The "do-it-yourself" decluttering schedule I created for my client has generated a lot of enthusiasm and interest among my friends who think it might be the way to go. No one has the spare cash to pay me the big bucks to come in and overhaul their home storage all at once, but all agree that it needs to be done. We've all been watching my client to see how it works out.
It's actually working about as I expected. My client was enthusiastic about the schedule, read through it, and told herself it was quite workable. Her first week showed great promise as she pulled things out of her house and grouped them in areas to give away -- she filled her pantry and dining room table with excess items. However, very little of what she accomplished was actually on the schedule. When I came in for my two-hour assistance, we spent the entire time working on an area that wasn't on the schedule until later because she felt anxious it and wanted to attack it first.
I am nothing if not flexible (actually, I'm not, but I can bend a little). We cleaned it all out, established two perfect clutter-free areas, I hauled away her excess items to donate, and we made plans for me to come back. That's where it all fell apart. She lost track of the schedule during the week due to a fussy baby, scheduled a guest to visit during our work party, and did not do any of the "homework" I assigned.
I'm planning on visiting my client next week to get her on track. Having me come in a bulldoze does solve the immediate problem of clutter, but it does not make the owner take control of her own behavior. I can see I may have to take some psych classes in order to become more efficient as a clutter counselor.
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