Hi, I'm Lis Golden McKinley, CEO (Chief Executive Organizer) of
Let's Make Room.
My company is based in Oakland, California but our clients come from all over the San Francisco/Bay Area and beyond.
Since you'll most likely be inviting me into your home or office, I thought you would want to know something about me first and how Let's Make Room came into being.
Although I studied and trained as a marriage and family therapist and received a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, it never occurred to me that one day I would end up looking in people's drawers (as well as their closets basements and refrigerators).
The fact is I have always been interested in understanding why we do what we do even if what we do doesn't always help us.
In grade school I was the kid that all the other kids came to for advice. It was no wonder that I ended up studying psychology.
After graduate school I worked with kids and teens diagnosed with serious mental health conditions as well as with adults experiencing challenging life transitions such as divorce, illness, death and job loss.
Eventually I relocated to California, met my husband, a schoolteacher, and landed a job as an Human Resources project manager and learning specialist for a large health care organization.
Then in late 2008, as many others did, I lost my job.
Once the shock wore off I followed the prescription I gave my clients in private practice:
"Take one risk every day, find opportunities to stay busy and discover people and places that inspire your creativity."
A Passion for Food and Learning
I love to cook (and eat) so when I first lost my job I kept busy exploring my "foodie" side. I went to specialty food shows, wrote articles on the food industry and volunteered at the local food bank. I was inspired by attending workshops on everything from spirituality in the workplace to the psychology of leadership. I interviewed executives and entrepreneurs who were doing amazing things for their communities. I spent time with family and friends, read a lot and kept a journal.
People always ask, "So how did you become a professional organizer?"
The truth is my decision to become a professional organizer literally hit me on the head in my bathroom.
One morning a bottle fell out of the bathroom cabinet and onto my head. Next thing I knew I was carefully lining up bottles of shampoo, deodorant and hair gel and I was on a roll. Several cabinets, closets and rooms later, I found myself helping friends get their homes, offices and yes even their bathrooms organized.
Eventually, my psychology training helped me realize you can't organize the stuff in people's homes until you understand the stuff in their heads - the "stuck places" as one of my first clients called it.
Let's Make Room was launched based on my firmly held belief that organizing is not just about clearing space for your possessions; it's about creating the space in your head, your home and your life for the things that really matter.
Let us help you get your life organized. Contact us today for a free 30-minute phone consultation.
