Christie Flora from florandorder operates entirely online and has clients all over the country which she finds very exciting. She obviously has a unique perspective on organising and I’m so pleased she agreed to this interview.
Tell me, Christie, who do you work with? Who is your ideal client?
Essentially, I help people holistically destress time. My ideal client is either a small business owner or a busy professional who wants to create impact but can’t seem to get all the things done to make that happen. I help my clients understand their unique time and energy cycles so that they can be more efficient and effective in a way that suits them. My strategies around time management are combined with heart-centred and gentle approaches that keep my clients on track to accomplishing their goals and seeing their calendars reflect their best and whole life.
What drew you to the organising industry and how long have you been in it?
It’s a bit of a long story and a life story too! My formative years were spent travelling the world for my Dad’s work. Unpacking and playing with space many times over unleashed a love of organising. My Mum says that I was always the first unpacked in a new house. For me, it was how I grounded and prepared for my new chapter.
Fast forward to 2000 and my family and I settled in Canberra. After university, I began working for the Federal Government as an Executive Assistant, so that’s where I began refining my time management skills. Later, when I was a Program Officer, colleagues often commented on how organised I was and how much I managed to do in a week. Because of this, I started a hobby blog about organising and florandorder was born in 2015. It was then that colleagues started asking for my help. I assisted with decluttering garages, organising wardrobes, and coordinating a move. I absolutely loved it! I loved the immediacy and the satisfaction of the work.
I then moved to Melbourne for a change of scene and turned the blog into a business. For years I worked on the business part-time but in June 2019 I went full-time. Good timing led me to niche into Time Management and become an online business right before COVID hit. And here we are in the present! Seven years on!
What was the pivotal moment for you starting out as an organiser?
The pivotal moment for me was reading a newspaper article about an organiser who was making a living doing what I found fun. I knew I had to explore it after reading that.
What’s your favourite thing about organising?
My favourite thing about organising is witnessing that ‘click’ for someone. When a client feels like a system is working for them and they start feeling the opposite of a ‘hot mess’, as a client of mine described themselves, that’s my favourite thing.
To what do you attribute your success as an organiser?
Great question! I think it’s my lateral thinking capability and my down-to-earth pragmatic approach.
What would you say to someone just starting out as an organiser?
Try everything before deciding on your niche, if it feels right to you to niche. Try every sort of organising job you can get your hands on and follow the breadcrumbs as your business evolves. My business is completely different to what it was back in 2015. Oh, and subcontract for others. You learn so much!
What is one habit that helps your life run smoothly?
Using my calendar as if it’s an extension of my brain. I put absolutely everything in there and it helps me holistically in life and my business.
What is one thing people may not know about you?
I love dancing! I’ve tried so many types of dance from Bollywood, Hip-hop, to Tango and was part of a Belly Dancing troupe at one stage! I’m now throwing myself into Salsa.
Is there anything else you think people should know?
My signature program is called the Holistic Time Mastery. It’s 12 sessions that are tailored to the individual. I also run a monthly community group called the ‘Monthly Goal Setting Hour’ which dives into a bite-size bit of Time Management and then sets people up for a month of success. We meet on the last Thursday of every month between February and November. Come try it for free and then if you like it, it’s $25 every month after that. Welcome to everyone!
What a great offer, Christie. Thanks for that, and for all your tips.
