Ranee Kamens may not be from Richmond, but in a very short time, she has become the quintessential Richmond girl-a Ram and a Spider, who is creative, passionate, and driven to help people become the best version of themselves.

Kamens was living in Manhattan working for various large fashion lines, including American Eagle Outfitters, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nautica but found herself looking for a change. Richmond was calling.

And she jumped in headfirst. She became a first-time property owner and entrepreneur all in her first year here. Understanding that there wasn’t an equivalent fashion-based job for her in Richmond, she knew she would have to create something new, something that would showcase her talents and leverage her experiences.

So she did some soul searching. And as someone dedicated to keeping her small NYC apartment clean, organized, and market ready, coupled with an addiction to spread sheets and a love for fashion and helping others look and feel their best, Simplify Me, a company specializing in organization and personal style, was born.

“Simplify Me is what I do and who I am,” says Kamens. When asked what a typical day at Simplify Me is like, Kamens says, “My clients, both men and women, run around in their underwear while I throw clothes at them and say ‘Try this or try that,’ suggest a hemming, urge them to get rid of that polyester, lavender suit from the 80s or tell them that their body is not the right kind for a maxi-dress (very few can pull this look off successfully).”

She says the most exciting thing she has ever found in her organizing experiences was an original Beatles album that the owner didn’t know she had. She says, “I do everything from helping people with their self-esteem to letting go of a deceased loved one’s belongings, and once in a while I also just get to put their spice rack in order.”

In addition to working with her regular clients, Kamens also teaches a “Closet Audit” class through University of Richmond’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies and will soon be joining VCU’s Fashion Merchandising adjunct faculty.

Kamens urges her clients to dress for their body and not for the body they once had, wish they had, or think they should have. Clothes look best when they fit and are not over-worn. “Be you, try something new, and ask someone who will give you an honest opinion,” she says. “Not everything looks good on every body. Not every trend needs to be in your closet. Be picky, be critical, be yourself, and find a style that’s comfortable and lets you feel confident.

Lastly don’t be afraid to change. You change your house, your partner, your country, and your age, so why not move forward with your style? Don’t get stuck.” “Be you, try something new, and ask someone who will give you an honest opinion.”