Following my last blog post we continue with organizing our client’s small 2 bedroom apartment. Our first working session began a week after the initial consultation and needs assessment.
Storage shelves start us off on the right foot
We started with bringing in three 5 shelf storage units to be used in the storage/dryer room. We then pulled everything out of the room, uninstalled the existing shelf and rod and then erected and placed our new units along the perimeter of the room. This was an instant facelift with 8 times more storage capability than previously available. Once the items we pulled from the room were sorted and pared down, then set up specific zones on the shelves for different categories. As our client was a sports enthusiast, we had a category for swimming gear, camping gear & general sports, as well as zones for cleaning accessories, kitchen overstock, footwear, paper goods and laundry. We also installed hooks on the available wall space to hang up other sports gear, chairs and sports bags. In a tiny room such as this one, making the most of every inch of available wall space was critical.
We made sure to have a few empty shelves as well in order to accommodate other items we knew would be moving into the storage room as we processed the rest of the house over the ensuing weeks.
Lastly, we dealt with the tangled mess of brooms and other cleaning equipment by installing a compact broom holder on the open vertical space on the wall, discarding the unused items and hanging up all the cleaning equipment, off the floor and within easy reach for the client. No more frustration with retrieving a Swiffer mop and having a bunch of other items fall down!
Kitchen ware was excessive
The kitchen was next on the agenda. Notably, our client had not really been cooking in her kitchen due to the lack of available space and cooking area. This was a major concern for her so our goal was to ensure that once we were done she would be in a great position to begin cooking once more.
Over the past couple of years Ms. E. has accumulated an excessive amount of dishware that was kindly handed over to her from others. Without being able to say no, her cupboards were overrun with duplicate items not needed and never used.
As we sorted all the dishware into categories the duplication was evident and this made it much easier for Ms. E. to make decisions as to what to give away for donation. Often times if we can’t actually see displayed in front of us how much we have of one item we don’t realize the excess. With our methodical way of processing a room our clients are able to make clearly informed decisions. We came armed with boxes and clear bags for donation and they were quickly filled by our client as we moved through the items.
Much of the food had expired
Once the dishware had been processed we placed items back in the cupboards in a more organized and functional fashion based on how the client moved throughout the kitchen performing various tasks.
Next was the food pantry and cupboards. As it was been quite some time since our client was able to cook in the kitchen, it was not surprising that a number of food items were well past the expiry dates.
Mice!
Much to our client’s horror we also came across a good deal of mouse droppings evidencing a mouse issue. Some holes in the cabinets were located under the sink where the mice were coming in. Using some steel wool and some laundry dryer sheets (mice don’t like those) we temporarily plugged the hole until the landlord could deal with the issue. Many food items were tossed out into the trash and any unopened items that had not expired but that the client no longer wanted were placed in donation boxes. Once this step was completed we purposefully took all the trash outside together with the recycling and then placed all the donation items into our client’s vehicle so that the next time she was in her car she would be compelled to drop off the donations at her charity of choice.
Viola! Empty shelves!
The next step in this process was to determine our method of containing some of the food items in the pantry. Taking a cursory review of what was left I made a list of the organizing products that would be useful to maximize Ms. E’s pantry and cupboard space. We then organized the food into the cupboards and pantry and Ms. E. was quite excited to see that she actually had some empty cupboard space. With this session nearing an end, we took our list and completed shopping of the items at our client’s request and on her behalf.
Just before I left our client’s site we discussed waste management in the kitchen. This was important because the current method of garbage collection was taking up space on her floor and her counter top. I suggested some cost and space efficient methods to contain compost, recycling and trash in the kitchen and included these items on our shopping list.
This way when we came for the next session we would be fully equipped with all the products needed to finalize the kitchen set up. In the meantime, we left Ms. E. with a fully functional kitchen with plenty of space to not only store dishware and food items but also to cook. She was so thrilled to be able to cook her first meal in a long time in her newly found kitchen space and that very night she did just that. In just one session we were able to make a huge change and began to transform her life. Her smile said it all. Stay tuned for what happened next.
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5 Steps to an Organized Home Office
in Home OfficeNo matter what you use your home office for, one thing always remains the same. It’s hard to concentrate and get quality work done if your space is a cluttered mess. But don’t worry. In this post I’ll share 5 simple steps to help you organize your home office and make sure that it stays clutter free.
