"This Old House"
J Hurlburt, Baden Ontario, April 2007 When I first saw the house I wasn’t sure it would work. My family is in a transition period and we have sold our home and want to rent for a while. Our real estate agent showed us ‘this old house’.  It is about 120 years old with the original cellar, if you know what I mean. The outside is pleasantly sided with a silvery-grey vinyl and white trim. It has a very inviting curve of steps and interlocking stone to the door and is nestled amongst some mature trees. As my husband and I walked around, we agreed we would give it a try. And besides, the price was right. The moving day came and our belongings were literally stuffed into ‘this old house’ helter-skelter.  I told myself to be patient because I knew Evelyn had promised to come in a couple of weeks to help me get settled. The evening before she arrived, I had hit the bottom of despair. There were boxes shoved in every corner, framed art leaning against everything, the laundry room was jammed with the last dregs of the move and I was holding back the tears. Could this ever feel like home? We started at 8:30 a.m. with gusto! Evelyn has a way of seeing through all the jumble and can somehow create manageable and aesthetically pleasing areas everywhere! As we moved pieces of furniture from one room to another, she always checked with me first to see how I felt about the look. Little by little, one by one, the rooms started to take shape. There was no task too lowly for Evelyn, or too intimidating. For example, my ‘old house’ came with a coin operated washing machine. We both decided that the ‘coin’ part HAD to go. Out came her hack saw, and along with some female perseverance, we proceeded to cut it off! She helped me prioritize the items in the kitchen and put the daily-used things where they would be handy. With the aid of her trusty toolbox, Evelyn was able to install small appliances, shelves, and hooks on the spot in no time at all. She designed an excellent location and method of handling our household recycling. Many were not the most glamourous things, but they were all vital aspects of an efficient, operational home. We also resolved a long-standing issue with our entertainment centre in very creative ways without having to purchase anything. There’s nothing like some good humour to help one through a painful day. Evelyn is always open to see the funny side of things and we enjoyed lots of laughs. She was a great encourager to help me keep sorting and deciding what to keep and what to let go without being judgmental. Evelyn made me feel like a winner whenever I said to her, "I don’t really need that anymore." Since we were down-sizing, I really appreciated her support and she did it in such a genuine and sensitive way.  At the same time, Evelyn kindly acknowledged the needs of the other members of my family, considering the strain of having just moved and their current coping methods.  Some things we just had to keep and they had to be in the same drawer as before and that was okay. The finishing touches came when we hung my final choice of artwork and set the plants around. By the end of the day, my home looked cozy and welcoming and I was surrounded everywhere with my most favourite things. So, it seems, ‘this old house’ has turned into "our cozy little home" after all. It’s comfortable, functional, and it reflects our personality. Thanks Evelyn, for a fabulous day, for giving me hope for my future in this old house, and for showing me what an amazing transformation can be done with the help of your imagination, your expertise, and your toolbox!
 
 
 
 
Evelyn Ward de Roo, Interior ReDesigner “Letting go” B H, Sarnia Ontario, 2006 This really opened my eyes to my emotional holding on to things that I drag from move to move...... Thanks and thanks again. “One Monday morning” R Muscutt, Wyoming Ontario, April 2005 It happened on a Monday morning like any other Monday morning - back to the same mundane routine and what I considered a tired decor.  Months earlier I had received a letter from Evelyn which I had tucked away in my memory for a morning such as this.  I called Ev sounding somewhat bored and much in need of an attitude change.  Three hours later Ev was sitting at our table with her sketch pad finding out about our lives and how our home fit into the grand scheme.  Then she did something amazing - she said, “ I could start right now if you like” and she whipped off her heels and professional attire and began to move furniture and rip out a room divider (which really dated the place).  Within 2 hours I had a vision of how our home would transform using just what was already there.  It was exhilarating and so much fun!  Evelyn was with me every step of the process from sorting and packing of dated accessories to shopping for just the right slip cover fabric and even sewing drapes from an old quilt to give our room a warm country ambience. It has been over a year since that Monday morning and there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t felt more carefree and happy.  Getting rid of clutter, reorganizing and being surrounded by our favourite things gave us a new awareness of how blessed we are and allows us to focus on things that really matter.   We believe that the profound effect this process has had comes directly from the incredible gift that Evelyn has been given and the sensitivity with which she shares it.  We could not have imagined the difference it has made.  We love it and are so thankful we made the call! “Banished to basement” P Lukens, Evanston Illinois, March 2006 Evelyn helped me organize a workroom in my basement. Several months before we had moved a computer, a sewing desk and worktable, and my husband's art table into the space, along with a sofa and chairs. There were several boxes of papers still in the middle of the floor that we couldn't seem to get around to putting away. Evelyn helped me express and work toward my goals for the room: to eliminate the boxes and make the whole room more inviting and convenient. She did not criticize the state of the room, and she did not speak to me in that special voice we use with persons who are weaker than ourselves. She suggested some very simple changes in furniture arrangement that created more space, and she encouraged me to eliminate a whole carton of papers (“I bet you could do that right now”) and helped me hide the rest until I could work on them later. She found pictures we had been storing and adorned the walls. She showed me where we could have shelving and bulletin boards. Again, she accepted ideas we had had for the room, and then showed how we could carry them out without further delay. Again without critical remarks, she introduced us to the idea of “visual clutter” and helped us eliminate some. But in only one case did she badger us to throw something away. Now our workroom is pleasant to be in. When I need to work on sewing, writing, or calculating, I no longer feel “banished to the basement.” Evelyn's respectful encouragement enabled me to accomplish this without tears. “NOW (National Organizing Week) - Giving back to the community” Bette Hughes, Administrative Assistant, Habitat For Humanity Sarnia/Lambton Ontario, May 2005 Evelyn has done an amazing job not only with helping to organize the office and storage areas  but decorate and organize our board room, play area in the ReStore and display area. Her vision is inspirational  and enthusiasm limitless and we, all at Habitat for Humanity, thank God for her.
“Needing Permission”
L M, Petrolia Ontario, March 2007
 
I really enjoyed yesterday. I thought a lot about the things that we discussed and found my mind wandering to other ideas that have been bumping about in my head. Funny how we sometimes need permission from others to go ahead and change things in our own homes. I shall now forge ahead...
So last night I moved a bunch of stuff around and I cannot believe the feeling of 'lightness' just by rearranging furniture. Thank you so much for the time you spent here helping me see the light.
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What my clients are saying about their experience...
“Go with the flow”
Georgia Gander, Sarnia Ontario 2007
 
WOW! What can I say! In two visits, Evelyn changed the whole flow of my home. Her thought provoking questions regarding my needs and uses for my home as well as her ability to see something from a completely different perspective allowed me the opportunity to realize how I could allow my world to flow more easily.
With a few furniture changes, the use of 'things' I already had and suggestions for incorporating colours, textures, plants etc, I have changed my house into a relaxing sanctuary. The energy flow is much better, allowing me to utilize my time better and more efficiently.
Thank you Evelyn for sharing your knowledge with me.
 
 
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