What is an assessment?
All packages include a complimentary assessment. The assessment can be in person or virtual and takes place in the client’s home. Each assessment varies anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. How long the assessment lasts is determined by the client. The purpose of the assessment is to get a better idea of what your vision is for your space, how involved the project is, approximately how long the project will take and an estimated cost for the project. Together we come up with a customized plan for moving forward that accommodates your schedule and your budget. It’s really just a way for us to get a better idea of how we can help you and all assessments require no commitment. Assessments outside a 25 mile radius are subject to a 100.00 fee and that fee can be applied to the initial booking, if booked during the assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How available do I need to be during the process?
While there are points in the process that will require your presence, the first and last phase are optional. Working with our clients or working solo is left up to the preference of the client. Once we’ve extracted the items from your space an sorted them into categories (with or without the presence of the client) the client is then called in for a decisions session where we decide what stays and what goes, together. This point in the process is crucial to the end result. The more available you can be during this phase, the faster the process will go and therefore the less cost incurred. If, for some reason, you cannot be available then the sorted categories will be organized back into the original space with very little reduction—missing a great opportunity to rid yourself of so many things that have been getting in your way.
What if my mess is too much?
We have yet to see a mess that was too much for us! It’s possible that you’re judging yourself too harshly. That isn’t uncommon. The easiest way to get a reliable answer to that question is for you to show us your mess and tell us your vision. We see every mess like a puzzle looking for a solution. We are excited for the opportunity to provide a solution. It just takes one call to set up your complimentary assessment and that can be done virtually or in person. There is nothing to lose. No one deserves the self loathing that accompanies excess and overwhelm. A little bit of help goes a long way.
Do you work with assistants?
I do work with assistants! When it makes sense to do so. Following the initial assessment, I consider the time line and the intensity of the project then determine how many assistants will make the work most convenient for our clients. When you purchase a package, you are purchasing labor hours. If three organizers work for 6 hours, that is equivalent to 18 organizing hours. The price doesn’t change but the work gets done faster—allowing our clients to get on with living their best lives!
Are you going to throw away all of my stuff?
The short answer is, definitely not. The middle of the organizing process does include a decluttering session. The purpose of that session is to make certain that any of the sorted items being organized back into the original space are items that the client intends to be there. The goal is to create an intentional space. No decisions are made prior to that decluttering stage and all decisions are made with the clients approval. We are hyper aware that the items you have entrusted to our care, are your items and we make sure that these decisions are yours to make—with our help of course. Generally speaking, we aim for a 30% reduction that includes any trash that might be part of the organizing process. Whether you are ready to part with 30% or some larger number, that is entirely up to you. We like making that possible for you. Being willing is key.
What does ”Done” look like?
The finishing touches to any project are determined by the aesthetic that the client prefers. The possibilities are wide open. We can utilize what you’ve already purchased or what you already own or some combination of the two. If you’re looking for a whole new look, we can work with you to make your Pinterest dreams come true. This work is about creating function and accessibility so that your life isn’t hindered by the excess or the less thought out design. The aesthetics are the fun part. It’s all about your vision and it’s our job to help you get there!
Do you offer virtual organizing services?
I do offer virtual organizing sessions as well as virtual group sessions. Individual sessions are scheduled on Mondays. Group sessions are scheduled on Sundays. Individual sessions are 100.00 an hour with a 1 hr minimum and Group sessions are 20.00 an hr with a minimum of 3 people and a maximum of 5. All sessions require a target project that is submitted prior to the session and are conducted through a series of assigned tasks. Work can be included as part of the session or happen offline depending on the clients preference. Group sessions are a two hour minimum and a 6 hour maximum. All sessions receive expert guidance from our lead organizer and take place over a Zoom call. You can schedule your preferred type of session here:
How do you handle privacy for your clients?
The privacy of our clients is a top priority for myself and my team. We consider our clients names an addresses private as well as any items we see in our clients homes, their routines or details we learn along the way. While we do take before and after photos for documentation purposes, we do not share personal details about those photos publicly, without permission. How our clients feel about their experience of working with us, matters greatly to us. This is an intimate process and we afford it the respect it deserves.
Do you work with hoarders?
This is an interesting question. While we aren’t certified to work with hoarders, there is a wide range of disorganization that falls solidly within our wheel house. We often encounter clients who refer to themselves as a hoarder. We also encounter clients whose family or friends refers to them as a hoarder and in every case thus far, our service was appropriate for the project. This happens because the word “Hoarder” gets thrown around a lot and is very often an exaggeration or a misunderstanding of what hoarding is. Life gets in the way sometimes and our world piles up in a way that makes it hard to function. That can be pretty intense but is not, by default, hoarding. I always recommend setting up a complimentary assessment before assuming that our client’s most harsh judgements about themselves don’t override our ability to help them. The defining attribute between who we are qualified to work for and who we are not, is whether or not the client is committed to letting go of the items that are in their way. If a client can’t see a 30% reduction as a reasonable goal then our process likely won’t work for them.
