About
Marcie Katz is a Certified Professional Organizer specializing in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®) and a Golden Circle Member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (formerly NSGCD.)
Marcie’s Story
I'm often asked if I've always been an organized person or even if I was “born” organized. If only that were so!
I grew up in a very chaotic and often disorganized household. It's not that it was particularly messy, it's just that we moved a lot so things were always in different places and sometimes we couldn't find things because they hadn't yet been unpacked or were lost in a move. As a child I wasn’t aware of any over-shopping or excessive saving behavior, although I do remember my parents frequently arguing about what should be kept and what should be thrown away.
Things didn't get really bad though until my parents split up when I was in high school. By that time our family was living in a large six bedroom house filled with a lot of stuff. The house was sold and my mother, brother and I moved our selves - and half of all that stuff - into a much smaller two-bedroom apartment. Since there were only two bedrooms, my younger brother got his own room and I shared the master bedroom with my mom.
What I remember most about this time in my life was the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by clutter. I remember stepping over piles of clothing to get in and out of the bedroom, and not having even a tiny space or corner that I could call my own. By contrast, my brother had an entire bedroom to himself, and I harbored a lot of resentment over this for many years.
A year later I was off to college and glad to be out of that situation. And soon after that my mother and brother moved again to a more spacious living arrangement. Unfortunately, all of the stuff moved with them and most of it would remain there for the next 30 years.
This experience profoundly changed my attitude toward and relationship with material things. For one thing, I vowed I would never let my possessions control me or my life. Secondly, I was determined to create in my adult life the structure and order that was sorely lacking in my childhood.
Now I would like to say that I lived “happily organized ever after,” but alas that was not the case. At various times in my adult life I’ve struggled to stay organized, too.
Although I wanted nothing more than to have a steady job and settle down, my first job out of college was with a Fortune 500 company and I quickly learned that moving around the country and moving up the corporate ladder was the name of the game. “Up or out” was the way things worked. So I moved every 8-12 months like everyone else, keeping my belongings to a minimum to make the transitions easier.
Meanwhile, work life presented a different set of organizational challenges. Since nobody had taught me these kinds of skills before, I studied books on time management and project management. I learned how to use a calendar/planner and set goals. Soon I was getting high scores on my performance reviews for organizational skills. Friends and family took notice, too, and eventually I gained a reputation of being an “organized person.”
Shortly before my wedding day, my dear Nana passed away. Her death was not unexpected although we had all hoped she would live to see me married. Losing a family member is always a stressful situation. In this case the stress was multiplied by all of the papers, photographs and other things she had accumulated over the years. I thought about my mom’s stuff and wondered how to break this cycle. So I initiated an intensive study of all things organizing – psychology, decision making, changes and life transitions. It was at this point where I first got the idea that maybe I could use what I have learned to benefit others. And so I decided to become a Professional Organizer.
Ironically, but perhaps not surprisingly, my first few years in business created intense organizational challenges for me. As anyone who has done it knows, starting your own business is not as easy as it may seem. It requires great time, energy and effort, and can turn your world upside down.
As I struggled to balance the dual responsibilities of running both a household and a business, our family was bombarded with a steady stream of stressful life events. First, a close relative was stricken with a serious illness. Shortly thereafter another family member took ill. Our beloved dog died. And our home sustained flood damage from a tropical storm. Then one day - when I was stressed out, exhausted and not paying close enough attention to what I was doing – I lifted or reached for something the wrong way and injured my neck. This led to months of physical therapy and placed new limitations on what I could do.
As a result, something had to give, and that “something” was the sense of peace and order in our home. While I can’t say our house fell into a state of full blown chaos, I can tell you that certain things did not meet my standard of organization at that time. Laundry was done, the bills were paid and appointments were kept – but I still didn’t “feel” organized. Sometimes things got a little “messy.” Fortunately, I had established systems, strategies and skills to fall back on, and eventually things returned to “normal organized” as I regained my strength and mobility.
Many of the clients I have worked with over the years have had similar experiences and I am sure many of you reading this can relate to some of these situations, too. In retrospect, these challenging life events gave me even greater insight into the nature of organizational struggles, and enhanced my ability to empathize with and show compassion towards others who are still struggling.
The point of sharing my story with you is to let you know that I truly understand the stress and frustration disorganization can cause. I know the toll it can take on your relationships, self-esteem and peace of mind. I’m not here to judge you because I’ve lived through it myself, both as a child and as an adult. I “get it.” If you’re ready, I’m here to guide you on your own journey toward a simplified and organized life.
