Conversations with Kate Wert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Wert.  

Hi Kate, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised just outside of Grand Rapids. Growing up, I was what parents would call “strong-willed” which made life and “fitting in” difficult at times. My grandfather even tagged me with the nickname “Calamity Kate”. My hardheadedness got me into some trouble but over the years, I learned how to channel my energy and intensity toward bettering myself and the community at large while still finding time for fun along the way. 

Growing up, both of my parents worked full-time and dedicated their earnings towards the future in lieu of material items. Appreciating what you had and helping others with a strong sense of social responsibility laid the groundwork for my life journey. While I didn’t always love it when younger, once in adulthood, I learned to appreciate that it wasn’t all about “keeping up with the joneses,” that delayed gratification fostered future success, and how to thrift through life. 

I began working as soon as the law let me and moved from job to job with a desire to try out all the trades and push myself out of my comfort zone. After high school, I kept working while attending college, shifting from one major to another, uncertain of what I wanted to be when I “grew up.” I finally committed to Social Work, a field that allowed me to speak out, shake things up a little bit, and use my powers for the greater good. I (mostly) stayed out of trouble, wrapped up my master’s degree, and eventually earned my clinical license. 

Shortly following grad school, I became pregnant (unmarried – because the traditional path was never really my thing). I never envisioned being a single mom, but whatever life served me up, I knew I would “figure it out.” This lit a major fire under me, and I knew I had to make some major moves. Family helped me with housing to save money while I worked as a foster care worker and waiting tables throughout my pregnancy, pinching every penny made. Pregnancy was met with a lot of loneliness, exhaustion, and even depression at times. Those feelings quickly dissipated the day the most wonderful being came into my life, my son Oliver. 

I continued my career in foster care, living on the cusp of poverty while putting my newly found family at the forefront. I knew I was doing great work, but over time the compassion fatigue and secondary trauma took its course which spiraled into a deep depression and severe anxiety more days than not. While I had been managing mental health concerns since a young age, it was apparent that it had become unmanageable. I swallowed my pride, took short-term leave, engulfed myself in all the therapy I could afford and set aside my need to be 110% self-sufficient, and finally asked for help. 

I knew I needed a career change to create a sustainable life for myself and my son, but still wanted to help people. I shifted careers, working in the rewarding but also difficult field of hospice, eventually getting laid off. I needed to make yet another move but had no idea what that was. 

I applied for jobs and flipped through all the contacts I had made over the years, eventually stumbling upon a business card I received from a professional organizer a few years prior at a social work conference. Prior to meeting Susie of Susie’s Organization Solutions, I had no idea professional organizers existed in the area but knew I wanted in. Naturally, I reached out and begged her to teach me the trade, ready to learn and eager to volunteer. I never passed up an opportunity to work alongside Susie, tackling any job- from prettying up a pantry all the way to managing hoarding environments and behaviors. I hit the ground running with an excitement to learn all I could about the psychology of “stuff,” the various approaches to “getting organized,” and how best to help those of all walks of life make their house a home. 

In 2016, I finally took the leap and started my own professional organizing company as a one-woman show. That show thrived and has grown into a full-service organizing company, Moxie Life Organizing. With the help of amazing team members, we keep ourselves out of trouble by helping others find their own “Moxie” and make their lives more manageable on a daily basis! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While I have an entrepreneur spirit, my background is social work. Starting a business as a single mom was scary! I’ve always been a risk taker, and while anxious getting started, I was confident I could make it a success. However, that confidence wasn’t always shared by those around me. There were times when my entrepreneurship and strong will was called into question. Others worried about health care, retirement benefits, and of course, “what if it fails?”. I had to put earmuffs on and follow my instincts, knowing I had the grit to “figure this one out too.” Once running the business successfully, I even had an individual say, “Have you ever thought about working for the state or the hospitals? They have great benefits”. I had to create boundaries and appreciate that this was my journey and that the opinions of others were not always relevant. The more I got questioned, the smarter and harder I would work to prove them wrong. 

Working hard is in my blood, but it can come with a cost, including my own mental and physical health and even my family’s well-being. Self-care and practicing balance while planning for my family’s future is something I will not give up on, but the struggle can be REAL! I want to help everyone! Thankfully, my teammates and support system are by my side, and I continuously strive to work toward systems to improve quality of life, asking for help with no shame. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Moxie Life Organizing is a full-service organizing company that has thrived because of its nonjudgmental, positive, and person-centered approach. Rather than focusing on “clutter,” we focus on values, beginning consultations with exploration into what items and facets of life are most important to the individual. From there, we build a hierarchy, cast a vision, and walk alongside them to make it a reality. 

We work with all different walks of life and know that there is more than one way to get organized and ensure that any aid we offer or recommendations made are sustainable for and customized to our client’s unique lifestyle. 99% of the inquiries we receive are individuals feeling overwhelmed with their “stuff” and have no idea where to start – the hardest part! There is also a major shame factor. We work collaboratively with our clients to get their home (and life) manageable again while minimizing those negative thoughts that get us stuck. 

Service items include coaching and consulting, e-Value-ation of items with supportive sorting, streamlining, and personalized placement of belongings. We also assist with product selection and work with a variety of vendors to manage updates and large-scale home projects including staging the home for sale. 

Ongoing Whole Home Management is a much-needed service we also offer for those overworked executives, burnt-out boss babes or pressured parents that find it difficult to maintain home upkeep and need personal assistance along the way. There just isn’t enough time in the day! I even hire my own organizers to help with home and work tasks so I can focus on what matters to me most! I know I can’t “do it all” alone and don’t want to lose sight of what’s most valuable to me – my son, my business, and my sanity! 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Comfort kills – it’s ok to be bold (and different)! Embrace the chaos and don’t be so hard on yourself- we all have “stuff”! 

Pricing:

• $65-$100 per hour per Organizer

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MoxieLifeOrganizing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moxielifeorganizing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoxieLifeOrganizing