FAQs

The first step is to contact me via email, the website contact form, or a phone call. Then, I’ll provide a free phone assessment through which I can develop an understanding of the scope of the project and answer any questions you may have. If you decide to work with me, we can schedule sessions immediately to work together.

When organizing spaces, I work in the presence of and alongside clients. Your involvement is crucial; organizing is very personal. There will be decisions that only you can make about whether to keep things, where they should go, and how you live with them. Through modeling, mirroring, and verbal instruction, I will teach you elements of organizing, and you will develop new habits through our work together that will remain with you after the project is complete.

I understand. It’s hard to bring a stranger into your home when your home is not as you want it to be. Having worked in human services for decades, I am accustomed to not only seeing but meeting people in crisis and not feeling “their best selves.” But being disorganized is very common – so common that I and many others have careers assisting people with it! Please be assured that whatever you have to show me, “I’ve seen it before.” What I really notice is the courage and determination it takes to reach out for, and make use of, help in the first place.

Absolutely. I will take items for donation to any convenient charity of your choice upon completion of each session. I can also assist you with selling or finding other recipients for things like collections, specialty items, etc. I try to limit what goes into a landfill. And, sometimes finding the right recipient for a belonging can make it a lot easier to part with. For example, when my father knew his old film-making equipment was going to a local film school, he was thrilled.

You never have to part with anything you want to keep. My job is not to force you to get rid of things, but rather to help you make the best decisions for you. However, be aware that most disorganization stems partly from an overabundance of belongings – we generally have way more than we need or have room for. I will help you determine what you really want to keep, and how best to store those items in your space.

Please don’t! I can more accurately assess how you live in your home and what your needs are if I can see your space in its “natural” condition.

I’d really rather you didn’t. This is like putting the cart before the horse. We won’t know what you need until we determine what you really have. People are often surprised to discover how many of one thing they own, once their like-items are brought together. Additionally, I’d like to see what you already own that can be used to organize – we can save you a lot of money by finding new purposes for baskets, bins and other storage containers you already have.

Chances are good that you’re not a hoarder. People who hoard have a diagnosable psychiatric condition, and as such helping them requires a multilayered approach, including cognitive behavioral and possibly other therapy. More likely than not, you are simply chronically disorganized, and can learn new skills to become less so. Or maybe you’ve just gone through a tough stretch or life change and got overwhelmed. But if in fact you are struggling with hoarding disorder, I will help you access the resources you need to get better.

I coach people who recognize the power of having a partner to help navigate a challenge or “stuck place” in their life. As an organizer, I regularly partner with clients by modeling behavior, listening non-judgmentally and endeavoring to help them develop new awareness about how they operate. As a coach, I can help people transform their ideas and behaviors even more profoundly. Coaching combines what I offer from my training as a Marriage and Family Therapist – deep, reflective listening and trust in the client’s resourcefulness – and brings in action-oriented accountability. I could go on…Please see my coaching services page for more!