Meet Nicole Sachiko | Professional Organizer & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Sachiko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a little girl, I never dreamed of a big wedding or getting married. I dreamed BIG and that dream was to own my business. When I wasn’t role-playing being a business owner, I spent my childhood organizing.

Until I was 18 years old I lived with my parents in their hoarder home. Growing up, it was a normal everyday occurrence to walk through piles and alley ways of stuff. Counters were never visible, open floor space was nonexistent, and boxes upon boxes were stacked everywhere. Before dinner time, it was my job each evening to move all the stuff off the table for us to eat. When I was about 10 years old I started to organize the clutter around the house only for it to get messy again. Eventually, I had the realization that no matter how much organizing I did, I was not the cause of the clutter. Things would return to the way they were despite my repeated efforts. As a result of feeling out of control of my environment, I decided I would focus on just my room – the only place I could “control.” My room was my sanctuary. I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up so I found joy in cleaning, organizing, and interior design. My room was the only space that had a clear floor. One year during Christmas the house was so cluttered we had to open presents in my room. As I grew up in this kind of environment I asked myself, what was all this stuff? Why do we keep it? When I went to college I got degrees in Psychology and Health Education. I studied Psychology because I wanted to understand how to help and motivate people.

When the pandemic hit, I thought of my 70+ year old parents living in their hoarder home. The state of their house was even worse than when I was a child. I asked my parents if they would be willing to to sort through their possessions and organize. After some convincing, renting a giant dumper, and weeks of working together – we managed to clear almost all of the clutter from inside their house. For the first time in 20 years, my parents were able to cook with ease, invite friends over, and have date nights at their dinner table. About a month later, my parents came to me and said how thankful they were for my help. They admitted that they didn’t realize how bad it truly was and that they never could have done it alone.

This was probably one of the most rewarding moments of my life. It was also the realization that I had the power to change peoples lives for the better through organizing. When I first started to organize professionally, I worked on weekdays after my full-time job and on weekends. Little did I know that my childhood days of organizing and dreams of owning my own business would come true. Today, I am proud to say that I am a full-time professional organizer.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am passionate about teaching people how to organize! Anyone can come into your home and organize your space for you. The problem with this model is that people don’t learn the skills of how to maintain organization themselves.

I believe organization is a lifestyle. Whether at home, at work, or during travel – belongings can be assets or liabilities. Our possessions have the power to inspire and enhance our lives or weigh us down. When people learn how to decide what to keep and discard, they ultimately learn what brings them joy. Many of my clients rediscover themselves through their possessions. They evaluate what items are meaningful and why. As a result, clients create an environment where belongings spark happiness and make life easier.

It’s also important to note that organization is not about perfection; it’s about having practical things in a way that works for each individual. Setting up a functional organizing system throughout a space is unique to each individual. Every person has a special routine and style. As an organizer, I organize items around a person’s daily habits. I focus first on organizing practically and then move my focus to aesthetics.

Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of hard-work, commitment, and confidence. I think one of the biggest challenges when being a solopreneur is resilience. When things don’t go right or something comes up, I have to be flexible. I also have to be patient and keep persevering despite those negative thoughts in the back of my head. One thing I really love about having my own business is learning about building websites, search engine optimization, online marketing, affiliate marketing, partnerships, and blogging. Every single day I challenge myself by growing my business. I think it also takes a lot of courage to ask for help. My business wouldn’t be where it is today without my mentors Jim and Benny.

Every single day we have the opportunity to take control of our lives. I remember my first job out of college in sales at a tech company. Each day became a routine and each week felt the same. I stared at that computer screen, counting down the time of when I could leave. After being at that job for too long, I realized I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be one of those people who “lived for the weekend.” Life is too short to settle for being unhappy – even if its just for a day. I knew I wanted to do something more but I wasn’t quite sure at this time in my life. I was really lucky that my passion for organizing happened naturally. What was less luck and more work was making it a full-time job.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve always felt at home being by the ocean. The first place we would go is La Jolla Cove for snorkeling. There’s something really peaceful about floating and free diving in the water with fish and reef sharks. After our snorkel adventure, we would stop at The Taco Shop for some tacos or surf n turf’ fries. After our very filling meal, we would relax in Balboa Park and hula hoop dance in the grass. Our evening plans would be filled with more dancing at Bloom nightclub in downtown San Diego. After a night out, we would stay up late for a sleepover to talk and laugh until we fell asleep. The next day would be a beach day at Black’s beach. I love being able to watch the para gliders along the cliff and the surfers. We usually bring sandwiches from Mona Lisa Deli and plenty of water so we can campout the whole day. Our evening would be a fun night in making mojitos and homemade pizza. I’m a huge foodie who loves to cook for others! I love making pizza because I can make the mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and dough from scratch. It’s so much for fun for me and always a treat for my friends!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my partner, Tim. Through laughs, tears, and sleepless nights, he’s always been a source of support and positivity. I’ve never met such a genuine, open-minded, and thoughtful person who accepts me for who I am. Every single day he encourages me to be the best version of myself.

Website: www.tidylife.style

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesparksjoy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TidyLifestyleOrganizingServices

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tidy-lifestyle-professional-organizing-services-san-diego-2

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBV2ue27mDUFfUCk0g49T9w/videos

Image Credits
Nicole Sachiko – All Photos taken by myself.