FAQs

“You can no longer afford NOT to be organized. Organizing has become a survival skill for the modern age…” 

– Julie Morgenstern, Organizing from the Inside Out

I am based in Prince George's County, MD and serve the following Maryland counties: Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's. I also go to Washington, DC and Alexandria, VA. 

We don’t think twice about hiring housecleaners to do chores, contracting with landscaping services to take care of our yard, having our taxes done by an accountant, and going to the salon or barbershop to get our hair cut.  Yet, oddly enough we feel guilty if we have trouble dealing with our belongings.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help!

It’s a great privilege to be invited into a space that someone might be downright embarrassed about, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. I am not here to pass judgment. I’m here to help you reach your goals, whether it’s an organized sock drawer or a whole-house purge. But I can only help you if you let me in.

The short answer is "No". We're in your space, these are your belongings, and you are in control. I make recommendations, but you make the decisions. This having been said, if you have too much stuff and not enough space I can only help you if you are willing to let things go. 

The money you spend hiring me is an investment in yourself and in your space, and you want to make sure you hire the best person for the job. With well over one hundred satisfied clients and 6,000 hours of hands-on experience, full professional insurance coverage, a NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) membership in good standing and a network of other service providers my time doesn't come cheap, but I'd like to think that you get what you pay for. 

Every organizing session unfolds a bit differently because each client is different. This having been said, we always figure out what's wrong ("I can't find anything in my closet"), identify the goal ("I want to see all my clothes and know where everything is"), declutter (let go of anything that doesn't fit and/or doesn't make you feel good), organize in a way that makes sense to YOU (hanging, folding, by size, by color, …) and a plan to keep the changes going. 

You can NEVER start a downsizing project too early! Regardless of the size of your new home, we always start by decluttering every room, closet and space in your current house. This includes figuring out which pieces of furniture to take, an extremely important step if your new home is smaller than your current one. We also need to determine how best to divest yourself of all extra belongings (sale, donation, trash), and who to involve in the process.  Next you will select a moving company (I can provide recommendations) and decide who will do the packing for the actual move. I generally recommend having the moving company pack your items, but some clients have been more comfortable with me performing the work even though it will take longer. If your new home is in my service area, I can help you unpack and get you set up in your new home.

How much we get done during a particular session depends a lot on how quickly you can evaluate my recommendations and make decisions. It is also important for you to be fully dedicated the entire time and keep distractions to a minimum. This having been said, we will work at a pace that’s right and comfortable for you.

A typical session takes four hours, but I've done as little as two and as many as six hours. We decide on an appropriate session length when we make our appointment.

Working at a steady and comfortable pace, the number of sessions will depend on your goals, and the size and complexity of the project. Are we organizing a closet or a room, or are we downsizing and moving the contents of a home or an entire property? Are we putting the finishing touches on a relatively organized space, or are we starting with piles and boxes? It’s entirely possible that your project is completed after only one session. Should you need more sessions to reach your goal, package pricing is available.