healthcare system.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority on the topic of “How Simplifying and Decluttering Your Life Can Make You Happier”?

I became a professional organizer in 2003 and immediately began taking my existing project management skills and adding multiple education hours to my knowledge base. I attended conferences and courses through NAPO, ICD® (Institute for Chronic Disorganization) and NASMM. I studied countless books from organizing experts and psychologists on organizing best practices and productivity. I started working more deeply with those with hoarding disorders over the years and published “I’m Right Here: 10 Ways to Get Help for Hoarding and Chronic Disorganization” in 2021, a supportive resource book for those experiencing these conditions, as well as a guide for caregivers. Over the past two decades, I have taught at multiple national conferences, major corporations and local events on the power of productivity, household decluttering, home and office organization and downsizing for life transitions.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. We live in a time of excess. We have access to so much. But studies show that all of our “stuff” is not making us any happier. Can you articulate for our readers a few reasons why all of our possessions are not giving us happiness?

I firmly believe life is not about our “stuff,” but rather, it is about surrounding ourselves with the people, places and things that represent who we are. When we have to “tackle” and “deal with” our possessions, we burden ourselves with tasks that consume precious time versus being more present in the world. I have heard many of my older adult clients say that managing their belongings interrupted their relationships far too often, which is a huge regret.

On a broader societal level, how do you think this excessiveness may be harming our communities and society?

I see the other side of the excess: the full garages, basements and attics. I see the stuffed closets, drawers and cupboards. I see pantries brimming over with expired food. I call these homes the “Houses of Good Intentions” because, in our minds, we all consume things for a good reason. No one collects or purchases items to be unhappy or create more stress for themselves, but that is what eventually happens.

The irony of struggling with happiness in modern times is glaring. In many places in the world today, we have more than ever before in history. Yet despite this, so many people are unhappy. Why is simplifying a solution? How would simplifying help people to access happiness?

I have often said, “At Discover Organizing, we help people who feel that they have too much stuff to be happy.” Everyone defines happiness differently. However, when living with less to do and more time to spend with people we love, enjoying hobbies and creating a new life purpose, we gain contentment and experience true joy. If we manage possessions to the point where we cannot perform those three actions, we might have less peace than we would like and experience distraction and agitation.

Can you share some insights from your own experience? Where in your life have you transformed yourself from not having enough to finally experiencing enough? For example, many people feel they don’t have enough money. Yet, people define abundance differently, and often, those with the least money can feel the most abundant. Where in your health, wealth, or relationships have you transformed your life?

I have become more present in my relationships. The more “things” people have, the more they have to manage. Those activities, for me, deviate from my goal of being a better wife, parent, friend, community leader and business owner. With less worry, I have time for hobbies and activities I enjoy, like travel, surfing, snowboarding and skiing. My relationships have improved as I have released many unrealistic expectations of myself and others, and I now meet people I care about exactly where they are. I have always treated my clients the same, so accepting that behavior in my personal life has been transformative.

People, places, and things shape our lives. For example, your friends generate conversations that influence you. Where you live impacts what you eat and how you spend your time. The “things” in your life, like phones, technology, or books impact your recreation. Can you tell us a little about how people, places, and things in your own life impact your experience of “experiencing enough?”

It may sound oversimplified, but my surfboard symbolizes experiencing enough. When I have it, I have everything I need in the world: the ocean, the wind, the sun, other people and the “stoke” of life. I do not have cell phones, computers, pressure, stress, unnecessary distractions or low-priority events to pull me away from these moments. I look towards the land and see my husband happily reading and my family doing the things they enjoy.

What advice would you give to younger people about “experiencing enough?”

I understand that technology has become a primary source of recreation and entertainment. It can also be a productivity drain. Time management is impossible, but prioritization is the most important skill set we must develop to reduce regrets. If we learn that, we can do just about anything.

Based on your experience and research, can you share your “five ways we can simplify and declutter our lives to make us happier?”

1. Identify what makes you happy — your activities, not your stuff.

2. Surround yourself in your home with possessions that match your answer to #1.

3. If you are releasing items and struggling to let go, write a short story about what that object represents to you.

4. When you release a possession, give it to a charity or a place you connect with or that represents your values. It will embolden you to continue this behavior if you keep feeding your beliefs with good food.

5. Make frequent and regular passes through your home to avoid “clutter creep” to maintain your home’s organization system.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I have already begun a movement in my nonprofit, Safe Moves for Seniors. We help economically disadvantaged older adults move for free. This allows people to have housing security and reduce the stress they experience by remaining in unsafe and unaffordable homes. The organization is growing and opening new offices nationwide, with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the headquarters. If I could keep that movement going, I would ask our readers to check in on someone they have been meaning to call. A phone call could change someone’s day, and if we really listen when we ask, “How are you?” we might hear a cry for help and find the right resource for them. Everyone is capable of this.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Our website is www.discoverorganizing and leads to our blog, services and media. Our published books are available at that link as well!

Thank you so much for these insights. This was so inspiring, and so important!

About The Interviewer: For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. Drew is the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a full-service PR agency lauded by PR Week and Good Morning America. Wasabi Publicity, Inc. is a global marketing company that supports industry leaders, change agents, unconventional thinkers, companies and organizations that strive to make a difference. Whether it’s branding, traditional PR or social media marketing, every campaign is instilled with passion, creativity and brilliance to powerfully tell their clients’ story and amplify their intentions in the world. Schedule a free consultation at WasabiPublicity.com/Choosing-Publicity