We love the satisfaction you get from making your bedroom (especially your bed!) neat, so of course, we love keeping tidy in all rooms of the home too. No one knows this feeling of satisfaction better than professional home organizers, experts in clutter clearing who know all the best tricks and products for keeping your living spaces neat.
Ever wonder what it’s like being a professional home organizer? We asked Clara, Founder of The Home Organized in Birmingham Alabama, who’s a professional organizer that loves Kitelinens. We had a chance to ask Clara about her multi-stop organization approach, how she helps her clients stay consistently neat, and how Kitelinens can help. If you’ve ever wondered what being a home organizer is like or what to expect when you hire one, read on to find out!
Tell us a bit about you and your background. How did you become a home organizer?
I started organizing homes over three years ago on the side to have a creative outlet and to earn a little extra play money. I love projects and I love people - so this was a perfect fit! I’ve always been extremely organized and love systems (thanks to my Mom - she raised 4 kids and kept a well functioning and tidy home) and I had an interior designer friend encourage me to begin my own business. I continue to stretch my skills with every new client and love the challenges spaces present.
Tell us a bit about your work. What's your process like? What's your team like?
We are a full-service boutique style organizing firm. We have a signature five step process and it includes taking assessment of their home and their pain points, designing out a customized plan tailored to their specific needs, Decluttering, organizing, product shopping and installation and then hauling away donations afterwards. We also assist with moves, staging to sell and custom drawings of interiors for pantries and closets. A phrase I use often is “we run, we don’t walk.” We are very thoughtful with each client space and make sure it’s customized to their needs while also making sure we are efficient with the time we have and keep the project moving.
I am the lead organizer and owner and have several contract employees. There are always a minimum of two organizers on a job site so we can be as efficient and streamlined as possible for our clients.
Who / what are your top inspirations for home organization?
I draw a lot of my design in organizing from different interior designers and other organizers around the country. My team also inspires me a lot just in their positive attitudes and their hard work. Working with go-getters allows me to be more focused and be more creative with my designs.
What's the most satisfying area of a home to organize?
It’s hard to pick one! I love a good kitchen and pantry overhaul. They are too high traffic areas that need great systems to function well. No two spaces are alike so I love a good challenge and having to get creative when storage isn’t always the best.
After you've organized a client's home, how do you set them up to maintain their newly organized spaces going forward?
We do! Sometimes we only do one space, other times we do full house moves/organizing. A lot of our clients do our quarterly maintenance program to keep their systems up to date and have their spaces looking picture perfect and functioning at 100%.
How do you approach bedroom organization and how might it be different from other areas of the home?
In the client’s initial consultation, I ask a lot of questions in order to understand what they like about their space, what’s working and not working for them and what their main pain points are, how they move throughout their day and what their morning and bedtime routine is, etc. A bedroom has to feel welcoming, comfortable, a place of rejuvenation and ease. We not only want it to look beautiful but feel luxurious as well.
Any types of products you like specifically for maintaining a clean and organized bedroom?
We love large baskets for blankets or to catch decorative pillows in, drawer organizers to keep clothes file folded, and drawer inserts for personal items inside night stands. Simple changes can really make a big impact.
Which bedrooms in your own home do you use Kitelinens and how do your sheets that never come untucked help you have a more organized day?
We just upgraded to a king bed so we added Kitelinens to it and are obsessed! It has sped up the time it takes to make the bed since I’m not having to tuck sheets back in after we sleep - also being a working Mom with my own business so time is limited. So the less time I spend organizing my own house and cleaning it the better. We will be adding Kitelinens to our two kids beds soon!
How can busy people that might have trouble keeping their bedrooms in order use Kitelinens for better organization?
We all have laundry, we all have things we have to keep up with - but if we can shave off time from those mundane and routine things - we can have more freedom to put that time and our energy where we want it. I organize and create systems for clients to give them more time for things they want to do, not have to. Same with making beds easier - less time making it, less stress doing the “have to” list and more time back. I am a big fan of cutting down on the things that aren’t as enjoyable to make breathing room/space for the things that make you happier.
In your opinion, what makes a well-made or well-organized bed - folding styles, number of pillows and layers, etc?
I am more minimal in most areas of my home so the less the better. HOWEVER, I am a bit bougie when it comes to a comfortable and luxurious bed (and admittedly, pillows are my thing) so we have about 10 pillows on our bed. With our king sized bed, we each sleep with 2 pillows and style with 3 white euro shams, 2 king decorative pillows and 1 floral bolster. For me, I don’t mind taking that time to style it because it puts a smile on my face everytime I see it.
We also have a duvet folded down at the end of the bed and a quilt on bottom. Styling my bed isn’t a stressor to me, so I’m fine with more on it. However, I hate cooking so the less stuff I have in there the better. 😜
Kitelinens is a female-led company that loves to support other female entrepreneurs. What have you found to be the most rewarding aspects of having your own business and the most challenging?
I absolutely love making connections with my clients and being with them for life. Nothing makes me happier than helping lower stress and pain points for my clients. I have a great group of women that work for me and having a creative outlet is really fun. I think the most challenging aspect has been keeping up the business side of my business (I don’t enjoy the numbers part - thank goodness for a great accountant) and knowing when it’s ok to say no and slow down. I’m a Mom and wife first and foremost and running my own business is full time and then some - so I’m learning how to prioritize my time and create more boundaries that work for me, my family and keep clients happy.
Follow Clara on Instagram @thehomeorganized_and learn more about her business at https://www.thehomeorganized.com/.