Aundrea Anderson & Laura Smith shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Aundrea & Laura, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One of the most misunderstood aspects of being a professional organizer is that people often think it’s just about tidying up or making things look neat—like glorified cleaning. But in reality, it’s much deeper and more strategic.
Here are a few common misconceptions:
1. It’s Just About Aesthetics
Many assume organizers are only focused on making spaces Pinterest-worthy. While visual appeal matters, professional organizers prioritize functionality, efficiency, and sustainability. It’s about creating systems that work for the client’s lifestyle or business.
2. It’s a One-Time Fix
People often expect a quick transformation, but organizing is often a collaborative and ongoing process. It involves understanding habits, workflows, and sometimes emotional attachments to items. Maintenance and education are key parts of the job.
3. It’s Only for “Messy” People
Hiring a professional organizer isn’t a sign of failure or disorganization. Many clients are high-functioning professionals who simply need help optimizing their space or time. It’s about enhancing productivity and peace of mind.
4. It Doesn’t Require Specialized Skills
In reality, professional organizers often have expertise in psychology, project management, interior design, and coaching. They tailor solutions to individual needs, which requires empathy, creativity, and strategic thinking.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
What began as a shared passion has grown into a purposeful business. As moms and multitaskers, we’ve long embraced organization as a way of life. After years of serving the community independently, we joined forces to launch Edit the Mess—a Kansas City-based organizing service built on collaboration, expertise, and heart. We love nothing more than a messy space we can transform into something you can be proud of. We are different than other professional organizers in that we bring over 20 years of combined experience. Working as a team adds value to our clients–enabling us to tackle the most challenging or overwhelming projects. We offer solutions that require a variety of abilities from strategic systems that improve efficiency in day-to-day routines, to an understanding of the challenges that occur when moving, downsizing, or sorting through items that hold emotional attachment. We’re experts at walking into a chaotic space and quickly determining how long it’ll take to get it organized—often with more accuracy and efficiency than others in the field. Even when a project feels overwhelming or appears to be off track, we excel at bringing structure and clarity—delivering results within the agreed-upon scope and timeframe. We are happy to incorporate our clients in the session(s) as much as they’d like, or tackle the project independently on behalf of the client always checking in on progress or questions we may have.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
[Aundrea] My passion for organization began early—recognized by teachers who often asked me to help classmates manage their supplies and paperwork. Today, I draw on those formative experiences to guide my work: Transforming spaces and empowering others to integrate organization into their daily lives.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
[Laura] Mistakes are part of everyday life, and moments of failure have taught me the value of resilience and self-compassion. These experiences have deepened my empathy, reminding me that everyone faces challenges we may not see. This perspective has shaped my personal growth and continues to guide my professional approach—always leading with understanding and humanity.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Fads are a part of so many different industries – fashion, beauty, and many more. One fad we’ve seen often in Professional Organizing is focusing on aesthetics above all other goals. One of the core foundations of Edit the Mess is to personalize the project to each individual person and what their goal of the space is. For example, if a professional organizer comes to your space and color-coordinates your clothes but doesn’t create a system for how it’s most efficiently used in the space and most efficiently used for you individually, then the time was wasted because maintaining that doesn’t make sense for you.
Creating a personalized system for each client that they are then able to maintain allows for the kind of foundational shift towards maintaining your space that goes beyond the temporary nature of a fad.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
One of the things we encounter as organizers is assisting clients with decision making around managing items given to them when someone passes away. Frequently, our clients know they don’t want the items, but struggle with the obligation they feel to hold onto items that a friend or relative has cherished, that don’t hold use or purpose for them today. It may feel challenging to accept, but choosing what to do with your items today holds value for your family in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.editthemess.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edit_the_mess
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/editthemess
