Another Monday in quarantine for us New Yorkers, which means another dose of Prep Talk from entrepreneurs. In case you. missed it, I’ve shared a different entrepreneur doing AMAZING things almost every Monday in quarantine. Some are greeting card artists, some are bloggers/boutique owners, and some like today are certified Konmari consultants.

Meet, Devin VonderHaar! She is the owner of the Modern Minimalist. Devin combines elements of minimalist philosophy, the KonMari Method, sustainable living, and her personal brand of holistic counseling to create calm in her clients’ homes.

If I have learned anything from quarantining at home, it is how important it is to love your space. If you are using this time to get organized and bring to calm to your own home, Devin has some great advice over on her website and below as she answers our Prep Talk interview questions.

1| Tell us a little bit about your business. What is it? When did you start it? And what inspired you? 
The modern minimalist is my holistic organizing + design business. I officially started January of 2019, after years of working with clients in personal assistant work in homes. I have a background in business, in-home services working with families + an education in counseling and the modern minimalist is a combination of my passions.  My mission is empowering the modern matriarch, teaching women the method I’ve learned to create an intentional life, starting with organizing your surroundings. 

2| How has the COVID-19 crisis impacted your business? 
COVID-19 has completely shifted my business. Prior to mid-March I was only doing in-person, in-home work with clients, as well as in-person events. The current climate has allowed me to pivot, creating a system for virtual sessions, virtual events + trainings as well as the focus to create my new digital offering, the modern minimalist method where people can go through my system on their own. 

3| What has your daily routine looked like these days? 
My daily routine starts with water, a grounding meditation + self reiki (when I remember). I wake up naturally without an alarm, from anywhere between 4:30 to 6a. I like to start aromatherapy with essential oils in my diffuser first thing, and play music to jumpstart positive energy. I like to plan out my day first thing, keeping my to-do list to three major focus points for the day. I feed + take out our dogs, do my morning skincare routine, connect with my wife about their day, eat breakfast, and sit down in my office to start my workday by 8a. 

4 |How are you staying motivated on working on and growing your business during this unpredictable time? 
I think I’m very unique in that this time has motivated me to focus on my business in a way that I haven’t since I created it. I am a multi-passionate person, with my hand in a lot of different projects at any given time, so it’s been magical for me to be forced to stay here and get creative with my business. I credit my positive mindset to a combination of meditation, focus on gratitude, reiki and having support through several entrepreneur groups I’m a part of. 

5| Do you have any WFH hacks on how to stay productive? 
Of course! Consistency is important in establishing habits + getting your brain in work mode. I’m big on the power of ritual. Doing something to signal the start of your workday, whether that’s getting dressed as you normally would, taking a shower, playing a specific song etc. Taking breaks, going for walks, limiting screen time, establishing boundaries with your ‘coworkers’ at home. I actually did a WFH blog series recently you can check out on my website with more in-depth tips. 

6| How is your work/life balance in a world where your bed may also be your desk?
Yes! It’s important in establishing habits to signal the difference between using the space for work vs sleep. Create a ritual for switching from sleep to work time. Maybe you do a moving meditation as you make the bed, and set out everything you need to make it your office space. Getting dressed could be helpful too. Once the workday is done, create an end of workday ritual, and put all the workday supplies back, out of the bedroom. 

7| How are you staying connected to your work family? If you are a one-man-show, how are you staying connected to those you care about at this time?
Zoom is pretty much my life right now. I have several mastermind groups I created for accountability + support that I meet with at least once a week. This is something I also did prior to the pandemic, but we didn’t meet quite as often. This has been huge for my mental health + motivation. I also have weekly calls with friends + family, after work hours. 

8| Has the quarantine life inspired you in any new ways? 
Definitely! My wife and I made a quarantine bucket list with a variety of activities we’ve wanted to do, courses to take, meals to make. Its been so fun to have the time to learn so much in such a short period of time. I should also mention I’m a thriving introvert, so staying home is actually my happy place. 

 9| How is your business or you personally giving back in this time of crisis?
I’ve been giving back by collaborating with other entrepreneurs + organizations on free interviews + trainings to help people create calm during quarantine. I know that my specific gifts are really helpful to people during this time, and I want to do everything I can do provide support. I also have several free resources on my website and am developing an affordable DIY option to allow people to organize. 

 10| We’re about to see an influx of new entrepreneurs join our community, what is your advice to them?
Everything is figureoutable! Build up your belief, create a gratitude + self-care practice, play to your strengths and trust in your abilities. Be openminded + willing to get creative. And make sure you have a support system in place. 

Keep up with Devin @ TheModernMinimalist.biz and @the.modern.minimalist.