So there I am, prepping a little afternoon snack and switching loads of laundry, when my phone rings. I wiped my hands, grabbed my phone, and answered on the 3rd ring.
“Hello?”
“Oh hi…Is this…Amanda, the professional organizer?”
“Yes, hello! And who is this?”
“Oh yes, sorry—my name is Sarah, and I could really use your organizing expertise. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I’ve just been so busy…”
I could hear the stress. The defeat in her voice. A touch of shame, but also acceptance, that she was ready to get help. So, I did just that.
Sarah was nervously excited for our first appointment together. When I stepped into her house, she immediately began apologizing for the mess, rattling off her to-do list, and expressed her feeling of being overwhelmed. But there was that glimmer of hope in her eye, and I knew she’d be a wonderful client.
She gave me a tour, again pointing out piles of clutter—and apologizing as if they were a reflection of her. I assured her it was not, and that we could completely organize her whole home, starting with one drawer and going from there. She was starting to believe that maybe, just maybe—she could actually live an organized life.
She felt defeated. Stretched thin. Just…tired. Laundry had piled up, to-do lists got longer, room was running out, piles of paperwork and bills were scattered on every counter—and everywhere she looked just gave her more and more anxiety. She had tried to get organized. A mail sorter, some baskets here and there, but they just added to the clutter. She was overwhelmed, simply because she didn’t know the steps to successful organization.
By teaching her these simple tips, I could see the lightbulb going on in her head, and getting brighter, with every new tip. Here’s what I taught her:
- Set attainable goals.
- Finish one task, one project, one space at a time.
- Everything has a home, and there’s a home for everything.
- Stay on top of your daily tasks.
- Be aware of the space and objects around you.
Once we talked through each positive change, we then set up a plan of action to write out her organizational goals and talk about how she would accomplish each one. It was so fun to see the excited look on her face! There was such a radiant, positive energy emanating from her. She had faith in herself after learning how to organize.
We started with the master bedroom. After all, it should be a calming place, full of relaxation and free from stress. We sorted and purged bedroom items before re-arranging and designing a peaceful retreat space. In about an hour, we were able to completely transform the feel of the room.
Seeing organization in her own room got her really motivated! We moved onto other spaces, freeing her from the burden of stress with each project.
There we were, in the hallway, happily chatting about how motivating it is to get organized, when it happened. Her eyes welled, and she gave me a huge hug before crying tears of joy. She was no longer shackled by stress. Anxiety. Panic. She now knew how to take control and live a more organized life, and it’s truly a beautiful feeling.
I recently checked in with her, and it felt so great to hear that she was staying on top of her chores and overall organization. She just applied the same things she learned to every project, and was able to tackle any space while keeping up with laundry, dishes, having her family help out, you name it—she was doing it, and she was loving the feeling that came with it.
I just love these stories. They’re the reason I love what I do so much, and why I want to reach as many people as possible, to teach how to live an organized life. I’ve seen it change lives, and it all starts with taking the first step.
Do you want to start living a more organized life? Get my FastPace™ program, and you’ll never have to go back to that disorganized life again!