March 21, 2025 • 22 mins
Professional organizer Hope Kerner transforms cluttered households into peaceful sanctuaries through her Bergen County business, All Things Neat by Hope. As she explains, organizing isn't merely about aesthetics—it's about reclaiming your time, reducing stress, and creating functional systems that work with your lifestyle rather than against it.
After 25 years as a personal trainer, Hope noticed a pattern in her clients' homes: physical wellness often stopped at the doorway, while living spaces remained chaotic and stress-inducing. This observation sparked her transition into professional organizing, where she now helps families tackle everything from overstuffed closets to garage nightmares. Her comprehensive services include decluttering, organizing, move management (packing and unpacking), and home staging for real estate sales.
What sets Hope's approach apart is her understanding of the psychology behind our relationship with stuff. She compassionately guides clients through the emotional process of letting go, noting that people typically wear just 20% of their clothing 80% of the time. For inherited items, she helps clients separate meaningful memories from physical objects that no longer serve them. With clear storage bins, file-folding techniques, and customized systems, All Things Neat creates sustainable organization that clients can actually maintain.
Hope dispels the myth that professional organizing is a luxury service, emphasizing that it's an investment in your home and well-being. Starting with just one troublesome area, clients quickly see the benefits—reduced stress, time savings, and even financial advantages from avoiding duplicate purchases. Whether you're a young family drowning in toys, empty-nesters reclaiming space, or seniors downsizing, Hope's team brings clarity and calm to Bergen County homes. Ready to transform your space? Contact Hope through allthingsneatbyhope.com or call 973-493-6359 for your free consultation.
All Things Neat by Hope
Hope Kerner
(973) 493-6359
Hope@allthingsneatbyhope.com
allthingsneatbyhope.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
I am your host, doug Drohan,brought to you by the Bergen
Neighbors Media Group.
Today we are joined by Hope.
Hope Kerner is the owner of AllThings Neat by Hope.
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Thanks for having me.
It's a great Friday, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, so All Things Neat.
So that would lend one tobelieve that you do something
about tidying up or organizing.
So is that true?
Is your business like a homeorganization service business?
Yes, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
So we are professional organizers going
into people's homes occasionallya business, but for the most
part homes providingdecluttering and organizing
services.
In addition to decluttering andhelping people move, packing to
move and unpacking andorganizing.
On the other side, I think youfroze yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So what's you know what?
What's um?
Are you there all?
I'm here.
Yeah, all right.
You know what?
I'm going to start the openagain and we're going to start
all over.
Okay, this is the Good.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses
and neighbors come together.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Here's your host, doug Drohan hey everybody,
welcome to another episode ofthe Good Neighbor Podcast.
I am your host, doug Drahan,brought to you by the Good
Neighbor, brought to you by theBergen Neighbors Media Group,
and today we are joined by HopeKerner, the owner of All Things
Neat by Hope.
Hope, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Thanks, Doug, for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, so All Things Neat.
It sounds like you help peopletidy up.
It's an organization, homeorganization, I guess that it's
at its core, but you do a lot ofother things.
But so you know, tell me alittle bit about the company.
All things neat.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Okay.
So we provide in-homedecluttering and organizing.
A lot of people have some homedecluttering and organizing.
A lot of people have someclutter in their homes and don't
know where to get started orhow to do it, or get frustrated.
So they give us a call and wehelp them out and we, you know,
go all throughout the homes inany area, declutter and organize
(02:39):
, and we also provide full moveassistance.
So that would also includedecluttering, packing and
unpacking and organizing on theother side, whether it's local
or we'll travel to wherever youmove.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Okay, so what?
You're also helping them get amoving company and you're moving
them or just packing.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
We don't actually move them.
We provide the service for them.
So we will pack them up labeland pack them.
We'll contact the movingcompany or anyone that you know,
any of the vendors that theyneed, whether it's a junk hauler
, if they need an estate sale,anyone like that organizing and
(03:20):
do you start like, is it usuallyI need my basement, my kids
playroom, my garage?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Like do you normally start with one room and who's
your typical client?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I don't really have a typical client.
It could be a young family, itcould be an empty nester, it
could be a senior, so it reallyvaries.
Lately we've been having a lotof young families.
It usually starts in one room,whether it's a closet, a kitchen
(03:51):
or a playroom and uh, they seehow we work and they're very
happy with when we get throughwith that project and we wind up
going into a lot of other areasof the home and sometimes just
work our way throughout theentire home, including the
garage, and garage season iscoming up right now.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, don't.
I know it.
So from your accent it soundslike you're a New Yorker,
because I'm from New York.
I'm from Long Island and Iguess I lost my Long Island
accent or never had one for somereason.
So how did you get into thisbusiness?
Like?
What's your journey?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
So, yes, I cannot take the New York out of the
girl, but I've also.
When I graduated high school, Iwent to school in Florida and
California, so I've moved a lotthroughout my lifetime within
each state.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Where in New York are you from?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Long.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Island and what part of Long Island Valley Stream.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Okay, all right, and so I worked my way back into
Manhattan and then lived in thecity a few places and then moved
to New Jersey and so I'vebecome an ace packer very
efficient at it, and I guess Inever collected much stuff, so
it made it easier.
