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Professional-Organizer

Tips for Working with A Collector or Hoarder

If someone you know is going through a serious collecting or hoarding challenge, they simply may not be ready to let go, as they will usually have a very different perspective than you about what’s too much. If their clutter is causing fire, falling, or other hazards and you feel the need to help them immediately, it’s still extremely important to be patient and not pushy. If this person in not responsive to you, pick up books from the library on the topic and learn about the many options for professional help. If you attempt to tackle things on your own, consider these important tips:

  • Avoid trying to persuade them to get rid of things. It often leads to arguments, the person closing up to the possibility of you helping at all, and can damage your relationship with him/her. 
  • Use encouraging verbal and body language. Be supportive and communicate with positive and genuine words and actions when discussing the situation. Be careful and aware of your tone of voice.
  • Highlight strengths. If you begin working with someone to downsize, see the whole person and don’t be concerned with problems in the home, but rather the effort to change. 

Treat this person how you want to be treated. With love, kindness, respect, and encouragement, you can be of assistance in many ways. You may one day hold the honorable title of being the trusted friend or family member there when they are ready to let go, or who guides them to seek professional help when the time is right. But first, they must be ready and willing to help themselves.

A variety of helpful information, research, and resource information on the topic of hoarding can be found in The Hoarding Handbook available online and through your public library. 


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Professional-Organizer

What I Think of Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo’s New Netflix Show

I’m having so much fun watching this show! It’s exciting to see people diving into clothing, shoes, books, and piles of stuff large and small, being honest with themselves about what’s taking up space and not fueling the spirit. It’s also important to learn limits as to how much you can realistically tackle at a time, and to understand and accept with a passionate heart and determined mind that the process of decluttering the complete home takes commitment and consistency. Are you up for the challenge? It’s worth it, I promise!

Since the show premiered my organizer friends everywhere are receiving calls. I suddenly have 25% more inquiries in my inbox each day, which brings me great joy! I am excited that people are ready and willing to take control of their lives and their stuff. A common question asked with these new inquiries is:

” Are you a coach or do you actually help me do it?”

We help you do it! We can even do it for you when you’re not at home, so that you come back to a beautifully organized space without lifting a finger. And when you need to be home because there’s stuff to make decisions on or because you love being part of the process, my team and I are on the front lines with you sorting and lifting, containing and labeling.  

A complete organizer should provide you 1) organizational design ideas, 2) energy & motivation, and 3) implementation. It’s magical! Help with all three areas makes things move forward faster, and inspires you to keep going when you see how much can be accomplished in a matter of hours when we do it together. Teamwork makes the dream work when the goal is to declutter and organize your space asap so you can focus on and be productive with the people and things that matter most. 

San Francisco Bay Area Professional Organizer Isabella Guajardo works with clients to downsize, minimalize, and organize their wardrobe closets, offices, paperwork, kitchens, garages, and any challenging area of the home. Call her today at (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary 20-minute conversation about downsizing and minimalism.

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Home Office Professional-Organizer Tips

Order Your Free Credit Report – Get Organized in the New Year

free-credit-report-experian-transunion-equifax
free-credit-report-experian-transunion-equifax

You’re entitled to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide reporting companies. Order online from annualcreditreport.com, the only authorized website for free reports, or call 1-877-322-8228. You will need to provide your name, address, social security number, and date of birth to verify your identity.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s credit reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to reporting companies.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

Here are the details about your rights under the FCRA, which established the free annual credit report program.

Q: How do I order my free report?

The three nationwide reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.

To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228. Or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form available on the website. Do not contact the three nationwide reporting companies individually. They provide free annual reports only through annualcreditreport.com, 1-877-322-8228 or mailing to Annual Credit Report Request Service.

You may order your reports from each of the three nationwide reporting companies at the same time, or you can order your report from each of the companies one at a time. The law allows you to order one free copy of your report from each of the nationwide reporting companies every 12 months.

The information on this page is provided directly from the Federal Trade Commission website.

Read bout changing passwords here.

Isabella Guajardo is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She travels to work with clients throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and around the world. Call (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary consultation on how we can get your home or office moved and/or organized. Gift cards are available. 

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Home Office Professional-Organizer Tips

Change Passwords – Get Organized in the New Year

change-passwords-get-organized
change-passwords-get-organized

Commit to get organized and stay protected by updating account passwords this month – Email, banking, credit card, investment, Paypal, Venmo, government and taxes, online stores and commerce sites, social media, digital storage sites for photos, videos, and documents, gaming & entertainment, personal websites, and even your ATM pin.

Online managers such as 1Password, Dashlane, and Lastpass exist to help organize and secure passwords in one place, but remember that anything online and in the cloud is vulnerable to hacking no matter how many layers of encryption they claim to have, just as your home is vulnerable to burglary despite dogs and alarm systems.

Keep passwords in a safe place that only you and those you trust can access. Update them at least once per year and stay safe.

Isabella Guajardo is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She travels to work with clients throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and around the world. Call (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary consultation on how we can get your home or office moved and/or organized. Gift cards are available.

Categories
Professional-Organizer

Week 52 | Garage Items | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

Garage Items

garage-clutter-professional-organizerGarage Items tend to accumulate at warp speed. Before you know it, you have a garage that you can barely walk through, much less park in.

Garage Items to Downsize and Minimalize

Do you still have old sporting equipment no longer played with? Time to sell it, donate it, or pitch it if it’s in rough shape.

How about those extra pieces of home improvement items you worked on 5, 10, 15 years ago? Excess tile, flooring, carpet, wood scraps, paint now clumpy that doesn’t match any walls in the house? Free up your garage by letting go of garage items that are no longer needed nor usable.

IDEA: Donate tools, hardware, and home improvement items to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or give away for free onfreecycle.org or nextdoor.com