I'm often asked if I've always been an organized person or even if I was “born” organized. If only that were so!
I grew up in a very chaotic and often disorganized household. It's not that it was particularly messy, it's just that we moved a lot so things were always in different places and sometimes we couldn't find things because they hadn't yet been unpacked or were lost in a move. As a child I wasn’t aware of any over-shopping or excessive saving behavior, although I do remember my parents frequently arguing about what should be kept and what should be thrown away.
Things didn't get really bad though until my parents split up when I was in high school. By that time our family was living in a large six bedroom house filled with a lot of stuff. The house was sold and my mother, brother and I moved our selves - and half of all that stuff - into a much smaller two-bedroom apartment. Since there were only two bedrooms, my younger brother got his own room and I shared the master bedroom with my mom.
What I remember most about this time in my life was the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by clutter. I remember stepping over piles of clothing to get in and out of the bedroom, and not having even a tiny space or corner that I could call my own. By contrast, my brother had an entire bedroom to himself, and I harbored a lot of resentment over this for many years.
A year later I was off to college and glad to be out of that situation. And soon after that my mother and brother moved again to a more spacious living arrangement. Unfortunately, all of the stuff moved with them and most of it would remain there for the next 30 years.
This experience profoundly changed my attitude toward and relationship with material things. For one thing, I vowed I would never let my possessions control me or my life. Secondly, I was determined to create in my adult life the structure and order that was sorely lacking in my childhood.
Now I would like to say that I lived “happily organized ever after,” but alas that was not the case. At various times in my adult life I’ve struggled to stay organized, too.
Although I wanted nothing more than to have a steady job and settle down, my first job out of college was with a Fortune 500 company and I quickly learned that moving around the country and moving up the corporate ladder was the name of the game. “Up or out” was the way things worked. So I moved every 8-12 months like everyone else, keeping my belongings to a minimum to make the transitions easier.
Meanwhile, work life presented a different set of organizational challenges. Since nobody had taught me these kinds of skills before, I studied books on time management and project management. I learned how to use a calendar/planner and set goals. Soon I was getting high scores on my performance reviews for organizational skills. Friends and family took notice, too, and eventually I gained a reputation of being an “organized person.”
Shortly before my wedding day, my dear Nana passed away. Her death was not unexpected although we had all hoped she would live to see me married. Losing a family member is always a stressful situation. In this case the stress was multiplied by all of the papers, photographs and other things she had accumulated over the years. I thought about my mom’s stuff and wondered how to break this cycle. So I initiated an intensive study of all things organizing – psychology, decision making, changes and life transitions. It was at this point where I first got the idea that maybe I could use what I have learned to benefit others. And so I decided to become a Professional Organizer.
Ironically, but perhaps not surprisingly, my first few years in business created intense organizational challenges for me. As anyone who has done it knows, starting your own business is not as easy as it may seem. It requires great time, energy and effort, and can turn your world upside down.
As I struggled to balance the dual responsibilities of running both a household and a business, our family was bombarded with a steady stream of stressful life events. First, a close relative was stricken with a serious illness. Shortly thereafter another family member took ill. Our beloved dog died. And our home sustained flood damage from a tropical storm. Then one day - when I was stressed out, exhausted and not paying close enough attention to what I was doing – I lifted or reached for something the wrong way and injured my neck. This led to months of physical therapy and placed new limitations on what I could do.
As a result, something had to give, and that “something” was the sense of peace and order in our home. While I can’t say our house fell into a state of full blown chaos, I can tell you that certain things did not meet my standard of organization at that time. Laundry was done, the bills were paid and appointments were kept – but I still didn’t “feel” organized. Sometimes things got a little “messy.” Fortunately, I had established systems, strategies and skills to fall back on, and eventually things returned to “normal organized” as I regained my strength and mobility.
Many of the clients I have worked with over the years have had similar experiences and I am sure many of you reading this can relate to some of these situations, too. In retrospect, these challenging life events gave me even greater insight into the nature of organizational struggles, and enhanced my ability to empathize with and show compassion towards others who are still struggling.
The point of sharing my story with you is to let you know that I truly understand the stress and frustration disorganization can cause. I know the toll it can take on your relationships, self-esteem and peace of mind. I’m not here to judge you because I’ve lived through it myself, both as a child and as an adult. I “get it.” If you’re ready, I’m here to guide you on your own journey toward a simplified and organized life.