(05:06):
And even when I raised myfamily and had a large home I
didn't have a lot of clutteraround.
So I guess eventually one thingled to the other.
I was a personal trainer for 25years, going into people's
homes.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
And I saw a lot of clutter in people's homes and
the gym business changed and onething morphed into another and
I realized people really neededhelp in their homes.
So I went from helping peoplewith their bodies to helping
them in their homes.
Okay, and I love what I do.
(05:47):
It really brings a lot of joyto people.
I say I bring them hope andreally see people's faces light
up with what we do.
It's really cathartic.
Yeah, so that's you know.
We make people feel good aboutliving in their homes.
It brings a lot of stress.
Well, I was going that's youknow.
We make people feel good aboutliving in their homes.
It brings a lot of stress.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Well, they're going to say when you're a trainer,
most people hire you becausethey want to Right exactly.
So you're helping themde-stress as a fitness
instructor and trainer.
And now you're, you know, helpthem de-stress in another way
reduce stress with thedecluttering and organizing.
Yeah, and in another way reducestress with the decluttering
and organizing.
I mean, there's Marie Kondo, afamous organizer in Japanese.
(06:29):
There was, I don't know if itwas kind of a movement that she
helped jump on board to, but Iknow that, personally speaking,
when I can organize anddeclutter because I come from a
family of well, my Germangrandfather and my well, my
German great grandmother andthen my grandfather, they were
(06:51):
not your typical Germans, theyhad stuff everywhere.
I mean, you know, I hear storiesabout my mother growing up in
Ridgewood Queens of how theGerman women would be outside
sweeping stoops and keepingeverything clean.
But my grandfather, when hepassed away, was like holy cow,
the house was just a disasterand my parents' garage five kids
(07:14):
growing up.
You've never been able to fit abicycle in a garage, let alone
a car.
And my parents are still alive.
They live in Florida, they're90 years old and when they moved
to Florida it's like, oh, thisis a chance to declutter.
They just brought it all withthem.
Um, you know, I wouldn't say mymom's a hoarder, but she has a
tough time getting rid of stuffand she likes to buy things
(07:36):
cause they're cheap, notnecessarily because we need them
, but it was only a dollar forthat golf club and I'm like,
yeah, but I a bargain.
Yeah, yeah, she's.
You know, she grew up duringthe depression, so I get it.
Um, but so for me, um, I letthings get out of control, but
then when I can declutter, it'slike man, it's such a relief, it
feels so good to.
You know, I just did my closetand then my wife saw what I did,
(07:59):
cause I bought these likeorganizer baskets, and she's
like, oh's amazing, get me someof those.
And you know, now the closetlooks so much better and it just
gives you peace, you know itwill organize once things are
organized.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
It also saves people time, energy and money because,
time wise, a lot of the wastingtime looking for what they're
trying to find, they wind upbuying duplicates of the same
thing.
So they're saving money by nothaving to do that and they're
saving energy because they don'thave to waste the time looking
for the things and it justthings run much smoothly,
(08:39):
whether it's for kids who canfind what they want with their
toys or adults.
It's easier for everyone.
It's really less stressful.
But going back to having to letgo of things a lot of people
have a problem letting go ofthings.
They inherit things and thenthey don't use them.
(08:59):
They take up space in theirattic or closet or wherever and
they don't want to let them go.
But it's taking up valuablereal estate.
So we try and encourage peopleto let things go.
It's okay to let things go, youdon't have to keep things
forever, you know, you have thememory of it.
You can have good memoriesabout the person but, you don't
need to hang on the thing thatyou're not using, you don't want
(09:22):
, you don't even like it yeah,you feel like you have to keep
it, so yeah, it's a push-pull.
Sometimes we have to put thingsto the side and then revisit
them and hopefully they'lleliminate them.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Now, that's not the only thing that you do.
I mean, you mentionedorganization, you mentioned
moving, but you also mentioned,like, estate services.
So tell me a little bit moreabout, or tell us a little bit
more about, the other servicesthat you offer that I work with
(10:06):
so we can refer them to someonewho does provide the estate sale
services.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
But a lot of people think that the things are worth
more than they are.
And you know the reality ismost people don't have things
that are really that valuable.
Everyone thinks, oh, I boughtit for, let's say, $5,000.
The minute it leaves the storeit's worth $2,500.
The longer you have it, thevalue diminishes, unless it's
truly something worth.
And the reality is most peopledon't want your stuff anymore,
(10:34):
your kids don't want your stuffand everybody else has enough of
their own stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Really really, it's the truth.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
But you know, we can put them in touch with someone
that provides the estate saleservices and then they'll go
into the home and they'llprovide that service for them.
But in terms of when peoplepass away, we can handle the
estate that home and we candeclutter it, eliminate items
that they no longer want and getit ready to put up for sale.
(11:04):
So in that sense we can helpthem with that.
