It’s that time again! Launch week. This week we are launching new franchise owners and new markets! Let’s dive in to see who our new additions are.
We want to welcome Maureen Howard of The Hamptons. We are thrilled she’s a part of the team. Let’s find out more about what makes her so NEAT.
NM :: Why do you want to run NEAT in your city?
MH :: Sag Harbor is a quaint little town in the middle of the Hamptons. This area is filled with family and friends and interesting people I have yet to meet. When I learned about NEAT and the ways in which it helps people to accomplish goals to help with everyday life, I knew I had found my calling.
NM :: What did you do before NEAT?
MH :: Prior to NEAT, in my first life, I was in sales and account management. I took the next 22 years to raise my family of four children with my husband Art. In those 22 years, I volunteered in my children's schools, ran book fairs and coached sports teams, co-chaired fundraisers, attended more sporting events than I can count…in more sports than most (football, baseball, softball, swimming, soccer, basketball, fencing, track and field and lacrosse). As my children got older I took one of my passions – photography- and made a business for myself. Initially focusing on family photos and events and eventually finding a niche working with a law firm.
NM :: What makes your city unique?
MH :: The Hamptons is a place unlike any other. There are families that have been here for generations and there are people living here who just realized that the east end of Long Island is the perfect place to live and raise a family. The area is filled with farmland and beaches, beautiful beach cottages and ocean front mansions, summer crowds and winter solitude. There is something for everyone.
NM :: How long have you lived in your city?
MH :: My grandparents came to Sag Harbor back in the 1960's and bought a bungalow right by the beach. Sag Harbor has since become our family's central gathering place. I was fortunate to spend my summers as a child here and work in the restaurants and clubs. Now my children are continuing that tradition and love it just as much as I always have.
NM :: What are your favorite places to shop in your city?
MH :: There are so many amazing boutiques to shop in when you are in the Hamptons, not to mention the fantastic summer pop-up shops. I love to shop in One Kings Lane in Southampton, Serena and Lily in Wainscott, and my secret guilty pleasure is shopping at the Emporium Hardware store in Sag Harbor. You can find ANYTHING there!!
NM :: Show us a picture of your most organized space and tell us what it is.
MH :: The most organized space in my house is my laundry/mud room…sadly, the room I probably spend most of my time in ;). Each child has their own locker, shoe basket and wicker bin for misc items. The washer and dryer each have a platform drawer they are mounted on which allows me to keep supplies nearby, neat and most importantly out of sight!
NM :: What about your least organized space? What the heck happened?
MH :: This is my lazy susan in my kitchen…what happened??? At some point, before we created a pantry in a recent renovation, this was where I kept most of my pasta, grains, and extra ingredients. With my new pantry, I had the space to relocate the items and the lazy susan became a place for my family to put "things" that they didn't want to find the right home for. I have yet to remedy this and make the most of this space. It's purgatory for kitchen ingredients.
NM :: What do you think is going to be your favorite part of running NEAT in your city?
MH :: I think my favorite part about running NEAT The Hamptons is going to be connecting with people in my community and helping them to get their space organized. I'm very excited about the possibility of helping people who are completely overwhelmed with their space and creating a haven of calm.
NM :: What can people expect when they hire you to organize their home?
MH :: They can expect a true and honest professional. They can expect someone to bring a sense of calm to their chaos without judging. I hope that they will consider me an incredible resource and perhaps a friend in the future.
NM :: Do you have any hidden talents that we should know about?
MH :: I am actually pretty handy. My husband is VERY accomplished at DIY projects. (He's in the middle of remodeling our basement now!), I am his apprentice (translation "go get me…fill in the blank...") and have become quite adept at DIY projects myself.
Congratulations! We’re so excited to have you join NEAT!
xx
The NEAT Girls
