Declutter, Design, and Organize
For the last 20 years, I have worked in the technology industry selling software and services. I had the most amazing career, spending 14 of those 20 years at Microsoft. I made lifelong friendships, made thousands of great connections, and traveled to many magical U.S. cities, including Oahu, HI. However, after 20 years, I had an overwhelming feeling it was time for a change. I needed to reinvigorate my mind, body, and spirit. It wasn’t simply a company or industry change I was seeking; it was a complete transformation, but I didn’t have a specific direction in mind. At first, I floundered. I took advantage of an opportunity to take over an online business that had been up and running for 12 years. My husband started this business and was currently maintaining it. It is a great company. It is fun, easy, and allows me to keep my toes in the technology services channel water. I was still passionate about the Microsoft technology channel so it is a comfortable place for me to manage this business while also taking on something new.
Then the pandemic hit. What a weirdly stressful experience to be locked down, maintaining “a pod” and fearing for the health and well-being of my family and friends across the world. I kept asking myself “How can I help my neighbors and struggling communities, so we not only survive but recover?” Feeling the pandemic stress but knowing I had the skill set, I thought I would offer to help a family organize their home. They are a two-income family with two young children (1st and 3rd grades) trying to survive distance learning while working full time from home. I was happy to help them and had the time to spare.
It turns out, the exact career move I was looking for was staring me straight in the face. As I began to declutter, design, and organize I realized I was having SO MUCH FUN!! I was removing chaos from their lives by creating organized spaces they could maintain as a family. The process of turning chaos into calm came so easily to me that it didn’t feel like work. I could not wait to get back to their home each day. I also could not stop talking about it with my friends and family. I started sharing my before and after pictures on my social media accounts out of pure excitement. Those posts generated a ton of requests for the same service. People showed me areas of their homes that were causing serious anxiety for them. With each visit, I found myself giddy from the experience. Actually GIDDY! I love when I see a wrecked room because I immediately see it as an opportunity for me to convert it into a calm peaceful place. I also look forward to the joy my organization brings to people and the fulfillment the job brings me. I quickly realized I found the transformational career change I was searching for that fuels my mind, body, and spirit!
While I was excited about the change, I realized that change brings on all of the feels, including anxiety. My excitement for the task made me notice that most people, when faced with chaos and clutter, were feeling the opposite. With any project that seems overwhelming, it is always hard to get started. Remember, if you knew what to do with all your ‘stuff’ in the first place, you would not be in the mess you are in……literally.
TIP: The very first step is to look through all of your ‘stuff’ one piece at a time. Decide with each item what pile it is assigned: toss, donate or keep. Once you have sorted your ‘stuff’ into three piles, EXECUTE! Get the toss and donate piles out of the house first. It is already a physically challenging task to sort through your ‘stuff’ so executing the toss and donate piles will help you feel accomplished. This early feeling of accomplishment also brings more motivation with it! Take advantage of that feeling to keep going. Now on to your keep pile…with your existing cabinets and closets, you can use shelves and bins to group your keep items in the areas of your home where they can be easily accessed and just as easily put back. For example, kids’ toys should be in a designated play area kept on low shelves so kids can easily reach them and easily put them away without help.
This is where I come in! I began to realize organizing is much easier said than done, especially if you don’t feel you have enough space for everything. I can help you get the most from your space and get your life free from clutter. I currently offer three delivery methods:
● On-site – I come to your home to work with you side by side.
● Virtual – I deliver a customized plan and walk you through it with a virtual consultation.
● DIY – I deliver a customized DIY plan and you can work on it at your own speed.
All three delivery methods include my tips, tricks, and recommended products that are all designed around your home’s style and family dynamic. Visit my website at www.lisa-malone.com for ideas and samples of my work. Reach out via live chat, email, or call so we can talk about your trouble spots and I will give you some guidance and recommended next steps. I’d love the opportunity to help you remove the chaos from your life!
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