Creating Calm Through Business and Community

What if organization wasn’t just about cleaning up a space — but creating clarity in someone’s life?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Britian Augustine, owner of Sort’N Thru It and founder of The Giving Room, to explore what it looks like to build a service-based business rooted in both transformation and impact.

Britian shares how her passion for decluttering and organization evolved into a growing business, and how her work extends far beyond aesthetics. Through her experience working inside clients’ homes, she’s seen firsthand how physical spaces often reflect deeper emotional and mental patterns — and how intentional organization can create a sense of calm, control, and forward movement.

The conversation also dives into the story behind The Giving Room, a nonprofit created to support individuals and families rebuilding their lives after difficult circumstances. From recovery to domestic transitions, Britian’s work is helping turn empty spaces into environments that feel safe, welcoming, and full of possibility.

This episode explores the intersection of business, purpose, and community — and what it means to build something that serves people in a meaningful way.

No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Guest: Britian Augustine
Business: Sort’N Thru It
Nonprofit: The Giving Room
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Britian Augustine is a professional organizer and business owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since launching Sort’N Thru It in 2021, she has helped individuals and families transform their homes into functional, organized spaces designed to support everyday life.

Through her work, Britian has developed a deep understanding of how clutter, organization, and environment impact not just physical space, but emotional well-being and daily routines.

In addition to her business, Britian is the founder of The Giving Room, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families transitioning out of difficult circumstances. The organization provides furniture, household essentials, and thoughtfully designed spaces to help people rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.

Find her online at:

https://www.sortnthruit.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SortNThruIt/

https://www.instagram.com/sortnthruit/ 

https://givingroomministries.com/

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:06

Welcome to the back office. I'm Delena Dillon, the founder and creative director of Signify Marketing, and this is where you get to sit in on real strategy. Every episode we step inside an active business and talk about what's going on behind the scenes, the marketing, the leadership, the growth, the decision shaping what happens next. No one has it fully figured out, but we are building anyway. And today we're sitting down with Britton Augustine, owner of Sort and Through It, professional organizing business here based in Tulsa, and founder of the Giving Room, a nonprofit serving individuals and families rebuilding their lives. And we're talking about what it looks like to build a service-based business that not only transforms spaces, but creates real impact in people's lives because you feel good when things fill in place, right? So written, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. Um, love to hear just your story of how you got here, how sorting through it came to be, and yeah, take us into that.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Okay. Well, back in 2020, you know. 2020, the year.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

The year that apparently all these businesses launched.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

It's crazy. Yeah, right. Like we thought it was the end of the world, and yeah, really it turned into a huge blessing in my life, yeah. My family. So um, I was actually pregnant with our youngest, and I was working at our church, and of course, we were all working from home. There was a lot of unknowns. Um, I've loved to organize, like, I mean, I just organize my house constantly, you know. And there was a TV show that I started watching, a couple of them, and I'm like, oh my gosh, people do this like for a living and make money and you know, do what they love. So um, not that I wasn't loving my job at the time, but um, when it was come the time to go back to work, and I was had a newborn, and I was like, oh my gosh, like how am I gonna do this? Yeah, it was the last thing I wanted to do was leave her. So um some things changed at work, and I was only supposed to go back like um in office like two days a week. Well, they changed that the week before and was like, you're gonna have to come back all five days. And you know, I'm just like, there's no way, yeah. Um, so you know, the Lord just led us to stay home. Like me and my husband, we we talked, we prayed about it, and um, we just decided that that was the best thing for our family. So I became a stay-at-home mom very sudden, and I've kind of in the back of my mind have been was wanting to do this, and so I just started talking to friends and family, and they let me come in for a very low price and just start doing what I do, yeah. Um, and here we are five years later, and it's just it's just crazy. Um, it's taken us.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

Well, you said you were seeing these shows, and you're like, people are doing that. Because I remember when like professional organization, I mean, I don't remember the year, but I remember when it kind of came into my thinking of I'm seeing it, hearing about it. Was it a was it a thing before 2020, or was that really whenever it kind of rose to the top?

