Catalyst for Transformation

When I met Michelle, she said she was overwhelmed with the clutter and mess on the lower level of her home. The area includes her studio for an art-based business, and a TV area that the family never used because it was so messy. In addition, there’s a storage space that was totally full, barely room to move. Recognizing that the state of the space made her avoid it, she wanted help sorting, purging, and organizing the space in a more efficient, aesthetically pleasing way.

One of the first suggestions I made was to flip the spaces, so that the family didn’t have to walk through the studio to get to the TV; that allowed Michelle to separate family and work in a way that appealed to her. We also considered the most efficient way to set up her studio, placing her supplies in a way that makes sense for how she works. Between sessions Michelle went to the Dollar Store and found inexpensive organizers that help create a more serene feeling in the space. She did a lot of the studio organizing on her own, inspired by our initial sessions and conversations.

 Next, we tackled the storage room. Throughout the spaces Michelle thoughtfully considered the items we handled. She said, “Working with Stephanie helped me realize that I was holding onto many things I thought I needed but didn’t; it was causing stress and I didn’t even realize it. Questions such as ‘Where should this live?’ and ‘How might you use this again?’ helped me decide what to get rid of.”

This project was truly transformational. Now Michelle can run her business more effectively in a space that brings her joy, and the family likes using the TV area again. And the storage room – well, you have to see the pictures to believe it! Follow the link to see the Before & After pictures that tell the astonishing story of this project.