The Tidy Companion Story

Hello! I’m Connie, the founder of Tidy Companion, a service dedicated to bringing cleanliness, companionship, and comfort to seniors in Midhurst, Barrie, and Simcoe County.

For me, this isn’t just a job—it’s personal. I know, everyone says that, right? But let me tell you why it really is.

My Nana-in-law, Catherine (or Kay, as her friends called her), was a remarkable woman who lived to 95 years old at The Waterford in Barrie. She spent 10 years there, making wonderful connections and enjoying the company of family and friends.

While she had amazing nurses (shoutout to Anne!), what truly brightened her day wasn’t just medical care—it was having someone to sit with her, share a story, watch a ball game, or go for a walk.

When my daughters were young, I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom, which meant I had the time to drop them off at school and check in on Catherine. Every morning, I’d stop by, make sure she had everything she needed, tidy up a little, and let the family know how she was doing. Some days were tough, others were filled with laughter, but every visit mattered.

One of my favorite memories is a story my husband loves to tell. We were at The Waterford, and my girls were mesmerized by all the little trinkets and collectibles on Nana’s windowsill—because let’s be honest, Nanas have the best stuff. Sometimes, she’d let them take something home.

One day, my youngest asked about something, and my husband whispered, “No, no, you can’t have that.” Nana wasn’t having it. She turned to him and said, “Oh, stop it, Dad—she can have anything she wants.”

Dad stayed quiet for a second before saying, “Nana… she just asked if she could have your rollator.”

We all laughed.

Nana loved cruising the halls in her tricked-out, blinged-out rollator, with the girls hitching a ride. To them, it was a fun game. To her, it was stability, freedom, and independence.

And if you asked her how she was doing? No matter what her struggles were, she’d always say, “Oh, everything is fine.” But we knew it wasn’t always fine. That’s why we were always there—setting up her Christmas tree, watching a Jays game, keeping her company, and making sure she was okay.

But here’s the truth—not everyone has the time to check in on their loved ones as often as they’d like. I was lucky. I was able to. But I know that’s not always possible for busy families.

That’s why I started Tidy Companion—to be that trusted presence for seniors who need a little extra help and a lot of kindness.