I'm always delighted to visit Lausanne, but even more so to spend a morning in good company. Warmly welcomed by a bubbly mother-daughter duo in a very "Clarity" apartment (you'll understand later), we took the time to chat, take photos, play and swing in the centerpiece of the place... the hammock!

Marieke, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
I'm 33 years old. I was born and raised in Geneva, but now live in Lausanne. I have a twin sister, Eliette. I studied interior architecture at HEAD, where I graduated, but I quickly realized that I was going to do something else. I had a need for action that I couldn't satisfy behind a computer. Somewhat by chance, I had the opportunity to enter the film industry as an assistant to the director. It's a fascinating environment, where I've discovered Switzerland and met some wonderful people, but it's not very compatible with family life. When Eva was 1 ½ years old, I took part in my very last film shoot. It was a golden opportunity and such a beautiful way to say goodbye to a profession I adored... It was a three-day shoot in Geneva with Sean Penn as director. 

What's the story behind Clarity Home Detox?
Leandro and I lived in a studio apartment before and after Eva was born, where we accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. When Eva was two, we unfortunately split up. It was a very difficult period when I wasn't well. Not right in my head, not right in my skin, not right at home. I was lost and in a fog. My home sweet home was no longer sweet at all, it was suffocating me. Around this time, my sister gave me the book "The Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo. From the very first pages, I knew it was exactly what I needed. Mom full time during the day, I started to put the theory into practice once Eva was in bed, and that's how little by little I uncluttered my home. Conquered and intrigued at the same time, I wanted to know more about the author. I started Googling without finding anything, before asking some Japanese friends to find out more. They told me that she had a school and gave training courses. I continued my research and realized that it wasn't just a method of tidying up, but much more than that... Just yesterday, a customer told me 15 times "you've changed my life". It's a superb profession! 

Flashback... I spoke to Eliette about it, and encouraged her to come with me to a conference given by Marie Kondo in New York. I don't know if it's because we're twins, but it was a revelation for both of us. At that moment, we decided that we were going to do it and become entrepreneurs. We put everything aside and began our training process. We've now been officially certified for a year, and accompany our customers in their own decluttering. We were the first to introduce the method in Switzerland. 

We also organize group and corporate workshops and have just launched a Clarity product line. We're delighted with this life change, which has had such a positive impact on both of us. We're fulfilled and, even if it's not easy every day, we've found meaning in what we do. We're aligned. The icing on the cake is that Marie Kondo herself has contacted us to ask us to collaborate on training courses in Europe.  

Is being twins your strength?
Clarity wouldn't be here if it weren't for the two of us. Between sisters, the bond is already very strong, but between twins, the symbiosis is total. We're very different by nature, but very complementary. Entrepreneurship is not an easy thing to do. Doing it together is a huge relief and a pleasure. 

What are your mumpreneur ingredients for reconciling everything?

The winning trio: organization, teamwork and simplification! 

1. Organization: I always have a plan A, B and C.

2. Team: my parents are in Geneva, and Eva's dad's in Lausanne. There are several single moms in the same neighborhood with whom we stick together. Séverine, one of them, has become a close friend and our daughters are inseparable. We see each other every week, invite each other to our homes and go on vacation together. 

3. Simplification: living in a small apartment I have less stuff (thanks Marie Kondo) so I spend less time tidying and cleaning. I know in advance what we're going to eat each week, so I don't waste time finding a last-minute recipe or getting lost in the supermarket aisles. We eat simply but healthily and avoid wastage. I have very few clothes and put on a "uniform" of jeans and a white shirt every day, so I don't have to worry about what to wear. Today you can see me in my interview outfit (laughs). All the energy saved by not asking myself these everyday questions allows me to concentrate on what's essential: my daughter, myself and Clarity. 

So, what's on this week's menu?

• Monday: pasta with fresh anchovies from Mauro (a delicious Italian delicatessen in Lausanne) and raw celery salad.

• Tuesday: cheese, avocado and corn quesadillas.

• Wednesday: honey-soy marinated tofu with rice and steamed broccoli.

• Thursday: quinoa, fennel salad and dried meat.

• Friday: dinner at Séverine's. 

• Saturday: Eva often asks me for a fish with a head (laughs), so this week it's a Wolf.

• Sunday: miso soup and we finish off the leftovers in the fridge.

A typical day?
Wake Eva up as late as possible, have breakfast, take her to nursery. I'm off to a client's before returning to pick up Eva at 5.30pm. I prepare dinner in 10 minutes flat. We eat early, so we have time to play for a while, then curl up in the hammock we both love for the evening story before bedtime at 8pm. If I'm not in a client session, my dining table turns into an office and I work for the company. 

