"When my sister-in-law became seriously ill while in the middle of selling her house and moving into a retirement community, I was thrown into the middle of going to settlement and clearing out and packing up her house of over 40 years, all while figuring out and dealing with her medical care. Barbara and her crew took so much off my shoulders.
She went through household items and belongings, organized them into groups to be sold, donated and trashed. She coordinated with an auctioneer for the items to be sold and coordinated a truck load of furniture to be put in storage. She has a network of people who buy special items, like coin collections, cameras, etc. Her crew hauled bags to be donated to various charities and constantly kept me informed of the status of all items, all the while being very considerate of my sister-in-law's needs and feelings.
Months later, after my sister-in-law died, Barbara helped us clean out her vacation home and staged it for sale. Barbara and crew are worth every penny and I could not have got through this rough experience without her."
Suzy C.Staunton, VAMay 22, 2017
Artfully Guided Our Parents
"It is difficult to find the words to express our gratitude for the care and attention that Barbara and her crew exhibited while assisting my wife's parents through an extremely trying chapter in their lives. We live out of state, and most of the preparation, as well as the physical move, was directed by her.
Having to relocate from their home of 46+ years into an assisted living apartment at the age of 90 — and with dementia — was sometimes more than their patience and understanding could bear. We know that this is 'what y'all do' — but you 'artfully guided' them through the minefield of what to keep, what to give to charity, and what to submit to auction.
Helping them to understand just what would fit into their new home, as well as overcome the sense of loss they must have felt as they had to select which treasures to keep and which to discard, requires the experience and empathy of seasoned professionals.
From the packing to physically moving to unpacking and establishing a new lifestyle in unfamiliar surroundings — Barbara and her crew share a special responsibility during this awkward transition for many older folks. We gratefully thank y'all, and highly recommend your care and guidance to any family facing similar circumstances."
Theresa & JimPicayune, MSApril 13, 2017
Downsizing & Moving On
"What a relief it was when Barbara and her crew took over my downsizing and packing. The move-in was a joy. Sharing experiences with the staff made the whole process go quickly and more pleasantly. They were professional and respectful as well as efficient. The whole process was completed faster than expected. I would definitely recommend them."
CarolBurke, VAFebruary 24, 2016
Working Smoothly Together
"Barbara has been a great help in clearing out my father-in-law's home. We were inexperienced with the process and emotionally drained from caring for him. Barbara helped in deciding what was the best way to handle all the items. There were a lot of belongings, and when the house sold quickly it needed to be expedited. It was nice to have Barbara and Margaret work closely together and keep things moving smoothly. Thank you for making it work!"
PamEllicott City, MDJuly 31, 2015
Truly a Blessing!
"We were faced very suddenly with having to relocate our elderly Aunt from living in an apartment for almost 20 years into Potomac Place, an assisted living facility. We were out of state and in poor health and could not oversee or do the job ourselves. We did not know anyone in the area. We had to downsize; we needed more services than just moving.
Barbara presented her services and was truly a life saver. She is a very take-charge, organized, no-nonsense person who at the same time is compassionate, dedicated, and conscientious. She performs her services as if she were your family member; she is reliable and trustworthy. She stays in touch and is responsive to your needs. She moves quickly and has the resources to get it done. She is thorough and detail oriented. Barbara does little things as well as big chores and makes recommendations for needs she thinks may help your loved one. Barbara and her team were truly a blessing when we needed one most!"
PeggySt. Louis, MONovember 19, 2012
Exceeded My Expectations
"My client, an enthusiastic collector, lived in a 100+ year old home and her transition situation was a case of borderline hoarding to much needed downsizing. My homeowner was very pleased with Barbara and the services provided by Overwhelmed How Can I Help, LLC. I would absolutely use and recommend their services again!"
Elizabeth AnnRealtor®, Keller WilliamsNovember 19, 2012
Outstanding Senior Transition
"My husband and I were referred to Barbara Stohlman through Home Marketing Services for Seniors. Her company, Overwhelmed How Can I Help, LLC came highly recommended. From the beginning, I felt an empathetic and compassionate demeanor from Barbara. She really put herself in our shoes and our very unique transition to the senior living community, Westminster at Lake Ridge. From measuring furniture to our very inflexible schedule and incremental moving phases, Barbara met each expectation with a grand smile! By far, Barbara exceeded our expectation when we arrived to our home and a ready made bed with fresh linens! What a wonderful first night in our new home! Her follow-up and check-ins have also been a great pleasantry! I highly recommend Barbara and her company for senior home transition. You will be pleasantly surprised throughout the process with Barbara and her company!"
JeanWestminster at Lake Ridge, VANovember 9, 2012
Extremely Happy
"We recently engaged with Barbara Stohlman who runs a small business entitled Overwhelmed How Can I Help.
My brother and I were struggling with what to do with the remaining items in our recently deceased Mother's condo. It was a bit overwhelming. A couple of friends pointed us to Barbara.
Barbara came over on fairly short notice to see what we had to deal with. We had a lot of kitchen stuff: plates, glassware, serving dishes, utensils, plus home decor items, wall mirrors, framed artwork, furniture, and other odds and ends. Barbara explained the process of packing everything up, and how she would coordinate with an auction company she works with to come pick everything up.
So, we went with her. Barbara was on-site for two days. She packed up everything, marked the boxes and left everything ready to be picked up by the auction company.
