We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amélie Saint-Jacques. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amélie below.
Hi Amélie, thanks for joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I love being a business owner! After finishing my master’s degree, I always chose to be self-employed, in large part because I’m in better control of my schedule. I wasn’t fond of an office building environment, either – I once worked in an office where you had to ask the front desk for the key every time you wanted to use the washroom, and that was so dehumanizing, I just couldn’t imagine living my life that way! I also never got comfortable having a desk job in an open area with so many colleagues around me. Being a residential organizer is more enjoyable to me because I’m more comfortable in a home than an office.
Now that I’m a mother, being a business owner helps me have enough time to take care of my kids, pick them up from school, and be home on student holidays. Yet I also get to work, by going to my clients’ home and organizing their space. It’s the best of both worlds, because I have time for my family AND I get to be a productive member of society by helping others for a living.
I also enjoy being a problem-solver. Most of my job is actually solving problems for clients, helping them figure out what to get rid of and either removing it from the premises myself or finding a place where the items can be donated for the most good (or sold for the best price if it’s a valuable item). I then put new systems in place to help my clients love their home again. Even on the back-end of my business, whenever a problem pops up, I’m the one in charge of solving it. It’s not always easy, but at least I know I’ll get it done!
Amélie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a professional organizer specializing in residential organizing. That means that I go in my clients’ home (usually in person, but I also work virtually!) and help them put it in order and simplify their life. Sometimes we work on just one area of the house (closet, bathroom, bedroom, playroom, kitchen or pantry, etc.), sometimes we tackle the whole house. Other times, it’s not even the living environment per se that is overwhelming, it’s a big life transition like a move, a new job, or a death in the family, and they just need help getting things under control again. So, we declutter and organize the rest in a practical way that is easy to maintain and, most importantly, that works for THEM! My goal is to help my clients create an organized space that will make their life easier and more peaceful.
To set myself apart, I also became a Certified KonMari Consultant. Have you heard of Marie Kondo, best-selling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and host of the hit Netflix show Sparking Joy? I offer services that are just like her tidying festival. This means that I help my clients 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.
My services are personalized, judgement-free, and confidential. I help people who are overwhelmed and feel like they have lost control of their home. If this sounds like you and you feel like you don’t even know where to start, call a professional organizer! We get stuff done.
For me, this was a field in which I had always been interested. I loved watching Peter Walsh on Clean Sweep, I always got sucked in by organizing shows on HGTV, and The Container Store is my happy place. I love the feeling of having cleaned out a closet and removing a carload of excess clutter from a home! When I needed a career change after having kids, this seemed like a natural fit, so I took some classes and joined NAPO, the National Association for Productivity and Organizing Professionals. I officially started my business in 2019.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
My favorite clients tend to come from one of two places: word-of-mouth referrals from existing clients, or Facebook groups in which members get to know each other and problem-solve together (as opposed to Facebook ads one might see in their newsfeed). I’ve also found great clients through Nextdoor!
If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?
I do have an additional (very small) revenue stream by selling printables on my website. These are PDF documents to help you get a specific area of you home organized, like the pantry or the bathroom. I also have reminder lists for packing and things to take care of before leaving your home unattended, as well as templates for your weekly menu and grocery list.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amelieorganizes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amelieorganizes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliesaintjacquesprofessionalorganizer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/am%C3%A9lie-saint-jacques-70258b18/
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ameliesaintjacques/
Image Credits
Amélie Saint-Jacques