So you know, working withrealtors or families of deceased
family members, we work withthem.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Right, so that's, it's not just estate people
selling, it's anybody who'sselling their home, getting the
home ready for, you know, forstaging, almost yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Because you know, the longer you live in a house,
well, the more stuff you acquire.
But also you become blind towhat's around you yeah and when
you want to sell your house, youwant to take down personal
photographs and religiousobjects and you want to make it
as neat and tidy and spacious aspossible, so another family can
perhaps see themselves livingin it.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, yeah.
So I noticed that you alsooffer a lot of product ideas.
I mean, you don't sell them,but you point people to the
products, whether they're onAmazon or something else, and
that's where I got my these likebaskets but they kind of fold
up and I don't you know like foryour shirts and pants and
(12:04):
things like that.
Um, what are the like?
Okay, so I'm going to talkabout myself.
Um, our well, my clothing draweris a mess.
You know where I keep my?
Whether it's my socks andunderwear is one drawer, or it's
my t-shirts and another drawer,or it's my workout clothes and
another.
It's a complete disaster, and Iknow I can't even shut the
(12:25):
drawers, so I've got to gothrough them and get rid of some
things, because I usually havea rule if I haven't worn it in a
year, then it's time to get ridof it.
Uh, what are some of the youknow products that you endorse,
if you will, or recommend thingslike organizing your clothing
drawer.
Organizing, maybe, like we havea drawer for water bottles, but
(12:47):
we have so many water bottles Ican't stack them because it's a
drawer.
Oh yeah, water bottles storagecontainers.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
There are certain things we find in every home and
it's just, it's out of control.
But in terms of products, sowhen we go into people's homes
and we organize, we usuallyhandle getting the products
because it's too overwhelmingfor people and we're at this
point where we know exactly whatwill work and what won't work.
We'll give people options, butmost people, just like you, take
(13:15):
care of this.
We find clear bins work thebest.
This way people can see whatthey have and we label things.
But it also depends on theamount of closet space you have
versus drawer space.
Some people prefer to hangtheir pants.
Some people like to put them indrawers, or even their exercise
(13:36):
clothing.
So we'll use drawer dividers,things like that.
In drawers.
We also like to file fold soyou can see what's there, as
opposed to stacking shirts youknow seven high, and then when
you go to take out the thirdshirt, it becomes a mess again
and going through your clothing.
Because people wear 20% oftheir clothing 80% of the time,
(14:01):
Whether it's shoes or, you know,belts or pants or sweaters.
Seasonal clothing don't need tobe front and center all the
time.
So you know, you might want tochange things up, but it also
depends on the size of the spacethat you have you know, and
typically, whether you have a 10, 000 square foot home or a
(14:22):
two-bedroom apartment, peoplefill the space they have.
It's human nature, so it's amatter of just constantly going
through it.
But you know we have an amazonstorefront, we recommend people,
we send links and it's justeasier for people again if we
recommend and purchase theproducts for them it's one less
headache for them.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Clear is best.
Clear is best usually for anysituation, so that you could see
what you have.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Right, okay, and then one of the services you offer
is a maintenance service.
So what does that entail?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
So we'll go into someone's house and we'll finish
a project whether it's a closetor a pantry or garage, let's
say and after X number of monthsit'll get messy and people
don't have time or just aren'tinterested in doing it
themselves.
So if we've worked in aparticular area in your home and
(15:18):
you want to make it tidy againin a particular area in your
home and you want to make ittidy again, we'll come back and
we provide a maintenance servicefor you know less amount of
time, but we've already done theproject and the bins and
baskets or whatever is is therealready so we just have to make
it so that they can see whatthey have again and find it in a
timely manner.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yeah, it's amazing how often you know I'll tidy
something up, organize it, andthen six months later I'm like
dear God, what the heck happened.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Yeah, we're the superheroes in people's lives.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Nice, nice.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We do the things they don't want to do, but it really
makes people so happy.
It's just, you know, we buildrelationships with our clients,
we really get together with.
It's just you know, we buildrelationships with our clients,
we really get together with them.
And you know, we meet the wholefamily and we love it really.
It's just, it's a win-win foreverybody.
You know we just providesolutions for them and then they
(16:13):
can run with it.
It's easier that way.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, I mean it's, you know, I'd imagine.
Well here's, here's one thing Iwas going to say I'd imagine,
but a lot of people probablydon't realize.
Like, is this something I canafford?
Is this something that you knowis really bougie, that you know
only rich people can afford?
Should I be ashamed that I haveto hire somebody to organize my
(16:35):
life because I'm toodisorganized?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
So, first of all, we don't judge people.
We're not here to judge you,we're here to help you.
Okay, you know, sometimes, look, you hire an accountant to do
your accounting right.
You go to the doctor, aprofessional, you go to a lawyer
.
So we're the professionals inthat area.
So, we're not here to judge youIn terms of affording it.
You know decluttering is aninvestment in your home.
(16:59):
You have to look at it that way.
But you can start off with oneroom.
