Amy Chumbley

Home Organizer and Home Stylist

Service Member's Branch - Air Force

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving- 21 years

Give us a timeline of your military spouse career/entrepreneur journey.

In the early years of my husband's military career I stayed home with our children and often volunteered in whatever community we moved to. In 2017 we moved to Spangdahlem AFB in Germany. It was there that I took an online writing course and began writing articles about my faith journey. To date, I've had over 25 articles published in various online magazines. It was also in Germany that the seeds of my home organizing and styling business were planted. I have always loved all things related to home. I love creating organized and beautiful spaces and often helped family and friends with their homes. I started my business by posting on the Spangdahlem Spouses Facebook page saying that I'd organize and/or decorate homes if they would allow me to take before and after photos and be willing to write a review for me. I did that for a year free of charge. Once we moved to Robins AFB in Georgia I took the Boots to Business course offered on base. This was so helpful! I was able to set up my business, get paperwork filed, and start advertising! That was 5 years ago, and I continue to organize and decorate homes! Not only do I love what I'm doing and the people I meet, but it's nice to have a career that I can do anywhere we get stationed!

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Amy and I am from Kentucky. I enjoy yoga, reading, traveling, and quiet nights at home with my husband. I have two adult children and two furry ones. My husband and I have been married 32 years with 21 years of those in the military.

Tell us about a "typical" day in your professional life.

I put on my yoga pants, pull my hair into a ponytail, load up boxes and other needed supplies and meet my clients in their homes. As I meet with my client, we discuss what their hopes and expectations are, what the needs of their family are, and what area of the home they want to start on. I often ask my clients to repeat after me, "My peace is worth more than my possessions!" I guide my clients through the decluttering phase asking, "Do you need it? Do you use it? Do you love it?" If the answer is yes, then we put it in the keep pile. If the answer is no, then the client decides if it's something to donate or toss. Once the decluttering phase is completed, I will put all the kept items away in a logical and organized fashion that is easy to maintain. Some of my clients, don't need help with organization but do consider themselves "decorationally challenged." For those clients, I hang pictures, decorate mantels, bookshelves and tabletops, and arrange furniture to make their homes beautiful and cozy!

If you've been stationed overseas, how did this affect your career and or business?

As I mentioned above, our time in Germany was where the seeds to start my business were planted and began to germinate! I had been wondering what to do with my life now that my kids were grown! It never occurred to me to start a business until my daughter came to visit our home in Germany and as she walked through our new home she said, "Mom, you really have a talent and I think you should start a business!" Honestly, I dismissed it. I didn't know the first thing about starting a business! About six months later, a girlfriend and her family came to visit and as we sat out on our patio one night talking she looked at me and said, "Amy, when I'm at your house I just feel like I can breathe. You have a real talent and I think you should start a business! And it should be called Breathing Room Interiors!" My friend had her own business and held my hand to help me get started!

What has been your biggest military spouse career struggle and how did you overcome it?

Loneliness! It is so, so hard to pick up and start over every 2 or 3 years! Our spouses have a job to go to, instant connections and camaraderie. We don't know anyone, don't have family nearby or a support system. We really have to make an effort to meet people and form relationships. It's not easy and it can be especially challenging if you're an introvert! I realized I had to stop saying, "I want a friend," and start being a friend. So one of the things I did when we moved to Wright Patterson in 2015 was put a flyer on all my neighbors doors. The flyer simply said that if they were interested in doing a monthly girl's night out to text or call me and I left my contact information. I had already met a couple of the women on my street who were interested and so I would pick a night that worked for me and send out a group text inviting my neighbors to meet at my driveway at a certain time and join me for dinner at a local restaurant. It turned out to be one of my favorite memories in the 21 years we have been in the Air Force! There are five of us from Brett Drive who still get together yearly for what we now call "WEW!" (Women's Empowerment Weekend)

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

I can't say I had an Air Force mentor or sponsor but I did have mentors who helped me with my business!

How does your career path differ from what you imagined for yourself?

I have my degree in education so becoming a small business owner and a professional organizer and decorator certainly were not what I would have predicted for myself!

How did military life (PCSing, deployments, trainings, etc) factor into your career decisions?

I knew I needed something I could do wherever we lived. I also knew I did not want to job hunt every two or three years!

Have you ever had to geo-bach due to your career/entrepreneurship?

What resources have you found to be useful in your career/entrepreneur journey?

As I mentioned, the Boots to Business course offered on base was helpful. There are lots of books on home organizing and starting your own business that were also helpful.

Final word: what are your top tips for other military spouses about navigating a career within the military lifestyle?

If you can work from home, do it! If you have a passion or skill or particular gifting, then pursue it!
Starting a business can be intimidating but there are resources such as the Boots to Business class that can help! If your questions or concerns aren't covered in the course, be sure to talk to the instructor after the class. That's what I did and she met with me privately and free of charge to help me set up my business!

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