professional organizing - The House Half Full Professional Organizing

April 19, 2023July 28, 2026

Kids Area

This repeat Arroyo Grande Client has been so fun for me to work with. We have been transforming her house over the last few months. So many bags have been donated to the thrift store (Shamrock Thrift on Grand Avenue in Grover Beach is my go-to for donations. I often peruse the store while I’m there and frequently find great treasures. My zero-waste goals are always met at the thrift store when I buy thank you/blank cards, arts and craft supplies for my kids, storage bins, vintage items, and more!) and so much furniture has been rearranged. I absolutely love recreating spaces using items a Client already has. Rearranging furniture is my jam! This space was being used as a homeschool space. The Client wanted it to remain an area for the kids but didn’t need it to be school-only anymore. I moved the bookshelves into the living room where there was a large, empty wall. This created a nice library feeling near the couch to encourage reading. Next, I consolidated three different arts and crafts areas in the house and turned this space into the dedicated arts and crafts area. This family LOVES arts and crafts! Having all the supplies in one space makes finding, using, and returning items so much easier. The space is still a bit full but it suits the Clients’ needs and wants. It makes sense and is, above all, FUNCTIONAL!

December 19, 2022July 28, 2026

Utility Closet

This Grover Beach Client has a pantry and utility closet in the same hallway off the kitchen.

The utility closet was being under-utilized and the pantry was home to several non-food items. This meant that most trips to either closet meant a peak into both closets because it was such a jumble!

The Strategy

Firstly, I wanted to make the utility closest more functional so that we could fit more items into it but keep it organized, at the same time. I installed two shelving units that the client already had but wasn’t using to create more storage space.

Secondly, I wanted the pantry to be only for food. All non-food items were moved to the utility closet or relocated to other areas in the house that made more sense. For example the humidifier, which is used primarily in bedrooms, was moved to the upstairs bathroom to be more readily available when needed. The travel accessories were stashed in suitcases. This not only freed up more shelving space in the small pantry, but it created a system where not often used items are stored in a place that makes sense so time won’t be wasted searching for the items when they are needed.

Finally, we rearranged the food items in the pantry by category, keeping in mind which items we wanted the little kids be able to reach on their own…or not.

The Result

The final result is a functional utility closet whose small space is maximized. I love that the client was able to use shelves she already had and nothing new was purchased for this transformation. The contents of the closet now make sense for the family’s lifestyle and needs. Not to mention they’ll have to make fewer trips up and down the stairs when someone needs the humidifier in the middle of the night!

If you want to see another inspiring closet project, click here!

AFTER (In my excitement to get started on this project I forgot to take a before picture!)

November 12, 2022July 28, 2026

Playroom Redo in Arroyo Grande

This playroom redo in Arroyo Grande was a lot of work…and a big change! The space was overflowing with toys, arts and crafts, school supplies, video games, puzzles, dress-up clothes, LEGO, and more. I worked with the client to clear out all the unwanted items and then rearranged the room into sections that made sense. This is so important when it comes to maintaining the room! We were going to leave the top of the cabinet open but needed it to store all the empty storage containers we had left over (for future projects). Lesson 1: Don’t feel like you have to fill every space. Lesson 2: Never buy storage containers until you have decluttered. You may be surprised that you have too many already.