Practical Home Organizing With Bianca Baader
In this week's episode, I interview Bianca Baader of Haus Pixie Organizing and Staging.
My confession is that while I was always organized in school (and now at work), I was/am messy at home (mainly clothes and papers). It's now limited to my own bedroom and not the rest of our house, but it's still a struggle for me.
Then, if you throw 1) kids, 2) a tendency to hold on to things too long (think pack-rat, not a hoarder) and 3) a Boston-sized apartment you'll appreciate my challenges!
So, a bit over a year ago, I hired Bianca to help me get my sh&t together before starting my new job. It was a great experience! I remember Bianca helping me to determine what I needed to get rid of without judgment, but with some tough questions and push-back again my instinct to hold onto things I didn't need or use.
And, what took things over the top for me is that we actually took the items to the Goodwill for donation. My husband and I had done some closet cleaning (thanks Maria Kondo) prior to hiring her and there were three large garbage bags of clothes that sat in our bedroom for months.
In my interview with Bianca, you'll hear about her fascinating journey to becoming a professional organizer and home stager, how she helps people and her own advice on marriage and parenting.
1:58--Listen as Bianca talks about how she thinks about the wife, mother, and leader roles
2:33--How Bianca got into fashion via networking without a formal degree and training (although she did take classes)
5:39--How Bianca started working for herself and how having kids impacted her thoughts about work
9:10--Learn a different way to think about "networking" that might feel more authentic to you
13:16--Encouragement for parents with young kids and a critical question that Bianca's mom asked her
15:37--Why it's important to give kids clear instructions
18:20--Some simple organizing tricks from Bianca, especially when you have a small space and lots of kids items
21:07--Bianca shares her thoughts on the Marie Kondo phenomenon, what parts she uses and which she doesn't
26:02--Some tips to get started right now
27:50--Why organizing is not a one-time activity
28:32--How I worked with Bianca and what works for my life
31:28--The specific thing that Bianca did with me that made a huge impact
33:00--What you can do if you can't or don't want to hire an organizer
35:00--An emotional key to successful organizing
36:20--Bianca shares her experience trying to balance work and family and what she's learned along the way. She explains why a support circle is so important.
