Services
Organize
Organizing is a skill that not everyone has. It can be extremely overwhelming and frustrating. But it's a skill that can be learned and that's where I can help! Setting up systems that are functional and make sense to you is the key to having a successful home. I will work with you to figure out what's not working, why and how to make it better. I will help keep you on task and together we will put your
home in order.
Declutter
To keep or not to keep? That is that question! What if I need or want it in the future? It has sentimental value. I want to give it to my kids. Does it bring you joy? These are some questions and concerns I can talk through with you. I'm not a therapist or a psychologist, but I am a good listener and I will do my best to give you options.
Decorate
The Christmas season is busy enough without having to deal with holiday decorations. If you want to just enjoy the season without the work of putting up or taking down decor, I can help! I will untangle the lights, organize the bins and streamline the process so you can maintain
it as well.
Pack/Unpack
Moving? The best time to get organized is while you're packing! Decluttering and organized packing will make the unpacking easier to manage and allow for systems to be set up easier. Downsizing and don't know what to bring, what to sell or what to do? I will help you through
all of it.
Stage Your Home
Every home seems to have a closet or two they wouldn't want to show in an open house! I will organize behind the closed door areas so you can show your home with confidence. I can also help assess countertops, open areas and home decor to minimize clutter and maximize pictures for posting.
Maintenance
I can help you shop for the right size containers, or use what you already have, to create systems that work for you that you can maintain. Making your home function the way you need it to is my goal.
Swedish Death Cleaning & Hygge Living
The two philosophies I try to incorporate into every home are based on the books The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning and The Little Book of Hygge, both of which help guide you to living a more meaningful life.
The Swedish way of simplifying life is by decluttering and assigning future homes for your things before you die. This idea allows you to:
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enjoy your home in the present
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let your family and friends request special items of yours that have meaning to them and reminds them of you
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allows your loved ones to grieve your death without having to also manage your estate
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peace of mind that your things will continue to be taken care of and loved as you have done with them
The Little Book of Hygge (Hoo-ga) is the Danish way of finding, creating and enjoying comfort in your home and life. The idea is when you walk into any room of your home, you should feel peaceful and cozy. It is finding the balance between having things and things having you; do you control your home or does your home control you? Hygge is the happiness and joy that comes from knowing that your life and your things have purpose.​
How it Works
1 - Book a Phone Call
This is your time to tell me about you and your space. What are you needing help with? I will answer your questions and explain the organizing process.
2 - Schedule a Session
Approximately the first 30 minutes of the first session will be a consultation consisting of you showing me the area(s) you need help with. We will talk about what isn't working, who is involved with the space, what your goals are, etc and I will take necessary notes and measurements for possible storage solutions. Once we determine your priorities and goals, we will create a plan to match your timeframe and needs. Then it's time to dig in!
3 - Organizing
No matter the space we work in, the process will be the same: Sort & Declutter and Designate & Label. We will begin by sorting into categories of keep, toss and donate. After we have removed the toss and donate items, then we'll sort the keep items into further categories of whether they belong somewhere else in the home, frequency of use/importance, etc. Now to the fun part of playing Tetris and putting it all back together! Designating a functional place for everything is key to organizing any space. Whether you want labels or not as long as you know where it is and where to put it away, you can find what you need when you need it. A stress free home!
4 - Thinking Behind the Organizing
- It might sound easy, and it is for me, but it can be very hard for you. There are A LOT of decisions to be made and I understand that emotions, memories, life stressors, etc all play a role in deciding what to do with your things.
- I will never get rid of anything without your permission. Anything that gets taken away from a space, but that is to keep, will be boxed, labeled and stored so you can find it later.
- I will generally take donations to the nearest donation center but sometimes it's easier to let go of things of you know they are being used with purpose, love and care. If that's the case, I have many suggestions of where we can donate with purpose.
- It is very overwhelming to see a mess in another space and get distracted tidying up there rather than finishing what we started. If there are any items belonging to another area of the home, we will contain it then take it to that area and leave it. Rooms typically bleed into other rooms and even though it might feel like you're adding to that mess, that fact that you already know what's there will actually stay there, it's one less thing to sort once you get to it!
- Everything that stays in the room is then put back in categories that make sense to you. You can broad sort or fine sort to your hearts content. Consider the spaces that are "prime real estate" and what you want there verses what can be stored more out of reach for infrequent use.
- Designating a home for everything is based on evaluating how much of what you have for each category. You may need a bigger space or you might get away with a smaller space! Whether or not you want containers is not always a budget issue but also an item issue. Yes, containers can be pricey but upcycling and reusing boxes is perfect for nearly any space and for the areas where plastic might be best (for ease of cleaning out liquids, keeping moisture out, etc), there are lots of options at nearly any price point. The items you're putting in a box are important to consider. For example, exercise clothes are slippery and don't stack well, small items might get lost if they are added to a space with larger items, and of course anything that has the possibility of leaking, to contain them.
- Labeling can be as broad or as specific as you want it to be, temporary, or not at all. As long as you are able to remember what goes where that is the point. If you live with others, or have cleaners, labels definitely help with putting things away!
- I completely understand the real struggle the end of the day can bring in the fact that you're tired and overwhelmed from whatever your day threw at you. Tidying up is the last thing you want to do! There isn't a perfect answer for maintenance but here are some ideas:​
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Set an alarm on your phone (don't hit snooze/dismiss and actually do it!)
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Add tiding up to the daily/weekly chore system for everyone involved
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Tidy in the morning while you still have energy
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Designate one large basket (or individual baskets for each person) to add items to (throughout the day, during a 5-10 minute session, etc). Once the basket is full, or has meet the time/quantity parameters you have set, the basket(s) needs to be emptied and everything needs to be put away or the items get tossed, donated etc.