We recently connected with Keli Kildow-Polymeneas and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Keli thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

I helped a single mom of 5 kids organize her walk-in pantry. She is a small business owner and noted that she “struggles with setting up functional organization in her home.” She cooks all the time for her big family and enjoys it, but with the pantry so disorganized it was feeling chaotic rather than enjoyable when it came time to cook. She had said that it was very hard to find items when cooking and that there were so many food items stuffed into the pantry that she kept buying items she already had in the pantry simply because she couldn’t see them. With 5 kids using this pantry, it was very hard for the family to get organized and stay organized. Chip bags and other food items were often thrown back into the pantry without being closed properly resulting in food spilling on the floor and shelves, or when it was hard to reach items they used regularly. Other times, food was just put back wherever it would fit, resulting in it being difficult for others to find that same item when needed. After spending some time with this mom, as well as the kids, to discuss how the pantry is used, what they used most frequently, who used what items the most (& what shelf could they reach), we developed some systems for organizing the items. The mom indicated that she liked having all the items needed for specific meals together so she can easily grab them when it’s time to make dinner. For example, for pasta nights we put all the pasta noodles, sauces, and other toppings together. We created one shelf at the mom’s eye level for these dinners so she could easily see what she had available to make on any given night as well as what needed restocking. We used bins for each dinner type, so she could even simply grab the whole bin when it was time to make dinner and have everything she needed in that bin. We put items that she did not want her kids eating frequently on the top shelf, such as chips and candy, but still in easy to reach bins. We created a whole section for drinks such as tea, smoothie fixings, and protein powders. Cereal was placed closest to the door and on a low shelf that all the kids could easily reach when needed. Lastly, I worked with the mom on label types and wording that she preferred for all of the bins. Once complete, I reviewed the new organizational system with the entire family, got their feedback, and tweaked where needed. The mom shared that this new system has worked magic with her family! She noted that everyone is putting items back in the same spots because they now know where things belong. They are invested in the organizational systems since they have made their lives easier, so they continue to keep the systems in place. It has also allowed the kids to see when their favorite items are getting low so they can let their mom know to get more. The mom shared that she has saved so much money by not accidentally buying duplicates of items she already has and not having to throw items out that expire before she knows they’re in the pantry. She shared that “having my pantry organized and accessible brings a peacefulness to my kitchen and cooking experiences.” I truly enjoyed working with this family and seeing the positive impact that home organization can have on a family’s sense of peace and calm in their home environment. It was neat seeing the family work together as a team to keep these systems in place and the value they placed on creating a peaceful, simplified home.

Keli, 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 am a fully licensed social worker, professional organizer, clutter coach and owner of The Simplified Home. Through The Simplified Home, I provide professional home organization services, coaching and workshops to help clients decrease clutter and create more peaceful homes and lives.

​I started The Simplified Home in 2023 after seeing the impact that our physical surroundings can have on our overall well-being. As a social worker for over 20 years, I witnessed the impact that disorganization in our homes can have on how we feel – about ourselves, our goals, and life in general. I started this business to help clients get to the root of their disorganization and begin creating a life of calm, organized bliss.

I help clients solve organizational problems in their homes that often stem from having too much stuff and/or having a hard time finding items without an organizational system in place for where things belong. Clients reach out to me when they feel so overwhelmed by their homes (& stuff) and aren’t sure where to even start. Often a client will say, the items in my pantry/garage/office/closet/etc. are overflowing and making me feel so stressed and almost paralyzed by it, that I just close the door and can’t deal with it. This is when they reach out to me. My background as a therapist helps me assess their situation in a very empathic way that allows me to help them with clarifying the goal of the space, the feeling they want to experience in that space, barriers to maintaining organization, and the functionality they are hoping for with use of that space. Often professional organizers simply help people organize items in their homes without getting to the root of the dysfunction of that space, which results in the ‘stuff’ coming back into the space and the client ending up right back where they started after a couple months. My skill set working with people as a therapist and social worker for over 20 years has allowed me to help people organize their homes, their lives, and their mindset in a lasting way. On the surface, I’m helping clients organize their homes. On a deeper, unseen level, I’m helping clients improve their overall mental health and well being, while creating a mindset where where they are in charge of their belongings rather than their belongings controlling them.

