Kudos for Simply Persnickety

Here are a few compliments, I received in writing, that I'd like to share with you:

"I want to introduce you to my awesome organizer, Shelley. She has done wonders for me to help me clear clutter and make my space more livable, as well as help me organize my office! Shelley can also do this with the greatest of tact and compassion. I know she can help you turn your home into a sanctuary." Todd

"You are SO good at helping people improve their surroundings and their
lives. You're such an inspiration. Thank you for helping us all." Christine

"You are one of the hardest working people I have ever seen." Tony

"I'm amazed at what you've accomplished in such a short period of time. I wish we had done this years ago. This is what I had envisioned living in my home would look like!" Candice

"Shelley is a professional organizer who can do move out purging, organization, and is an absolute wonder woman." Amy, realtor

"I am writing to recommend Shelley Hartman, an amazing home and life organizing consultant. She has helped me find order in my crazy home. I hired her to help with my home office which is also where I manage my business. Immediately, she made a difference and has since attacked some other in-need areas - closet, kitchen, living room, laundry. I am a little addicted, but she has taught me so many great skills that I think I am ready to be organized on my own. It is a beautiful thing. You should contact her today." Jen

"The house looks fabulous but we can't be too perfect in today's market. The 4 areas of master closet, laundry, boiler room and Pantry could use the touch of a house organizer. I recommend Shelly Hartman: 303.549.0494 Simplypersnickety@hotmail.com
She can do all 4 areas in 3 hours if she can work without interruption!" Peyman, Broker Associate
Modern Real Estate

"Thank you SO much, I'm so lucky to have found you. You keep me sane." Nancy

"As for your fabulous work… Shelley… thank you thank you! My son is now a big believer that “everything has a place.”  And… he has so much respect for (his teacher) that he’s more inspired to keep his own things under control." Kelly

"Thank you sooo much. I could just lay down my head and cry with relief.“ Stephanie
“I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off me, and I was energized for the whole weekend. I was able to use my files easily all week. I can’t wait for you to be here next week.”

“I love the job we did together! It truly saved my life. The whole thing had gotten so unmanageable. You were fabulous, respectful, nonjudgmental, and encouraging. And, you have gotten me and the family back on a roll. Since you left, I got rid of more clothes, games, doll clothes, books, bikes. We bought colorful storage containers, chairs, trash can for the art room. And two-step stools for the girls' closets. The rooms remain clean. We are all cleaning up as we go (with expected grumbling from the husband and kids). I also got a couple of organizing bins for the garage...and cardboard boxes to organize photos by year when mother-in-law is here. You even inspired the housekeepers, who spontaneously folded all of mine and Dave's clothes in our closet.

The girls had a traumatic moment (crying/protesting) when they realized how many doll clothes I gave away. I view this as necessary mourning re: the whole shift in the amount of stuff and our relationship to the stuff. You can consider yourself to be an effective antidepressant!" Stephanie

“You did an excellent job. So glad I found you and that you are in my life.” Irene

“I am so grateful for your help. I feel that for me it was as valuable as any professional development that I have taken.” Devira

“I was given your name by our fabulous principal, Val, who is singing your praises.” Thea

“Just wanted to let you know the package is GORGEOUS!!! We’ll present it this afternoon. Thank you, thank you for all your help with this wonderful gift.” Kelly

“It’s perfect, thank you! They look very nice. Elegant, simple, clean. Just like you!” Diane

"I spent all day cleaning the kitchen, doing all the dishes and most of the laundry. It's amazing how much energy and motivation has been released. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!" Amber

"I will be in need of your assistance again. You are a very competent individual and have been an enormous help to me." Irene "You are such a dear. You brought tears to my eyes when I came home and found my shoes all lined up. Thank you!"


"I LOVED what we got done yesterday! I'm so happy to finally be tackling these irritating spaces in the house. I did my homework! I threw out the trash and recycled the paper. I went through last year’s Xmas cards. And, I also dealt with all the paper and stuff hanging out in the kitchen. (My husband) was really excited to see what we accomplished. He's on board!" Krista

"Thank you again. You rock! You provided more than a clean and organized garage; you provided time, energy, calmness and inspiration!! Yeah!!" Jessie

Pricing

Pricing varies and depends on the individual needs for each client, and if I work alone or with the client.

Typical Pricing:

Garage/home/office/classroom/storage unit/kitchen organizing, staging, and Move-Ins/Move-Outs: $55-$70/hr

Filing/paperwork/creating filing systems/personal shopping/organizing finances: $45-$50/hr

Additional costs for gas/mileage outside of Boulder and long distance travel. I have clients around the United States.

Typical Client Comments/Questions:

-I have to get organized enough for you to come over.

-I don't know where to begin.

-I'll start organizing when the kids go back to school, but before I knew it they were on summer break AGAIN!

-Where are my keys?

-Where is my purse/credit card/wallet?

-I can't park in my garage.

-I can park in my garage, but I can barely get out of my car.

