By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
Unlike most children, former U.S. Army Sergeant Paris Love never needed a parent to tell her to clean her room or tidy the house. The Chicago native always had a knack for being neat and staying organized. This carried into college, while she attended Norfolk State University. Her friends referred to her as the “mom” of the group. She would make sure their rooms were clean and their beds were made for dorm inspections and nag them about staying on top of their classes.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Paris Love
Love’s orderly habits made the structure and discipline of the military especially alluring. At 21, she enlisted in the army, completing eight years of service.
“Everything was very structured and neat. You roll your underwear and your T-shirts– I enjoyed that,” said Paris.
Her need for order followed her even after leaving the military in 1997. While visiting a psychiatrist for her son, the doctor noticed Love reorganizing his bookcase. After speaking with her, the psychiatrist told her she was experiencing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Initially, Love felt like the diagnosis meant there was something wrong with her. But, after doing more research, she became more comfortable with it. She discovered the National Association of Productivity and Organizing, and realized that she could leverage her skill for decluttering to start a business.
“I thought, ‘wait a minute–there are other people like me. I’m not weird.’ Then, the light bulb went off that they got paid to do this,” said Love. “I turned my OCD, my need to have things in order and in place, into a business.”
In 2003, she opened Paris Love Productivity Institute. A productivity and accountability coach, she helps people combat mental, emotional and physical clutter. Her clients include financial, government, real estate and education professionals, small business owners and stay-at-home parents. For corporate clients, Paris’ services increase staff engagement and productivity by 30 percent on average.
The veteran uses what she calls the “P.A.R.I.S method,” purge, assign, retain, invest and simplify. She helps clients get rid of items that do not serve them, assign a home to all items, keep items they need and love, invest in themselves and ask for help and refine their lives.
She also offers time management courses for overextended professionals, productivity bootcamps and organizing and moving services.
“I can see the impact on their faces because I can see past the clutter. I always ask people, ‘how do you eat an elephant?’ It’s one bite at a time, you chunk it down.” said Love. “I come in, and I don’t judge. We just get to work.”
At the beginning of 2024, Love started a nonprofit, Declutter Across America, to serve women veterans with her services. Every member of her board is a former member of the military, a woman and mental health professional. Right now, she’s working to attract grant money and sponsorships to fund the organization.
At times, Love said she feels like veterans are a lost population, living in silence. She encouraged people to seek out the stories of veterans and to provide support where they can.
“We need help because we are living in silence, and we don’t have to live in silence,” said Love. “Listen to us. Everyone’s story is different.”
The post Meet Paris Love, the U.S. Army vet decluttering minds and lives appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
