Client Story: How We Helped a Blind Woman Organize Her Home

When I was approached by a visually impaired client, who needed help organizing her home, I knew two things: First, working with the blind is new for Can the Clutter, and we may have to change the way we think and do things.  Secondly, we can definitely do this.  After all, that’s what we do.   Our business is helping people and businesses get organized in a way that makes sense for them and their individual needs, whether it be a lack of time or space, ADD/ADHD or blindness.

The Process: Organization, Goals and Expectations

I assigned the project to Brenda, a lead organizer for Can the Clutter, knowing she could take on this mission.  She got in contact with our client, Carol.  The first step, as with any project, was to figure out what Carol’s needs and expectations were.  Brenda met with her in her home, and found she had a lot of paperwork and items that she needed help sorting through, organizing and eliminating.

Changing Our Ways: Finding New Organizing Techniques

This is where Brenda definitely had to adjust her usual way of approaching a project.  Typically, she will separate the items for the client, have them look through them, and decide what to keep. For Carol, however, they go through every item together.  Some of her items are labeled in Braille.  If they are not, Brenda will read it to her, and she will then decide whether to keep it or not.  If it is an object, such as a music box or tape recorder, Brenda will identify the item, and Carol will feel it, and then decide whether to keep it or not.  For the items she wants to keep, she will print out a Braille label for them.  Brenda will also print on it, to help herself in the organizing process.   Most of the items in Carol’s home office were not in Braille, so labeling them in this manner will be a huge help to her in maintaining organization on her own.

Maintaining Organization=Success

Carol does not want her blindness to keep her from doing things, and we are here to help her maintain her independence.  As professional organizers, our goals and techniques change with each client or challenge we face.  Our philosophy remains the same, though.  We want our clients to regain control of the things that surround them and the places where they live and work.  We want them to be able to maintain their own definition of organization.  It may not be the same for everyone, but that’s insignificant.  What matters is what works for each individual.  That’s just what Brenda did for Carol.  By letting Carol, (or any client) be in control of the process, and just guiding her, she is more likely to stay organized in the long run.

Brenda continues to meet with Carol every other week for two hours in an effort to declutter and label the rest of her home, resulting in a more organized, functional living space for her.  Carol is happy, and so are we.  Mission accomplished.