Discover how clutter affects professional women's mental health and productivity, and learn practical strategies to reduce overwhelm, reclaim your mental space, and create systems that support your success.
Her Story
About Rebecca
Rebecca R. Schaeffer, Founder, Certified Professional Organizer® of Simplicity Design & Professional Organizing, LLC, is a humanitarian leader, entrepreneur, and systems-focused professional whose work bridges nonprofit service, immigration legal support, and professional organizing. Her career is grounded in a commitment to creating structure where there is overwhelm and developing practical, sustainable systems that improve daily life for individuals and communities.
Through Simplicity Design & Professional Organizing, LLC, an eight-year business, Rebecca works primarily with residential clients and small business owners to help them manage clutter, streamline their environments, and regain a sense of control in their spaces. She is deeply passionate about the organizing process and often draws on organizer Barbara Hempel’s insight that “clutter is unmade decisions,” a perspective that reflects her belief that disorganization is rarely about capability, but rather about capacity, time, and emotional bandwidth.
Rebecca views organizing as a deeply personal and transformative journey that allows people to free up time, energy, and mental space for what matters most. Her clients are often busy professionals and working families who feel overwhelmed by competing priorities, even when they are capable of organizing on their own. While some individuals face more complex challenges such as chronic disorganization or hoarding tendencies, many simply need support, structure, and a starting point. Guided by her tagline, “Simplify, Organize, Thrive,” she is committed to helping clients create lasting systems that support clarity, function, and a more intentional way of living.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rebecca
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to leading with compassion, clarity, and a strong focus on results, while consistently striving to bring positivity to the people I work with. I am intentional about being a good listener, taking the time to understand the needs, challenges, and goals of others so I can respond with thoughtful and effective solutions. My approach is grounded in empathy and accountability, and I measure success not only by outcomes, but by the meaningful difference I am able to make in people’s lives each day through my work and interactions.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received is that if your heart is truly in something, you will find a way to achieve it. That perspective has encouraged me to stay committed even through challenges and uncertainty, trusting that passion and persistence will carry me forward. I’ve also learned the importance of taking pride in my accomplishments and honoring the effort it took to reach them, rather than rushing past milestones. Equally important is knowing my worth—valuing my skills, experience, and contributions, and not underestimating the impact I bring to my work and the people I serve.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Lead with compassion, not perfection. Organizing is about understanding people as much as it is about creating systems, so listen first, meet clients where they are, and focus on solutions that are practical and sustainable. When you combine empathy with professionalism, you'll create lasting change and build trust that grows your business.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in professional organizing is the growing recognition of how our environments affect our mental well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life. At the same time, many people are juggling competing priorities and feeling overwhelmed, creating a greater need for compassionate, sustainable organizing solutions that meet them where they are. I want to continue sharing the message that organizing isn't about perfection—it's about creating sustainable systems that help people simplify, organize, and thrive.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are being open and honest, showing up with authenticity, and fostering genuine support for others. I believe in building trust through transparency and creating space for real connection, where people feel seen, heard, and respected. I also value intentional growth—continuously learning, reflecting, and evolving in ways that align with purpose and integrity. Equally important is leading by example, demonstrating through my actions the standards and care I hope to see in others, both professionally and personally.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Rebecca
The Cognitive Load of Clutter
How clutter silently drains professional women and why organizing is an act of self-compassion.
Why is it always when you're running late for a meeting that you can't find the confirmation email with the Zoom link?
Clutter affects us all. Some more than others.
Picture this: You're doing your best to listen attentively, but you can't stop mentally reviewing your to-do list.
Sound familiar?
The Weight No One Sees
Clutter is not simply physical mess; it creates ongoing mental strain that disproportionately impacts professional women. It's the weight no one sees.
Clutter is more than just "stuff"—it's delayed decisions, unfinished tasks, and visual reminders of our responsibilities. It competes for your attention like a half-eaten sandwich.
What does your workspace look like? How does it make you feel?
Every visible object sends a psychological signal to your brain. Clutter in our workspaces keeps the brain in a constant state of low-level alertness.
Professional women often feel this invisible load more intensely because we're balancing it all: our careers, our families, deadlines, goals, and countless other responsibilities.
Exhale.
Clutter May Be Visual Evidence Of
- Too much responsibility
- Too little recovery time
- Chronic overwhelm
Professional women frequently find themselves shuffling between roles: executive, partner, parent, caregiver, and household manager. Yet we're still often expected to maintain organized, functional homes regardless of our career demands.
Don't even get me started on those Instagram-perfect pantries…
The Emotional and Professional Toll
Emotionally and mentally, clutter increases anxiety and overwhelm. It reduces focus and concentration. It invites shame and self-criticism.
Professionally, clutter reduces creativity and cognitive bandwidth, making it difficult to transition from work mode to home mode. We can feel behind before the day even starts. There's always more to do, right?
A Secret Our Clutter Is Trying to Tell Us
But here's a secret our clutter is trying to tell us: even professional women need rest.
Every unresolved item demands quiet—or not-so-quiet—mental energy from us every hour of every day.
Paradoxically, the more we reduce the clutter in our lives, the more time and mental space we create for ourselves.
Reducing clutter results in not only clearer surfaces but also better-functioning systems and, ultimately, fewer decisions to make. It simplifies our routines.
That confirmation email? Good thing you already saved the Zoom link to your calendar for easy access.
Your mental to-do list? Jot down a quick note during the meeting to jog your memory afterward, then rejoin the conversation.
Progress, Not Perfection
Conquering clutter creates relief—a feeling we may not realize we needed until we experience it. It starts with small changes: progress, not perfection.
Organization is self-compassion in action. It is a tool for reclaiming time and creating peace.
You're already carrying so much. Your space should help carry you, too.
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