SPEAKER_00 3:34

It definitely was a thing, but I think with like the home edit, um, like they had been in business long before that, but once it was put out socially like on TV, they had a TV show and then the Maria Condo. Um, I think a lot of people became more aware of it. Um, because I really I mean, I kind of didn't have any idea that people actually did that either before then. So um now I feel like it's a lot more popular, and there's other services that are kind of coming about that like are in our same wheelhouse. Um what would some of those be? Um, like house manager. Um, some call it like a mother's helper.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

Okay, I literally saw a post on Facebook yesterday in a local Facebook group, and it said, What is this mother's helper? Or were they the mother's manager or something? They're like, I need one of those. So what is I've never heard of that?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Basically, like, I mean, because you can organize on a small scale or a large scale. Yeah. Like organization, kind of when we come in and figure out like consultation, like how how in depth do you want this organization to go? Or like, are you just needing some systems, you know? Um, so a mother's helper or like a house manager, we would just go in and just kind of reset the house. Because you know, like a lot of times when either you're stay-at-home mom and are handling kids all day and the house becomes a wreck, or you're you are a CEO or whatever the the case may be, we're everyone's busy. So we just come in and just reset the house, whether that's putting the dishes away, putting laundry away, um, fluffing your pillows on the couch, washing your couch cushions if that's what you if that's what you need, um, wiping down counters.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

Like we're not going in and deep cleaning, but clear line between house cleaning and just those things that you would like to come back home to and it not be your sink might not be full.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Yeah, exactly. Like we can just reset the house and if there's more in-depth, like if you have a linen closet that's become a mess, like okay, we can just organize it and kind of touch it up with a few products that you have on hand or grab some products that you need. Like it doesn't have to be like a super in-depth just closet organization. So um that's kind of something newer that we're stepping into.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

So you are stepping into this. Okay, so I need to go back and find that post and chat and say, hey, you need to hit them up.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

So there's a lot of there's a lot of different services that we do. Like we work closely with like realtors. Um, like I try to attend like workers opens and work with them because we also can come in when someone's about to put their house on the market and help them declutter the house so it can look staged. Yeah. Um, so we essentially stage with what they have, just kind of take away, minimize the the clutter. Um, and then we also will help pack up as much or as little as they want. Um, and then we can do like a moving concierge, so we um just coordinate all of like the moving, okay, like hiring movers, getting quotes. That's incredible, working close with like the realtor so the client just can kind of step back because that's like one of the most stressful processes, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:01

Right. Well, and like you said, you have the movers, you have maybe cleaners, touch-ups, like you just the different moving pieces. I had no idea. I didn't know all this was involved.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Yeah, so then once we once the movers come and load it all up and move it to the next house, we can come in and unpack and organize it into all the spaces that you would like. Wow. So that I mean that's a dream. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

So moving doesn't have to like make you want to pull your hair out. Yeah, that's incredible. So, what made you realize this could be more than a passion?

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Um, well, I mean, seeing people on TV like do this as a full-time job, I was like, oh, yeah. Like, and I mean, who doesn't want to do what they love every day? Right. And support your family in the process.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

Now, but you have to be honest, do you ever get tired tired of doing it for yourself because you're doing it for other people? Oh, yeah, I don't have time to really do it for myself either.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

Yeah, the higher. Not that I get tired of it. I just I really just don't have the time. Yeah, like that's why I've I mean, I get it. Like, we have to hire help. Yeah, like everyone needs needs some help, whatever it may be.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Um, so that's why I hire help for the things that I need. Or like my husband um decided to leave his job to help me, and more so, I mean, helping pick the kids up, take them to school, you know, because my daughter's in pre-K and she gets out before two o'clock. Yeah, yeah. So I'm like, I was, you know, drop off, run and work, try to do everything, get back, and then I'm trying to work with her. And so, I mean, just having him here help with that and like laundry, and my son, he's almost 15, so he's a huge help. Yeah, like I would I would be drowning if I didn't have them, you know, like in my own home.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

Yeah, and that's super fresh, right? Like, he is he just in the middle of that transition, yes, yeah, yeah. So that'll be interesting to see just the difference that that makes. Yes, having him on the team doing this together.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:06

Well, I definitely think that uh people have to decide if they want to do less themselves or like you said, hire help. Yeah. And so just knowing when it makes sense to do which.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

Because if you don't hire someone to do it, then that means you can't do what you're doing to your full capacity. Yeah. So I'm sure that there is a lot of emotion that comes into going into someone's house and going through their stuff. Oh yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

I I can imagine. Um, and some people have a harder time than others, or like depending on if we're in a closet and dealing with clothes or in an attic dealing with like personal things that may belong to parents that have passed, or grandparents, or you know, there's definitely a lot of emotion that can be involved. And so we just try to navigate that as best as we can and go at the client's pace. Um, and also a lot of people get embarrassed of their spaces, and we do not judge, like, for real, for real, do not judge. Like, we have definitely seen it all.

