Today we’d like to introduce you to Helene Parenteau.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my business part time in 1982 in DC. I was one of the first professional organizers in the country. I started by putting up flyers all over Washington, DC — back in the days when you could walk into any government building, go down the hall to the cafeteria and pin up some flyers.
I worked during the day at an editorial assistant at Newsweek Magazine then as a producer at Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. So I was organizing in the evenings and weekends whenever possible.
I was able to go full time in 1999 and the business slowly grew. Then in 2002, my sister in Andover, MA was killed by a drunk driver. I chose to close my business in DC and move to Andover to help my brother in law raise his two boys age 9 and 13.
I re-started the business again in the Boston area and luckily it has grown well since that time.
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?
No, it was tough at first because people didn’t know what “professional organizing” was about. So I had to always explain what I did and then sell the client on how I could help them. What enabled me to grow the business was my ability to work efficiently — convincing people that I could do more in 6 hours than they would get done in weeks.
Please tell us about Estate Organizing Specialists & Senior Downsizing.
My company started out as just organizing, then with time I took on more jobs of senior downsizing and estate clean outs.
When organizing, I usually work one-on-one with the client going through a room of their home. I help them decide what to keep and how to best organize it so it makes sense to them.
Estate clean outs involve going through the entire home for the family, getting dealers for things to sell and getting the rest to charities. I find it fascinating to glean a family’s history through their belongings. It’s true, everyone has a story!
I am the only NAPO Massachusetts & New Hampshire organizer with a truck! I have developed relationships with many charities in the Boston area to whom I bring the donations. I carry wish lists with me at all times.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My family is from Rhode Island, and my happiest memories are those with my siblings and parents at Narragansett Beach. We’d pile into the station wagon and spend the entire day till night fall swimming, playing games, eating, and telling stories. We managed to go around 3 times a summer. making those memories all the more precious to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.estateorganizingspecialists.com
- Phone: MA 978-828-1683 NH 603-898-3886
- Email: helene@organizingspecilists.com
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