Lisa Trigsted on organizing her way through social media

In the era of self-care and self-improvement, maintaining a clean space is essential. If one can’t feel at peace in their own home, then they’re hard-pressed to find it elsewhere. Lisa Trigsted, founder of @neatfreakmckinney, hopes to help her clients and followers create a calming space within their homes.

“Clutter causes anxiety, and clutter begets clutter,” Lisa says. “When you don’t know where to find or put something, you’ll just add it to the pile and then pretty soon, you can’t function.”

Lisa has been in business for almost two years, having launched her platform without any backing.

“I woke up on June 12, 2017 and said, ‘let’s do this,’” Lisa says. “I created a Facebook and Instagram business page, gave away four free jobs, and have been growing ever since. I do feel like [the opportunity to be an influencer] is a privilege. I worked hard to get here, and I don’t take it lightly. I always say, ‘If it’s meant to be then my following will grow, if it’s not meant to be, then I don’t want it.’”

Since launching Neat Freak McKinney, Lisa has worked with hundreds of clients, helping them declutter and organize their homes. She finds that many of her clients have trouble with time management.

“You have to deal with stuff daily,” Lisa says. “If your stuff doesn’t have a home, it won’t get dealt with.”

Lisa also cites excess and hoarding as major deterrents to home organization.

“If you haven’t touched it in one calendar year, chances are you probably won’t,” she says. “That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of cherished family possessions, but I will talk to you about the random things taking up space in your home.”

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As someone who relies heavily on social media for her business, Lisa admits that she faces a lot of pressure to maintain a constant flow of content on her handles.

“In this fast-paced social media world, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle,” she says. “But I will admit, I do love the social media aspect of my job. It takes me back to my marketing days in radio advertising. I try to stay true to myself and post what I truly love vs. posting what I think others want to see. I do have several sponsorships that require me to post, but again, if I am posting what I love and actually use, then I’m still being true to myself.”

Lisa finds that helping others create a clean, organized space is therapeutic, not only for her clients, but for her as well.

“I love helping others,” she says. “I can see the stress go away as we work on their space. It’s fun to be challenged and find new ways to help people take their homes back.”

As a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, Lisa believes in separating her online social network from her personal life, however, it can be tough, given that her hobbies coincide with her work. While the waters tend to get muddy, she does make a conscious effort every day to put her phone down and rest.

“I don’t want my children and grandchildren to be molded by what others think they should be, or wear, or say, or do,” Lisa says. “I want them to be strong in their own identity and not be afraid to stand up for their own beliefs. I want them to understand that social media is not the only place to get ideas on how to live. Social media is not always real life. A 15-second clip or a perfectly posed snapshot does not always show the whole picture.”

Lisa also teaches preschool two days a week. However, she plans to retire in order to focus on Neat Freak McKinney.

With her platform, Lisa hopes to encourage her clients and followers to seek help with organizing, decluttering, and finding the peace they deserve.

“Once you get help, and systems are set up in your home, you won’t want to go back to the way it was,” Lisa says. “I’ve had so many clients get and stay motivated after I leave. I don’t just organize their space, I teach them how to keep it that way.”

Originally published as part of the May 2019 Digital Issue under the title "Influencers"