Questions
What people ask before they book.
Answered the way I'd answer them in person.
Organizing or design?
Most people don't know when they call. Working it out is the first thing I do.
Start with organizing if
Things don't have a home.
You can't find what you need, things never stay put, and the space works against you every morning. That's a function problem, and function comes first.
Start with design if
It's tidy and still wrong.
Everything has a place and it still doesn't feel like yours. That's a room that was never built around the person living in it now.
Usually
It's both.
A closet that stopped working turns out to be attached to a bedroom nobody finished. That's why I do both, and nobody gets handed off halfway.
Getting started
What does a first consult look like?
A walkthrough of the space, a direct conversation about what isn't working and why, and a clear picture of the project: scope, timeline and cost. No charge, and no obligation to go ahead.
What areas do you serve?
I'm based in Austin and work mostly in West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Tarrytown, Pemberton Heights, Barton Creek, Zilker, Barton Hills, Circle C, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Clarksville, Travis Heights, Sunset Valley and Allandale. I also take projects anywhere in the US, with travel quoted up front — see projects outside Austin.
Do you do organizing and design on the same project?
Often, yes. Many projects start as one and become both. You hire one person for the whole picture.
Pricing
How much does organizing cost?
Every project is quoted after a free walkthrough, once I've seen the space. The quote covers the plan, the time in your space, and the systems left in place.
How much does design cost?
Design is quoted after the free consult. A focused single-space project has a project fee; larger multi-room work is scoped as a monthly engagement. Furnishings aren't included, and I don't take a markup on anything I source.
What if I only need help with one small thing?
That's what decision consulting is for, booked by the hour. You get a clear answer on one choice (a piece of furniture, a paint color, a layout) and the reasoning behind it.
During the project
How long does a project take?
Most single rooms take one to two days of organizing. A single-room design project can take a few weeks from consult to install; a whole home may run several months. You'll get a realistic timeline at the consult, not an optimistic one.
Do I need to be home?
For organizing, yes, at least for the walkthrough and the edit phase. I don't decide what stays and what goes without you. For design, it depends on the scope.
What happens to the things we get rid of?
I bring the containers and labels, and a round of donations from those spaces leaves with me. Larger donations can be scheduled for pickup by a third-party hauling service. Anything hazardous, like old paint or batteries, I'll point you to the right Austin drop-off.