I Declutter

Janice is great at her job. She loves helping people get their lives back in order. She is understanding and non-judgemental. She has helped me SO much over a number of years. One of the best decisions I have ever made was calling her.

During the last few years, I have had some significant struggles with depression, a side-effect of which was that my home sank into pretty extreme disorder. I got buried (both literally and figuratively) in a mountain of things that caused me a lot of shame and embarrassment, to the point where I no longer allowed any visitors in my home. When I eventually reached a place where living like that wasn’t acceptable to me anymore, I realized I needed help, and I knew I couldn't handle an overly business-minded, impersonal junk crew coming in my home and just getting rid of my things. I needed someone who would understand my situation, why I was in it, and work to help me overcome it instead of judging me for it. That is exactly what I got with Janice. I have had her in my home many times over the last 6 months or so, and each time she has been helpful, productive, patient, and just so kind to me. It's more like having a friend over to help you, instead of a business transaction. Janice helped me sort through things that were causing me trouble, made me feel like everything I was dealing with was manageable, and that I could get through it. She gave me advice, tips, and just general little bits of wisdom and encouragement all along the way to help me change the way I was doing things so I could be happier in my home. Since then, I have recently moved (an event that the mere idea of, before I called Janice, would've sent me into a terrible panic attack), and even though most of the junk and embarrassment are gone, I plan to have her back again soon to help me organize my new space and make sure I'm living in a place that works best for me, and that I can relax and be happy in. Hopefully, if there is someone else reading this that is in a situation similar to mine, they'll know they can call Janice. If you are embarrassed, don't be, she can help you!

I've used this provider regularly over several years. We have come a long way together, and I am still in awe of the results when we work on clearing areas in my house and reorganizing...the effect sometimes seems like magic! Not only does my house "work" better for me after we meet, but the work we do together changes the energy in my life - I credit her for new and positive changes in my life, especially after feeling "stuck." Having her help gets things going again! It's amazing! She helped me with a move, packing, planning, and being there on the day, which was a HUGE help and took a lot of the anxiety out of moving day. She staged my house for sale so that it looked awesome in the photos and helped make small changes in energy that ultimately led to the SOLD sign! I can count on her for excellent advice and positive changes in many areas of my life. Highly recommend this provider!

Janice rocks! This woman changed my life. She not only helped with organizing my house - I also attribute my improved mental and physical health and well being to her assistance. Her decluttering and organizing skills are amazing. She does not judge at all and her ability to guide me through the organizing/decluttering process was stellar. I had really gotten myself into a very cluttery mess in many rooms in my home and the basement was particularly challenging, but Janice lead me quickly through the process to sort through all of my junk, belongings and trash. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs help with decluttering and organizing their life - and, like me, I'm sure you'll thank your lucky stars that you found her.

The initial consulting was great to find out our goals and issues with clutter. She helped us understand our mindset for clutter based on our personalities and routines. She provides tips for initial decluttering and how to maintain.

Ms. Ash has been in business for many years. She excels in communication, guidance, and repurposing current furnishings. Her taste is excellent. She has located items that have made a transformation at little cost. I'm proud of my home and our working relationship.

Janice was excellent on both fronts - but my most rewarding and enjoyment has come from my office "re-do" - It feels good to work in the environment and my Colleagues compliment all the time and say "whats different"? I will be calling Janice again for a "tweak" and have recommended her often and will continue to do so - to get your life happier, more orderly - Call Janice!

Janice has a unique ability to create a calm working environment even when emotions about the mess run high. She has a methodical approach and an uncanny instinct for my needs. Overwhelming and seemingly impossible jobs just get done and I feel great after we've worked together. Janice is a true gift.

Janice has been helping me organize for several years.  We have tackled most of the major storage areas in my house as well as my office.  When we added an addition, she was right there to help with that also.  I have enjoyed working with her and highly recommend not trying to do everything by yourself when you can call Janice to help!

