Ocean Drive chats with Tatiana Knight, the only Certified Professional Organizer in Miami, for the best way to keep your space neat, clean and always Insta-worthy

Spring has sprung and you know what that means: it’s time to clear out the clutter. We enlisted expert and Hoarders organizer Tatiana Knight (aka “the personal trainer for messes”) to help you create a closet like the Kardashians.

When did you realize you had a passion for organizing?
Tatiana Knight: When I was a kid, I had a big closet. I would open the door, throw everything out on the floor and then take three days to put it back. I even had hand-written labels. Professional organizing wasn’t a thing back then, but I just loved it. It was an obsession. People would make fun of me, but nobody realized that it is an actual talent.

Tell us about how you launched your company, NeatWithKnight.
TK: I saw the famous organizer, Peter Walsh, on a show called Clean Sweep. I went on his website, and it said that if you want to be a professional organizer, you go to the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. I became a professional organizer under my own name in 2007. Now I’m the president of the South Florida chapter and launched my company in 2013.

What advice would you give to someone who has a lot of space?
TK: The more space you have, the more stuff you have — it’s a blessing and it’s a curse. Typically, people will see an empty space and they will fill it with something, especially in a big home. I say the same thing to everyone: every room must have a purpose.

What’s the number one tip to keeping a closet organized?
TK: A lot of the closets have space for clothes but don’t have enough space for the shoes. You need a centerpiece because the shoes are art.

…and what if we want an Insta-worthy closet?
TK: For designer shoes, you’re not supposed to have direct sunlight or any moisture. They should be standing up, and they can’t be touching. Try and separate the shoes: What’s casual? What’s fancy? As for handbags, stuff them with either a bag or a little pillow, anything that’s not plastic. You need to have it standing up like it’s displayed at the store. And always color code. You can even find dividers at the Container Store that keep these purses from falling over on your shelves. Overall, you should be excited to go into your closet!

Summer is coming up. How should we keep our bikinis organized?
TK: I like to fold them and put them in dividers in the drawers. That way you can keep them from flopping over and so you know exactly where it is. If you know where it is, you save so much time.