About Anne

 Anne Colao grew up in the historic small town of Willoughby, Ohio, near her beloved grandmother, Florence, the “Flo” of Flo and Annie. Flo was her hero and now is her guardian angel. Whenever Anne was upset about something, Flo would tell her, “Get your house cleaned up; you’ll feel better,” and she was right!!   

Anne moved to Chicago after graduation where she lived and worked for ten years. Transferred to San Francisco in 1993, she lived there until March 2021 when she discovered and moved to Salem, Oregon.   

Anne found Salem when a woman on a Zoom meeting encouraged her to visit while she was searching for a new place to call home. It was love at first sight. After leaving her job of 19 1/2 years and living 25 years in California, it was time for a change, and she immediately felt at home in Salem. Anne wanted to be part of a community and to be able to make a difference. She found both in this picturesque capital city.  

Anne has always loved to organize. As a child, she was constantly rearranging her room and closet. She would even organize her friends’ desks during indoor recess while the other kids were busy playing. Anne has always been very attached to spaces and the way people use (or disuse) them. A keen observer, she always found herself critiquing rooms and looking for better ways to utilize the space. Anne looks at organizing as a form a meditation.    

Anne fell into organizing as a career while working at a local restaurant where she was able to organize and create systems just as she had done in the corporate world. An idea was born, and she decided to become a professional organizer. Wanting to honor her grandmother, she chose the name Flo and Annie.  

Today Anne is a member of the National Association of Productivity and Professional Organizing Professionals. She serves clients in the greater Salem area who want to create more efficient, organized, and tranquil spaces in their homes and offices.   

What parts of your space could be better organized? How would your home or office feel differently if everything was in its proper place and things were easy to find? Email or call Anne at 510.206.3976 today to learn more!