Introducing Carrie Peeples + Neatsmart

Oh my pantry, it has given me stress since the day we moved into our house.  For a house with such a large kitchen area the pantry and food storage is most definitely lacking.  When we first moved in it was a strange pull out cube situation and then my dad came to my rescue and removed it and installed shelves for us.  Once again, my dad to the rescue.  But ... it still didn't work.  Over time the deep shelves led to overbuying and losing items and then just a huge mess.  So ... with the room to room cleanout and refresh I decided it was time to let a professional tackle it and tackle it she did.  Why oh why did I wait so long to finally let an expert help me?  

I met Carrie Peeples at The Southern C years ago and since that time we have discussed working together time and time again. Every time we thought we had "the project" it just wasn't the right time. I am a very organized person and pride myself on having items labeled and easy to find. I like being organized, it gives me so much peace to have order. This space was "the project" and when it came to finally making sense of it I knew there was only one girl I would allow to make it happen.  Being organized also makes you picky and I love Carrie's style of organizing.  She makes my abiltity to organize look simple compared to extensive expertise and large box of ideas and tricks. If you need someone I highly recommend you give her a call.  I will share more of the process on Instagram today and the results and products she used tomorrow ... but spoiler alert we love it more than I thought possible.  The pantry has changed from being the cabinet I would wince to open to one I love to open, use, and have even found the door open later because I wasn't rushing to keep it hidden.  This girl, she brought her ideas and hard work to my house and left me with peace and organization. 

Can you think of anything better?

She agreed to an interview, which you know I love, to share her journey, some tips and tricks, and ideas for getting started.  If you know Carrie in person you know she is amazing.  Smart, prompt, professional, resourceful, and extremely kind.  Remember she was digging through a large area with zero organization and I am sure many expired items.  Not once did I feel anything at all but thankful.  You will love her, and her interview is amazing!

Tell me about your professional career path and how did you end up being a professional organizer? 

Let me start by saying I wish I had started this business earlier because I didn’t know how much it was needed. Believe it or not I was an art major in college because I was always interested in creating beautiful spaces. Interior design was not my talent but creating something visually pleasing was my mission. I just wasn’t sure how to go about it. I spent many years in the tech industry training and implementing different software for the pharmaceutical, health care, and insurance industries. It was the same skill of organizing and teaching others how to do it but it was information, not things. I started Neatsmart in 2012 when the startup I worked for was acquired.  While I had assumed that everyone loved organizing as much as I did, I quickly learned it wasn’t a skill that everyone had or loved doing. Being able to create order and structure in people’s homes where they didn’t have it was transformational both with how everything looked but also how much happier they felt. 

What do you think is the benefit of working with someone like you vs. someone just trying to organize their space(s) on their own? 

Not everyone is interested in organizing just like not everyone is interested in decorating their home. It’s like hiring an expert vs dabbling on your own. You can eventually figure it out but it takes time and money that you may not want to spend hoping to get there eventually. When you bring in an expert, you bring in years of experience and someone who can get  you to your goal faster. Plus the expert has probably already solved your problem many times and has learned the quickest way to do so.  I also find that a lot of people are reluctant to hire an organizer because they feel so much shame about the way their home looks or they are embarrassed that they can’t organize themselves. I want people to feel happy in their homes, not weighed down but clutter and disorganization. I bring no judgement to the situation, but an understanding that organizing is not everyone’s forté and I show them how to maintain it.

What do you think is the most unused space when organizing? 

Everyone needs to think about going vertical. Stand things on their end if you can. That’s why I love file folding so much. You can get so much more in your drawer if you can stand folded items so they fit vertically in your drawer.

Is there a great space to begin with to start organizing your home? 

The pantry is ALWAYS a good idea because you have to feed your family 3x a day and you want that to be as stress free as possible. Plus it is an area that has the most activity by far. But don’t neglect your bathroom and closet. You’ve got to do some self care and having organized personal spaces are one way to do just that. When you take care of yourself you are better equipped to take care of others and be more confident. 

What do you tell people to do, homework wise, before working with you? 

If they can declutter on their own first, that saves me a lot of time. Some people need help with that and I’m happy to. If you have a vision of what you want the space to look like, please share. I always want to make sure our plan meets their expectations. Everyone has a different definition of what “organized” means. So many people are nervous about having someone in their home, going through personal spaces so I always reassure them that they don’t have to clean up first and I’ve seen worse.

What do you think are the necessary ingredients for a truly organized space? 

I think everyone needs to start with an idea of what the room’s purpose is. Every thing needs a home and the home needs to be easy to remember and access, especially if you do so regularly. If putting something away is complicated or takes too many steps, it won’t happen and then your organized space is gone. It has to be easy and look good.

Is any space too small to be organized? 

Clutter can live anywhere so no. When was the last time anyone organized their glove box? Wallet? Purse?

Any pet peeves when trying to organize for others? 

When people come in behind me, while I’m in the room, and rearrange. I ask a lot of initial questions when organizing a space to make sure it meets their needs and how they function. I also give them a tour at the end to explain where everything is and why. It’s annoying when someone comes in while I’m working and moves things around like I’m not there. 

Do you have a favorite space to organize? 

Pantries and kitchens. I think it’s because I love cooking, too. Clothes closets are a favorite, too. The power of consistent hangers in your closet is not to be underestimated!

Can you share one tip for someone organizing their own space? 

Don’t buy baskets or bins thinking they will get you organized. You have to edit out what you no longer need first. And don’t buy something just because it’s on sale!

Ps. she is darling as well.

You can find Carrie on her website, Neatsmart, along with on Instagram.  Tomorrow I will be back with my completed cabinet and all the photos with all the products and ideas.  

Off to make breakfast ... and I know exactly what I have thanks to Carrie. 💗

Images by Angie Webb Photo