SPEAKER_02 10:14

Yeah. Well, I've heard people say, like, I have to. This is again not what y'all do, but for like house cleaning, they're like, I have to clean my house before the house cleaner comes because I don't want to be embarrassed of how messy it is. But yeah, people might feel that way, even about a closet or something.

SPEAKER_00 10:27

For sure. Yeah, they're like, Oh, well, I need to go through this before you guys come. And I'm like, no, that's literally what we will do. Yeah. Like, don't go through your food. Don't if you can be there with the clothes. I'm like, okay, if there's things that you want to go ahead and pull out, because if a client's not there, like always, like our our goal is to always try to start with a declutter. Yeah, like that's always the goal because most of the time people have it in a while. And so um, that helps us do our job best, and that just gets them on like a rotation of remembering, like, I mean, we we easily consume things these days, yeah. So the amount of things that we bring into our home daily, weekly, monthly, it accumulates. So we just have to remember to like pull those things out that we aren't using and don't need. So yeah, we try to set them up for for that too.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

For success going forward, too, after y'all leave. Yes. What do a lot of people misunderstand about clutter?

SPEAKER_00 11:31

So with clutter, I feel like people think it's like, oh, I'm messy or I'm lazy. Oh, I think that's a big one, yeah. Um, and it's not necessarily that. Like, I feel like people just are really overwhelmed and busy and don't have the time like we were talking about earlier. Like it just they need help. Yeah, like essentially it just it happens and it happens very quick if you are not very intentional about getting rid of things all the time. Yeah, like I I know that I'm a professional organizer, so it's in my blood, but like I keep a bag like in our closets, in the garage, like I'm constantly like looking for things that need to go.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Um, because I want to be able to look around and like feel at peace. And if I see stuff all over that is not serving me, like it makes me go want to go crazy. So I try to like I don't know. I mean, that's always my goal to help people because I don't think people even realize it when they like live in clutter and are around it all the time and they're super overwhelmed and like just like can't can't catch up, it's like this is why because visual clutter is literally so mental.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

That is so this is a funny thing that really just represents exactly what you're saying. Is um, I always had this joke with my friend who who doesn't live here, so well, but we went to college together. So if things were super busy or super crazy, because I'm not a messy person either, like I'm the same way, like I don't want things out of place, I want things to always be like where they should be. And uh so, but there's times whenever I, especially in college, and it even happens now sometimes. But if like there's a lot going on and I just feel very busy and very go, go, go, go. I like, like I just throw things places. And so my friend would come into my dorm room and be like, okay, I know how you're doing. Like she would see the room and be like, okay, I I catch, I'm picking up what you're putting down. But it's even now, like we make jokes about that. It's like, yeah, I have stuff all over the place, so that tells you what kind of week it's been or something like that. But it does represent a lot of what's going on mentally, emotionally. Oh, for sure. When and people just live in that, yes, and they don't make that connection between the overwhelm and even the clutter. Yeah. So, what does organization really represent for your clients?

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Oh gosh, I mean the I I just love what I get to do because I get to see it literally change people's lives.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:19

Like we're saying, they're so overwhelmed. And when you have like any sort of peace in a in your closet, like that's a place that you go into every single day. Yeah, like you're basically living in there every day. Um, just being able to walk in and have some sort of system and organization, know what you have, um is just huge and really life-changing. So the more spaces that we get to to do in a home to just help those systems flow, not just for typically the wife that's hiring, the mother that's hiring, but for her whole family.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Um, and the kids, like they get to learn some organization and it helps them, like we're like, go clean up. And then it's like, well, they don't know where to put it nowhere to do it. Yeah. Yeah. So when you have those systems in place for your kids, they can put their stuff up and it be in the right place. Yeah. Um, also having minimal things in those places because most of the time these kids are just going and dumping buckets, they don't they're not playing with these toys, they're just dumping it and then mom's in there throwing it back in a tub. Yeah. But really, we need to focus on like the declutter and having minimal toys so they can focus on like what they truly love and they can play. These kids can't play and clutter either.

SPEAKER_02 15:44

That's true. That's not fun.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

So no, they're just like, oh, I just dumped all these toys out. Okay, what's next?

SPEAKER_02 15:50

Yeah, that is that's the fun is dumping it out. Yeah. Well, I I hear you saying words like systems and processes, so it sounds like that is like a huge part of what you bring to a household, but also leave with the household. Yes. What are what are those systems? What are those processes, and how do people implement them?

