Why does being organized matter? What does the past have to do with preparing for the future? Why should I address these things now? All common questions. Our strategy when helping clients – look at their past and prepare them for the future. The future and past are relevant in every single project.
A beloved uncle is moving into assisted living. We go through the home he lived in for 45 years (the past) and walk clients through what items are most valued (not always the most valuable monetarily). We ensure the valuable items are stored and labeled properly and will be easy to locate when the time to pass them on comes along.
A mother is overwhelmed with grocery shopping and food preparation for a busy family. We examine the tactics she has been using that are working (the past) and where she struggles. We set up visible storage systems in her pantry enabling shopping list making to be easy in the future and relocate kid-friendly plates, cups, and snacks to child-level enabling the children to prepare their own snacks and drinks in the future. These changes prepare children for future independence and free up precious minutes in Mom’s day.
A vibrant seventy-five-year-old grandmother moves into a new home. We learn what her favorite dishes are to prepare (the past). We unpack for her and set up her kitchen allowing her to reach the items she uses most without bending over too far or having to climb up a step ladder (preparing for future ability and mobility changes). We consciously place items into her new space allowing her to safely prepare her famous chocolate chip cookies for years to come- and a grandchildren reachable cookie jar to place them in!
A loving mother and father have saved every piece of artwork their ten-year-old daughter has made in school since Pre-K. We help parents sort through piles of children’s artwork (created in the past), curating a collection of only the pieces showcasing their child’s talent and personality- allowing the thoughtful collection to be enjoyed in the future. No large bins of jumbled papers to rummage through when the children leave the nest.
Is it difficult to think about your children growing up and moving out? Your parents no longer being with you? The fact you will have to move out of your beloved family home when the space becomes too much to keep up with? Absolutely. All beginnings and endings in life provide some stress and sadness. A guaranteed way to ensure the experience will be doubly painful and anxiety-producing- ignoring the fact these instances will, in fact, happen to all of us. Only the how and when will differ. Take the time now to sift through your past. Your future self will be forever grateful.
