WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Waukesha mother and her two kids are now without a home after their apartment went up in flames.

"Devastating," said Alyssa Schnoebelen, whose apartment caught fire. "Everything I worked for - just poof."

Schnoebelen was at work Monday afternoon, when she got a call no one wants to receive.

"I got a phone call that my apartment was on fire and I got here, saw about ten fire trucks in here putting it out," said Schnoebelen. "My building engulfed in flames and it just looked like everything was gone."

Overwhelmed as she took in the aftermath and saw everything her family owned destroyed.

"Everything is just gone," said Schnoebelen. "I have things in there that are irreplaceable that I'm never getting back."

While everyone inside was able to get out safely, management with the Meadows Apartments along Springdale Rd. say ten total families were impacted from the fire.

"I'm very grateful that my kids are okay, that I'm okay, that my loved ones are okay," said Schnoebelen.

Left with nothing but the clothes on her back, she says she's holding her two-year-old daughter and son, who is gearing up for second grade next week close.

"It's just stuff and that’s what I've been trying to remind myself of," said Schnoebelen. "Nobody is hurt, but at the same time it's still very difficult for everything you've owned, everything I've accumulated over the last ten years… my entire life is gone in the blink of an eye."

With the school year starting next week for her son, Schnoebelen says she's just trying to take things day by day and has been buying necessities, but says those costs are adding up.

There's a GoFundMe to support the family here.

CBS 58 reached out to the Waukesha Fire Department for more information on the investigation as to what caused the fire but has not heard back yet.

The Waukesha Fire Department wants to remind all residents the importance of having functioning smoke detectors on all floors of your home.