Janice changed my life. I moved into my apartment in Oct. of 2015 and had yet to unpack all the way when I called her in May of 2016. As a busy graduate student, every time I came home to my apartment, I felt like the mess was too big and I couldn't tackle it, so I didn't. The first time Janice came to my place, she assured me that the giant disaster that was my apartment could be managed. I was skeptical because every single other time I've had an organizer come to my house they do the work once and they are gone. I've never been able to maintain a clean, organized house. I was really nervous the first time she came over because I was so embarrassed by how horrible my place looked. She assured me that she has seen worse and this could be done. Janice and I started out small, tackling easy projects as we got to know each other. We worked side by side and she helped me break down the large problem into small pieces, so the project of organizing didn't seem so big. She helped me devise systems that support my current habits while making my apartment tidy. She has helped me make my space feel like home. I have managed to keep the apartment clean and organized. Every day when I walk into my apartment after a long day at school and work, I am amazed that I live in such a clean, organized place. Janice is warm and kind. She's wonderful to talk to and she doesn't just care about cleaning up your space, she cares about you as a whole person. If you are feeling like you are drowning in stuff and the chaos of disorganization reigns your space, call her. She's wonderful.

Janice is a seasoned professional who does much more than "organizing". She is an expert in the emotional and psychological underpinnings of holding on to too much stuff. I found her process to be highly individualized, tailored to my unique needs, and I appreciate her approach of making it "easy". Don't get me wrong, its seriously "deep work", but she is able to approach it in such a skilled way that creative solutions flow easily as she helps to break through resistance to let go (which all her clients have or we wouldn't have so much stuff). I find that her sage words stick with me for a long time, helping me to follow up on what she has taught me, applying the skills to new situations as I become ready to deal with them. I find it fascinating that her approach works as well with hoarders, moderate collectors or simple organization projects alike. We could all use a "Janice" to simplify and "enliven" our lives, as she helps to release old patterns and step into new goals.

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She was wonderful.  Very friendly, but didn't let any chatting {I'm very talkative) interfere with her work.  She had done this sort of thing plenty of times before and was very organized and descriptive in marking what was in each box.  To top it off this was all after contacting her at the last minute due to a mishap in the moving date.  She squeezed me in, even staying very late one night.  I would recommend her to anyone, and definitely use her again if the need arose.

My home was a wreck - I needed not only a good cleaning, but also coaching on where to keep things and help sorting through various minefields of clutter.  I'm not quite to the level of a hoarder, but I'm afraid I'm not that far off, either.
I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  Janice was truly non-judgmental, encouraging, friendly, and kind.  She had a real knack for knowing when I was getting overwhelmed and kept me calm and on-track.  She gave good advice on how to keep things in shape now that we're making good progress.  Honestly, I've still got quite a ways to go before I'm finished, but I finally can see a way out of the mess.

This experience was very emotional experience. First we  gathered boxes, labeling pens, post it pads, tissue paper & tape. As I said above we worked one room at a time. We loaded my car, then I placed the packed packages in my home. We worked together very well! Janice kept me on task, as I wouldget lost with so many objects to distract me. All went well, I lost me keys just once! A horrible task for the executer of an estate, my experience went very well. I must state Janice gave me pep talks and ideas for  action, via the phone. Janice was available for my night and day! I encourage anyone who feels overwhelmed by their surroundings, it is just to hard to motivate yourself to pitch and clean. CALL JANICE FOR HELP! You will be very pleased and happy!

I was anxious about having someone come help me organize-who wouldn't be? Our basement and garage have the normal clutter that comes with kids and life, and I have a few and quot;hot spotsand quot; where I need help knowing what to do, so it is overwhelming to me, kind of personal and it is just simply hard to ask for someone to come into your and quot;messand quot;, be it big or small.
Thankfully, I was immediately set at ease by Janice. She gave me some great ideas and was really motivating to me as I begin this work, and more importantly she was really understanding and wise and completely non-judgmental. She not only understands how to help get a situation understand, she and quot;getsand quot; how things get that way in the first place and is as concerned with the process as with the result. She also sees organization and decluttering as a part of making one's living space more harmonious and loving; not just as a means to an end. She has a calm, nurturing, presence. She is a and quot;coachand quot; and not a taskmaster. I can't recommend her highly enough.

Janice has outstanding interpersonal skills and a lot of compassion. She makes big jobs seem smaller, has many great ideas for how to tackle each task, and actually makes the organizing fun.

It went well. I run my business from my home, and I was literally running out of room. Janice helped me go through boxes that were literally piled to the ceiling from emptying my storage unit. She helped me sort out and organize both business and home items, such as office supplies, and home house ware. It was amazing how she created a space for everything and got it out of the way. Her organizing opened up my apartment and created space that I didn't have before.
Janice is a pleasure to work with. She is pleasant and amiable and definitely understands how we get ourselves buried in stacks of boxes, paperwork, or household items. But, the important thing is that she can fix it--and she did! Janice did one super job helping me declutter both my office and my home. I would definitely recommend her, and I will definitely use her again when needed.
M. Williams

September 29, 2013

I called Janice to assist me in designing my husband’s home
office. Last month we moved from a house to an apartment and our old furniture
did not fit into the office room. My husband is newly self-employed and he now needs
a dedicated home office for his new work situation.