SPEAKER_00 16:10

So uh typically any space that we do, um, we always bring systems. Um, so what that means is containers, labels, um, just categorizing things, making zones for different things. Um, like in a kitchen, we try to do like a baking zone, a cooking zone. So all your bakeware and bake utensils and those appliances are kind of in one area. So you're not like over here and then over here and over here. Yeah. Because when you're baking, you just want to be right there. Right. So um that's just an example for the kitchen and then in the closets, um, just zoning all of or categorizing, I guess, your um different types of clothing. Um, and then if there is a smaller space, putting up seasonal items, um, that way you have room for your seasonal things. Um of course we always color coordinate. Um that's very important, and it's just easy on the eyes.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

Yeah, it's it's enjoyable. Yes, it looks nice and appealing.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Yeah, and it really is easy to keep up with if your stuff is in in order. So um sometimes mine gets a little out of hand. Like this week has been crazy. So I have like a space in my closet that my husband will just like hang my stuff if it makes it into my closet. Yeah. Some of it's probably still in the laundry room. Um, but then I'll go in because he doesn't really do the color coordinating. Um, he leaves that for me. He's like, I'm gonna put it in the wrong spot. Yeah. Um, so then I'll go in and just, you know, it takes two minutes, right? Or a minute, maybe. Like I know where everything goes and I just put it, put it where it needs to be.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Yeah, I saw a video recently of a a lady, a mom. I don't know if she was a lady or mom, but she was basically showing because a lot of times people are like, I don't have time to fill in the blank, do laundry, or put things away, organize it, whatever it is. And she's like trying to show that you do have the time because she put a timer on there and it was 10 minutes and she did like I don't know how many things of laundry, put them away. But that you can't really do it like that when you don't have those systems. Yeah, it does take much longer, so you really don't have the time. But when you have these systems and processes in place, it takes no time.

SPEAKER_00 18:41

Yeah, because you know where everything goes. Yeah. Um, I mean, I think that's the ultimate goal that we like to get to in a house is like everything needs a place, everything needs a home. Um, because then yeah, when you're trying to clean up real quick, it's better to like put it where it goes than just shove it in and have to deal with it later. It is. It is. Yes, like, and I know everyone doesn't have the time. That's what we're here for.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

That's what we're here for. Yeah. Um, what has been the hardest part about growing sorting through it?

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

I'm sure you kind of took off with a bang because COVID, everyone was home. That's what they were looking at, was all of the unkept areas of their home. Yes, but then I'm sure it's leveled out a little bit since then. And then the real growing be probably started.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Yeah. I mean, so I will say this. So when I first started, like I said, I had a newborn, and so I was only working, she actually even came and worked with me like to strap around for the first like six months until she got like getting mobile, and then I would just kind of work around like whoever could help. Um, because my mother-in-law and my mom have been um great help with her when she was younger. So I started out just doing like two days a week. Um, and then when she was able to go to Mother's Day out, probably around two or three, she started three days a week. So I worked only two to three days a week up until she started pre-K.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

Was that this year? Mm-hmm. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

So um that obviously freed up a lot of my time. Um, and that's really when things took off because I kind of kept it to a minimum because I didn't have the time. Obviously, there was still like highs and lows all through that. Um, I would just have to book out farther, yeah, what whatever. Um, and really I was still I mean, making more than I was making after. Like my income was still higher than what I was making before, which was nice. Like I would supplement my income working just a couple of hours a week. Yeah. So I was planning on just doing that. Um, but then when I had five days, I was like, okay, yeah, I can do a lot more with this. Um, so that's when I really like invested more of my time and obviously with social media, um doing my best with marketing, um, just trying to get plugged into different places, just to. I mean, a lot of people still don't even know about professional organizing and all that we can do. So I'm like, where have you been? Yeah. Joking.

SPEAKER_02 21:30

Which I didn't know all that you can do, but I mean, to me, I'm like, how have you not heard of this? This is amazing. Yeah. So um, what was your question? Just the hardest part of growing it, which yeah, exposure is kind of like step one, just people even knowing you exist. Yes. And no matter how long you do you're in the game, people are still, like you said, still don't know about you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

Because I've been doing this, it was five years last month when I started. Um Five years last month.

SPEAKER_02 22:01

Oh, that's so fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

It goes fast. Yes, it does. I'm like, I cannot even believe we're here. But my daughter will be six at the end of the year. So yeah. Crazy.

SPEAKER_02 22:15

Um, but well, it's it's always a process of getting your name out there. People, no matter how long you've been, you know, promoting yourself, marketing, there's still people who are like, oh, I've never heard of you. Yes. You're like, well, welcome. Yeah. In your industry, what makes a great client experience?

