Considerate and thoughtful in every way

When I decided it was time to downsize the house my late husband and I had bought 31 years earlier, I knew I would have about three months to empty the house prior to the closing date. To do this and dispose of the contents would be a huge task, for which I knew I would need assistance. With my daughter’s help I located a professional organizer, Carrie Cooper, whose business is called Organize A Difference. From the day we met, I had confidence that she was someone I would look forward to working with. It turned out that Carrie exceeded my expectations in every way. As the weeks went by, she was a tremendous help.

We first updated the household inventory and then separated it into various lists of the contents of the house, using numerous categories. With such a big project ahead, planning was a major element. Carrie helped me to assess the existing situation, to define goals and break them down into manageable tasks. We drafted a working schedule and reached out to various professionals, such as local self storage facilities, auction houses, moving companies and removal services. Communications were vitally important as the project unfolded; Carrie took the lead in this, establishing contacts and following up with all service providers. She took the initiative to gather estimates, schedule appointments, kept a log of phone calls and created a calendar of dates to follow. She also kept a detailed log of everything, which was very helpful. Throughout the project there was hands-on work, such as sorting through closets, cabinets, sports and baby equipment, toddler toys, etc. Carrie even took down curtains, and was completely willing and energetic in tackling these tasks. She was able to donate many gently used items to local charities. On the days the professional movers came to the house, she oversaw the packing and loading into trucks. This was complicated because furniture and boxes were going to different destinations. Thanks to her diligence and experience the moving days went smoothly. Similarly, Carrie oversaw unloading of furniture and boxes into two different local storage facilities.

Carrie is a wonderful person to work with. Through my estate downsizing project, she was considerate and thoughtful in every way. Truly resourceful, she found solutions to countless questions, big and small. She is completely honest and dependable. On every day of our appointments together, Carrie cheerfully brought a positive energy to the house. During the almost three months of the project, while emptying the house and preparing for the sale, I felt that I had the best possible person at my side, acting not only as organizer but also as a friend, while I went through that major transition in my life.