Home Organizing Services and Solutions
Mary cares more about her clients’ total well-being than the state of their desks – and she’s more than qualified to organize their businesses or personal spaces. – Juliette Cowall, Consultant, Guided Communications
I highly recommend Mary of Within Reach! I needed help with organizing my home based office and my family as a way to save time. I’m a busy mom of three children and own my own business as an Arbonne Independent Consultant. Mary listened to me, made suggestions and then implemented an easy organizational system. She also helped me with marketing plans. I have saved a lot of time as a result. So contact Mary if you want to grow your business! – Liz Manning Arbonne Ind. Consultant
Mary truly does “partner with” her clients. Every time I meet with her she is totally focused and invested in me. From discussing the highest concepts to physically doing the most menial tasks, she is there with me offering focus, wisdom, and clarity. She is giving me tools to successfully organize my home and business, helping me get over whatever hurdles are in my way to get things done. Now our meetings together help sustain my new skills so they become my natural habit. I recommend Mary to anyone who needs a hand clarifying priorities, uncluttering space, and organizing for the long-term. Her work with me has been invaluable both personally and professionally. – Nancy Jonker, PhD Success Strategist
Mary is extremely professional and very interested in how to create a program that will bring you the most effective results. She’s very knowledgeable about her field and she’ll have your business and your life organized if you let her. – Jennifer Butler, LEED A.P.
Work Solutions
I want you to know your guidance changed our lives – our business lives – our personal lives. It’s been just absolutely huge. And we will give you an incredible testimonial. Mary, we are very, very excited about your direction and guidance and your expertise. Many kudos to you girl! – Jan Smith, Independent Business Owner
Mary saved me at least an hour a day by helping me organize my workspace and got me to think outside the box. Further, she helped me apply the concepts to other areas of my life. I am more in control of my environment and possess a clearer vision of my business and personal goals. I recommend Mary’s services. You don’t need to be in chaos to benefit from her expertise – Christine Schaap, author and speaker
Mary is a wonderful individual to work with. Talk about organized, she’s always ready to contribute whatever is necessary to help your projects facilitate smoothly to a professional and productive conclusion. She is extremely knowledgeable, creative and outgoing and has an undeniable talent for helping others see the big picture and achieve their goals and dreams. – Kim Monaghan PCC CPRW CPBS Human Resources Career Consultant
Mary is, indeed, a Professional Organizer. I hired Mary to help me create and implement a system for avoiding clutter and improving access to information and productivity tools. As a result of that engagement, I have since referred Mary to professional colleagues, clients and acquaintances. Like me, they have been thrilled with her expertise in customizing her approach to the discipline, needs and personality of her client. I recommend Mary highly to those who are interested in improving work flow, reducing stress, and improving productivity. – Renwick Brutus, Founder & CEO at Achievement Resources, LLC
What I love about Mary is that she not only builds a system that works for you [versus some generic thing], and works with you in a manner that is comfortable for you, she teaches you skills, empowering you. She is patient, kind, warm and caring. And after what seems like we were chatting a bit, I realized we were done- how did that happen? Mary wants her clients to be satisfied, confident, and comfortable with the work we do with her. It is truly a partnership- my stuff and her knowledge. And together we go through deciding what to keep and what to let go, reducing stress and anxiety by removing clutter. I can’t recommend her enough! I am continuing to use her services, not because the work we’ve done needs re-doing, but because I have three offices and we’ve only done 2! – Regina McClinton Director, Institute for Intercultural Teaching & Learning GVSU
Mary provides coaching and advice that is sustainable and directly applicable to my own unique work needs and learning style. She moves mountains…of paper, and has helped me better manage my workflow, and work more effectively with my team. I recommend her highly. – Tom Hanley Business Owner, PR Strategist, Writer
I highly recommend the services and expertise of Mary. She spoke at a women’s business networking group to which I belong and we were all blown away by her knowledge and simple tactics for organization. She knows what she is doing! – Kelly Emery, Owner Baby Beloved, Inc
I challenge you to hire Mary. Since hiring Mary, I have tripled my productivity. I continue to improve to the extent to which I organize naturally. My two assistants are still in shock and waiting for me to regress to my former behavior. Keeping my space looking attractive and being able to find notes and files has allowed me to increase my reading and planning time.
Mary has exceptional talent. I have tried other methods or trying to organize and they have not worked. Whatever it is that Mary does, works! – Larry Dugan, Business Consultant, Author and Radio Host
Moving, Relocations & Downsizing
When we suddenly needed to put our house on the market, Mary came in and in just two days time had ordered the house and gave us a plan to make it through the moving transition. Because of her, we were able to put our house on the market early and save ourselves a full mortgage payment. On top of that we saved money with our realtor because Mary suggested we negotiate a lower percentage given our particular circumstances. Mary is a force of nature with a warm and understanding heart. We loved her work so much we hired her to help us settle in the new home as well.
