I am an organized person (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it). However, even the most organized person can use some extra help from time to time. After a family move, I unpacked the essentials, but (after an embarrassing number of months), found our garage, attic, bonus room and every other nook still filled with boxes of… stuff. Oh, so much stuff. Keeping up with our busy family schedule is a full-time job, so I simply didn’t have the time to go through all of these “extras” without disrupting the gentle balance of our household routine. In comes Jennifer. Ready for serious work in her black scrubs (emblazoned with the Pure & Simple logo), she bounced through my rooms examining all of our closets, drawers, baskets, and all other make-shift “storage” we had scattered. I’ll admit, I was initially shocked and embarrassed to have my flaws revealed to a professional (kind of like going to the dentist after not flossing for 3 years, not that I would know about that either), but Jennifer was not judgmental or condescending in any way. She was unflappable and just asked questions about our routine or how things were used, and then took copious notes on her clipboard.
At the end of the consultation, we sat down and discussed priorities. Actually having room for (gasp!) a car in the garage was a big goal. Giving kids space to play in the playroom was another. Within a few days, Jennifer sent me a full report, detailing ideas for organizing the spaces and the estimated time and dollar amount to do it. I could pick and choose which rooms we did and in what order.
Jennifer and I dove into the ugly reality that was my hoard. She helped me let go of things and was part organizer, part therapist as she helped me work through memorabilia and other sentimental items. She never pushed, but would ask the right questions to help me decide if things were worth holding onto. Most helpful of all was her experience with estate sales (Pure & Simple’s other business) as she could tell me if the family heirloom in my attic actually had value and could be sold/consigned or if it was ready to be donated to charity.
Jennifer was very flexible and worked with me to ensure the new, organized system would actually work with my family. She was the surprisingly realistic one who pointed out what would or wouldn’t be easy for the kids to maintain, as she’d learned from experience with other clients. I felt lighter and relieved after letting go of so much that was literally and figuratively weighing me down. Working with her was simply life changing and has made my home and family run much more efficiently. I periodically still call on Jennifer to help out with “touch ups” if thing start to get crazy again and she comes with new ideas and suggestions each time. If only I had that same relationship with my dentist…