Lexington, KY - Kathy Needy has always loved to organize. Even as a child she was cleaning her room and keeping her belongings in order. And after 18 years of managing a local Lexington clothing store, The Cotton Patch, she needed a change. So in May of 2008, with a truck she found on Craigslist and the support of her husband and friends, she started her own personal organization business - The DeClutter Doc.
"The one thing I never anticipated was how happy it would make me to help others," Needy said. Her mission is simple: to help her clients start living a simpler life. And word has spread of Needy's decluttering skills - since May she has helped over 25 different clients, many of them repeat customers.
"People have become too attached to things, they're ready to start feeling good, to stay home more, to entertain," she said. "I want to help them reclaim their homes, to make their space work for them."
Because all anyone really needs is a push, and Needy is happy to provide that motivation. She begins with a free consultation, discerning the client's individual needs and goals. After that she assesses how much time will need to be spent on the room (closets are generally quicker than bigger jobs like basements or garages). The most common organizational problem she faces is that people have too much stuff and don't have the right tools. Needy is prepared to use whatever tools the client has, and then supplement as necessary. She calls in her husband, Lenny, for furniture moving jobs. And at the end of the job she packs up the things to be discarded and donates them to local charities (after itemizing each donation and returning the receipt for the client's tax return).
But don't fear. Needy never forces her clients to part with anything that they don't want to give up. "My job is simply to ask questions," she said. "Why are they holding on to a particular item? When did they last use it? If it is so important to them, why is it in the basement? Can we incorporate it into their decor?" And she works with each client's particular personality. Ultimately, they will direct their space and the way it works.
Needy understands all the baggage associated with clutter. "It gives you a sense of control," she said. "But that sense of control is then out of control and you are left with a lot of negative emotions - shame, guilt, depression, isolation."
As the DeClutter Doc, Needy works with clients who are moving, have recently moved, have had a death in the family or who simply would like a push toward simplifying their lives. She arrives armed with gloves, a box cutter and her pickup truck. And after a day of decluttering (typically three to six hours), she leaves the house in a better state than when she found it. Needy's business has allowed her to help not only her clients, but the organizations that she is able to donate unwanted items to. She works closely with Southland Christian Church's "Helping Through HIM" organization, as well as Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Catholic Action Center, Chrysalis House and the Faith & Community Christmas Store hosted by Vineyard Community Church in Lexington.
She is always looking for new, cheap ways to organize and encourages her clients to focus on quality over quantity. And in case you think organization is all work and no play, Needy encourages all her clients to reward themselves after decluttering. "Find a way to treat yourself without bringing more clutter into your home," she said. "Get a manicure or pedicure, buy a piece of art, go to a concert - just don't fill your house with more stuff."
Needy serves Lexington and the surrounding counties. Decluttering and organization sessions are priced at $50 an hour. She can be reached by phone at (859) 338-2241 or on the web at www.declutterdoc.com.