Remove Everything
An effective way to start the organization process is to first remove everything off your desk (other than your computer, monitor, and heavier items like a printer) and to lay everything out in piles on the floor. You should also do the same with your desk drawers, cabinets, and shelves. Now is also the perfect time to properly dust, clean, and wax all surfaces.
Group Like Things Together
Once you’ve removed everything from your desk, drawers, cabinets, and shelves, begin to group like things together: books with books, bills with bills, office supplies with office supplies – you get the idea. Not only will this help you figure out how much space each category of items requires, but it will also help you sort though duplicate or outdated materials that you’ve accumulated over time.
Prioritize
At this point you should have gotten rid of any items that you don’t need. Now you can start moving all of your essential items back to your desk, shelves, cabinets, and drawers. Your desktop should have as little on it as possible – otherwise it will look cluttered and will leave you with inadequate space to work. Make sure to give everything a specific place so that you can always find it easily. Place all of your frequently used items in easy to reach areas and stow away items that are not used frequently in less accessible areas.
Go Paperless
One of the best ways to prevent clutter and piles of paper is to opt for the “paperless” option when it comes to your credit card statements, cell phone bills, and so on. Remember, you can always print out any essential items. Worried that you’ll miss a payment if you don’t get your statement in the mail? You can set up automatic payments. Consider using a cloud service such as Evernote or Dropbox to organize your documents. I’ve written about Evernote before, you can read some great ways to organize using Evernote here. Once you go paperless, you won’t ever want to go back!
Set Aside 10 Minutes to Clean
Congrats, your home office is now clean and organized! The goal is to keep it that way, right? To do that, try setting aside ten minutes at the end of each day to tidy up your space and get ready for the next day. This isn’t the easiest habit to form, but believe me; this pays off in the long run!
If you follow these 5 easy steps, you should be well on your way to getting your home office organized, and more importantly, keeping it organized. And to make the process more fun, take a look at my previous blog post, 3 Free Applications that Make Organizing and Cleaning Fun. Let me know in the comments below if you found these 5 steps helpful or if you have any questions you can contact me here!
Protect Your Kids Online With Back to School Safety Tips
in Misc, Organizing with KidsIt’s that time of the year when we have to think about getting our children organized for back to school. Not only does this mean back to school shopping for clothing items and school accessories, but it also means thinking of your child’s needs for mobile technology
With the purchase of mobile technology and the use of the Internet, getting your ground rules organized for mobile/Internet safety is critical. Cyber bullying is on the rise and with most children social networking and media sharing are common every day events. As such its important get some ground rules organized with your children to keep them safe.
Five Common Household Items You Can Use To Organize Your Home
in Home OrganizingStore-bought organization tools are great, but with some creativity and an open mind, you can transform everyday household items into organizational goldmines! Who says that you can’t have a beautifully organized home without spending extra money?
1. Mason Jars – Mason jars are all the rage right now. Trendy restaurants are using them to serve drinks and desserts, brides are opting to use them as part of wedding décor as flower vases, and lots of people use them to pack salads and other lunch options. It should come as no surprise that there are hundreds of ways to use the trusty mason jar as an organization tool at home. For example, they are a wonderful way to display and easily sort spices, pasta and other items in your pantry. They are also great for organizing craft materials and home office supplies. Run a quick search on Pinterest for “mason jars” or “mason jar home organization” and you’ll find tones of super cool ideas!
2. Rubber Bands – Don’t throw out the rubber bands from your morning paper, there are plenty of uses for them! The obvious use for rubber bands is to use them to secure bundles of loose pens, crayons and other writing instruments. Items like these can occupy unnecessary space in or on your desk and bundling them together will leave you with more room for other items. In the mood for something more original? A more creative use for rubber bands is to wrap one or two bands around both ends of your clothes hangers to keep your delicate camisoles and strappy dresses from slipping off.
3. Tissue Paper Boxes – Nowadays tissue paper boxes are very pretty and come in a vast variety of patterns, colors, and textures. When the tissues run out, don’t throw the box out! Did you know that you could use a tissue paper box as a plastic bag holder that can dispense plastic grocery bags with ease? Just stuff your empty grocery bags into an old tissue box and then pull them out one at a time when you need them! You can store your new dispenser in your pantry, a drawer, in your car or under your kitchen sink for easy access.
