Today we’d like to introduce you to Pat Bernabei.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Pat. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always enjoyed an orderly home, even as a child. The sense of peace, tranquility and security of an organized space has always resonated with me. Throughout my business career, I’ve always been the person that was responsible for finding efficient systems to get things done.
I decided with the turn of the new century to make the leap into becoming a professional organizer and started my company, Sort It Out, offering professional organizing as well as move management services. It was hard for me to give up having a “day job” and start working for myself, but I knew that in the long run, it was what I needed to do to really be successful.
As I delved into my new venture, I soon learned that I wanted to become much more involved in my field. Not only did I obtain my CPO certification from the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), but I also achieved multiple certifications from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM). Initially, I was the only organizer in my company, but over the last 15 years we’ve grown quite a bit. Now my team includes three other organizers, as well as administrators and other staff who help in one way or another to move people across town, across the country or organize the space they live in right now. Every day is an adventure, from moving and setting up a Tiny House in Stoughton to working with couples expanding to bigger homes to accommodate their growing families.
Over the years, I have found that while I love organizing challenges of all types, I find my greatest joy in working with seniors and their families for Senior Moves. Whether a couple is selling their family home to move into a more appropriate sized residence, or the situation is more dire, as families deal with dementia and the challenges of aging, I welcome the opportunity with my background and training to help them look at this new phase of life as positive change. I try to work on Senior Move projects myself whenever possible, since my training has made me very well-prepared and capable to deal with some of the more difficult aspects of these cases.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know of a single business owner/entrepreneur who has been without obstacles and challenges! Most of my struggles have been the same as what other business owners go through… growth. Learning how to “run” a business while I AM the business was the biggest hurdle. But once my business grew enough that I could bring in people to help — a bookkeeper, my niece as an administrator, marketing and business advisors — it became much easier. Today, I have a strong team that includes some amazing organizers who can be another set of hands, or eyes or ears when I need them. This is a huge help in making sure that all my clients can receive the attention they need, and that our projects can run on task, on time and on budget.
Sort It Out Boston – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At Sort It Out, we are dedicated to providing our clients with professional, compassionate and respectful services to help them move confidently through life’s many transitions. Whether it’s a relocation, senior transition or the need for a more organized space, Sort It Out provides the professional and emotional support necessary to make the process as efficient and stress-free as possible.
A lot of the work we do is almost invisible, a space that is organized well just looks and feels “right” without screaming from the rooftops “we are organized!”, so it’s hard to point to any one particular project or service that defines who we are. But I guess I am most proud of the feedback we receive from clients who tell us how the work we did changed their lives, or took a highly stressful situation and made it fun and enjoyable.
I think we are set apart from others because of our ties to the professional industry. We belong to the top professional organizations in the country for organization, moving and senior move services, and participate regularly in local and national forums. Just this year, I spoke as part of a panel discussion at the NASMM national conference. The fact that we are so very involved at the highest levels of our field ensures that we are providing our clients with the best and most effective services possible.
What were you like growing up?
I was not the highly-driven entrepreneurial child that you would expect to be running her own business today! While I always loved organization and being organized, I was quite carefree in my youth. My family will attest that I enjoyed life to its fullest!
Family has always been a big part of my life, and still is. My niece, Sarah, works for my company as an administrator, and it’s wonderful to have her to depend on.
Pricing:
- 3 Hour Home Office Makeover $299
- Digital Photo Organizing Service $449
- Ready, Set, Show! Real Estate Organizing $395
Contact Info:
- Address: 1234 Boylston Street Newton, MA 02467
- Website: www.sortitoutboston.com
- Phone: 617-332-7500
- Email: info@sortitoutboston.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
SortItOutBoston - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
SortItOutBoston
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sort-
it-out-boston-boston-2
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