KATI
My clients come to me for 3 simple reasons.
1 - They understand that they need help to declutter and organize their home and lives.
2 - They want to get it done as fast and streamlined as possible to live their ideal lifestyle as soon as possible.
3 - They’re tired of having to try it on their own- just to get overwhelmed and stuck in the process all by themselves.
AS FEATURED IN:
It’s my goal to help you declutter and organize your belongings, so you have space for what’s really important!
When I was little, I loved playing Lego Duplo with my younger sister. 🤓
I grew up with very tidy, organized and practical parents. They both walked their talk, and everything that we owned had a purpose and a home.
This is why it comes very naturally to me to examine a space and develop a strategy to create an organized and beautiful home that brings clarity and calm.
On top of that, it’s fun for me! It excites me! 🙌🏼 I see the possibilities and the journey to accomplish my clients’ dreams.
“It was a relief to have Kati's assistance with unburdening all the stuff and clutter that had taken over my life in recent years. Her gentle and kind spirit, as well as her ease and sense of humor, made it feel as though I was just going through my piles of stuff with a close friend.”
— LYNDA F., HOMEMAKER CEO | QUEENS, NY, USA
Creativity and organization are my happy place.
For the longest time, I wanted to become an artist when I grew up and to make beautiful things. However, I first took a detour.
I have a degree as a foreign language correspondent for English and Spanish. At 21, I moved to Argentina and worked for a Christian organization and its magazine. When I returned to Germany, I got a BA and MA in protestant theology and became a pastor.
I still created lots of art for friends and family. And I also decluttered, organized, and redesigned homes while parallel working for churches and various Christian organizations in Germany and abroad. But I never thought about doing it professionally, although I loved doing it.
Then in 2014, we moved to New York City.
A new country with new opportunities. I felt that now comes the time to combine all my passions:
Art, design, organization
People, languages, cultures
Spirituality, coaching, counseling
I officially started heartfully done® in January 2015.
How did we get all our stuff from A to B?
Relocating two people and all their belongings across an ocean was another level of moving. Although I was a very tidy and organized person, this was a big challenge. I decluttered before our move but felt so attached to my belongings that only a small percentage of the items got sorted out. My motto was, "Let's keep it, just in case I might need it later!"
With this mindset, we started our life in New York with way too many things. Finding an apartment where all of our stuff would fit was very difficult. In the end, we found a place on our maxed-out budget, but we had to move to the city's outskirts with a 3-hour commute each day. This was immensely draining! We also accepted that over half of our salary was spent on rent. We lived in New York City but couldn't take advantage of what the city offered.
The life we lived wasn’t the life I wanted to live! Something had to change!
I wanted to live fully and not worry about our stuff and the budget. I didn’t want to have such a long commute. I wanted to spend more quality time with loved ones, and not just work to pay the bills. It felt like a vicious cycle.
My whole adult life, I wanted to own more things (the pretty, shiny things ✨). I always thought I needed more because it was not enough yet.
And then a shift happened.
I discovered Minimalism and the KonMari Method®. First, I was curious, then intrigued, and then hooked.
Instead of wondering how we could earn more money to rent a more centrally located apartment, I started thinking, "What if we own less and find a smaller apartment for the same price but closer to work? ". This was when things began to change.
I started letting go of items and was incredibly passionate about the whole process. I freed our life from approximately two-thirds of all that we owned. All of this took time and lots of energy.
In the end, I felt much freer and relieved. Fewer belongings created somehow also more space in my mind. The result was being able to dive into topics I thought I would never be able to tackle (e.g., vegan and whole foods diet, zero waste).
After months of decluttering, donating, selling, and recycling, we finally moved from our 3-bedroom apartment, with over 800 square feet filled with too many "just in case"-things, into a 300 square feet studio apartment in Manhattan with only the things we loved and needed.
Tweaking it until it feels right.
We moved to Brooklyn two years later, where we lived for four years. Although we loved Manhattan and how quickly we could reach everything, we didn't like how loud it was on our street corner. I also longed to live closer to nature, and then we moved into a place only a few minutes from Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
In August of 2022, we started a new adventure. We took a six months break from hectic NYC and moved to Portugal. We downsized even more so we could travel lighter. Back then all our belongings fit in a few suitcases.
In February of 2023, we returned to NYC and now live again in Manhattan but fairly close to Central Park (yay, for nature!).
I learned that discovering my ideal lifestyle is a process that unfolds bit by bit (even move by move 😉📦).
I stopped working for churches and Christian organizations but work full-time as a Professional Home Organizer and certified KonMari Consultant. I feel lucky to use my background in languages, counseling, and living in four countries to support my clients to create space for what's really important to them.
Ready to take action?
I’ll help you to first envision your ideal lifestyle and then to create the space you need for it.
Check out the testimonials, and see how former clients experienced this process.
A FEW MORE FACTS
1. MULTICULTURAL
I’m originally from Germany. My husband, Daniel, is from Portugal, and we met through an online dating platform while we were both living in our countries of origin back in 2011 (with no Tinder and other fancy apps). After a long-distance relationship, he moved to Germany, we got married, and 2014 we moved to New York City. Our big lifestyle vision is to live and work in the US, Germany, and Portugal and discover more of the world.🌎
In the picture, we’re at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden - one of our favorite places in the city.
2. INCLUSIVE
I grew up in a very conservative family and church (German Baptists). I worked as a missionary, went to Bible School, have a BA and MA in Theology, and am a trained pastor and wedding officiant. My dad came out gay when I was a preteen, and after years of living between the love for my dad and the "rules of the church," I decided that love wins. That's why I am inclusive. Working with me is a safe space - it doesn't matter what sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, or religion you have.
In the picture, I had the honor of officiating my cousin's and her wife's wedding in Germany.
3. ADVENTUROUS
I'm curious, love new experiences, and push the limits of my comfort zone. For that reason, I have an ever-growing bucket list. I've already done a few things. The biggest was galloping horseback on the beach (see picture), zip-lining through the treetops, sky diving, and climbing one of the big bridges in Portugal. I also love traveling and getting to know other cultures. Dearest to my heart were the experiences of working and living with Native American and South American tribes in the US and Argentina (the Lakota and Wichí). There is so much to experience, and I am a lifelong learner and appreciate that I could visit 20 countries and meet their lovely people.
“Kati gave me the encouragement and gentle kick in the rear I needed! The best way I can describe it is like hiring a personal trainer for my house. Everyone in my house is happier now. I feel less stressed. It's been the best investment for my whole family. I wish I had done it years ago.”
— SARAH PETERS, TECHNOLOGY MARKETING MANAGER | HAZLET, NJ, USA