4. Toilet Paper Tubes – Bear with me on this one. I know that cardboard toilet paper tubes aren’t the prettiest things around, but boy, are they useful. For one thing you can insert the tubes into a small cardboard box and secure them with tape. This creation can now be used as a storage solution for scissors, pencils and other office supplies! Another great way to use toilet paper tubes is as holders for cables. This keeps them from getting tangled and looking unsightly.
5. Hanging Shoe Organizer – Hanging shoe organizers are a home organizer’s best friend. They are great for storing shoes and keeping them off the ground, but did you know that there are lots of other ways to re-purpose this popular invention? Use a spare hanging shoe organizer to store your cleaning supplies, laundry products, hair products, or clunky jewelry. You can attach shorter organizers to cabinets and hang longer ones on doors. The possibilities are really endless with one of these.
Can you think of any other household items that can be transformed into organization solutions? Let me know in the comments below!
Part 3 of Organizing a 2 bedroom home
in Downsizing, Home OrganizingFinalizing the kitchen set up.
The next step was to finalize the kitchen with the organizing products I purchased on her behalf. We created a lot more space in her panty using clear acrylic bins to contain her sauce packages and packages of spice, as well as to contain things like nuts, rice and pastas. We even got all her vitamins and supplements off the kitchen counter and behind a cupboard within easy reach for her everyday use. I also mounted her kitchen green bin on the inside of her cabinet door and placed a new slim line recycle and garbage bin inside her cabinet. Ms. E. now had compost, recycle and garbage all under her counter, out of sight and easy to reach.
Onto the Living/Dining Room?
Ms. E’s current dining room was a catastrophe. She barely had room to walk around, never mind to eat on the table. It was piled with boxes of papers, bags from various stores still filled with items purchased and never removed, various miscellaneous items and lots of junk. The floor was almost completely covered with clothing and a ton or merchandise from her sideline business she had been operating. In reality, her home was so disorganized and chaotic Ms. E. was actually unable to run her business because her products and supplies were almost unreachable. One of her goals was to get back to it and I was going to help her reach that goal.
The dining room was jammed with too much furniture, some of it hand me downs from others and the set up of the entire living and dining room cut off the entire space so it looked much smaller than it actually was. Ms. E. also had an office area set up in the living room that was not at all functional or efficient. Our goal was to move her office to the spare bedroom, set up and organize her living area and dining area so she could finally entertain in her home.
Need to open up some space.
In order to begin to work on the living/dining area, we first needed to open up space and perform a temporary organization set up in the spare room, enabling us to then move the office furniture and related items in. Lots of items found in the spare room were targeted for donation. There were two dressers and a tall filing cabinet in this room which were crammed full of various items in no order whatsoever. Every single item was removed and sorted so that Ms. E. could make decisions on whether to toss, donate, sell or give to friends or family. Excess furniture was also removed from this room and placed on her front lawn by the curb. Within minutes some students from the private school across from her home were happy to retrieve an old style tube TV, coffee table and some chairs as well as an old dining table (Ms. E. had two of these). That’s one way to donate!
It wasn’t long before the spare room was ready. Now it was time to create some space in the living/dining area so that we could move things around and into the spare room. I was simply thrilled to work on this particular project and couldn’t wait for the next session. My client felt the same.
Attacking the dining room first
Getting back to our client’s home for the next session couldn’t come fast enough for me. An old dining room server was removed completely, some broken lamps discarded and about 4 bags and boxes of items for donation were loaded in Ms. E’s car. We filled 3 large blue bins with paper recycling and another bankers’ box full of paper to be shredded, plus another 2 bags of trash were put out to the curb. With the excess items and furniture out-of-the-way we were able to start sliding furniture from the spare room out into the living room and then the office furniture from the living room into the spare room. My plan was coming together nicely. The entire space was opening up and for the first time Ms. E. could see how large her living/dining area really was and was able to visualize the end result!
