Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of belongings in your space? Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®) Jill Viglione, owner of Embrace Your Space, understands that feeling all too well and can help. With over twenty years of experience as a professional organizer, she has helped countless clients find joy and serenity in their spaces. Originally from New York State, Jill embraced the charm of the Bay Area and later Portland, where she fell in love with the city’s old architecture and welcoming neighborhoods.
Jill’s guiding philosophy is simple: “Love what you have and make each thing you own precious and extraordinary.” To help her clients achieve this, she employs a practical approach. “Take everything out and gather like things together,” she advises. “Ask yourself: which ones do you love? How many do you use? If you don’t love it, don’t keep it.”
One of Jill’s key recommendations is to reduce belongings before a move. “Space is money,” is one of her mottoes. She uses a downsizing percentage formula: for example, if you’re moving from 4,000 square feet to 2,000, you’ll want to reduce roughly 50% of your items. Downsizing can be challenging, but it’s worth it when the new space feels organized and inviting.
Jill encourages clients to make the process meaningful. “If you decide to move on from something, consider sharing it with someone who will love it or take a photo of the item before donating it.” She mentions that often people don’t know what to do with their grandmother’s china. She suggests that you honor the person who gave it to you by setting a beautiful table with the china, invite the people who are closest to you, and enjoy a lovely dinner before donating it.”
Planning a move? Use the time wisely. Jill suggests starting a year in advance if possible, and tackling one area or room each week. Choose a method that suits you: organize by space, set a daily time limit, or focus on removing a certain number of items per organizing session.
Common mistakes? Buying containers too early, keeping too many of a particular item, and expecting organizing to happen overnight. “It’s a process,” Jill reminds us. “The faster you can make decisions, the faster it goes.”
To stay on track, ask yourself, “What is the goal for this space? Will this item help achieve it?” Jill finds that her clients, ranging from their mid-thirties to sixties, all have one thing in common: they’re overwhelmed. Sometimes, just having a Professional Organizer present can make all the difference.
Jill excels in space planning and functional design, ensuring every item has its place, down to the placement of a paper towel roll or whether the client is right or left-handed. Her approach doesn’t just declutter spaces—it transforms lives. “I was looking for that!” her clients exclaim as long-lost treasures surface. Even more meaningfully, her clients tell her that organizing their spaces makes them feel so much better. To prevent backsliding, Jill teaches her clients the principles of organizing and offers quarterly reset visits.
For Jill, happiness is seeing her clients “embrace their space” and surround themselves with things they love. It’s a journey worth taking, one cherished item at a time.
Jill is a member of the National Organization for Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) and co-author of Real Spaces, a book that highlights realistic and beautiful organizing systems and provides step-by-step instructions on how to organize your home. You can find photos of her projects on her website. I was particularly impressed by the Projects tab, where she features before-and-after photos of projects she has worked on.
Thank you, Jill, for agreeing to be interviewed by The Move Makers blog, and for your work helping people embrace their space. It was a pleasure talking with you!
Michael Gettel-Gilmartin is an organizer for The Move Makers and a writer and blogger. He was educated in an English boarding school (no, not Hogwarts!) and has lived in eight countries. He’s been paid money for the following: teaching ESL, carrying suitcases as a hotel porter, cleaning carpets, being the refined English telephone voice behind a friend’s attempt to be a literary agent, editing a Japanese dictionary, being an in-home caregiver, and singing at weddings.