VIRTUAL ORGANIZING

Schedule a conversation to learn how it can work for you!

Don’t know where to begin with decluttering? This tip sheet will get you started!

Is your guest room a junk room? Can’t see the top of your desk?

This one-page tip sheet will make your decluttering project less overwhelming by making it easy to start and stick with. Here’s what’s covered:

Where to start.
Powerful questions to help you let go.
Simple, fun goals for big wins.
BONUS TIP: How to stay in the room! (The struggle is real!)

This tip sheet is so helpful you’ll want to frame it!

Home Organizing is a Process

“I don’t know where to start!”

To avoid getting overwhelmed, start small and with the area that is having the biggest negative effect on you now. An overstuffed attic may be weighing heavily on your mind, but clearing off your bed so you can sleep comfortably tonight will help boost your energy for the bigger projects.

We’ll figure it out together

A virtual walkthrough together, whether through photos, live video, or audio, will help us decide together where the starting place will be.

Common Clutter Categories and Locations

HOME OFFICES

You deserve an inspiring workspace!

Whether improved lighting, an ergonomic chair, or a much-needed filing system, my easy-to-implement recommendations will make your space attractive and comfortable while increasing your productivity.

All those invoices, receipts, and projects need a home. We’ll create systems, even if your “office” is in a closet or a corner in your kitchen.

PAPERWORK

Paper can be intimidating. Mountains of magazines, newspapers and junk mail intermingled with financial and medical paperwork can be a lot to sort through!

And then there are the boxes of old letters and childhood artwork in attics and closets.

It can take four times as long to go through paper than with other types of clutter. So, with realistic expectations in place, we can tackle it AND make a place for it.

CLOTHES

You’ve hit your goal weight (yes, it could happen!). You shove some straining hangers a little to the side to dig for your old “skinny” jeans.

Success! They slide on, but to your dismay, you realize your old jeans are really…old.

If you haven’t seen the back of your closet in years, it’s time to empty it out and have every item “earn” its way in…or out.

KITCHEN & PANTRIES

Beyond meal preparation and food storage, a kitchen often does double-duty (or triple) for dining, homework, bill-paying, or game night.

Let’s determine “activity zones” and bring order to this central hub of activity!

In addition, we’ll discuss food safety and when to toss what. Including that salad dressing with an expiration date of 2005.

BEDROOM

Your bedroom should be a place of rest.

If your mattress is being used as a storage area and you are surrounded by clutter, it will difficult to have restful sleep.

Still, sometimes a bedroom has to serve as a mini office. Clearing this area and staging it properly is crucial to turning off your brain.

BATHROOMS

Your bathroom should contain what you need to take care of personal needs and get ready for the beginning or end of your day.

These spaces are usually small and often shared, requiring strategic organization.

Probably not the best spot for a library, but if reading in a lavender-scented bath with candles and a glass of pinot noir is your idea of heaven, then we must arrange for that as well.

BOOKS

I love books! I read or listened to fifty-two in 2016 and usually have two or three in progress at a time.

There are many ways to enjoy books without having hundreds in your space. Even clients who claimed they’d didn’t think they could part with any books did so while sorting through.

Regardless, the books you cherish and decide to keep deserve the right home.

CRAFT ROOMS

Lucky you if you have a room you can dedicate to craft or other hobbies!

But for many, this is a shared space.

Either way, it should be ready for you when inspiration and time align without looking like a hobby store exploded!

LIVING AREAS

Like kitchens, living rooms and family rooms may be used for several activities.

Embrace the natural activity flow of your home and give items the right home, while eliminating excess.

Home organizing often starts in these areas as well as entryways and coat closets.

LAUNDRY ROOMS

If you are like me, you are quick to toss in a load of clothes, but not so enthusiastic about putting them away. And removing clothing from a dryer before wrinkles set in is like a magic trick!

You don’t need a big laundry processing space, just a good system. Who knows – you might even start to enjoy laundry day!

GARAGES

Along with bikes, holiday decor, tools and garden equipment, you might actually want to park a car or two in there! You aren’t alone if you can’t; at least 25% of Americans can’t park in their garage, leaving an expensive piece of machinery in the driveway while miscellaneous chaos is protected inside.

Determining “zones” and then setting up and maintaining good storage systems is crucial.

Also, if this is where you enter your home, you deserve an uncluttered, welcoming entrance, just as you would want for guests when they arrive at your front door.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for the session?

