Meet Abby, New Maeve’s Method Coach
Maeve interviews Abby, our newest Maeve's Method organization coach.
Last summer I received a coach inquiry from a woman here in New York, and when I looked at the resume I saw that she had worked a few years at a farm owned by friends of mine in Vermont. Naturally, I assumed she had been referred. But amazingly, she found me on her own during a search to explore a new career.
Abby began her training and I was immediately struck by her focus and quick mind. Abby took to my behavioral change model naturally. And the more I got to know her, the more I could see a light shine within as she explored the passion she had unearthed.
Coach training ends with a shadow session. Abby chose a couple and didn’t miss a beat, coaching two clients as easily as she would have coached one. I’m impressed by Abby’s instincts for this work. And it’s lovely knowing that we have friends and a love of Vermont in common. I sat down this month to chat with Abby about her new life as an organizer and Maeve’s Method coach. #coaching
Maeve: What inspired you to get started in the home organizing field?
Abby: When I returned to New York City a year ago after several years working as a vegetable farmer, I was feeling confused and directionless about what career path could be right for me at this new stage in my life. Someone advised me that to find my true passion, I should go back to what hobby I most liked to do as a child. At a loss, I joked, “well, when I was a kid, the main thing I really liked to do was reorganize my parents’ pantry.”
When I was little, I shared a bedroom with my big sister. It was a temperamental stage in our relationship, and my wise mother recognized my need for a private space to ‘cool down’ after a spat. She set up coloring supplies in our walk-in pantry so that I could find a calm to let my frustration subside. But the residual energy in my body from fighting with my sister could not be quelled by sitting quietly, and I would find myself instead taking all of the items off of the shelves are reorganizing them. As a young child, I developed an unarticulated understanding that by putting the external, physical world in order, I brought more order and calm to my inside world. Reflecting on this experience, I realized a passion for bringing this ‘medicine’ of organizing to others, of helping people find an inner peace through creating a more ordered environment. Maeve: What do you enjoy most about being a Maeve’s Method coach?
Abby: I really enjoy how process-oriented Maeve’s Method is. I believe that the act of putting our spaces in order is as important than the result of living in an ordered space, and I love seeing people experience revelations about themselves through the process of Maeve’s Method. Maeve: What’s an example of a recent client experience where coaching helped to turn their life around?
Abby: I recently coached a young pregnant couple who are simultaneously learning to live together with each other and trying to restructure their home to welcome a baby into their lives. They had a lot of plans and ideas, but were hesitating, not knowing how to begin. We worked on a very simple project: organizing a few cabinets in their kitchen. This jump start was all they needed to get the ball rolling, and within two weeks they had moved around furniture, cleared out a dresser for the baby’s things, and were well on their way to creating the home space they truly desired.
Maeve: What do you enjoy most about helping people in their homes?
Abby: I love seeing the unique systems people have set up to keep their lives functional. It is inspiring, and ignites my own creativity. Maeve: Do you have any specialties in your coaching work?
Abby: Having worked as a manager in small-business settings, I am particularly adept at helping innovate and set up functional systems for clients seeking more efficiency and flow in their home lives.
Maeve: Aside from coaching, what are some other interests in your life?
Abby: I enjoy hobbies that make New York City feel more like a small town: biking or running in Prospect Park, hearing unknown musicians play at local venues and house concerts, and being involved in my local community garden. I particularly love speaking with strangers on the subway, and revel in learning the wisdom that each person has to share. Maeve: We all want to know, what’s your home like? Tell us what you enjoy most about returning to your own home?
Abby: I live with several roommates who moved in together with the explicit intention of being able to host gatherings, so at the center of our space is a large living room and a very well stocked (and well organized!) kitchen. Like many garden apartments, there is a lack of natural light, so I have adorned the wall opposite my one window with mirrors and houseplants, to reflect the small bit of light I do have and to make the space feel more alive. No apartment in New York City is perfect, and I’ve enjoyed working with the challenges of my space to make it feel like the home I want it to be.
Looking for an organizer in New York City who can also give top gardening tips?
Contact coach Abby Weiss today:
Email: abby@maevesmethod.com
Phone: (855) 466-2383 x104
Web: maevesmethod.com/abby-weiss
