As you rifle through years of accumulated “stuff,” surrounded by half unpacked boxes in your humble new abode, the odds are high you’re feeling pretty overwhelmed. Or maybe overwhelmed is putting it mildly—at this point, you’re considering tossing everything out in a fit of desperate frustration and starting over again, from scratch.
But before you chuck your Great Aunt Ethel’s china to the curb, consider this. The clutter of old things in a brand new house might seem horribly daunting right now, but the expense of throwing it all away and starting anew is a costly—and time consuming—endeavor. A cheaper, wiser alternative might just be to call in some qualified reinforcements.
If hiring a professional organizer seems like a luxurious indulgence, perhaps factor in the time that outsourcing the task of decluttering and reorganizing your house will save you in the long run. Then multiply that by the arguments you will avoid with your spouse, as someone else decides exactly where to place his mother’s hand-me-down collection of (scarily) lifelike ceramic dolls. In the end, when you really add it all up, how you afford NOT to hire someone to help you with the thankless job of organizing your new home?
Now that it’s all decided, here are 10 professionals in the Metro Detroit area to get the job done.
Bridget David, Unclutter It
Bridget David, of Unclutter It, innately recognizes that living amongst a mess often generates a tremendous amount of stress. Based out of Livonia, David serves homeowners all over Wayne and Eastern Oakland County who are in need of just a little decluttering or a major household purge—and everything in between.
Check out Unclutter It on Instagram, where the stunning Before and After are likely to have you programming David’s number into your phone, because who couldn’t use a little (or a lot) of organization in their messy, hectic life?
Luna Post, Chaos Control Michigan
Luna Post finds joy in the tasks that most homeowners dread; unpacking, organizing and decluttering are her true calling. Post previously ran a highly rated and successful residential cleaning and personal concierge business, but professional organization was where her passion ran the deepest—and from that passion, sprang Chaos Control Michigan.
For homeowners who fear that their mess is particularly unique or uncomfortably disastrous, Post advises potential clients to never be too embarrassed to call for help. “Letting strangers into your home, even ones who call themselves “professionals”, can make one feel a bit uneasy. You can rest assured that the confidentiality of your personal things and your home is something I highly regard and protect.”
That should have everyone breathing a collective sigh of relief. Check out Chaos Control on Facebook and read Post’s glowing reviews; getting organized will never feel so good—or so easy.
Kate Lionas, Organize Your World
Along with her partner, Donna Lindley, Kate Lionas and her awesome team at Organize Your world offer residential and professional organization services to meet every need—and every budget. According to their website, they will also cheerfully unpack those pesky boxes that have been stacked up in your living room so long that they are starting to seem like a permanent fixture.
The gang at Organize Your World believe that by providing organizational and home management services they provide their clients the biggest intangible gift of all: stress relief. And before you even make the call, check out their Facebook page, for hints and small, manageable tips on how to tackle your mess, right now!
Susan Hunsberger, Strategize Organize LLC
An appealing aspect to Susan Hunsberger’s approach to decluttering is her “no purchase solution” to professional organization. She writes, “People tend to think that they need to buy a variety of organizing supplies. Buying supplies before knowing what is needed can make life more complicated and can lead to unnecessary expense. Most of the time, materials that clients already have are usable in an organizing project. If you want less complication and expense, I can help!”
This can be particularly attractive to homeowners worried that costly storage systems will only add to the price of hiring a professional to the job of organizing their space. Explore more of Hunsberger’s “simple” strategies for decluttering on her Facebook page, where she also offers advice about how to destress, de-schedule and redefine what truly matters—inside and outside of your home.
Lauren Combs, The Neat Method
The NEAT method is a national company founded by San Francisco natives and friends ASHLEY MURPHY and MOLLY GRAVES. The company has grown swiftly and now offers team members in major cities across the country, anxious to declutter the most jumbled of attics or arrange the mountain of sweaters in your overflowing closet.
Lauren Combs is Detroit’s Neat only representative and she is the sort of person who really, really LOVES to sort. Not only is Combs anxious to attack that big organizational project at your humble abode, she actually lives the “neat lifestyle” at her own house, too. Prepare to be amazed, inspired and maybe a little bit jealous over these stunning photos of her gracefully ordered life on Combs beautiful blog.
Debbie Tebbe, Organized Happy Helper
Debbie Tebbe wants to find ways for you to incorporate organization easily into your daily life—long after she comes into your home. Little techniques, such as making your bed to set the cadence for your day, says Tebbe, can declutter your environment and subsequently, your mind.
She shares tips like these on her Organized Happy Helper Facebook page, along with the classic Before and After photos that will have you quickly motivated to seek out Tebbe’s help. Imagine, if you will, the joy you will feel when you no longer have to quickly close the door to that cluttered guest room before your in-laws arrive….
Daryl Traver, Oasis Organizing
Daryl Traver has been in the professional organization business for over 15 years and aspires for his clients to eventually find peace in their environment—a veritable oasis in their house. Traver is one of only a handful of males in an industry dominated by women, but he doesn’t let this daunt him.
With nearly 1,500 followers on Facebook, Oasis Organizing hones in with a zen-like focus, with Traver’s mission at heart: to declutter the spaces that matter most to the families that inhabit them.
Becky Sameck, Absolutely Organized LLC
Becky Sameck finds fulfillment in adding a personal touch to each project she tackles. The owner of Absolutely Organized LLC enjoys getting to know each client family’s lifestyles and habits, gearing the project results to something that will be practical for them to sustain in the long term. And her clients seem highly satisfied with Sameck’s easy-to-live-with results.
“I would highly recommend Becky Sameck to help you organize your home. She listened to my needs and made useful suggestions, but was never insensitive to my wishes. She showed up on time and stayed focused on the job at hand. She was pleasant to work with and I looked forward to our time together. She was very professional and … Absolutely Organized!”
Kathy Tucker, Finally Organized LLC
For Kathy Tucker and her business partner Linda Gillies, establishing an organized environment is all about creating a system. The team aims to work in conjunction with the homeowner to produce ordered areas in the house, to create a sense of peace and powerful functionality. And from the testimonials that are plastered all over their website and Facebook page, it appears that the duo at Finally Organized are succeeding in their endeavor.
“We just completed organizing our entire home with both Kathy and Linda over the past few months; in between being in and out of town and scheduling, the house is finally organized and what a wonderful feeling of freedom that is. My experience with these ladies was beyond my expectations, and I would recommend them to anyone who really wants to get things organized and have a system for future clutter. I am now able to pursue other ventures in my life and not worry about where something is or the clutter that was always nagging in the back of my mind.”
Michelle Gross and Carrie Harrison, All Sorted Out LLC
When it comes to creating an organized home, Michelle Gross and Carrie Harrison thrive on a symbiotic relationship with their customers—it’s through this energy that the pair feel they will produce the most satisfying outcome for their clients.
“Some people have the ideas but need All Sorted Out to do the work. Other people can do the work but need All Sorted Out to generate ideas. We find, when we partner with our clients to generate ideas and implement together, we get the best results.”
Through their flexible approach to the business relationship, and their desire to really listen to what their client needs, Gross and Harrison are a perfect choice for homeowners who are hesitant about the process of hiring a professional organizer to tackle their mess. And for those who might still need that final nudge, All Sorted Out has a very active social media presence; peruse their Facebook page and let yourself be appropriately—and finally– convinced.
