A whirlwind of summer projects, the time has come to send off our Kuzak’s Closet 2014 Intern, Jordan Gault. University bound, Jordan leaves Kuzak’s Closet with a new perspective on team work, organizing clutter and junk hunting. Unique and at times fun and even bizarre, his hands on experience has been priceless. Jordan developed many unique relationships with the team. From working very closely with the hauling crew to learning tricks of the trade from estate sale specialist Al, Kuzak’s Closet’s tight-knit community will miss him dearly.
Describe working with the Kuzak’s Closet team in 5 words:
Unique, exciting, tough, demanding, awesome
You worked on organizing projects and estate projects, which did you prefer and why?
I couldn’t really choose between the two because estate sales and organization jobs are always different in their own way, all keeping you on your toes. However, I think I prefer estate sales because of all the interesting items and I also found it very exciting meeting all the different kinds of people who love to shop our sales. I learned that estate sale shoppers always seem to be the kindest people. They are knowledgeable about a lot of items and want to share what they know with you. The other part of estate sales that is also fun to see is the house transformation. Watching it progressively become empty as the day is great because you know the sale was successful.
Which project was the most exciting and why?
We had an estate sale in Atherton towards the beginning of the summer that was probably the most exciting, yet challenging project, I was a part of all summer. Fresh into the job, I was thrown into the cashier position at one of the busiest, if not THE busiest, sale of the summer. I manned the register, while Amanda summed up everyone’s totals and it was definitely the most fun I had at an estate sale. There were so many people who came out both days and the pieces that were for sale were incredible. Multi-thousand dollar cabinets and kitchen sets, a $34,000 car, a jewelry room where only two people were allowed in at a time, on-site security guards, this sale had it all. The sale was a great intro to what Kuzak’s Closet really is, professional and efficient.
What is one organizing tip that you learned this summer that you will use for the rest of your life?
One organizing tip I learned is that whenever you organize, make it look like it could be in a magazine. Whether in a multi-million dollar house or a one bedroom apartment, Amanda and the organizing crew has helped me to see that there are ways of making your house beautiful, even if the items you possess aren’t “fancy”. Having worked in scenarios where there are huge overflows of toys, or a huge amount of art supplies that just don’t seem to have a place, I can attest that there is always a place for something and its not necessarily what or how much you have but more being proud your space and taking care of it.
What is one skill you learned this summer that helped you prepare for college?
One skill that I learned that helped prepare me for college is how to balance an immensely busy schedule while being flexible. This was my first summer working during my entire high school career, and since I was leaving for college, I wanted to try and do as much as possible before I left. I had friends I wanted to hang out with, a girlfriend I wanted to go and do stuff with, while working a job I was heavily invested in. I knew I couldn’t do it all and I needed to pace myself and plan ahead so I could try and do as much I could. I’m happy to say that I managed to do what I wanted to do socially, while working at a job where the hours weren’t always the same. The uncertainty was at times frustrating, but it helped make me a more flexible person and a better a time management.
What was unique about working at Kuzak’s Closet?
To work with Amanda is unlike a lot of other employer’s. She really understands people and has a great sense of humor that connects well with everyone she meets. What was the most inspiring thing to me was that I could really see she loves her job. There are many people who just work for money, but Amanda works for the people. She makes other people’s lives easier and less stressful. Having a boss who loves doing their job makes the job fun. Something I learned about her that others might not know is that she treats every crew member as family, whether old or new. When I first started working, I was surprised how quickly she was invested in what I wanted to learn and how she would go out of her way to try and make me as comfortable as possible with the unique work situations involved with working at Kuzak’s Closet. She truly instills a sense of community within a group of people that may otherwise be separated because of social status or age, and that is one of the greatest experiences ever.
PK says
Nice interview.