It’s hard to believe that it’s been nine years since I participated in my first craft fair selling home decor and I launched Joy in the Midst Creative. What began with repurposed materials turned art and organization tools led to more work in client homes through styling, staging homes to sell, decluttering and organizing. It has been an adventure to say the least. As of this fall as a solopreneur, I little have worked with nearly 200 (!!!) families

Photo credit: Christophile Konstas at the Over the River Makers Mart

Three things I’ve learned along the way

People over Trends

Yes, there are organization trends and it’s easy to get wrapped up in recreating these aesthetically pleasing spaces that may actually be hard to maintain. Containers may help, but they won’t save the day in the end without some deeper work. Working with what you have is a perfectly acceptable way to create more functional spaces. And at the end of the day, it’s the people inside our homes that matter, not the things.

Dig Deeper into The Root Causes

The most effective way to maintain new systems is to first understand what got the clutter there in the first place. Grief, ADHD, season in life, mental health, not learning the tools in childhood are just a few contributors to our capacity to manage our spaces.

Reverse engineer how you want home to feel

This means establishing your end goal for a space and then creating bite size actions to get you there. Writing this down is a great first step. This may mean scheduling time on your calendar once a week to tackle a small corner or it may mean doing a big Saturday overhaul, all hands on deck or inviting a friend or professional organizer in to provide accountability.

Of course, I am always learning more and more from my clients and the industry iself. Through it all, I’m incredibly grateful for all those that have entrusted me with the spaces that enable their families to rest, play, make memories and live with joy. Your support of my business, referrals, updates on your decluttering and organization “wins” after I’ve left your home, is appreciated. It is a vulnerable thing for clients to invite me into their lives, and I don't take that lightly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for journeying with me.