You don't have to make it agiant project.
You start off with one room.
A few months down the road, ifyou want, we'll come back, we'll
do another room.
So we tell people we'll do asmuch or as little as you want.
That's up to you.
We try to make it affordablefor everyone.
We try and work things out withpeople.
(17:19):
But once people see what we dofor them, it makes it better for
them.
So it is an investment for them.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Right.
So you say we.
So you have a team that workswith you.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Okay, I have a team of ladies and we will, you know,
whether it's two of us or threeof us, depending upon the
project the four of us and we'llcome in and we'll do whatever
they need to do.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
So the first thing you do is kind of you come in
and give an assessment.
You kind of look it over andyes.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
So I'll go to someone's house, I'll do a free
in-home consult.
I will walk probably throughoutthe whole house so that I can
see what's going on, even ifthey only want me for one
project.
One project usually leads toanother project, but again,
we'll start with one projectwherever the pain point is
whether it's a closet or apantry expired items or whatever
(18:15):
.
You know a pantry expired itemsor whatever it is and we'll
take it from there.
So then from the consult we'llschedule the first session, the
first session.
I usually need the homeownerthere.
We will work with the homeowner.
A lot of times people workremotely from their homes, so
you know we won't actually havethem right with us, but you know
(18:37):
we'll text them to have fiveminutes or we'll put things to
the side if we have questionsabout things.
But we do need the homeownerfor the first couple of sessions
, depending upon the size of theproject.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Okay, so when did you start this business?
How many years has it been?
Speaker 3 (18:53):
It has been six years since I started the business,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I thought about this 10 years ago.
You were a full-time personaltrainer and you worked for
yourself.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yes, well, I worked for myself going to people's
homes, and if they had a homegym it was great, if they didn't
, it was fine.
I was like Mary Poppins andbrought, you know, my bag of
goods with me, and I also workedin gyms, okay.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, yeah.
So what was the transition liketo leave that world behind?
And now I mean so as a personaltrainer.
You were used to running abusiness.
In some ways.
I used to be a personal trainer.
I did it on the side.
Okay, I worked in the city.
I lived down in Hudson County,so I had a lot of people that
(19:39):
had condos, that had gyms or hadspaces too.
But yeah, to your point, I usedto have like 500 pounds of
weights in my car and pull upand just take out whatever.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
I needed Go-to battle ropes.
I would go to parks with people.
It was great.
I still love it.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
But I don't think I really treated it like a
business.
It was a side hustle, eventhough I made, you know, decent
money, for you know what I wasdoing on the side what.
What has it been like to gofrom that to now?
I have, you know, a full-time.
You know all things neat havinga staff.
You know being responsible for.
You know getting customers.
(20:16):
You know customer acquisition,business development, however
you want to call it, marketingall the things that go into
running a company.
What has that been like for you?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
It's a lot.
It's a lot.
I have to wear different hatsand I have to actually have to
hire another person, and there'sa learning curve, you know,
along the way.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
There's definitely.
Owning your own business is alearning curve, networking,
talking to different people.
You have to kind of be anextrovert.
You know, that was never aproblem for me.
I can talk to people, yeah youknow, that was never a problem
for me.
I can talk to people, but itreally is about, you know,
building relationships andmaking people feel comfortable.
(21:06):
I'm going into their homes, youknow, and it becomes very
personal.
You know, you see a lot, youhear a lot and you have to know
you know when to be quiet andwhen to you know get people to
start talking and feelcomfortable.
So it's a little bit of apush-pull, yeah, but I was used
(21:27):
to doing that as a trainer.
I was in people's homes also,right, right.
So in a way it was similar.
The transition wasn't asdifficult for me.
You know, getting the saleasking for money, things like
that.
That wasn't my issue.
You know a lot of people havethat issue, so yeah, it's
amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I mean, people do have that issue about asking for
money.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
You know they feel almost embarrassed to do that.
So I've had people I've askedif they wanted to work for me.
They're like oh, I can't askpeople for money, it's all right
, yeah, yeah it goes, yeah, andsales too.
A lot of people have fun withsales, but if you own a company,
you're in sales, whether youwant to call yourself a salesman
(22:10):
.
If you're an owner and you haveto bring in business, you're in
sales.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Semantics.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Right If you're a doctor and you have your own
practice.
You're in sales.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Right, so you just have to wear different hats.
You know you have to be able toroll with it and you know zig
and zag at times.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
But it's fun and I like it, and every day is a new
day and each client is different.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Nice and what areas do you typically focus on?
Like you're in Northern NewJersey, like do you have?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
We are all over Bergen County.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Literally End to end, top to bottom.
Occasionally I go into MorrisCounty or Passaic County, but
it's pretty much, and even partsof, like Suffern and Nyack not
that way.
Rockland County, but it'sBergen County, okay.
Whether it's Closter andCrestville and Upper Saddle
River or Franklin Lakes.
Okay, we are all over.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Right, right, okay.
I'm in Harrington Park, so I'mright next to Closter.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
One of my team leaders is in Harrington Park.
