I must preface this post with a statement:
I am not a hoarder.
I know after seeing these pictures you might strongly believe otherwise, but I swear, I’m not.
The row house that we work out of at one time housed 5 businesses. Today it’s down to three but as a result of the sheer number of bodies and the subsequent ‘stuff’ that comes with them, our shared storage spaces got a little out of control. Since one of the businesses left, almost overnight, we ignored all of the mess that they left and it wasn’t until it got to this that we felt that enough was truly enough.
With little to no extra time on our hands, we began the hunt for someone who could help us get organized, rid us of our extra baggage and get us back on the right track. We found KW Professional Organizers through a strong recommendation from a friend. She said though they live in Kitchener, if you can convince them to drive out for the job, they are so worth it. If you take a look at the below images, it is very clear that worth it is an understatement!
After meeting the incredible team behind KWPO I couldn’t help but want to share them with you. They were not only not intimidated by our ‘mess’ but they were thrilled to attack it. I didn’t need to stand around and direct them, they told me to enjoy my Saturday and if anything came up they would send me a text. They organized everything, labeled it and ditched what had to go (after getting approval via photos in text). They even went as far as offering to auction off things that we didn’t want anymore but that they believed someone else might.
I asked founders Emilio and Samantha for a little insight on how they started their business and some tips on getting organized.
Check it out:
1. Why did you choose organizing as your business? How did you start it?
It really chose us. We were both the kind of children who derived great pleasure from taking a challenge or process and trying to make it easier. For Emilio it was systems. For Samantha it was from cleaning.
We moved back to Canada after living in New Zealand, and we wanted to start our own business. We knew we wanted to help people. Somehow we stumbled upon helping friends and family and recognized there might be a need for this service. Months later we found Professional Organizers in Canada (POC). We started working and learning in the industry, which today stands at 550+ Professional Organizing companies across Canada.
2. What was the most difficult space you have ever organized?
There is no space that is too difficult. We mean physically, a long day is always challenging, but what makes our work difficult is definitely working with each individual client. Everyone lives and operates in different ways, so we need to always cater our services to suit our clients. Attitude is every thing. Our most successful clients and the projects we LOVE to work on are the ones that include people who are ready for change. This is when the magic happens.
3. Your top 3 tips for embarking on an organizing mission?
1. Start with your why! You have to know what you’re working towards. What is the bright future that you can visualize when the project is complete? This is your key to ever-lasting motivation. When the times get tough — just remember why you’re doing this in the first place.
2. Schedule Time. Estimate a good amount of time that you can dedicate to your project. Remember it’s an investment in yourself. It doesn’t feel good to be rushed, give yourself time to get things done. Even if it’s one hour a week — eventually over time you will be successful!
3. Know Your Challenges. If you can name the roadblocks that might stand in your way, like procrastination, budget, or decision making, then you can make strategies for how to overcome them!
For a sneak peek into the process, watch this KWPO video:
xx,
Coco
For more info on Samantha and Emilio’s organizing services, check out the KW Professional Organizers website!
photo via