Girl Crush of the Week - Molly Heffinger Graves

Meet Molly Graves! 
Business lady, gal about town, taste maker, Container Store aficionado, Girl Crush.

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to our Girl Crush of the Week, Molly Heffinger Graves of NEAT Method! I met Molly freshman year at Miami when we both pledged Delta Gamma, and have always been impressed by how her self-possessed attitude, enthusiasm for life, and her contagious optimism. Naturally, a few years later, she became the president of DG, and I remember standing with my friend Christina during rush senior year while Molly was doing her speech for each party welcoming PNM's (potential new members) into the DG suite - Christina and I elbowed each other about 15 times per welcome, whispering about how ridiculously good Molly made DG look. She's just that kind of girl - not only does she elevate the room and make everyone feel good, girlfriend GETS THINGS DONE in the process. 

It's no surprise that San Francisco-based Molly started her own super-successful business, NEAT Method. NEAT has been featured by Vogue, and was named one of Daily Candy's Best of San Francisco for 2011 - see below for my proud mommy-type screen shots! :)   

NEAT Method's feature on Vogue.com - I am OBSESSED with this makeup organizer!

NEAT Method is basically a huge deal. Just FYI. :)

Have fun getting to know the adorable Miss Molly, and be sure to check out NEAT's website and blog - NEAT posts some AMAZING organizational tips to their blog, and if you follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, you'll know when the latest "oh...so THAT's what a kitchen drawer is supposed to look like" post is up! 

Style icons? 

Even though she is a total man eater I still love Sienna Miller's style, it seems so effortless. Kate Bosworth has got it down too and I figure if she can go from Blue Crush to now, I can make SOMETHING work right??? Zoe Saldana has got it going on too - basically I love anyone that can be a chameleon... sexy conservative one night and bad ass tomorrow? Yes, Please! 

Hi pretty girl!

Design philosophy?  

I really try to ask myself, do you LOVE it??  That goes for home style and personal style. It really does save me from purchasing a bunch of meh stuff from Forever 21 and Home Goods. I love putting on clothes and thinking "I freaking love this thing" or walking in my home and saying, "yup, good purchase."  It also prevents the dreaded, I don't have anything to wear syndrome. Not that it doesn't happen, it just happens less often :) This philosophy spills over to NEAT all the time. It helps me keep to my own NEAT life but also when I am working with clients, I ask them the same thing, "do you love it?" Usually it helps eliminate unwanted clutter.

Molly and her NEAT Method partner, Ashley
Are they cute, or are they cute?

Favorite book of all time? 

I swear I read! I can send you a list to prove it (just finished the Hunger games Trilogy and am on to 50 Shades of Grey) BUT I am amending this to magazine when my Marie Claire comes I read it cover to cover. I swear to everyone that it is hands down the most attainable fashion mag out there. I hate opening a magazine and looking at a bunch of fashion that I cannot even think of purchasing. Marie Claire has a lot of expensive stuff BUT also has items that are totally in my range. Their articles are fabulous too. Okay, I'll step off my soap box now... 

Hi, Molly!

Best advice you ever received? 

When I moved from Chicago to San Francisco, my husband Ryan told me that I needed to stop looking for friends that reminded me of my friends from home. He said that if I wasn't looking to replace my friends from Chicago I needed to look for friends with new qualities. It not only helped me make some awesome friends here, but it helped me get over being homesick for Chicago and embracing SF's opportunities.  

Molly and her husband Ryan
#MiamiMergers4LYF 

Favorite stores? 

Shopbop (does that count?) CUSP, I have to go to Krista K in Chicago when I am home, and I love stopping by Dish in Hayes Valley.

Always stylish!

Dream place to live? 

Ryan travels a lot so I try to join him whenever I can so I have realized that there are a lot of places I would love to live... Currently I am coming down from my London high so that is topping my list NOW but honestly I am learning that my favorite places are more about the people and less about the location... super cheesy right????? BUT TRUE!

Being NEAT in foggy London town

The one product you're obsessed with right now? 

