Inspiring Conversations with Alison Moulder of Simplicity and Style

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Moulder.

Hi Alison, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began organizing about 2 years ago, when my youngest was starting school, and I wanted to start working again. My background is in teaching, but I have always loved all things “home,” and I had been dreaming of a way to turn my affinity for organizing into a job that lets me do what I love while still allowing me the flexibility to be there for my family. As a parent, I believe that kids (and adults) thrive in a simplified, peaceful environment. Creating organized spaces and systems for families seemed like the perfect job for me! Until I watched The Home Edit on Netflix, I hadn’t even realized that organizing for others was a “thing” that people did. The wheels started spinning in my head with all the possibilities!

A few days later, my good friend Becca and I were on the run together early one morning when I shared my thoughts with her. Like me, her youngest child was about to start school, and she wanted a creative outlet that allowed her to work flexibly. As the miles ticked by, we started dreaming of all the possibilities! With my love of organizing and her love of design, we decided to create a small business that would offer a functional and beautiful home organization. Thus, Simplicity and Style were born!

Over the next several weeks, we held our “business meetings” on our early morning runs and planned out the details of our new venture. Like training for a marathon, we both thrive on a good challenge, a good plan, and a goal to achieve. We applied these same principles to building our business and tackling each organizational and design challenge that came our way. We started out organizing for family and branched out from there. We both loved transforming a space for our clients, making it functional and beautiful! Organizing by day, we built our website, tweaked our process, and learned the ins and outs of marketing, SOS, and social media in our off hours. There’s so much work that goes into starting a business, and we learned a lot in those first few months, but it was 100 percent worth it to watch our little dream turn into a reality.

Simplicity and Style grew as clients referred us to friends and family, and we have branched out from there! We now offer more than just home organizing. We help clients get unpacked and settled into their new homes after a move or a renovation and offer styling and décor services. Becca has moved into the role of virtual design, and I have taken over the organizing aspect of the business. We have also added 5 amazing women to our team, each with their talents and strengths. It has been quite the journey, but we are grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn from the process along the way!

Simplicity and Style serve clients in the greater Louisville, Kentucky area, but we also travel to nearby cities. Our goal is to help people simplify their lives and create organized, functional, and beautiful home spaces. Each day, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and to work with our wonderful clients who trust us with their homes. It’s a dream come true!

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any business, I think we have experienced plenty of bumps along the way, but that’s all part of the learning experience. My biggest struggle has been finding a healthy balance of work and knowing when to stop at the end of the day. One of the great things about this job is that it allows me to choose when and where I work. I can take my kids to and from school each day and be home with them on days off school, for instance. That part is wonderful, but when you own your own business and wear so many hats, trying to balance it all is tough! I’m constantly learning the ins and outs of running a small business, and sometimes it’s downright intimidating! I can organize a closet or pantry without a problem, but trying to figure out finances, SEO, and small business marketing is another ballgame. Luckily, I have an excellent team of women I work with, plus friends and family who have helped me navigate this process.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Simplicity and Style?
Simplicity and Style is a professional organizing company servicing the Louisville, Kentucky, area. We specialize in home organization, styling, and unpacking services after someone has moved into their new home or following a home renovation.

Our goal is to help people simplify their lives and create organized, functional, beautiful spaces in their homes! Whether someone wants their pantry or closet organized or needs us to take an empty room and turn it into their dream space, we can do that! We start with a complimentary consultation to see the space, discuss aesthetics, and take measurements. Our goal is to provide sustainable solutions to common organizational issues and make the space aesthetically pretty. We customize each project to our client’s needs, and at the end of the day, we ensure they are 100 percent happy with the outcome.

Most importantly, we all love what we do and love working with our amazing clients, which is the most rewarding part of the job! Many of our clients are busy parents or professionals who don’t have the time to tackle organizational projects in their homes, which is why we offer an all-inclusive service. Our team takes care of the entire process, from planning and product sourcing, shopping for and bringing supplies to the session, organizing, labeling, and even taking away donations.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I have many childhood memories centered around just being in our home with my family, but Christmas may be my favorite childhood memory. We had many traditions, from baking cookies, decorating, putting up the tree, and our Christmas Eve church service, but my favorite event was the Christmas Eve open house my parents hosted each year. For days before, I watched my mom clean, cook, and prepare for this party and saw how much care she put into the details. From lighting candles, putting traditional Christmas music on in the background, and serving up the yummiest of treats, she created a warm and welcoming home environment for my sisters, me, and anyone who came over. Even beyond the holidays, our house was always open for visitors, and I can recall bringing an endless stream of friends over on any given day throughout high school. My parents never minded, and even though our house wasn’t huge, that never seemed to bother anyone. Perhaps that’s why creating a “home” has remained so ingrained in me and important as I raise my own 3 children. I want them to have warm memories of friends and family and meals shared around our table as they grow up, pass along to them the importance of creating a loving home that always welcomes others into it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simplicityandstyle.com
• Instagram: simplicityandstylehome
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplicityandstylehome

Image Credits
Rachael Ice Photography