– Mantu & Heidi Joshi
Mary has a true gift for organizing. It is not about the space or container. She allows you to be yourself and understands with gentleness about your direction for moving forward. I would recommend Mary for any of my clients for a pre-listing, pre-staging, home organizing and life enhancing services Mary can offer! You will be FREE of the goblins or junk in the closets!
– Charlene Hammontree, Realtor
Mary does an outstanding job at getting people organized! I hired her to assist clients of mine prepare their home for sale. She was able to meet with them very quickly, and within two days, had the house “show ready.” Prior to retaining her, my clients were overwhelmed with all they needed to do to get ready to list their house. They were stuck in place, unable to move forward, and were becoming very discouraged. Mary came in and worked alongside them to help them declutter, organize, and pack. She made them feel positive and empowered in their work, and when I met with them afterwards, they were thrilled with the results and much happier. Without Mary’s help, I am not sure how they would have managed. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs to get organized, whether they are planning to move or not. – Jeannine Lemmon Broker/Owner, Patriot Realty
Speaking, Keynotes, Workshops and Breakout Sessions
I have had the privilege to listen to Mary several times in different venues, talking on different topics. Each time she impressed me with her ability to draw the audience in, to engage our imagination and help us relate to the topic, as well as retain the key message. She has the knack for making facts and numbers into a story I can relate to and take action on. I highly recommend her as a speaker and presenter. – Shawndra Holmberg Speaker and Author
On May 7, the Michigan Committee of Refugee Resettlement, for which I am the Chairperson, concluded its annual conference with an exciting and uplifting presentation by Mary Dykstra. The conference was attended by 150 people throughout the state whom work in the field of Refugee Resettlement.
The overall findings from the evaluations showed that Ms. Dykstra’s presentation was the popular choice of highlight of the conference. Without fail, all of the reports from the attendees expressed high marks. I would not hesitate to use Mary’s services again and recommend her to anyone who desires a top notch, fun education in how to organize one’s life. – Terrence Walsh, Convenor, Michigan Committee for Refugee Resettlement (MCRR).
I hired Mary to present a workshop at a conference I coordinated for the Association of Personal Historians. This was a last-minute change in our schedule because another presenter had to cancel just weeks before the conference. Mary stepped right up and was very easy to work with, especially given the short timeframe she had to work within. Her workshop, Clear the Clutter and Manage the Details, was fantastic and very highly rated on the evaluation forms. I definitely recommend her and wouldn’t hesitate to hire her for her organizing services or as a presenter. – John Morrison, Owner, MI-Stories.com
Mary Dykstra is not only passionate about Getting Organized and Time Management she has fun doing it. Most people and organizations have challenges being really organized no matter if it is one or more employees or yourself with keeping a clean and organized desk, a system to keep things current or just being able to find what you want when you need it. Business Speakers Bureau has used Mary for our own needs and have had her speak for our clients as well. She is not intimidating (although it can be embarrassing to have someone of her capabilities come to your unorganized area) and can actually help you have fun getting out from under the disorganization.
If you are willing to roll up your sleeves and get things done, Mary will have you on track in a very short time and help you/your organization identify goals and give you the tools to get to where you want to be and prosper beyond that. If you are interested in a fun and informative presentation to inspire your organization to be more organized and accomplish more in less, Mary Dykstra is one you should have at your event. She will work with you to find out what your real needs and objectives are then build a presentation or full program to achieve it. As she says so well, Don’t just Think Out of the Box, GET Out of the Box. Mary Dykstra has our full support and recommendation – David Pace, Owner, Business Speakers Bureau & Entertainment
My name is Grace Zimmerman. I attended the Michigan Association of Hospital Auxiliaries fall conference in Frankenmuth. I am President Elect of the North Central District MAHA.
I just had to tell you how very impressed I was with your presentation. Having listened to many speakers, I found yours OUTSTANDING! You had my total attention from the first moment, You filled your time with wonderful suggestions. It is quite obvious you know your subject matter. Your delivery is excellent. I learned a lot. I also enjoyed your question and answer portion. Don’t change anything you are doing…you were my favorite speaker. Thank you for all your knowledge. Your PERSONALITY certainly adds to your presentation!
My company’s partnership with Mary Dykstra and Within Reach opened my eyes to Mary’s professionalism and passion for the work she does. Our collaboration featured Mary’s expertise as a Certified Professional Organizer in major print and radio consumer media outlets that serve Western Michigan. This collaboration showcased her writing and public speaking skills in addition to her in-depth understanding of how to manage time, belongings and expectations in a personal or business setting. I learned a lot from my interactions with Mary, and her presence on the radio and in the newspaper enlightened thousands of West Michigan consumers as well. – Sheri Stetson-Compton, Marketing Director, The Herald Company
Our Dickinson Wright Women’s Attorney Group was absolutely delighted with Mary’s presentation. I received a number of e-mails from my colleagues expressing how useful the information she presented was to them. I personally will consider implementing a number of the organizational and efficiency tips shared. Thank you Mary for meeting with us! – Leslee Lewis, Counselor at Law
We were delighted with the level of expertise and the amount of new information you provided to our attendees through your Organizing your Work, Time and Environment sessions. As you could tell by the number of people attending your sessions, organization and making good use of precious time is a high priority for our members, most whom have very busy schedules. I have heard very positive feedback from those who attended your sessions and we look forward to working closely with you in the future to provide organization training. Thanks again for your significant contribution to our conference. – Samantha Martinez, Executive Director, Association of Professional Model Makers
ADHD and Other Organizing Challenges
I started working with Mary about 15 years ago. I was caring for my mother and managed all of her medical and financial issues. I was overwhelmed and had no clue how to keep important papers organized so they were easy to access. Mary walked into a horrible mess of papers in garbage bags. She helped me decide what needed to be kept and set up filing systems for both my mom’s papers and my own. Since that time she has organized my whole house. After the death of my mother, she also helped me with all that it took to resolve the estate.