Janice was thankfully available for an appointment two days
after I phoned her. When she arrived for the session she immersed herself in
the many aspects for consideration in this room, such as furniture form and
function, air flow, lighting, paint color, noise control, room height and work
flow.
She asked my husband a number of questions about his working
style preferences so that the furniture pieces and their positioning would
maximally compliment his specific needs.

She carefully considered the furniture my husband and I were
considering for the office space. She was able to efficiently help me to narrow
down my choices based on selective considerations of design, comfort and
function. I found this one of the most valuable parts of her consultation, as
the more furniture I considered, the more confusing it was toward the end of
the process. She made the choices simple, but it was obvious to me that she
arrived at her opinions through many years of work experience.
Having Janice assist me early on in considering the many
parts to making a great work space for my husband already felt like a great
investment. Janice saved me hours of further searching and agonizing about all
the choices to be made to make a welcoming and efficient work environment. I
have ordered the office furniture with confidence, knowing that I have
considered all the important aspects of how to furnish this room.
I have previously worked with Janice in designing and
maintaining my garden, and preparing my large house for selling. Janice takes
away the stress in considering the many details that need deciding because of
the skill and wisdom she brings to the process of working with you. She makes
the work fun by having a solid understanding of what to consider. I find
working with Janice to be a comfortable and comforting experience. I can highly
recommend Janice for setting up a room, designing the flow of a house, or
establishing and maintaining a garden. Getting Janice’s input saves time,
energy, money and stress in getting the job done.
With thanks,
Anita Sorkin

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OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS MY HOME HAD BECOME VERY CLUTTERED FOR WHATEVER REASON. EVERY TIME I WOULD START THE PROCESS ON MY OWN IT WASN'T VERY LONG BEFORE IT WAS CLUTTERED AGAIN. I CALLED JANICE, LEFT A VOICE MESSAGE AND SHE PROMPTLY RETURN MY CALL..I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION TO HER AND SHE IMMEDIATELY MADE ME FEEL AT EASE. WE SCHEDULED A DATE AND TIME AND SHE MEET ME AT MY HOME AS SCHEDULED. I WAS FEELING A LITTLE ANXIOUS ABOUT LETTING HER INTO MY HOME TO SEE MY CLUTTER. HOWEVER, SHE INSTANTLY MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE AND REASSURED ME MY CLUTTER WASN'T A REFLECTION OF WHO I WAS AS A PERSON. JANICE WENT ROOM BY ROOM WITH ME PROVIDING VALUABLE ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES TO HELP FACILITATE THIS PROCESS. SHE ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND WE STARTED DECLUTTERING THE KITCHEN TABLE OF MAIL THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. SHE HELPED ME GO THROUGH KEEPSAKES AND GIFTS I HAVE ACCUMULATED OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. I EXPLAINED TO HER I FELT GUILTY GIVING THEM AWAY BECAUSE THEY WERE GIFTS. JANICE EXPLAINED THOSE GIFTS WERE MINE NOW AND I COULD DO WHATEVER I WANTED TO DO WITH THEM...
SHE PROVIDED SEVERAL ORGANIZATION I COULD DONATE OR SELL ITEMS TOO. JANICE ALSO HELPED ME WITH SOME OF MY FURNITURE PLACEMENT, MOVING CERTAIN ITEMS TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO BRING ENERGY BACK INTO A ROOM.
JANICE IS A MIRACLE WORKER. I FOUND HER CALMING, COMPASSIONATE AND SINCERE! JANICE GAVE ME A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INSIGHT INTO MY SITUATION. SHE HELPED ME START THE PROCESS OF DECLUTTERING TO BECOME MORE ORGANIZED AND TO PRIORITIZE MY MATERIAL POSSESSION.

