About Tricia Hallow

Tricia Hallow of Simply Living Organized has lived in Greenville, North Carolina for over 30 years. In honor of Mother's Day, I, her daughter, interviewed my mom about her Professional Organizing business.

Tricia is a mother to 6 kids, a "Grammy" to 5 grandkids, and wife of Todd Hallow. Commonly known as "Mama Trish" to the young folk, Tricia has served in many facets of the community:

• She's been backstage at many Nutcracker performances.
• Sat in every ball-field-bleacher Eastern NC has to offer for summers on end.
• Has served on the worship team at her local church since 2000.
• She is currently in a songwriting band called Saved by Grace Music.

With 6 kids, a husband, and 2 cats, every item always had its place thanks to her. Below are the questions I asked to get more insight into her passion for Professional Organizing through Simply Living Organized.

The Interview

As my mother, you've always been organized at home. Were you always organized or did life force you to be organized? I would say that is a two-fold answer. Growing up with one sibling, I would go outside and play all day and come in with not a speck of dirt on me and my sibling looked otherwise. I do know living in my college dorm room, and staying with friends, I tended to be more tidy than others.

This question actually reminds me of a story about the school pick up line. One of the assistants helping you [Cassidy] and your siblings in and out of the vehicle, knowing how large our family was, said, "oh I bet your car is so..." and she actually stopped speaking and I think she was kind of shocked. My vehicle was not a wreck on the inside!

As a mother with many children, I knew from the start that I did not want to have the stress of looking for items when leaving the home in the morning or having our home be tidy when people came to visit. So, life did somewhat force me to be more organized.

How did you first get started in professional organizing, and what inspired you to create Simply Living Organized? I would say that my first start in organizing outside of my home would have been when I was a nanny for seven years. Most of my families knew that I could help keep their home tidy and would ask for help in specific areas if I had some downtime. As I felt my nanny days ending, I noticed the trend on social media where people were actually getting paid to organize people's homes. I started looking into it and gave my notice to my families that I would be starting my own business in 2020.

Can you describe your process for working with clients? What's the first step you take when you begin organizing a space? The first step is to connect. I want to speak with my potential client and let them know they can trust me and I can actually help them with their spaces. I then explain how we will look at their items and decide if they are "keep, trash or donate". When they decide to move forward, I will have my clients send some pictures and set a date to get started.

What are some of the most common organizational mistakes people make in their homes or offices? One of the most common mistakes I see when I enter peoples homes is that they try to buy bins or containers to help them be organized when what they really should have done first is sort through their items to see if they really need the items or are no longer using them. Most of the time, the bins or containers that they've purchased are not the best ones to help keep their homes tidy and organized.

What is the most rewarding part of helping someone get organized? Can you share a memorable success story from your work? The most rewarding part of helping someone get organized is helping them move forward. So many of my clients are coming out of a season of life like depression, sickness, surgery, new additions to the family or downsizing.

I had a whole house project where a client had surgery, which ended with a lot of pain and depression. After completing the project, she said that I had made her house a home again and that she would feel comfortable with people visiting again! Her office was also dedicated to showcasing all the things in her life that she had accomplished and collected.

How do you handle situations when clients are feeling overwhelmed or resistant to the idea of organizing their space? I let them know, they are not alone. I remind them that if they were the only one in this situation, I would not have a job. So many times we believe the lie that everyone else has their life together and they have a tidy home, but that's just not true. If it's a case where we're actually working that day and they are getting overwhelmed, I will tell them to walk away and let me continue so that they can have a break.

What are some organizing habits or tips that you've noticed in my home that I probably inherited from you growing up in our childhood home? Some things I have noticed in your home is that you keep your house very tidy! You have done a great job of saying no to things that you cannot fit into your home or know that you will not use in the immediate future. You are also very good at not buying too many items in bulk. If you don't have the space to store it, then there's no need to buy in bulk because that will automatically overwhelm your home.

How do you think your work as an organizer connects with the broader idea of creating more harmony or mindfulness in our daily lives? I believe deep down we all realize when we walk into a space that is chaotic and overflowing with stuff everywhere, it makes us uncomfortable, and we don't want to be in that space. At the end of a project, most of my clients love spending time in their newly organized space because it gives them peace and a sense of calm which absolutely creates harmony in their daily lives.

With Mother's Day approaching, do you have any tips or advice for families to create organized and peaceful spaces at home? Being a new mother yourself Cassidy, I'm sure you've realized how important the environment is in your home and that moms set the atmosphere in their home. Moms should be mindful that their family will always appreciate time with them over things they could buy and fill up their home. Creating memories and special moments are more precious than anything you could ever buy.

Lastly, as a mother and a business owner, what would you want people to remember most about your work and the impact it has had on the community? Service. At the end of the day, my business is about serving others. If I've helped an individual or family relieve some of the chaos in their lives and bring peace to their homes, this definitely has a lasting impact on their lives and will extend outwards into our community.

Thank you to my eldest daughter, Cassidy, for doing this interview. I want you to know how incredibly proud I am of you. Watching you grow into the woman you are today has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I love you more than words can express. Happy Mother's Day!