Get Organized! Professional Services

Jane Veldhoven

Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Get Organized! Professional Services was founded by owner/operator Jane Veldhoven in Halifax in 2002. The daughter of a Dutch immigrant father who started his own business in the late 1950’s, the entrepreneurial ‘bug’ has always been there for Jane, it was just a matter of finding something she loved to do.

During a visit to her father’s home in 2002, Jane happened to pick up a magazine and innocently read an article about getting organized. At the end of the article it mentioned that the organizer who provided the tips was a member of a national association called Professional Organizers in Canada (POC). That was all it took. “I can get paid to do what I love and there’s a whole association of people doing this across Canada – how cool!”, Jane said to herself.

Little did Jane know that once the bug had bitten her it would never stop. She joined POC in the summer of 2002. At that time she was the only member from the entire Atlantic region. Talk about pioneering – how about starting a whole new industry in Nova Scotia! At first, many were skeptical, but never one to give up on anything, especially the dream of running her own business, Jane persevered. And now, eight years later, the business is flourishing and several others have “joined the party” as Jane often says.

Not only does Jane encourage others to start their own businesses in the industry, she also refers customers to other organizers regularly when her calendar is full, and she regularly subcontracts from many complementary industries to get the job done.

Jane Veldhoven: Certified Professional Organizer® (CPO®)

Jane has been working as a Professional Organizer for almost a decade, but for her it’s more than just a job. Organizing is her passion. In 2008 she was thrilled to receive her Certified Professional Organizer® designation from the international Board of Certification for Professional Organizers (BCPO). In 2010 Jane is one of only seven women across Canada with this particular designation.

She enjoys working one-on-one with her busy professional clients. This can mean anything from rolling up her sleeves and tackling a chaotic storage closet to setting up a filing system for paper or electronic files or even reorganizing an office floor plan for better flow. The sky’s the limit. Jane has been known to “dabble” in design and decorating when the occasion calls for it. There is nothing more exciting than completely transforming a clients’ space all the way from clearing the clutter to setting up systems and teaching the client how to use them to sourcing new furniture, installing new lighting, and adding a lick of paint or a touch of fabric.

Jane also loves working with teams of people. She is often asked to facilitate team training sessions on subjects such as time management, increasing productivity, and email management for both businesses and associations.

She has also enjoyed volunteering in her community with Junior Achievement, CAFÉ Nova Scotia, and Kids Help Phone to name a few. In addition, Jane is a founding member of the Nova Scotia Chapter of Professional Organizers in Canada, served on their National Board for just over two years and is involved with several national committees. She is a consistent presence in her industry and is always telling people what a fabulous province Nova Scotia is for both work and play!

Being organized is in Jane’s bones

As a child, her toy box was a study in organization. Everything had its place: the Barbie dolls were on one side, the doll clothes were close by and neatly folded, and each toy had its place. Nothing was ever left on the floor.

Even as a teenager, Jane was organized. Each morning was timed so that she would arrive at the bus stop two minutes before the bus arrived. If that meant standing in the porch of the house for ten minutes all dressed to go with books and umbrella in hand, then that is what Jane did.

She thinks it was her mother’s influence. Being a librarian organizing came naturally to her mother. Everything had a place. Lists were made, followed and – if appropriate - used again the next year.

Jane grew up being organized and it wasn’t until she was an adult that she knew there was any other way.

Charter Members

Geographically, the Municipality of Clare sits in the lower half of Digby County and most of the area's 52 communities dot the 30-mile stretch of St. Mary's Bay.

Largely known for its fishing, lumber, and shipbuilding industries, the area of approximately 9,000 people also employs local artisans and those working within e-business and tourism. Recently the topic of renewable energy has been on everyone's lips.

Clare was the first municipality in Nova Scotia to undertake an energy audit. Twenty-eight potential renewable energy projects have been identified with eight regarded as financially feasible.

Becoming a national green star may also help draw in more tourists, although reports show that tourism numbers are not suffering now. The Festival acadien de Clare alone brings in over 40,000 people while the oldest wooden church in North America - L'Eglise Sainte-Marie - registers 10,000 visitors per year.

A recent re-organization of Nova Scotia's scenic travelways by the provincial government has provided the region with more exposure. The entire southwest region, encompassing the Municipalities of Clare, Argyle, Yarmouth, and the Town of Yarmouth, is now named "Yarmouth and Acadian Shores." This change has allowed the region to market itself more effectively in the global market and the use of the word Acadian gives far more visibility to the culture.

But what sets Clare apart is the warmth, friendliness, and the joie de vivre of the people who live there. That's something worth coming back for - again and again.

Municipality of Clare