How It Works?
In my experience, this is the time it takes to make a significant difference in a space. Most of the time, it’s necessary to pull things apart, make decisions, and then put things back together in a way that makes sense for you and your lifestyle.
I am here to help you get organized. We will first remove the clutter from the space before we can organize. There is no catch. Everything does not need to be tossed; it just needs a place to rest. Every piece of paper, photo, hand bag, tax return, paid bill, toy, medicine, DVD, home video, and owners manuals, needs to have a designated space in your home. Once you clear out what you are holding onto and distinguish their new location that's when you start your journey to becoming organized. The paperwork, mail, photos, returns/exchanges add up fast and within the blink of an eye you have clutter everywhere and it becomes overwhelming. A bigger place or more room then you already have may be the quick fix, but you will soon be in the same exact place you are right now with just more stuff.
Organizing is a process that takes TIME to do. Remember we need TIME to do the transfer of (organizing) skill. Without learning it will just go back to the way it was before I came to organize. I have a 6 hour minimum for every organizing session, since it takes time to teach and do. No exceptions made.
I generally spend a little time on the phone talking to you before the first session. I will ask you questions to access the needs of your home and office. That way I know what you are hoping to accomplish, and can perhaps suggest some supplies that you might want to purchase before the first session (such as file folders, storage bins, garbage bags, ziploc bags).
I ask many questions to find out what help is really needed. Also I need to know if it is a good fit and if we are compatible.
I also want to help you to begin to focus on your organizational goals, if you haven't already. For example: What are the specific functions that you want to be able to perform in the space we will be tackling? What specific tasks are falling through the cracks? What works or doesn't work in the room.
When I first arrive at your home it is helpful to give me an overall quick tour and point out all of the areas in need of organizational assistance before we start on the area that you have decided your number one priority is. After assessing the areas in your home we will sit down and discuss the action plan to organize your home (room by room, or area by area) and what steps are needed. Also I will give you an estimate on how many sessions it will take to do the overall organizing project.
Then paper by paper, or sweater by sweater, or shoe by shoe, we begin. I understand that taming clutter is a primary desire of why people want to get organized. So why it is so difficult to live in a clutter free life? There are many excuses and I want to get to the bottom of them with you. I will then challenge you by asking you questions that are preventing you from getting organized in the past.
Once we remove items from an area, example cabinet, drawer, shelf, closet, we will then clean vacuum or dust, to remove the dust mites that have been in that area for quite some time
I also recommend not to clean before I come since I want to see how you really live in the space.
Purging is the major key in getting your home in order. Keeping too much of stuff you don't use, need or love is called excess and we need to go step by step to purge these items (1 item at a time). We will discuss their relationship and why you are attached to the items before deciding where it goes, stored or donated/sold or just thrown out.
As we go, I learn more about how you think and about what kinds systems does and doesn't work for you. The work gets easier and faster as we go; you may be amazed by the progress we can make in just one session.
Once we separate the treasures (the things you want to keep), we decide on the items that will be donated or trashed (letting go). I will help you decide where to donate the items you no longer want, need or love.
It's important to have storage/home space for every item we decide to keep to prevent more pile-ups. If there are things you don't have room to store comfortably, we will give serious thought to getting rid of them to prevent the clutter from entering the space again.
After we decide on all of the things (paper and objects) in the priority area, we then can work on space organizing to enhance the room or area even more.
Many people ask if the experience will be like the organizing shows. I think the shows are great because they bring attention to this very important profession, however I do think they sometimes give an exaggerated view of what the experience is like. Just to make it clear they have a crew and the job is not done in one day usually it's done over a week. I know since I was involved in one. I am not going to take everything out and place it on your front lawn! Only in LA they do this. Call me and you will understand how the process is not fearful. I have helped hundreds of people by providing them with ideas, information, structure and solutions and systems to help them increase their productivity. Hence the stress was reduced, they saved money and this lead them to have more control over time, space and activities. In conclusion my clients have more time to reach their goals, spend more time with their families and friends and improved their health. Overall their lives are more balanced!
My philosophy is that you can reduce all kinds of stress in your life if you begin with an organized space and systems that work . When you clear the clutter from your life you can focus on what is truly important to you. This service has a commitment to quality, reliability, and integrity.
Whether you're an executive or a stay-at-home mom, A custom real world style can be a solution for you.
Organizational Systems are personal and individual. No two people have the same organizing needs or style. I approach each client with fresh eyes and create a system to fit your life. I work hand-in-hand with clients to create organized, easy to maintain home and office environments.
I usually start out with my clients being overwhelmed because they don't know how to get out of their clutter or their overwhelming schedule. It is my mission to recreate new systems to make things easier for them. I get a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I see that I have helped my client regain control of their life again.
Feeling serene and comfortable in your home isn't that the goal. Being able to enjoy and relax in your own home and having greater access to the things you use and love. Also saving money, energy and time for higher goals. That is what being organized promises. Together we can accomplish that!
Remember I will also identify where to start, what to do and how to keep it up.
You may find that initially some family members find it annoying that their routine of keeping their things wherever they happen to throw them down is being interrupted. Be patient. The relief of always knowing where these things are will win them over in the end!
Organizing, like reading, is a learned activity. Usually, we have a dominant learning style. The problem for people who are disorganized is the organizing methods they are using are often not in concert with their learning style. For instance, if you're a strong visual learner you can easily imagine the way you want a room organized in your 'mind's eye', and you can mentally conjure up images of where you put things. But until you get there your mind is overwhelmed and thus need the steps given by a professional organizer to get you to your goals. When listening to instructions you hear example how to use a filing system but listening is not enough to just do it. Again you are overwhelmed and need the step by step logical directions given by a professional organizer. Hence I use both, visual and listening skills while working with you, but the key to success is the kinetic learning part. The act of physically doing it works best with all my clients. It instills the learning process and will guarantee that you will be able to do it again without me there. Hence with all 3 learning styles working together while I guide you, (mirroring me) you will learn the skill of organizing like all my clients have.
Expected results
- When you work with me, you can expect to see desirable and
sustainable change in your organization of time, paper and
projects.
- You will move forward on important projects with new
energy, confidence, and ease.
- Projects that seemed stuck or out of control will be
organized into manageable pieces. What once looked impossible
will look do-able, and you will see progress.
- You will have a new understanding of how you use your time.
You may do more, or you may use your time differently. You will
not feel bullied or pushed.
- Because they’re more productive and focused, many clients report a rise in revenue as a result of the changes they make.
Cynthia Braun is a certified professional organizer for Suffolk County, New York
