Eldercare on the Air: Empowering Choices for Aging with Grace

Join Michael Amaruso, an elder law and special needs attorney, for Eldercare on the Air, a weekly radio show dedicated to helping you navigate the challenges of aging, caregiving, and independent living. Featuring expert guests from fields like eldercare, financial planning, and special needs services, this show offers practical advice and real-life stories to empower you in making informed decisions.

In this episode, we discuss how to tackle the overwhelming task of decluttering and organizing with Marla Ault, founder of One, Two, Three Organized. From attic chaos to garage clutter, learn actionable tips to simplify your space, especially for life transitions like downsizing or moving.

Tune in at 107.1 The Peak or visit amorusolaw.com to download episodes and submit questions for future topics.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You've lived well, you've worked hard to make your place in this world. Your dignity and security are earned and well deserved. Or maybe you have a loved one who needs you more than ever. Well, we can help you help them plan life better. Amaruso and Amaruso.

SPEAKER_04 0:27

Welcome to Eldercare on the Air, a weekly radio show with guests in the fields of eldercare, special needs, financial services, independent living, and yes, people just like you. Where we will empower you to make sound choices when you're faced with an eldercare or special needs crisis. My name is Michael Amoruso, an elder law and special needs attorney with Amoruso& Amoruso in Rybrook, New York, which services clients in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. You're at our new home, 107.1 The Peak. But I do encourage you to go onto our website, eldercareontheair.com. That's eldercareontheair.com. Click on the radio show tab you see. and just simply download the episode you'd like to listen to. You see, this show is designed to arm you with the knowledge and tools that you need to make sound choices to help you or a loved one age in place. If you have any questions or would like to hear topics on future episodes of Eldercare on the Air, please send us an email at info at eldercareontheair.com. That's info at eldercareontheair.com. In this episode, we're gonna Introduce you to a topic we have not covered in a very long time. You know, most of us, and I'm in this situation myself, you know, we accumulate a lot of stuff in our homes as we start to age. And it may be kind of a wake-up call if you're an empty nester or even if you're a senior and you're thinking about moving, but you look around the house, look in that basement or attic, and you say, oh my goodness, this is going to take me forever to get organized. And the house just starts to get away from you. Well, today I'm thrilled to have with us Marla Ault with 123 Organize. Marla, welcome to our show. Thank you. Thank you, Mike. It is great to have you here. And what I'd like to first ask you about is tell me about 123 Organize, how it was started, where you service, and in particular, what services do you provide?

SPEAKER_01 2:56

Love to talk about that. All right. Well, it happened almost 20 years ago. Hard to believe. But basically I had a friend who was moving and they needed to take their items actually down to a second floor from a duplex. And they looked at each other and they were never moving in. And I just instinctively go, I can help. And that's literally how it began. It was always a great hobby, and people were constantly bribing me to organize, so it all just made sense that this was my future. We proudly serve all the local areas, actually. We're right here in Westchester. That's where we're based out of. We serve Rockland County, Fairfield County, City, and Bergen County.

SPEAKER_04 3:37

Wow, that's a broad reach. It is. And tell me about your staff. To have a broad reach like that, it can't just be you.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

No, thank goodness it's not. There's a whole parade after me. We have multiple project managers and teams, and we have a very qualified office team that handles everything behind the scenes. And right from the very start, you will be blessed to talk to them when you give us a ring.

SPEAKER_04 4:02

So just walk us through some of the services that you offer. I Some people may cringe. Some people may not understand what that really encompasses. So why don't you tell them what it's all about?

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Very good. Well, the best person for us when it comes to organizing is someone who feels really overwhelmed in their own surroundings, which is a lot of us. Like you spoke about the basement, the attic, the garage. I feel like almost every person could check one of those boxes and say, help. So we really specialize in organizing the home from top to bottom, whatever your needs may be, and especially when someone needs to move, because that is the mothership of organizing. Everybody needs to declutter, purge, redirect items, and really doesn't know where to begin. It feels too massive.

SPEAKER_04 4:54

And I'm sure it also must be tough for, you know, empty nesters as well, because for a period of time, a certain room may have served a purpose for a child. And now that child is no longer living there, but their stuff is still there. And that room is the child's room. And maybe repurposing that room can be a scary and foreign concept for somebody. How do you walk them through that process?

