I don't even know where to begin, as this is such a God story! Ok, so I would certainly consider myself a collector--NOT a hoarder--but a curator of (many) loved items. :-) I love being surrounded with beautiful memories. I love having family pictures displayed and mementos of our vacations, heirlooms, artwork, and various memorabilia that I find to be special on display. I don't like to have anything put away--except when rotating those items out because of the holidays--because then I can't enjoy them and see them. The problem is, because I have so much, sometimes our home could feel a bit cluttered. I would even be so bold to say that at times my home was having an identity crisis. I just loved so many different styles of art and had so many random items from all different times in my life! I put things where I thought they looked best, and, honestly, I just couldn't see any other way. I knew at times my house felt...off. I just couldn't place my finger on it. In fact, I didn't even know what I needed, until... Amanda from Pleasant Places came into my life. We initially crossed paths because of our kids, but after talking, I discovered what services she offered and I must say, I was intrigued. Hiring a home decorator? I never thought to ask! After talking with my husband, we agreed--she was hired! Initially, we booked the "Designer for a Day" package, but we loved the results so much after just a few rooms, we booked her again to finish the home! At first, I was so very nervous. Because I alone did all the decorating in my home, and therefore I alone made the decisions as to what goes where, what we are keeping, what we are donating, etc, and I have never had anyone give me any kind of advice. But I was the one who came to her and asked her for help. She asked me to trust her, and I (admittedly reluctantly at first) did. It was the best decision I ever made! Using only what I had already in my home, Amanda could see what I couldn't. Because she wasn't emotionally attached to these items as I had been, she arranged them based on color, composition, and shapes. Completely different than I had ever thought to do! She had such an incredible eye for putting things where they felt they should have belonged to begin with. After she was done, I couldn't believe my eyes. The difference was night and day! My home LOOKED beautiful. My home FELT warm, welcoming, and inviting. I was blown away. I am so grateful I reached out and asked for help. My home is my haven. I still have all my beautiful memories surrounding me, but this time, because of her expertise, my home finally feels peaceful. :-) Jennifer Neal