I've known Ellen for many years now and started working with her in person on some projects in my home and at work. Since moving out of state a few years back she has still been a great support to me through phone coaching.
I compile my thoughts or things I'm struggling with ahead of time on a list, usually then hanging it on the fridge until we get the chance to talk. When we visit, she guides the conversation just like if she were there in person with me working on the challenge at hand. I take notes as we visit which is helpful so I remember key points. In person, she would jot notes about goals and ideas and then would leave me with paper to use as an anchor to go back to when I had questions. Again, I hang this on the fridge so that I can go back to look at it any time. I find it helpful to keep the notes from our conversations together, and then reflect periodically to see the progress I've made and what I need to keep working on.
Ellen is someone who I consider to be a lifelong friend now—she knows what I'm like and has helped me refocus, step back and break things down into manageable chunks or ideas to pursue time and time again. I'm so grateful for her investment in my life and the difference she has made!
Earlier this year when sitting at my computer, I looked around at the piles and boxes that cluttered my house. I was adjusting to the birth of my sixth child and going through a family crisis and I knew I needed professional help. I contacted the Family Manager website to find a personal organizer but I saw that there was no one in my area, so I thought either I wouldn't find anyone who would be willing to come out to my area, or it would cost too much to get them to come.
That's when I got an e-mail from Ellen Delap. She was willing to work with me over the phone and she was confident that she could help me, even when I told her a little bit about my situation, which seemed overwhelming to me. Ellen used the information about my family priorities that I submitted on the website and she listened to my personal story and she was able to sort through the clutter in my mind and show me baby steps that would lead to success as a family manager. I now have a plan and a
schedule that helps my household run much more smoothly than it was running at the beginning of this year. The battle against clutter is a constant one, and my team and I still struggle at times. The difference is that now we are hanging in there together with a clear picture of where we are going as a family. Thank you Ellen!
Since I moved to a new classroom this year, I had to do more than just rearrange and re-organize. I had to rebuild. Ellen helped me to begin by thinking globally. What do I want the big picture to look like? What will I need to accomplish today to feel as though I have been productive? She also helped me to narrow down and focus on one task at a time while prioritizing which one needed to come first, second, and so on. Just another set of hands makes a great difference, but sometimes having someone to guide you (and sometimes push you to get the work done) is what leaves you with the feeling of complete success. From arranging student desks to connecting extension wires, from desk drawers to cabinet shelves, and from storing unused materials to decorating walls, my feelings of overwhelmed and impossible changed to prepared and confident with a little help from a fantastic organizer. Thanks professional-organizer.com! Ellen, you're the best!
Hire a professional! Where do we get the idea we should somehow develop a skill if it has not happened in fifty-seven years? Do I still yearn to be more organized, yes. I still have to work harder in systems. Ellen and I have systems geared to me. It is different now because I am different. I look up because I know my gifts are many and I shine! I can give in those areas, areas others cannot. It was profound when I realized I needed training from Ellen, and that was OK. If she wanted to paint she would need training from me. People go to cooking school, they hire party planners, accountants paid for their expertise, people look to teachers to learn to swim, to sew, etc. they even hire people to help them with fashion. I hired Ellen because my brain does not and never will work like hers. Her giftedness lies in her love of people like me. She is an encourager, she lets me make my own decisions, and keeps my secrets. For one of the first times I do not feel judged.
My mother (in Houston) had accumulated many things in her home over the years due to her busy work schedule and some physical injuries. This past holiday season she said that I could come and de-clutter her home. After I got back to Chicago, I thought about the cleaning process more and did some research to find out what issues might occur if a family member de-clutters another family member's home. I discovered that this process could create tension, thus I sought out a third-party professional to assist. This is how I found Ellen Delap. In addition to being a neutral third-party with wonderful organizational skills, Ellen is sensitive to a person's emotions regarding their belongings and knows just how to nudge them along to let things go. I, along with my four brothers, who were also involved in the decision to hire Ellen, are extremely pleased with the wonderfully de-cluttered state of our mother's home. My mother couldn't be happier and thanks us almost daily. My mother loved working with Ellen and her assistant Lisa.
I can't thank my daughter, 4 sons (and their respective spouses), as well as Ellen and Lisa enough for "liberating" me from years of "accumulation"!. . . Now . . as I coast into retirement, I feel that both myself and my home have been "rejuvenated" . . much, much thanks to the caring and generosity of my 5 kiddos, and the expertise of one Ellen Delap. Oh yes, did I mention that I am also thoroughly enjoying the new-found friendship I've acquired with both Ellen and her sidekick, Lisa!. What an incredible experience this has been, as is the invaluable information and ability I've aquired to maintain my new-found 'liberation'.
