The New Year is the perfect time for a fresh start, and what better way to achieve that than by decluttering your space? Ms. Placed Professional Organizing is a personalized luxury service that specializes in decluttering and organization to promote functional, stress-free environments. Layne Brookshire, owner and a professional organizer of Ms. Placed, leads a team of dedicated professional organizers based in Austin, Texas. We interviewed Layne, a West Austin local to chat about her incredible company and get some advice for anyone looking to tidy up in the new year.
MW: Why did you start Ms. Placed? How long have you been a professional organizer?
LB: Simply put, I started Ms. Placed to help people expertly manage the personal items in their lives. I get to make spaces beautiful AND take tremendously overwhelming projects off my clients plates. The projects that always needed to get done, but no one knows the right person to call for, were right up my alley. In Jan 2023 we are starting our 13th year in business!
MW: For those who don’t know, what is a professional organizer? Why do people hire your team and what services do you offer?
LB: A professional organizer is someone who can help you manage and organize the physical items in your life. To me, it's a trusted person who can help you make decisions and think through all of the options available, so you don't have to. I often refer to our service as an accountability service, we will help you reach the goals you have set for yourself, and oftentimes do so by taking the entire project off your plate so you can focus on the things that only you can do. We aim to exceed client expectations and requests, and set you up in spaces that work FOR you.
MW: Can you please share some tips or products you recommend for someone who wants to organize their home, but doesn’t know where to start?
LB: If you don't know where to start, begin by identifying the items you don't need - what is NOT currently serving you. Look for stuff you never use. Ask yourself, "What am I constantly reaching over to get to what I am looking for? Can those items that are in my way go away? Do I even need them? If not, why am I allowing them to take up valuable real estate in my home?"
MW: For those who already feel organized, do you have some daily or weekly habits to help them stay on track?
LB: Do a quick tidy of your home daily. All spaces should be reset each night so you can wake up to a space that functions for the routines you/your family need each day. Start the dishwasher every night. Do small loads of laundry throughout the week so you aren't left with a huge pile that takes an entire day to get through.
MW: How does decluttering your space optimize mental health?
LB: The outside environment is often a reflection of what people are feeling internally. By starting with our physical environment, we begin to make progress which gives us a sense of order and accomplishment. That feeling builds, and even releases endorphins that feel good. When you feel good in your space, you free up energy to focus on feeling better in more places.
What is your favorite part of your job? Taking decisions off my clients plates is one of my favorite things about this job. By hiring out our service service we are giving clients mental space and energy to focus on things that only they can do. We all have a limited amount of decision making neurons each day, and we live in a world of overconsumption of stuff and information. People feel "overwhelmed" constantly so the fact that I can help alleviate that for people in some small way (usually a big way in their home) is an incredible feeling to me. It's not JUST the organizing that is valuable about our service. It's the systems we set up that serve you in your everyday routines for how you use your spaces that is the biggest, lasting effect of the investment.
Ms. Placed can assist you in starting the New Year organized and create a functional and beautiful space that you'll love. Contact their team of professional organizers by calling 512-265-0688 to request a consultation or visit msplaced.com.
"Overwhelming spaces lead to more overwhelm. By filtering through what is not needed, you visually eliminate unnecessary visual and physical "piles" that can weigh you down."
