A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION featuring Middle Georgia businesses that will help you live your best life in 2022. SUBMITTED PHOTO.

Neat Macon Macon, owner

478-227-5211
Windy.Dehem@NEATMethod.com
www.neatmethod.com

What is your mission?

As professional home organizers, we create calm among the chaos. NEAT Method gives you a reset. A fresh start. A clean slate for any space in your home, so you can live the life you’ve imagined. Our clients have beautiful, treasured things. In a NEAT space, you can find what you have and use what you love. This simple task makes a big impact on living well. Whether it’s creating a boutique feel in a closet, setting up the pantry to function quickly and practically, or organizing an assortment of gifting bits and baubles, we want our clients to enjoy everyday moments without hassle.

How has your mission changed because of covid-19?

Now, families desire organization for more than saving time. They want an escape and a place to rest, and we help create homes that are sanctuaries. Additionally, with mental health conversations now at the forefront of living well, decluttering and living a minimal lifestyle has surged in popularity. Clearing your physical space helps clear your mental space, and we love helping take away some of that overwhelm.

How does your business improve lives?

On the surface, NEAT Method organizes and unpacks, but it truly adds so much more to your lifestyle. Our clients are sophisticated with a myriad of interests — cooking + entertaining, fashion + beauty, crafting + gifting, healthy living, enjoying a second home, being extraordinary mothers, being contributors, and athletes in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Having a NEAT home gives you time to pursue and enjoy every passion. Take that MasterClass on Modern Italian Cooking, because you can easily shop your pantry, utensils and cookware. When everything is at your fingertips, ready to go, you can do the thing without the headache of trying to find all of the things! Save time and energy. Jump right into your passion — or right into your car — and head to the lake, because it took no time at all to find your grab-and-go weekend gear!

What are you most excited about as your business moves into a new year?

New people. New adventures. Maya Angelou says, “Your legacy is every life you’ve ever touched.” I look forward to continued growth, so that we can continue to help people live their best lives.

What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?

As a solopreneur, I run every department of my business. I have an affinity for interior design and putting together creative floral arrangements, but not so much for math. Yet, I am the CFO and apparently my accountant needs me to input the numbers. Gah. Fine. And, I begrudgingly read, “How to Master QuickBooks.” I’m also an *ahem* 40-something-year-old mother who “retired” more than 10 years ago to raise two extraordinary little girls. So now I’m definitely feeling the stereotypical “mom re-entering the workplace” woes. Thank goodness for our wonderful NEAT Method social media director who has been forever patient with me and my inability to produce Instagram reels. Surround yourself with great people. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Soak up knowledge at every turn—I LOVE a good Podcast. Remember that we’re all imperfect.

What is a myth you wish people would get over?

That living NEAT is only for minimalists. That we’re going to insist you toss half of your belongings. Actually, the reverse is true. We see it every time. Once we start, YOU can’t stop. Living a NEAT life is addictive!

What are you most proud about your business?

I’m most proud to show my daughters that life is what you make it, and that women can do anything they choose. Being a mother doesn’t mean be a martyr for the family. Explore your passions. Chase your dreams. Your life is still your life to live! I worked for an ad agency in Atlanta right out of college, then later moved into corporate marketing for Applebee’s. (Yep. Where were you circa 2008, Walker Hayes?!) I was fortunate enough to “retire” when my daughters were 2 and 4, so that I could stay home with them. At that point my job included traveling the states of Georgia, Oregon and New Mexico quite extensively, plus annual trips to Chicago, Denver and a destination conference. (And, okay, twist my arm to spend a couple of nights in a swank Chicago hotel all by myself, but back then as a young mother, it was a grind backed by severe mom guilt.) My girls never knew that side of me though. They see me as “mom.” Mom who doesn’t work. Mom who’s not good at math. Mom who runs up to the school once a week to deliver something they’ve left behind. And I’ve loved every minute of it. But now that they’re older, I want them to know that a woman’s passions don’t die when she becomes a mother. That a mom doesn’t completely sacrifice herself for the family. I’m actively involved in tennis — an athletic outlet that I enjoy, and something that is just for me. And now I’ve launched a business. Next it will most likely be travel. NEAT Method was founded by women, and so far, every franchise owner is female. I am so proud to be part of this community of creative, talented women. And that my daughters see that women can be anything in life they chose to be.

How do you define “living well?”

Enjoying the everyday. Stopping the chaos, the rat race of activities. Unscrunching your face. Relaxing your shoulders. Exhaling and soaking it all in. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes in the car on the way to a practice, stop and enjoy that time with your children. Make the most of every moment. Begin each day with a grateful heart. Appreciate the blessing of having sunshine on your face, a warm cup of coffee in your hand. Hold close all the things you treasure, which usually aren’t things. Don’t take a single day for granted.

When you’re not working, how do you relax and spend your time?

This should definitely be two different questions! When I’m not working, I spend my time at my girls’ sporting events and practices — or I should say DRIVING to their events. Each plays a travel sport, so our weekends are often spent on the road going to a tournament. When I want to relax, I enjoy a glass of red wine and a great book or podcast cozied up in my living room. I love our home and being there. I definitely enjoy staying in more than going out. I also really enjoy tennis — although the ladies around here are pretty competitive, so sometimes it’s more stressful than relaxing! I love to take a private tennis lesson or pull out the ball machine and get a great workout in. Sometimes just pounding that ball as hard as I can is pretty therapeutic!

Who are your inspirations for a life well lived?

Grandmothers. With their arms wide open, a story to tell and a casserole in the oven. I don’t know if my grandmother ever made it out of Cordele, or if she would say she had a life well lived. But she always had a hymn to hum, a place to rest, and a sprawling family surrounding her. Sounds like a pretty good life to me.

How does your business serve our community with inclusivity in mind?

Inclusion is engrained in our value system. It seems like a buzz word these days — and I’m happy that the discussion has been brought to the forefront and addressed — but my hope is that it isn’t a fad but rather a continuous process in our day-to-day lives and businesses. Our team is welcoming and creates a safe space for everyone. We’re open-minded, and we try not to make assumptions.

What needs to happen to help our community live happier and healthier lives?

I believe happiness comes from within. Wherever you go, there you are. It’s self-examination and heart work. Learning to empathize. Giving grace. Learning to carry peace in your heart and not anger or hate. Before NEAT, I almost became a nutritionist. The obesity epidemic in America breaks my heart, especially childhood obesity. It’s a complex cycle. Fresh food isn’t always affordable or convenient for families. And we lack a true understanding of how the foods we eat impact our bodies, especially the calories we consume and the amount of work it takes to burn those off. Speaking from my own upbringing, we need education on how to prepare fresh foods without putting it in a casserole with a stick of butter and two sleeves of Ritz crackers. Families need exposure to great tasting healthy food and the recipes to put it into practice in their own homes. And it’s baby steps. I love a squash casserole as much as the next Southern girl, but we must remember to be disciplined in moderation.