The Project
One of our New Orleans clients hired us to help organize her bedroom and master closet after the space had gradually become overwhelming for her over the last few years. Between a busy schedule, limited time to declutter, and insufficient storage space for the amount of clothing and shoes she had accumulated, it had become difficult for her to keep up with the space and maintain it as she wanted.
As part of our organizing services, we helped declutter and organize multiple areas of the home. Our client mentioned that the bedroom and closet were the spaces causing her the most stress and needing the most attention.
For this project, the client booked a 5-hour session with two organizers from our team. During that session, we helped her fully declutter and reorganize the entire space.
Here is the before photo:
The Challenges
Some of the biggest challenges she was having were:
- Large piles of clothing and miscellaneous items
- Limited closet and storage space
- Difficulty keeping up with laundry and cleaning
- Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of excess items
- Creating a system that would be easier to maintain long-term
Situations like this are common among clients reaching out to our decluttering services, especially when clutter has gradually built up over time.
Our Decluttering Process
We started by focusing on the large pile of clothing and items outside the closet first. With two organizers helping, we worked side-by-side with the client to go through everything piece by piece using a simple keep, donate, and toss process.
As we worked through the clothing, shoes, and miscellaneous items, the pile gradually became smaller and more manageable. Any items she decided to keep were temporarily set aside on the bed while we stayed focused on decluttering first before moving into the organizing phase.
Below are photos of everything our client decided to part with during the decluttering process.
By the end of the session, she was able to clear out a significant amount of clothing and items she no longer needed. It was two giant carloads of donations!
Quick Note: The amount of donations and trash we’re able to remove during a session can vary depending on how many organizers are booked for the project (1-4 organizers).
Quick Note: How We Handle Closet Decluttering Sessions
Before we jump into decluttering closets with our clients, we like to start by asking our clients how they’d like to handle decisions throughout the session. Some clients prefer for us to hold up items and ask them what they’d like to keep, donate, or toss as we go, while others prefer to go through items themselves and hand us what they no longer want. Every client is different, so we adjust the process based on what feels most comfortable and least overwhelming for them.
Before we start the decluttering process, we also explain that the easier it is to make decisions on items, the faster the project usually moves. That said, it’s never a rushed process. Some clients are ready to let go of a lot quickly, while others prefer to take more time with certain items, especially sentimental belongings. Every client also purges a different amount during a decluttering session, depending on their goals, the size of the space, and how much the area has accumulated over time.
For all of our decluttering projects, we bring boxes and trash bags so donations and trash can immediately be separated and removed from the space. If you’re curious about how our process works before booking, we also explain more in our blog post about what’s included in our New Orleans decluttering services.
The Organizing Phase
Once all the clothes in her bedroom and closet had been decluttered and sorted, and the remaining clothing and items she was keeping were set aside on the bed, and donations and trash were in bags and boxes, we transitioned to the organizing portion of the project.
Before putting anything back in her closet, we wiped it down and reset it so the space had a completely fresh start. From there, we began putting everything back by category so the closet would feel more functional and easier to maintain moving forward. Creating systems like this is a big part of our closet organization services.
Typically, when organizing closets, we group similar items together so everything has a logical place and is easier to find. Any clothing that needed to be folded was neatly folded, while hanging items were coordinated and sorted to make the closet feel visually cleaner and more manageable overall.
Our goal wasn’t just to organize the space, but to create a system that made sense for our client’s daily routine and felt easier to maintain long-term. After parting with a significant amount of excess clothing and unused items, the bedroom and closet felt cleaner, more functional, and far less overwhelming overall.
Here’s the completed closet after decluttering and organizing the space:
The Results
By the end of the project, the closet and bedroom felt lighter, more organized, and easier to maintain.
With less excess clothing and clutter to manage, everyday tasks like getting dressed, cleaning, and doing laundry became much less stressful for the client. The final result was a space that felt more functional, calmer, and easier for her to keep up with long-term.
Here’s a side by side before and after photo:
After the project was complete, our team loaded everything up and dropped the donations off at a local donation center for her as well. We’ve also created a local donation directory that includes places around New Orleans where items can be donated, whether you’d like us to handle the drop-off for you or you want donation options for yourself.
These were the friendly donation center workers who helped our team unload all of the client’s donations after the project was complete. They were so kind!
For many homeowners, the biggest benefit is not just having a cleaner space but feeling less overwhelmed in their daily routine overall. If you’re wondering whether hiring help is actually worth it, we also wrote more about whether hiring a professional organizer is worth it.
P.S. Many clients are unsure what the experience of working with a professional organizer actually looks like beforehand, which is why we also created this guide on what to expect when hiring a professional organizer in New Orleans.
To learn more about Professional Organizer New Orleans and the services we offer throughout the New Orleans area, visit our homepage.
To contact us, feel free to fill out a form online or give us a call at (504) 321-6792.
