Staff Spotlight: Courtney Rabren

Courtney Rabren - Project Manager

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How did you originally get in touch with Imagine It Done to start working as a professional organizer?

I was a senior in college, completing my last semester. During that time, everyone was sharing with each other what they were doing after college - so the pressure was on! I was saying I wanted to work for an organizing company and one of my now roommates came into my room and said “I just saw a big influencer in New York City work with an organizing company, you should apply!”

So I literally DM’d the account that day. I emailed Lisa and she asked me to come to NYC for an interview. I went up the weekend before my Spring Break to meet her and after that she offered me a job. It really all happened through social media!

Did you even know that careers like this existed in organizing before you found Imagine It Done?

Yes - I started looking on LinkedIn and I quickly realized that what we do is not a thing on LinkedIn. That’s when I realized it was going to be word of mouth. I told all my friends this is what I wanted to do as it’s something I’ve always enjoyed in my free time. I started to follow organizing companies on Instagram and my friends would also tell me when they saw organizing companies hiring. But I definitely knew it was what I wanted to do out of college if the opportunity came up.

Have you always been really organized or was it something you grew into when you got older?

Yes, but also no. I thought I was organized, but I didn’t really know all the techniques and systems. I was always very tidy and I loved to learn little methods, but I feel like I didn’t actually know anything until I started working on site. I didn’t realize how much the products made a difference

What is your current favorite organizing hack?

I think all the folding techniques and styles - only because you see a difference instantly and it’s something that doesn’t require you to invest in a product.

As someone who directly curates products for the client’s what product would you say makes the biggest difference in a client’s home?

Biggest difference I would definitely say is the OXO Canisters, because the look is way better than food boxes. Another one is using kids hangers for adult pants.

Kids hangers for adult pants

Oxo Canisters

What is your favorite product to recommend to a client or use in your own home?

My favorite… is probably acrylic hangers. Just because personally I have them and I love them and they make closets look really pretty in general. They always make your wardrobe pieces pop more since your eyes are not typically drawn to the hanger when you enter the closet.

What is your favorite space to curate and organize in a client’s home and why?

This is hard to choose, but I would have to say my favorite space to organize is a nursery. Baby clothes are the cutest and there are so many fun products that can help you curate the closet and room from the closet dividers, bin options, changing table storage, book cases, etc. It is normally an exciting time in the client's life, so it is an honor being able to play a small part in it by organizing and streamlining the space for them.”

Does helping clients donate and sell items they no longer need during the editing process inspire you to constantly be editing in your own space?

Yes, for sure. I think it’s very therapeutic, I love the edit phase. I also bring it into my own life for sure. We live in these small city apartments, I don’t have the space to keep all the unnecessary stuff

I also really love to find different donation places - there’s so many out there that people don’t know about and they can be hard to find. It feels nice to find a good one and give back.

Imagine it Done's recommended donations sites include:

• All of Us

• Cancer Cartel

• GrowNYC

• Housing Works

• Goodwill

• Nordstrom Drop Off

• Soul for Soles

What is the most rewarding part of helping clients in their home for you?

Definitely seeing their reaction. It is the most rewarding because it is hard work and it takes a while. Typically at the beginning of the process when we start sourcing the product, clients usually don’t have an idea of how it’s all going to be used. I understand the hesitation since it’s a whole new concept to them, so it’s really rewarding when client’s end up loving the product, especially when in the beginning they almost express a bit of doubt.

If you had to give one piece of advice to someone who was thinking of going into a professional organization career what would it be?

Don't take anything personally! Since you are working in someone else's space, they typically are up front about what they like and don't like.