Let me introduce you to Donna Smallin Kuper. I’ve known Donna since 2004 when we met at a NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizer) Conference. I was in the process of writing my first book and wound up seated at the same table as Donna. Okay, so maybe I finagled this. It was so long ago, I can’t remember! Naturally, I was a little intimidated. Donna had already published a couple of books and was a leader in the organizing field.
We stayed in touch and wound up working for the same media company about six years later. While I was doing what I like to call my own little “Amazing Race” for this media company (a story for another time), Donna and I met for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant in Michigan. Turns out, we continued to discover that we had quite a bit in common.
Life Changes
Fast-forward another six years, here we are! Life does what it does and presents all sorts of changes. One big change for Donna is that in 2013, she and her husband decided to downsize to a lifestyle that would allow them to see the country and spend more time outdoors. This wasn’t just your “normal” life-stage downsizing. This was BIG! In the space of four months, they went from a 3,500 square foot home to a 40-foot RV. Might I add, they put nothing in storage!
Instead of thinking about all that you have to let go of, think of the things that you couldn’t possibly live without. – Donna Smallin Kuper
In this interview, Donna clears up the mysteries surrounding what we can actually live without, why her Vitamix is still one of her top appliances, how you can manage to cook a full meal with limited power, and how a “frunk” enables her to get her grocery shopping done. She also talks about Pickleball and what’s been on her Bucket List for 27 years, which is coming to fruition soon!
Here’s the Healthy Living Interview
I’ll give you a heads up that being on the road presents certain challenges. One being reliable and steady wi-fi. I did my best to edit out the long pauses due to spotty wi-fi, but you will see the authenticity of being on the road!
Here’s Donna’s office set up the day we met for the interview. I snagged this photo from her husband’s blog, Flying the Koop, where he posts regularly about their adventures on the road. Thanks, Mike! And, thank you, Donna. It was a pleasure spending time with you!
Here’s what Donna has to say about MIND BODY KITCHEN: Transform You & Your Kitchen for a Healthier Lifestyle book due out September 2021:
Is it possible you’ve been going about dieting all wrong? Could it really be as simple as connecting the dots between your mind, body, and kitchen? If the title of this book intrigues you, it may be your inner wisdom’s way of saying “read this – you need this.
– Donna Smallin Kuper, Bestselling author of Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness.
