FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below are my Frequently Asked Questions but I'm always happy to talk to you about anything that's not covered or is specific to your individual circumstances. Please just get in touch.
Do you offer a cleaning service?
Cleaning is not part of my service. I help my clients to declutter and organise their homes.
What do I need to do before the session?
There’s no need to tidy before I arrive as I like to be able to see how you live in your home and use different rooms. It would be great if you’ve had an opportunity to think about what your ideal lifestyle looks like so that you’re motivated to get started.
It’s also helpful if you have some strong bin liners or boxes to hand so that we can sort your things out as we go through the session.
Do I need to be there all the time?
Yes, we’ll be working together to declutter and organise your home.
I’m there to support you as you make the decisions about what you wnt to keep or discard. You’ll pick up hints and tips as we work together that you’ll be able to use in the future.
How many sessions will I need to book?
This varies from person to person and will depend on the size of the house and the volume of items that we need to work through. I always recommend having a video consultation before your first session so we can get to know each other, you can tell me what you’d like to achieve and I can explain how I can help you.
I typically suggest that the first session you book is 4 hours long, that way I’m able to give you a proper introduction to the KonMari Method™, and we can make real progress in an area and still have time to tidy things away at the end of the session. After that you may want to book follow up sessions so we can continue the process across other categories around your home or you may feel that you have learnt enough to continue your decluttering yourself.
I offer a range of packages to support you in organising your home, including discounts for booking multiple sessions, and follow up support by way of homework, Zoom calls or monthly check in visits. My role is to help you achieve your ideal home and lifestyle.
What happens to the items I discard
As we sort through your possessions you’ll make decisions about which items Spark Joy (the things you’ll keep) and which items you want to discard. I encourage clients to think about whether the items they no longer want can be gifted (passed on to friends or family), donated to charity shops or sold (on websites like Ebay), this helps to reduce what ends up being discarded as rubbish.
I do not hold a waste carriers licence so I’m unable to remove any rubbish from your home but can advise on the best way to get rid of it.
What is the benefit of using a Professional Organiser?
Professional Organisers are quite new to the UK but have been popular in the US for a number of years, we work with clients to declutter and organise their living and work areas. Having a trained organiser working with you is like having an impartial coach who will support you in achieving your vision, keeping you motivated and on track even when things become emotional or overwhelming.
A lot of people find that using a Professional Organiser can save them time, money and effort in the long run.
Who uses a Professional Organiser?
Anyone & everyone!
It could be that you lack time because of a busy work and/or home life, you may be dealing with a change in your personal circumstances or perhaps you feel overwhelmed by your clutter and just don’t know where to start.
Do any of the following scenarios sound like you?
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Not sure how to start or feeling too overwhelmed to tackle the clutter by yourself
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Families with a new addition or with grown up children leaving home
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Business owners who lack time to get on top of paperwork
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Busy people with lots on and not enough spare time to tidy
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Following a change in your personal life (merging households, divorce, bereavement)
Will you make me throw away things?
I will never ask you to discard something you don’t want to but I will keep asking you questions about your “stuff” so that you know that you will love, need or use everything you keep.
What areas does A Life More Organised cover?
I work in person in homes & offices throughout Hampshire, Wiltshire, Surrey, Berkshire & London and my online sessions enable me to work with clients around the world.
What are the Terms and Conditions of your service?
I have a set of terms and conditions that we both sign at the start of our first session, they can be viewed here.
What payment methods do you take?
Online bank transfers or cash. An invoice is provided at the end of each session.
Is your service confidential?
Yes my service is completely confidential.
I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) so everything I do is governed by Data Protection legislation and as a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers) I have to abide by a strict code of ethics.
My Privacy Policy gives further information about this.
Are you a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers)?
Yes, I'm a registered APDO Member my listing can be seen here
Should I buy some extra storage before our decluttering session?
There’s no need to buy new storage before we start working together. Storage is the final part of the process once we know what's left that we need to find a home for.
Wherever possible we'll use the storage that you already have. If you need to buy some additional or new storage then I will advise on the best options to consider.
What is The KonMari Method?
The KonMari Method™ was developed Japanese organising expert Marie Kondo, bestselling author of ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up’ and star of Netflix series ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo’.
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Marie Kondos method differs to other decluttering methods in two key ways: Rather than decluttering by room or location, we tidy by category – gathering similar items from the same category (eg: clothes, cookery books, toiletries) together before making decisions about what to keep and discard.
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You make positive choices about keeping possessions that "Spark Joy" rather than specifically looking for items to discard. The aim is to surround yourself with things you love and use.
What are the KonMari Categories?
The KonMari Method has 5 categories; Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono (miscellaneous) and Sentimental.
Tidying by category will help you to see the volume of duplicate or similar items you own and help you to make informed decisions about what Sparks Joy and what can be discarded.
My KonMari Category Tidying Checklist breaks each of these into subcategories and can be downloaded here to guide you on your tidying journey.
KonMari vs Minimalism?
The KonMari Method is not Minimalism – it’s about curating a home where you are more aware of what you own, making sure that you need & love what you have and know where to find it. Some of my clients like minimalist clear surfaces whilst others prefer a ‘more lived’ style of home.
You decide how much stays or go depending on your personal preferences or needs, find out more about the KonMari Method.
What is a KonMari Checklist?
A KonMari Checklist is simply a guide to all the KonMari Categories and Subcategories that we work through as we declutter, organise and simplify our homes using the KonMari Method.