In our administrative building we have a "cage" that is a storage area used by our non-profit organization's board of directors. In just under a year, it has become a dumping ground for anything and everything associated with fundraisers, displays, supplies, auctions, etc. We were not able to comfortably enter the space nor find what we needed for our next event. We did not have the ability or the tools to dig our own way out. Ellen helped us remove everything from the cage, sort, label and return items to the cage in an organized manner. We are all thrilled with the result. With the help of Ellen's expertise and kind encouragement, four of us were able to go through each item to determine if it was something we needed to keep in the cage, put in our thrift store or dispose. Everything is now categorized so when we have an event and need something, we can easily find it on a shelf. I so appreciate Ellen's professionalism, generosity of spirit and pleasant demeanor during this process. She turned a very difficult situation into a wonderful asset for our organization.
I am already working on some of your tips for my husband - a label maker is on my shopping list! He says he never knows where anything goes so that is why he never unloads the dishwasher or folds the laundry! We have been married 27 years and in this house for 12 -- the dishes and laundry have been going in the same places for all that time and he says he still doesn't know -- go figure! Labeling should solve this challenge!
I am proud to tell you that with all your help, I passed all my classes! I want to thank you so much for all your support, and help this entire school year. I learned to never give up, and how to efficiently organize my work. I've been having an amazing summer, especially since I'm not going to summer school. I hope you have a great summer and I'm looking forward to see you next year to keep all my stuff organized!
I contacted Ellen Delap as an organizer to get a two office space organized and coordinated after increasing job responsibilities required adding an extra office to my already busy job schedule. My expectations were that the work flow and files would be organized in a way that would allow me to float between the 2 responsibilities in a more fluid manner. The first meeting with Ellen started with more global issues than my files. Not only am I more organized with my office routine, but my life in general is more organized!!! I am so grateful and a lot more organized in all areas of my life. It has even rubbed off on my husband. Thank you Ellen for doing your magic!!! Now the next step is my kitchen.
Our house seems so much bigger now! Before I started working with Ellen, we had piles of toys and other items thrown into closets that it was impossible to find anything. Now everything and every toy has a specific place that it makes it so much easier to find things and to put it away after using it. Thanks, Ellen for getting us (me) organized!
Before Ellen helped me in our clinic, everything was haphazardly piled on top of piles. I could not find what I need and spend countless hours looking for a certain document. How we solved this problem was scheduling quite a few hours just going over documents, bills, papers. After putting together items together, we created a filing system with numerous inner folders and labeled them. Now it is such a breeze to file and to look for whatever document I need. Also, it is very easy to archive paper's of years past. We organized a few years back and still the system works. Thanks, Ellen. You made my office such an efficient and a very pleasant place to go to every morning!
I contacted Professional Organizer. Com out of desperation when I was overwhelmed with legal paperwork and responsibilities from two deaths in the family. Words cannot express my appreciation and gratitude for the life changing helps that came with this service! In addition to everything else, I literally had piles of personal effects from two estates plus my own (long neglected) household items obscuring much of the living spaces in my home and I felt paralyzed as to where to start! The encouragement, wisdom and non-judgmental feedback is exactly what I needed to start putting the pieces of my life back together. I learned how to effectively declutter, establish practical routines, and organize my home and my life. Thank you, Professional Organizer. Com...you're the best!
We feel so blessed to have found Ellen to help our son learn to "do school". As a teenager, he has struggled with organizational skills for too long, but Ellen and her positive attitude has helped change all that. She is so wonderful and able to balance accountability with positive reinforcement. Our son is willing (most of the time) to follow her advice and finds he is far less stressed and able to get his assignments finished on time. We can't thank Ellen enough.
I LOVE Ellen! She is so amazing as a person and as an organizer. She has helped me in so many ways! She is so motivational! I love working with her! I get so much accomplished while she is here which would not normally happen. Even when I don't feel like doing much I know that as soon as she gets to my house I will feel great and even better after our work together! I would highly recommend her to anyone needing any type of organizational help in their life! I can't tell you how grateful I am to be working with her and to have had this chance to get to know her. I look forward to doing more work with her! Thank you so much Ellen for all you have done for me and my family!
Working with Ellen brought back the organizing person within me! I was highly organized and things got out of control. I hired her because working with her actually made money for me by saving my time and energy to get the papers in order. Ellen is very efficient at what she does and she makes your existing systems work better for you. I wish I had taken a photo to show the difference it has made in my home office!
If you feel overwhelmed and stuck with an unorganized closet or office area, I highly recommend Ellen to guide you back into orderly habits. The emotion of organizing clothes, files and pictures can be exhausting but Ellen swept in and came to my rescue. She's not just a closet or office 'organizer;' Ellen helped me create habits that work with my lifestyle. Her rates are very reasonable and in my opinion, you can't put a price on an organized, manageable life.
