Divorced, Single Mom is Successful at Work but Feels Overwhelmed at Home

Environmental Assessment

Three bedroom home, with scattered paper and piles of clutter throughout. Homeowner is concerned children are picking up bad habits and this is adding to her stress. She is frustrated because she is in a management position at work and feels she has little energy left for decisions at the end of the work day. She would prefer clear surfaces, papers contained and filed, excess eliminated, and systems to store and retrieve items. She reports feeling overwhelmed by incoming mail and would like to create a system that she can maintain. She is ready to make a positive change.

Solution: Restore Order with Direct Service Appointments

Because the client held a full-time management position that left her with very little time and energy, appointments were scheduled on Saturday afternoons. Initial appointments lasted 4-5 hours, reduced to bi-monthly, three hour appointments as overall efficiency increased and various projects got under control. A four-step process for incoming paper was implemented and the backlog was sorted and shredded. Once the downstairs living areas were clear and functional, bedrooms were tackled one at a time. The youngest child, now familiar with the process, worked proudly alongside the Professional Organizer to de-clutter and simplify his room.

Teenage Boy with Autism Needs Safe Options for Downtime

Environmental Assessment

Three bedroom home with clear surfaces and functional spaces throughout. Client is interested in creating a Large Motor area for her son in the overfull, cluttered basement but has limited time and a limited budget. Ideally, the laundry room would also have improved functionality and space for writing would be created.

Solution: Restore Order with Direct Service Appointments

Client worked alongside Declare Order Professional Organizer to make piles to donate and discard. Donations and trash were removed from the space. Zones were established for laundry, large motor for her son, and writing. Special attention was paid to the writing desk as a place for the client to renew her spirit.

Successful Marketing Executive Chronically Behind on Expense Reports

Environmental Assessment

Impeccably maintained four bedroom home has clear surfaces and functional spaces throughout – except in the home office! Client is chronically behind on expense reports, creating stress at work. While she hires staff to care for the rest of the home, she has yet to find an effective solution when she works from home.

Solution: Restore Order with direct service appointments

Initial appointments consisted of locating, sorting, and organizing thousands of dollars of wadded receipts. A unique and colorful! system was created to meets the client’s needs. She was relieved to finally delegate this responsibility and reduce her stress.

The client is pleased she can easily reference past expenses from clearly labeled, colorful folders and is continuing to become more comfortable with paperless options. She is now able to maintain the system on her own, as needed. End-of-the-month Declare Order support visits have reduced to every other month. Expense reports are always submitted on-time AND she has a Professional Organizer on hand on a regular basis for additional projects!

Senior with Hoarding Tendencies Living in an Unsafe Environment

Environmental Assessment

Two bedroom condo with paper piles approximately six inches high on every flat surface that are beginning to appear on the floor. Piles also contain a mix of craft supplies, photos, and electronic equipment. Client’s frustrated daughter (looking ahead to the possibility of in-home health care) knows something needs to change.

Solution: Accomplish Simplicity in Unsafe Environment

Initial visits focused on trust-building and introduction of “safety” vocabulary. Client was interested in organizing, but had strong opinions about how it should be accomplished. Once the stovetop and floors were cleared, deconstructing piles into general categories began.

During this phase, the client’s health declined and he was transferred to an assisted living facility. A team of family, led by organizing professionals completed the sorting of his belongings over a long weekend. While family would have preferred to “toss everything,” they came to understand the importance of being respectful. Financial documents were located and safely stored, boxes of belongings were clearly labeled in closets, and requested items were moved to his new living quarters.

Unfortunately, the client passed away before returning to the condo. Declare Order organizing professionals were easily able to assist with the final keep, donate, and discard of the clearly labeled belongings remaining in the condo, as well as provide referrals for estate sale and furniture removal options.

Suburban Family Hiding Living Conditions Behind Neighborhood Curb Appeal

Environmental Assessment

Four bedroom, two-story home with paper, toys, and clothing piles scattered on most flat surfaces – including the floor. Piles are thick with dust, indicating they have been accumulating for quite some time. Client is working with a therapist and is ready to make changes. She is motivated to establish functional living spaces for the new baby, create organizational systems for daily living needs, and, eventually, allow neighbors and extended into her home – despite her personal challenges.

Solution: Support for Special Needs

Initial visit focused on trust-building, clarifying expectations, and donation removal. Client was motivated to start clearing the main living spaces, but was feeling anxious. Allowing another person to enter the home and touch her belongings was a major hurdle to overcome. She reported back to her therapist about how the process made her feel.

At the follow-up visit, the client had prepared more items for donation and maintained the previous progress. She worked through her anxieties and was motivated to continue. While she was not feeling prepared to start having neighbors and extended family into her home, she appreciated the impact the changes in the cleared areas of the home had on her ability to accept help.

I Don’t Want to End Up Like my Mom

Environmental Assessment

Three bedroom home with cluttered surfaces, excess furniture, and comfortable living spaces throughout. Client is interested in helping her child maintain an organized bedroom, but challenges arise over how to do it. Client’s mother had challenges with clutter and client doesn’t want her daughter to feel like she did growing up in a cluttered space. Client has a diagnosis of ADHD and has a difficult time with traditional organizing options.

Solution: Virtual Organizing

Client consulted virtually with Leslie every other week to discuss progress, areas of strength, and challenge. Zones were established in her child’s bedroom for laundry, homework, electronics, keepsakes, and personal hygiene. Organizing systems implemented were age appropriate, functional, and in accordance with how the child processes the environment.