If you’re interested in more information on assessing whether or not you or someone who matters to you is or is a hoarder, the center for chronic disorganization has great ways to help you do that. Check them out here:
Do I need to declutter before organizing?
We also work with clients whose homes are disorganized but not necessarily overwhelmed by excess. These clients are hungry for a more functional organization of their space that works for their lifestyle. Decluttering is still a part of the process but isn’t the main focus. We work with these clients to understand their needs so that we can derive new systems that support their vision of a home that works for them rather than against them.
For clients who are overwhelmed by excess, decluttering is a necessary part of the process. We do this in a systematic way that makes the decisions easier to process. Our purpose is to provide guidance that makes it easier to identify the items they don’t need or that have been consistently in their way and are unnecessary. We do our best to make this experience enjoyable for all involved. We want our clients to feel supported and encouraged to make the decisions they have long wanted to make but didn’t know where to start. That is our purpose and we love it!
Tell me more about your style of organizing?
The obvious answer to this question is that our style of organizing depends on our clients vision of “done.” From a utilitarian aesthetic, to a full blown Pinterest aesthetic and everything in between is in the realm of possibility, Our goal is to help you bring your vision to life.
The philosophy that governs the way we do what we do is the belief that organization fosters freedom in our lives—in our family lives, our work lives and our home lives. Minimalism is not what we aspire to. We do, however, aspire to finding a home for everything in your space and we aim for that home residing in close proximity to the ways in which you use them. If you have a personal passion project in mind, we want you to have the freedom to work on that project. We don’t want you to spend all of your creative energy on clearing the work space or gathering supplies. We want clean up to be simple and easy. We want the things you need to do and the things you want to do to be accessible and inspiring. These are powerful aspirations that can lead to life changing outcomes. We make space for you to be you. Our passion is making your vision happen.
Aren’t you just a house cleaner?
This question comes up a lot and my best explanation for the differences between a house cleaner and a professional organizer are through examples. When your house cleaner comes to your home, they clean your home thoroughly while generally leaving the homes of items as they are and neatly stack or gather the items they find that do not have homes. When they encounter a pile of items that have no immediately recognizable homes, they clean around the pile. An organizer does the opposite. We lightly clean the areas as we organize and the focus of our job is to tear the piles and stacks apart so that we can create homes for homeless items in a way that supports your use of those items in your daily life.
Sometimes it’s necessary to have a cleaner come in prior to an organizer beginning a project. In the event that is necessary, we contract with several cleaners that can be scheduled for the client or the client is welcome to use their personal cleaner as well.. Usually, our organizers can work on spaces as they are without any need for preparation.
How does payment work?
Once we’ve decided that we want to work together, a contract is provided that includes the parameters of the project, the timeline and the chosen project package. Once the contract is signed and payment in full for the preferred project package has been received we book our start dates. All work sessions included in the preferred project package, are required to be scheduled within a 3 month period or they expire, meaning that once payment is received, all work sessions are booked at that time and take place within a 3 month period. This is necessary to simplify our scheduling process. We accept Cash, Zelle, Venmo and credit cards.
What are the minimum number of hours required to schedule a work session?
Each work session is a minimum of 6hrs. An individual work session can be purchased as a stand alone package or as a an amended package to a previously purchased larger package in order to complete a project. For smaller projects, a maximum of 2 Individual work sessions can be purchased, depending on our client’s needs.
What are your typical work hours?
Our work session hours are 10am-4pm T-F. We reserve weekend work for absolute necessities and group virtual sessions. However, contacting us by text message is acceptable at any time. We respond to any texts received outside of business hours during our next scheduled business hours.
What is your service area?
For in home service, we proudly serve Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. Please see our service area page for a more detailed description of the areas we work in most often. Virtual services take place on Zoom and are open to anyone within the United States boundaries.
Where do I start?
The answer to this question is always the same: Schedule your complimentary assessment! This is the best way to get an informed, customized plan for how to move forward. Assessments can take as little as 20 minutes or last up to an hour. Assessments can be virtual or in person. We love doing assessments because it really gives a chance to learn about you and your vision for your space and how we can best help you. We listen to your concerns and discuss ways that we can help make it happen. There are no commitments required and we do our best to make this time valuable to our clients.
Is there a maintenance plan available?
There is a maintenance plan! All clients that have completed a whole home organization, either cumulatively or consecutively, within the last 30 days are eligible for our maintenance plan. Once our team has determined homes for your belongings through our signature organizing process, we can then schedule 3 hour maintenance sessions bi-weekly or monthly. Maintenance sessions are required to be consistent. If more than two scheduled sessions have elapsed, a new assessment is required to determine whether or not the client’s home remains eligible for a continued maintenance session or if a new working session is in order. All maintenance sessions are subject to on site approval at the start of the scheduled session. Maintenance sessions are most effective following a house cleaner. This can be scheduled through our service or in the way in which you would normally do so. Maintenance sessions are priced at 250.00 per session.