How?
Speaker 2 (23:08):
nice, maybe we know each other.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Yeah, I'm over that way a lot lately, so I'm getting
to know her pretty well.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
So yeah, so we really are all over.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Nice, nice.
So how do people contact you ifthey're interested in hiring
you?
Speaker 3 (23:21):
So my website is allthingsneatbyhope.
com and they can go onto thatand fill out the inquiry form.
My number is 973-493-6359.
They can call me, they can textme or they could shoot me an
(23:42):
email and we can set up adiscovery call.
So any way they want Nice.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Well Hope.
Thank you for bringing a littlehope to everyone's disorganized
life.
I really appreciate you beingon today and we're going to have
Chuck close us out, but thankyou very much.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate this, doug.
Take care, okay, you too.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpbergen.
com.
That's gnpbergen.
com, or call 201-298-8325.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
I am your host, doug Drohan,brought to you by the Bergen
Neighbors Media Group.
Today we are joined by Hope.
Hope Kerner is the owner of AllThings Neat by Hope.
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Thanks for having me.
It's a great Friday, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, so All Things Neat.
So that would lend one tobelieve that you do something
about tidying up or organizing.
So is that true?
Is your business like a homeorganization service business?
Yes, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
So we are professional organizers going
into people's homes occasionallya business, but for the most
part homes providingdecluttering and organizing
services.
In addition to decluttering andhelping people move, packing to
move and unpacking andorganizing.
On the other side, I think youfroze yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So what's you know what?
What's um?
Are you there all?
I'm here.
Yeah, all right.
You know what?
I'm going to start the openagain and we're going to start
all over.
Okay, this is the Good.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses
and neighbors come together.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Here's your host, doug Drohan hey everybody,
welcome to another episode ofthe Good Neighbor Podcast.
I am your host, doug Drahan,brought to you by the Good
Neighbor, brought to you by theBergen Neighbors Media Group,
and today we are joined by HopeKerner, the owner of All Things
Neat by Hope.
Hope, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Thanks, Doug, for having me.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, so All Things Neat.
It sounds like you help peopletidy up.
It's an organization, homeorganization, I guess that it's
at its core, but you do a lot ofother things.
But so you know, tell me alittle bit about the company.
All things neat.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Okay.
So we provide in-homedecluttering and organizing.
A lot of people have some homedecluttering and organizing.
A lot of people have someclutter in their homes and don't
know where to get started orhow to do it, or get frustrated.
So they give us a call and wehelp them out and we, you know,
go all throughout the homes inany area, declutter and organize
(02:39):
, and we also provide full moveassistance.
So that would also includedecluttering, packing and
unpacking and organizing on theother side, whether it's local
or we'll travel to wherever youmove.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Okay, so what?
You're also helping them get amoving company and you're moving
them or just packing.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
We don't actually move them.
We provide the service for them.
So we will pack them up labeland pack them.
We'll contact the movingcompany or anyone that you know,
any of the vendors that theyneed, whether it's a junk hauler
, if they need an estate sale,anyone like that organizing and
(03:20):
do you start like, is it usuallyI need my basement, my kids
playroom, my garage?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Like do you normally start with one room and who's
your typical client?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I don't really have a typical client.
It could be a young family, itcould be an empty nester, it
could be a senior, so it reallyvaries.
Lately we've been having a lotof young families.
It usually starts in one room,whether it's a closet, a kitchen
(03:51):
or a playroom and uh, they seehow we work and they're very
happy with when we get throughwith that project and we wind up
going into a lot of other areasof the home and sometimes just
work our way throughout theentire home, including the
garage, and garage season iscoming up right now.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, don't.
I know it.
So from your accent it soundslike you're a New Yorker,
because I'm from New York.
I'm from Long Island and Iguess I lost my Long Island
accent or never had one for somereason.
So how did you get into thisbusiness?
Like?
What's your journey?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
So, yes, I cannot take the New York out of the
girl, but I've also.
When I graduated high school, Iwent to school in Florida and
California, so I've moved a lotthroughout my lifetime within
each state.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Where in New York are you from?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Long.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Island and what part of Long Island Valley Stream.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Okay, all right, and so I worked my way back into
Manhattan and then lived in thecity a few places and then moved
to New Jersey and so I'vebecome an ace packer very
efficient at it, and I guess Inever collected much stuff, so
it made it easier.
(05:06):
And even when I raised myfamily and had a large home I
didn't have a lot of clutteraround.
So I guess eventually one thingled to the other.
I was a personal trainer for 25years, going into people's
homes.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
And I saw a lot of clutter in people's homes and
the gym business changed and onething morphed into another and
I realized people really neededhelp in their homes.
So I went from helping peoplewith their bodies to helping
them in their homes.
Okay, and I love what I do.
(05:47):
It really brings a lot of joyto people.
I say I bring them hope andreally see people's faces light
up with what we do.
It's really cathartic.
Yeah, so that's you know.
We make people feel good aboutliving in their homes.
It brings a lot of stress.
Well, I was going that's youknow.
