Life & Work with Claire Crawford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Crawford

Hi Claire, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, I always knew I wanted the challenge and freedom of starting my own business. It was just a matter of finding my passion. I was living in Charleston doing production coordination for the Charleston Jazz Orchestra when the pandemic hit. Knowing I would have to pivot from the entertainment industry, I observed where there was a hole in the market. People started working remotely, and children were now going to school virtually. I saw people stressed from the clutter and lack of space in their houses, and I knew I could help solve their problems. By assisting clients in decluttering the homes that they were now spending 24/7 in and creating spaces like school rooms and home offices, I was bringing more room to breathe into their day-to-day lives. That’s when it clicked! I can do this. I moved closer to my hometown and hit the ground running. The business grew from small space planning and decluttering to entire home organization, packing and unpacking for moves, staging for real estate listing, holiday set up and break down, and so much more!

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Whatever road you take, you are bound to hit some hiccups. Working a 9-5 is hard, and running your own business is challenging. The hardest part for me has been silencing the fear and doubt. Starting a business is a massive leap of faith, no matter how well you have planned and calculated everything before starting. Failing was not an option for me, so I focused heavily on client feedback. The other obstacle I faced was learning each season’s high and low points and how that would affect the business. This is one of those trial-and-error moments of a company. You will know those things once you go through them. Over the years, we have added busier services during certain times of the year. For example, packing and unpacking for moves is very popular in the summer, and holiday setup and breakdown are busier in winter. Keeping your business diversified helps level out those lulls.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our one-on-one-based business educates our clients on decluttering and maintaining an organized home. We also help with many other services, but that is the meat and potatoes part of the business. Many companies send in a group of people with preordered items and make those items fit in the home. We focus heavily on editing the home and working with the client to go through every item in the home, then order products that precisely fit their home, cabinets, etc. The goal is to only have things in the home that serve a purpose. That doesn’t mean you must be a minimalist. Still, we encourage clients to get rid of items that are not used, clothes that are old or do not fit, and most importantly, items that invoke a negative emotion, bring up a bad memory, or are only kept because of guilt. Our home should be our most sacred place, where you unwind and feel stress-free. Unfortunately, we live in an overconsumption society, which leads to overspending and clutter in the home. Our outward environment can be a reflection of our inner state of mind. If you can declutter your home and spaces like your car and office, your inner state of mind will drastically improve. Our mission is to help clients wrangle the chaos to give them more Room to Breathe.

What’s next?
We have big plans for the future. This year, we have started virtual consulting and are working on an ebook so that people who are outside our service radius have the tools to organize themselves. Room to Breathe is always open to expanding into areas that demand organizing. With this being a newer service offered to homeowners, our biggest struggle is educating the public about what it would look like to have someone come into your home to help organize. In the next 5-7 years, we want to add services like cleaning and handyman handyman repair. The support from the community is everything, and we value their feedback. If there is a home service that is not available, reach out to us. We would love to consider adding it on!

Pricing:

• $50-$80 per hour
• $926 15 hour 5% discount
• $1,495 25 hour 8% discount
• $2,047 35 hour 10% discount

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.roomtobreathenc.com/services.html
• Instagram: @roomtobreathenc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roomtobreathenc