Before I can answer that question, I need to tell you about an experience that I recently had.  On a teleclass, there was a comment made about the term "hoarders."  Until recently, it had been a term that I used much like the majority of people: to describe someone with an over abundance of stuff and who struggles to part with it.  (That is the basic definition; however, there are other important missing pieces like the distress that the clutter causes.)  The definition is not the where I am going…  The term HOARDER, is used to describe the person.  A person who probably does not first define themselves as a hoarder, but as a mother, a teacher, a wife, a daughter, a painter, a runner, a musician, etc.  When a person struggles with anxiety, depression, or bipolar, I do not refer to that client as the anxious or depressed.  That is out of line.  The better way to address the label, if it must be used, is to talk about the person first and the condition second: my client has a hoarding tendency, or my client struggles with depression.  

Do you work with Hoarders?
Yes, I do work with clients who struggle with hoarding tendencies.  I do not diagnose hoarding or any other mental or physical health conditions.  Many people who contact me asking about working with hoarders are either self-diagnosed or a family member who has diagnosed their loved one.  If you truly feel out of control and have concerns that you fit the criteria for a diagnosis as a hoarder, please seek medical advice in addition to contacting an organizer.  Organizers working in collaboration with mental health can be very beneficial to the client.  

Can you help my ____?
Yes, I can help your loved one, but they have to be on board.  Before I agree to meet with anyone in person for organizing help, I always request to talk by phone.  I need to talk with the client--the person who's treasures I will be sorting-- to be sure I am a good fit and it is not a hostile environment.  Remember, just because their way of living is not agreeable to you does not mean they think they need help, or want help. 

How quickly can you clean it up?
This is a tough question and I do not have a standard answer.  The situation did not escalate to the current state over night and I can not, and will not clean it up over night.  I firmly believe that in order to help the client process parting with their belongings, they need to be very hands on and make most of the decisions.  I always want the client to be in charge (not their family or myself.)  There is no typical timeline, and with any organizing client, it will be based on their needs.

How much will it cost?
Again, this depends greatly on the time that it takes and the need to bring in other service providers.  If the client has family and friends who are willing and able to help move stuff out, haul it away, etc, then it can save the client some money.  If it will only be the client and myself processing their keep, sell, toss/recycle, and donations then plan on it taking much longer.  Some clients will feel safer as the process moves forward to invite others to help.

NO BLAME OR SHAME ZONE!
Family and friends who are invited by the client to help with the sessions or homework are urged to not engage in blaming or shaming talk or behavior.  Clients who are in crisis are fragile and often are feeling some of those emotions already.  It is a big step to reach out for help or to allow others to offer it.  Encourage with positive talk and encouragement.  

Maintenance
Clearing out the excess clutter is only the beginning.  Clients who struggle with hoarding tendencies will need to learn some techniques for addressing their habits and spend time setting up systems to help them maintain their homes long term.  Again, I really suggest working with a therapist.  Consider finding someone who works with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT.)  You can find local therapists by contacting your insurance or looking online.  Psychology Today provides an online directory and you can specify what you are looking for.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you have about my work with clients.  I am always happy to answer questions by phone or email!

No matter the price of the listing, square footage, amenities, or lack there of…it is important to start your staging with curb appeal!  It is a little cliche, but it is true that first impressions are so important.  Put yourself in the buyers shoes.

You are eager to be looking for your new dream home: you have set a budget and been pre approved, gone through some discovery questions with a realtor, signed a contract, and have now scheduled time to go through some properties.  

You arrive at the first property:

• What is the first thing you notice when you pull up to the front of the house or pull in to the driveway?
  
• What is the last thing you notice? (As a seller, what is the last thing you WANT them to notice?)
• Are there any areas on the exterior of the home that require repair?  How is the paint?  Gutters? Trim?
• What is the condition of the driveway?
• What is the condition of the sidewalks or paths?
• Are there any areas of landscaping that are in disarray?
• Does the house look well maintained?  Siding, windows, roof?
• Is it clean?
• Do you feel at home?  Can you see yourself in the house and neighborhood?

As a seller, you have the ability to ramp up your staging curb appeal for minimal cost.  This will require some elbow grease and a little creativity.  I suggest you start by actually going to the curb and looking at your house.  Take a pen and paper and write down notes about what you see and answer the list of questions above.  Do you need to rent a pressure washer to clean the brick?  Repaint the mailbox?  Put the garbage cans in the garage?wash the windows?

Remember, that buyer will notice everything.  It is important to take care of any and all staging issues that you possibly can BEFORE listing the house on the market.  As a HSE Stager, I am trained to identify these issues that will detract buyers.  Also, your real estate agent should be doing a walk through with you to identify issues that will come up on the inspection.  (Be sure this is part of your contract with them.)  It is best to address these issues as soon as possible.  Some may take longer than you think to fix or may require a professional to complete.  


Show them why your house is the one <3 

This is a service that I have been excited to announce for 2014!  Until now, I would talk with clients by phone for consultations and then do all of our organizing in person.  For some clients, it was just not the right fit…so 2014 has brought Life: Organized into the age of Virtual Organizing or Coaching.  

Why would you use this service?

1. Location.  Simply stated, you may be outside our service area.  I did not want clients to feel abandoned if they would call for organizing help from outside my service area.  I often will help clients find someone closer to them, but in some cases there was not an organizer in their area that could provide the services that they needed.
2. Trust.  Inviting an organizer into your home can be a very stressful and overwhelming event for some clients, especially those with chronic disorganization.  Meeting me in person, face to face for virtual sessions allows clients to become more comfortable with me and my style, and allows us to build a trusting relationship.
3. Privacy.  If you are really struggling with organizing and resist inviting others in to your home, a virtual session may be a good fit.  During the session, you have control over what I can see much more than if I were at your home.  Virtual organizing is a good first step to getting the services that you need.
4. Commitment.  Virtual sessions are much shorter than a traditional organizing session with a client in their home.  Many clients like this for flexibility in scheduling.  They can work for an hour planning with me virtually and then implement the process when the time fits their schedules best.  
5. Cost.  Scheduling a virtual session is more affordable for clients with a tight budget.  The cost is reduced by not having travel time, gas, and car maintenance to factor in.  Also since the session is shorter, my followup will also take less time than a hands on organizing session.  

If you are interested in this service, please follow the link to the contact page to visit my schedule tool, email claire@lifeorganizedllc.com, call or tex 608-622-7678.  

In honor Spring... which should be arriving any time now ;-)  
Life: Organized would like to offer a special to new clients.  We know that hiring an organizer might seem like a scary and pricy endeavor, but it does not have to be.  We can have an assessment over the phone (always free), and then decide if you are ready to move forward working with us.  If not, no hard feelings, but if so...then let's get started!  

So what's the deal?!?
April 22nd through June 22nd, we would like to offer a free in-home assessment and a three hour session for the price of two hours.  (The session must be scheduled before June 30, 2013.)

Call or email today!
608.622. SORT (7678)
claire@lifeorganizedllc.com

In honor NAPO's GO month... Life: Organized would like to offer a special to new clients.  We know that hiring an organizer might seem like a scary and pricy endeavor, but it does not have to be.  We can have an assessment over the phone (always free), and then decide if you are ready to move forward working with us.  If not, no hard feelings, but if so...then let's get started!  

So what's the deal?!?
During the month of January, we would like to offer a free in-home assessment and a three hour session for the price of two hours.  The session must be scheduled before February 15, 2013.