We make people feel good aboutliving in their homes.
It brings a lot of stress.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Well, they're going to say when you're a trainer,
most people hire you becausethey want to Right exactly.
So you're helping themde-stress as a fitness
instructor and trainer.
And now you're, you know, helpthem de-stress in another way
reduce stress with thedecluttering and organizing.
Yeah, and in another way reducestress with the decluttering
and organizing.
I mean, there's Marie Kondo, afamous organizer in Japanese.
(06:29):
There was, I don't know if itwas kind of a movement that she
helped jump on board to, but Iknow that, personally speaking,
when I can organize anddeclutter because I come from a
family of well, my Germangrandfather and my well, my
German great grandmother andthen my grandfather, they were
(06:51):
not your typical Germans, theyhad stuff everywhere.
I mean, you know, I hear storiesabout my mother growing up in
Ridgewood Queens of how theGerman women would be outside
sweeping stoops and keepingeverything clean.
But my grandfather, when hepassed away, was like holy cow,
the house was just a disasterand my parents' garage five kids
(07:14):
growing up.
You've never been able to fit abicycle in a garage, let alone
a car.
And my parents are still alive.
They live in Florida, they're90 years old and when they moved
to Florida it's like, oh, thisis a chance to declutter.
They just brought it all withthem.
Um, you know, I wouldn't say mymom's a hoarder, but she has a
tough time getting rid of stuffand she likes to buy things
(07:36):
cause they're cheap, notnecessarily because we need them
, but it was only a dollar forthat golf club and I'm like,
yeah, but I a bargain.
Yeah, yeah, she's.
You know, she grew up duringthe depression, so I get it.
Um, but so for me, um, I letthings get out of control, but
then when I can declutter, it'slike man, it's such a relief, it
feels so good to.
You know, I just did my closetand then my wife saw what I did,
(07:59):
cause I bought these likeorganizer baskets, and she's
like, oh's amazing, get me someof those.
And you know, now the closetlooks so much better and it just
gives you peace, you know itwill organize once things are
organized.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
It also saves people time, energy and money because,
time wise, a lot of the wastingtime looking for what they're
trying to find, they wind upbuying duplicates of the same
thing.
So they're saving money by nothaving to do that and they're
saving energy because they don'thave to waste the time looking
for the things and it justthings run much smoothly,
(08:39):
whether it's for kids who canfind what they want with their
toys or adults.
It's easier for everyone.
It's really less stressful.
But going back to having to letgo of things a lot of people
have a problem letting go ofthings.
They inherit things and thenthey don't use them.
(08:59):
They take up space in theirattic or closet or wherever and
they don't want to let them go.
But it's taking up valuablereal estate.
So we try and encourage peopleto let things go.
It's okay to let things go, youdon't have to keep things
forever, you know, you have thememory of it.
You can have good memoriesabout the person but, you don't
need to hang on the thing thatyou're not using, you don't want
(09:22):
, you don't even like it yeah,you feel like you have to keep
it, so yeah, it's a push-pull.
Sometimes we have to put thingsto the side and then revisit
them and hopefully they'lleliminate them.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Now, that's not the only thing that you do.
I mean, you mentionedorganization, you mentioned
moving, but you also mentioned,like, estate services.
So tell me a little bit moreabout, or tell us a little bit
more about, the other servicesthat you offer that I work with
(10:06):
so we can refer them to someonewho does provide the estate sale
services.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
But a lot of people think that the things are worth
more than they are.
And you know the reality ismost people don't have things
that are really that valuable.
Everyone thinks, oh, I boughtit for, let's say, $5,000.
The minute it leaves the storeit's worth $2,500.
The longer you have it, thevalue diminishes, unless it's
truly something worth.
And the reality is most peopledon't want your stuff anymore,
(10:34):
your kids don't want your stuffand everybody else has enough of
their own stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Really really, it's the truth.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
But you know, we can put them in touch with someone
that provides the estate saleservices and then they'll go
into the home and they'llprovide that service for them.
But in terms of when peoplepass away, we can handle the
estate that home and we candeclutter it, eliminate items
that they no longer want and getit ready to put up for sale.
(11:04):
So in that sense we can helpthem with that.
So you know, working withrealtors or families of deceased
family members, we work withthem.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Right, so that's, it's not just estate people
selling, it's anybody who'sselling their home, getting the
home ready for, you know, forstaging, almost yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Because you know, the longer you live in a house,
well, the more stuff you acquire.
But also you become blind towhat's around you yeah and when
you want to sell your house, youwant to take down personal
photographs and religiousobjects and you want to make it
as neat and tidy and spacious aspossible, so another family can
perhaps see themselves livingin it.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, yeah.
So I noticed that you alsooffer a lot of product ideas.
I mean, you don't sell them,but you point people to the
products, whether they're onAmazon or something else, and
that's where I got my these likebaskets but they kind of fold
up and I don't you know like foryour shirts and pants and
(12:04):
things like that.
Um, what are the like?
Okay, so I'm going to talkabout myself.
