About

How Amy Joy Became AJNS..

1996: My organizational journey started in the 4th grade when I was packing for a trip. My aunt happened to be over and saw my perfectly packed suitcase of rolled clothing and wrapped shoes. Jaw dropped she immediately ran to my mom and said, “I have some good news and some bad. The good news is your daughter is an exceptional packer, the bad news is she’s running away.”  I wasn’t running away, but even before I knew rolling clothes was a thing... I was doing it. 

2000: In high school my friends would have me over to help them sort and sift through their closets. Hours and hours of playing dress up with their clothing and putting them away neatly led to more space for them and “new” clothes for me. 

2004: In college, I managed to make any space feel like a palace by maximizing every nook and cranny. Whether it was making a closet into a bedroom or a bedroom into a closet. It was possible. And it was awesome.

2010: Fast forward to to my early adult life. One Saturday evening I happened to be at the right place on the right night waitressing. The couple at my table waved for my attention and said, “Excuse me, Do you like to fly?”. Four days later I booked a gig as a flight attendant on a private jet. It seemed glamorous for sure, but only because I was able to find ways to store meals for 12 people in an fridge the size of a easy-bake-oven and a closet that doubled as a toilet. Organizational miracles happened on that Jet.

2015: Moving to NYC showcased another opportunity to store every single one of my treasures in a kitchen the size of a shower stall. An apartment wasn’t much different than flying on a small plane. Tiny bathroom, tiny closets, tiny everything. 

Then, I met Ian. We got married and moved into a 1 bedroom with 7 cabinets and a coat closet. I experienced sheer joy when I was able to find ways to organize our belongings into our new space. Joining forces in the bedroom closet was a little less joyous, but we figured it out, almost fairly. Sundays became less about football and more about cabinet configurations. Throw a baby into the mix a bit later and rotating toys and refolding baby clothing differently became my new hobby.

2017: I worked as a Montessori teacher with an organizing super-power. The trick of having a classroom put together was having a place for everything. The materials were placed meticulously on a shelf or stored away in the cupboard with a label. Having order and knowing where everything was led to more confidence and independence in the students.

2020: My job ended in the summer and my grandma asked me to help her clean her closet. That night, all the passion and ideas finally came together. A Joyful New Space was born.