SPEAKER_00 22:35

So, I mean, we typically I work like one-on-one with a client typically. Um, so when I come in and do the console, like I want to know all the details, like what are your struggles? You know, I want to figure out like how we can help this client to the max. Um, because if we don't know what they're necessarily struggling with, or um maybe the things that are just harder for them to keep up, or the spaces that they um try to keep up with, but maybe family has a hard time, you know, staying on top of that. Um, so I really I feel like at the at the consultation is really um when I just try to find out everything and I just want to make it as easy. And I mean, sometimes my clients aren't even there when we come in and do the organization. Yeah, like a lot of them are busy, they can't be there. We're typically in there during the day while they're either at work or out with the kids or whatever it may be.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Um, so yeah, just um that might be nice because you're like you can make a lot of faster decisions than if they're not like, well, I might use that, or I don't know, you know, they just make complicate and slow down the decision making.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

Yes, yes, and so I try to get all of that answered up front, like, okay, well, if you have like multiple items, like can we remove it? Mainly for like kitchen, right? Um when it comes to clothes, we can't really unless there's like a sizing that they want out. Um obviously we don't know what that person wants to keep or get rid of, yeah. Um, unless it's the sizing thing. Like for kids, it's pretty easy to go in and take out their old size that they've outgrown and put that um away, or you can donate. That's a whole nother um thing we can discuss. But um, like for a pantry, like if food's expired, we're gonna throw it out. Is that okay? Um, so as long as we get that okay, then typically we're good. Yeah. Um, but if we need to make a backstock or something, then we can figure out where that needs to go. Because some people do have an excess of cans or whatever, and it's just not gonna fit. Right.

SPEAKER_02 24:56

Like, right, it's not gonna happen. Like it's not gonna be organized. Yeah. Um, so yeah. Well, and I think what you were saying too about the consult is really important because you can go in and organize a closet or whatever it may be, and it can be right back in the same position in a couple months if you didn't really listen and talk through what are the actual struggles that you're having. Yeah. And so that I'm sure totally elevates the customer experience. Yes. Now tell me, I know you started out by yourself a couple days a week. Do you have a team working with you now?

SPEAKER_00 25:33

Yes, I do.

SPEAKER_02 25:34

So, what does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 25:36

Um, so I had hired my first assistant, gosh, it's been almost two years ago. Um, so she worked, just me and her, we worked alongside each other every day. Um, since then I've hired um, I have one more full-time, and then I have a couple that work part-time. Um, so what that means is like when we do our big moving jobs, if we need more than two or three of us, um, because typically on a normal job, there will be two or three. Okay. But for a moving job, if we're packing up a whole house and unpacking a whole house and organizing multiple rooms, like um, I bring in the whole team. Yeah. So we can get just knock it out. Yes. Um, because that's what we want. That's what I mean, we're trying to get your house set up so you're not living out out of boxes for weeks and months. Um, so we want to get in there and get it done.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

Um, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:33

How has that transition been, or how was that a difficult thing to do to add people to a team and make a team? Yeah. Besides when you've been working by yourself.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Um it, you know, it kind of just happened so organically. Like, um, I was like, why didn't I do this sooner? Really? Because working by myself for so long, I mean, it's kind of boring for one. But you also like, it's nice to have another brain, you know, like because sometimes my brain just, you know, needs a little help. Right. Um, so if I'm struggling, I'm like, help. Yeah. Or just to process something with this, like talk it through. Yes, exactly. Um, so hiring her was like life-changing. I was like, oh my gosh, why didn't I do this sooner? Yeah. Um, and the reason I added more, obviously we got busier. Yeah, and so I hired another assistant, and it's been amazing, and they work a lot together. Um, and the reason I did that is because I am trying, I don't want to not organize because that's my passion. That's why you got into this thing. I love doing it so much, but I also have a business to run. Right. And so yes, there's a lot of things that I have to let go of. Um, so just finding the right people actually happened very organically, like I said. Um, I was blessed because I was absolutely terrified of that process. Like, how am I gonna find someone that can do like what I do? Yeah, and you can trust them. Yeah, yes, exactly. Because it's still your name on the line in the my client's home. Yeah. Under my yeah, under my name. And so, yeah, it's just honestly, I'm blessed with my team and what they can offer. Um, and then I'm I try to be there if it's like a new client, um, and try to handle things before I'm just like sending them in. Because a lot of people are like, why won't you? You know, like I get that, but like they're trained, yeah. They they know what they're doing. Um, they've been doing this for a while now. Like, if they have questions though, they will call me. Like, and I'm typically I try to be available if they need me.

