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Watched Downsizing over the holiday break? Is getting organized one of your resolutions for 2018? If so, continue reading to learn how you can tackle that messy house, garage, or office!
We talked with the owner of Minimize then Organize!, a local business that can help you create efficient and usable areas, Cabri Carpenter.
How did Minimize then Organize come to be? How long have you been in business? Where do you think your passion for organization came from?
I spent several years as a store manager for a big-box retail store. I learned so much about merchandising and human behaviors surrounding how they shop, how they see things, and placement for optimal space design and utilization. I got burnt out after a while and moved to a job in a corporate office working as a safety manager. I came in during a very bad time in the company and spent so much time developing my eye for analysis as well as working to change behaviors. During the same time that I started as a safety manager, I also moved in to an RV to live in full time! It wasn’t until then that I actually began to realize I had so much junk and began to adopt a ‘minimalistic’ lifestyle. When I decided that, I wanted to follow my dreams and start my own business – Minimize then Organize! was born! I had been organizing for friends and family just for fun and decided it was time to take it to the next level. I have a passion for completely transforming spaces to an efficient, usable area for homes and businesses. There are so many benefits to minimalism and organization that most people don’t realize and the effect they can have on your life, mood, and overall energy. I have officially been in business since November 2017.
What services do you offer? How does your pricing work?
Some of the services I include are: Home organization (room specific or whole house), Garage/Shed/Attic/Storage room organization (all those dark, dusty places most people choose not to deal with), Paper to Digital conversion (files and photos), Downsizing (to a smaller home, a loved one moving to assisted living, etc), and organization prior to or after moving to a new home. I offer all-inclusive pricing. This means you are not paying separately for travel time to and from locations, trash haul off, or donation haul off – It’s all included in the price! You also are charged for any additional fees for items needed to help organize – such as containers, buckets, or boxes – if needed. I offer this type of pricing so that you know EXACTLY what your total invoice will consist of, BEFORE you get the bill.
What can your clients expect? Walk through the process of meeting, going over needs and game plan for organization, etc.
The first thing above all else when clients are considering working with Minimize then Organize! and what to expect is the fact that I offer 100% confidentiality and a ‘no judgment’ attitude. There should be no shame or embarrassment in the process! I like to customize all services to each individual client so this is just a general overview of what to expect:
- I like to get to know my clients. What areas do you use the most? Which areas are your ‘happy places’? Which areas suck the life out of you? What minor things can we tweak to use the least amount of effort to correct that have the most impact for change?
- I request pictures of the spaces that they are requesting to be organized. This gives me a jumping off point for a written action plan.
- This step is optional! I schedule an in-home consultation. This is more for larger projects that will take multiple days (or weeks) or projects that have special circumstances surrounding them.
- Once we have agreed on the written action plan, we schedule the session.
- On the day of the session the first step is sorting and purging. All items will be sorted into keep, trash, sell, or donate piles.
- Trash and donation items will be removed and respectively taken away. Donations can be sent to locations that offer receipts for tax write-off deductions!
- The keep items will be resorted and given a new “home” of where they belong.
- Any items that need to be sold will be sold through the client and help from the organizer!
- I always ask for a honest review of my services after the organization session is complete. This helps guide me in the future for specific instances.
How can people get in touch with you? Website, phone, social media?
I have several different ways to get in touch with me! My website is www.minimizethenorganize.com and it has all the information for services offered and pricing. My work phone number is 806-590-0771. I am currently on Facebook and Instagram.
Anything else people should know about Minimize then Organize!?
I want all clients to feel comfortable with me. If they are open to trying to techniques, I will definitely take the time to teach them the most efficient way to do so. If they are wanting to keep things in the same process they have always used, I will provide customized solutions to help them maximize the efficiency and overall productivity of those systems! And anyone who is even SLIGHTLY interested in trying a minimalistic lifestyle, I would love to work with them on how that looks for their unique life!
