Nine years old.
That’s my first memory of organizing a closet.
Since I was little, I remember cleaning and organizing being one of my summer jobs around my house. My mother, who is now a retired teacher, used to have a long list of jobs for us to complete during the summertime. I remember organizing anything from holiday decorations to craft supplies and would literally giggle with glee when something would fit perfectly where I wanted it to.
At the beginning of each school year, I would reorganize and purge my mother’s classroom. Teachers are basically hoarders, so I would have a lot to go through each school year. As an adult, I started organizing my own home and doing a yearly purging session. I began to help close friends get their spaces together when they moved and found so much joy and satisfaction from it all. I then came to the realization that “HEY GIRL, not everyone knows or even understands how to organize! This is a special talent, you beautiful, sparkly snowflake!”
I remember calling my mom and telling her about the weekend I spent organizing my friend’s house and how amazing I felt after. “You know your cousin Jenny is a professional organizer right?” DUH! How could I forget that my cousin owns her own business called Complete Organization! She’s worked from New York to Houston, and is now based in Lafayette. I called her and immediately set up a meeting. She was beyond sweet in answering all of my questions and pointing me in the right direction to get this business idea rolling!
THAT WAS TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
As some of you may know, I was a teacher. Like, I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching, kind of teacher. I taught first grade for 8 and a half years. If there are any teachers reading, YOU ARE A WARRIOR GODDESS. Any teacher that has time for a side hustle is either superwoman or not a very good teacher (no offense). I had no extra time to start this little side business idea. As a teacher, there is always something to be doing whether is lesson planning, grading papers, or analyzing data (TRIGGERED). My dream of becoming a professional organizer was pushed away because being a teacher is EXHAUSTING and SOUL CRUSHING (maybe a bit dramatic/maybe not).
In October 2018, I found a little time in my busy schedule to create a website and Facebook page for my new professional organizing business named South Coast Organizers. This was it, I thought, it's all happening! I acquired a little business from some close personal friends, but nothing really happened because I had no time to dedicate to actually finding and pursuing clients. That all changed come December 2018.
After a decade of my dedication to becoming an educator and teaching children, I decided to take a different path. It was an incredibly difficult decision, but one that I know was best for my personal mental health and the wellbeing of my family. In December 2018, I left teaching to pursue my dream of organizing. So, here I am: a professional organizer. I am excited about the new challenges this career change will bring, and with just a few months into this new gig, I see myself and my talents in a new light. I am grateful to the many people who have invited me into their homes, braved the embarrassment of their messes, and ended up with a revamped space that brings joy back to their life.
I am putting all my eggs in this beautifully color coded, rainbow basket and WILL make this business work.