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Well, I'm glad you brought that up because it is very emotional as well as physical. And that's where people really do need help. It's overwhelming. And we are able to take them, really we call it like hand-holding, just step-by-step. And we will redirect as many items as we can because, like you said, we all acquire just too much. And we keep things out of the landfill. We really pride ourselves on donating and finding the right home.

SPEAKER_04 5:48

Oh, that's wonderful. Excellent. So walk me through the process. Someone hears this show. they want to give you guys a call what what is the process from a to z uh guiding somebody through this organization

SPEAKER_01 6:05

so initially they'll fill out either a minimal form online from our website or they'll give us a ring and they will speak with one of our representatives who will help to guide them through the process because believe it or not mike everyone's Organizing needs are individualistic and time sensitive depending on what they're planning to do. So we really tailor it to who they are, what their needs are, and how they need to organize their home.

SPEAKER_04 6:32

So since you custom tailor, why don't we talk about some examples? Why don't you give us some stories, success stories that you really... change somebody's life?

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Yes. Well, the first one that I'd like to speak of is actually quite recent. And that happened over the summer. A friend of a client had reached out to us for a very sad and sensitive situation. The husband was earlier diagnosed with cancer, undergoing treatment. Things were going well. And they decided to go ahead and move in July. Unfortunately, in August, things had taken a turn for the worst. and it looked like it wasn't going to be good. So they called us in. What we did in one day, I'll never forget, they go, this would have taken us months. It was multiple boxes, every corner, wherever you turned. And a lot of them were filled with paperwork. So that is the most tedious, time-consuming, and overwhelming. So we got right to it. My competent team dove in. We also have special training dealing with these sensitive situations. We know it's very hard for everyone to manage, but we really take it very seriously. seriously and with a hand on our heart to be able to help in any way possible

SPEAKER_04 7:51

okay so you guys walk into this room you see boxes on boxes you see stuff standing on top of the boxes what's the first thing that you do you know to to help a understand what's in those boxes and b to help guide somebody to make some good and some tough decisions

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Right. And we always follow the rules we prioritize. So we want to get the boxes out of the way that are in the most dangerous position, shall we say. And then we embark on what we call the divide and conquer. So then we'll split up the team is where they need to deal with what they need to deal with and how fast they need to deal with it.

SPEAKER_04 8:33

Okay. So that may help us understand better. how to assess what's in these boxes and maybe guiding them through some of the decisions that need to be made, whether you keep it, donate it, or junk it, I guess would be the three buckets. Are there other buckets I'm missing?

SPEAKER_01 8:53

Recycle.

SPEAKER_04 8:54

Or recycle. Okay. So that's a starting point. But is there a precursor to that is, you know, what do you want the flow of the home or the room that you may be working on to function as?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

That does come into play. In a lot of cases, you'd be surprised. They really rely on us. Unless they come, you know, we have pictures and they're like, please replicate this as much as possible. But their number one concern is they know that they hadn't had good organizing systems in their former home. So they hired us to eliminate that and get that fresh start right from the beginning.

SPEAKER_04 9:35

Excellent. So is part of this process maybe, I guess in that case, is bring me back to where I was or is there another option of help me live better?

SPEAKER_01 9:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 9:49

Help organize me because that's not a skill set I have. So give me a process on how... I should flow. So this this piling up doesn't happen again.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Right. And that's really what we examine when we do the unpack and create the new systems in their home is how to keep it efficient for everyone in the home and not just for that individual. So, you know, we all hate when we get those calls. It's like, Mom, where is this? I can't find it. So that's always in the back of our mind. We're organizing a home so that the person doesn't need to be there in order for anyone to be able to find what they need when they need it.

SPEAKER_04 10:26

So that's great. I mean, I can't tell you how many times clients of mine have either reached out to me or a loved one and have just asked, you know, I need you to go get, because they're in a hospital setting. And they say, I need you to get X, Y, and Z because I'm going into short-term rehab. I mean, this individual can't go home to get what they need. Understood. And we walk into the house and we're like, okay, where is this? And a little shocking. Where do we begin? Yes. Where's this item that they're looking for? Yeah, so I like what you just said there. You're making sure that a daughter or son, loved one or neighbor can walk in there, know where something belongs, and it would actually be in that spot.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

Correct.

