Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Robinson Martinez.
Hi Katy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Absolutely. In fact, I was just recently telling someone about my past and realized just how much all of my experiences relate to where I’ve found myself today, running my own home-organizing company.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and spent many summers boating with my family. That led to taking a less traditional route after graduating high school and instead of college I lived on a sailboat, sailing from Seattle to Costa Rica. When I returned to the states, I moved to Los Angeles and worked in film and television as a makeup artist. The LA hustle wasn’t for me, and I found my way back to Seattle, where I worked in restaurants and cared for my grandmother. A few years later, I went to culinary school in Paris and eventually made my way to San Diego. I continued working in restaurants and hospitality, but as soon as I became a mother, I knew immediately that working nights and weekends wouldn’t be sustainable for much longer.
When COVID hit, I was at a loss. I had the opportunity to take a break and focus on my baby girl, two years old at the time, but had no idea what was next. One afternoon, I was at a girlfriend’s house and started organizing her drawers. (Not uncommon for me do for anyone who would let me) She suggested I look into organizing for a living. At the time, I thought it was crazy. “Who would pay me to organize their homes?” A couple weeks later, that same friend referred me to her boss, who like so many at the time, was losing her mind working from home, managing her children’s schooling, etc… and I got to work! I had no idea what I was doing and charged her next to nothing, but I knew it felt right, and this was something I could really pursue! Something that came so naturally to me and helped relieve unnecessary stress for others was incredibly fulfilling. That first client referred me to her friends and family; they referred me to theirs, and here I am!
Boating, professional makeup, caretaking, and working in restaurants all require detail-oriented organization, cleanliness, and patience. I suppose you could say I’ve been gaining the skills and training for this profession my entire life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Not at all. I definitely don’t recommend getting divorced while diving into new career.
Shortly after starting my business, I was hit with the painful reality that I had to leave my marriage. At the time, I was nowhere near where I needed to be to support myself and my daughter in San Diego on my own. The high-conflict divorce was draining, to say the least. Things looked very different from when I started organizing. I went from living in a four-bedroom house and dual-income to sharing a one-bedroom apartment with my now five-year-old daughter. I no longer had a garage to store backstock of organizing product or dump donations until I had the time to sort and drop them between jobs. Not to mention finding the balance between single motherhood and running a business. It was an entirely new ball game, and I’m not going to lie; it was scary. It was a huge setback, but with time, adjustments, rebuilding my confidence, and so much love and support from my own entrepreneurial family, I’m back at it and finally taking my business full-time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Properly Placed Home Organizing is a full-service, one-on-one organizing business. What that means is that I work together with you to assess the problem areas in the home or office and find functional solutions to maintain a system of everyday organization.
Declutter. Organize. Breathe.
Whether the client wants a streamlined, luxury pantry with styled bins and baskets, or to simply declutter and rid of the unwanted mess that has been piling up and weighing them down for months or often years! I also help prep for staging and selling a home and offer help unpacking after moving into a new home. I have clients that work alongside me throughout the entire process and other clients who leave me a key while they’re out of town, so they don’t have to be involved at all after the initial edit of unwanted items. I handle space planning, shopping for product to suit the client’s individual needs and style, and hauling all donations. I assist in decision-making and encourage you to part with certain items in a judgement-free environment. I know that it can be difficult for people to invite me into spaces that they may feel ashamed of, and I don’t take that lightly. And trust me, I’ve seen it all! Or at least enough that nothing surprises me anymore.
Every project is completely different and I’ve met some many amazing people along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: properlyplacedsd.com
- Instagram: @properlyplaced_homeorganizing
