GLOBAL HEALTH AGING

Name: Carrie Noel-Nosbaum
Places Lived: Takoma Park, USA; Oberlin, USA; and Viña del Mar, Chile
Hobbies: Scrapbooking (my travels!), Playing games, Photography, Dance
Favorite Movie: The Sound of Music

Carrie grew up in the DMV (the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia), surrounded by a diverse population. She went to a Spanish immersion school and used that knowledge to become a high school Spanish teacher. After 15 years, she transitioned and became a professional organizer, running a successful business, Carrie It Away LLC. Her knowledge of teaching, encouraging, and learning have helped her take educated risks to transform her life. She loves animals, exercising, and mindfulness. In 2023, Carrie was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the National Association of Productivity and Organization (NAPO) Washington DC Metro Chapter. She encourages you to dream big and take steps to make your dreams come true. Find Carrie on LinkedIn, sign up for her newsletter, and visit her website.

How she got into organizing and tidying:

“My organizing journey is an interesting one. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, so everything I did led to that career. While teaching, I heard an experience from a co-worker/friend about the difficulty of going through her father’s house after he passed. I decided this would be a great retirement job for me: going through estates and prepping them for the children. Then I realized that I love people too much! So, I started to do some side work, helping neighbors and friends declutter their homes. I enjoyed it but didn’t have much time for it as a teacher. However, the pandemic allowed me to explore retiring earlier. I didn’t know much about professional organizing, but I took the risk and became an organizer in 2021. I love helping others reach their potential and feel valued. In reality, there are so many transferable skills from teaching to my new career.”

Before and After

How she makes time for self-care amid her busy schedule:

“Scheduling has been quite a different challenge for me in my new career. Teaching is very rigid in its schedule, and I was a pro at working within it. Now, I am in charge of my schedule. I’ve learned in two years how to balance the anxiety of “Do I have enough work to make a living,” with needing to ensure that I have time for myself. It’s quite a blessing to wake up and have a two-hour morning routine that includes meditation, Qigong, and yoga. That’s very different from having to get to work at 7 am! I am learning to ensure that I leave time to do my behind-the-scenes work, make healthy meals, and hang with friends. Honestly, it’s more difficult when I have to ensure it. I am good with boundaries, but it’s a different ballgame with no time boundaries. The beauty of life is that we never have to stay in one place, and we can always change and grow. I continue to adjust and try new things to see what works best for me. At the same time, my new career is not nearly as busy as teaching was! I feel so much more at ease having time between clients to reset and ensure I can give 100% to each person.”

How teaching helps or inspires her job as an organizer:

“As mentioned before, I love helping others. That is my passion. I work with many older adults, and many of that age feel forgotten or less needed. So, I love getting to empower them. To value their voice and hear their stories. Many clients are overwhelmed by decluttering and organizing. They also might have ADHD (attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder) or physical limitations to accomplishing their goals. I come in and help break things down into manageable chunks. Chunking is a teaching term for breaking ideas and concepts into smaller pieces. I also utilize my roles in teaching as the facilitator and encourager of learning and progress. You could say I am a professional cheerleader!”

What she’d tell new freelancers or someone wanting to start their own business:

“Becoming a freelancer and starting a business is a daunting and scary venture. I have to admit that teaching taught me the value of taking risks and learning from mistakes. I took the leap of faith and did my best to set myself up for success. These steps include easing into the business, giving time to adjust, being flexible, and seeking advice and support. It is something I try to do for my clients. I’d encourage freelancers to jump in with eyes wide open. Learn about what you are getting into, but don’t wait for perfection to get started. I learn best by experience, and that was my teacher. However, I want to note that everyone is different, so please don’t do what makes you wildly uncomfortable. Some discomfort is good. In language teaching, we call this i+1. i is what you know and are comfortable with. Just add 1 to stretch a little past your comfort zone. As you grow, you make incremental progress. It is an idea that works for habits, according to Atomic Habits. We don’t necessarily notice the impact in the short run, but the change is noticeable after a long period.”

Where she sees herself in five years personally and professionally:

“In five years, I hope that my business continues to be successful. Success for me is that I can still have the personal touch with clients, and even if I grow, I am not an in-and-out model of professional organizing. My process is slow and steady, allowing for personal growth over time so that changes stick. I also hope to have a robust social network. Teaching limited my ability to build adult friendships, and I’d like to grow my network. To be a support and have support.”

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