9/11/08

Professional organizer creates order out of chaos

by Beckye Randall

In September, 2005, Nancy LaMont stood on the summit of Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro. An avid climber and hiker, weight lifter and bicyclist, the 47-year-old Marysville woman had already conquered all of Washington’s volcanoes, as well as Wyoming’s Grand Teton and Mount Moran, and mountains Shasta and Whitney in California. The trek to the highest point on the African continent was one more challenge the diminutive LaMont had tackled with relish.

She didn’t know it at the time, but LaMont would never again view the world from a mountaintop. Four months later, she began experiencing severe stomach pains and underwent surgery to correct what was believed to be an intestinal folding problem. Instead, surgeons found swollen lymph glands throughout LaMont’s digestive tract. In May of 2006, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma—the Big C.

“After hearing that I had cancer, I just kind of shut down,” said LaMont. “It’s hard to explain, but I felt empty, completely devoid of emotion. I turned to my husband and said, ‘Guess what, honey? I have cancer.’”

The vibrant, active woman soon found herself struggling through the stages of grief. “Finding out you have cancer is like the death of a loved one—yourself,” she explained.

Her oncologist told LaMont she was lucky. The disease had been caught early, although it was present at two different locations. Surgery was not an option, nor was radiation due to the risk of damaging internal organs. So she started low-dose chemotherapy and didn’t even lose her hair during treatment.

The physical strain was minimal, but LaMont’s emotions were under tremendous pressure. She wondered why her healthy lifestyle hadn’t protected her from the disease. And like most mothers, she was determined to protect her children from the unpleasantness of her illness, so she assumed a strong, happy demeanor in spite of her own fears.

“Things started falling apart, at work and at home,” she said. “I felt disorganized and chaotic. I couldn’t make decisions, and I couldn’t remember where I’d put things.”

This change was especially hard for a woman who had always been extremely organized, “almost compulsive,” she laughed. Even as a child, she diligently maintained an organized environment.

“It was my coping mechanism. But suddenly I couldn’t even organize my thoughts, much less my bedroom closet, and the effect was devastating.”

Part of the problem, she discovered, was that she’d developed sleep apnea during her cancer treatment, probably as a result of a nearly 60-pound weight gain.

“I had become aggressive and confused,” she said. A sleep study confirmed that she was not achieving restful sleep modes due to the continual interruption of her breathing. Now she uses a CPAP machine at night and the restorative nature of her sleep has improved.

“During those days, when I was so depressed and frustrated, I would have given anything to have someone come in and help me get organized again,” LaMont said. “That clutter and chaos were debilitating.”

Now that she is on the road to recovery, LaMont has realized that her passion for organization can make a difference in others’ lives. She recently left her full-time job to start her own professional organizing business, Bee Royally Organized.

LaMont provides consultation and organizing suggestions in a low-key and helpful manner. Far from the histrionics of TV “clean sweep” shows, LaMont helps her clients assess their own needs and take steps to keep themselves organized.

“It’s critical for my clients to take an active role in the process,” she explained, “so they feel confident in maintaining the changes. There’s usually some resistance, but I never try to force anyone to get rid of something that’s important to them. I just try to help them decide how to organize their lives so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.”

She spoke about a woman who was so embarrassed by her disorganized home that, when friends would visit, she’d come outside and shut the door behind her. She couldn’t invite them inside, but she was unable to figure out how to make things better on her own.

LaMont helped the woman take back her home, starting with a file cabinet and working up to pantries and kitchen cabinets.

“Now she can hold Bible studies in her living room,” LaMont said with a satisfied smile.

Emergency preparedness is also a key component of LaMont’s business. She is participating in Emergency Preparedness Month by distributing literature and helping families with their planning and kit preparation. She plans to eventually set up a database for her customers to track and maintain their emergency kits to ensure all the contents are updated as needed.

LaMont is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, an educational and training body that encourages professional growth and excellence in the business of organizing.

“I’m happy to provide a free one-hour consultation,” said the professional organizer. “Together, the client and I will decide on the best use of my time. And I always try to use supplies that are on-hand, rather than having the homeowner buy new storage containers. You’d be surprised what you can do with regular household items that are just laying around.”

Most of all, LaMont wants to help others dig themselves out of a depressing or frustrating environment. “If I can climb out of that negative space, it proves it can be done,” she said. “My passion is to touch others and allow them to lead more peaceful lives.”

To contact Nancy LaMont at Bee Royally Organized, phone (360) 658-5165 or send an e-mail to beeroyallyorganized@gmail.com.

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