About Me / FAQ

I admit, becoming a Professional Organizer is a bit off the beaten path. Naturally, new clients and new friends alike are often curious about the journey leading up to sorting out your closet for a living. And while I can’t speak in specifics about any one client (we do have a code after all), after hundreds of organizing sessions, I have learned a few tricks and observed a few themes that I think most of us can relate to.

• Q - How did you get into this/end up becoming a professional Organizer?

• A - Short Answer: After a COVID layoff I had the gift of time to re-evaluate. What did I actually enjoy doing? Where did I find genuine flow? Turns out, I really love Organizing! I am someone who has a ton of energy and loves to keep moving. And I fancy myself quite good at it. And most importantly, it’s a true joy and privilege be able to help others live more peaceful lives.

• Q - Is is stressful to deal with clutter every day?

• A - Nope. To be honest, other people’s clutter doesn’t phase me at all. My husband’s pile on the floor, however. Maddening. Honestly, I get so pumped for every new project because I KNOW with time, I can conquer any space. I see nothing but potential.

• Q - What is one organizing trick you wished everyone would adopt?

• A - I firmly believe organizing is not a one size fits all endeavor. However, the easiest, most upstream solution is always a healthy edit and frequent decluttering. And you do not have do it alone. I can help guide the process so its not overwhelming.

• A - What is something you see a lot that surprises you?

• Q - How hard we are on ourselves! It’s okay to ask for help and its totally normal that with the daily grind of kids, dogs, jobs, etc, things can easily get out of hand. I am here to help!

3 Years.

Aunt Jaime Organizes just celebrated 3 years! In that time I have worked with over 100 clients on a massive variety of projects. I have worked in small studios and large homes, with families of all stripes, & in every space you can imagine. It’s a unique thing to be invited into a stranger’s home and begin to ruffle through the places usually hidden to the outside world. But that is where I know I can have the biggest impact; making those day to day operations a bit smoother. If you are overwhelmed by your clutter, know you are not alone. But trust me when I tell you, we can fix it. Thanks to everyone for their support the last 3 years!

Cheers to many more!

Let’s Talk about the L Word.

Lazy. I hate that word. News alert: there are only 24 hours in each day. I see so many people (especially women), put an enormous amount of pressure on themselves to do it ALL. “I feel so lazy/bad/embarrassed” is a very common statement. What I have realized by working with countless busy adults and families, is that we are stretched entirely too thin. And when that elusive down time does present itself, we berate ourselves for not wanting to do tedious home projects. But times are a changin’. It’s so refreshing to see self-care take a more central role in society.

To my clients and potential clients: you are doing a great job. Knowing our limits and respecting our individual capacities is a sign of incredible strength. It is okay to pay for a service that gives us back precious hours and piece of mind. Time is truly are most valuable resource. It takes a village.

Generational Clutter: When the “hand-me-downs” Become too Much to Handle.

If I had a dollar for every time a client told me that a parent/grandparent/aunt left them an item that they don’t want but feel guilt about parting with, I would be a rich woman. Organizers have a unique ability to provide both empathy and tough love when approaching these emotional decisions. Typically, once someone calls me they have realized the situation is untenable solo and it’s time to call in reinforcements. Hiring a third party is a great way to bring an objective voice into the equation. But trust me, I am on your team! We talk through goals and objectives of spaces and let that drive our decisions. Here are a few things to keep in mind when tackling generational clutter:

• Do you really enjoy or like the items or are you keeping them out of an obligation? It’s fair to say I have never met the person who left you the items, but I do know one thing for certain: no one wants their loved ones to be burdened by their old belongings. No one!

• If you are going to keep something, let’s honor it! It is always okay to keep things. If we have the space, and approach storage with thoughtfulness and intention, it is totally fine to store items for sentimental reasons. After deciding something is staying make sure to treat the objects with respect by storing them properly.

• All the spaces in our home are connected. Sometimes we focus on a particular aspect of our clutter and create tunnel vision. Bringing in an organizer is a great way to zoom out and see how the other spaces in your home can impede our ability to store and care for those special items.

3 Things I Notice as a Professional Organizer.

1. That Shame Game - Clients are often ashamed or embarrassed that they haven’t been able to “do it themselves.” There is ZERO shame in asking for help. There are only 24 hours in a day after all. Shame, unnecessary comparisons, guilt and a fear of judgement can paralyze people into giving up. Reaching out to a pro organizer can be the motivation and support needed to tackle the clutter head on!

2. Organization and Mental Health - Clutter can interfere with achieving our goals even when they are seemingly unrelated. Clearing our home of clutter and implementing simple systems, frees up the space to tackle other goals such as fitness, hobbies, or building relationships.

3. But How Long Will it Take? - Ah, a question as old as time. Clients often ask how long a room/project will take. Fair question. The answer: I don’t know. What I do know is clients are always pleasantly surprised by how much we can get done in one session (about 4 hours). “Wow I can’t believe how much we got done” is a common refrain. With dedicated time and focus (which is why you pay a professional organizer), spaces we’ve been meaning to tackle for years, can show progress fairly quickly.