SPEAKER_04 11:14

That's organization. Interesting. So tell me, how can folks find you?

SPEAKER_01 11:21

Well, it's just as easy if they remember how to count. They're going to find us because we are 123 and you can organize with me. It's that simple. 123organize.com. That's our handles for everything, anywhere.

SPEAKER_04 11:33

Excellent. Is there a phone number they can reach

SPEAKER_01 11:35

you? Sure. The company phone number is 914-430-4123. Excellent.

SPEAKER_04 11:43

Now, when you are... Organizing folks, are there systems that you like to bring into the equation, like certain container-type boxes? What is your philosophy on trying to help organize? Because maybe some of the mess or accumulation has occurred because things just don't have a place to go. It

SPEAKER_01 12:04

is very true, Mike, and those items will help create more efficient systems. However, we always tell our clients, please do not purchase any product until we are on site and understand what's actually needed. Because what they do, and we're all guilty of this, we'll buy things that are beautiful and that speak to us, but they may not be functional or fit in the proper space that they want to tailor it to.

SPEAKER_04 12:32

So that brings up an interesting question. So, all right, you get there, you do your assessment. Then is there like a shopping day where you take the person to various vendors out there to identify, you know, this will fit great in that corner of the room and it will hold X, Y, and Z. Do you do that

SPEAKER_01 12:53

with the clients? So we do the shopping for them. We don't take them with us. In a lot of cases, it's elders, people that are clients. So we will either... online shop for them and then show them various options and they can choose or we'll actually bring products in with options and they choose on site depending on what the item is

SPEAKER_04 13:13

excellent that's very helpful so we're going to take a quick commercial break and when we come back we're going to dive into some more personal stories like you introduced earlier in this show to really show the audience how you've impacted some lives sound good

SPEAKER_01 13:30

Excellent. I'll be here.

SPEAKER_04 13:31

Excellent. And if you've missed any part of this episode, just log on to our website after the live broadcast at eldercareontheair.com. That's eldercareontheair.com. And we will be back in a few moments.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Amoruso and Amoruso LLP advises clients on how to obtain public benefits, including Medicaid, and more importantly, how to protect and preserve their assets, whether they be modest or significant. Find Amoruso and Amoruso online at eldercareontheair.com. Amoruso

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Welcome

SPEAKER_04 14:13

back to Altacare in the Air. I'm Michael Amoruso. And again, I'm so happy to be here with Marla Ault at 123 Organize. And I decided to bring Marla on this show to really help all of us. get rid of some of that chunk that we've collected in our homes. The things that are starting to get in our way, they may trip over them. We may have run out of shelf space or counter space or even floor space. And Marla and her company specialize in helping us reorganize that home if we're going to live there some longer years or even if we're going to consider moving. She can help us downsize the stuff we have to make that move far more efficient. And I assume Marla also helped set up our new place that we may move into. If you've missed any part of this episode, just log on to our website after the live broadcast at eldercareontheair.com. Well, Marla, again, it's great to have you here. So why don't we dive into some more success stories that you've had, and even if you want to talk about some difficult stories that you may have where you Maybe the willingness to organize was not at the forefront of someone's mind and there was resistance, but then you showed them the light and they're a lot happier now.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

That definitely does happen with people who have been in their homes for a long term because they have, in some cases, items from three generations and that is not an easy task. But what we tell them is we're going to take baby steps and We're going to start with things that are easy and large and not so overwhelming when it comes to making decisions. So that's really, we go into their headspace and feel their anxiety and take it slow.

SPEAKER_04 16:06

Excellent. So I'm going to actually ask you a very unfair question. And I know it's unfair because it's not one size fits all. But on average, you know, a typical situation single-family home reorganization, what does the time frame tend to be on average to get a job done to not only the client's satisfaction but to your satisfaction?

SPEAKER_01 16:33

Right, and like you said, it's not a one-size-fits-all, so we will say what you consider the average amount of stays. So that would usually be one to two weeks, depending on how much has been gathered and how willing they are to push the button and make it happen.

