FLINT, Michigan — For many people, cleaning can be a daunting task, especially before a big family dinner, when hosting guests, or during a much-needed spring cleaning. It can often be overwhelming, and that's where Flint native Bri Nelson comes in to help.

As the creator and founder of Cleanly Life, Nelson embraces the art of cleaning and pays meticulous attention to detail. She thoroughly enjoys housekeeping, organizing, and janitorial projects.

At Cleanly Life, she aims to sweep away the dread of cleaning and provide a fresh perspective on maintaining a clean and organized living space. When Nelson speaks about her passions, she takes you on a journey, allowing you to understand and connect with her vision for Cleanly Life. 

Nelson established her business after a period of soul-searching, aiming to find something she's truly passionate about. “I don't want to do it for the money. I want to do it because I actually like to do it,” said Nelson. “I want to see you happy, and I want you to feel good in your environment.”

Passionate about cleaning from a young age, Nelson discovered her love for tidying up while accompanying her mother to work. Her mother cleaned office spaces after hours and Nelson soon found joy and tranquility in the act of cleaning.

Her eagerness to help and love for the task has now become a profession as she takes pride in her client's satisfaction, seeing it as a way to connect with her inner child rather than just a source of income.

During her interview with Flintside at the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, she talked about the genesis of her business, balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and her love for cleaning.

Bri Nelson of Cleanly Life. (Courtesy photo)Flintside: How did you get into housekeeping?

Bri Nelson: “I knew cleaning was something that I thoroughly enjoyed. That was something [where], as long as I got my breaks, I could do over and over again. So I chose housekeeping janitorial service because I had some experience working janitorial. I was helping my mom at the time. She was working for this janitorial company.

We had somebody we were going to church with; they offered her a job to clean some buildings, and [my mom] would be back late. I love my mom. I’m trying to make sure she is good. I offered [to help] because she would come back tired because she would work two jobs, and I just had so much fun.”

Flintside: When did you establish your business?

B. Nelson: “It was right after I graduated and my grandfather was encouraging his grandchildren to get into the entrepreneur field. [When I] I officially got my LLC, I kind of felt official, and it was really nice. I felt like, wow, I have something to call my own. Back then, it was still kind of like an idea.”

Cleanly Life offers extensive organizing services in addition to cleaning. (Courtesy photo)
Flintside: What services do you provide?

B. Nelson: “Not only do we do cleaning, [but] we also offer organizing services. That is something that I really enjoy doing. Organizing definitely makes a huge difference within your space. I’ve seen the difference between how people act when their space is discombobulated and chaotic versus when it’s clean and organized.

Your environment is a reflection of how your mind is. I’m not perfect. I have weeks where I set stuff down when I come through the door. I’ll have days or weeks where I have things on my desk, and I’m like, this reflects the week that I’m having right now, especially because I share a room with my daughter. You can tell where my head is at based on my environment.”

Flintside: How do you balance motherhood and entrepreneurship?

B. Nelson: “[I’m] still trying to find that balance. [Cleanly Life] is a startup, and it’s hard. On social media nowadays, we are so quick to see the final product, and then we compare ourselves — our beginning product to the final product — and that’s not fair. It’s overwhelming at times, but then there’s the other side. If I keep going, what could this become?

I was working with somebody, and they were saying, 'Give yourself grace.' That’s something that I’m learning to do more and more because I felt guilty, especially as a young mother. I have to kind of set myself aside because it’s not just me anymore. [I have to] measure out my time and make sure that I’m giving her enough and make sure I’m giving myself enough.”

Before and after photos and testimonials are present on Cleanly Life's website. (Courtesy photo)Flintside: How far are you willing to travel?

B. Nelson: “I want to stay within that [local] mark only because of my daughter. I prioritize being a mother. That’s something that I know before anything else. I gotta make sure she good.”

Flintside: What method do you use for pricing?

B. Nelson: “I do free consultations, and I’ll come see the project. I decide how much it will be priced based on how extensive and robust the project is.”

Flintside: Where do you see your business in the next five years?

B. Nelson: “I see my business up and running with staffing employees on payroll. I see myself having an office. I really want an office. It doesn’t have to be big, but a productive environment. I see myself having some commercial contracts.”

To learn more about Cleanly Life and its services, visit the website or call: (810) 412-8166.