All the business related items, office supplies, craft supplies, wrapping supplies and gift items were allocated to the spare room. We moved one of the low chest dressers into the living room for storage and for a place for a new television. A love seat that was previously in the spare room was moved into the living room together with an occasional chair and another coffee table that Ms. E. has hiding under a pile of stuff. All the furniture was strategically placed for entertaining, keeping an open concept for conversation. The dining room was rearranged and a large wall unit that had previously been acting as a separator between the living/dining area was relocated to a wall along the dining area. That unit was then used to house a wonderful collection of books and other decorative items, giving the space a completely new look and feel. We even hung pictures on the wall which had been sitting on the floor for the past 3 years. Now the entire living and dining area was completely organized, decorated and ready for entertaining! See the before and after, above!
Organizing a 2 bedroom home – Part 2
in Downsizing, Home OrganizingStorage shelves start us off on the right foot
We started with bringing in three 5 shelf storage units to be used in the storage/dryer room. We then pulled everything out of the room, uninstalled the existing shelf and rod and then erected and placed our new units along the perimeter of the room. This was an instant facelift with 8 times more storage capability than previously available. Once the items we pulled from the room were sorted and pared down, then set up specific zones on the shelves for different categories. As our client was a sports enthusiast, we had a category for swimming gear, camping gear & general sports, as well as zones for cleaning accessories, kitchen overstock, footwear, paper goods and laundry. We also installed hooks on the available wall space to hang up other sports gear, chairs and sports bags. In a tiny room such as this one, making the most of every inch of available wall space was critical.
We made sure to have a few empty shelves as well in order to accommodate other items we knew would be moving into the storage room as we processed the rest of the house over the ensuing weeks.
Lastly, we dealt with the tangled mess of brooms and other cleaning equipment by installing a compact broom holder on the open vertical space on the wall, discarding the unused items and hanging up all the cleaning equipment, off the floor and within easy reach for the client. No more frustration with retrieving a Swiffer mop and having a bunch of other items fall down!
Kitchen ware was excessive
The kitchen was next on the agenda. Notably, our client had not really been cooking in her kitchen due to the lack of available space and cooking area. This was a major concern for her so our goal was to ensure that once we were done she would be in a great position to begin cooking once more.
Over the past couple of years Ms. E. has accumulated an excessive amount of dishware that was kindly handed over to her from others. Without being able to say no, her cupboards were overrun with duplicate items not needed and never used.
As we sorted all the dishware into categories the duplication was evident and this made it much easier for Ms. E. to make decisions as to what to give away for donation. Often times if we can’t actually see displayed in front of us how much we have of one item we don’t realize the excess. With our methodical way of processing a room our clients are able to make clearly informed decisions. We came armed with boxes and clear bags for donation and they were quickly filled by our client as we moved through the items.
Much of the food had expired
Once the dishware had been processed we placed items back in the cupboards in a more organized and functional fashion based on how the client moved throughout the kitchen performing various tasks.
Next was the food pantry and cupboards. As it was been quite some time since our client was able to cook in the kitchen, it was not surprising that a number of food items were well past the expiry dates.
Mice!
Much to our client’s horror we also came across a good deal of mouse droppings evidencing a mouse issue. Some holes in the cabinets were located under the sink where the mice were coming in. Using some steel wool and some laundry dryer sheets (mice don’t like those) we temporarily plugged the hole until the landlord could deal with the issue. Many food items were tossed out into the trash and any unopened items that had not expired but that the client no longer wanted were placed in donation boxes. Once this step was completed we purposefully took all the trash outside together with the recycling and then placed all the donation items into our client’s vehicle so that the next time she was in her car she would be compelled to drop off the donations at her charity of choice.
Viola! Empty shelves!
The next step in this process was to determine our method of containing some of the food items in the pantry. Taking a cursory review of what was left I made a list of the organizing products that would be useful to maximize Ms. E’s pantry and cupboard space. We then organized the food into the cupboards and pantry and Ms. E. was quite excited to see that she actually had some empty cupboard space. With this session nearing an end, we took our list and completed shopping of the items at our client’s request and on her behalf.
Just before I left our client’s site we discussed waste management in the kitchen. This was important because the current method of garbage collection was taking up space on her floor and her counter top. I suggested some cost and space efficient methods to contain compost, recycling and trash in the kitchen and included these items on our shopping list.
