Elizabeth Pishkur of Edit and Organize with Elizabeth: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy
Decorate your bedroom with pretty bedding and keep clutter off the floor. Add a basket for throw pillows and a bench to put clothes on. Your bedroom should be warm, inviting and uncluttered to ensure a good night’s sleep. Also, it is the space that you see first thing every day.
As part of my series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Pishkur.
Elizabeth Pishkur is the owner of “Edit and Organize with Elizabeth.” Her passion for helping friends and family design and organize their living spaces turned into a thriving business. A graduate of Indiana University, she brings Hoosier hospitality to every project she works on.
Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Ever since I can remember I have loved to decorate, design and organize. As a young girl when I played “house or “school,” it really was just setting up my house or school room. That was my favorite part. I loved to decorate, redecorate and move furniture in my room. I’ve carried that love into adulthood. It’s important to me to have my home free of clutter. After having my first child, I put my career of being a Human Resources professional on hold. When my youngest was off to Kindergarten, I decided it was time to make a career out of doing what I love…designing and organizing spaces.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
The most interesting thing that has happened to me since starting this career is definitely learning how to work with different personalities. I love finding what works for each individual client and what makes their space work for them.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One client I worked for kept her dog’s grooming essentials in a drawer in her bathroom. My project was to edit and organize the bathroom. I accidentally mixed the client’s and the dog’s stuff together. We both had a good laugh about it, once she told me about my mistake. After that I learned to never assume anything.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
I am currently working on an exciting project. A busy, young couple with young children moved into their dream home two years ago. They are minimalists. However, they have had no time to set up their home in a way that functions for their family. They hired me to organize their kitchen and pantry, but they decided they needed me to organize their entire house. They are feeling less stress now that their main floor is organized. Plus, they are committed to keeping their space functioning now that I’ve given them the tools to do so. It can be so overwhelming on where to start with a whole, home project but hiring a professional can be really motivating and change the feel of your home.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite “Life Lesson Quote” is ‘Be Yourself; everyone else is taken.’ — Oscar Wilde. I truly believe I have gotten to this point in my career because I am my authentic self. Being happy with yourself can lead to stronger personal and work-related relationships. Building a strong rapport with my clients is essential in making a project successful.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am so grateful for my late mother. She did not have much growing up and had to share a three bedroom house with her parents and eight siblings. So, when she and my father built their dream home, she made it her mission to make it feel warm and inviting. She spent countless hours designing and decorating every room. Our home was always clean and free of clutter. It wasn’t just a house, it was a home. I have so many wonderful memories of that house. When my husband and I bought our dream home, I made it my mission to make it feel just as warm as the house I grew up in. Now I want my clients to feel the same way about their homes.
Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Five Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark Joy
- Keep clutter to a minimum. For example, keeping kitchen counter space free of dirty dishes and small appliances can reduce stress as the kitchen is the most popular room of the house.
- Add small touches. Candles, framed family pictures, comfy throw blankets and live plants can be an easy way to add warmth to your space.
- Edit your closet twice a year. Keep only clothes that you are currently wearing. A good rule of thumb is to get rid of anything you didn’t wear during the last season. I had a client who was so thrilled with the editing and organizing of her closet that she actually enjoyed putting her clean laundry away afterwards.
- Add artwork or a new paint color: This is an easy way “decorate” blank walls and another easy way to warm up your space.
- Decorate your bedroom with pretty bedding and keep clutter off the floor. Add a basket for throw pillows and a bench to put clothes on. Your bedroom should be warm, inviting and uncluttered to ensure a good night’s sleep. Also, it is the space that you see first thing every day.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I believe every person in this world deserves to have a roof over their head. It saddens me that we as a country cannot find a solution to keep people from living on the streets. I think if everyone had a space to call their own, the world would be a much better place.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them 🙂
I would love the opportunity to have lunch with Joanna Gaines. I admire how she has grown her business while also raising a family and maintaining a marriage. I love her down to earth personality and approach to her design.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: @editandorganizewithelizabeth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edit-Organize-with-Elizabeth-100956682019434
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational!
Elizabeth Pishkur of Edit and Organize with Elizabeth: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.