What should I expect when The Pack Up Artist arrives?
- Our Pack Up Professionals will arrive on time, have a positive and helpful attitude, and make efficient use of time.
- Our site leader will do a walkthrough of the property or overview of tasks with you to confirm expectations.
- We will consult you on decisions, work alongside you as you discern, or independently if you prefer.
- We will provide all basic supplies. If extra items are needed, we will consult you and add the cost to your final bill.
- At the completion of our service, we will offer a walkthrough to ensure you are satisfied with our work.
How do you decide what to keep?
As we sort belongings, we assess the following:
- Is the item unique memorabilia? (personal letters, certificates, photos, etc.)
- Is the item in working order? Out of date or no longer usable?
- Can an item be up-cycled by local artists, community organizations, or recycled?
- Is an item a rare, good condition antique?
- Is the item worthy of donation? Does it smell, have damage or is it likely to end up in a dumpster after drop off?
For example…
- Most donations centers do NOT take encyclopedias. With search engines like Google, they are minimally useful and not likely to sell at secondhand stores.
- We’re familiar with donation-center guidelines, and we know firsthand how frustrating it can be for a well-meaning organization to have unexpected disposal costs because of donations they can’t use.
What if something I want to keep gets donated or taken accidentally?
We do our best to give our clients as many opportunities as possible to look at items during and after our preliminary sort, to make sure they don’t miss something. Despite our diligence, we cannot guarantee that an item won’t get lost in the process. We encourage our clients to mark or move items to be kept out of the general workspace or give us a list with detailed descriptions of items to set aside.
How involved will I be in the process?
As much or as little as you desire! Our team does the initial “pre-sort” of items into general categories, and then we bring in the client for consultation and decision making. We complete the process by hauling away discarded items and reorganizing what’s left to fit your needs.
Why do you give an estimate “range” rather than a firm price?
If you’ve already made decisions regarding what you want to keep or discard, we can move quite quickly through the process. If you want to take a more in-depth look through belongings, the downsizing timeframe may need to be longer than estimated.
What if I don’t want to do my entire space all at once?
No problem! We offer a 3-hour decluttering session that includes 2 Pack Professionals, and one donation drop for $300. This is perfect for tackling closets, small kitchens or bedrooms, and other interior spaces. Larger areas require a free estimate for services.
What are the “additional fees” on my estimate?
On every estimate, you will notice several items listed as “TBD.” These may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Dumpster fees
- Recycling fees
- Post-clear out cleaning fees
- Supply & administration fee
- Some costs are out of our control and can’t be determined prior to a project, these are left as TBD and should be seen as additional expenses to the labor estimate
- Outside companies (local waste disposal fees, city taxes/fees, recycling, etc.)
- Unforeseen supply costs
We do everything we can to creatively minimize costs, but can’t guarantee they will not be encountered.
How do I pay for your services?
Payment can be made by check or credit card. There’s a 3% finance charge for all credit card payments.
For our hourly decluttering sessions, payment is due upon completion on the day of service or online prior to services. Additional fees for recycling of electronics or disposal may occur and will be billed post session.
For larger jobs, to retain our services after a work estimate has been completed, a non-refundable 50% deposit (of the minimum estimate amount) is necessary to secure a job date.
Should you change your mind about the scope of work, an updated estimate and job description can be created upon request. All estimates are customizable until the job begins. Any changes after that point, require an addendum to the work contract.
What do you mean by “earth-friendly” disposal?
Our earth is a precious and fragile gift, and with the increase of global warming and climate change, we feel it’s our responsibility as a company to be conscientious of how our actions affect the planet. Therefore, we commit to doing the following:
- Whenever possible, we use “recycling dumpsters.” These dumpster companies sort contents to salvage metals, glass, plastic, paper, etc. to minimize landfill contents.
- We seek as many creative outlets as possible to distribute belongings. We have networks of “pickers” and artists looking for old furniture to revive, lists of churches with families in need of furniture, children’s goods, or other items (when even the thrift store can be too expensive for them). We have appliance “scrappers” who tear apart old electronics as a hobby to salvage the remains and construct new items.
- We support local recycling centers. We utilize Green Lights Recycling in Blaine, MN to minimize fees on recycling common items, such as mattresses, light bulbs, appliances, etc. This is especially useful when jobs don’t need a dumpster, but still have a fair amount of disposal. While there’s still a cost to recycle items, it’s less expensive than bringing them to a waste management company.
- While we can’t always offer a means to make MONEY from a client’s belongings (we’ll give you as many creative ideas as we can to help you sell your items if you choose!) we strive to make as many items USEFUL as possible.
Still Have Questions?
Call us or fill out our contact form today to schedule a free estimate for services or phone consultation!
“Money you spend on your sanity is money WELL SPENT! What a life changer! Thank you to the team at The Pack Up Artist! You couldn’t even walk into this pantry/closet and the hall closet was a disaster! Now I have a mini craft room and very organized closets! I’ve ignored this project for two years and you did it in THREE HOURS! (two hours and fifty minutes to be exact!)”