What not to expect (from me as a declutter coach)

An AI-created image of a woman in very uncomfortable-looking pants holding a "label maker". Look closely at the hand/sleeve situation. Straight out of a horror movie.

I will not:

• Judge you or your space. I wish I had taken "before" pictures of my own home, because I feel like it would really help me prove this point.

• Touch or move your things without your permission. Go ahead and tell me off if I momentarily forget my own rule and touch your stuff when it's not okay with you! Nothing goes anywhere without your say-so.

• Tell you what I think constitutes garbage or is worthy of keeping. That's always your call, but I'll teach you how to figure it out for yourself when that's a hard call for you to make.

• Tell you you don't need something or how many of whatever you should own. In fact, I rarely use the word should at all. I don't find it helpful in motivating change. I'll be there to help you figure out what works for you in your space, no "shoulds" about it.

• Leave you with a space that looks worse than when we started. Wouldn't that be the opposite of inspirational!

• Bring along a snazzy label-maker. I did have one, and have since decluttered it. Ha! I find label makers exceedingly tedious, and I could never bring myself to repurchase label tape the first time it ran out. Don't google the price of label maker tape! I mean, I would have to raise my hourly rates just to cover the cost.

• Show up in "business casual" attire. I left those days behind and I don't miss uncomfortable pants and shirts with no stretch. We will be decluttering and we should be as comfortable as possible. You wear literally whatever you like so long as all the necessity bits are covered.

• Be "all business". I like to laugh and to make other people laugh. We can have a bit of fun with this and still make an amazing amount of progress. You may have some serious stuff, but we don't have to get all nose-to-the-grind about it. That's not going to make you want continue after I leave! If you think decluttering sounds boring, I really hope I'm able to change your mind.