Overcoming
Overwhelm
One Step at a Time
Order by Design helps people face life’s most overwhelming transitions with clarity and confidence. Part coach, part manager, and part teammate, we guide clients through moves, downsizing, life-stage changes, and chronic disorganization.
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Overwhelm can feel impossible to face alone. That’s why Order by Design offers more than logistics. Every project includes a thoughtfully designed process, supportive coaching, and the empathy needed to create lasting freedom.
I know
overwhelm
I’ve lived it. In six years, I had four kids, relocated twice (while pregnant), remodeled two homes while living in them, and moved six times in two decades. Along the way, I trained as a competitive athlete while managing ADHD and the executive functioning challenges that come with it. I get it.
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My turning point came in 2006, when professional organizers transformed a stressful move into a livable, functional home in just two and a half days. That experience gave me the freedom to focus on family, friendships, and new goals. It also sparked my journey into organizing.
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Today, I bring that same mix of skill, compassion, and practicality to my clients—helping them reclaim their time, space, and peace of mind.
JILL SHEPHERD | Founder and CEO
Why I love this work.
Working with professional organizers at a critical moment in my life changed everything. What felt impossible on my own became manageable, even freeing. I can’t help but want to pay that forward.
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This work matters to me because it’s about so much more than organizing closets or sorting boxes. Every project is a story. Every project is a person’s life unfolding in front of me.
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It’s intimate. Clients invite me into their homes, into their mess, and often into their most vulnerable moments. Trust is sacred, and when clients feel safe enough to share their overwhelm, their hopes, and their struggles, I know I’ve been given a gift.
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It’s a witness to change. Alongside the laughter and the lighthearted moments, there are always deeper layers: grief for a loved one, regret over past choices, or sadness about leaving a home. It’s an honor to stand with my clients as they process those emotions—and to help them step forward with lighter hearts.
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It’s fascinating. I often describe projects as an archaeological dig. Every drawer, box, or pile has meaning—photos tucked away, letters rediscovered, or collections that tell a family’s story. I get to uncover and celebrate the beauty in the messiness of human life.
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It’s physical and fun. As an athlete, I thrive on the energy of the job—the hauling, lifting, and moving. I also believe humor is essential. Laughing together during hard work breaks down walls, makes space for joy, and turns even the heaviest days into something manageable.
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It’s rewarding. There’s nothing quite like standing back with a client and seeing the relief in their face when chaos gives way to clarity. The transformation isn’t just visual—it’s emotional. The real reward comes later, when a client tells me they’ve been able to maintain their new systems, shift their habits, and feel proud of the life they’re shaping.