Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mercury & Soul a decluttering service?

Not quite. Decluttering starts from the goal of having less. Life curation starts from understanding what you have, and what it means to you, before any decisions are made. Some clients release a great deal; others keep nearly everything, now with intention and order. There's no mandate either way.

Is this like Swedish death cleaning?

In spirit, yes. Both are about deciding thoughtfully what your belongings should become, rather than leaving that weight to someone else. The difference is that Swedish death cleaning leans toward letting go, while life curation starts by understanding what your objects mean. Some clients release a great deal; others keep most things, now with intention. There's no mandate either way.

Do you work with neurodivergent clients?

Yes. We understand how neurodifferences like ADHD, being autistic, or other neurodivergent ways of processing, can affect organization. The curation process is built around patience and flexibility, not one standard timeline or method. We follow your pace, your sensory preferences, and the systems that actually make sense for how your mind works, with no judgment about what that looks like.

What happens in the Threshold Call?

We discuss your current needs, why you've decided to seek curating at this time, and any potential barriers to curation — including your availability to be involved, and others who may have claims on any items. You'll also hear more about the Mercury & Soul process. It's a time for both the caller and Mercury & Soul to determine if the process is a good fit.

After the call, we will provide a detailed summary of the call with specific items discussed for potential curation, identifying any of your concerns, your goals for the project, and a proposal for a Walk-Through to develop a more detailed scope of work. Threshold Calls are 45–60 minutes and are held over Zoom or Google Meet — a visual conversation works best for the kind of work done in curation.

What is a Walk-Through?

If both parties decide to move forward after the Threshold Call, Mercury & Soul will schedule a Walk-Through to explore the potential project in person. The curator comes to your home for a detailed walk-through of the desired scope of work — the best way to estimate size and scope, identify the kinds of materials the project may require (which may involve extra purchasing), and establish an estimated time frame.

Before the Walk-Through, you'll receive a series of questions about your goals and concerns to guide the in-person discussion. It will include thoughtful and compassionate questions about your desired outcome, barriers you have experienced to organizing in the past, and anything else you'd like to work on that didn't come up in the Threshold Call. Afterward, you'll receive a detailed proposal for the project. Walk-Throughs typically run 90–150 minutes depending on the size of the project and what comes up in conversation, and are billed as a flat fee.

What happens after a Walk-Through?

You'll receive a detailed proposal for the project, including timelines and number of sessions for completion, and suggested materials as necessary (for example, acid-free storage boxes for photographs, in-cabinet lighting, or drawer dividers). The proposal will provide the cost of the project, taking into account the amount of time required and the complexity of the work, and a suggested starting time frame. If you agree to the proposal, Mercury & Soul will provide a contract for signature.

How long does the curation process take?

It depends on the size and scope of the work you'd like to do. Estimated time frames are included in the detailed proposal provided after a Walk-Through. Curating sessions typically range from 3–4 hours, depending on your availability. Sessions are always scheduled to fit your availability, but since the process improves when a flow of work is established, we recommend trying to group sessions focused on the same space or set of objects closer together.

Are you insured?

Yes — Mercury & Soul is fully insured.

What do you do with items a client no longer wants?

We are entirely guided by the client's wishes. We specialize in finding creative reuse solutions to keep items out of landfills as much as possible, including donation and recycling options for almost any object found in a home. We can also help coordinate potential resale options, though Mercury & Soul does not resell items on a client's behalf. Limited transportation for items going to donation, recycling, or resale is available on a case-by-case basis.

What if I want to add more to the project after we've started?

The Mercury & Soul curator will discuss the desired additions with you and provide an updated or separate proposal with costs and estimated timelines.

What happens during a curation session?

In-person collaboration is essential. You'll work side by side with the curator, making decisions about items and organizational arrangements. Depending on the project, it may be possible to step away for part of a session — for example, while items are being cleared from a storage room to be viewed collectively, or while a newly emptied space is being cleaned — but you should anticipate being part of most of each session.

Life curation can also be emotionally weighty. It helps to choose days when you have both the time and the mental energy to devote to the process, and to expect some fatigue by the end of a session.

Do you do cleaning?

Yes and no. We are not a cleaning service. However, as part of the curation process we will clean items and spaces to prepare them for reorganization, donation, or sale.

Do you do interior decorating?

We are not an interior decorating company, and therefore will not redecorate your spaces with plans for new colors, patterns, fabrics, and the like. We will also not generally source new furniture or large-scale items for rooms. However, we are experts in reorganizing your existing space, and particularly specialize in repurposing items already in your home to rearrange a space and its furnishings to make it more in line with your identity and make your home more beautiful. On a case-by-case basis, we will work with clients to identify new requirements in a space, such as in-cabinet lighting, different storage options, or even different furniture, and may — with the client's permission — source new items for the home.