Meet Leigh Achenbach

We recently connected with Leigh Achenbach and have shared our conversation below.

Leigh, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Growing up, I watched my parents consistently show up, work hard, and take pride in doing things the right way—even when no one was watching. That made a big impression on me. Over time, I learned that strong work ethic isn’t just about putting in long hours, it’s about being dependable, doing quality work, and following through on commitments. That mindset stuck with me and continues to drive how I approach every job and responsibility.

I’d say my work ethic was also shaped largely by growing up playing golf. From a young age, I learned that success in golf didn’t come without consistent, self-driven effort. It’s an individual sport, I had to be motivated to practice on my own, even when it wasn’t convenient or fun. Until college, there was no coach or team pushing me every day—That taught me discipline early on.

Golf also instilled a strong sense of integrity in me. You’re responsible for calling penalties on yourself, even when no one else sees it. That level of accountability shaped how I approach not just sports, but life and work as well. Over time, these habits—self-motivation, consistency, and honesty—formed the foundation of my work ethic and continue to influence how I carry myself professionally.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

We help clients declutter, find functional organizing solutions, and create beautiful spaces in any area of their home. What I love most about what we do is that it blends creativity with problem-solving. Every project is a little different, and I really enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to make a space not only look great but function well for the way someone actually lives.

What makes our work special is the level of care we bring to each job. We are hands-on from start to finish, and take a lot of pride in making sure every detail is right. We don’t just want it to look good—we want it to work well, last long, and make someone’s daily life easier.

Recently, we’ve expanded into the design side of organizing. We now offer closet design services as well as whole-room mood boards that help clients visualize the potential of their space. It’s a fun and collaborative way to plan, with a strong focus on both style and function.

At the end of the day, our goal is to build things that feel personal, purposeful, and genuinely improve how people experience their homes.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, three things have really stood out as being the most impactful in my journey as the owner of a professional organizing business: self-motivation, problem-solving, and treating every client like they are our only client.

Self-motivation has been essential from the very start. I spent two years carefully crafting my business plan and preparing everything for the launch of Suddenly Simple. But all that planning wouldn’t mean much without actually taking the first step and getting started. It can be tough to keep pushing forward—especially when there’s no one watching or checking in. Whether I was learning new skills, solving unexpected challenges, or simply showing up consistently, it was that inner drive to improve and keep going that truly made the difference.

Problem-solving is something I use constantly. Every space is different, and rarely does a project go exactly as planned. Being able to think on your feet, adapt, and come up with creative solutions is crucial, especially when working with different people and different spaces everyday.

And then there’s treating every client like they are our only client—making sure each person feels heard, valued, and confident that their project is our top priority. That focus on personalized attention builds trust and creates a positive experience that clients remember.

For anyone just starting out, my biggest piece of advice is building genuine relationships—whether with clients, mentors, or teammates—is just as important as the skills you develop. Treat people with respect and kindness, and you’ll create a network of support that helps you grow.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Finding the right employees to represent me and the business we are building is something I have worked on for a long time and am always trying to get better at. Building a dependable, motivated, and talented team is crucial, but it’s not always easy to identify those traits during the hiring process.

To tackle this, I have focused more on hiring based on the person—not just their current skills. What matters to me more is their attitude, work ethic, and how well they align with our company values. I believe skills can be taught, but a strong character and motivation are harder to develop.

Clients are putting themselves in a potentially vulnerable place when they bring a company into their home. I want them to feel confident that the people that work for me can be trusted with their home and their needs.

Once someone joins the team, I support them with hands-on, on-the-job training as well as opportunities for outside training to help them grow their skills. This combination allows new hires to feel confident and capable while continuously improving. I also keep communication open to understand their needs and challenges so we can work together to ensure that they are continuously growing in confidence with their work.

If I find that someone isn’t the best fit for our team or aligned with the values we uphold, I’ve learned that sometimes it’s necessary to part ways. It’s always a difficult decision, but it’s important to ensure we’re providing the best experience for our clients and maintaining the integrity of the business.

It’s an ongoing learning process for me, but by prioritizing the right people and investing in their development, our team is stronger than ever!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://suddenlysimpleorganizing.com
• Instagram: @suddenlysimpleorganizing
• Facebook: @suddenlysimpleorganizing

Image Credits

First 3 photos: Feiten Photography

All other photos: Suddenly Simple Organizing