I Declutter is an owner operated company run by Janice Ash. I am a busy professional and often put decluttering my condo low on my priority list. I lived with my sister throughout college and grad school and after she moved out, there was a lot left behind and I needed a new system of organization. I also had a lot of piles of papers and memorabilia I never tackled. Janice was key in helping me reclaim my space. I recommend her services, and here is a synopsis of my experience and pros/cons for those who like details:
* If you need decluttering and organization, rather than just cleaning, Janice is great. I think cleaning doesn't really solve the problem when you have lots of clutter, unused stuff, lots of papers, etc. Cleaning can come after decluttering.
* Janice is very calm, professional and able to process things with you - at least for me, I didn't get rid of things I hadn't made decisions about, or wanted to come back to, or had emotional attachment to - it wasn't just a bunch of trash to throw out. Janice made the process easier to accomplish.
* She is also very good at helping you break down the work into manageable chunks - both in terms of space and in terms of time and attention spans.
* It takes awhile to do the job right, and it is a collaborative process. Part of me wishes I could just say, and quot;go at itand quot; and come home to a decluttered home - pay someone else to do it completely. But ultimately you know what you need to keep, want to keep, etc. and need to know where things end up going. We spent several sessions over many weeks going through my home - I had a ton of stuff, but do not consider myself to be a hoarder by any stretch of the imagination. It definitely took longer than I expected, but I felt the time was used wisely and we got a ton done in each session - it's just like anything where everything takes longer than you expect, and takes longer to do it right rather than just put a bandaid on the problem.
* All those hours add up to a lot of money. Price is the one area where I *almost* gave this service a B, but after consideration, I think it is an A because you get what you pay for. For me, it was well worth the expense to get my house clean. I live there, I sleep there, I relax there, I work there from time to time. Life is a lot less stressful when your home is clean. Also, the longer you wait to clean it, the worse it will probably get (and more time and/or money it will take you to do later). I should have kept better track of what I spent, but it was not an insignificant investment (I would guess $1,000 + and I would like a couple more sessions). I think the hourly was $55-65/hour - I paid the total for number of hours worked each day, so don't remember the exact hourly. Usually it was $150-$250 per session for a few hours. That may or may not seem like a lot to you - it seemed like a lot to me having paid normal cleaners much less. But, you aren't getting a cleaner, you are getting a declutterer/professional organizer - and I have seen first hand the difference. Business owners have to pay their own taxes, their own insurance, their own business expenses and their own salaries out of that fee, so it's not straight profit. If you have the money to spend, I also think there are very few things more worth spending money on than a decluttered, calming home that will help your mood and help you enjoy life more.
* Another couple notes regarding cost: I believe it is worth it to spend the money if you can and get it done right the first time - you want your house to be clean and organized, not just straightened. Clean out bags, boxes, drawers - not just the top of the table, or in my opinion you'll be back where you started before long. I also think you can space out a few sessions to pay for it over time successfully with Janice's methods, but also if you can afford to do it all at once, it feels great to go from cluttered to clean and I think will also help you from having things build up again.
* The quality of the service was top-notch. I would recommend Janice's services to my friends and family, and will use her again. She is professional, kind and good at what she does. The systems in place have helped me continue to keep clutter down and know where things are and what I have.
My best advice is, just take the first step. Like any big job, decluttering has to be broken down into smaller chunks. Whether you have a loved one's home to clean out after an illness or death, a child to help move to or from college or your own home like I did in need of organization, Janice is a fabulous resource. You will be glad you called, and, in my opinion, will have a much better chance at a long-lasting solution.

I first used this service about two years ago, and have since had multiple occasions to use it again, as I've seen the benefits of what's working in one area and decided to do another area, and another, and another. Taking it in steps has worked well, and I will definitely continue as I'm able. The difference in my life is huge. I am so grateful for this service! Can't recommend it highly enough.

We have been using Janice every week or two throughout 2012. She has given us our house back. We began by clearing our storage spaces and then began to go through the visible and closeted clutter. She has worked with the way that we live, but helped us to live our lives better. I wish I had hired her earlier. We are still using her. I have liked her services so well that I want to go through everything before I let her go. She is professional and dependable. She has changed our lives!

She has done an excellent job, and was able to give me some suggestions to help me declutter. At this point, my neighbor has even complimented me one how much better I am doing. She was the most responsive out of all the other businesses that I contacted.

She directed the project and actually did the work with me and my children.
Her ideas for rolling storage shelving and keeping everything visible has worked out great.
When you have a lot of clutter, it's hard to know where to start. She intuitively knows what will work.
It was helpful having a neutral person lead the project, as it prevented the usual conflict that arises when I try to get my children to do cleaning and organizing projects. A major amount of work was accomplished in much less time than we could have done on our own. I found it helpful that she did the organizing and cleaning with us. It helped to have her there, rather than just getting advice from someone that might get put off until another day.