The benefit of Ellen's work from a parent perspective was to see a tremendous improvement in our son's organizational skills and his grades. This improvement came about by implementing the suggestions you were able to provide in a non-biased approach. Sometimes when the suggestions are made by parents, the kids feel like fault is being placed on their performance.
Organizing my school work with Ellen helped me to get my backpack and area clean and this impacted my grades significantly. I have better strategies for preparing for tests and homework. The planner is a tool that has helped.
Your organizational tips on your website made your services a clear choice for me. After our first session, I was empowered to become organized. In the past, I was overwhelmed, anxious and depressed. I am extremely happy, joyous and able to breath. I feel liberation, freedom and a major weight have been lifted from my shoulders and mind. By setting up my filing system, we found receipts, coupons, etc which totaled an excess of $200.00 just during my first session. I am very excited about my future, finances and filing.
You won't believe how easy it is to get ready in the morning and I am not using my "usual" outfits. It's something "new" something that's "oh, I -forgot -I had- this- skirt" type-of-thing. And I was able to pull a necklace that goes well with the outfit. I don't know why people just overlook the power of an organizer and the power of an organized environment. Thank you!!
The benefits of our work from a parent perspective is that they need a second opinion and a second voice to help them help their child. The benefits of our work from my student's perspective is that they appreciate the simplicity of methods – single notebook, using the planner and helping them learn to learn.
Ellen is an amazing organizer! Enough said, but I will elaborate... I am even more amazed at every session how she is able to pull productivity out of me. An outsider looking in might not see much "action" on her part, but believe me, she has a way about her that turns even the days when I think I'm not "feeling it" into something of which I can be proud! I still have quite a ways to go, but feel like I am getting a handle on my home and making changes that will be forever - both for me and for my family. My house is more a home than it has ever been. I can take the blinders off and relax in my own home now! I couldn't be more grateful for her motivation and support! Truly!
Ellen helped me bring control to paper chaos with my classroom. She arrived on time, brought all neccessary supplies to patiently and lovingly guide me through the process. She was nonjudgemental as we sorted, tossed, and labeled binders, hanging folders, and file folders. She helped me to prioritize and focus on zones within the classroom. I will be calling her back to assist with closets and student stations!
Peace of mind is one of life's conditions that you don't appreciate until it's gone. I knew I felt frustrated and inept: every room in my house was cluttered and I spent hours frantically searching for important papers I "just saw a minute ago.
Sure, I had great intentions. I bought bins and nifty organization tools. I ordered how-to books. In the end, I spent way too much time and money on gadgets and quick fixes. I needed serious help. Fortunately, I met Ellen. She takes the fear out of tackling clutter by calmly coaching you through each step. She's a roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-started kind of gal. Together, we sorted, tossed, reorganized and labeled. My life began to take on a sense of order and accomplishment. I felt liberated.
So, here's my advice: Call Ellen, roll up your sleeves and get started. Because the value of peace of mind? Priceless.
Thanks so much for all your help! I have been so pleased with my new found space. I am taken aback when I walk in to my office. It's so orderly-at least my desk. As I find more office supplies, I add to my clear bags. My "to do" list in the home section has been a big help. I got 16 things done after work on Tuesday and I am feeling so in control. Every day I get more and more accomplished.
My son needed help organizing his papers and sharpening his study skills in high school. Ellen had a wonderful way of connecting with him and understanding what specific tips and guidance he needed. My son said she was a big help getting him to use his daily planner in a most productive way and that it has helped him continue to keep up with his assignments in college.
Ellen is easy to work with and helps with everything, from the big picture to the smallest detail. Always cheerful and professional, she will pitch right in and do the work with you. We completely reorganized my sunroom (it had become an unusable catch-all), my office, walk-in pantry, front hall closet, under stair storage area, and dining room service closet. We found new ways to use all these areas. When you see how much you can accomplish in a small amount of time, tackling an organizing task on your own becomes less and less daunting and soon becomes a habit that you do for fun! I've continued with the work and the "mindset" now that our sessions are finished and I am amazed at the sense of peace and order it brings. When your house works, everything else is easier. Thanks, Ellen!
Ellen builds on your successes. Her willingness to find out what I've done and what worked before suggesting new ideas was great. Ellen taught me to put items into specific categories and logical locations. It made sense to me and I can find everything readily. I know what I have to use too. I feel like I'm in control of my stuff now. Thanks a million!
As a first year elementary teacher, I found Ellen's services really make a difference in my classroom. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the paperwork and teaching resources, but she really helped think about the best way for me to keep things organized! It is very empowering to feel like you have a system in place! It has helped me feel like I can really do my job to the best of my ability. I think having someone there to calmly guide you through the organizational process really helps. Ellen's services have given me peace of mind and the confidence to keep my classroom organized!
