From the moment I met Colleen Ashe, I felt immediately reassured that she would sensitively handle the stressful experience of dismantling my mother’s house in preparation for Mom’s move to a nursing home. Her calm, efficient, yet energetic demeanor significantly expedited the process. She knew exactly how to sort and disperse the belongings to appropriate agencies for donation, sale, or disposal. Furthermore, she possessed both a sympathetic ear and a much-appreciated wit. We highly recommend her, and would definitely use her services in the future. — The Markowitz Family, Newburgh, New York
The ASHE System
The ASHE System is a proprietary, customizable de-cluttering and organizing program that takes you step-by-step through a de-cluttering and organizing project, regardless of its size or scope. From clearing out pantries, to creating a bill pay system, downsizing a home that’s been lived in for decades, and more, the ASHE method starts with an in-depth consultation appointment, where we map out a personalized program to fit your needs and situation. We keep in mind extended family members that may need to be involved in the process, as well as other service professionals, such as movers, stagers, real estate professionals, junk haulers and donation centers and more. We discuss safety tips and best practices to ensure you’re comfortable with every step of the process, including:
- Assess: A clear assessment of your goals, with a focus on what works and doesn’t. This includes how you or your family member will live in the new space, or what needs to happen for remaining in place—which allows us to create a detailed and customized project plan, consisting of important dates and a time-line.
- Sort: This involves our methodic work through each room, where, together, we sort like-with-like, make decisions and earmark items for their final destination. Clients are thrilled to see their donations removed, knowing they’ll be put to good use and receipts secured for tax purposes.
- Haul to Home: We’ll share our inside secrets for getting and staying organized, including the concept of assigning a home for your items. Whether you’re downsizing, aging-in-place, or putting your home on the market—the “Haul to Home” step is transformational!
- Edit often (after project completion). For systems and spaces to stay organized long after we’ve departed, an edit step must be taken on a regular basis. We share the secrets of editing and maintaining your systems with a customized maintenance plan at the conclusion of each project.
Does the ASHE System Really Work?
Absolutely! While we are always proud to show off the spaces we’ve organized and walk the family through sparkling, cleaned-out homes, the most rewarding part of our job is the wonderful client feedback. Nearly every client has contacted us feeling completely overwhelmed. Most report that the clutter snuck up on them and that they used to have systems to manage everything and keep up with household chores. But somewhere along the way they got lost. And now, they are reaching out to us looking for solutions. And guess what? We’ve got them!