About Kathy Paauw

Although I was born organized, I was also gifted with a very creative side. I had the great fortune of spending my senior year of high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy, which is located in a small town in northwestern Michigan. If you’ve never heard of it, think of the TV show Fame. It’s that kind of a place – where a small, select group of students study music, dance, drama, visual arts and creative writing.

I studied vocal performance and loved every minute of my time at Interlochen. However, as much as I love expressing myself through music, I chose not to pursue a performance career. If music sparks joy in you, I invite you to listen to some of my recordings.

After college, I married a wonderful man, and quickly entered the workforce at a non-profit music-related organization in a fundraising role. The job found me, and while I originally felt that I was lucky to find work (there’s not a huge demand for people with majors in music performance), the reality was that the work was not a good fit for me. Although I excelled at it with my strong organizational skills, the more time I spent doing this work, the harder it was to consider doing anything else.

After 13 years of grinding it out in a profession that wasn’t “me,” I received the gift of unemployment. When the non-profit had a budget crisis, my job was eliminated.

Following My Calling in Life

Finally, I took the opportunity to really think about what I felt called to do, and that’s what led me to launch Paauwerfully Organized.

Since 1995, I have been at the helm of my own business, combining my background as an Organizing & Productivity Consultant with my training as a Certified Professional & Personal Coach. I am also a Jack Canfield Success Principles Certified Trainer.

More than a coach, I consider myself a Life Architect. Assisting clients all over the globe, I work to help you identify the “why” of your life, and then help you couple that with the “how” to create systems and structures to support that “why.” Yes, it’s organizing – but it’s much more than teaching you how to clean up your desk. We’ll design a blueprint that helps you live a purposeful and productive life… the life you deserve!

“You have two choices: You can make a living,
or you can design a life.”     –Jim Rohn

Who I Work With

I work with individuals who are ready to take 100% responsibility for their life and do the work necessary to shift from where they are to where they want to be.  I work almost entirely virtually, so geographic location is not important.

I grew up with parents who were both medical professionals. Two weeks after I got married, my husband entered medical school and he has been a practicing physician since 1989. My life experiences have equipped me with a unique understanding of the challenges medical professionals face today. As a result, I especially enjoy coaching medical professionals.

Here’s a description of the types of clients I most enjoy working with:

• You have a passion and talent for what you do but struggle to “get your act together” with supportive systems and structures in place to help you manage day-to-day life.
• You are an exhausted parent or child of aging parents, juggling many family and work responsibilities and feeling like there’s no time available to include the things that bring you joy.
• You are tired of being tired, forgetful, unproductive, or distracted by other people’s priorities.
• You feel overworked and underutilized at your job, and you’re ready to align your life choices with your values, passions, talents, and a desire to serve others for the greater good.
• You’re a business owner or medical professional who loves what you do … but you feel overwhelmed and pulled in too many directions.
• You’re at a critical juncture personally or professionally and want support as you navigate your options and make values-based decisions.
• You know self-care is important but are at a loss as to how to incorporate this into your demanding schedule.
• You are so focused on “getting by” that you’ve lost sight of what what’s most important to you or what brings you joy.

My greatest joy is to empower and equip others to live the life of freedom and fulfillment they desire–to give them the internal and external tools to organize their entire life–so their environment and lifestyle reflect their values and passions.

Today, my life is full of blessings.

I’m still with the man I married in 1981, we have a daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren who live nearby, and our home is filled with two happy dogs. I still find time for music — singing in a choir at my church — and occasionally performing the National Anthem for the Seattle Mariners or other sports teams.

Lyrics to a song I wrote years ago guide my life today. Listen to Your Heart is very much my message to friends, family and clients — and is the core principle around which my work as a Life Architect is aligned.