Much of my work is helping people to understand their priorities so they can make room in their homes and offices to accomplish those priorities. Often, people don’t know where to start in their effort to declutter and organize, because they haven’t taken the time to pin down exactly why they want it to happen.
Once, a client booked my services for a half day, with the main goal of organizing her work-from-home office closet. The closet was a walk-in and completely full of paperwork and items needed for her three different ventures, stacks of personal photos and memorabilia, a large stash of wrapping paper and even some antique furniture. I very quickly discerned that this was more than a work closet, and together we talked about how to balance her work supplies with the personal items she wanted to store in there. We found new places in her home for the antique furniture, we consolidated photos and memorabilia into a single bin and arranged her paperwork and supplies according to her various ventures. This client values giving beautifully-wrapped gifts, so I was able to separate out the year-round gift wrap for easy access and visibility. Her large supply of Christmas wrap was stored with the Christmas decorations. On my encouragement, this client bought a pretty shelf unit to keep within sight of her desk to store particularly memorable items and photos. By keeping the priorities of this client in mind, we were able to successfully create a hardworking storage space which completely transformed her office.
Another client called me early during the quarantine. She had reached her limit of waiting to get things done in her home and now that she was home all the time, she knew it was the right moment to call me for encouragement and inspiration. Since our county was under quarantine, this was a remote, online, consult. Using FaceTime, this client showed me the spaces she wanted to transform. We spent our first hour working on her bedroom, rearranging items and ordering new furniture, a rug and bedding. I offered her a new layout which maximized space and created a new corner for a work-from-home desk. We spent a second hour about a week later reimagining her family room. On my encouragement, she over grouted her 70’s rock fireplace which modernized the look and feel of her space. Additionally, by flipping the layout, we added more focus on the fireplace and increased flow through the room. She ordered new furniture, artwork and a rug and completely transformed that living area.
With a little directed conversation each of these clients were able to communicate their priorities which made the job easier. They each had goals and plans which gave our effort structure and direction. Further, each client continued to make changes and improvements throughout their home after my work was done. They created momentum which showed continued progress over time. Bravo!
If you are wanting to make a change in your home or office, and you find yourself stuck and unsure of where to start, can I encourage you to stop? Take a few minutes to determine why you want to make those changes. What is your end goal? What are your hopes and dreams? How can the changes in your home impact the life you want in the future? Are you dreaming of a new start? What’s getting in your way? Then, if you continue to question or if you remain stuck, send me a message. One of my greatest joys is helping people uncover their “why” in decluttering, organizing and decorating.