SPEAKER_02 29:07

So well, it does free you up to actually work on the business. So many business owners get stuck in that place where they've made themselves so essential and the work is so dependent on them that they can't ever get that space out to grow the business, to do the things that operating a business requires. Yeah. So, what are some of those things that you are now excited to be able to give more attention to?

SPEAKER_00 29:35

Oh, so much. I mean, I was literally like I was so busy, I couldn't. I mean, thing for one, things slow down when you're not working on your business. Yeah, you know, like if you're working in it and not on it, then it's it is heavily like this. Um, so I just want more consistency. Yes, and I just realize like it's not possible um for me to have that, like keep a consistent business and keep my girls busy too. Like, yeah, I mean they're reliant on me for a job, right?

SPEAKER_02 30:14

You know, put some pressure on.

SPEAKER_00 30:16

Yeah, yeah. So I'm like, uh, so anyways, I'm able to just figure out what needs to be done, like behind the scenes to keep, I mean, marketing, um, social media, um, just keeping my name out there and in the forefront of people's minds. Um, that way when they're like, oh, I need this, they know who to call. Yes. Um, so yeah, it's been nice to be able to focus more on my business. And uh I'm still I'm still trying to figure it all out, honestly. Um we all are. Yeah, all we all are. It's never ending. Um, so I'm just excited. Yeah, I mean, I I feel blessed with what what I have, um, and I just want to continue to help people. Um, and that's kind of why I also started my other business. Yes, tell us about that.

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Tell us about that. What it's it's called the giving room.

SPEAKER_00 31:16

Giving room.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

So what we it kind of all started with, I mean, sorting through it because I I mean, we go in and help people declutter their lives, and typically they have a lot of things that they want to get out of there. I mean, that's the ultimate goal, and so I have clients like we don't want to leave all this stuff that they've gone through and want to get out of their house. Like, I'm not gonna leave that there. Yeah, typically it makes its way back into everywhere that it was, yeah, where it doesn't need to be. So I'm like, we will take your donations. Um, and for a long time, like I want to make sure these donations are going to the right places. Um, so there were a lot of nonprofits out there that we would take certain things to, depending on what they're serving um people with. But um, me and my mom just like had a conversation probably end of last year, earlier this year. Um, so my mom's a realtor and she's also building a business and super busy, and the end of the year and first of the year for me is like the busiest. Um is it?

SPEAKER_02 32:25

Yeah, the end of the year and first of the year.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

Yes, it's it's insane.

SPEAKER_02 32:29

Like so, even during Christmas time.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Yes. Okay. I know you wouldn't think, but people are like wanting to get things ready for like the holidays. That's true. Yeah, so leading up to that. Um, and then it's like, oh, it's a new year. We need a yeah, new year makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 32:44

I mean, you're cleaning everything up at the new year.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

Yeah. So um, yeah, we had just talked and we're like, we like have a ministry here. I have all these donations that are constantly being given to us that we can like serve other people with that are in need. Um, so my brother was actually incarcerated for like 10 plus years of his adult life, and so that's like obviously like heavy on our hearts. Yeah. And my mom has been involved with like um hope is a lie, like recover recovery, um or like families of addicts and like prison ministries, and so we were like, we wanted to kind of do something that would help people getting out of incarceration because there's not there are things out there, but typically, like, once people get out and get in a home, and then they're like, Okay, we got this far, but now we have nothing, yeah. Like, and the furniture's not cheap, right? Or it really anything these days. Yes, that's true. Um, so you know, we talked and we prayed, and I just feel like the Lord had led us to open up this ministry, um, which we call it the giving room. So we just help people that are rebuilding their lives, whatever that may look like. Um, we're not just helping people that are getting out of incarceration. We want to help people that are like coming out of recovery or kids aging out of foster care, you know, like homeless. Um, there's no like limit. We're not gonna be like, oh, we can't help them. Yeah. Uh, we want to help everyone that we can. So we've partnered with other nonprofits that help in other ways or have those connections with these families that are getting into homes but have nothing. So we come in and help provide furniture, home essentials, um, you know, like dishes, pots and pans, all of the towels, sheets sheets, you know, like just those things that you need to live. Yeah. Um, but we also want to go like a step further and like put decor on the walls and add a throw pillow or a throw blanket, you know, just kind of make make it homey for uh these people rebuilding their lives. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:03

So the things that we just don't even think of, you know, like not having towels or sheets.

SPEAKER_01 35:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:12

Uh yeah, it's crazy. And I can only imagine how your personal experience has really shaped this. I think that's incredible. When you have a story, you know you have a strong mission.

