From Barbie Clothes to Airplane Hangars

Shelley Tims Anbouba always finds time for organizing

Shelley Tims Anbouba, owner of NEAT Method Highland Park, seems to have organizing in her blood. 

She used to alphabetize her Little Golden Books and her Barbie clothes as a child growing up in the Park Cities.

“I have a really good understanding of the Park Cities dynamic, the family connections, how many generational aspects there are, in addition to the influx of people coming in specifically to the Park Cities from California and New York,” Anbouba said. “There is some kind of six degrees of separation between all of us. Dallas is the biggest small town you’ll ever live in.”

The TCU grad went from a long corporate career in the graphic arts industry to managing several nonprofit foundations, finally stopping the heavy travel and workload with a part-time job at the Container Store. She heard about NEAT Method there and started in the Highland Park/Dallas market in September 2019. 

“We had six months of great business, and then the world came to a grinding halt,” she recalled. “During COVID, I had people call and say, ‘I’m leaving everything in New York and moving here. Can you help me?’ That really got my wheels turning.”

She added moving and concierge relocation services with sustainable crates, a box truck mover, and workers bonded and insured to pack.

“We also work with architects and individuals to review their house plans before they commit to millwork or a closet,” she said. “We’re doing projects now that have multi-year spans with purging, packing, designing, and unpacking.” 

There are 100 NEAT Method owners nationwide and in Canada.

“We all have access to our own product line,” Anbouba said. “We are all trained the same way; we just customize it for our own client.”

She credits a loyal client base and referrals for growing her business.

“Two years ago, I was the largest franchise — I tripled my business in one year, and I’ve been able to maintain that,” she said. 

Anbouba also addressed misconceptions about organizational services.

“We’re not going to make you get rid of everything,” she said. “We learn how you live and use the space and tailor it to you. We have a VIP maintenance program where we go in and refresh spaces yearly, monthly, or seasonally.” 

Her company has done it all — gun closets, private airplanes, airplane hangars. Summer and holiday concierge services include house checking, accepting and organizing packages, shopping and pantry stocking, and closet refreshes pre-return.

“It’s not a one-time fix,” she said. “Let’s create a sustainable method for you to live in your environment and easily maintain it.”

With growth in the architectural/build/interior design and corporate worlds, people see the value of having an organizer involved from the beginning. 

Organization has proved important for productivity in corporate business — common areas, desk setups, and break rooms, Anbouba said. “People are really wanting the space they live in to work hard for them.”