Jersey Shore Organizer Christina Bouchard Uses Her Customized Method to Declutter and Beautify Your Home
Christina Bouchard, owner of the Bouchard Method at the Jersey Shore, thrives on creating systems for her clients. Christina brings her empathy and patience to coach her clients in creating a functional, low-stress home.
We interviewed Christina to learn more about her and what you can expect from a typical organizing session.
What (or who) inspired you to become an Organizer?
A few years ago I was searching for a career change. I had been in corporate HR for over 20 years and I wanted to do something that I was passionate about and that I was naturally good at! I also wanted to be able to help people and try to transfer my skills in HR since I had spent most of my life in that space. I remember watching the Netflix show, the Home Edit, and the lightbulb went off. Order and organization comes naturally to me and I have always helped my family and friends get organized but I didn’t realize this could be a career. It was at that moment I put my plan in action to become an organizer and it was the best decision!
How has becoming an Organizer impacted your life?
It has had a huge impact on my happiness. Being able to do something you love for work, is absolutely life changing. I have met and helped so many wonderful people along the way. Being able to change people’s homes to function better for them (or function at all!) and reduce the stress in their lives is extremely rewarding. The best part of every single project is seeing how happy my clients are when it is done.
How has your past career or education tied in to becoming an Organizer?
In Human Resources it was important to build relationships and trust with my employees, many times discussing sensitive topics with them or coaching them through difficult situations. The first step in organizing anyone’s home is decluttering. This can be a very sensitive and emotional process for people and it’s important to have patience and empathy but be able to coach them into action.
Who are your ideal clients (or what is your niche)?
I don’t have a niche - I enjoy helping anyone who needs it. My ideal client is anyone who wants their home to function better for them. That could be a room, a closet, a pantry etc. Many clients contact me a week or so after their project has been completed to thank me for changing their life. It sounds dramatic but when everything has a place, and you know where it is, you can function easier and without stress.
What drives your clients to hire a professional organizer?
The majority of my clients contact me because they are overwhelmed and/or too busy to do these projects on their own. Some people try to start on their own but give up. Some don’t even know where to start. When you have a lot of stuff it can be a time consuming and overwhelming process to tackle on your own but that’s when I thrive!
Is there a popular season or off-season for professional organizing at the Shore?
Not really. Sometimes it’s the beginning or end of a season but for the most part it’s when people just get fed up with their situation.
Tell me a little bit about how you approach organizing--or your philosophy?
I always like to meet the client in person not only for my benefit of seeing the space but for theirs of meeting me in person and getting comfortable with me possibly being in their home and going through their stuff. I ask a lot of questions and listen to what is and isn’t working and why, what their goals and vision for the space are. My process is pretty simple - it always starts with decluttering and then I can move into the organizational aspect. I create systems that they can maintain long term because the last thing we want is for the space to return to it’s current status shortly after I leave
What sorts of challenges can you help with? What opportunities are individuals likely to miss if they try to complete the organization work themselves?
I can help with any room or area that has too much stuff and isn’t functioning. I think it’s very helpful to have an organizer come in, look at the space from a different perspective and with a fresh set of eyes. It is crucial to remove everything from the space to inventory all the items and see the space empty. This is time consuming process that people don’t want to tackle on their own. But this provides a blank slate to work with and makes it easier to put items back in the space in a way which makes better sense for everyday living. Some of the most common comments - “I have been looking for that forever or I never would have thought to put that there but it makes so much sense!"
Is there anything you wish your clients knew before contacting you?
That I’m not going to judge them and there is no reason to be embarrassed. People are always apologizing from the minute I walk in their home. But there is no judgement - I’m there to help. Also that I’m not going to force them to get rid of all of their stuff or force them to do anything they don’t want to. I work WITH people to come up with the best solutions for them. My goal is to leave every client happy and satisfied!
Are there any current projects or services that you'd like to highlight?
Every project and client has been special for one reason or another but I did have an amazing experience a few weeks ago. I worked with an elderly client who recently moved into a retirement home. She was really struggling with the way her apartment was set up for her. Items in closets and cabinets were placed too high or too low and because of movement issues, she couldn’t access many of her own belongings. I worked with her to declutter and move things around so that she could easily access everything in her apartment. Our work together truly changed the way she was living and I was so happy to help her.
You can reach Christina at:
The Bouchard Method
bouchardmethod@gmail.com
201-394-3612
FB/IG- @thebouchardmethod
