Women in Business 2022

Page 17

17

Renata Balfour (left) and Judy Thorpe.

Retiring? Downsizing?

Get the experts in to guide you through the task Judy Thorpe, Renata Balfour and the wider TaskMasters team, are organised women and they have taken this skill to the next level helping others who may find some jobs just too daunting. “It’s a stressful process downsizing from a family home to more compact retirement village living,” says Judy. “For our clients, it’s daunting knowing where to start sorting through years of family memories and possessions, deciding what to keep, and what to donate to charities, let alone give to family members. It’s not for the faint-hearted.” Judy began helping people downsize in 2014 in Wellington. Alongside the people moving, and often their families, Judy works out a plan to decide what needs to be done. Her clients are in control of the process each step of the way depending on what they’d like to do. Word got around and Judy was in hot demand. People love her caring, relaxed and fun nature. She has skilfully guided hundreds of families making the hard decisions. In 2015, Dr Ian Miller found himself living alone in Greytown after his wife died. Making the decision to move into Greytown Orchards Lifestyle Retirement village was easy and was encouraged by his sons. “Trying to downsize wasn’t. Calling on the TaskMasters service was logical” says Dr Miller.

One of the wonderful Wairarapa team is Renata Balfour, who is also a relief teacher and grew up in the Wairarapa. Renata was recommended to TaskMasters from two different friends when she was left with her Aunt’s large home in Wellington to sort through and prepare for sale. Just two months previously her father, who lived on a farm in the Wairarapa, had died and she knew the work ahead of her. Judy’s TaskMasters team managed the job in Wellington while Renata was doing the same in the Wairarapa at her father’s property. Renata enjoyed her experience so is now working with Judy to build the TaskMasters Wairarapa team. “TaskMasters was incredible. The women were totally unflappable They even styled the house for selling using furniture that was in the house. It was just incredible.” Judy still co-ordinates the work in Wellington with her business partner, Jane van der Wilt while Renata has taken responsibility for Wairarapa. Overall the TaskMasters team is fourteen people strong, with others mainly Wellington based who work in the Wairarapa with Renata and Judy when needed.

“Taskmasters handled everything superbly,” says Dr Miller, right down to handing him a fruit cake, homemade by Judy when he was settled in.

“It’s all about respect for the client, acknowledging their privacy, and building trust with them and their families that we have their best interests at the heart of every job we do.” The team they are building take that all on board and are highly respected.

Judy has a home in Gladstone, east of Carterton, and is building a Wairarapa-based TaskMasters team.

So if you need some help organising and decluttering for your downsizing move Judy at TaskMasters is the person to call.

TaskMasters The Smart Choice

PHONE: 027 450 5057

EMAIL: info@taskmasters.co.nz

WEBSITE: www.taskmasters.co.nz


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