'Helen transformed my home from a source of stress into a peaceful, welcoming space. Her clear, structured approach made even the toughest decisions manageable, and her calm support kept me focused throughout.'
Emma, Lawyer, north London
THE SITUATION
Emma was a junior partner in a law firm, she had a successful career and owned a beautiful flat in west London. She desperately wanted a home she could manage, socialise in and have people over, but she felt ashamed of the constant mess. Not only that, she had spent money on a lovely extension, which was never lovely … so we worked on changing that!
Not only was her home full of clutter, but the spaces were badly organised. There was a desk under the stairs that wasn’t being used, an unsightly and impractical open wardrobe in the living room, plus lots of furniture in the kitchen that didn’t gel. Supplies and equipment for her hobbies – she was a keen crafter – were stacked up everywhere in overloaded and collapsing boxes. She kept trying to solve the problems of each room by buying more furniture, but it just wasn’t working. As with so may people I work with, the
As with so many people I work with, the shame of not being able to manage the clutter, created a deadlock of paralysis. Emma felt overwhelmed and really stuck. She simply didn’t know where to start because whatever she tried didn’t seem to work. In the end she had got to a point where she just kept procrastinating because whenever she did start to try and tackle the problem, it felt like she was failing.
I just felt incongruent to her that all the energy she had given to her work life, and the huge amount she had achieved in that area, just wasn’t reflected in her home. Whatever she tried to do to get on top of her clutter, nothing worked, especially given how important socialising was to her, and she failed to understand why she couldn’t create the space for it.
WHAT WE DID
As I always do with clients, I spent some time with Emma before we got started to understand exactly what the issues and obstacles were, and equally important, what her vision was. We talked about the emotional and psychological side as well as the practical. I saw a space that just needed help to reach its potential to become a welcoming expression of her personality, and I could support her to transform it into a home that matched her vision and lifestyle.
We agreed to work in two, three-day intensive blocks. Me and an assistant doing the hard lifting and organising while Eva focused on making decisions about what to keep and what to let go. In between sessions she would have some ‘homework’, such as completing actions that we identified during the sessions. She got on with selling things. I also spent time between sessions to source design inspiration, furniture, storage and organisation solutions
As always, the first vital part of the process was ‘weeding’: going thoroughly through everything in each space, in a structured and manageable way, which meant that we got a lot done without her getting distracted or overwhelmed.
Then we moved on to the planting: organising and finding homes for everything she had decided to keep. We bought a few carefully chosen pieces of new furniture, finding a nice sideboard to go where the unsightly wardrobe was. We made the current wardrobe work well and got good storage for under the stairs. We also organised some redecorating—painting walls and putting up wallpaper—to bring a fresh life and energy to the spaces, now freed of their chaos and clutter. We created a room that she could socialise in, with new bedside tables and lamps.
THE RESULTS
Having the support, structure, and containment of an intensive period of time meant we got a lot done, fast. We cleared countless bags of rubbish and recycling, created a room Emma could socialise in, and turned the extension into a beautiful and inspiring space with a usable working area, rather than the dumping ground it had become. Her hobby supplies became a contained and accessible resource, rather than spilling out and taking over.
Her wonderful creative eye came out with the confidence of working with me and having the opportunity to bounce ideas back and forth. Together we created a warm and welcoming environment, with no clutter, and organisation systems that ensured ‘everything had a place and there was a place for everything’. We created a home fit for a mature adult, rather than someone in student digs
Emma told me a few months after our work finished, during follow-on coaching I offer as part of my package, that if she’d not gone through the process with me, she knew she would still be stuck in the same situation she’d been in since she moved into the flat.
Emma now feels more in control and congruent in her home, much more like she is at work. She feels in control, respects herself, and is more confident to have people round when her family visits. She told me that the joyful yellow colour scheme in her ‘new’ home has really brought out her playful side.
'I think you've really captured both the challenges and the transformation. Looking back at the before-and-after photos is quite remarkable! Thanks again for all your support.' Emma
I love working on projects like this; I just want to clear and organise things so my clients can relax, let go of the past, and focus on living and enjoying their home life.