I have been using Sachajuan Conditioner and it is AMAZING!!! I can't get enough. Game changer for sure.

Biggest indulgence? 

Life. Is that weird to say?  I guess I'm not really known to indulge in one particular thing. Ryan might say clothes but lets be serious, what girl DOESN'T?? I don't always get my nails done or HAVE to have Starbucks. I like to save and then get one awesome thing which is likely clothes or a bag. It all comes back to my design philosophy, do I love it? I love getting up and going on a run, working on NEAT, meeting interesting people, seeing my family, hell, we don't even have cable and one of the main reasons we shut it off was to enjoy life more.  

Girl crush? 

I LOVE my business partner, Ashley. She has qualities that I only wish I could have. She has such a good eye for detail, a hilarious sense of humor, lives life as an open book, and did I mention she is more toned then I will ever be? I am lucky to work with someone day in and out that is that inspirational. Heart. Of. Gold.   

Molly and Ashley of NEAT Method...they make sense of your chaos!

Favorite song? 

I love 90's music. There. I said it. Anything from Third Eye Blind, Oasis, The Wall Flowers, Gin Blossoms, Counting Crows... I could go on for days. In college I insisted we had a 90's party because the opportunity was passing us by. My theory was that 80's nights started in the 90's so 90's nights should happen in the two thousands. Am I right or am I right? If I had to pick one song it would have to be semi charmed life by Third Eye Blind.  

Prized possession? 

It's a tie.... Between this miniature pillow that my Dad gave me when I was born that I still sleep with (his name is baby pillow) OR this bracelet that my grandmother gave me that has all of her best friends from high school engraved on it. I always get compliments on it and I love its sentimental value.  

Current hangout? 

The local German Biergarten by our apartment. I live so close that our friends call me to look out the window and see if it is open. I am a pub girl at heart. I can't really do the club scene unless I have had 16 too many drinks. I love to sit with friends and enjoy a drink so the fact that I can do this outside with warm pretzels is a done deal for me.  

Just a typical Saturday afternoon for Molly, enjoying several half full glasses of wine on the veranda.

Motto? 

Don't take life too seriously. As seen with my Halloween costume. Typically this is the one night where you can do something super sexy and get away with it. I prefer to make people laugh. Hence the "Bee's knees". Note: The pleather pants were a bad idea - totally didn't breathe on the dance floor so I was sweating like crazy and they were falling down all night. Overall, great costume though. 

I can vouch for the fact that Molly is indeed the bee's knees!

Best place on earth? 

Hands down my family's lake house in Northern Wisconsin. It is such a sanctuary for me. Most of my childhood memories are there and to me, nothing beats a day on the lake. People always think it is funny when my family gets together - all we do is talk about memories. My family can play the "remember when..." game all night long. I just think that shows we have had a great life. :)

Molly, her sister Betsy, and their family pup, Moose in Wisconsin

Favorite drink? 

Anything with Bubbles, Bellini's, Mimosas, or just give me the champagne straight up!

Gorgeous Molly and her husband Ryan celebrating with champers on their wedding day!

Now that you're up close and personal with all the adorable-ness that is Molly, follow her adventures in NEAT!  Also, Molly's NEAT Method business partner Ashley has just moved back to Chicago from San Francisco, which means that there are now NEAT Method offices in both cities - just something to keep in mind for you gorgeous Chicagoans and San Franciscans who are looking to get NEAT!

NEAT Method's Website

NEAT Method's Blog

NEAT Method on Facebook

@neatmethod on Twitter

neatmethod on Pinterest

Naturally, Molly's husband Ryan has his own amazing business, Uber, which allows users to request a car service from any mobile phone via text message or via the Uber smartphone app - it's basically the best idea ever. Uber is currently serving the fine people of  SF, NYC, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, DC, Paris, Toronto, and LA - and they're growing fast! Follow Ryan and Uber via Twitter, Facebook, and Uber's Blog.

Many thanks to the amazing Miss Molly for allowing us to profile her! If you'll excuse me, I'll be busy trying to get my closets/drawers up to NEAT Method standards! xx