Um, our well, my clothing draweris a mess.
You know where I keep my?
Whether it's my socks andunderwear is one drawer, or it's
my t-shirts and another drawer,or it's my workout clothes and
another.
It's a complete disaster, and Iknow I can't even shut the
(12:25):
drawers, so I've got to gothrough them and get rid of some
things, because I usually havea rule if I haven't worn it in a
year, then it's time to get ridof it.
Uh, what are some of the youknow products that you endorse,
if you will, or recommend thingslike organizing your clothing
drawer.
Organizing, maybe, like we havea drawer for water bottles, but
(12:47):
we have so many water bottles Ican't stack them because it's a
drawer.
Oh yeah, water bottles storagecontainers.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
There are certain things we find in every home and
it's just, it's out of control.
But in terms of products, sowhen we go into people's homes
and we organize, we usuallyhandle getting the products
because it's too overwhelmingfor people and we're at this
point where we know exactly whatwill work and what won't work.
We'll give people options, butmost people, just like you, take
(13:15):
care of this.
We find clear bins work thebest.
This way people can see whatthey have and we label things.
But it also depends on theamount of closet space you have
versus drawer space.
Some people prefer to hangtheir pants.
Some people like to put them indrawers, or even their exercise
(13:36):
clothing.
So we'll use drawer dividers,things like that.
In drawers.
We also like to file fold soyou can see what's there, as
opposed to stacking shirts youknow seven high, and then when
you go to take out the thirdshirt, it becomes a mess again
and going through your clothing.
Because people wear 20% oftheir clothing 80% of the time,
(14:01):
Whether it's shoes or, you know,belts or pants or sweaters.
Seasonal clothing don't need tobe front and center all the
time.
So you know, you might want tochange things up, but it also
depends on the size of the spacethat you have you know, and
typically, whether you have a 10, 000 square foot home or a
(14:22):
two-bedroom apartment, peoplefill the space they have.
It's human nature, so it's amatter of just constantly going
through it.
But you know we have an amazonstorefront, we recommend people,
we send links and it's justeasier for people again if we
recommend and purchase theproducts for them it's one less
headache for them.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Clear is best.
Clear is best usually for anysituation, so that you could see
what you have.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Right, okay, and then one of the services you offer
is a maintenance service.
So what does that entail?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
So we'll go into someone's house and we'll finish
a project whether it's a closetor a pantry or garage, let's
say and after X number of monthsit'll get messy and people
don't have time or just aren'tinterested in doing it
themselves.
So if we've worked in aparticular area in your home and
(15:18):
you want to make it tidy againin a particular area in your
home and you want to make ittidy again, we'll come back and
we provide a maintenance servicefor you know less amount of
time, but we've already done theproject and the bins and
baskets or whatever is is therealready so we just have to make
it so that they can see whatthey have again and find it in a
timely manner.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yeah, it's amazing how often you know I'll tidy
something up, organize it, andthen six months later I'm like
dear God, what the heck happened.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Yeah, we're the superheroes in people's lives.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Nice, nice.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
We do the things they don't want to do, but it really
makes people so happy.
It's just, you know, we buildrelationships with our clients,
we really get together with.
It's just you know, we buildrelationships with our clients,
we really get together with them.
And you know, we meet the wholefamily and we love it really.
It's just, it's a win-win foreverybody.
You know we just providesolutions for them and then they
(16:13):
can run with it.
It's easier that way.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, I mean it's, you know, I'd imagine.
Well here's, here's one thing Iwas going to say I'd imagine,
but a lot of people probablydon't realize.
Like, is this something I canafford?
Is this something that you knowis really bougie, that you know
only rich people can afford?
Should I be ashamed that I haveto hire somebody to organize my
(16:35):
life because I'm toodisorganized?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
So, first of all, we don't judge people.
We're not here to judge you,we're here to help you.
Okay, you know, sometimes, look, you hire an accountant to do
your accounting right.
You go to the doctor, aprofessional, you go to a lawyer
.
So we're the professionals inthat area.
So, we're not here to judge youIn terms of affording it.
You know decluttering is aninvestment in your home.
(16:59):
You have to look at it that way.
But you can start off with oneroom.
You don't have to make it agiant project.
You start off with one room.
A few months down the road, ifyou want, we'll come back, we'll
do another room.
So we tell people we'll do asmuch or as little as you want.
That's up to you.
We try to make it affordablefor everyone.
We try and work things out withpeople.
(17:19):
But once people see what we dofor them, it makes it better for
them.
So it is an investment for them.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Right.
So you say we.
So you have a team that workswith you.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Okay, I have a team of ladies and we will, you know,
whether it's two of us or threeof us, depending upon the
project the four of us and we'llcome in and we'll do whatever
they need to do.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
So the first thing you do is kind of you come in
and give an assessment.
You kind of look it over andyes.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
So I'll go to someone's house, I'll do a free
in-home consult.
I will walk probably throughoutthe whole house so that I can
see what's going on, even ifthey only want me for one
project.