I will provide you with a Virtual Organizing Checklist prior to our first session. Please review it to help our sessions go smoothly. No need to try to clean up or organize before our session. It’s much better to have a true picture of our starting point. Leave everything as is and we will deal with it together! (Besides, I’ll see only what you want me to see 😉)

What do I need to purchase before our first session?

Nothing. Avoid the temptation of purchasing any storage bins, shelving or any other organizing systems or tools in advance of our work together. Let’s wait until the project is underway so we will have a more accurate idea of what is needed. Many clients find they already own much of what they will need. This will save you time and money!

What will happen at our first session?

We’ll plan our organizing project! Together we will:

Review the assessment/intake and prioritize projects.
Begin work on the first project.
Determine what block of time feels right for you going forward.
Schedule future sessions.

Will you make me get rid of things I don't want to let go of?

YOU are the decision-maker when it comes to what is kept, discarded, donated, etc. YOU get to decide which systems and storage that will work for you. My job is to make recommendations and coach you through the process. Along the way you will gain new perspectives that will help you.

The process of assessing and letting go of things gets easier the more you do it!

What should I tell others in the household, if anything?

It’s a good idea to communicate the plan, especially concerning shared spaces. Individuals must be involved with work done in their personal spaces.

My [spouse, partner, roommate] doesn't want to participate. What do I do?

Focus on your own belongings and spaces, such as your clothes, drawers, closet (or your half of the closet). Organizing is contagious! Once someone else sees the possibilities of a clear space, they often start to work on their own things.

Why does virtual organizing work?

Have you ever gotten a lot done when a friend or family member was nearby? Perhaps they weren’t even helping, but just their presence kept you on track. This is an example of Body Doubling.

As you tackle the tough stuff, I am your nonjudgmental trained body double who keeps you on track.

Professional Affiliations

Credentials

What Clients Have to Say

I love virtual organizing better than in-person organizing because you see only what I want you to see.

Zen Your Den has helped me sort through the mess that can come with life in a big family.

Barbara has been a great companion on my organizing journey. I started with her in person, and then switched to virtual, but I think we get just as much done now, as we did before.
Her questions and comments ease my decision-making and help clarify what needs to be done. When we encounter a problem, she often introduces me to solutions I never considered. I am getting back control, thanks to Zen Your Den. Which is a very good feeling indeed.

- Andrea, Household GM, FL

We would recommend Barbara to anyone looking for a little help finalizing their own home system.

Barbara was one of the few organizers whom we reached out to that didn't just give us a canned pitch or follow-up email. No, she actually took the time to address -- prior to us hiring her -- our main questions.

Barbara helped us be more decisive about whether or not we "needed" to have certain areas the way they were.

We would recommend Barbara to anyone looking for a little help finalizing their own home system. Another thing that stood out by using Barbara was her awareness towards repurposing some of the stuff that we already had.

- Dustin, Supply Chain Analyst, SC

Her presence is exactly what motivated me to make quick decisions…

Barbara helped me organize my office. We spent four hours going through my files, which was way overdue (I had bills from 2003, for instance...no reason to hold on to those things)!

It was great to talk with Barbara, and her presence is exactly what motivated me to make quick decisions about discarding unnecessary paperwork (this was, after all, not my first attempt at going through my files, but it was my most successful attempt).

- Stephanie, FL

Barbara took the time to figure out my needs and establish goals…

I don't have words to describe how much Barbara helped me. I have been moving the same items around for over 16 years and as much as I tried just couldn't get rid of them for whatever reason.

Barbara took the time to figure out my needs and establish goals (and keep me on task) but most importantly helped me begin to right-size my life! Her tips and tricks are wonderful and after a while, I just felt the weight of these items leave me. These were things I clearly was not enjoying and to have them be donated or given to friends was a great reward.

- Dawn, Sr. Systems Analyst, FL

If only I would have hired Zen Your Den sooner!

If only I would have hired Zen Your Den sooner! I can think in my home now and I have a plan to tackle the situation of clutter that creeps up on all of us.

Barbara was professional and personal, and easy to work with. She made it easy for me to organize not only my things but my life and make me happier! I learned so much, so it is a good "life" investment especially for new homeowners and newlyweds. Zen Your Den is worth every penny!

- Mary, Author, LPGA Pro, FL

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