Jeanie, please tell us a little about yourself? Where are you originally from?
Philly breed, NY made is how I identify - with a four year detour in Madison, Wisconsin. I’ve been in NYC since 1990 and probably will go toe up out, if I have any say.
For the past twenty years, I’ve been the boss lady and founder of apartmentjeanie, an interior styling and professional organization firm.
When did you start apartmentjeanie? How long have you been a professional organizer?
I like to say I’ve been organizing since I was five, however, ‘playdates’ where I was asked to clean my friends’ rooms and closets, doesn’t qualify as professional.
Technically, apartmentjeanie was birthed in spring of 2007, however, I had been providing professional organization and design services for my photojeanie clients since 2000. photojeanie is a photo archival service that streamlines clients’ image libraries in both print and digital - we create albums, scrapbooks, mementos, photo boxes - basically organize and maintain our clients’ photo histories.
Clients would often request assistance beyond organizing their photos, which I was more than capable of handling. As I started to tackle more home organization projects, I decided to create a separate service that catered to clutter elimination, home and office organization, and interior styling.
I am a long time member of NAPO (National Association of Productivity & Organizing).
How did you get into this profession? Do you have a team?
Having always been detailed oriented, highly organized and a problem solver, I never considered those skills could be an actual career of its own - they made me an excellent office manager, department head, executive assistant especially because I had a compulsion to make my bosses’ lives easier and more streamlined.
As an accidental business owner - it was never my dream, but my side hustle, photojeanie started to garner major press, Town & Country, Town & Country Travel, that I realized there was a demand for this type of organization and then apartmentjeanie organically grew from the clients’ desire to streamline every aspect of their lives.
We have a small but efficient team at apartmentjeanie - everyone has been trained by me and comes from related industries - luxury retail merchandising and display, home staging, set design for tv and film.
What type of clients do you work with? What is your organizing style?
Our clientele falls into a few categories: empty nesters who want to streamline their homes, not necessarily downsize but edit and assess, young families who need structures and systems that will work for the whole family, mothers returning to work from maternity leave - similar to the young families with an emphasis on organizing their wardrobes and new morning routines, single men who want to create a warm and inviting home for entertaining and those who are uninspired by their current home style yet aren’t invested in major renovations or expensive interior design projects.
Since we are move management specialists, we do a lot of merging multiple homes into one space that includes setting up and styling so the client is completely unpacked and settled within days, not months.
We work with anyone who is struggling with clutter, frustrated or bored with their current interior and those who just need a reset. We do not work with those who legitimately suffer from true hoarding tendencies - although a real hoarder would never seek assistance.
My approach to organizing is that of a gentle drill sergeant - I am compassionate, understanding and empathetic, however, I will challenge my clients if there is a lot of resistance to release that which is no longer serving them. I will never ask someone to let go of something but I will question them why they need to hold onto it.
Most people are looking for permission to let go of the past and we’re here to be accountable and support them in this process.
We educate our clients to think, ‘when in doubt, throw it out’ and ‘clutter is just delayed decision making’.
What are the different services do you offer?
As a lifestyle curation company, we offer a bevy of resources to help our clients live better organized and stylishly so.
Our services include:
Home and office - clutter elimination, edit and systematization for every space
Interior design and styling - creative, accessible and budget-friendly design & decor
Move management - preparing, supervising and setting up the new space
Resourcing - researching and shopping for home decor, furnishings and organization items
Space planning - on-site and virtual design consultation to create better flow of the home
Photo organization - creating photo albums, scrapbooks, print and digital image libraries
How do you approach a new organizing project?
When we‘re contacted for organization assistance, usually that person is overwhelmed and stressed by the level of disorganization and needs help now.
Every project starts with a phone conversation where I really get to hear what the issues and pain points may be. Before meeting in the home, the client fills out an intake form that includes questions about the weekday versus weekend routines, hobbies, priorities, expectations, style and basic information. This helps the client hone in and focus on what the desired effect they want and need for the home.
Usually, we’ll schedule a session during the initial phone call - unlike a design consultation, we don’t need an in-home consultation to assess the situation, we need to step and start working to stop the client’s suffering.
