The Story Behind Organized Solutions

Abec's Small Business Review is a publication that shares the inspiring stories of small business owners.

This month yours truly is featured in the Toledo edition
(yeah ... happy dance with me):

Organized Solutions
by Jessica Luther

Angie Weid hasn’t let the obstacles in her life hold her back. Her inspiration behind her business, Organized Solutions, was always about helping people while maintaining a healthy life for herself. Raised in Monroe, Michigan, Angie was always interested in science and math as a child.

“When I was starting college, my mom reminded me that as a child, I always wanted to be an astronaut,” she recalled. “At four months old, she held me up to watch the moon landing.”

Angie did in fact pursue a career that followed this early calling, studying aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Purdue University. She graduated in 1991, and went to work for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn. She worked on designing engine components and bumpers, which meant, to her delight, that she got to crash a lot of cars. Despite loving her job, Angie began a painful period of her life just five weeks after starting at Ford. She was diagnosed with Stage Four Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and had to begin chemotherapy for the very serious form of cancer. “I went from a cocky 22-year-old to a stubborn 22-year-old with cancer,” she joked. “I refused to throw up during chemo treatments and I took cold showers to make sure I didn’t lose my hair.”

This fighting spirit and strong will got her through, and today she is free of the disease. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last of her battles. After eight years at Ford, she left to raise her two sons, eventually becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom. Angie loved that job as well, and poured everything into her children, husband and home. It was that much more of a shock, when her husband announced he was having an affair and wanted a divorce.

During this tumultuous time, Angie decided she had enough of feeling bad. She had a good old-fashioned pity party. Walking into the woods where she and her children often played with a notepad and pen, Angie began to write all she had accomplished, beginning with “I can walk.” After a bit of a chuckle, and three pages later, it became clear to Angie she still had a zest for life. If she was going to start anew, she wanted do something fun that would help people enjoy life. She shared her business ideas with friends and family, who thought it was perfect for her. Organized Solutions was born.

“I help people love their space,” she explained. “I help them work on de-cluttering and letting go of things.”

The first year was a struggle, without a client for eight months; Organized Solutions only earned around $600 in its first year. However, thanks to networking, referrals, her blog and website, Angie’s business has grown consistently since. She was approached by Staples to review a product line, featured on Rubbermaid’s website in a professional organizer Q and A, and recently won Toledo’s “20 Under 40” award.

Angie works with many professional women trying to do it all, and helps anyone who needs to regain control over their space. She focuses also on senior move management, which involves helping families settle aging family members into new, safer spaces. Moving from a house to an apartment certainly requires organization, and that is where Angie brings her expertise. She also offers her services to those who have lost loved ones, and aids in the process of clearing out a lifetime of stuff.

“I do it all, from making arrangements with movers, to packing and unpacking, to making beds and finding toothbrushes,” she listed her variety of services. “If people are from out of town, I will even find them the best pizza place.”

She also has worked with serious hoarders, people who are receiving counseling for their condition. She offers her help to anyone who wants to be helped, and understands that what she does can be a very emotional experience.

“It’s a very personal and private area, no one likes their stuff touched,” she explained. “But I get hugged almost everyday, even by those who are upset at first, because I’m making someone a home that feels good to them.”

If you found this story interesting, informative or inspiring please let Angie know! You may contact Organized Solutions at 419-705-0557, or at 734-890-1276, email angie@iorganizeyou.com, or visit her blog, iorganizeyou.blogspot.com or website, www.iorganizeyou.com.

Thank you to Patrick Abec and Jessica Luther for putting together the story of Organized Solutions.

What story do you want to share?

Thank You For Visiting

"You have 86,400 seconds today.
Have you used one to say “thank you?”"
William Arthur Ward
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read these thoughts and articles. I truly appreciate your visits and have enjoyed watching the readers grow from around the world.

Get out there and enjoy the day!

Feng Shui Magic

Feng Shui and organizing are good partners because they both are about feeling better about your surroundings. Ann Bingley Gallops, a Feng Shui expert in fabulous New York City recently posted on her blog, The Joy of Chi, this fabulous exercise for kick starting the energy in your space. With her permission, here is Ann's Feng Shui trick:

The Magic of 27 Things
Do you occasionally feel absolutely stuck, like you don’t know what to do next or how to get out of your own way?

Feng Shui has a simple yet surprisingly effective method for getting you unstuck: just go around your space and move 27 things.

You can pick each thing up and put it down in place, or move things around, or best of all pick up 27 pieces of clutter and move them into the trash.

I just used this strategy to get myself going on a logy-feeling Monday.

I began by just picking things up and putting them back down, but before I knew it was on a roll, putting things away, throwing things out, and easily touching 27 items in no time flat.

