On September 2nd my first segment on MORE Good Day Oregon (on KPTV’s Fox 12) aired and we were thrilled with the response!
We wanted to feature a client whose story of whole life transformation would inspire YOU to take back your household and life.
Steve Berry is a product designer at Intel. He is the father of 3 teenage girls and has been divorced for 10 years.
His home was working pretty well until he faced what we call “situational disorganization.”
Steve loves riding motorcycles in professional races. Over a year ago, he had a terrible crash that nearly took his life. Hospitalized with 15 broken bones, he was in bad shape. When released, he came home in a wheelchair and had to learn to walk again. The lower level of his home was converted to accommodate his wheelchair.
His household began to revolve around the situation at hand. Mail began to pile up on the couches and surfaces and he wasn’t getting much done. Outstanding household projects, motorcycle gear, projects for work, and paper took over his dining room table.
So Steve called in Restoring Order and we sent over our consultant Colette Eaton. By then, Steve was making good progress in his recovery and had regained mobility. So they rolled up their sleeves together and go to work.
Colette helped Steve create a new paper management system for managing incoming paper to prevent PILING in the future. This included a place for new paperwork to land and be sorted as well as a good filing system which they located upstairs. In the process, they reclaimed his living and dining room for LIVING space. Soon, his daughters started inviting friends over again, which they had stopped doing because there was simply no place to sit!
You can watch in the video above how these conjoined spaces were recovered for family enjoyment and you’ll see a table that has become a place once again for family meals!
As they tackled the downstairs, Steve became inspired to optimize his entire home. So he and Colette headed upstairs to tackle the master closet and bedroom.
The master closet had a built-in system – but as is the case in many situations – it was not working for him. Clothes ended up on the floor and it needed to be overhauled.
Here’s an after picture of the closet, but you can see more about HOW the space was purposed in the video at the beginning of this blog.
In the master bedroom, books were accumulating and needed a home. Also, Steve had done what many people do – he had set up a mini “office” in his large bedroom. He intended this desk to be a work space but it became a landing strip for “stuff.”
(In 16 years as a professional organizer, my organizers and I have found that putting desks in bedrooms and other out-of-the-way nooks seems like a good idea at the time but they usually end up abandoned clutter-catchers.)
Colette overhauled Steve’s bedroom and they organized his books in a low shelf that the TV was put on. His desk was removed and replaced with a keepsake chair and dressing mirror. The space just opened up and he became inspired to replace the bedroom and improve the space.
On the main level, Colette and Steve also tackled the storage closet and surfaces. Later, Steve updated the space with some new furniture and décor.
On the top level, Colette established a filing system repository for Steve’s paperwork in a hallway nook. With the master closet and bedroom update as well, the upstairs took shape. As a result, Steve was inspired to hang his guitars – a hobby he enjoys – on the wall for more frequent use and also as artful décor!
As his home started getting organized, Steve started to reclaim his household as well – the relationships within his life. After the accident he reconnected with an old friend Christine. As his home had opened up, so had his heart and life! Subsequently, Steve moved Christine into his newly-ordered home and she continued the beautification process. Now, Steve and Christine are enjoyed a transformed living space and a whole new life together!
I hope reading this wonderful client story has inspired you with what is possible when you reclaim your household! It’s amazing how much opens up when you do!
Related:
- Read Steve’s testimonial about working with Restoring Order
- Learn more about our Professional Organizer Services
