Process

If you have never worked with a professional organizer, you may have concerns or questions, such as:

Will I have to throw away things that I really want to keep?
How long will it take?
Will the process be more overwhelming than I feel right now?
How do I find things once we are finished?
Where do we even start?

You are not alone with these questions, and hopefully by understanding my process, some of your fears and concerns will be alleviated. All organizing projects, from a small closet to the whole house, follow the same general steps as outline here:

Step 1

Free On-Site Assessment

Together we will tour the areas in your home or office that need attention. I'll listen to you, I'll learn how you currently use the space and how you envision the space should be used. Every situation is unique and there are no cookie cutter solutions. My goal is to organize your space in a way that will be immediately familiar to you and the way you live.

After our tour, which usually lasts 30-60 minutes, I will work on a plan of action and cost estimate, which I will deliver to you within 3 days.

Step 2

Clear & Sort

To start the process, I'll need an appropriate-sized staging area, where I'll set up several dozen categorized sorting boxes. Then I clear out EVERYTHING in the space being organized, placing every item in it's particular category or, when appropriate, diverting it to donate/recycle/discard.

As areas are cleared, I will do some light cleaning of the spaces temporarily vacated, including wiping down shelves, clearing walls of cobwebs & dust and vacuuming/sweeping of flooring.

This step requires minimal client interaction. If you need to be elsewhere while I work, this would be a good time.

Step 3

Keep or Purge?

Now that items have been sorted into categories, I will go through the various categories one at a time and place all the items in that category on display. Then, with my guidance, you will decide which of the items you wish to keep and which items you no longer want. Once you see how many items you have in a particular category (i.e. sunglasses, or cameras, or baseball caps,) it's a lot easier to let go of the excess items.

Items purged are sorted into donate/recycle/discard piles and the next category begins.

This step requires full and focused participation with the client. It also involves a lot of decision making, which can be challenging. I encourage the client to take frequent breaks during this step while I conduct other work.

Step 4

Store

After everything that's being purged is gone, it's time to return the kept items to the space that was cleared out. Trying to stick closely to the clients original plan of "what goes where," I return items to shelves, closets and cupboards, keeping common items together.

Together we'll decide how you want your various items stored. In a basket? Under the bed? On the bookshelf? Before spending money on new furniture or organizing containers, I will try to use or repurpose the organizers and furniture you already have, saving you time and money.

If organizing supplies do need to be purchased, recommendations will be made from stores such as The Container Store, Ikea and Target. We will select items that accommodate your budget as well as convenience and aesthetic preferences. I am also able to purchase these items for you. (Please see policy information on Rates page for more information on shopping assistance).