Episode 178 · April 1, 2025
Kristin Switzer: Inspired to Organize
with Kristin Switzer, Owner, To Be Organized Tulsa
32 min
Kristin Switzer: Inspired to Organize
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Kristin Switzer, the owner of To Be Organized Tulsa and an absolute organizing queen. With spring in full swing, I had spring cleaning on my mind, and I knew Kristin would be the perfect person to help us think through it. Clearing the clutter can feel intimidating, but as Kristin reminds us, it really doesn't have to be.
Kristin shares how she's been an organizer her whole life — she just didn't realize it was a gift not everyone had. We talk about her path from a business degree and MBA to twelve years at a personality assessment company, and then the lightbulb moment that led her to build her own business through a franchise. I love that she's so honest about the slow, patient work of growing something new, and the support system that made the leap a little less scary.
We also get into the practical, doable tips — how to start small in a high-traffic spot, how to meet yourself (and your family) where you are, what to do with keepsakes you feel attached to, and clever systems for organizing with little kids in the house. If you've got a project you've been putting off, I think this conversation will give you the encouragement to just begin. Keep going — you've got this.
Key takeaways
- Start small and visible. Tackle a high-traffic spot first — the junk drawer, the pile of mail, the kitchen counter — so you feel that instant 'I knocked that off my list' progress.
- Once a system is in place, staying organized takes little bits of time rather than one overwhelming, day-long effort. The hard part is creating the system; maintaining it is much lighter.
- Your passion often shows up as what you naturally gravitate toward. Kristin organized her family's pantry and medicine cabinet as a kid — and she didn't realize until adulthood it was a God-given gift she could build a business around.
- Finding your passion can happen at any age, and trying different things (even a career that doesn't quite fit) teaches you about yourself and points you toward what's next.
- For keepsakes you're attached to, take a photo of the item so you can remember it without having to store it. Remember: if you keep it, you have to manage it.
- Instead of deciding what to throw out, flip the question and choose your favorites — your favorite five pairs of pants or pieces of jewelry. Changing the perspective makes decluttering easier.
- Organize around your family's real routines, not the 'rules.' Kristin moved her kids' shoes and socks to the door by the garage so mornings run smoother — systems should fit your life.
- With kids' belongings, use a waiting period: box up untouched toys, tuck them away for a month or two, and if no one looks for them, you can let them go with confidence.
- If you don't know where an item goes, your kids won't either — a place for everything empowers little ones to actually put things away.
- A franchise or built-in support network can make starting a business far less scary, and even without one, simply reaching out to people already doing the work is a great first step.
Chapters
- 00:00Meeting people where they are: the heart of organizing
- 00:30Welcome and what's ahead in this episode
- 01:30Sponsor: Dana Design and Build
- 02:30Introducing Kristin Switzer of To Be Organized Tulsa
- 03:30How Kristin discovered organizing was a gift
- 05:00Why systems beat willpower — and what her own home is like
- 07:00What she loves most: relationships and the weight lifted
- 08:30From MBA and personality assessments to following her passion
- 11:00Was it scary? Starting a business through a franchise
- 14:00The challenges of building a business and a flexible team
- 17:00Keepsakes, sentimental items, and downsizing with seniors
- 20:00Live event: Conversations with Passion and Purpose
- 22:00Generational differences and the story behind the items
- 24:30Beyond 'spark joy' — questions to help you decide
- 27:00Organizing with small kids and the waiting-period trick
- 30:00Systems that fit your routine
- 32:00The benefits of getting organized
- 34:00When to call a professional: overwhelm, downsizing, moves
- 36:00Thriving in 2025 with monthly goals
“It's just a process of meeting the person where they are, seeing what their goals are, and coming up with strategic ways to really hold on to the things that are most important and try to lessen the load.”
“If you do what you really care about and you're good at and you love, it just doesn't feel like work. It sounds so cliche, but it's so true.”
“If you keep this, then you have to manage it. Even if it just sits up in your attic, it's still something you eventually have to make a decision about.”
“If you don't know where the item goes, the kids won't know where it goes either.”
Resources mentioned
About Kristin
Owner, To Be Organized Tulsa
Kristin Switzer is the owner of To Be Organized Tulsa, a professional organizing and move-management business. A lifelong organizer, she earned her business degree and MBA at the University of Tulsa and spent twelve years at a personality assessment company before launching her organizing business as a franchise in 2020. She and her team help clients declutter, create systems, and manage downsizing and moves.
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