case studies & success stories...

Jeanne S.

Jeanne had relocated to the area about a year prior to our organizing project.  She had her home set up with all the necessities, but her demanding schedule kept her from completely finishing the moving process.  She had stacks of boxes in the garage that had not been unpacked, and a guest bedroom that was becoming a catchall for everything she didn’t know what to do with.

Her immediate goals were to clear out the guest bedroom for her new roommate and to create two parking spaces in the garage, as well as have access to all the non-essential, stored items.

Jeanne had been feeling overwhelmed by the task and didn’t know where to begin. We decided on her priorities and tackled one area at a time.  After a couple of sessions of sorting and tossing she began to have a sense of accomplishment and was motivated to organize the garage.

In the garage, I worked as a facilitator to help Jeanne stay focused. I worked on space planning and optimizing storage areas while Jeanne sorted through the unpacked boxes. I broke down the big job into smaller, more manageable tasks. With each task completed Jeanne felt her burden lighten bit by bit.

Our next phase will be to create a home office / guest room where Jeanne will be inspired to write, and where guests can stay with comfort.

Mary E. Business/Home Owner, Vista Santa Rosa, CA

Storage was a big issue for Mary.  She works for a non-profit organization and also runs a business from her home.  Many of her files need to be mobile, as she travels back and forth from home to work and occasionally, sees clients in between. She also kept household records in her bedroom closet, and wanted to free up that space for other storage.

After looking at Mary’s problem areas and discussing her goals for managing her client, business and home files, we pinpointed a few goals:

1. Set up a mobile file system in a rolling file box so Mary would always have needed files in the right place. 
2. Consolidate and organize the remaining business files, as well as her home files, to be located in a newly acquired 2-drawer file cabinet. 
3. Organize and find appropriate storage for Mary’s home based business supplies in the converted garage.

So far, we have completed the file systems; Mary now has one file drawer for her business records, and one for her personal records. Instead of having miscellaneous notebooks and folders holding all sorts of papers, records and receipts, Mary now has a simple system to maintain and access her permanent records. She also has a rolling, mobile file case to separate files for home business and office clients.

We will proceed with other phases as her busy schedule allows.

“You helped me to let go of old habits that caused stress, and showed me simpler ways to do things.  I am confident the I will stay organized!”

Nick L. Homeowner, La Quinta

Nick had moved to the area two years prior to calling Creative Changes for help. He had moved from a 3,500 sq ft home to a 2,000 sq ft home and felt that he had way too much stuff.  He had stacks of boxes in the garage that had never been unpacked, his home office was all over the kitchen table and counter, and he had business and personal records going back 15 years in his overflowing file cabinet.

Our first priority was to get Nick’s kitchen back. In the process he learned about document storage, file management and guidelines on record retention. We turned our attention to Nick’s home office, which was overflowing with furniture and miscellaneous items that needed to be sorted and / or disposed of.

In the garage we tackled all the unpacked boxes only to find that most of the contents were things he no longer needed. I helped Nick organize and conduct a huge garage sale, where he had a great time selling all the old stuff he didn’t want any more.

Nick started this project feeling awash in papers and unnecessary belongings, but once we developed a plan of attack, and got to work, he became excited and energized. He got obvious pleasure out of restoring order in his home!

Now Nick has a dedicated home office, with his computer and files and easily accessible document storage.  He has a guest bedroom devoid of sporting goods and scattered odds and ends.  In his garage he has reclaimed two parking spaces, with a workbench on one side and storage shelves across the back wall. His sporting goods are lined up and ready to go when he needs them.

“I was at a loss and ready for the funny farm when I called Sandra.  By the time the project was finished I had learned how to organize and stay that way.”

B.B. Business Owner, La Quinta

B. owns a business that keeps her busy 6½ days a week. Her home serves as her office and off-site storage for the business. As she geared up for a new phase of the business, she was using her garage and guest bedroom as depositories for new merchandise and supplies. Unfortunately, her home office had become dysfunctional because of the backlog of paperwork that had taken over the room.

B’s ultimate goal was to have her living space, where she could recharge and relax, be completely separate from her business and work.  When she drove into her cluttered garage and then had to walk past chaotic, disorganized rooms to another mess in the dining room, she realized that her sanctuary had become another source of stress.

Our first step was to make room for two vehicles in B.’s garage and create easily accessible storage for business supplies.

We then converted the guest bedroom into a staging and storage area for the new mobile business. The equipment and supplies needed to be organized and stored for easy access and inventory control. We created a wall of shelves and drawers to store the smaller supplies and marketing material.  We designated space in the closet for more supplies and equipment.  The larger pieces of equipment were stacked in the order they would be loaded into the work van for an on-site job.

B’s office was purged of all the excess clutter that was not business related.  She had been working off of her dining room table and had files all over the dining room, which were moved into the office.  File cabinets were set up for business and personal files and mountains of unnecessary paperwork, old magazines and junk mail were removed.

For B., the next step will be to set up a regular maintenance schedule and to keep from sliding into old habits.

“Sandra considered my living and work style when she transformed my office, kitchen, closets and even the garage. I love how my linen closet went from looking like Macey’s bargain basement to Nordstroms! She is able to see beyond the mess and visualize an organized, peaceful space. I am saving money by not purchasing items that I already have and my business runs more smoothly when I know where everything is.”

Wade M. Homeowner, La Quinta

Wade had a vacant property, which had been on the market for several months. He decided to make the investment in staging the house to warm up the large empty spaces.

This house was almost 3,500 sq ft, with 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, located in a premium new development. With the high inventory of new homes in the local real estate market, Wade needed to make his property as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. We rented furniture and added accessories to create more welcoming spaces.

“I was able to leave all the details of staging my vacant house to Sandra, and the end result was a transformed space that looked inviting to the prospective buyers, instead of cold and empty. It was a great job and I will be calling Creative Changes again.”

Gail P.

Gail is a successful realtor who knows the value of staging.  This property is an older, vacant condominium that has many fine features, but is a bit dated in it’s style and had a few areas that looked tired.

Our goal was to highlight the architectural details of the house and warm up the main living spaces.  We had a very limited budget from the homeowner, so I used minimal furnishings and accessories to create vignettes in main living areas.

This house sold quickly for the full asking price.