This way when we came for the next session we would be fully equipped with all the products needed to finalize the kitchen set up. In the meantime, we left Ms. E. with a fully functional kitchen with plenty of space to not only store dishware and food items but also to cook. She was so thrilled to be able to cook her first meal in a long time in her newly found kitchen space and that very night she did just that. In just one session we were able to make a huge change and began to transform her life. Her smile said it all. Stay tuned for what happened next.
Creating organization out of chaos in a 2 bedroom home
in Downsizing, Home Office, Home OrganizingEmbarrassed and unable to enjoy her home
Before she picked up the phone to call me for help she had been living in her rented 2 bedroom home for a few years without being able to actually cook meals in her kitchen, sit down in her living room or work in her office. She rarely had friends or family over as she was embarrassed by the condition of her living space and felt socially isolated in this regard. A professional career woman with an active sports life, she was not only rarely home to tackle an organizing project, but she was also challenged with complicated family and work issues that appeared to overcome her ability to live in a healthy and functional way.
The beginning of change
Her phone call to me changed her life. Finally being able to see the problem, having the support of family and being in a position to want change to occur she called me for an initial consultation and needs assessment.
She presented as a wonderfully kind and funny individual with a great sense of humour who was clearly struggling to get her life in order. During the assessment she became quite emotional at times, identified her embarrassment at having me see her place in the state it was yet was excited to get the project started.
Where do we start?
It was easy for me to see where we had to start in her home. There was an extremely limited amount of storage space available so creativity was the name of the game and we targeted the only actual “storage room” (the furnace/dryer area) to begin. This cluttered, small room was the first space one actually viewed when coming in the front door. This room had no door itself and with no effective way to store items, everything was haphazardly tossed in with little room to even reach the dryer for laundry. It certainly was not a nice view for the client when coming home from a hectic day at work.
First order of business is to create some storage space
Therefore, before we could even start to organize any other space in her home we first needed to create some functional storage in this particular room. It currently only had one small shelf and a hanging rod which was beginning to loosen from the wall. In the space was also the dryer, hot water tank, a plethora of sports equipment, clothes, cleaning supplies, foot wear and miscellaneous items that were not readily accessible.
It’s hard for me to explain how excited I was to begin this project. I had wished I could begin that very day however there was some planning to take care of, some homework to assign the client as well as some preliminary items for me to pick up on behalf of the client so we could get that particular space set up, organized and ready for the storage of items that were in fact relevant to this client’s current life.
My client was completely on board with the project, expressed a great amount of enthusiasm and we were both itching to get started! I’m so lucky to be able to make such positive change in my client’s lives. My next few posts will follow this project along as we give this wonderful lady her life back!
Organizing and Downsizing with Seniors: A Case Study – Final
in Downsizing, Home OrganizingThe goal for our clients was to get the room in shape so that in the event family and friends were visiting and stayed over there would be a comfortable and safe place for them to sleep. This included their much-loved grandchildren.
Another health hazard
From the amount of dust that had accumulated in this room it was clear that it had been impossible to clean with all the items that filled the room. Dust was literally caked on most surfaces and the carpeting and was not only a health issue but it was clearly in dire need of a good cleaning. Staining from spilled liquids was evident in many sections of the room.
Working with an organizing assistant we methodically sorted and categorized all items. We brought in our working table and placed it in the hallway adjacent to the guest room, using it as a staging station for smaller items. When working with older clients it’s very important that we don’t require them to continually bend to review items. Therefore the table works very well for easy review of items we sort.
There was quite a bit of furniture in this room and many drawers to empty. There was also a closet which required emptying as well as desks and side tables.
Anger and sensitivity
At one point Mr. X came up to the room needing to have a talk with me about Mrs. X. She was apparently quite angry with him over the state of clutter in the home and in this room in particular. She was feeling embarrassed by the dust and debris and Mr. X was feeling the strain in their relationship. He was sincerely concerned about the level of anger expressed by Mrs. X and asked me whether that level of anger was “normal” in these situations and whether I had come across this type of behaviour before. He stated that he had never seen Mrs. X this angry and he was quite worried about it. It was also evident that he did not know how to deal with it. My assistant, sensing the sensitive nature of my discussion with Mr. X, quietly left the room so that we could talk without Mr. X feeling embarrassed.