One project usually leads toanother project, but again,
we'll start with one projectwherever the pain point is
whether it's a closet or apantry expired items or whatever
(18:15):
.
You know a pantry expired itemsor whatever it is and we'll
take it from there.
So then from the consult we'llschedule the first session, the
first session.
I usually need the homeownerthere.
We will work with the homeowner.
A lot of times people workremotely from their homes, so
you know we won't actually havethem right with us, but you know
(18:37):
we'll text them to have fiveminutes or we'll put things to
the side if we have questionsabout things.
But we do need the homeownerfor the first couple of sessions
, depending upon the size of theproject.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Okay, so when did you start this business?
How many years has it been?
Speaker 3 (18:53):
It has been six years since I started the business,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I thought about this 10 years ago.
You were a full-time personaltrainer and you worked for
yourself.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Yes, well, I worked for myself going to people's
homes, and if they had a homegym it was great, if they didn't
, it was fine.
I was like Mary Poppins andbrought, you know, my bag of
goods with me, and I also workedin gyms, okay.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, yeah.
So what was the transition liketo leave that world behind?
And now I mean so as a personaltrainer.
You were used to running abusiness.
In some ways.
I used to be a personal trainer.
I did it on the side.
Okay, I worked in the city.
I lived down in Hudson County,so I had a lot of people that
(19:39):
had condos, that had gyms or hadspaces too.
But yeah, to your point, I usedto have like 500 pounds of
weights in my car and pull upand just take out whatever.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
I needed Go-to battle ropes.
I would go to parks with people.
It was great.
I still love it.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
But I don't think I really treated it like a
business.
It was a side hustle, eventhough I made, you know, decent
money, for you know what I wasdoing on the side what.
What has it been like to gofrom that to now?
I have, you know, a full-time.
You know all things neat havinga staff.
You know being responsible for.
You know getting customers.
(20:16):
You know customer acquisition,business development, however
you want to call it, marketingall the things that go into
running a company.
What has that been like for you?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
It's a lot.
It's a lot.
I have to wear different hatsand I have to actually have to
hire another person, and there'sa learning curve, you know,
along the way.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
There's definitely.
Owning your own business is alearning curve, networking,
talking to different people.
You have to kind of be anextrovert.
You know, that was never aproblem for me.
I can talk to people, yeah youknow, that was never a problem
for me.
I can talk to people, but itreally is about, you know,
building relationships andmaking people feel comfortable.
(21:06):
I'm going into their homes, youknow, and it becomes very
personal.
You know, you see a lot, youhear a lot and you have to know
you know when to be quiet andwhen to you know get people to
start talking and feelcomfortable.
So it's a little bit of apush-pull, yeah, but I was used
(21:27):
to doing that as a trainer.
I was in people's homes also,right, right.
So in a way it was similar.
The transition wasn't asdifficult for me.
You know, getting the saleasking for money, things like
that.
That wasn't my issue.
You know a lot of people havethat issue, so yeah, it's
amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I mean, people do have that issue about asking for
money.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
You know they feel almost embarrassed to do that.
So I've had people I've askedif they wanted to work for me.
They're like oh, I can't askpeople for money, it's all right
, yeah, yeah it goes, yeah, andsales too.
A lot of people have fun withsales, but if you own a company,
you're in sales, whether youwant to call yourself a salesman
(22:10):
.
If you're an owner and you haveto bring in business, you're in
sales.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Semantics.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Right If you're a doctor and you have your own
practice.
You're in sales.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Right, so you just have to wear different hats.
You know you have to be able toroll with it and you know zig
and zag at times.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
But it's fun and I like it, and every day is a new
day and each client is different.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Nice and what areas do you typically focus on?
Like you're in Northern NewJersey, like do you have?
Speaker 3 (22:35):
We are all over Bergen County.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Literally End to end, top to bottom.
Occasionally I go into MorrisCounty or Passaic County, but
it's pretty much, and even partsof, like Suffern and Nyack not
that way.
Rockland County, but it'sBergen County, okay.
Whether it's Closter andCrestville and Upper Saddle
River or Franklin Lakes.
Okay, we are all over.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Right, right, okay.
I'm in Harrington Park, so I'mright next to Closter.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
One of my team leaders is in Harrington Park.
How?
Speaker 2 (23:08):
nice, maybe we know each other.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Yeah, I'm over that way a lot lately, so I'm getting
to know her pretty well.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
So yeah, so we really are all over.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Nice, nice.
So how do people contact you ifthey're interested in hiring
you?
Speaker 3 (23:21):
So my website is allthingsneatbyhope.
com and they can go onto thatand fill out the inquiry form.
My number is 973-493-6359.
They can call me, they can textme or they could shoot me an
(23:42):
email and we can set up adiscovery call.
So any way they want Nice.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Well Hope.
Thank you for bringing a littlehope to everyone's disorganized
life.
I really appreciate you beingon today and we're going to have
Chuck close us out, but thankyou very much.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate this, doug.
Take care, okay, you too.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpbergen.
com.
That's gnpbergen.
com, or call 201-298-8325.
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