Mary always makes sure things are convenient and easy (I have physical limitations) and on occasion, has even taken me to doctors appointments and dropped off homemade meals post-surgery.
She goes above and beyond. She is nonjudgmental, very caring and always easy to work with. I am sooo happy that I made that first appointment so many years ago. – Nola Gricar
I have lived in chaos for 54 years. My desk was a nightmare; I could not find anything because I had saved EVERYTHING! I was totally out of control. The CHAOS in my life had reached crises proportion. My health, sanity, and employment were in jeopardy.
Over the past 35 years, I have spent more than $10,000 trying to ‘get organized.’ I have purchased self-help books, CD’s, videos, and have attended seminars on organization and time management only to be buried under feelings of failure.
Mary Dykstra has given me back my life. We have worked together to not only organize but to form strategies and routines that help me achieve a high level of efficiency, confidence, control, and success. The changes in my life are profound. I have earned the respect of my peers and my employers. I went into my last quarterly review with confidence and pride in my accomplishments.
In less than six months, my sales increased 19 percent – I’m now an asset to myself as well as my company. – Pamela Hild, Customer service professional
Estates, Probate and Trusts
My husband and I hired Mary after my dad passed away to help us organize and sort out all the papers and documents my dad had accrued over his 99 years of life. Everything had to be cleaned out and coordinated before the people could orchestrate the sale of his furniture and belongings. Her empathy and kind demeanor was very comforting to us for an extremely emotional and arduous task. I will be forever grateful to Mary for getting us through a situation that we found overwhelming. – Dennis & Cynthia Burden
Philosophy and Leadership
Mary is an articulate and extremely thoughtful leader. She worked to consider all sides of any question or action that she needed to take as National Association Professional Organizers (NAPO) President. She helped the Board set strategic directions and then worked with individual Directors and our association staff to stay on target. Mary is an excellent representative of NAPO and as President was a speaker at numerous conferences for many of NAPO’s affiliate associations as well as many NAPO chapters across the U.S. Mary quickly stepped in as the key note speaker to JALO, Japan’s national professional organizing association conference when requested. Mary is steeped in Robert’s Rules and very capably can run a Board meeting of professionals, often with differing opinions, and help the Board reach a decision that can be supported by all Board members. I admire her for her calmness, wisdom and the complete commitment that she brought to the office of President. Mary’s actions were always taken with NAPO’s good and its future in mind. – Sandy Stelter, JD, CPO, CPES Strategic Organizing Solutions, Productivity Specialist
Mary is a classic good sport. She knows how to step in, step aside and step up. Many people with her level of competence are competitive and bossy. Mary is not. I find her interested in the “greater good.” One thing you should know about Mary is that she is a killer organizer which means, among other things, every contingency, option and detail will be thoroughly thought of. – Judith Kolberg, Organizing Industry Thought Leader / FileHeads Chief Organizer / Squall Press Publisher & Book Coach
Mary has been a blessing to the organizing industry and for National Association of Professional Organizers, and has endured more than anyone will ever know! She took the reins through very challenging times and showed great integrity and leadership. – Barbara Hemphill Founder & CEO at Productive Environment Institute
Over the past 15 plus years I have had the opportunity to get to know and work with Mary on a variety of professional and personal projects. Initially as a Regional Business Director in the Health Care industry, I was looking for professional help to enhance my efficiency. Over time, however, I started delegating more projects both professional and personal to Mary because I trusted her capabilities, strategic thinking and follow through. Mary’s work made my work and personal life more enjoyable and productive.
In addition to office and home organizing, she has helped organize numerous events and helped create a positive move experience when I moved to another home. She helped every step of the way including setting up my new kitchen and pantry on move-in day.
Mary became and remains a key go-to person when organizing or outside strategic thinking is needed. She listens, clarifies what is needed and wanted and then goes to work at a fast-consistent pace – allowing me to focus on other key items. She also has the patience and empathy to walk a client through emotional situations and be there each step of the way. I found the latter approach extremely helpful during the death of a loved one.
Mary is a consummate professional who knows how to work with a variety of clients, with different and changing business and personal needs, to efficiently and effectively get the job done. The bottom line: Mary brings significant value and contributions to those she works with and for. – Mickie Pino