Organizers are often called to counsel clients as well
It’s not unusual that in my role as a professional organizer I also play the role of confidant, counsellor and teacher. While Mr. X. shared his personal concerns I listened attentively, providing reassurance and understanding. Only when he asked for advice did I actually provide him with some solid ideas to communicate with Mrs. X. in an open and understanding manner and help him to understand what was behind Mrs. X’s emotions. He found this very helpful and later in the day he spent some time with Mrs. X working through some of the issues.
In the meantime, rather than be downstairs with Mrs. X., Mr. X preferred to give her some breathing room and time to cool down so he decided to stay upstairs with myself and my assistant. It was as if being with us was a safe haven for him at that particular time. It was easy for me to sense this by his actions, verbal and non-verbal clues. I therefore provided him with some simple tasks for him to complete, keeping in mind his physical restrictions. I did not want Mr. X. working in the guest room directly due to the thick dust and his respiratory issues so I made him comfortable in an adjacent room with a task that would keep him occupied and feeling useful until the air had settled between him and his wife.
By the completion of this session we had not only transformed the guest room into a functional space for visitors but also created various zones in the room for the storage of children’s toys, storage for Mrs. X and storage of extra linens. And just as important, Mrs. X. was thrilled with the results and was joking, teasing, smiling and cuddling up with Mr. X quite nicely. He had a great big smile on his face when we left! All was well once again. Another happy client!
Organizing and Downsizing with Seniors: A Case Study Part 4
in Downsizing, Home OrganizingYou will recall that in my last post we had ended up discovering a sticky mess underneath all the items that had been piled inside the main floor storage closet. It seems to have been a result of pop cans leaking and pop bottles spilling over.
Mold problems
Due to the dampness of the floor from the pop leaks which I believe had existed for over one year, I also discovered some minor mold around one corner of the baseboard. I quickly donned my face mask and warned my clients about the mold issue. Although not a significant problem in this case, mold can be very hazardous to deal with as mold spores can enter the air causing serious respiratory issues. Since my client suffered from asthma, this was especially concerning. Being careful not to disturb the mold I continued to clean out the remainder of the closet and sprayed down the sticky mess with cleaning solution. Due to the physical and mobility issues for my clients I didn’t want them trying to clean up the mess so I grabbed a scrub brush and spent a good deal of time removing the gunk from the floor. No sense in getting a closet organized and leaving it dirty. We always clean out a space entirely and do the job right.
Making decisions
With the closet cleaned and emptied and flagging the mold issue for my clients so they could have a contractor come in to properly and safely correct the problem, I brought my clients over to all the categorized items that were pulled from the closet and displayed around various staging areas I had set up in the house. One by one they quickly made decisions as I bagged and boxed the contents that would not be placed back in the closet.
We ended up with 6 clear garbage bags and 4 large boxes of items slated for donation, plus 6 large green trash bags for garbage. Two boxes of items were also set aside for family members.
The next step was to return items back to the closet in an organized and efficient fashion and one where my clients could easily access what they required on a regular basis. We ultimately organized this area into several zones. One was for paper goods, such as paper towels, toilet tissue, Kleenex, paper plates and napkins. We also had a zone for the storage of alcohol and related items, overstock kitchen house ware items as well as a zone for handy tools used frequently on that floor.
5 minutes to spare
When I was 5 minutes from the end of our 3 hour session the entire closet was organized and I was ready to move the trash items into the garage for the next curb side pickup. Phew! Before doing that I brought my clients over to the closet for the “reveal”. They were very thrilled with the outcome and quite surprised at how spacious it was. I described to them how we created specific zones for the different types of items and explained how to maintain the system.
I then took the time to load my client’s vehicle with the donation bags and boxes so that they could bring the items to their charity of choice the next time they left in their car. They ultimately left right after our session because they were so thrilled with the process and being able not only get the items out of the house but also to know that they would be going to a another home for someone else to use.
There was good feeling all around. It was decided that the next space on which to focus for this project would be the guest room. I’ll tell you how we started on that project in our next post. Stay tuned!
