Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janice Rostron. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Janice, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

With the proliferation of social media platforms, the Professional Organizing industry (in my opinion) has become too focused on aesthetics and the consumption of the latest trending organizing products. Yes, a less cluttered and more organized space will look better, but that should not be the only goal. I often encounter clients that overbuy the latest and greatest bin or basket, hoping that it will be the solution they have been looking for. Unfortunately, this simply adds to the clutter if there is no system put in place for how, where, and why those products will be used. This also makes organization seem unattainable to the average household.

My approach is much more budget- and environmentally-friendly. I keep decluttering top of mind at all times during my organizing sessions. Even if a client insists they have already decluttered and only need help organizing, they are always surprised to find more items that they can part with or items that are being stored in the wrong space. I have a myriad of resources to help clients get rid of items without them going to the landfill. With that, the majority of the projects I work on do not need any additional organizing products since we have gotten rid of the clutter that didn’t need to be stored in the first place. Reusing the products the clients have on hand and repurposing boxes and other containers around the house can create organized, functional spaces.

Janice, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started Just Focus and Reorganize, LLC (“JFR”) in 2015. However, I have been organizing the spaces around me for as far back as I can remember–just ask my family, friends, former roommates, and colleagues!

I have been playing guitar for over 30 years. I have played shows throughout California and have recorded two full-length albums and one EP (during which time she earned the moniker “Janice F’n Reid” a.k.a. “JFR”).

I received a B.A. in Legal Studies (with a Minor in Music) from UC Berkeley and have since joined the Cal Alumni Association. GO BEARS! I then earned an M.Ed. and a Multiple Subject teaching credential from UCLA. I worked as a public elementary school teacher for 8 years before deciding to pursue a career in Professional Organizing.

I am an active member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO). I have earned NAPO Specialist Certificates in Workplace Productivity and Team Productivity. I am a member of NAPO’s Environmentally-Conscious Organizers special interest group. I served as the Los Angeles chapter’s Treasurer for the 2016-2017 term. I am also a subscriber to the Institute of Challenging Disorganization (ICD®) and recently received the Level II Chronic Disorganization Specialist® Certificate.

I offer in-person organizing sessions to help my clients declutter and organize any space in their home, from attics to basements and every room, closet, cabinet, shelf and drawer in between. I use a simple organizing process to create systems for less stressful, more peaceful living. If you are struggling with clutter, JFR can help!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2019, my business was thriving! I had a calendar full of satisfied and repeat clients and I was able to hire my first employee. Then, the worldwide pandemic hit at the beginning of 2020. I was running an in-person home organizing business and I was no longer able to work in my clients’ homes. I had to lay off my employee and look for another source of income.

I took this new-found free time and created an online productivity course, Time is Power. It was an idea that had been in the back of my mind for a while but I never had the bandwidth for it. Now I had the time, needed the money, and had an audience looking for ways to fill their days at home. By the time I had completed two rounds of the course, the world was opening up again and I was able to resume by in-person organizing sessions.

Then, in 2022, I moved to Denver. I now had two team members continuing to work with clients in Los Angeles while I built the business in a new city. As I got the word out about my services in Denver, I was again faced with new-found free time. So, I dusted off the recordings of my productivity course and proceeded to turn those ten modules into a ten chapter book. Now, business is growing in Denver and I will have my first book published in 2024!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that I have to do it all, and that I have to be good at everything that I do. It is OK to ask for help and to delegate. My background as a public elementary school teacher put me in the habit of doing everything on my own. With limited resources and fellow overworked colleagues, teachers feel compelled to (or are asked to, without question) do everything needed for every part of every day. There is no consideration for time constraints, current workload, or personal abilities. Now, as a business owner, I have a network of professionals who can provide support and advice in areas that are not in my wheelhouse and I can hire help when I feel overworked.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://jfnr.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justfocusandreorganize
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justfocusandreorganize/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/just-focus-and-reorganize
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/just-focus-and-reorganize-denver