Whether it’s a closet or the kitchen - the process is always the same, empty, assess, edit, and expansion (EASE). You can’t properly organize until you empty whatever it is you want to edit. I teach a virtual closet cleaning workshop based on the EASE method. The principle can be applied to every room in the home.
When working with clients, what do you think are the biggest hindrances that keep people from being/staying organized?
Time, effort and structure - I think those who ‘fail’ at being organized do not have systems that really support their capabilities. Being organized does take time, however, by sheer repetition of an action, it becomes second nature and effortless.
A good organizer is going to create a structure based on your lifestyle and inclinations. This is not one size fits all. It’s why hiring a professional will ultimately save you time, money and stress because we aren’t asking you to do what works for us, but rather what will work for you and your family. An organized friend or family member will try to be helpful by implementing their system which doesn’t often address your real struggle.
What is your approach with a client who resists decluttering?
Clutter is never the issue, it’s a manifestation of something deeper. When we experience real, emotionally triggered resistance with a client, I will gently and prudently discuss what is going on that is preventing them from moving forward. With decluttering projects, it’s 85% therapyjeanie.
I’ve never experienced an initially resistant client who didn’t have a breakthrough within a couple of hours of the session. This can be emotionally and physically exhausting work yet, most clients will ultimately release far more than I had anticipated or suggested. It’s really about giving them the space, support and vision of what life could look and feel like without the weight of their clutter.
What is the most common question you are asked?
‘Is this the worst you’ve ever seen?!’ - no, definitely not
‘How do you do this all day?! I’m exhausted just watching you.’ - because I do this every day and love it, plus it’s not my stuff so there isn’t an emotional attachment.
What are your top three tips for staying organized?
1. Create a landing zone closets to the door you use the most. Use the surface space for essentials like keys, wallet, sunglasses, incoming and outgoing mail, dog walking accessories and supplies, a place to hang or place bags for each family member.
2. Clean out all wardrobe closets at least 2x a year. Apply the EASE method to ensure functionality.
3. Every Sunday create a mind dump/master to-do list for the week ahead and categorize the items into smaller bite-size lists. Pro-tip, handwrite this rather than use an app - you’ll remember better if you write rather than type.
What are some of your favorite products that help you stay organized?
Honestly, a spiral notebook and pen are probably the best organization tool I can recommend, however, there are a few favorites:
The flipfold board for laundry and pristine plies in the closet.
Clear shoe boxes and clear kitchen organization containers from The Container Store
Kikkerland cable ties - they come in bright colors and 2 different sizes - in my world every cable comes in a neat and tidy roll.
As a best practice, I recommend that clients have a little kit of essentials, including a phone charger, mini nail file, lip balm - anything they may need in the course of the day and that kit moves from bag to bag - just as a wallet would and the things like the charger always remain in the bag, unless in use outside of the home.
The same for a small cosmetic bag - buy duplicates of the favorites and essentials so the bag can always be ready on the go.
What is the favorite part of your job?
Undoubtedly, the transformation that takes place within the client. It is an honor and privilege to witness their evolution from stressed, chaotic and overwhelmed into calm, empowered and capable.
I love stepping into a cluttered, disorganized home because all I see is the potential and possibility. The chaos is a solvable problem. Decluttering is incredibly therapeutic and it’s our job to create systems and structure for the client that will continue to support that transformation.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Wait, what’s ‘not working’?! In pre-pandemic days, I loved scouring flea markets and dining in restaurants with friends. I spend a lot of time walking around NYC with my English Bulldog, Tater Tot. I love traveling to new destinations and spending a portion of the summer at the beach in Charleston with the aforementioned bulldog.
What is the best way to reach you?
Oh, there are so many ways to reach out! I would love to hear from anyone who is overwhelmed, disorganized or constantly stressed by their stuff - click here. If you are interested in seeing our projects and a deep dive into what we offer, the apartmentjeanie website is a great resource. And if you are interested in tips, inspiration and general joy - would love for you to follow apartmentjeanie on Instagram (plus you can always dm).
Thank you!
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