We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amélie Saint-Jacques a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amélie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I think that to a certain extent, it’s normal for people to have imposter syndrome. For me, the best way to overcome it is to gain experience and, if needed, write down specific things I’ve learned.
I’m a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) as well as my local chapter, NAPO Austin. I get to network with my peers, find out about specific services offered by our business partners (which in turn serve our clients), and I learn a lot at the talks and seminars hosted by our association. I’ve also become a Certified KonMari® Consultant, which was a rigorous process! On my own time, I like to read about my field of work and keep up with the latest developments.
I also keep learning on the job. I see each new situation as an opportunity to learn something and improve my services. For example, which donation pick-up service can I schedule for my client who lives outside city limits? Where can I donate these shoes knowing that they will be given to people in need AND get my client a tax receipt for the donation? How can I extend my insider discount to my client while complying with my state’s laws? How can I organize this garage and narrow entryway for an active, outdoorsy family of six? Each new challenge teaches me something which, from that point on, will come much more easily to me.
Finally, I’ve been quoted in several online articles as an expert, which gave me an opportunity to summarize my advice about specific topics – and, hey, it turns out I know a thing or two!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I know a fair amount of people who are overwhelmed by the state of their home. Clutter makes them anxious; they feel like they’ve lost control and they don’t even know where to start. I help my clients solve all those issues and more with a personalized, supportive approach that is confidential and non-judgmental. I can help them create an organized space that makes their life easier and more peaceful.
My KonMari® certification helps me take things one step further: I can lead my clients through a tidying festival using Marie Kondo’s method. I help them sort through their items in a specific order so that they can figure out what sparks joy and what will serve them in leading the life they want.
In addition to my in-person services, I can also work virtually, with people all over the world. And to help my clients who have smaller budgets, Plus, I offer printables as well as a “Pick my Brain” service, where you can send me pictures of your space and I’ll give you advice to organize it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three skills that I believe are most useful in my job are being organized (obviously), being a good listener, and having good problem-solving skills. Being organized comes more easily to certain types of people, but anyone can work on improving that skill. In many cases, it’s a matter of thinking in terms of Future-You. What would Future-You appreciate to make their life easier? And then you set things up accordingly: things that are used often should be accessible, it should be easy to put them back in their place when you’re done so that the space is clear and things are there when you need them, etc.
Being a good listener helps me understand my clients. They all need things organized, but the specifics of each case are different. Let’s say there’s an entryway cluttered with items. If my client has ADD, I have to find a solution that doesn’t involve putting things away in drawers or behind closed doors, so open bins might be a good option – but that won’t work for my client who doesn’t want to see any of the objects, so that person needs closed storage.
It’s also important to have good problem-solving skills because so many different things come up during a session that there might not be cookie-cutter answers. I don’t need to always have the perfect solution right off the top of my head, but I have to be willing to find it – that’s what helps my client, and it makes me improve, too.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who knows that they need help and are ready to pay a professional. Some people would insist on doing everything themselves, so they will never be my client; others outsource everything, so while I can help them tidy, without any commitment on their part, the clutter will come right back because they won’t be interested in maintaining anything.
The ideal client is someone who wants help decluttering or organizing, and understands that it will be easier to hire a professional (the same way one might hire a landscaper or hairdresser). They are ready to change their space and are open to considering suggestions from an organizing professional, such as what things to get rid of, how to store the things they keep, and how to modify their behavior to maintain the system we’ve put in place.
It’s important not to cling to the idea that we should be able to maintain everything in the home ourselves, because let’s face it, we don’t all have the time or skills for that! It’s normal to get help in certain areas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amelieorganizes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amelieorganizes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliesaintjacquesprofessionalorganizer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amélie-saint-jacques-70258b18/
