From Cluttered to Comfort: Homeycasa
For so many of us, “spring cleaning” (or any cleaning!) is a dreaded chore. You may find yourself looking around your pantry, closet, or garage with dismay, asking yourself, how did we let it get this bad? Why does this always happen? And how did we end up with this much stuff?
If you’ve found yourself asking any (or all!) of these questions on your quest to clean, you need Homeycasa in your life! Founded by High Pointer, Shirley Simauchi, Homeycasa is a professional organizing business that strives to make people’s lives easier by providing organizing assistance with affordability and style. No need to dread bright purple Rubbermaid totes that take away from your home’s style or overpriced storage tools that cost more than they’re worth. With Shirley on your team, organization is easy, feasible, and so satisfying. As she explains, “Coming home and finding everything organized allows you to focus on the main thing in your home: relaxation.”
For Shirley, home has always been a place that provides not only comfort but organization. From a young age, she enjoyed organizing. When she and her husband bought their first home, the light bulbs really began to go off.
“I was so excited to decorate and organize everything in our first home,” she says. “It was a clean slate,” She soon began to see that this was not the norm for everyone. While some dreaded organizing, she was energized by it.
“I realized this can become a business,” she adds. “I can organize for other people and have fun while making an income out of it!”
From there, Shirley began doing her research on what it takes to own a business. It’s no surprise that Shirley took a thorough and organized approach to her business beginnings. Once it was clear that her business was going to take shape, Shirley began workshopping a name.
“I was raised in a Latin American culture and have always loved my background,” Shirley says, having grown up with parents who immigrated to the States from Peru. “I didn’t know what the name of the business would be, but I knew there would be at least one word of the name in Spanish.”
While coming up with names, Shirley made a list of words related to organizing and home. The word “homey” stood out to her as a goal for her own home as well as her clients’ homes.
“I always leave a home organized but homey,” she says. “The next thing was to find a word in Spanish that connects with homey. The first word that popped in my head was ‘casa’ (the Spanish word for ‘home’).”
So Homeycasa was born, blending Shirley’s cultures and fusing organization with comfort.
We sat down with Shirley to get all of the answers to the what, why, and how behind Homeycasa, so keep reading to learn more about how her business can bring much-needed clean and clarity to your life.
On Organization:
Q: What are some common misconceptions about organization?
You have to spend a lot of money to be organized. You can organize on a budget, and it can look just as amazing as the Pinterest photos of celebrity pantries. I always promote the concept of organizing with style and affordability.
Q: What’s your favorite type of room/space to organize and why?
Pantries and Closets. The reason those are my favorite rooms is that they are everyday areas that need to be organized to help you start your day. When I finish organizing a pantry or closet for a client, I get so excited because I know it will make their morning easier. If they are running late, it will take them less time to get dressed because everything is organized. If a mom or dad is trying to get their children’s lunch ready right before the bus comes, they will be able to do so because all the snacks and drinks are assorted by category and color.
Q: What’s one of your best tips for readers about organization?
Below are 4 steps to help you tackle your organization goal! If you don’t want to organize, you can always contact Homeycasa!
- Remove. Remove everything from the area you’re organizing. You must have a clean slate going in.
- Clean. The area you just finished decluttering will be empty. This is the perfect time to clean, sweep, or vacuum the area. Remember, having a clean slate is key when starting an organizing project.
- Sort. This is the part where you will start sorting items through categories. You decided how you want to categorize everything. For example, some categories in a pantry could be baking, snacks, pasta, sauces, etc. During the sorting phase, you will come across items you can either keep, donate, sell, or recycle/throw away.
- Put everything back. Start placing your items back in the area based on your categories. I do recommend investing in organizing items, for example, bins, a label maker, a lazy Susan, and more!
On Business:
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about your business?
I am a very organized person 99.9 % of the time, but there are days when I’m disorganized. That’s why I have always tried to create a system that works for me and my family to continue to stay organized. I use this same concept when I organize for clients.
Q: What has been one of your proudest achievements or biggest highlights from your work?
Having my first client. When I had my first client it made everything real and gave me the drive to work even harder for my business.
Q: What was the driving motivation or inspiration for your business?
Myself and my husband. I love organizing, but I never thought I would have my own business. My husband was such a supporter of me having a business, especially since he thought I was amazing at organizing.
Q: Why did you choose to locate your business in High Point?
I love the community here in High Point. The citizens of High Point are so pro-small business. I noticed it even more during the beginning of the quarantine last year. That’s why I felt focusing Homeycasa in High Point would be a good call because of the amazing support.
Q: How have the citizens and community of High Point supported you?
I had the honor of being on the front page of Emerywood Living March 2021 issue. I don’t live in Emerywood and to be on the front cover you have to live in that neighborhood. The owner of the home – whose pantry I had organized – was going to be featured in the magazine. She asked me to be on the front cover with her. She wanted the whole article and magazine to be about Homeycasa. I thought that was amazing!
Q: Where do you see your company in the next 5 years?
High Point and Greensboro are my main cities where I organize, but I have organized in Charlotte and Raleigh. I hope to provide my organization services all over N.C.! I also would love to create a planner. I think a planner from a professional organization would be great!
On Who You Are:
Q: How did you end up in HP?
My husband worked in Charlotte at the time and wanted to find a home that would not be a bad commute, so we found a home in High Point.
Q: Favorite place to grab a bite in HP?
Q: Favorite place to grab a drink or a coffee?
Q: Any hobbies/clubs/organizations you are a part of in HP?
Besides being the owner of Homeycasa, I am the Development Manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont. That organization will always have a special place in my heart.
Q: What do you like most about HP?
I love how there are so many mom-and-pop shops! Those are the best businesses!
So the next time you’re tripping over shoes in the hallway or scrambling for snacks in the pantry, give Shirley a call to make organization simple! You can follow Homeycasa on Facebook or on Instagram (@homeycasa) for some seriously satisfying organized images. And you can find Shirley’s services online at homeycasa.com.
Discover our High Points,
The HPD Team
Photography by Maria West Photography