Meet Jenna Nelson

Written By Kirklyn Powell

Meet Jenna Nelson of Top Shelf Organizing

Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Jenna Nelson—a purpose-driven entrepreneur bringing peace, order, and functionality to homes and lives across Nashville. With a lifelong passion for organizing and a deep commitment to helping people reclaim their spaces, Jenna is transforming homes from chaotic to calm, one shelf at a time.

Hi Jenna, we’re excited to hear your story today. Let's start from the beginning—what led you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?

I’ve always been an organized person. Before “like with like” and “color coordinated” were buzzwords, I was organizing the clothes in my closet by category and in rainbow order. It just made sense to me.

After nannying for a family who put severe restrictions on my time off to see my own family (they live in Michigan), I knew I didn’t want to be in a position again where I couldn’t see my family if I wanted to. That planted the idea of starting my own business, but it took some time before I realized that’s what I was going to do.

What sparked the idea for Top Shelf Organizing, and what was the moment that really made it real for you?

I was at a point in my life where I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had been a dancer and nanny for most of my life and wasn’t doing either of those anymore. I got a part-time, short-term gig at a baby boutique doing merchandising and organizing the back stock—and I loved it.

It was the first time I realized not everyone thought like I did or felt like I did when it came to organizing. Once that job ended, I decided to start my own business doing professional organizing for small businesses. After launching Top Shelf, I tried to make that happen for about six months but realized it wasn’t working. So, I made the shift to residential organizing, and it's been in a pattern of growth ever since.

Tell us more about what you do—what problem does your business solve, and how is your approach unique?

We help people who feel overwhelmed in their spaces take control, discard what isn’t needed, make room for what is loved, and feel a sense of peace when they walk into their home.

We always encourage the purging process, and donations get dropped off at various charities, donation sites, and ministries around Nashville. We strive to take all that we can to the places where it will have the most impact.

Every entrepreneur has hurdles—what’s been your biggest challenge, and how have you worked through it?

My biggest challenge has come with growth. I used to do everything, and I’m learning I can’t do it all anymore. Navigating giving up some control and figuring out what I can delegate has been the biggest challenge for me.

What’s one project or milestone that made you step back and say, "Wow, we really did that"?

There have been some large jobs that felt like major wins. We partnered with an interior designer to organize their sample library—fabric, leather, wallpaper, carpet, etc.—and finishing that was a huge accomplishment.

We worked in a 1,000 sq. ft. basement with three different households combining their storage and got it done in less time than I had quoted. We’ve packed multimillion-dollar homes and been successful at that. There have been so many times I’ve finished a job incredibly impressed with the team of organizers around me and the work we’re able to do together.

How do you stay inspired and keep the momentum going?

I make sure to maintain connections with other organizers and other entrepreneurs. I recently took an entrepreneur class and met weekly with 20+ others in different fields—it was inspiring and helped expand my creative process for growing and expanding Top Shelf.

I heard new ideas every week and could figure out how to adjust those ideas to fit into my business model. I also met with a mentor every couple of weeks who was a wealth of knowledge and gave me the momentum to take some big steps I needed to take.

What’s next for you and Top Shelf Organizing?

We have a high-profile client we’ll be working with this summer. I’m looking to expand both the organizing team and a secondary service I offer called Tidy Up. The demand is increasing, and that requires more team members.

Entrepreneurship and balance—how do you manage both?

I don’t know if there can ever be a good balance. I had one entrepreneur tell me that, and I agree. Work is on my mind a lot. I do my best to spend time with friends, work out, practice self-care, and be with my family, but even then something work-related might pop up—a text to answer, something with admin, etc.

We, as a company, take Sundays off, so I try not to do anything business-related then. But every other day, it usually sneaks in. Running a business doesn’t stop—it’s always there when you come back to it, and usually, more has piled on while you were away.

How do you define success—and has that definition changed over time?

Success is knowing you made someone’s life a little better by what you did. If my client is happy with the end result, then I know what we did was a success—however big or small the job.

For readers who want to support you—what’s the best way they can do that?

Follow along on social media, spread the word about Top Shelf to friends and family and online—but the biggest way is to give Top Shelf the opportunity to help you get one or two problem areas organized. Once you start, you won’t want to stop!

Connect with Jenna Nelson and Top Shelf Organizing

Kirklyn Powell
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