By Emily Stonehouse

Life can be chaotic. This isn’t new information for any of us. We’ve all got work, meetings, dance classes, hockey games, school, and any other sort of lifestyle choices that keep us busy. 

Often, the area that gets missed as a result of the business is the home. Stuff piles up, clutter starts to build, dust begins to settle. 

That’s why Haliburton local Adeilah Dahlke started Jigsaw Organizing Solutions in 2015. “My passion has always been about my clients and their well-being,” she said. “I am not going into their homes to tell them to get rid of all their stuff, but instead I want to help them figure out their priorities and properly store their precious items.”

Dahlke grew up in the Haliburton Highlands, living here until she went off to the University of Waterloo, where she earned her honours degree in english. She shared that at the time of graduation, she started to wonder what her next steps would be. 

Dahlke wasn’t interested in working in an office or being a teacher, but she knew she was always captivated by people’s stories around her. “I find it so fascinating how people live, and what importance and memories they have associated with things around the house,” she said. “I love hearing their stories, connecting with them on such an intimate level, and helping them take control of their space again.”

With this interest in mind, Dahlke stumbled upon the website of a professional organizer, and settled into some online courses on the topic. Within a few months, she had started her own business. 

Now based out of Peterborough, Dahlke assists clients with decluttering and organizing, downsizing, virtual organizing, photo and document digitization, and preparing for a move. “It’s so easy to consume now,” she said, “I think that there have always been people that have struggled with organization, but now that our society has become more and more consumerist, it is just more debilitating.”

She shared that in this day and age, accessing items to purchase is right at our fingertips, and often, these items are made cheaply, prompting individuals to purchase things in multiple, before losing interest or moving on. “Part of what I do when I’m working with my clients is to help them think about their future purchases, so they can make better decisions and not run into the same problem again and again,” she said. 

Dahlke reflected back on her childhood in Haliburton County, and how her upbringing contributed to her interest in helping others get organized. “Growing up, I was always organized,” she told the Echo. “I colour-coded my school agenda, kept on top of my homework, and when I would go to a friend’s house to play I would end up cleaning and organizing their room.”

Dahlke credits growing up in the small community as her reason for her empathy and interest in connecting with others. “My clients have often described me as being very down-to-earth and empathetic, and I think a lot of that has to do with how and where I was raised,” she said. “In Haliburton, there is such a huge culture of helping people out, and being friendly to your neighbour.”

While Dahlke has a large client base in Peterborough, and her services continue to grow, she knows that she will always call Haliburton her home. One of the initiatives she is passionate about is the Art and Craft Festival, presented by the Rails End Gallery, where she spent her summers working growing up.  “I’ve made so many connections with local volunteers, artists and business owners,” she said. “To this day, I keep coming back to be involved in the Art and Craft Festival so that I can keep up those connections and experience the magic.”

For more information on the services Dahlke provides, visit www.jigsaworgsolutions.com. 

Did someone you know graduate from Hal High and are doing great things in the world now? We’d love to share their story! Email emily@haliburtonpress.com to be featured in an upcoming Where are they now? column.