Happy spring, organizing clients and friends! |
|
One of the great pleasures of my job is getting to meet and serve people from all different backgrounds, professions, and income levels.
I especially enjoy working with repeat clients over the years. It's a privilege to support you as your careers, families, and homes evolve over time.
Right now tech layoffs and inflation are hitting Seattle hard, so I've decided to return to an honor-system, sliding-scale fee structure based on household income.
I'm implementing this sliding-scale structure to keep my fees commensurate with my level of experience and on par with those of my colleagues -- and to stay affordable for folks like teachers, nurses, and social workers, as well as for clients negatively affected by the current economic climate.
Household income:
to $125k = $90/hr
$126-175k = $100/hr
$176-225k = $110/hr
$226k+ = $125/hr
Please reach out if you'd like to book a session! I'm currently scheduling for May but keep a waitlist if you need an earlier date.
Returning clients, text 206-932-2939 or email lisajoholtby@gmail.com. New clients, please schedule a (free) 20-minute consult call here.
|
|
Clients often hire me because they are going through a major life change, such as moving to a new home, having a baby, combining households with a sweetheart, or retiring from a career.
Sometimes the major life change is one of loss, such as losing a job, losing a loved one, or losing their health.
Clients need their surroundings to support and reflect their new realities. Often the work we do together is to envision and reclaim space in their homes.
Below are 'before & after' photos from two homes where clients reclaimed spaces for greater functionality, beauty, and enjoyment.
|
|
Before & after: reading nook |
|
This client wanted to streamline her home office, including reclaiming this corner for reading.
First, we sorted through each item in her office, including in boxes, drawers, bookshelves, and cabinets. We divided items into categories: keepsakes, supplies, resources, and tasks.
Next, we sorted each category into keep, recycle, shred, toss, belongs-in-another-room, and duplicates. The client pared down the duplicates of her office supplies to just her favorites. (I donate clients' good-quality office supplies to the Refugee Women's Alliance for their offices and ESL classes.)
|
|
Before & after: home office |
|
After categorizing and decluttering, we then found appropriate storage for what remained by category.
Keepsakes went into an under-bed lidded plastic box in a bedroom. Keepsakes include items like photos, letters, kids' art, event t-shirts, work swag, and family gifts.
Supplies went into a cupboard near the desk. Supplies include things like printer paper and ink, extra notebooks, envelopes, tape, staples, and pens.
Resources went into file drawers. Resources include papers that the client wants to keep but that are not tasks, such as recent years' tax returns, mortgage and re-fi documents, and medical records if inaccessible online.
I recommend storing essential documents in a waterproof, fireproof pouch that is easy to grab and go in case of an emergency evacuation. Essential documents may include passports, social security cards, birth and death certificates, and adoption and immigration papers.
As a result, all that was left on the client’s desk were a few papers related to tasks. (Effective task management is a whole other newsletter topic!) And now there is room for a comfortable chair where she can read and relax.
|
|
This client wanted to reclaim counter space for doing meal prep, for her daughter to hang out while she cooks, and for eating meals together.
First, we sorted through each cupboard, drawer, and shelf. We found lots of no-longer-needed items: expired foods to compost and toss, in-date foods to donate, and duplicates of kitchen equipment and dishes. (I donate clients' unopened foods to the West Seattle Food Bank and kitchenware to Goodwill.)
Next, based on the family's traffic patterns, we assigned homes for categories of items such as breakfast foods, school lunch supplies, and snacks. We corralled categories together using organizing tools including lazy susans, drawer dividers, and storage bins.
As a result, there is not only open counter space, but also open visual space that highlights the client's collection of beautiful crystals and sweet cat-shaped teapot, plus a clear view out to a tree that's leafing out for spring.
(We never declutter cute pets!)
|
|
More 'before & after' photos, FAQs, how-to videos, and podcast interviews are all on my website, here.
I sincerely thank you for your support! It is a privilege to be welcomed into your homes.
|
|
You are on this monthly mailing list because you've either hired me, contacted me about organizing, requested my e-book, attended a talk, or you're one of my pals.
Please know that I will not share your information with third parties or spam you with emails. If this content isn't useful to you, declutter your inbox by unsubscribing via the link below. Be free!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
