"What Donna Yanoshik can accomplish in just a few hours will take your breath away. There is no task too large or too small for her; she is thorough, effective, ingenious, encouraging and sweet-natured. The best news of all is that the storage systems she puts in place are easy to maintain. She has "given us back" entire rooms of our house. The bottom line is that she is worth every penny."

- Starry Schor, Princeton, NJ

simplify with d.y. . . . . . And Recapture the Joy in Your Life! YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE! I grew up in a family where my mother stored cucumbers in cupboards and kept petrified chocolate on bookshelves. Frantic searches were always under way for eyeglasses, garlic bulbs, and The New York Times Book Review section.

It is no wonder that at age 45, faced with the prospect of moving to a new condo - - which I bought after years of arduous planning and saving - - I froze like a block of ice, paralyzed with fear, doubt, and an overwhelming sense of buyer’s remorse.

How could I, born with the chaos gene (finally identified by the world’s greatest scientists) orchestrate a move by myself to a place where I might possibly remain for the rest of my life? How could I harness the focus and energy needed to pack, plan, prepare? And more to the point, how would I be able to create the peaceful home I had yearned for my whole life, where “a place for everything” was more than just an empty phrase?

HELP! It was time to face facts: I needed help - - and not from just anyone. I needed help from someone who could feel my pain, assess my situation, and offer support, guidance, and inspiration - - while at the same time creating a plan of attack that would really work. That’s when I called Donna, from simplify with d.y. Little did I know that I had made one of the smartest moves in my life. We chatted, strategized, and brainstormed. Then we met.

DONNA COMES TO THE RESCUE ! When Donna walked into my apartment, she did not faint. She did not die of shock. She did not say, with disdain, “How could someone your age live like this?” What she did do was offer suggestions about how to make the best use of the next three weeks so that I’d be ready for the big “M” (move).

First things first. Donna surveyed my place and let me know how much time she thought it would take to accomplish the move. Next, she created a strategy: She would do all the work, so that I could continue going to work. I had a new job and was unable to take time off. Then, she created a list of supplies I needed to purchase: boxes, packing tape, magic markers, bubble wrap, packing paper. She even told me where to purchase those items.

Finally, she gave me strict orders to go through my drawers and closets and get rid of everything I hadn’t used in a year.

   I had to accomplish that by the next visit, which Donna marked down on her calendar, along with our appointments for the next three weeks. I began to feel better already, and she had been at my place for only 30 minutes.

Week 1. I loved coming home from work and seeing the tops of my kitchen table, TV, and bureau - - I had forgotten what they looked like. I began to breathe easier.

Week 2. The boxes I had purchased were nearly filled - - and neatly packed, to boot. Everything fit. My mood began to lift.

Week 3. Closets empty, pictures down from walls, kitchen cupboards bare except for a plate or two and a coffee mug. No silverware to be found (except deep within the “kitchen” box.) But, not to worry. Donna had purchased colorful plastic ware for me to use over the next few days to ensure I’d be able to eat. God forbid I should starve.

“M” Day. We were done in half the time, and at half the estimated cost. Why? Donna’s organized approach. Early that morning, the two of us crammed our cars with small items we could manage ourselves: we drove to the new place, unloaded them, and carried them upstairs. By the time the movers arrived in mid-afternoon, as scheduled, they were left only with furniture and heavy boxes.

BUT WAIT! THAT’S NOT THE BEST PART ! What I didn’t know when I hired Donna was that she’s as good as moving in as moving out. By the end of “M” day, the new bathroom and bedroom were fit for a queen. So was the kitchen. I wouldn’t starve. Over the next few weeks, Donna unpacked, organized, arranged, rearranged, and decorated. With boundless enthusiasm, energy, and creativity, she designed an interior I had only dreamed of.

MY HOME, MY CASTLE ! Today, five months post-move, I sit at home, early on a Sunday morning. The coffee tastes great, the sun pours into the living room, and the stillness outside matches the calm within. Finally, with Donna’s help, I have said goodbye to chaos and have welcomed with open arms a sense of order into my life.

-Marilyn K.  
 
“I found a new room in my house in just one session.” Jim M.

“I’m much more efficient in my new home office, and my children have a new play room.” Donna G.

“It was terrific having you here last month. My place is so organized and it still looks great. And, it was fun! I can’t wait for you to come back and help me with my desk. Thanks again!” Carol W.

“Thank you so much for decorating the house. Now I am ready for Christmas without going through the stress of decorating. I would never think of putting decorations over the window – that was a neat idea!” Marie N.

"Just a note to let you know that my wife was all smiles and ecstatic about the huge difference you made in transforming my office. She loved that you hung her cuckoo clock, too." John C.

“You’ve done a great job! I look forward to continued organization.” Craig B.