projects before & after
Get Inspired
Home organization makeovers take time and planning. It is absolutely possible to learn the skills to get and keep your spaces organized. As our client projects evolve, we'll put the before, during, and after images and summaries on this page to encourage and inspire you to achieve your own organizational goals.
the laundry/"junk room" makeover
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
The client has a double-room space with an entry room that contains a standalone freezer on one side and an old built-in desk on the other. The second space is a laundry and utility room (also housing a furnace and water heater). Our client needed the spaces to work as storage for food, craft, laundry and cleaning, general utility, and pet supplies.
The rooms had become a catch-all for many things that really didn't belong there. And not all things that did belong had a designated home-base, so they weren't organized. Clutter accumulated on the floor and surfaces. Many items were precariously balanced and the insides of cupboards stuffed with food, craft, sentimental and miscellaneous items.
We proposed a plan to make the front entry space a designated walk-in pantry for food and appliances and reserve the back room for all cleaning, utility, and craft supply storage.
Day 1 - Declutter
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
During our first session we spent 7 hours reviewing all the contents of the entry room and any obvious items that could be moved out of the laundry/utility room.
After removing trash/recycling and setting aside donations and stuff to sell, we had cleared out enough excess to do some preliminary organizing in the entry/future pantry room. We put all kitchen appliances in one location and grouped some food items to help ease of access and for assessing what the client has on hand before shopping (no more apple cider vinegar, please!). Floors and countertops are much clearer and the utility sink is free to use again. Making good progress!
We designed options for new shelving and cabinet installations so that in a future session food can be moved from the laundry/utility space and organized in the new designated pantry. Stay tuned for future session updates expected in May!
CLOSET DECLUTTERING
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
The client's initial complaint was simply "I have too much stuff". We meet periodically and chip away a little here and there. Sometimes we work on dresser drawers or focus on a particular category like holiday decor or pants. For this 3-hour session, our goal was to go through the stacks of boxes in the apartment's two small bedroom closets.
Several boxes were heavy, stacked precariously, and held mystery contents from about five years prior when the client cleared out a storage unit. As we worked, we quickly relocated items that belonged elsewhere in the home. We opened all boxes and picked one category at a time to review (like sewing supplies, photos/film, and paperwork).
Day 1 - Declutter
The Starting Point
The Starting Point
Along with some empty boxes, we were able to haul out four boxes of stuff to trash or donate. Several other boxes were simply consolidated to group like-with-like and save space. While we were at it, the client even tossed a bunch of dresses she would never wear again. Though we have more paperwork and boxes of photos left to go through, this initial session made a big difference in how safe and spacious the closets feel.
I added labels with painter's tape and a marker to make sure we know what is in each of the remaining boxes. That will be helpful when we dive in for round two of the closet clutter-clearing endeavor! For now, the client can already breathe a bit easier knowing there is less stuff to deal with.