“[Our client] Helen's life got turned upside down the day her husband of 52 years unexpectedly passed away. In addition to having lost her husband, companion, and best friend, Helen had also lost her caregiver,” Baker said. “In a trying time, Helen was faced with a daunting prospect: She would have to leave the home that she had lived in with her husband for decades and seek residence in an assisted living community—and she would have to do so in a matter of days.”
Not knowing how to simultaneously downsize from a 2,500-square-foot home to a one-bedroom apartment and deal with her tragic personal loss, Helen contacted Arranging It All through a referral from a close friend.
Baker answered the call and dedicated himself to personally overseeing all aspects of her relocation. In less than a week's time, Baker was able to connect Helen with the local assisted living community that was right for her, design her new apartment floor plan, and, along with his team, pack the belongings she would be taking with her.
Helen and her husband were avid art collectors, so Baker found buyers for several of the pieces that she wished to part with. Additionally, the Arranging It All team took care of donating miscellaneous pieces of furniture, boxes of books, and other odds and ends that had been collecting dust in Helen's home—except for a small, rusted lockbox that Baker found in the discard pile with nearly 50 wishbones inside.
Later that afternoon, Helen arrived at her new apartment to find that the Arranging It All team had already unpacked her belongings—from her kitchenware, to her toiletries, to her clothes hanging in the closet and folded in the bureau, everything was taken care of.
Although she was no longer living in her house, Helen was surprised to find that she immediately felt at home. Her photos were hung, her refrigerator was stocked, her internet was set up, and all tell-tale signs of a fresh move had been removed. When Helen saw what Arranging It All had accomplished in such a short period of time, she described it as "nothing short of magical."
When it was time for Baker and his crew to head out, he handed Helen the small rusted box full of wishbones found among the trash. She was brought to tears, revealing she and her husband saved each one from holidays and special events rather than breaking them, telling Baker "they already had everything they needed."
Thus, the mission of Arranging It All is far greater than simply organizing a client’s possessions. The company provides comfort and peace of mind amidst the stress that often revolves around relocating, and works to make sure that a house feels like a home.
This year AIA is celebrating 25 years as an Austin institution with established clientele in the area. Information about this best-kept secret is often spread by word of mouth, but new clients can also find AIA on their Facebook, Instagram, and at arrangingitall.com.
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