SPEAKER_01 35:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

So does this also help with families who maybe have lost their home to fire, flood, things like that? Because I I've seen that recently. Sadly, I've seen recently families who have faced that or even tornadoes. I mean, it it's just the things that you don't expect to happen can happen. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:43

Yeah, I mean, really just anyone rebuilding their life. Yeah. Like whatever, whatever that may look like for that person. Like I said, we're not, we would never like turn anyone away.

SPEAKER_01 35:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:54

Um, we obviously want to help those that are in need. Um, so that's our big mission. And then it also helps um my clients because I let them know like this is what we are like trying to help people with. Um, and we even accept like clothes. So we do like a giving market is what we call it. So we've been setting up like at markets and we'll do like a fundraiser event. So we'll like sell things to make money because furniture's not cheap. Right. And like we don't typically take mattresses, um, so we have to buy all mattresses new. Um, obviously, like sheets and stuff, we and towels we try to get new um for those families. So um yeah, it's just a a nice way to be like, okay, this is where like it's going to a good place, and it really helps families want to get rid of more things, you know what I mean? Yeah, because sometimes it's just not easy. They feel good about it. Yeah, if you know that it's gonna go towards helping someone, then it definitely makes a big difference.

SPEAKER_02 37:01

So, do these families reach out directly to you?

SPEAKER_00 37:04

Um, so they can. Um, we are very new, so just trying to get our name out there so people can directly contact us. Um, so right now we're working with other nonprofits uh so we can find the families that we can help. Yeah. So we have other nonprofits sending us families. Gotcha. Yeah. And then we go in and we also need lots and lots of volunteers. Volunteers. Um, so we have a thousand square foot warehouse that is full of furniture and home essentials and clothing items. Uh, we plan to do like a warehouse sale once a month too, just to kind of keep things like coming in and going out. Um, because it's it becomes a lot. I mean, we take we have donations come in about every day. So um just having volunteers there to help with that so we can keep things kind of organized in there. Um, and then also, I mean, my team, bless my team, um, they have helped tremendously like getting that place up and running because you should have seen it. I mean, it was just a blank warehouse and everything was on the floor, yeah. You know, like we had to go get shelving to fill like a whole wall in a half.

SPEAKER_02 38:21

Um, how do you get those systems and processes? Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 38:24

And one of my uh teammates, um, they came in and put um some like wardrobe, it's just like rope with bars, so we can have all we have all the we have basically like a whole clothing wall. Yeah. Um, so we can hang everything. So that made a huge difference.

SPEAKER_02 38:47

So it's a great place to get plugged in if you are looking to volunteer and get involved. I love that. Such a great opportunity. Um, okay, so let's talk about some growing pains. What mistakes do you see people make when they're trying to do it themselves in regards to organizing and decluttering their home?

SPEAKER_00 39:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 39:12

Um she's like, I've seen it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

Like, where do we start? Um, so I feel like the biggest thing people buy so many bins. Yeah. The amount of bins or like organizing things is is just it's crazy. I'm like, really, sometimes you don't need all that. But when you do there's specific things and bins, like a lot of measuring goes.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

Yes, I can imagine this.

SPEAKER_00 39:48

Like there are only certain bins that fit certain spaces. Um, so if you just have a bunch of bins or like nesting baskets, like it's not gonna work. Sometimes you can make it work if you have minimal things, but for really to set up some good systems, um, things just need to be cohesive and yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:09

Well, because the couldn't those just end up on at the dumping ground, some of those yeah, yeah, they all just fill up with stuff.

SPEAKER_00 40:16

Um, and then just not having things labeled. Um, and some people do try to label, um, but yeah, just the systems with the bins and labeling. Labeling's huge because you know what's in that, yeah, but you have to only put that in there, yes, um, because we've seen people try to do bins and labels, and then it's like, what's in here? Right.

SPEAKER_02 40:45

It's a miscellaneous, just misc on all of the labels.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

Yes, which we do like our mist baskets because those are needed, but not for every basket.

SPEAKER_02 40:55

Yes, yes. So, as a business owner, what have been some of the biggest lessons that you've learned so far in the last five years?

SPEAKER_00 41:02

Oh gosh. Um man, so much. Just, you know, we are human and we make mistakes, and you just, you know, you have to own up to those mistakes that you make and learn from it, and really just um yeah, just learn from it and hold yourself accountable. Yeah. Because I mean, gosh, there's been times that clients are let down and you're like, you know what, like obviously that wasn't my intention, right? But it happens, yeah. Not everyone's gonna be happy with with everything.

