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Professional Organizer Tackles Squirrel Hill Home

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― We all need to get organized -- whether it's a little or a lot.

The hardest part is getting started according to professional organizer Jennifer Paty, who wrote "Livable Spaces".

We put Paty's skills to the test helping a Squirrel Hill family.

Teenager Nora White was asked numerous times to clean her room.

But she just shoved it away.

"Basically, under my bed or in closets or any space that I could hide stuff away in," said Nora.

So, she was grounded her until it was clean.

"It had become very stressful and it had become screaming matches between my daughter and I and my husband and and we finally just said you can't do anything else," said Kate White. "This is it."

Nora's mother, Kate, hired professional organizer Paty to help.

She says a professional often helps someone do the hardest part -- get started.

"I think just the sheer fact of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start," said Paty.

Their goal was to finish the project in two weeks while Kate's husband was away on business.

Sorting is the first step.

Jennifer, Nora and Kate went through everything -- clothes, books, school stuff.

And after it was sorted once, they went through the "keep" and "not sure" piles again.

For Kate, it was an emotional process -- getting rid of the kid stuff meant accepting her daughter's grown up.

So Jennifer helped create a memory closet of their favorite things.

Kate also said it helped to know the things she's giving away are finding good homes.

"It makes me feel good," said Kate. "So, I feel good about doing it as opposed to bad about doing it."

Jennifer says it helps when people find places that have special meaning to them.

Kate gave the books to their local library, dolls to her friends who have young children, and games and movies to children's hospital.

After spending a couple hours a day for two weeks, both with and without Jen there, they were ready to surprise dad.

His reaction was one of shock.

So, how did they go an out-of-control room to an organized, neat space.

First, they got rid of more than 100 garbage bags full of stuff.

Two van loads of things were recycled.

They also cleaned as they went to avoid cleaning later.

Then -- came the organizing.

Jennifer suggests taking all of the instructions and accessories for your gadgets out of the plastic case and filing them in one folder.

Before buying bins, start by organizing the drawers you already have and keep one closet or box for memories.

A professional organizer can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 an hour.

The time it takes depends on the size of your project and how much time you devote to it on your own.

If you'd like more information about Livable Spaces by Jennifer Paty, call 412-600-6671 or e-mail Jennifer at jenpaty5@hotmail.com.  You can also visit The National Association Of Professional Organizers online (http://www.napo.net/)

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