Who I Am

I’m a busy, recently divorced homeschool mom. After my divorce I researched a TON about what kinds of careers are out there to support myself and my family that I could jump into with no real career experience under my belt. (Although I can tell you, raising kids and homeschooling them have been the HARDEST and MOST REWARDING “non-jobs” I’ve ever had.) Entry level jobs that I was eligible for were NOT going to pay the bills where I live so it seemed like my best option was to start my own business!

Do I have any business experience, you might ask? No... But I have learned and am continuing to learn a lot along the way. Fortunately I love learning! I’ve found several amazing networking groups and opportunities, and with the blessing of the internet it’s so easy to research everything I need to know and to make connections both in-person and online.

Ultimately it was an acquaintance that was familiar with what I was going through who suggested that I look into “professional organizing” and starting my own business. I also learned that where I live, that is one of the best job options for a woman who only has “stay-at-home/homeschool mom” to put on her resume, and the best part? I learned that I actually had a LOT of organizing experience just from living my life, because what do being a mom and a homeschooler require? Organization!... Schedules, curriculums, record keeping, meetings with independent learning charter teachers, keeping schoolwork together, keeping our home straight, taking care of pets and the yard, getting dinner on the table, remembering to pay bills, running errands, knowing where to find things when we needed them…

During the hardest part of the divorce, my kids and I wanted our home to feel different but we didn’t want to pack up our stuff and our small menagerie of pets, say goodbye to our neighbors and community, and say goodbye to the home we’d had for fifteen years to move somewhere completely new, so we did the next best thing. We reorganized. Afterwards, it felt new enough for our new life and memories, but also similar enough to be familiar and comforting, like a favorite blanket.

We’re in a continuous phase of downsizing. It’s amazing what can fit under a bed, in a closet or in a garage! We’ve donated or tossed countless items, and given a lot away in our local Buy Nothing group (If you haven’t heard of the Buy Nothing Project, I highly suggest you look into it and see if you have a local group. It’s been AMAZING for us) and we still have some more “stuff” to go through but we’re almost at the finish line! The best part is that during the process, my kids and I have become much more aware of what we’re bringing into our home, and what we really need. We also started sponsoring children in developing countries simply because we’ve realized how much we have and how much others don’t have. Getting organized has been life changing, inside and out.

I have also realized how objects and mind go hand-in-hand, but more on that later.

For me personally, getting our home and my life more organized helped tremendously with healing and lifted a HUGE weight off of my shoulders. I like knowing what I have and don't have and where to find it, but most importantly, when I pass on from this earth I know my loved ones won't have the humongous task of having to sort through too much. Home honestly feels better than a vacation now! It’s also important to remember (for me and whoever else is getting organized) that it’s not a one-and-done thing. I plan to do a run through of our home once every season so that we don’t keep finding hiding spots for all the items we don’t actually need. That’s also why I offer maintenance sessions to my clients!

If you've been hesitant or embarrassed to ask for organizing assistance, don't be. The right organizer will be patient, willing to answer questions, won't be judgmental and will be full of good ideas and tips to help you figure out what can work for you, or will help you research solutions. All that's required is for you to take the first step and reach out.

Until next time!

“First comes thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality.”
— Napoleon Hill, "The Law of Success"

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