What services does Out of the Box Organizing provide?

Out of the Box Organizing's short-term goal is to help people efficiently unpack, sort, organize and put away belongings during the moving process. As we help you to sort and/or unpack, we always keep in mind that this is your home and your space and that everything we do must work for you.

Our long-term goal is to leave you with a space that stays organized. From our interviews and experience, many people are discouraged by how quickly their new space becomes cluttered and disorganized after a move. However, because we co-devise organizing systems, rather than simply shift clutter from one place to another, our clients find that their new homes actually stay organized.

"It has been 6 months since Out of the Box Organizing helped me design a way to organize my kitchen and I am pleased to say that my "junk drawer" (which used to need re-sorting bi-weekly) has remained positively un-junked! Now my husband can open the a cabinet and, before he can get the words "where is.." out, he can see the item right before his eyes and my kids can help put the groceries away in their correct places without my help!"
Homeira, OBO client

What makes Out of the Box Organizing unique?

Out of the Box Organizing is known for the personal care that it brings to the moving experience. Its founder and principal, Heather Ouida, is particularly known for her ability to listen to what women say about move-related anxieties, the worries and concerns they may have about their children during this transition time, as well as ways to acclimate to a new environment, and to then reframe and offer useful advice on these matters.

Successful handling of constant change and transition is the hallmark of Heather's career. Having lived for seven years with her husband as an ex-pat in different parts of London, she easily empathizes with the stresses of adjusting to a new environment and community. With a masters degree in child development and as a qualified learning specialist, her experience includes teaching at and running the learning specialist department at a British school for five years before moving to Manhattan, where she was a learning specialist at Dalton. Following the birth of her second son, she left the school setting to start her own tutoring business, which she slowly transitioned out of to start
OBO when her children entered school.

What do you mean OBO will devise organizing systems that will help my home stay organized? I want my new home to be ‘fun' and have a carefree feeling, not one that I'm afraid to relax in.

Your personality and living style are absolutely our top concerns. Some of the first questions we ask are about the things you most like and dislike about the way your current space is organized. Only after we understand your needs and concerns, as well as your vision of a home that works best for you, do we present to you ideas and recommendations for possible organizing systems, including storage containers, dividers, and the like.

When I am moving, will OBO come and help me sort and organize my belongings before I pack them?

Yes, we will help you sort and organize your belongings before your move. However, we do not pack your belongings. We will also come after a move to unpack any full boxes.

Can't I just have my moving company unpack for me?

Moving companies do a great job of packing and unpacking your belongings. OBO advises all its clients to take advantage of the unpacking services moving companies offer, as it can take hours to unwrap items (especially fragile ones) and collapse and remove boxes.

However, most moving companies tend to unpack and unwrap belongings as quickly as possible and with little regard for their ultimate location. After all, they are in the business of packing and unpacking. Out of the Box Organizing will help you with the most important, and often overwhelming, step: that is, organizing and sorting everything that has just come out of the packing boxes and finding thoughtful places for your belongings to best suit your family's needs.

"Heather helped through the daunting task of unwrapping all of my kitchen items and had an intuitive sense of the best drawer or cabinet for each item."
Andrea, OBO client

Is it better to sort and organize my belongings before or after a move?

This is a matter of personal preference and available time. Some people would not think of packing until they have sorted and organized their belongings first, i.e., "Why pack and move things I will eventually throw away?" Others often have so much going on with their move, they want to pack everything and then sort on the other end, once they know how much shelf, drawer, cabinet and closet space they have available in their new home.

I prefer not to have the movers unpack boxes for me. Is there still a way to expedite the process?

OBO staff includes an assistant who joins Heather on jobs where clients request an extra person. Our assistant helps unwrap items, clean surfaces before items are put away, and break down boxes. This lets Heather and her clients prioritize and focus their time and energies on sorting, organizing and finding appropriate locations for items and belongings.

How long will it take to unpack each room?

The number of hours it takes to unpack your entire home or each room varies greatly. It depends on how much sorting and organizing is done before the move, how much you have moved, if you had your movers unwrap your belongings for you, and your own personal unpacking goals. For example, if your goal is to alphabetize all of your CDs as you put them away, it will take significantly more time than just placing them in a media cabinet.