I’m interested in hiring you, so what’s the next step?
Please schedule a 20-minute (free) consult call here. If we mutually decide we’re a good fit to work together, then we can schedule an onsite organizing session.
I’ve worked in more than 500 homes and have served everyone from teens to seniors, students to CEOs, and in spaces from houseboats to mansions. I’m a good fit for clients who want to let go of clutter, work collaboratively, and learn new skills.
My service area: Seattle plus Shoreline, Kenmore and Bothell to the north; Bellevue, Mercer Island, Medina, Kirkland, and Redmond to the east; and White Center, Burien, SeaTac, and Kent to the south.
how much will it cost?
$150/hr, 4-hour minimum per onsite session. This is inclusive of my onsite work time, travel, taxes, and supplies, plus time after our session to write a follow-up email with usually 5 to 20 links to organizing products and tools that I recommend specifically for your space, needs, and aesthetic.
Additionally, I take up to a carload per onsite session of items you’d like donated and/or recycled responsibly. I prioritize donating to organizations that give directly to folks in need, including Mary’s Place, Clothesline, Westside Baby, West Seattle Food Bank, West Seattle Tool Library, PCs for People, Seattle ReCreative, West Seattle Animal Hospital. I recycle through PaintCare, King County Household Hazardous Waste, and styrofoam/plastic film/light bulbs/batteries through Ridwell.
Payment is due at the end of each session via cash, check, or Zelle. You can pay via Venmo (@lisaholtby) or PayPal but it’s an additional 3.5% to cover their service fee for business transactions.
I reserve two days a month for sliding-scale clients.
how do you work? what’s the process?
We start with the space that bothers you the most. We’ll talk through how you’d like your space to function and feel. We’ll set up a comfortable, clear space for you to work, such as a table, bed, or countertop. Then your job is just to make decisions.
I work ahead of you by emptying spaces, then staging their contents by category for you to decide what to keep and what to let go of. As you’re making decisions, I am deep-cleaning spaces as needed, delivering items to the rooms they belong in, and sorting items into donate / recycle / shred / trash / compost. I take a carload per session of your donations and tricky-to-recycle items like plastic film, batteries, lightbulbs, and Styrofoam.
With the items you decide belong in that space, I place them in specific ‘homes’ that make sense to you. (Like with like, everyday items at eye level, infrequently-used items down low or up high.)
I’m especially interested in learning about your most beloved belongings so that we can display and honor them. In this way, we create a beautiful space that reflects your personal aesthetic and your history.
Finally, after we’ve assigned specific ‘homes’ for all of your belongings, we’ll talk through organizing products that will support you staying organized, such as drawer dividers, bins, baskets, matching hangers, etc. I’ll take measurements and make labels if you want them. Then, after our session, I’ll send you a detailed email with links to all the resources we discussed.
For examples, check out my before/after photos, how-to videos and Instagram account.
do I need to be there the whole time?
Most of the time, yes. If you need to take a call or a Zoom meeting, I can work ahead of you and sort items into ‘best guess’ categories, but you make the final decisions of what stays and what goes.
If you have small children, please schedule child care for our work session so that you can focus.
Decision fatigue is real, so absolutely take breaks when you need to: hydrate, eat, take a quick walk, bust out the emergency chocolate.
how long will it take?
I work *fast.* I bill by the hour (vs. by the project) for two reasons:
1-Different decision-making speeds. Some clients make decisions quickly and we move quickly as a result. Some clients need to talk through each decision and so the process takes longer. I never want to rush clients as they make decisions.
2-Different densities of items. One client’s drawer may hold twenty pairs of socks, and that will go quickly. Another client’s drawer may hold hundreds of tiny items, each representing a decision and action, and that will take longer.
Very rough ballpark estimate: we can finish a space per session, such as a kitchen, or pantry, or wardrobe, or several closets.
do you work weekends?
Yes! I’m flexible most Wednesdays through Sundays.
do you work by yourself or with a team?
I work by myself. Home organizing is very up close and personal, so I recommend reading reviews to get a sense of clients’ experiences with their organizers. Here’s mine on Google and Yelp.
I try to be as transparent as possible on my website, videos, and Instagram: what you see is what you get. If I don’t think I’m the right person to help you, I’ll refer you to colleagues who are.
do you recommend organizing products?
Yes! After each session, I’ll send you a detailed email with links to the products and services that we discussed.
I am embarrassed to have you see my home.
Not to worry! No judgment here. I want to reassure you that home organizing is a skill set that you can learn, not a reflection of your moral character.
My job is to be a support, advocate, and coach. My goal is to help you create a comfortable, beautiful, functional home for yourself. Together, we will set up organizing systems that make intuitive sense to you and that are easy for you to maintain.