It was fun to count to 27 (a powerful Yang number in Feng Shui) and when I was done I felt really refreshed — my Chi energy was moving.

Start picking up some items around your space and stir up some new found energy. Let us know how you felt when you reached item #27.

How's the energy in your space feeling?

Time To Organize Your Kitchen

With the holiday frenzy quickly approaching, now is an excellent time to organize and declutter your kitchen. Just like sorting through the clothing in your closet, your kitchen needs a good once over.

Your kitchen is THE most used room in your home and it is used by everyone. Even if you are not an Iron Chef (perhaps more like Dan Aykroyd's Julia Child), your kitchen will get overstuffed like a turkey with pots, pans and dishes if you do not take the time to purge.

Like all organizing projects, you want to break your kitchen organizing extravaganza down into small tasks. Work on completing one set of cabinets or drawers before moving on to the next set. If you are feeling tired, then stop and take a break. You do not want to get worn out and frustrated.

Remove everything out of the drawer or cabinet you are organizing. After removing all the little crumbs and such that seems to have moved into this space, begin placing those items that you are using, and love, back into their place. You will have some stuff that seems to have drifted into the wrong place, just place those items in the area they are suppose to be.

Left over on your counter top or table will be a collection of items that have worn out their welcome in your home. If they are damage or missing pieces, their fate is not good and do not belong in your home. Those items that are perfectly good, just have lost their purpose in your home, need to be boxed up and readied for donation.

Take your time.

If you feel organizing the whole kitchen in one day may be too much, break it into small sections that you can manage to accomplish. You will be so thankful in the end that you took the time to get your kitchen organized. It is remarkable how much better a space can feel by parting with a few items that are no longer needed.

With a brand spanking shiny clean cabinets, your kitchen will feel amazing. Perhaps now you will feel like becoming an Iron Chef with those holiday festivites approaching.


What did you find in your kitchen?

You Want To Be Organized. Well, Stop Trying.

One of the hardest steps to getting organized is starting.
The best way to start a project is make an appointment with yourself.

That's right.
Set some time for YOURSELF


Block off some time on your calendar and stick to it. Make it happen

On your organizing day, the next tough hurdle approaches: the first item to let go. The first piece of clothing, childhood memory or knick-knack from Aunt Betty is the toughest one to part with. After you get that first one "in the bag," the rest will be much easier.

Use your momentum to keep going.

Finish your appointment with yourself and schedule a follow-up to tackle the next area to be organized.

One of my favorite quotes:
"Do or do not ... there is no try"
-Yoda, Jedi Master


Reward yourself for completing your organizing projects as scheduled. Take a 2 minute longer shower, have a piece of cheesecake, buy a new shirt ... heck, have a beer in a martini glass.

Do something for YOURSELF that makes you feel
rockin' awesome!!

After all, you always wanted to be organized and look at the what you are doing now.

What are you trying to do?

Please Stop , You Might Be Missing Something

Life does not have to be more complicated than it was years ago. We make life more complicated by our demands and needs. Once the basics for life shelter, food and water are met, then you've got friends and family (and yeah, family can complicate things). It's all the other stuff that makes life zip past us in a flash.

I believe in enjoying the moment, and will stop in a heartbeat for a great laugh, appreciate an amazing sunset or climb a tree. When my boys recognize a beautiful flower or a dragon shaped cloud, I beam with pride because I do not want them lost in the world of headphones, cellphones, and looking at the ground as you walk around all day.

Here is a story I recently found:

Perception

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Take time today and just stop.

What did you find today?

Cleverly Organize Your Drawers

It's early in the morning. Your fumbling through your underwear and socks trying to find the pair that you want. Hoping not to end up running out of your home with one blue sock and one black sock. (yeah, I've done that)

Next to getting up 15 minutes earlier and turning on the light so you can see clearly, these drawer organizers are the next best solution. Bonus: They are on special this month!!

These are one of my favorite items from Clever Container. The Drawer Designers are a fun tool to meet all your organizing needs. You'll feel like an organizing pro as you quickly find your favorite underwear, bra and socks in a flash. (oh yeah, we all have our favorite ones)

You can purchase this awesome combo set of organizers for only $20.00 when you purchase $35.00 or more in regularly priced Clever Container merchandise. Check out the Clever Container catalog and see all the other fun organizing options available!

Drawer Designers can be used in most drawers, but try them in your pantry, bathroom, playroom and even your refrigerator! Combo consists of 3 small (12x4x3), 2 medium (12x6x3) and 1 large (12x12x3) box!

Interested in a home organizing session with a group of friends?
Let me know and we'll get you on the schedule. This is a great way to learn some organizing tips & tricks while earning rewards toward your Clever Container products. You'll have a great time getting organized.

What drawer in your home needs to be organized?