Darlene Deffes
Gentle Decluttering & Artistic Organizing
My Method
Discarding is not my focus, weird, I know, especially for someone that offers professional decluttering services. My focus is actually on self-care and decision making. The more items you have the better, so don't declutter before I come over. I base how to declutter veered towards the emotional side rather than the logical side. If you read my "Who am I?" page you will see I am the queen of the "What-if's". The What-if's are a sure way to keep everything in the world, justify it and accept additional items that others give away for free.
I see my home items as an extension of myself. I see these items everyday, they are a part of my life. If they are a burden or remind me of failures or trigger shame, I don't want them around. When I surround myself with items I love, in an orderly way, I feel less stress.
Just think about walking into a grocery store, the neat organized shelves. Man, there are a lot of items on those shelves but because they are all faced in one direction and are organized, the grocery store doesn't feel cluttered. When a grocery store cares for the way the items look on their shelves it says something, it says they are taking care of their business.
When I care for my items, I am also caring for myself. If I am regularly neglecting my home or tasks in my home, what else am I neglecting? I am neglecting myself. That is why I believe it is important to address our home items and take care of the ones we want and eventually it will manifest into other areas of our lives, like our self-care routines.
I feel strongly about this method because it worked on me. If it worked on the What-if Queen (me), it will probably work on anyone (in my opinion). I alter my method slightly depending on the client and their needs but the core remains the same; self-care and gentleness.
If you are ready for a change continue reading or book your consultation now.
Why I Am Qualified
To work in this area, first hand experience is key to provide genuine understanding, compassion and patience. I have had many life challenges however they have given me the invaluable life lessons that I use to relate to others struggling. For example, my C-PTSD has shown me how to be delicate in all situations. Triggers come in numerous different ways and all shapes and sizes. My OCD has given me insight to why things accumulate and compassion when working in hoarding circumstances because I, too, have been there. Just writing or saying the word "hoard" still makes me uncomfortable, it's a journey. My anxiety has enriched my life by teaching me calming and grounding techniques and the sensitivity to those that may have avoided addressing the clutter because of their anxiety. My past depression has given me the awareness of how important the home living environment really is and how clutter can contribute to the quality of life in negative ways, resulting in feeling stuck or frozen in fear.
If you are feeling this way, I believe I can help. I use a gentle approach that is tailored to your unique situation. I won't make any of the discarding decisions, instead I walk you through a method that I have successfully used on myself, proving to be beneficial long after the process. Which demonstrates that my method is an investment, not an expense. I want you to know I won't move anything without your consent, together we will come up with a place for each item/category, making note of where we put items for ease of remembering in the future. This your home after all and our goal is to destress and improve your home life.
Decluttering and organizing is helpful in more environments than just your home. As an artist, I know how important it is to have art supplies and materials at hand or know exactly where to look for them. This is especially paramount when exhibiting at outdoor fine art fairs and markets. Another important environment is the vehicles we drive. They can almost feel like second homes to those of us who drive a lot. Vehicle clutter can become dangerous and extremely distracting in some cases.
If you want to get to know me more, please visit my Who Am I? page and/or my blog.
Disclaimer: Darlene Deffes is not medically trained in the mental health field. The information she shares with friends, family, acquaintances and clients are opinions from her life experiences. If you are struggling mentally, please seek medical care from a licensed professional immediately. You are worth it!
How do I get started?
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Use the contact form below to connect with me, look for a response within 24-48 business hours. You may need to look in the spam folder.
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The next step is to schedule a 30-minute walkthrough to get acquainted with your space, each other and discuss details.
Business Hours
Expect a response within 24-48 business hours
Monday - Friday
7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
(Excludes some holidays)