Who would you recommend decluttering for?
When you feel like a stranger in your own home. When there's a gap between the imagined, dreamed-of interior and reality. When coming home becomes a source of stress and isn't the haven of peace it should be. Personally, my goal was simple. I felt like I was constantly tidying up. I've put an end to this vicious circle and can finally enjoy some time to myself. Of course, I still have to tidy! But it takes 10 minutes at the end of the day. And that's all there is to it!  

Most of the time, it's linked to a desire for global change. The idea is to start with our inner self, with what surrounds us directly. Keeping only what gives us pleasure. Changing our interior will then have repercussions on our "interiors".

It's extraordinary to see people finally feeling at home. They feel liberated and ready for a new start.

Why Eva?
We wanted a short, feminine name before we both decided on Eva. 

How was your birth?
I didn't want to go to the hospital because I wanted to get to know the woman who was going to give birth to me, so I chose the birth center. Michelle followed me all the way. At the last check-up, she confirmed that Eva would be arriving the following week and assured me that she would be free every day except Tuesday, as she had an event. Obviously, Eva decided to go out on Tuesday (laughs). Warned that I was about to give birth, Michelle managed to leave early and arrive just in time, dressed in her evening clothes! I'd been splashing around in the heated pool for 5 hours before I felt Eva coming. I quickly got out of the water, put myself on a stool, hung onto a rope suspended from the ceiling and in two pushes she arrived (without an epidural). Everything went really well and I have wonderful memories of it. The final blow came the next day when we returned home to our studio. It was far too early! Leandro and I found ourselves alone in the world, with Eva and no instructions. Hormones dropped, milk came in on the 3rd day - in short, it was really tough. I had prepared myself very well for the pregnancy and the birth, but not at all for the aftermath.

If you had to define motherhood in 1 word?
Emotion.

How has it changed you? What's it like to be a mother?
Clarity wouldn't exist if it weren't for Eva. She changed me in every way. Motherhood challenges you in every way, even if I don't think a woman's fulfillment depends on it. Becoming a mother is quite a journey, even if mine is a bit special as a solo mom. 

What do you want to pass on to Eva? What values?
Accept Eva as she is. Make her realize that she has all the resources she needs to be happy and blossom. As far as values are concerned, I've always said to myself that it's not a question of inculcating them but of embodying them and thus setting an example.

What's your beauty ritual/secrets?
I love my evening ritual. Avocado oil on the face, almond oil on the body and castor oil on the eyebrows.  

An inspiring personality?
I've just watched a few minutes of video... 16 black and mixed-race French actresses walking up the steps of the Cannes Film Festival palace. Their aim? To denounce the under-representation of black people in the French film industry. These women's actions inspire me enormously. 

And oops, I almost forgot... Marie Kondo!

A quote?
It's not really a quote, but it's on my computer wallpaper... " I Hope that people take away a sense of the tenderness of creating your own life, and that it's inspiring - that is gives you a sense of optimism that, yes, you can put your closet in order, and maybe there's hope for putting your life in order, some of the time". This is a quote from artist Maira Kalman about her mother Sara Berman. 

Your book of the moment?
I have two: "The signature of all things" by Elisabeth Gilbert & "The power of vulnerability" by Brené Brown. 

There's a quote in Gilbert's book that I really like: "The women whom I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because shit worked out. They got that way because shit went wrong, and they handled it. They handled it in a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes ". 

A good idea for a Kids Friendly restaurant or café in Lausanne?
La Pizzeria Da Carlo in Lausanne or the buvette de la plage in Lutry.

 

"Keep only what brings you joy."  

 

Next vacation?
Barcelona with Eva in July.

When you want to disconnect, what do you do, where do you go?
by the lake.

A material?
Cashmere.

An element?
Water.

Do you have any advice or tips for single moms?
Surround yourself with a solid team and make your life easier. 

Your madeleine de Proust?
A Japanese fondue called Shabu Shabu that reminds me of NY.

Clarity's best advice for purifying and harmonizing your interior?
Keep only what brings you joy. 

Is this the same approach/method for a baby/child's room?
Clarity' s first piece of advice to parents is: before you even think about decluttering and organizing your children's room, declutter your bedroom, your kitchen, your living room, your cellar and so on.

What's the next Clarity event/workshop?
A workshop on Sunday June 17 in Lausanne.

Clarity in 5 years' time?
Eliette and I are thinking of expanding Clarity into the rest of Switzerland and welcoming to our team other people who have also taken part in the Marie Kondo training course... to be continued! 

And Marieke, what can we wish you today for tomorrow?
To find a yoga class in Lausanne whose timetable suits an entrepreneurial solo mom (laughs). I'm still looking...