Simplifying
We all long for a simpler, saner approach to life. But where do we begin? The key is figuring out what's most important in our lives and then making room for what we've decided is important. Sounds easy, but it takes effort and focus. And for most women today, our lives are so crowded and busy that we don't have the space we need to evaluate our lives at all.
Let me encourage you to begin planning some "slow-down" times so that you can catch your breath and begin to look at your life honestly. Often the most helpful thing we can do when we feel overwhelmed is STOP and take some time to THINK about what is going on and why. As women, we are very complex, and several different areas of our lives can contribute to how we are experiencing life in general. Consider which areas are especially challenging. What is working well and what is not?
It's never too late to make changes and to head in a different direction. Consider this an opportunity to begin living a life of purpose and passion. Being proactive is always more work that being reactive, but it is so worth it!
If you'd like to talk with me about helping you get organized, contact me. May God lead and guide you toward a life of peace and beauty.
I've had an eye for order since I was young. I can walk into a room filled with nothing but chaos and see potential beauty, order, and peace. I have seen the freedom and renewed energy that come from getting one's things in order—clearing out the unnecessary, unimportant, unflattering stuff to make room for what renews, restores, and refocuses. But it's not just the organizing that I love, it's the relationships I build with the women I work with.
I began helping friends get organized while I was a college student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I majored in Communications and spent my first few years after graduation working my organizational magic at the University of Michigan Medical School. Then I worked as an editorial assistant for a local publishing company.
I started Spaces with SOUL in 2008. I am a teacher and communicator at heart, and I am committed to imparting helpful, practical information and transferring important skills to others. And it is a joy to see lives transformed.
I have a lot of experience with major life changes like moving and grieving. I also know the challenges of maintaining a home (and one's sanity) while home-schooling and running a home-based business. Though my home-schooling season is behind me, I have a very clear memory of the days when my time and my space were barely my own.
My friends and clients consider me very personable and fun to be with (and I enjoy them, too!). Growing up with only brothers and then raising three sons, my life has often been immersed in all-things male. I am now blessed to have a daughter and three daughters-in-law and take every opportunity to spend time with women—whether it's a girls’ night out for decadent chocolate cake or a day organizing anything and everything!
After two years preparing for a move to the west side of the state and then taking time to settle in, furnish, organize and decorate our new condo, I am now working with clients again. If you live in the Grand Rapids area (or surrounding areas), I’d love to work with you.
Contact me if you'd like to talk about working together.
How it works
Once you're ready to begin the journey toward a more organized life and home, you can contact me to set up an initial telephone assessment.
Initial Telephone Assessment
During this call, we can discuss your particular situation. If I determine that I can help you achieve your goals, we will set up an in-home consultation.
In-Home Consultation
I will visit your home and spend an hour getting to know you, your home, and your goals. This will include specific questions regarding your challenges and spaces. It will also include walking through your home. I will share helpful ideas that come to mind as we meet. Based on our time together I will make a recommendation regarding how to move forward. This usually involves scheduling organizing sessions. Sometimes a client is able to work independently and just needs an overall plan. We can discuss which approach would work best for you! The initial consultation is $65. If we decide to move forward and work together, the consultation fee will go toward your organizing fee.
Organizing Sessions
During our sessions, I will work alongside you, hands-on. Following our plan, we will tackle the areas that will bring you the greatest sense of order and peace. Together we will make great progress!
Follow-up and Maintenance Sessions
I will help you fine-tune your spaces and maintain the organization that you’ve created. These sessions can keep you on track and motivated.
The cost of disorganization is high. Consider the stress, wasted time searching for things, emotional exhaustion from not having a restful place to enjoy life, costly purchases due to not knowing what you already own, etc. People have found that working with a professional organizer is an extremely effective way to restore a sense of order to their lives.
Professional Organizing Rates
In our industry, there are no standardized rates. Each professional organizer charges his or her own rate based on experience, training, location, etc. My hourly rate is $65/hour. I do offer discounts with packages of 10 hours, 20 hours, and 30 hours.
“Deb, you’ve helped us out more than you’ll ever know! Our home is a calmer place with order and routine that even our four-year-old can follow. Clearing out the clutter has allowed us to spend more time together as a family and it’s making our home a more pleasant place to live. You’ve taught us skills that will last a lifetime!”
— C.D., Ann Arbor, Michigan
“Deb, you were a great help to me in organizing my main floor closet and pantry. Not only did you have great ideas about how to organize items for ease of access, but you also tactfully helped me get rid of what was NOT needed and was merely clutter. The closet and pantry look great now and I am enjoying seeing and finding what I want more easily!”
— J.R., Ann Arbor, Michigan