Virtual coaching

Decluttering – Home & Lifestyle organisation

“Understand the problem–what do people need to DO? Help them practice doing it with realistic challenges, preferably spaced over time. That will make your e-learning relevant and useful, which will make it engaging.”

– Cathy Moore

What is virtual coaching and why do it?

I am a firm believer in the power of decluttering and home & lifestyle organisation and am utterly convinced of the positive outcomes these actions produce on our everyday lives. But, whether because of their schedules, of their location, or of their personal circumstances, some might not be able to have face-to-face sessions with a professional organiser. Others might just prefer to go through these processes on their own. Yet, many of these people still wish they could get some advice, guidance, and support to help them along the way. For those, I offer a valuable solution: virtual coaching.

My virtual coaching sessions are what I describe as a “Decluttering and/or Home& Lifestyle organisation jump-start” – you will get my active professional support and guidance to help you start your journey and achieve your goals, but remotely.

Virtual coaching: when and where?

Maybe you feel ready to start decluttering and/or organising your home & lifestyle, but you do not know where or how to start. Or maybe you have already tried to do so in the past, but ended up interrupting the process because a series of gnawing doubts kept holding you back.

If you need professional guidance and support but would rather not have me come to your home, I can still help you. I can work by your side remotely and help you to start your journey by making sure that you move forward at your own pace while I lend you a virtual helping hand each time you need it. Ultimately, I will share your excitement when you look at the amazing progress you made and at the astonishing end results!

My virtual coaching covers the same D.O.S.E. options as my face-to-face services do: Decluttering, Organising, Storage solutions, and Enhancing. From your wardrobe to your kitchen or garage, or from your paperwork to meal-planning or laundry, any issue you need to resolve can be explored and addressed.

What is the process?

During the virtual coaching sessions, I will:

discuss your issues, the challenges you are faced with, and the goals you would like to achieve
undertake a virtual video tour of the areas/rooms/categories you would like to work on
guide you through every step of the process, advising you on what to do and how to do it
answer all your questions, clear up the doubts you might have during the process
regularly check on your progress and success
assist and encourage you throughout the process

If you want to work through your own decluttering and/or home & lifestyle organisation journey successfully, but you prefer to be remotely supported, or if you have questions about my virtual coaching

If you think it is time to declutter your home, or if you have questions
I would be delighted to hear from you!

Jane’s Story

Jane is a prop maker and a visual artist who also teaches art classes. This means that she has an enormous quantity of magazines, of craft accessories, and of other material that she needs for her various professional projects. She lives in a good size flat but, over time, all the art and craft items have messily piled up in her cupboards and have created chaos. She had been feeling overwhelmed by this situation for months. All her beautiful ribbons were randomly shoved in various cupboards, drawers, and bags, and she could never find what she was looking for. Jane felt utterly frustrated with the wasted time and energy she spent hunting things down.

After having discussed her issues and the goals she wanted to achieve, Jane and I agreed that virtual coaching was the best option for her. We had a first 45-minute video session during which she gave me a virtual tour of her flat, detailing all the existing storage and the different stacks of items she needed professionally. We then set up a plan and I gave her a detailed description of the different steps that I usually cover in my decluttering/ organisation projects. Obviously, I made sure that the process I was describing would suit her particular situation and environment. I provided her with clear, practical, and detailed guidelines, giving her a series of small tasks that she could work on. Between each of the ensuing follow-up sessions, Jane felt comfortable knowing that she could ask me any question or share any difficulty she was facing. I also messaged her a few times to check on her progress.

The virtual coaching went very well and brought Jane the help she needed. She managed to sort and organise her work-material efficiently. Jane now knows where everything is methodically placed and finding the item she needs is no longer a problem. She can finally unleash her creativity without having to worry about not finding the exact piece of ribbon she urgently needs.

“To start with, I gave Isabelle a virtual tour of my flat so she could see the huge challenge that faced her. We decided to break down the chaos and start with some of my haberdashery collection. I collected all the ribbons in a huge pile, pinned all the loose ends, and put them back in an organised way. It’s daunting at first and does take a surprisingly long time, but I am hoping the long-term benefits will be worth it. I already feel a bit more in control. Next time I want a particular ribbon – I will not need a search party to try and find it!
Isabelle was very encouraging and in regular contact. Checking my progress. When I first started, there was a feeling I had to do it all in one day.
She was always respectful of my time and reminded it was better to do it in manageable chunks.
Which I gradually realised. Go for walks and pat yourself on the back after a successful day. I could ask her questions. For example, what to do with things of sentimental value.
It can be quite a thought-provoking experience and not always easy.
It actually took over a week and I am still finding things I need to adapt.
It is a good idea to keep the things you use regular close to hand and in the same box, drawer etc.
As logical as it sounds, most of us have a drawer or a cupboard of horrors. We mean to sort out. However, it is only now in this time of lockdown. I have had a chance to really re organise more thoughtfully.
It is a work in progress. I am creative person and once engaged in making, I can easily become submerged in my materials.
The results so far have certainly made my life less chaotic.
I am so thankful to Isabelle for her support throughout this process.“

Jane, Greenwich