FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Because I work on a sliding scale, investing in my services is not just an investment in your own well-being, but also in the well-being of our community.  

• I don’t just dump your unwanted items at Goodwill. I ensure your belongings are donated where they are most needed or recycled with minimal impact to the planet. Please see my Sustainability page for more information on my donation and recycling partners.

• I help families set up systems and tools that support kids with household chores and independent play

• I help clients achieve their organizing goals by creating accountability and holding space for growth with compassion and curiosity

• I’m experienced in creating systems that support neurodiverse clients

• I help clients stay on track with appointment reminders and detailed emails after each organizing session to recap our progress and outline next steps

• I customize organized systems that suit the functional and aesthetic needs of your space, your circumstances and your uniquely wired brain

• I have broad experience with household products at a range of price points, including sustainable alternatives to plastics and disposables

• I give clients access to my trade discounts at Container Store, Mustard Made, Store Your Board and other retailers.

I mostly work in residential spaces, but have also organized cars and work spaces.

In residential spaces I do just about anything: grungy garages, palatial closets, cluttered kitchens, sprawling estates, tiny apartments, cars, storage units, file drawers, bathrooms, playrooms, and more. 

I don’t offer digital organizing. While I am happy to help with unpacking, I don’t provide hauling services or end-to-end management of household moves. 

PHASE 1: NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The process begins with a complimentary phone call to discuss your organizing needs. We'll talk about your past experience with organizing, what has or hasn't work, what type of storage you like, the needs and preferences of other family members who use the space, your project budget and more. We'll  build on that conversation at our first in-person organizing session, starting with a tour of the space to be organized. This step lays the foundation for our work together and will allow me to create a customized organization plan that meets your specific needs.

PHASE 2: SORT & SYSTEMIZE

The rest of our first session together (or several sessions, depending on the project) will be spent editing the items in your space. Typically, this involves taking inventory of what you have, grouping by category and editing what doesn’t belong. It’s helpful if, before I arrive, you pull any containers, bags or shoeboxes you have on hand to use as temporary storage. Depending on the project, we may work together or I may check in with you periodically while you do other things around the house. Unless otherwise agreed in advance, you should be home during our session. If you aren’t able to be home the entire time, please plan to be there for the first and last 30 minutes so we can discuss expectations and progress. We’ll work together to ensure your space is functional between sessions as there may be a gap of several days or weeks. The lag time is an opportunity to “beta test” the proposed organization plan so that it can be further refined at our next session. If you prefer to tackle the project on consecutive days, that is also an option, depending on product availability.

PHASE 3: STYLE & SUSTAIN
Once the space has been edited and systemized, it’s time to label and contain everything so you can find it quickly and easily. Depending on your preferences, we can repurpose containers you already have, or I can purchase new ones to better suit your needs and give the space a fresh new look. Lastly, we'll talk about how to maintain the system so that it continues to work for you .

NOTE:

Shopping is done between on-site sessions and is billed at the same hourly rate as organizing. When there are donations or specialty recycling to be dropped off, I will leave a half-hour before the end of our session to allow time for drop-off.

I work with clients of any race, religion, sexual orientation, body size or gender expression. I have additional training to help clients with ADHD.

I work with clients in a range of financial circumstances. Please see my rates page for more info. I also accept payment from financial management services that work with the Regional Center.

Clients must be ready to make a change. If you’re unhappy with your clutter, but not ready to let go of things, you are not ready for this process. 

I don’t currently work with hoarding clients. If you or someone close to you is affected by hoarding, you can find more information here.

My approach is influenced by my own experience as a late-diagnosed woman with ADHD parenting two neurodiverse kids. While no two people with ADHD or ASD are the same, I can relate to your challenges and help you set up your home to work with your uniquely wonderful brain.

I create solutions suited to each client’s unique needs, preferences, personality and circumstances. I can do simple systems or Pinterest perfection, and everything in-between.

I will be honest, kind and supportive. If you are getting in your own way on the path to an easier, happier, more organized life, I will tell you. I can give you a quick fix if that's what you need right now, and i'll be here to help you when you're ready to make meaningful change.

My approach is influenced by KC Davis, author of How to Keep House While Drowning, Cas Aarssen of Hot Mess House, Christine Platt, author of The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less, and Mari Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

If there is street cleaning or it parking is tight in your area, please let me know if advance.

If we'll be working in a newly built or renovated space, please make sure there is an accessible bathroom with hand soap and a trash can.

You don’t need to tidy up for me. You don’t need to feed me or make me coffee. I’m not here to judge, nor should you feel pressured to play host. I’m here to help YOU!

I firmly believe that everyone is doing the best they can. You are worthy because you are human, not because of how your home looks. If it feels good to you to be organized, I can help with that! No shame. No judgment.

The pace of the work will depend on how much stuff you have and how quickly you can make decisions about it. I’m here to listen, support you and hold you accountable to the intention we set at the beginning of each session. 

Projects involving stacks of paper or piles of tiny toys tend to take longer.

It’s best to keep a flexible mindset, trust me and trust the process! 

Most projects require several sessions to complete. We’ll work together to ensure your space is functional between sessions. Read more about my process.

To serve clients in a range of circumstances, I offer my services on a sliding scale. With all clients, my goal is to make a meaningful difference with every session. For clients who are capable of working independently but struggling with where to start, one or two sessions may be all that is needed to create a custom organization plan the client can carry out on their own. Clients can also save money by using containers they already have or sourcing secondhand containers from your local Buy Nothing group. I help defray the cost of new containers by giving clients access to my Container Store trade discount.

To serve clients in a range of circumstances, I offer my services on a sliding scale. 

Package Discounts: Packages are offered at a 10% discount in blocks of 16, 32 or 48 hours. Packages must be paid upfront and expire a year after purchase. My regular four-hour minimum applies when scheduling package sessions.

For clients eligible for the Regional Center Self-Determination Program, I will accept payment via an FMS.

If you have a big project or a tight deadline, I can bring assistants for an additional $40 per assistant, per hour. 

When a new client books a session based on an existing client referral, I offer one free hour of organizing towards the referring client’s next session as a gesture of gratitude.

Cleaning is removing dust and grime from surfaces. Organizing is finding a home for all of your belongings. Decluttering is editing your belongings so that you keep only what you want and need (the "sort" phase of my process). Tidying is putting everything back into its home. If your home is well-organized, tidying should be quick and easy - even for your kids!