Michelle Walpole: Design Consultant, Organizer and Life-Saver

We may call Saints player Taysom Hill the Swiss Army Knife (and for good reason!), but Michelle Walpole might just give him a run for his money. Whether it’s consulting on interior design, fine-tuning a renovation, organizing closets, staging a property, or packing up a family and unpacking them in a new home, her skill set is wide and varied. A licensed interior designer and realtor, Michelle is an experienced professional and close friend who I’ve worked with for years.

Getting a home ready to sell

Perhaps you’re interested in selling your home but don’t know where to start with messy closets, a chaotic playroom, a neglected workshop, or built-in bookshelves that need some love? I’ll bring Michelle in to make suggestions and tackle those tasks. While she’s at it, she can also do what she calls a “re-design” – using your own furniture to stage your house for listing by pairing down, packing up and rearranging for a fresh, clean look.

Evaluating a potential dream home

Maybe you’re a buyer, and I’ve helped you find what could be your dream home, if it weren’t for a few issues. Perhaps a half bath needs to be made into a full bath, or a kitchen needs better storage. Michelle will take a look and give feedback on the feasibility of what needs doing, and if it will work financially.

Delicately packing what matters most

Or, it might be that we’ve already closed on your dream home, and you need someone you can trust to pack and unpack your sensitive items like paperwork, jewelry, silver, china and special knick-knacks – in other words, things you don’t want a large-scale mover to handle. Yes, she does that, too.

Memories and more

And finally, there’s the delicate situation of an elderly family member who has passed away or needs to move, and their house is full of 50 years of memories, mementos, and personal belongings that need to be organized before the property can go on the market. Michelle will do the work of setting aside what you want to keep, as well as cleaning out, donating, and sending pieces to consignment or to a family member or friend.

The devil’s in the details

Michelle knows that my clients rely on me for extensive advice and guidance before, during, and after buying or selling a home, which is why she’s one of the skilled vendors I turn to on a regular basis. Says Michelle, “Tracey is overly detailed with the needs of her clients, and I’m overly detailed with interiors and the systems inside the home.”

From reviewing an architect’s plans and making sure a renovation will be feasible for re-sale in the future, to consulting on a client’s flip that’s already in process, Michelle and I work to get things right whether you’re buying or selling today – or a few years down the road.