Occasionally I DO suggest spending money on the garden...

I don't usually encourage homeowners to spend a great deal of money on garden alterations when preparing to sell a house, but this one was really worth it - especially when the sun came out too!

I learn something new every day about clutter...

Over the years, I've met so many people with clutter problems that I thought I knew all the triggers - ie. all the reasons why they have been unable to let certain things go from their lives, and have consequently become surrounded by clutter. For example, bereavement (holding on to everything), loss of confidence (marriage break-up, redundancy), overly-tidy parents (leads to children growing-up rebelling against this), very busy families (no time to tidy up), empty-nesters (as children grow up and leave, parents hold on to everything for them, and buy more things to help fill the gap they have left - new hobbies etc), living through wartime (waste not want not) and spoilt children (used to being surrounded by all their toys but never being taught how to tidy them away!) etc.

Here are some examples:

(See the De-Clutter photo gallery for more examples.)

But this week I was sad to find another trigger for cluttering. Years ago, my client had been in an abusive relationship and was too worried to let anything go because of the consequences of it not being there if it was required. After several happy years with a new partner, my client is finally ready to start letting go, and sorting out, and although there were a few difficult moments during the day, the three of us really managed to make a difference.  Well done to a lovely couple. x

The Makeover 2012...Good fun was had by all...

More photos of the Makeover... 

 If you want to be one of the delegates on the next course, see www.housedoctor.co.uk
 

Thank you all for reading about the House Doctor makeover. Please continue to follow my blog, I will be showing many more makeovers, home staging and de-cluttering projects, as they happen, with lots of photos. 

Lynn

My next client will be my FOUR-hundreth!! Who is it going to be?

Yes, I can't believe I've worked on three hundred and ninety nine homes so far!!  That may not sound a lot to some of you larger businesses out there, but when one client can need anything from one day to several weeks worth of my time, that's a fair amount!

Is anyone interested in my very first (paid) project?  Here it is... a one-day bedroom makeover, with a £65 shopping budget!! 

This is when I learned the value of employing a good decorator (I did this one myself, including the cupboards!), and how to straighten a bed once more just before taking the photographs!

And now I look forward to the phone ringing with my four hundredth client!

All before and after photos of the Makeover...

As requested by Josie - here are all the main 'before' and 'after' shots together. The final 'action' photos will be on tomorrows blog, with details of how to sign up for a course like this!

 

More makeover photos - bedrooms

More photos...

Bedroom 2:

Before

A furniture re-balance by Carolyn and a few others was all this room really needed...

After

Bedroom 3:

Before

A little more storage and a good sort-out by Peggy worked wonders on this room...

After

Bedroom 4:

Before

The twin beds didn't fit properly into this guest bedroom, and the fifth bedroom needed a bed, so we moved one over.

During

We also brought the desk in from the fifth bedroom, which had been set up as a study, but was rarely used. It's always very easy to suggest "swopping the bed for a desk" etc, but of course in reality, it can be time consuming, as the furniture may need to be taken apart -

After

Bedroom 5:

Before

After