-I need to wrap a gift, but I can't find the wrapping paper and tape.

-And where are the scissors?

-Help! I don't know what color to paint the walls in my living room.

-My child's teacher is phenomenal, but the classroom is overwhelming and so disorganized they can't learn.

-My kids won't invite their friends over because they are too embarassed.

Typical Client Results:

-Classroom Organizing

-Color/Design Consultation

-Compassionate Downsizing

-Custom Filing Solutions

-Financial Organizing

-Home/Office Organizing

-Insurance Documentation

-Orchestrating Moves

-Personal Coach

-Personal Shopping

-Public Speaking

-Relocation & Remodel

-Staging

-Deep Cleaning

-Remove Unwanted Materials (Deliver to charity of your choice, recycling, etc)

About Me:

-Former elementary school teacher (18 years)

-Wrote curriculum on national level

-Public speaker on national level

-Flexible scheduling

-Personal trainer/Certified Yoga Instructor

-Ski Instructor
-Obsessed with organizing

Cleaning Wool Rugs

A girlfriend inquired last night how to clean a new wool rug. She had purchased a discounted floor model with a few smudges. I haven't had the opportunity to clean a wool rug, and I simply thought a hand steam cleaner would do the job. I was WRONG! After researching, I found out that the steam can create shrinkage. Follow these simple steps to clean your wool rugs: http://www.ehow.com/how_155898_wash-wool-rug.html or http://www.glen-eden.com/glenedenwoolcare.pdf

F.Y.I. I personally won't purchase a rug from Pottery Barn, because of the obnoxious smelling glue they use. I have found that client's who have purchased rugs from Pottery Barn end up giving them away, because of the burning odor their rugs emanate after a few years.

To start my month off clean, I washed all of my throw rugs. Plus, I washed my car and the towel I keep on the floor, in front of my child's car seat. (It's a fast way to keep the floor mats clean and looking new. A quick shake and regular wash keeps the winter road goop out of my mats.)

What can you do to start your month off right?

An Amazing Day at the Office!

I had a FABULOUS day toady! My mother-in-law is in town and blessed us with her presence. She is as persnickety ("but not as obsessive") as I am, so I was thrilled when she agreed to join me on a new job today. She was "invaluable." What amazing results we created, and what fun! My client said she "could put down her head and cry with joy and relief." I'm still excited about my day.

Under Bed Storage

I love being able to roll out my gift wrapping station from under my guest bed. Not only do I keep paper, tissue, gift bags and some ribbon in the tote, but also scissors, tape, and kid's birthday card and gift I picked up from Tuesday Morning (and the Dollar Store) for that last minute birthday party. Easy and convenient!

Great Bin Sale

Bins are on sale at Home Depot for CHEAP and they are cute colors too!

It's a great week to update any of the boxes you have been using in the the past for storage bins. Purchase plastic bins to keep your belongings safe from the the elements. Different colored bins make organizing and locating items easy.

"Kick Your (Dirty) Shoes Off!

Today's Tip:

DON'T WEAR YOUR SHOES IN THE HOUSE. It's as simple as that!

Here is what My Guest Speaker Castle Keepers has to say about staying Squeaky Clean:

"In an episode of the TV show “Sex and the City,” fashionista Carrie Bradshaw went to a party where the hostess asked the guests to remove their shoes. Carrie balked at the request because her high-priced shoes were the perfect complement to her outfit. Well, what Carrie didn’t realize is that she could take some steps to a healthier home by leaving her shoes at the door.

We track a lot of icky stuff in on the soles of our shoes, so it’s a good practice to remove your shoes at the door. You limit the wear and tear on your carpeting and floors and you cut down on the dirt and toxins in your house.

The cleaning industry estimates people track 85 percent of the dirt in their homes from the outside. The biggest culprits are shoes and pet paws.

Having a “shoes off” policy makes sense and is one that can be easily implemented.

· Put a basket, shelf or rack at your door so it’s convenient – not to mention a good reminder – to remove shoes.

· Leave some socks or slippers near the door, so you can slip something on your feet if you don’t want to show your bare toes or to stay warm.

· Look for a mat that reads “Please remove your shoes” and place it at the door as a gentle nudge to guests that you have a “no shoes in the house” policy.

· Place a good quality mat at the door so in the instances where shoes are left on, you and your guests can thoroughly wipe the soles and remove a good portion of the dirt.

In a majority of countries, it’s common practice and polite to remove your shoes before entering the home. So err on the side of caution and remove your shoes. Or, if you are unsure about the homeowner’s preference, just ask.

If you don’t have a “shoes off” policy at home, give it some thought. Think of all the places you walk in a day and whether you want to bring all that into your home – especially if you have small children who crawl or play on the floor. Plus, you can save yourself some time with the broom or vacuum cleaner – and that’s reason enough to kick off your shoes at the door."

Source: http://castle-keepers.com/, Accessed December 12, 2009.

She took the words right out of my mouth! Thankfully, I didn't have to take time to write it all down too.