Case Studies

Case Study #1: Highly Trained 50-Something Professional Reaches Out For Help for Hoarding, Living in Uninhabitable Home that Turns Into a Functioning Refuge 

Highly functioning in the outside world, Ms. X was leading a double life that was secretly spinning out of control. Triggered by personal trauma and a genetic condition, her home had become uninhabitable, filled with garbage, possessions and broken plumbing, that made it impossible to enter rooms. Packed with stuff, the house was crumbling around her in the upscale suburban neighborhood.

By the time Ms. X called Remedease she was at break-point.

On a scale of one to five, Ms. X was a four on the hoarding scale of severity.

Work started by building trust and guiding Ms. X to understand her own condition, what was driving her compulsion and learn how to become more forgiving of herself. This released some of her guilt and shame so she could focus on getting her life in control.

As Ms. X became more aware of her own internal triggers she learned to make better decisions about what possessions to add to the already full household. Each conquest in which she overcome her compulsion led to incremental positive changes in her behavior. As her state of mind improved the real work of de-cluttering began.

Weekly clearing visits were scheduled, first to remove all the garbage. Next, small sections of each room were de-cluttered one choice at a time. As the space began to clear, contractors were brought in to install a new bathroom. The ongoing work brought Ms. X’s home under control and remodeling on the kitchen has just begun. Ms. X has sustained a focus on keeping her life in balance and is about to enjoy cooking in her kitchen once again.

Case Study #2: Elderly Condo Owner and Paper Hoarder Faced Eviction and has Cleared the Clutter to Remain in His Home

A senior citizen with a paper hoarding condition received a court order to clean up his apartment within two months or be evicted.

The condo association contacted Remedease to help get him under control. A child of the Depression Era and avid investor with early signs of dementia, Remedease evaluated the situation and made an accelerated plan to preserve his home. The first step was to respectfully bond with Mr. X, including him in every decision. Papers were stacked high and deep enough to cover every space except for small pathways through the condo. Remedease rented a storage space so that thousands of magazines could be removed from the premises but not disposed.  This gave the gentleman a sense of security as the rest of the papers, brochures and empty food containers were sorted, and appropriately kept, trashed or donated. In addition to helping him gain control over his papers, cleaning services were arranged for an ongoing basis so he could maintain control of his space.

After two months, the court ruled in the gentleman’s favor and he is still residing in his condo.

Caste Study #3: Family Owned Construction Company Needing  More Efficient Business Process Is Set-up to Grow

A family-owned business, Spears Construction, realized that its four-employee company needed to become more efficient in order to grow and turned to Remedease to evaluate their office systems and help them streamline the work flow. Each employee needed a boost in productivity to maximize their profitability.

The process began with Ken Spears, whose major responsibilities included everything from sales and design to project estimates. Ken’s primary goal was to improve his own efficiency and time management skills and get more accomplished every day. His secondary goal was to have every member of his team operating at a more productive level.

Over the next five months, Remedease worked with Ken Spears for four to six hours a week, analyzing how he functioned in his workspace and how he could improve his productivity.

“They made sure I was comfortable with each step in the process and gave me some immediate strategies,” Spears said. “As we fine-tuned the new systems I could see a definite improvement in my overall efficiency.”

The Remedease team met with each member of the office staff and performed the same work-flow evaluation, offering advice and solutions.

“For small-business owners, nothing is more important than efficiency because there are so many things to accomplish.” Said Remedease founder Fran Piekarski. “We understand how small businesses operate, and we approach each one with the same commitment to uncovering what systems will work best in their specific environment.”

Office Manager Kathy Spears appreciated the partnership and interactive approach Remedease took, making the company responsible for its own success and empowering them to do their jobs better.

As a direct result of their improved systems, Spears Construction made plans to open a second location and to integrate Remedease into their next level of success.

Case Study #4: Streamlined Control and Management Systems in a High-end Overwhelmed, Neglected Two Income Household

A household headed by two busy physicians was in total disarray despite weekly housekeepers and an effort to manage the clutter. The family of four, including two teenage children, needed help to regain control of their lives.

With Remedease’s expert guidance, the family worked toward understanding the function of their space and how their clutter and mismanagement was affecting their lives and causing stress.  Remedease put into place an efficient model to clear the clutter and prepare the house and family for a home remodel, which would displace them for several months.

When moving back into the house after months of exile, Remedease created a detailed system to help them control the clutter in their newly remodeled space.  The family worked together to get and keep the home organized.

Weekly check-ins and checkpoints helped the family remain organized and happy.