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

Nina, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I came up with the idea for my business during a five year period when it seemed as if I was helping a friend or family member move practically every weekend. I would be the person to volunteer to sort, declutter, pack, and organize items inside of the moving truck and/or vehicle. After being told: “You should do this for a living, I’d hire you” so many times, I decided to take a leap and do just that.
I discovered that many people dread figuring out how to make their possessions fit into a new living space. Finding a space for each item and making their most of the space can present a challenge. That’s where I come in! I love to observe how my clients move through their day and then offer suggestions as how to organize their supplies, tools, clothes, etc. in a way that makes life easier for them!

Nina, 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 was raised by my mom and she taught me to be a high achiever and a hard worker. So when I started working at Macy’s in 2007, I was determined to make myself useful. I would watch how the vendors would organize their merchandise when they came into the store and when I had down time, I would study the merchandising books. Between their visits, I would ensure that the merchandise for the brand that they represented would be displayed perfectly in the space that they were allotted.
I used the same method to organize the stock rooms for the departments that I worked in. Before long, my direct manager put me in charge of three stockrooms. I noticed how much more smoothly my and my colleagues work day went when we could actually locate products that the customers inquired about!
What sets me apart from other organizers is that I take a personal interest in my clients and I REALLY listen when they tell me what they need. For example: one of my clients had a family member who passed and was overwhelmed with figuring out what to do with the clothes/shoes. I helped her sort through the items, bag and drop off donations, re-sell unwanted items, and then organize the rest in a much smaller closet. The project was incredibly gratifying for me when I saw the smile on my client’s face and felt the sense of relief that she was experiencing.
I’m most proud that I compiled a list of suggestions/feedback from friends and family over the years and then I took a risk and went out on my own to build my dream job. I didn’t sit back and wait for it to be handed to me. I created my own process for helping people to get rid of their junk and to optimize their space.

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

My very first client had a project that was slated to lake three months for me to complete. I was really excited and I dove right in. Throughout the process, I realized that I was so focused on my daily tasks that I did not record all of the hours that I spent on the project. This resulted in me losing a portion of my profits because I failed to keep proper record of the hours of labor and the expenses for materials for this specific project.
I quickly learned to make a digital file and/or physical folder for each client and upload every receipt and any documents immediately. Losing profits will definitely ensure that you make changes effective immediately!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

While I was in college, I was diagnosed with a hereditary disease that caused my eyesight to slowly decline. I had to learn, very quickly I might add, how to move in the world as a person with a low vision.
There was a period of time when I could only get the positions that no one wanted and I had my fair share of employers who assumed that I was not as useful as I actually was. Being mistreated only motivated me to show them exactly what I was capable of! I was often overworked, under appreciated, and underpaid. Now I am running my own business and putting every ounce of my energy into making it grow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kee.organizers
• Other: [email protected]