It took me quite a bit of time to come up with a name for my business, but when I did I just knew it was right for me and my business goal. Naming my business The Simplified Home embodies why I wanted to get into this business. Everyone is so busy right now -the mom friends of mine, coworkers, family, everyone. With all this stress and ‘busyness’ I wanted to create homes that are a calm oasis for people to retreat to and recharge in after a long, stressful day. Simple. Our lives may be chaotic but our homes don’t have to be. Our homes can be the soft landing we need to recover from the day. Our homes can work for us, not against us, through decluttering and organizational systems. Decluttering allows us to shed that which we no longer need and allow more of what we do need – peace, calm, and a simplified home.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth and local community social media posts. Once I’ve worked with a client, they are often so excited to share their experience and show their results to friends and family, resulting in personal referrals. Many people prefer to know someone that has worked with me prior to having me assist them in their homes.
I post regularly about my business to my home town and other local community Facebook pages. This is a way for others to hear past clients and friends of mine share their experience with me and my services, or to simply ‘like’ the post. It gives some clout to who I am and what I do for the community. These posts are also a way to remind people of the calmness they can bring into their lives if they are struggling with disorganization. Sometimes people are not even aware that Professional Organizers exist and what they are capable of doing, so when they see me right in their local area it makes it easier for them to reach out and make that call. Regular posts also help to nudge those that are interested but not quite ready to take the leap. Having the local community see my posts regularly helps with brand recognition and increases familiarity and comfort with me.

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

I started my business in 2023 while working my full-time ‘day job’ as a social worker and have continued to do so despite the many hours that are involved each week. I am also married with two very active teenage boys, two dogs, and friendship groups that I value time with weekly. So, my life is very full and busy. In the beginning when I was building my business, it was mostly baby steps and small forward movement here and there, when I had time. My goal in the beginning was just that – to keep the momentum going no matter how small the steps were to build this dream of mine. I stumbled many, many times and became discouraged at times, thinking “why am I doing this again?” and “I don’t know what I’m doing.” I had the thought many times that I should just stick with my day job and not put myself through all of this stress, but I realized this was simply fear creeping in along with feelings of self-doubt and unworthiness. Yes, many of the steps I was taking were brand new, things I had never done before, things I had to learn on the fly or through extensive research. But each step I took toward building my business chipped away at that fear, doubt, and feelings of unworthiness. I used that fear to light the fire that drove me further toward achieving my dreams. When those negative thoughts creep in, which they still do occasionally, I frequently remind myself “but what if it all works out?” This keeps my momentum and drive going, despite the hours, struggles, and newness of so many of my weekly tasks.

Along the way I have reached out to others for guidance and support such as those in the Professional Organizing field, other small business owners, friends in the marketing field, and basically anyone that was willing to give me feedback on my plans and big ideas. I was invited to join the SheHive as a facilitator in the summer of 2023 and gladly took on this opportunity to connect, network, and grow my skills as a new business owner. My involvement at the SheHive included many firsts, such as creating a bio, getting a headshot that I actually liked, learning new technical skills such as using CapCut and new electronic platforms, while meeting so many incredible and inspiring women. It was intimidating, for sure, to be surrounded by so many successful women at the SheHive that I wasn’t surprised when feelings of imposter syndrome came up for me. I again pushed through these negative feelings with positive self-talk and support from close friends that truly encouraged me to continue my pursuits. After several months with the SheHive and many workshops successfully facilitated, I gained the confidence I had been working so hard for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesimplifiedhome.biz/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.simplifiedhome/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesimplifiedhome.llc

Image Credits

Melissa Douglas