Lila is a recently divorced mom of two charming little girls. She has a beautiful, spacious apartment in NYC and when I first met her she was making vegetable stew and gushing about the art she saw at a recent exhibition at the Affordable Art Fair. It would be a great Christmas present for herself.
As we talked, what emerged was that she wanted help cleaning out her hall closet and front entry way. And to re-imagine and set up a small spare room as an art space for her girls.
We found her old custom wedding dress hanging in her closet as well as a number of plastic totes of her ex's hardware store buying binges. She was able to whittle three of those large plastic bins to one and also uncover the things in her possession that came from her mother that she had no use for.
Finally, we got rid of over one hundred tote bags she had collected over the years that had formed a sizable mound on her hall closet floor.
While I don't have good before and after pictures due to the lack of the proper wide angle lens, I left this job with a very clear idea of the benefit of being a personal organizer. Together we de-cluttered not only physical space but also saw her relieved of the clutter of her former unhappy marriage.
My favorite part was moving the de-cluttered bookshelves in to the new art space and setting up the supplies and putting a large table in the center for the girls to enjoy being creative. My other favorite thing was getting to know this fabulous lady who had an artistic background herself and learn about her interesting ethnic heritage.
It was as rewarding for me as it was for her and during the work we did together I was completely in the moment. (That, to me, is the unmistakable sign of doing work that you love). She had to remind me that it was the end of her session.
There is certainly room now to bring new things into her home. Original art would be a great investment and a wonderful way to honor her new beginning.
