Many people have asked me what my organizing process is, and I realized that unless you have had me come to your home for an assessment, you probably don’t know how this whole organizing thing works. So let me break it down for you:
1. Before we start any actual organizing, we schedule an organizing assessment. This is where I come to your house for an hour to get a first-hand look at what your project entails. I ask you lots of questions about how you use your space and what you hope to achieve. You show me your space, and I take lots of notes and photos.
2. Next, I go home and type up my findings in a proposal for you. I outline what I can do for you, how long I think it will take and how much I think it will cost. If you like the proposal, we move to step 3.
3. Now is when we schedule some organizing sessions. We will work in 2 to 4 hour-long blocks of time. We will clarify what your goals are and then dig in to the actual sorting of everything in your space. Here, I act as project manager and coach, teaching you the best way to sort through your things and helping you make decisions if you get stuck.
4. After we have sorted through all of your belongings and figured out what stays and what goes, we install systems. This means I draw on my experience and creativity to figure out the best way to maximize your space while keeping new purchases to a minimum. I will devise custom solutions for you that work with your habits and goals.
5. After we implement all those storage and system solutions, we talk about maintenance. I will provide strategies tailored to you for maintaining your newly organized space, keeping in mind your strengths and weaknesses, preferences and habits.
6. At the end of each session, I take all your castoffs to Goodwill or other charities. We talk about whether you can do some sorting homework on your own. I provide text, email and/or phone support to you in between sessions.
7. It might take a few sessions, but eventually we are finished! Your space now looks and feels amazing! I will check in with you in a few weeks to make sure that you are able to maintain the systems in your space. Meanwhile, you get to revel in a home that finally feels like the welcoming, comfortable refuge you deserve.
If you would like more information about how my organizing process works, please feel free to email me at info@respacedpdx.com
