Better Organised Downsizing

Better Organised Downsizing

Professional decluttering & organising case study

The Client

A female client got in touch for help prior to marketing her home. She was preparing to move from her 4 bedroom family home to a 2 bedroom flat. She and her 2 daughters had lived in the house for 15 years, but since one of the girls had moved out she felt the time was right to downsize to a smaller, low-maintenance property without a garden.

The home that she’d raised her daughters in had clothing, furniture, crockery and ornaments that simply wouldn’t fit in her new abode.

She asked for support to significantly reduce the volume of belongings in advance of photos and viewings, and then assistance to pack up seasonal/occasional items that would not be required until after the move.

Project Outline

Over the course of 7 sessions, we worked together to identify which items would be kept, donated, recycled or discarded. Items that weren’t being kept were transported from the client’s home by Better Organised.

Challenges

· The client said that the main hurdle was the volume of clothes and shoes that she had accumulated over 15 years. Items were located in wardrobes, cupboards and shelves throughout the home. She’d been unable to use her WC for years as it had become an extension of her wardrobe — the shower cubicle was inaccessible as dresses, tops and jackets were hung in it

· Time was of the essence, as she was keen to get the property photographed and marketed as soon as possible

· She felt that if she tried to do it on her own she’d procrastinate or feel overwhelmed

· Selling the property signified a new chapter for the client and she said she would have to be very strong in her decision-making about what to keep

· She recognised that the process might be emotionally and physically exhausting. In addition, she had an injury which meant that she couldn’t easily cope with the practical demands of the project

How Better Organised helped

• Recommended the order of priorities and got to work alongside the client to sort, purge and organise different categories of items throughout the home, including 2 bedrooms, a conservatory, a cloakroom, a linen closet, a cupboard under the stairs and a utility room
• Worked out timescales and scheduled our appointments around the client’s existing diary commitments and energy peaks and troughs
• Liaised with a local estate agent regarding suppliers who could assist with key stages in preparing the house for market
• Sourced and contacted local businesses who could assist with additional tasks, including cleaning, the collection/delivery of dry cleaning and the uplift of bulky items & furniture
• Collected packing materials from a removals company and boxed up items that wouldn’t be needed until the client was in her new home
• Advised on space-saving resources and storage solutions for clothing/shoes in a smaller property
• Maintained a basic list of categories and quantities of items for donation or disposal — in total, 88 bin bags were filled
• Transported items to recycling centres, clothing banks and local charity shops

Summary

Preparing a property for sale is potentially stressful, tiring and overwhelming. It was broken into manageable but productive sessions which worked round the client’s schedule. As we made progress, the client expressed her thanks for the practical, hands-on support and the advice that was given.

Over 1000 items were removed from the home for donation or disposal. In total, 8 charities benefitted from the donation of items and only a minimal amount went to landfill.

We enjoyed a brilliant working relationship — as we chatted we discovered common ground and shared interests. She said that having professional assistance kept her accountable and motivated to do what she could in-between sessions so that we would stay on track, on schedule and on budget. The client’s home sold quickly and she is now looking forward to settling into her new home, along with only the items that she uses, needs and loves.

Client Feedback

‘I simply couldn’t have done it without Better Organised’s help. The thought of undertaking this project on my own was overwhelming, but Kate came in and quickly and methodically got things sorted, including my brain! I’m delighted with the way she organised everything and will certainly call on her services again.’ Pamela — Glasgow

Better Organised provides professional decluttering & organising services for the home or office and is verified by APDO. Please visit www.betterorganised.uk for details of services and client testimonials, or email kate@betterorganised.uk to arrange a FREE consultation.