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Paula Apfelbach of Breathing Room
Paula Apfelbach, a professional organizer based in Madison, Wisconsin, has been in business for almost three years. Breathing Room Professional Organizing specializes in residential and small business organizing.
How did you get started as a professional organizer?
I've always loved organizing and have read dozens and dozens of books on the subject as a hobby, but I was afraid to go into business for myself. I stayed in my career in the advertising and magazine fields, but I still felt drawn to organizing as a profession. So, in 2003, I "put a toe in the water" by combining my love of writing with my love of organizing and began publishing an e-newsletter called "simple." Eventually, though, I was shocked to find that I'd run out of things to say! I knew I was at a crossroads: I could either give up being involved with organizing entirely, or I could go into business. I took the latter path, founded my company in May 2005 and started writing a mini-zine called "exhale" as part of my business. In my work, I meet so many wonderful people and love to help them create "space, light, and order through home, office, and life organization."
What was your previous career?
I began in advertising agencies and then transitioned into the magazine field, which I still do. I work part time as the Alumni News editor of On Wisconsin Magazine at the Wisconsin Alumni Association, in addition to running my business, Breathing Room.
What are some of your favorite organizing products?
My hands-down favorite organizing product is a tickler file, which goes by other names as well (pop-up file, sorter, and others). Staples.com offers one called the Staples EveryDay Letter Size File & Sorter.
Give us your BEST organizing idea.
Define homes for absolutely everything. No one can be expected to put something away properly if there's no defined home for it, so define the homes, mentally or actually label those homes, and train others on where the homes are.
Tell us about your most interesting organizing experience.
This past summer I worked with a lovely client whose circumstances are so challenging that she's almost confined to her bedroom. Her mother, who lives with her, is a hoarder, and the mother has amassed so many things that only paths remain amid the foothills ˜ and even mountains ˜ of objects. The client's 9-year-old son can do his homework only on the top of his bunk bed, as it's the only open horizontal surface in the home. And, the client is essentially unable to do any organizing work herself as her weight prevents her from moving very well. To start, she asked me to help weed out the living room. Due to the large amount of debris, the conditions were less than ideal. Despite the challenges, it felt great to make progress and to give this client some hope.
Paula can be reached at:
papfelbach@charter.net or by calling 608-204-9165. Her website is www.breathing-room.us.
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CURRENT FEATURE ORGANIZER
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Kathi Burns of Add Space to Your Life!
Sunny San Diego, California is the home of professional organizer Kathi Burns. She began her business, Add Space to Your Life!, just over four years ago.
Meet a professional organizer who has some great tips to share.
Read more...
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