Outdoor Kitchen Concepts: Creating Your Favorite Space in the House

While other kids spent afternoons playing games, Tracy Bowers spent her childhood days rearranging shelves, sorting belongings into categories, and begging friends to let her organize their bedrooms. Creating order wasn’t a chore to her; it was simply how her mind worked. 

Years later, after Tracy had raised her five children, an old friend reminded her of those afternoons spent happily organizing. She offered a simple observation that would ultimately change Tracy’s life: “You’ve always loved doing this. People would pay you for it.”

The idea lingered, and in 2014 Tracy decided to take a leap. That same childhood friend became one of Organize Simply‘s very first clients. More than a decade later, Organize Simply has grown from a one-person operation into a full team of professional organizers. The company’s commitment to helping homeowners throughout northern Utah create homes that feel less overwhelming and more enjoyable to live in has earned it consistent recognition through the Best of SLC Awards. Organize Simply was named the 2024 Best of SLC Winner for Professional Organizer, was a 2025 Top 3 Finalist, and is the 2026 Silver Winner.

For Tracy, professional organizing has never been about perfectly labeled bins or magazine-worthy pantries. Those are simply the visible results. The real work begins long before a shelf is styled or a drawer is neatly arranged, and its impact extends far beyond the home itself.

Many clients don’t reach out because they want a prettier pantry or a more organized closet. They call because they’re overwhelmed. Their homes no longer support the pace of everyday life, and the crowded spaces, unfinished projects, and constant search for misplaced belongings has become exhausting.

Tracy has found that one of the first things many homeowners do when she arrives is apologize for the clutter. They feel like they should have been able to manage it themselves without letting things go so far. Those conversations shape the way Organize Simply approaches every project. Tracy and her team aren’t there to judge how a home looks or question how it got that way. They’re there to understand how the family lives and to create systems that make everyday routines easier. Whether they’re organizing a kitchen, transforming a garage, unpacking belongings into a newly purchased home, or completing a whole-home organization project, the objective is always the same: leaving clients with a home that works for them instead of against them.

The moments Tracy remembers most happen after the work is finished, when homeowners quietly walk through their spaces taking everything in. Some smile. Some laugh. Some become emotional. Those reactions have become so common that Tracy no longer thinks of them as extraordinary; they’re simply reminders that clutter often carries a much heavier emotional weight than people realize.

She has learned that clutter is rarely about having too much “stuff.” More often, it represents postponed decisions, busy seasons of life, competing priorities, and the feeling of never quite catching up. When those burdens are replaced with thoughtful organization, the transformation isn’t just visual. Clients often describe feeling lighter. It’s the relief of knowing where things belong, spending less time managing the home, and feeling comfortable inviting people through the front door again.

That transformation begins with a process many homeowners find surprising. Tracy often tells clients that things have to get worse before they get better. Cabinets are emptied, closets are completely cleared, and belongings are grouped into categories before a single organizing system is put into place. In the midst of the process, rooms can look more chaotic than they did when the project began.

But where clients see piles covering the floor, Tracy sees possibilities. Years of experience have trained her to recognize patterns almost immediately, allowing her to visualize how a space can function long before the first shelf is reorganized. It’s the same talent that had her asking to organize friends’ bedrooms as a little girl. Today, that instinct is paired with a proven process that helps the Organize Simply team maximize space, improve flow, and create easy-to-use systems designed to last.

As the company has grown, Tracy has become convinced that this way of thinking simply can’t be taught. Technical skills matter, but the people she hires share a natural ability to see order where others see chaos. Just as important, they lead with compassion. Inviting someone into your home during an overwhelming season requires trust, and Tracy believes every client deserves to feel supported rather than judged. That combination of organizational instinct and genuine empathy has become one of the foundations of Organize Simply’s reputation.

Tracy’s desire to help extends beyond the clients she works with each week. Through social media and presentations for mothers’ groups, church organizations, and community groups, Tracy shares practical organizing ideas with people tackling projects on their own. She knows hiring a professional organizer isn’t the right fit for everyone, but she believes everyone deserves access to simple ideas that can make daily life a little easier.

Looking ahead, Tracy is encouraged by the growing number of families who view organization as more than a finishing touch for a beautiful home. Increasingly, homeowners see it as an investment in the way they live. She’s especially excited to continue expanding Organize Simply’s move-in organization services, helping families unpack and establish thoughtful systems before daily routines even begin. Instead of spending months living among boxes after a move, they can begin enjoying their new home from the very first day.

For Tracy, it’s remarkable to think that the little girl who once begged friends to let her organize their bedrooms found a way to build a career around that same passion. The excitement she feels walking into a cluttered room has never disappeared. More than a decade after founding Organize Simply, she still sees what she saw all those years ago: not a mess to clean up, but an opportunity to help someone feel more at home in the place they live every day.