Clearing Out The Clutter With Leah Lescher

CLEARING OUT THE CLUTTER
Interview with Leah Lescher, Home Organizer

We are giving away free signed copies of Spiritual Spring Cleaning in hopes the study will aid in cleaning our spiritual houses. Leave a comment below during the month of September, 2015 to be entered into the drawing! We are picking a new winner every week.

I am delighted for today’s blog to welcome our niece, Leah Lescher, who cleans out clutter for a living! Leah works for a company who helps people down-size their households and move into smaller homes. She organizes an estate sale, then even helps them move into and decorate their new place. And, yes, she loves it. I think you will enjoy her insights.

1. First, tell us anything you’d like our readers to know about yourself and your family.

We live in Lucas, Texas. Steve, my husband, is a banker and I have 18 year old twins, Emma & Brooks, who are seniors at Lovejoy High School. I have degree in fashion merchandising from Oklahoma State University.

2. Now, tell us a little bit about the business you are engaged in.

I work for Caring Transitions. We specialize in senior relocation, downsizing and estate sales. We are based out of Mckinney, Texas, and work throughout North Texas suburbs.

3. How did you get involved in doing this? And how long have you been doing it?

I started working for Caring Transitions 2 1/2 years ago. One of my good friends was working for the company at the time and said that they were hiring. Sounded like a lot of fun. So, I interviewed and got the job!

4. Did you have any special training, or do you simply have a knack for organizing?

My degree is in Merchandising, but I have a natural knack for organizing. It comes easy to me.

As Leah is a family member, I can attest to that. She has always had a knack for organizing and decorating.

5. What are some of the challenges? What do you like the most about what you do?

When we do estate sales, the houses range anywhere from a hoarding situation to immaculately clean and everything in-between. The biggest challenges are having enormous amounts of merchandise to organize in a short period of time and homes being really dirty. We clean everything! My favorite part of estate sale preparation is the satisfaction I get after a room is merchandised, and it looks great. I would say a “rags-to-riches” type of transformation.

6. Take us through a typical assignment, from initially signing on the customer to moving them into their new residence.

The first step is deciding what the client wants to take to their new home and how much they can take. We then move them to their new home, and set up, so they can start living as soon as they walk through the door.

That sounds absolutely heavenly!

After they are settled, we start the estate sale preparation. We go through everything that is left in the old house. We have 3 areas in which we separate all the remaining items. Those are trash, donation and sell. Once we have done that, we merchandise the house like it is a store. Everything is cleaned & neatly organized. We then have the estate sell, which is typically three days. The remaining items after the sale are usually donated. Every family is different.

The three areas sounds like a good organizing tip for our homes whether we are moving or not.

7. Has there ever been occasion when you simply threw up your hands and wanted to say, “I don’t think we can help this customer—it’s too much?”

All the time! I get overwhelmed every time a start a job, but it always comes together. I have to continually remind myself that at the start of most jobs.

8. Tell us some of the “treasures” that you’ve come across. Perhaps something the customer didn’t realize was of value.

That’s one of the perks of this job. I have found so many treasures. I’ve bought antique furniture, great items for my kitchen, wonderful flower pots for the yard, clothes, and jewelry. The list could go on and on.

9. Have you found spiritual corollaries between how one keeps their physical house and how one keeps their spiritual house? What are they?

This job has made me realize how much excess we all have. We pack our homes with all these things that we think are going to make us happy. When in reality, they don’t. We actually need very little, and our clients feel so free once they move into their new home with just what they need. It’s very liberating. I hear that all the time. Our spiritual lives are the same. We can make it too complicated. A relationship with Jesus Christ, daily quiet time/devotional and communication with him in prayer. Put him first and everything else falls into place.

10. Do you have a website where readers can reach you?

Jeff & Donna Rea are the owners of this franchise. EstateMovePlanoTX.com

Thanks, Leah. It’s been so much fun to have you!

We are giving away free signed copies of Spiritual Spring Cleaning in hopes the study will aid in cleaning our spiritual houses. Leave a comment below during the month of September, 2015 to be entered into the drawing! We are picking a new winner every week.

1. Have you recently done any organization projects?

2. How do you feel after you finish decluttering an area?

3. Is it difficult or easy for you to get rid of your possessions?

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