For many of us, wellness is centered on how we fuel our bodies, which fitness classes we take on a given week, and the rituals we create throughout the day. But another piece of the puzzle is often overlooked: the spaces we live in.
Even if it doesn’t feel obvious in our day-to-day, the environments we return to have a profound impact on how we feel. Few people understand this relationship between people and their spaces better than Diane Lowy, professional organizer and founder of New York at Home.
For nearly a decade, Diane has helped clients create homes that feel functional and more aligned with the way they actually live, allowing them to reclaim not just their spaces, but their energy. Prior to this, she managed workspaces for iconic brands such as Google and Chanel, and she has a technical background working on historic restoration projects in Central Park and at Columbia University.
What makes Diane’s organization approach especially refreshing is that she focuses less on perfection and more on people. Her work is rooted in the belief that when a home truly, completely works for you, it creates more space for the things that matter most in the end: connection, creativity, relaxation, and joy.
That philosophy resonates deeply with us at KNESKO. Just as a skincare ritual can become a grounding daily practice, a beautifully organized home can serve as a foundation for your wellness. We’re delighted to welcome Diane to our Friends of KNESKO series to discuss the connection between home, wellbeing, and creating spaces that support the life you want to live.
KNESKO: How did you discover KNESKO, and what is your favorite product from the brand?
Diane Lowy: A client who loves beauty brands told me how much she loves the Gold Repair Eye Mask and gave me a few to try for myself. I keep them in the fridge and turn it into a 20-minute spa break by listening to relaxing music and lighting a scented candle.
Along with daily skincare rituals, what treatments or services do you enjoy throughout the year?
Getting a massage every month has done wonders for my skin. Othership is a bathhouse that I normally visit twice a month; they offer group-lead sauna and cold plunge classes, and my skin always glows for a few days after that.
What's the most rewarding aspect of your career?
Seeing people fall in love with their lives. When I help people set up systems that support how they live, they often see their lives through a whole new lens!
What was a hurdle you had to overcome in your career journey? How did you move past it?
When I first started home organizing, I found clients on a platform. I went above and beyond for someone who recently moved. The person wrote lovely things about me but gave me a three star review because I wouldn't discount my rate when asked. Since that ruined my rating, I was no longer the top person on the site and needed to find clients in a new way. This pushed me out of my comfort zone into writing a newsletter and posting more often on Instagram.
How does a cluttered home affect your well-being?
Disorganization and clutter ultimately starts eating into your energy and peace of mind. It’s stressful to come home to big chores, and not being able to find important items—especially when you’re in a rush—can spoil your mood quickly.
All these things can happen to even the most organized of us. However, if this is a daily occurrence, then your space could be impacting your well-being. Even a few small habits and organizational systems can make all the difference.
In a nutshell, how would you describe your approach to organizing homes?
The first time I go into someone's home, I want to know what works great. Most of the people I work with are many years out of their parents' home and they've lived this long without working with a home organizer. You have systems in place already so my job is to identify what they are and elevate them so they work better. Looking at the systems you have dialed in already often holds the key.
Maintaining a system is a different task than setting one up in the first place. The “you” who sets aside a few hours on the weekend to organize a closet isn't the under-caffeinated and sleep deprived “you” who is actually going to be using it. Figuring out what is easy for you to maintain is the key to setting up a system that works.
Starting today, what is one thing someone can do today to reclaim their space and their energy?
So much of our energy is misguided and backlogged in the name of perfection. Sometimes you need to focus more on getting it done versus always making it perfect.
For example, your meditation doesn’t have to have the perfect backdrop to reap the mental health benefits. Sometimes your skincare routine is pared back to a few steps versus the full ritual. Small, imperfect actions create momentum. When we stop waiting for the ideal conditions and start embracing progress, we free up energy that can be redirected toward the things that truly nourish us: our well-being, our relationships, and our peace of mind.
“Follow your curiosity! The idea that you can waste time is outdated.”
— Diane Lowy, professional organizer
What advice would you give to someone who's trying to figure out their career path?
Follow your curiosity! The idea that you can waste time is outdated. When I worked for Google, I used my background in sculpture to create unusual holiday decorations. My years studying Central Park—because I lived nearby—got me a job there. Being a runner is why I work with so many runners. Doing flower arrangements is part of how I set up a new home during moves. One client loved this so much that I now do flowers every week they're in town.
What’s next for you, Diane?
The past few years I've been supporting fewer families but in a deeper way. I often slowly work through an entire home and come back to help for seasonal tune ups and life events, such as renovations and moves, repurposing a room for a new hobby, updating children's spaces, merging households, vacation homes.
I'm also working on a book to help people understand their own organizing style. Every person is different so by sharing stories of what I've seen people try over the years as well as what small and large adjustments help them level up.
To learn more about Diane Lowy’s approach to decluttering your space, follow along on Instagram and explore her services online on her personal website.