Having Ellen come and help me get my office organized has been priceless. In the past, my desk (and floor) was always covered with papers. I had papers stacked by projects and frankly they were a distraction for me. With so many projects to accomplish, sometimes I didn't know where to start. Ellen came in and in just one hour had made multiple suggestions that I have implemented. Today, my desk is neat and organized. I have a filing system that works for me. I have implemented a work schedule that helps me stay focused on my priorities. Now, I don't feel overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do. I actually feel empowered to do it. Being organized has made such a significant difference in how I feel about my job. I highly recommend Ellen and Professional-Organizer.com. She is fantastic!! She has put me back in charge of my life by helping me get organized. You won't believe how empowering it can be.
For a little peace and serenity all I have to do is stand in my closet! I've already tackled another major disaster in my home! Thanks!
I enjoyed working with Ellen. I had certain areas that I've struggled with for a long time. Ellen was able to focus on the problems and help me to get them under control. My closets and cabinets are organized at last. And I finally can get all my activities covered in a week! Thanks!
Ellen helped with reorganizing my kitchen. I loved the feel of the space when I was finished. Even better was the motivation to do other areas of the house. If I open a closet or cupboard I now want to organize it.
I recently worked with Ellen at Professional-Organizer.com and was very pleased with the results. Our home had become disorganized and somewhat chaotic. It seemed like too much needed to be done and I didn't know where to start. After 3 sessions with Ellen, my home and life are in control again. I spend much less time looking for things, and helping things in their place has become a habit for my whole family. We are all so proud of our home and ourselves! Thank you Ellen!
Ellen has been a huge help to my home life and my work-from-home life! I use her services several times a year to help me re-set my office and organize depending on what projects I am working on. Ellen is very pragmatic and methodical and has made my life much easier.
I have an active family with 2 young children who are constantly at my feet. My home was filled with laundry, toys, and much more! Ellen came in and accepted the disaster with calm reassurance and coaching! Each visit we had I learned more and more about organizing, and knew the importance this would have on my children's well being and outlook. As she says, organizing is a "quest" and I am so glad she is along side me on this journey!
Working with Ellen I realized the importance of having a system for my papers and also having routines to keep me in order. Each time we met she gave me "homework" between our sessions so I incorporated the work we had done into my every day activities. I can find it all now in my home office, and have the confidence to keep the paperwork up to date.
Ellen gave me the reassurance and positive reinforcement during each session to get it all together. Most importantly it was the little things that she helped me with, like guiding my decisions on decluttering, helping me focus on the organizing and giving away extra items in our home. She created a list of clothing and home item donations and calculated my tax donations with "It's Deductible". My husband was so impressed that he said she has paid for her visits with the donation receipts!
We just moved into a new home and a new baby. The project room was a "catch all" room. Ellen helped me transform that completely useless room. Now I am no longer embarrassed to have family and friends over!
My organizational skills are horrible. I did not know where to begin or end. Thank you for making sense of my mess. You separated and categorized and labeled, and now I can find everything. It takes me a lot less time to do a craft project.
I am an organizer at heart, but have been too busy running my business to get my office in order. Ellen came in and gave me great ideas on how I could change my study into a real office within my budget. Ellen is an extremely professional business woman who gave me advice on how to organize my office and become more efficient in my daily tasks. Ellen helped me to think out of the box so that I could be more efficient and productive in my home office.
You saved my unorganized life!!! The filing system that you helped me develop has been one of my true saviors. What also helps is having my "in" basket on top of my file cabinet so it is all in one spot. You helped so much more in just suggesting great ideas on where to put / not put items. Thanks for all of your help!
I used to operate my home office by the "stack" method. A subject stack here, another stack there, everywhere a stack. My file cabinets were empty! Ellen came in and in a few short sessions, got me organized. My file cabinets now function as intended. A file index makes locating a subject easy. And now I can see the top of my desk. No stacks!
Having Ellen help me with my organizing was very motivational. While I had some systems in place, she gave me great advice on how to make them work better for me. She is extremely professional and yet very easy to work with. And she truly listens to what you need and how you live which is very important for what you need to make your life easier.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel blessed for making that phone call to you and asking for help! Being organized was not a skill that came to me easily. Once you met with me and we embarked on our adventure of pulling my office and house together I felt so much better about my whole life. For once I feel that missing piece has fallen into place. My life has been simplified. I wish we had taken before and after pictures. The pictures would easily tell the whole story.
We specialize in working with ADD/ADHD clients. Whether in your home or your office, we motivate, empower and affirm our clients in their quest for organizing and productivity!
For More Information Contact:
Ellen Delap
Email:
Tel: 281-360-3928
Fax: 281-360-7014
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Certified Professional Organizer ® (CPO)
ADHD Coaching, ADHD Organizing, Time Management,
Residential and Family Manager
Serving Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita and Houston Texas areas.