Organizing And Downsizing With Seniors – A Case Study Part 3
in Downsizing, Home Organizing, Moving SeniorsContinuing with the tour
Moving along with our tour of the issues of concern for my clients, the third room was a spare bedroom that had been taken over with a variety of household items. This room had become a dumping zone. It’s not so unusual that, after getting home from busy day you drop items off wherever you happen to be and then forget about them. The issue is that if this is done repeatedly over a long period of time, a space can slowly fill up to the point that you cannot even clean the room, dust or vacuum. This then becomes a health issue. This is especially true if you suffer from asthma or other respiratory issues. My clients wanted this room to be able to be used for grand children when they visited however it was absolutely impossible at the moment. Clutter and dust littered every surface.
Safety issues are a real concern
Next up on the tour was the basement. Going down the stairs we had to be careful because items had been placed on the sides of the stairs. This is a real safety issue, particularly for older couples that may be challenged with mobility issues. Tripping and slipping on items is a real concern. Mrs. X. stayed upstairs while I toured the space with Mr. X. There were pathways in which to make your way around the congested finished basement area however it was often necessary to step over items and manoeuvre. It was evident that the basement project alone was a large undertaking, one that I was excited to dig into.
So the tour of the spaces was completed and we settled back up on the living room to talk about time estimates, costs and next steps.
Next steps
The scheduled session to begin the project focused on the closet space with the overflow pantry items. During the consultation, in my mind I had estimated 3 hours to complete the organization of this space. However when I returned for the actual session and opened the closet it seemed to me that there was at least another foot of items piled on top of what had already been there. Either that or I had forgotten exactly what it looked like, which is entirely possible. Often times I take photos of the space we are working on, not only for my own reminder purposes but also for education and training for my staff. In this instance our client had asked that photos not be taken so we of course honored and respected that request.
Fast and furious to sort and categorize
I knew I had to work fast to completely empty the closet, sort and categorize all the contents and then work with the client to make decisions on what was to stay and what was to go. I worked crazy fast that day wanted to ensure I was out and finished in 3 hours as scheduled, but as I plowed through more and more items I discovered there was a bevy of alcohol bottles hidden on shelving so I had to move carefully. When I reached the bottom of the closet several pop bottles and cans had leaked and burst so there was quite a sticky mess on the floor.
I’ll carry on with this case study in my next post and will talk about the final stages of the closet project and where we went from there. Stay tuned!
I wonder if any of you reading this post have every discovered a wet mess on the bottom of your closets? Write in and let me know how you handled it.
Organizing and Downsizing with Seniors – A Case Study Part 2
in Downsizing, Home OrganizingFacilitating change
Facilitating change and effective communication was essential in this particular project. After 40 years together in the same home in which they raised their children and now entertained their grandchildren Mr. & Mrs. X had a lifetime of possessions to sort through which was causing tension and strain in their relationship. This can be an incredibility horrendous undertaking for most people, and even more so for those with physical limitations. And life happens. People get busy with their work, hobbies and family (the important things in life) and typically the last item on their “to do” list is to get to that pile of papers in the office or sort through the “spare room” that has turned into a dump zone for storage and other “stuff”. Although they had no immediate plans to downsize to a smaller home, they knew the state of certain rooms in their house was not healthy and they wanted to simplify their lives.
Taking a tour
Therefore, once the initial information gathering stage of the consult was completed we moved on to take a tour of the spaces that were cause for concern. Our first stop was a closet area that was used as an overflow for pantry items and apparently everything else. When I opened up the closet I came face to face with 5 feet of “stuff” that seemed to have been quickly tossed inside. There appeared to be some shelving along the perimeter which was also packed with items. I asked a few questions with respect to how they wanted the closet to be used, calculated the time it would take to tackle the space and we moved on.
Next up was the “hobby room”. The door was tightly closed and upon entering it was evident that the door would not open completely due to obstructions within the room itself. I made my way inside, carefully stepping over various objects, jotting down notes and again asking questions about the room. Mrs. X was very embarrassed by the state of this particular room and I reassured her that I was there to offer solutions and not to make judgments.
Disneyland!
It’s not uncommon for me to feel a sense of excitement when I go through various rooms in a particular project because I know that when I finish my work I will have made such an amazing transformation for my clients. Almost immediately I’m able to get a vision for the room and get an itch to get started right away. It’s almost comical how excited I get and I don’t hesitate to tell my clients that I can’t wait to get started. It’s like Disneyland for me!
In my next post I’ll continue with this project and the steps we took to achieve change. It was such a wonderful challenge and so exciting!