Odd Job Gypsy: Helping You, with your Honey Do… list

Pretty much everyone has that one project that they just can’t seem to start, those jobs that there’s never time to finish, or it could just be too much to take on by yourself.  Sometimes projects can seem so overwhelming we put them aside, until we have time to deal with them; and that time…never comes.  Whether it’s the repairs around the house, the yard, or work site; maybe organizing the storage areas or garage, or when you’re just caught shorthanded; that’s where Odd Job Gypsy can step in for you.  

As our lives get busier and more stressful we can’t do what we used to, or want to.  You can rest assured that Odd Job Gypsy cares about helping you achieve that peace of mind that comes from things being taken care of; providing gentle and productive assistance.  Rebekah Valade, CEO, Odd Job Gypsy

Rebekah Valade, aka Odd Job Gypsy, specializes in helping clients achieve a calm and relaxed life, by getting those nagging tasks off your mind.  A focus of the business is honestly assisting people with re-organizing and de-cluttering.  Some people see organizing as throwing half the stuff away, or coaxing someone to get rid of their possessions.  It’s easy to be organized when you only have what you had when you were just starting out in life. But it’s not so easy with a lifetime of souvenirs and memorabilia; not to mention storing what you don’t need for the Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall, special occasions, entertainment, vacation, visitor comforts…and the list goes on.

As a task oriented person, Rebekah helps the person(s) organize their home, and while making sure everything is in order, she‘ll keep track and inventory the items that she deals with.  Once things are organized, it’s easier for the owner to logically look at the value the items hold for them, and they won’t fall into the habit of replacing what they got rid of during a purge.

Odd Job Gypsy can help you organize when your collections start to feel like clutter, or when you need an inventory for: insurance, estate planning, loss, contracts, or asset evaluation.  Everything has a place, and everything can be in its place.  Rebekah Valade, CEO, Odd Job Gypsy

Rebekah realizes that items collected are important to people and wants to assure that those possessions will be recognized as significant to the owner.  Rebekah explains sometimes the children don’t understand what the possessions mean to the person.  An aunts figurines, may not seem of value, but they mean something to her.  Rebekah works with her clients, and doesn’t rush the job as she allows them to tell the stories behind their items, but gently helps refocus on the task at hand.  She records what her clients tell her, and can journal to archive photos and “leave a legacy for the family”.  “Our kids have seen these TV shows about hoarders, and of course TV is all about drama, worst-case scenarios and setting up for the viewer”.  She doesn’t believe in doing things that way.  She won’t throw things out or force someone to give away, or remove items from their home without permission.

Some people are duly concerned whether their parents will be taken care of.  Odd Job Gypsy can be trusted to provide customers the ability to maintain their freedom by respecting their privacy, and lifestyle in their home, as well as diligently take care of the business at hand.  Rebekah Valade, CEO, Odd Job Gypsy

I want to be sure families are comfortable with me working with their parents.  I’ll keep a record, to reassure them and to give them a method of tracking events, keeping in mind the privacy of the client.  In order, to know the status of the situation, what little there is left to deal with, and determine what to do next.  “I’m there for their best interest.”

Rebekah explains one of her specialities is working with the aging population, and people with dementia.  “Alzheimer’s patients are known to start distrusting people, because they’re missing pieces of their memories”.    She may move items, but will track where the item is, (for example, if it’s in storage), and why it’s there.   So the client doesn’t feel betrayed, they can look at a document and know where their belongings are.

Rebekah has dealt with unique family situations that have prepared her for family dynamics during stressful times.  “I’ve dealt with seniors who have lost their partners, and the family comes in and kind of takes over.  The senior is still grieving and they’re not able to make the decisions that they would normally handle.  The parent can be left feeling very hurt, and angry with the family.”  Another situation is in the hospital, where others feel a sense of urgency to try and make sure all kinds of legal work is done before a person passes away”.  Cases like this are not extraordinary to Rebekah, “most of the elders in my large family retired long ago”.  “I have an uncle who’s 103, and his life-time of belongings has been reduced to him living in a 10 x 10 room.  I can help you prepare for the dreaded inevitable, without the deep rooted emotions that are normally involved with family and close friends in a stressful situation.”

Although Rebekah specializes in working with elderly clients, she will work with any age or life stage.  “I can help with those tasks, projects and records that get your affairs in order, for when you’re getting ready to leave your current home for another residence, if there’s been a change of circumstances, and before an unexpected disastrous situation.

With tax season in full-swing, Rebekah can help organize your receipts and get your bookkeeping in order.  Rebekah is A+ certified, experienced with the Office Suite, databases, spreadsheets, DreamWeaver, websites and can help with technology, whether it’s trouble-shooting a problem, or archiving photographs.  Rebekah can help you understand your devices so you can remain connected with your family, friends and the world wide web of information.

If you have a job you’ve been putting off and need to get it off your mind, Rebekah Valade has a wide range of skills, training, experience and specializations to be able to help you.  Maintenance can be performed around the house, like fixing a leaky faucet, a hole in the drywall,  a creak in the doors, replacing or tightening screws.  You may not need a certified plumber, electrician or carpenter, you may just need Odd Job Gypsy.

Stop by Odd Job Gypsy at the Cold Lake Rural Alberta Business Centre on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons to discuss your To Do list, or call Rebekah, , at 780-573-4669 or email oddjobgypsy@outlook.com.