Olivia reached out to Sara Jane Organizing because she was planning a significant renovation in her home. After meeting with an architect and an interior designer, she developed plans to renovate the kitchen and downstairs bathroom, convert the finished basement into a small apartment, and craft room. While it was an exciting transition, it was also very stressful. There was a lot to move and consider to ensure that the home remained livable and comfortable for Olivia and her family during the renovations. Olivia plans to stay in the home while the renovations are underway, but she wants to live in the downstairs apartment during the kitchen renovations.
Although Olivia had a solid plan, she needed help implementing it. She aimed to be smart about her spending and how to manage living in a home in disarray. Therefore, she called Sara Jane Organizing for assistance.
After meeting with Olivia, we discussed all her options for moving, storing, and addressing items in her home while the renovations took place. Olivia realized she had an attic filled with unused items and a basement and garage that needed decluttering. As we toured the home, we determined that Olivia likely didn’t need a storage pod during the renovations. She had plenty of room to store items in her attic, basement, and garage, which would save her money. She wouldn’t have to pay for a storage pod for several months, nor deal with it blocking access to her driveway. Moreover, Olivia wanted her garage to look as amazing as the rest of the house, so we discussed shelving options. She decided to have Inspired Closets provide a quote for installing a garage storage system.
We concluded that if we decluttered the attic, basement, and garage, Olivia would be able to live comfortably in her home while the renovations occurred. She loved the idea of remaining at home with minimal disruption throughout the process. Our first step was to declutter and move items to the garage, clearing the basement for the start of the renovations. Sara Jane Organizing had the team to assist her.
Our initial sessions focused on the garage, where we began the decluttering process. The plan included clearing space in the garage to store items from the basement while she renovated the basement into a small apartment. Olivia was able to donate many items, freeing up a significant amount of space. The garage contained many keepsake items, as well as tools, sports equipment, lawn care items, unused furniture, yard games, and holiday decorations. Sara Jane Organizing helped sort these items, allowing Olivia to gain a clear sense of what she had and how much.
Sorting and decluttering the garage was an excellent first step because it enabled Inspired Closets to come in, take measurements, and develop a plan for storage needs. Olivia would soon have a storage system in her garage that would meet all her requirements.
After a couple of sessions of working in the garage, we cleared the basement, making it ready for renovations. We prepared the garage for Inspired Closets to install their system, moving us into the next phase of our plan. Next, we focused on storing many items from the garage in the attic.
We decluttered the attic, getting rid of old furniture, kitchen items, outdated holiday decor, old clothes, and more. Olivia had four adult children who had left various belongings behind. We sorted through their items and assigned each child a shelf for their belongings. Olivia invested in sturdy shelves, allowing us to create ample space. This made room for the items coming from the garage and even for items from the kitchen while the kitchen renovations were underway. Olivia appreciated that she would have access to her kitchen items during the renovations instead of having to rummage through a storage unit.
After completing the organization of the attic, Olivia felt excited about her upcoming renovation. She had a clear plan for the next steps and felt ready to manage the chaos that often comes with renovations. She felt relieved knowing that we had organized every area of her home, allowing her to easily find everything she needed during a time of transition. The Sara Jane Organizing team enjoyed assisting Olivia during her renovation, making the stressful process easier for her.
