Once each month, I have the honor of interviewing one of our Impact Tribe members as our featured Daring Member of the Month – someone who has gone out of their way to help others, accomplished something huge in their business, been a good business friend, or contributed something exceptionally special to the group.

This month, I’m so excited to welcome Pam Holland, owner of Mindful Decluttering and Organizing, here on the blog.

If you have a question or need support in the Impact Tribe, you can count on Pam to reach out with a helping hand!

This month we're celebrating her generous spirit, inquisitive mind, and dedication to consistently showing up and asking questions that help all of us grow. Not only that, but she's been working diligently to build her business, and she's celebrating some big wins as a result!

Pam spent the month of July traveling around the country working with clients, speaking to 6 different audiences and enrolling 20 new members in her Declutter Your Life membership!

In her interview she shares:

• The importance of slowing down to move forward
• How to identify and eliminate mental clutter, such as negative thoughts and beliefs, that is keeping you stuck
• How to recognize your emotional attachments to your physical belongings so you can know what’s no longer serving you 
• How to getting started with your business even when it’s hard or you don’t have a clear plan

Meet Pam Holland

Pam is affectionately known by many as, "that decluttering lady!" She is the founder, owner, manager, and chief bottle washer of a professional home organizing and productivity business, Mindful Decluttering & Organizing.

Since 2005, Pam has delighted in helping heart-centered women entrepreneurs free themselves from physical, mental, and psychological clutter in order to make room for their passions, business, and life to flourish.

Her services include virtual organizing, time transformation services, and her new, "Declutter Your Life” monthly membership program.

Q: How did you get started with your business?

16 years ago I was between jobs and pondering what the heck to do with myself.  My early morning walking buddy Peggy said, “I think you should organize people.” My response was: “Say what now? Do people get paid to do that?” 

Mind you now, this was in 2005. It was pre-Marie Kondo, pre-Home Edit, and definitely before professional organizing was in the news on a regular basis.

After doing a bit of research, I discovered that people did get paid to help people organize. I visited the local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) to learn more. 

At that time (aka back-in-the-day) NAPO did not have the fantastic training programs that they have now. So, everyone that I spoke to that night had simply “hung up a shingle” and started offering their services to folks who needed them. 

I boldly decided to do the same! I tacked a homemade flyer up at the local food Co-op, a restaurant called Mark’s Kitchen, and the local video store (like I said, this was back in the day)!

The first person I worked with was my husband’s band mate. She was very understanding and appreciated the support.  

The second person who called was a man. I explained to him that I offered guidance but did not do heavy lifting and he kindly said, “I wasn’t expecting Bruno the organizer!” That put me at ease until I got to his place, where my heart began pounding and I wondered what in the !*?!*? was I thinking. But things went well, and I continued my forays into the magical world of professional organizing. 

It wasn’t exactly what I expected.  :-) 

I had visions of organized-by-me cupboards, closets, attics, and basements. Though there are a few of these, I found that many folks were simply overwhelmed by paper. So I learned to love paper sorting, and developed a process to make it easier for my clients. 

Q: Who do you work with?

A common thread among my clients and members is an awareness that mindfully choosing what they want to keep in their life is a path of personal and spiritual growth, and not merely a process of "making things look good” – that there are a lot of emotions tied to our physical things.

Most of the folks that are attracted to us are moving through one or more life transitions.  These transitions may be planned or unplanned. They may be happy (weddings, babies) or sad (loss in its many forms). A lot of times, it’s hard for people to get rid of the physical things that are tied to these life transitions – and I help people realize that it’s okay, and it’s normal, to feel that way

Often my clients and followers have studied organizing – read books, listened to podcasts. They may have gotten help from friends or other professionals. They may have had some success in organizing on their own but mostly feel stuck and overwhelmed and often avoid their decluttering projects in very creative ways. 

The most common problem is that they haven’t created the systems that are necessary to maintain the organization that was created – systems are key. 

Systems work person-by-person, there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all in my business  – if having a lot of physical things around you makes you feel comfortable, then there’s nothing wrong with that! If what you have in your home makes you smile, uplifts you, and inspires you, then keep it! The problem with clutter arises when you look at your physical things and start to feel overwhelmed – then it may be time to reduce your clutter. 

We all have inside us an intuitive knowledge of how we feel – so the number one thing that I recommend to my clients is to prioritize how their physical things make them feel. 

Q: What’s the #1 problem your work can help entrepreneurs overcome?

A cluttered mind often creates a cluttered space, and a cluttered space can also create a cluttered mind. If you are feeling productive, happy, inspired, and all is well in your home office, then that is great! If you feel scattered, try decluttering your physical space and see how that affects your mind. 

As entrepreneurs, if we aren’t clear-minded, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed, get lost in our processes and spread ourselves too thin to a point where we aren’t able to make the impact we want. My work helps entrepreneurs clear up both their physical and mental spaces.  

I help people get started. I can help entrepreneurs and clients reduce overwhelm, break their goals down into manageable tasks, and offer expert suggestions for moving past the stuckness.

I once worked with a coach in her home office. In the corner of the rooms was a rather frightening collection of papers and other miscellaneous items which she called, “the dread pile.” We worked on that pile together, and afterwards she was inspired to continue with her desk and create a space that truly inspired her and helped her feel productive. 

After we worked together she shared her feelings via email:

“An interesting thing happened as I was processing the file folders and watching my desk clear. I felt moved to write a difficult email that I have been grappling with. I began to draft the letter and the right words and tone came flowing out.  Pam, I know this came from working with you. Thank you. Emotional, psychic, and physical energy was released and allowed to flow as a result of starting to get organized.” – Colleen, Takoma Park, MD

Q: Can you share some steps to solve this problem that our listeners can implement now?

Slow down. Take a breath. Center. Reflect on your vision for your work day or your space.

Break overwhelming tasks down into manageable action steps using time transformation tools to support your goals.

Be gentle with yourself – this work is hard, but it gets easier. Listen to your body’s messages and watch your self-talk.  

Instead of saying, “I should” try saying, “I could.” Instead of saying, “I have to,” try, “I get to.”

You may be surprised at what a difference just one word can make. 

Q: What does it mean to you to be daring?

Taking risks.

Daring meant tacking up that 1st homemade flyer at Mark’s Kitchen and learning by doing as I grew my business. I had absolutely no experience when I hung my first flyer – I went into my first client’s home without any experience and still did my work, my way… and it worked out.

Now as I’m launching group programs and group memberships, it’s new and a little scary yet again – but knowing that everything is going to work out in the end and trusting in myself, my business and my systems – is daring.

If you want to learn more about Pam and how she can help you declutter your life and business, visit her website at clutterfreenow.com or find her on most social platforms: @ClutterFreeNow.

If you want to join Pam and other amazing members in the Impact Tribe, we would love to have you!

Through the power of coaching, courses and community, our Impact Tribe membership gives you the right steps, in the right order to confidently increase your income and impact without wasting time and money trying to figure out all the details on your own.

Learn more and join us today at this link.