|
For years my fantasy has been to have the help of a professional organizer. Each time I seriously considered doing this - usually in early spring - I pulled back, thinking I really could do this if I just tried a little harder and focused more. I guess I really could but it just wasn’t happening within any reasonable time frame. My sister has had this kind of help twice. But she lives in the Detroit area and seems to have connections to many resources. Do it, she said. Finally, a co-worker, Sharon Sultan Cutler, told me that she really liked working with
Karyn Madorin, owner of
Extreme Organizing, Inc. Summoning my courage, I contacted her.
 |
|
Day one-in need of help
|
Karyn and I agreed that she would help me “get my feet wet” by focusing on the one area where I always put things that I can’t part with but just don’t know where they should go. Therein sit boxes of unused, unsorted material that look daunting and overwhelming. And each time I make a dent and recycle several bags that I do sort, the pile grows back again. I will never understand how. So I decided it was time to call for reinforcement.
 |
|
More mess
|
Karyn Madorin, President of Extreme Organizing, Inc. participates as a member of the
National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) both in Chicago and on a National level — regularly attending educational classes, seminars, and National Conference.
Karyn is passionate about organizing and helping others achieve their goals. This was proven with the accomplishment of essentially creating a new laundry room.
 |
|
Day one, the floor is cleared
|
With a Bachelor's Degree in Science and 19 years experience as a Professional Registered Nurse, Karyn brings organizational skill to her clients. The ability to effectively assess, plan, and implement organizing projects are just a few of the ways she draws on her experience.
 |
|
After day one, empty baskets ready to help reorganize
|
As a resident of the
Streeterville area of Chicago, she enjoys art, music, bicycling, and sailing with her husband when not working. She also volunteers with several community organizations.
Extreme Organizing, Inc., established in 2006 was carefully structured to assist people in restoring order to their surroundings and their life.
 |
|
Beginning Day two
|
It is
Extreme Organizing, Inc.’s mission to provide clients high-quality professional organizing services in a confidential, non-judgmental, and supportive manner. They provide a custom approach to organizing by understanding each client's personal style and preference. Services include care and attention to entire homes and/or office. A vigorous effort is made to ensure projects are completed quickly and efficiently. This is just what I experienced.
 |
|
The cupboard looks like it should
|
The treated areas before and after contrasts are striking. One goal is that the after the organizing is completed the area would be so functional that it sustains itself indefinitely. Karyn individualized her “treatment” to my needs and style. We spent two hours that served both to clear and to teach. I was given one week to complete my assignment and
Karyn came back to be sure all was correctly carried through.
 |
|
Almost there, the final sort
|
I found
Karyn's low key style and encouraging manner just right for me. She commented that I was discarding about 50% of what I was sorting and this was a good ratio. During the week between visits, I thought of her suggestions to find "homes" for my various items and tried to do this. On the day before her second visit I was energized. I cleaned and pitched and made major strides but I still needed some help for the final push.
 |
|
I "discovered" a great home for several items
|
When
Karyn arrived for the second visit, she was very complimentary and said I had done a good job. With her support, I began to expand my thinking and realized I had some possible storage areas I had not thought about, a place where I could put some of the items that really didn't belong in the laundry room. Finding a "home" for those items I chose to keep was the goal.
 |
|
A fresh new look
|
With the laundry room cleared and reorganized, Karyn offered me with the following advice:
1. When things start to get cluttered, STOP before things get out of hand. This might be the time to redirect some extra time to this area again and it might be important to establish some new "homes".
2. Clearing and organizing is a process that requires the establishment of new habits.
With thanks to my sister, Sharon and Karyn, I "got my feet wet" and am ready to forge ahead on my own, I hope.
 |
|
Viola! Goal achieved, thanks to Karyn
|
Extreme organizing, Inc. wide ranging services include
Business and Residential Offices
Closets
Kitchens
Bedrooms
Baths
Living Areas
Basements
Moving Out & Moving In
Time Management and Schedules
Karyn also teaches organizing at
Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois and
The Discovery Center in Chicago. In these classes she helps students learn the techniques essential to organization. Her topics include: project assessment, planning, actions, and maintaining results.
I was very interested to learn that Karyn is a member of the
NAPO Chicago "Green-Team" and focuses on eco-friendly practices in organizing. She understands how to utilize the Three-R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in working with her clients. She also supports her commitment to the environment by participating in the Member Discount programs offered by various environmentally conscious
businesses and organizations including: I-Go Cars, Zip Car, Active Transportation Alliance, SOAR, and 98.7 WFMT.
Karyn's tips:
http://extremeorganizing.com/email/2010-spring-email.html
Contact
Extreme Organizing, Inc. for a complimentary consultation.
Karyn Madorin (312) 832-1690
karyn@extremeorganizing.com
www.extremeorganizing.com
Photos: B. Keer
Discuss
this article in the Readers' Forum
Info
on Barbara Keer
From time to time Splash Magazines receives complimentary products and services from companies. The receipt of these gifts in no way affects our reviews or opinions in our editorial coverage. Our loyalty is to you, our readers, and we will give you our honest, unbiased opinions.
Copyright © 2003 - 2010 Splash Magazines Worldwide. All rights reserved.
Top of Page
|
, blah blah blah