SPEAKER_04 16:52

And how much of that time is really spent on understanding the individual and how they want the home to flow versus just coming in and say, all right, let's start getting rid of stuff.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

So I was particularly referring to when it is the purging process. And honestly, Mike, we've had clients that aren't even present We'll take a table. We'll put all the items on there each night that we feel that they need to get rid of. And we'll send a picture or a video. And we'll be like, if there's anything that you want to keep, let us know. We pull that out in the morning. pack everything up, and off it goes. So it really depends on who the client is and how much or how little they want to be involved.

SPEAKER_04 17:40

Yeah, you raise a very good point there because maybe it's even easier for the person not to be involved. It just, help me, I don't need stuff anymore. I have the memories in my mind just clean.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Right, and in some cases I think it buys them a lot of health.

SPEAKER_04 17:57

Yeah. I can definitely see that. So why don't you bring us into your world? Tell us some of the stories that you've encountered.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Well, I have another story. This one was based out of Rockland County, and it was a gentleman who had become a widow after being married for many years. And we were hired. I wasn't with him for very long, and I started to notice early signs of dementia. And I remember leaving the house, like literally in the driveway, already calling his daughter. And I'm like, we need to fast track this. I said, I've seen things that it's not healthy for dad to be on his own. Within one month.

SPEAKER_04 18:36

What are some of those signs? Because this is something that's helpful for the

SPEAKER_01 18:39

audience. Definitely forgetting where things were. Getting a phone call, spam, thinking it's real. And having trouble managing the steps. He was not himself as the way that they had known him to be. And on one time I came in and the front door was open on a cold winter day. That was a grand slam for me that we need to act quickly.

SPEAKER_03 19:10

And

SPEAKER_01 19:11

we did. And believe it or not, it was January of 2019. I promise you I had no premonition. But within one month, Dad was safely set up and assisted living. We replicated everything. I remember the nightstand, the medicine cabinet, his clothes, his favorite books, everything easily accessible. And ironically enough, our relationship with the family actually lasted throughout the year. It was COVID, nobody wanted to come in. We inventoried everything for them, pictured everything, and then online, They went and chose what they wanted based on the inventory list. Of course, everything fell into our hands, so we had to stage the home, pack up everything, ship it out for them, work side by side with the realtor and all their demands. We were the everything for that family at that time.

SPEAKER_04 20:05

That's fantastic. Great story. And how was he when he got re-situated?

SPEAKER_01 20:13

It was the right place at the right time. And I know for a fact that he's actually still with us. So we bought him some extra ears, I'm certain.

SPEAKER_04 20:22

Oh, that's wonderful. Wonderful. And out of curiosity for the audience, what happened to the stuff in the house? Where'd it go?

SPEAKER_01 20:29

So apart from what they did not want, we work with subcontractors to sell items of value. And you have to bear in mind, Mike, it's not a lot, right? Because the younger generations have no appreciation for real wood, things of that sort. But we always work with vendors who can take the items off-site, hopefully get them to Habitat for Humanity, other organizations and donations that pick up. And really, like I said before, little ends up in the landfill. And I'm proud of that.

SPEAKER_04 21:03

Oh, you should be. That's fantastic. Excellent. So tell us some more stories.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Another story that I like to tell about is a client of ours in New York City. She called us because she was moving her and her mom within the building. And that, you know, you think that's the easiest of moves, right? But of course, her mom was handicapped, required, you know, very sensitive timing for everything, well coordinating with any vendors that we were using. We made it all happen in one day because, you know, don't want to disrupt mom's lifestyle too much. We moved them in. And then I want to say within the same year, mom had passed. And then the daughter decided, now it's my turn. So she wanted to move, pack up everything, and go to Florida where her son was. So that was an unusual situation, but she said the first phone call that she made when she got over her grieving was to us because she knew we would be able to handle everything. And at that time, she was feeling very challenged and compromised, and yet she wanted to move quickly, and we did it.

SPEAKER_04 22:14

What are some of your tricks of the trade to... help somebody engage in being willing to purge

SPEAKER_01 22:24

to let them know that that item has provided them with a lot of great memories and at the same time let's just say someone bought something a beautiful dining room set right 50 years ago it cost them five thousand dollars we'll say okay we do the math breaks it down, you've got more than your money's worth. It really helps them to understand. And at the same time, let's give it another home. Let's get it repurposed. Let someone enjoy it who really needs it.

