Orrrr…should we say Partners in ORGANIZING!?!? We are SERIOUSLY jumping for JOY today! Why you ask? Because today is our official launch of a NEW and beautiful partnership with our dear friends, The Organizing Store!
What is the partnership you ask? You will have to wait until next week to find out just what we have up our sleeves! But in honor of the good news, we thought it would be fun to dish the scoop on the adorable, mother-daughter duo behind this amazing brand! We sat the TOS Ladies down and asked them to spill the dirt on their NEAT lives!
NM :: OK ladies, let's start with any easy one! The Organizing Store not only sells great products, but your website is absolutely stunning! Tell us a little bit about the brains behind the brand!
DS :: My name is Deborah Shearer, and I am Allie's mother. I am originally from upstate New York, raised in the suburbs of Niagara Falls. I became a nice Jewish girl before my wedding to the wonderful dad of my beautiful children and I've been making matzoh balls and meatballs ever since. When our son Jason turned 4, we took a leap of faith and followed our hearts out to San Francisco to take a stab as entrepreneurs. I officially became a California girl, living in Marin County raising our children. While our business began in the gift, tabletop and stationary business, I went on to design and manufacture my own children's clothing line, which led me to marketing and sales management with a Major in Storage and Organization and a Minor in Crafts. You could say I was into organizing way before it really became "the thing." I married my husband Terry in 2006 and moved to southern California (LA), where our business was based, and so the next chapter began – The Organizing Store!
AW :: I'm Allie Wandner, Marketing Director for The Organizing Store. Thanks to my folks, I'm an Italian Jew (aka pizza bagel) which means my ability to insert yiddish phrases while using big hand gestures is on point. I'm the only one in my family born and raised in California, just north of San Francisco – where my mom taught me everything I needed to know about hard work, throwing a fierce dinner party, and keeping my room impeccably organized (or she'd have something to say about it). I've always dreamed of living in the city (of SF), knowing the streets like the back of my hand, and taking long walks on that strip of sand under the fog. So, I packed up my things and drove across the bridge to graduate with honors in Psychology from SF State in 2008 and have held my heart in North Beach ever since. I joined the family business in college as a content editor and post graduation I decided to dive head first into the world of marketing where I felt right at home.
Photo courtesy of Oprah Magazine, O You 2012
NM :: So how did The Organizing Store get started? What inspired you? It is always fascinating to hear how successful companies got off the ground!
DS :: My husband was the original founder of Organize.com. When we married in 2006, the business needed someone to head up marketing and merchandising and since I was versed in the industry, I joined the family business! With a twist of fate or two, we parted ways from Organizing.com in 2012 and looked at what we wanted to do next. As a Top 500 Internet Retailer, with strong relationships and reputation in the organizing industry, we knew our first project would be something to do with organizing. In 2013, we decided the world needed something more than another place to buy more stuff for your stuff. We wanted that something to be "the boutique of organizing" and set out to launch a place to shop for products in an online atmosphere to help you "live beautifully," and The Organizing Store was born!
The fashion and home decor markets are really what inspired Allie and I, so we looked at how to bring color, fashion, fun you find in those markets, and a fresh face to organizing. A wise woman once told us,
"You're like the Kate Spade of organizing!" and we think that's pretty NEAT!
NM :: Even though Deborah lives in LA, and Allie in SF – you two seem like the dream duo! What do you love most about what you do?
DS :: Everything you would expect and more. I get to shop for and add new products to our store, collaborate with vendors and great minds, and get inspired by fabulous brands, designers, and bloggeres – everyday! My biggest plus: How many moms have the opportunity to work (successfully!) with their daughter(s) every day, have the same taste in products AND the same level of passion for what we do? Allie and I are connected at the hip! Being from different generations, I learn from her, she learns from me and we're a great compliment to each other. She knows what I'm thinking, how I'll react, but most importantly when I overrule a decision she respects it and learns from me. We have the same vision and that's the key to success.
AW :: Deb pretty much summed it up! I get to work with my mom and talk about products we love, that fit naturally in our lifestyles. I imagine some mother-daughter duo's might never work well together…but Deb? She's the PB to my J!
Wise wise words from both!
NM :: So surely you girls have a titch of OCD in you! What are your most OCD tendencies?
DS :: I have acrylic shelf dividers in my armoire with labels on each section of the shelves. My underwear has to be folded a certain way and lined up to fit perfectly in my cedar & lavender 3-compartment drawer organizer. My ceiling to floor craft cabinet is filled with plastic shoe boxes and containers. Each is labeled with the contents by theme. Crazy…I know!
AW :: I wouldn't say I'm terribly particular (just kidding – my closet is color coded, I set calendar reminders to floss, and dishes in the sink are my all time pet peeve), but I'm more publicly known amongst my friends to have everything one should need at all times. A modern-day Marry Poppins, if you must!
NM:: Obviously we can't contain oursevles, but what makes you most excited about TOS joining forces with NEAT?
TOS :: First…the NEAT girls themselves! We love Molly & Ashley, their style, energy, and business ethics. They're just like us! Our brand synergy couldn't be a better fit! Back to basics, we think we like the same things and share the same lifestyles. We can't wait to work with and meet ALL the NEAT girls!
NM :: Anything you would like to tell our followers in particular?
TOS :: We are SO excited to collaborate with NEAT Method. We love their sense of style, approach to organizing and our mutual passion for it. We think NEAT brings a sense of calm to the home. We obviously share a lot of NEAT in our worlds, but we're on a mission to organize the world, once space at a time! However, we can help the NEAT girls and their clients get beautifully organized, we're thrilled to be a helpful resource for all!
Well, we didn't think it was possible friends, but it seems we continue to LOVE TOS more and more everyday! And we are beyond excited to see where this living beautifully + NEAT life partnership takes us!
Interested in following all things The Organizing Store related? Find them on Pinterest here, Twitter here, Facebook here, and Blog here!
Stay tuned for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT on the partnership…
xx
the NEAT girls
