“A cluttered room is a cluttered mind,” says Amanda LeBlanc of Style Network’s show The Amandas. This New Orleans native has made a career out of professionally organizing the homes of everyone from celebrities to CEOs to regular suburban households. She has spent a season organizing people’s lives on television, and season one ends Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Central with a New Orleans-centric episode. Not only does she have a keen sense of style and a sharp perfectionist work ethic, as exhibited on her show, LeBlanc also possesses a powerful sense of gratitude for what she does, which at times can be overwhelming. “I get to change people’s lives,” she says.
LeBlanc grew up in a disciplined household where she learned to clean up after herself and keep her bedroom tidy, but she admits that as a child she was quite the daydreamer. In college, she experienced more severe ADD symptoms, inhibiting her full potential as a student and responsible adult. “It wasn’t until college that I was without those organizational skills I grew up using,” she says. Frustration prompted LeBlanc to funnel her attention towards organizing her space at home, which led to a more organized, academic lifestyle. Today, her kid’s bedrooms are simply decorated, painted peaceful colors and are without televisions or distractions – methods she applied to her environment when challenged with her own disorganization.
On the show, it becomes evident that LeBlanc’s job description extends beyond “professional organizer,” into the realm of therapist and life coach. She’s forced to take a psychological approach to implement change in a client’s lifestyle, which leads to change in the home. When she first enters a house, she says, she takes on the role of house-whisperer, letting the nature of the disorder tell her with the kind of person the client is and the kind of lifestyle he or she lives.
“We have too much stuff in our homes and try to cram too many activities into our day,” she says. A fast lifestyle combined with a home overflowing with stuff results in environmental and mental calamity. “If you have a hundred square feet of storage, you can only have a hundred square feet of stuff.”
LeBlanc says the opportunity for the show fell in her lap. Three years in the making, she was sure it wouldn’t make it to air, but today the most important part of her job is guiding success through organizing the home. “When I get a call from Croatia or South Africa, or the person next door who tells me I changed their life, that’s why I love what I do.”
Amanda LeBlanc will host a meet-and-greet at The Velvet Cactus Wednesday at 5 p.m. with swag bags for the first 100 guests. For questions or requests for her services, call her New Orleans team at 504-837-6328.
