Stephanie is in her 70’s, lives alone, has no siblings, and lost her parents a few years ago. Before her parents died, Stephanie moved to Richmond to care for them while working a high-stress job that required her to travel often. Things got disorganized quickly, and now she has their home and her own home to manage. Stephanie’s real estate agent saw how she was overwhelmed by clutter in two homes after losing her parents and suggested the help of a professional organizer. This is how Stephanie and Sara met.
When Stephanie moved to Richmond she didn’t have time to sort through items or unpack. Stephanie’s parents’ home (her childhood home) is also filled with stuff. Now that Stephanie has retired, she spends her time managing two homes. However, Stephanie wants to travel, relax and enjoy her retirement years with friends and family.
Stephanie wants to honor her parents and sort through their items with care. A mass clean-out or estate sale doesn’t interest Stephanie. She wants to donate items to those who need them most and she wants important documents and valuables identified. Sara and Stephanie developed a plan and work together.
Declutter, Downsize and Organize
Phase one is sorting through items and determining what to keep, donate, and toss at her parent’s home. This will be the longest phase in the plan for a few reasons. Stephanie prefers to work more days for fewer hours each day. The home is large and each room needs diligent sorting. We need to sort through paperwork, clothing and shoes, home goods and decor, jewelry and accessories, linens, and more.
Donate, Sell or Toss
As we work together we Identify and set up resources for shredding, moving, selling, and donating items. This requires research to get the best pricing and to schedule pick-ups accordingly. Some items will go to family and friends.
Stage the Home for Sale
With the help of Stephanie’s real estate agent, we will clear her parent’s home, stage it appropriately, obtain contractors to fix things, and get the home ready for sale. This is a difficult part of the process for Stephanie as this is her parent’s beloved home. We take special care to support her though the entire process.
Unpack and Organize
Stephanie’s own home requires attention. She still hasn’t unpacked, and she is acquiring items from her parent’s home. Stephanie is in her 70’s and has trouble managing a lot of the labor involved in getting organized. Sara Jane Organizing will assist her as needed to get her own home decluttered and organized.
As we work with Stephanie she feels more and more empowered. Each session she feels better because she is honoring her parents and making progress toward getting her retirement years on track.
If you can relate to Stephanie and need help decluttering, downsizing, and getting organized click here to schedule a FREE phone consultation or call us at 804-625-4411.