SPEAKER_02 41:43

Well, and a lot of times expectations were different, off maybe.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

Yes, yes, and so that's kind of why I've learned to put those, like that consultation really in depth. Because I mean, you know, when anyone's getting started out, we're just we're just trying to figure it out. Um, and so I have learned a lot in the last five years, and I'm still learning a ton, um, probably in the next five years, yeah. After that, um, so yeah, just learning from those mistakes and trying to um, I mean, I just want my clients to be happy. So the more that I can get out of them, um, the better I can serve them.

SPEAKER_02 42:21

Right. So they've got it's it's definitely a partnership, yeah, it's participation. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

And I know a lot of a lot of my clients don't like to be involved much, which is fine, but I'm like, okay, I just need you to answer all these questions. Yeah. And then um we can do our best in there.

SPEAKER_02 42:38

Yeah. Yeah. What are you most proud of right now at this place in business?

SPEAKER_00 42:44

Oh gosh. I mean, I'm just proud of what I've created, honestly, that I've been able to um start this business from the ground up. It really doesn't even feel real. I mean, I'm proud that I've been able to let my husband leave his job and come help because it's insane. Uh awesome. He's never, I mean, I mean, we never ever would have thought that that would even be possible. Yeah. Like, I mean, he's the one that's been taking care of our family. Let me stay home with our daughter. And now to be able to like give him some time back, um, we I mean, I'm just really proud and happy about that because I mean, what I mean, it's it's just good feeling to have time freedom. Yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_02 43:36

Yeah, and you something that you maybe just totally underestimated has really been successful and taken off.

SPEAKER_00 43:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 43:44

And it helps when you're really good at what you do. So yes.

SPEAKER_00 43:47

I think I'm pretty good at it.

SPEAKER_02 43:49

So before we close, I always like to ask this question: what is one thing you don't have fully figured out yet, but you're choosing to build through anyway?

SPEAKER_00 43:59

Oh god. I don't have a lot of it figured out. You know? Yeah. Oh, that's a tough one. I mean, I guess running a full team. Like I am still trying to figure out the whole process with that and what that looks like. Because I have a team and they are working, but I'm still having trouble letting things go. Yeah. Fully, you know, and just fully relying on them just being in homes, you know, like it's not that I don't trust them and believe that they can do it. Right. But I also want to be there.

SPEAKER_03 44:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:41

Yes. Like, because it's truly my passion and what I love to do. So um I think I'm still just trying to figure all that out. Um, but I know we'll get there.

SPEAKER_02 44:52

So many business owners are there, have been there, will be there. It's so important because once you've reached your capacity, yeah, the business is that capacity. And so just continuing to learn how to grow that and build that and what that looks like. And the same systems and processes you put into homes all over Oklahoma, putting that in your business of mapping it out for growth.

SPEAKER_03 45:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:16

That's an exciting place to be. Oh, yes. So for people who want to get involved in the giving room or check out sorting through it, tell us where to find both of those things online. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 45:27

Um, so for the giving room, we have a website which is giving room ministries.com. Okay. So on there, there's ways to donate, volunteer. It just tells all about what we do, what we're part of. Um, so we would love, love, love for you to come check us out. Um, we try to be there Monday and Wednesdays for volunteer days. Um, but always call or text us because, like I said, me and my mom are running it and we're both very busy with our businesses. So we try our best to be there, but sometimes things come up. Things happen. Um so with sort and through it, um, I also have a website, sort and through it.com, and then my socials are at sort and through it or on Facebook and Instagram. Um, and you can book through any of those.

SPEAKER_02 46:24

You can book directly through there. Yes. And it's sort S-O-R-T-N.

SPEAKER_00 46:29

N and then T-H-R-U. Yes. Yes. So the spelling is a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 46:35

So the best way if they want to learn about services, would you say is to go to the website?

SPEAKER_00 46:40

Yes. So on the website there are packages on there that kind of help people just figure out, okay, I want this done. This is about how much um the packages are starting out. Yes. Also a little bit about products and how that works because that is separate. Right. So I try to have a breakdown there so people can just see if it's something they have budgeted for or something they want to move forward.

SPEAKER_02 47:05

Or to save for.

SPEAKER_00 47:06

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 47:07

So if you can't get it now, save up because it's worth it. Yeah. It changes your home.

SPEAKER_03 47:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

Well, that is it for this session of the back office. If this conversation gave you clarity, a new angle, or even just the reminder that you're not the only one navigating this, then it did its job. Take what's useful, apply it, move on it, and remember, no one has it fully figured out, but we are building anyway. And if you found this valuable, share this episode with another operator who's also building, and you can always hang out with us in between sessions at Signify Marketing Social. And I'm Delena Dylan, and we will see you next time.