SPEAKER_04 22:58

What about all those boxes of photographs? Nowadays, things are more digitized, but... you know in our homes we still have some of us still have boxes of photos that we took when we were younger or maybe we inherited from our parents or our grandparents what do you do with those

SPEAKER_01 23:15

well the first thing we do is we see if there's any description on the back because a lot of them are black and white photos and we've encountered family members who are like we don't even know who these people are so that's where we begin when we're going through people's photos we want to be sure that they're well described in terms of the individuals and then we start to break it down and sort through because a lot of photos, you know, at the time, people were taking photos of scenic things because we couldn't see it otherwise and multiples because they didn't know how they were going to come out. So we can really purge quite a bit and then we do recommend doing digital as well as keeping the photos for their loved ones because they're not necessarily going to look at them in the same way.

SPEAKER_04 23:58

What can somebody expect when they call your office? Brand new person, What can they expect for the process?

SPEAKER_01 24:06

First thing is great service. Someone is going to answer the phone. If they don't, they're going to get back to them in a very timely manner. They're going to be there to answer all their questions, to give them as much information as they need, and to help them know what the process involves, and that they're in great hands with a team that's very patient, non-judgmental, and caring. Look, everybody has a story. And 123 wants to listen and provide them comfort through this overwhelming process. Because let's face it, Mike, moving is challenging for anybody. It doesn't matter who you are, whether you're moving in the building, like I said before, or into assisted living or across the country. It's overwhelming, and you feel a lot of anxiety. So we help to reduce that, and we will be there for them every step of the way.

SPEAKER_04 24:58

Yeah, and what's interesting is you don't need to be someone of vintage years

SPEAKER_01 25:04

to feel

SPEAKER_04 25:04

the stress and anxiety. It's something that youngsters can feel as well.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

And we've had them, certainly, because, again, it just— It's too overwhelming. I use that word a lot, but that's the word that we get from every client, practically, that reaches out to us. I feel completely overwhelmed. I don't know where to begin. And this is just a process that is mind-boggling that I can't take on.

SPEAKER_04 25:28

And once you do... We touched on this a little bit. I just want to dive a little deeper. Once you do get the place organized, is there some sort of a flow map or something that you... Spend time training the individual so that the organization that you all worked on as a team will continue a year from now or a year after that. Do you walk them through or watch them navigate the new space and say, oh, let's not put it there, let's put it here? Is there a retraining that goes

SPEAKER_01 26:05

on? We do teach them the systems, and it comes down really to two things, and everybody can relate to this. The power of labeling so that you can find it really easily. And at the same time, color coding. A lot of times people have things that are for multiple family members, especially when it comes to files. They'll have for their parents. They'll have for a sibling. They'll have for their own children. They'll have for a business. They'll have for their partner. And so right away, we want to narrow that down that each one of those gets their respective color. So at a glance, these things are easily organized for them.

SPEAKER_04 26:41

Excellent. Marla, we have about 30 seconds left, so what parting words do you want to give the audience?

SPEAKER_01 26:47

I'd love to say that everyone always feels empowered and rewarded when they embark on organizing in their life, whether they're moving or not. It is something that has lasting value. It's the gift, really, that keeps on giving when you feel organized.

SPEAKER_04 27:05

How can they find you again?

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Probably 123-ORGANIZE. If they know how to count, it's as easy as 123 when you organize with me. Our phone number is 914-430-4123. And our website and all our handles, 123-ORGANIZE.

SPEAKER_04 27:22

Excellent. Well, Marla, thank you for joining us on the show. Really appreciate it. And for all of you out there, you know, organization doesn't mean we're messy. It just means that life changes. has been taking its toll. Years have been piling on, and unfortunately what that also can translate into is stuff has been piling up in our home. So look at this as more of a rebirth, a reintroduction to your home as to how you want to live, whether it be your existing place, your new place, or even just a monumental change in your life. Your kids have moved out, and now you need to repurpose some of the rooms in the home, but yet still have it available when they come home to visit you during the holidays. So open your minds, open your hearts, and recapture your home. I want you all to be well, be safe, and I'll talk to you next week. Take care.

SPEAKER_02 28:20

Amaruso and Amaruso Empowering you to care for the ones you love

SPEAKER_00 28:29

Amoruso and Amoruso, a 107.1 The Peak Ask the Expert partner. Visit eldercareontheair.com for more details. Amoruso and Amoruso, empowering you to care for the ones you love.