Michelle, a Therapist

This client found out about my business at a recent event. She had bid on and won 3 free hours of organizing as a Silent Auction fundraiser and was eager to make some changes in her home. We started by spending some time talking about overall goals and looking around the house. She asked for my suggestion as to what would be the most efficient use of the 3 hours. Although there were several areas that definitely needed to be decluttered and organized, I knew that the biggest payback would come from spending time organizing in the most frequently used rooms in the house.

This client has a fairly large kitchen, but there never seemed to be enough counter space. Counters were covered with items ranging from those used everyday to items used only occasionally. She likes the idea of things being handy and easy to reach, but I explained that if everything is “handy”, this doesn’t leave much space to work. Counters end up looking cluttered. And once clutter starts in an area, more things inevitably get piled on top, even if they don’t necessarily belong there.

We worked with each countertop area individually, taking off everything on the counter and cleaning the surface. Then, I asked her to identify the items that are used every day and to place them back on the counter in the ideal spot. We looked at every remaining item and decided whether it was needed at all, how often it was used, and if there was a better location than the counter. Following this same pattern with every surface, we were able to finish every kitchen surface. The overall look and feel of the kitchen was greatly improved. I look forward to hearing how these changes affect the efficiency of daily kitchen use as well.

Before (left) and After (right) on the kitchen counter

Before (left) and After (right) on the kitchen desk