Deanna Beaver was a busy stay-at-home mom when she decided to go back to work. She knew she had a knack for helping others get their things in order. When she found out about Major Organizers’ mission to help restore order to households without passing judgement, a new career was born.
You worked as a seminar coordinator before you became a mom. Was it hard to take the leap and become a professional organizer when you decided to return to the workforce?
I have enjoyed organizing my own space and helping family and friends to organize theirs. I learned about Major Organizers and loved the idea of helping others organize their homes into a place they love.
Sometimes it’s hard for people to show their disaster areas to a stranger. How do you help clients get past this hurdle so you can get to work?
Many clients are embarrassed about how disorganized their homes have become. We want to let them know that they are not alone and that we do not judge. We are there to help them get their homes to where they want them to be.
Even though you’re there to help clients, on occasion liberators learn new tricks from them. What have you learned from one of your clients?
I had a client who had a small coat closet and used a clear, over-the-door shoe organizer for her snow hats and gloves.
What are some of your personal favorites when it comes to organizing products?
I love over-the-door hooks. They are great to use in bathrooms to hang robes or towels on. We have them even in the guest bath, which our guests can use for towels or hanging their travel toiletry bags on.
It sounds like your own home is pretty organized. Do you have any challenging areas?
I would say that the biggest organizing challenge in my own home is the garage. We have a one-car garage, and when my husband works on projects in the garage, he takes over. He spreads out his tools and brings out his saw, and it will sit there until he is finished with the project. Figuring out how to give him his space without taking over the garage is the challenge.
Getting organized is hard work, but it can also be funny. Has anything amusing every happened to you on a job?
Sometimes when we have a client that lives far away, we will carpool to the client’s house. One time I had a job where four of us liberators carpooled to our client’s house. As we got into our client’s neighborhood, we noticed a turkey walking around. Then the turkey started running after our car, which we thought was funny. When we pulled in front of our client’s house, we didn’t know if we wanted to get out with the turkey there. Do turkeys attack? Finally, the turkey wandered off. We were laughing so hard. Four liberators almost got beaten by a turkey that day.
“Fowl play” aside, how do you wind down after completing a big organizing project for a client, besides hanging out with family and friends, reading and working on crafts?
I love to take baths as a way to relax, and a little chocolate helps, too!