--- title: "ShipShape — Professional Organizer | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/professional-organizer/shipshape-pfvwus-pf~1703351785 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1703351785.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: ShipShape category: ["Professional Organizer"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/7723b0ac0d5d96da_3363-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "5223 Belvedere Street, Oakland, California 94601, United States" latitude: 37.7806 longitude: -122.2166 phone: "(510) 533-0375" website: http://shipshape.com rating: 5 review_count: 11 best_of_houzz_awards: 1 followers: 4 last_updated: 2026-09-02 --- # ShipShape Original Houzz profile: [ShipShape](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/professional-organizer/shipshape-pfvwus-pf~1703351785) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Professional Organizer - **Location:** Oakland, CA - **Serves:** San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley, San Leandro, Alameda, Walnut Creek, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Ashland, Albany, Orinda, Moraga, Cherryland, Emeryville, Piedmont, Fairview, Saranap, Canyon - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (11 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2020), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Recommended on Houzz - 250 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Locally owned - Woman owned ShipShape works with you personally to evaluate your space, develop workable systems, and sort through the clutter. Over the last 25 years, ShipShape has helped thousands of people to increase productivity, reduce stress, and bring order into their lives. Let ShipShape provide you with the lifeline you need to keep afloat in the 21st century. ShipShape is a full-service organizing consulting company offering successful solutions to "what goes where." Services are provided for: \- Home \- Office \- Relocation ### Services Provided - Closet Design - Space Planning - Closet Organization - Professional Organizing - Decluttering - Garage Storage - Sports Equipment Storage - Garage Design - Bicycle Storage - Custom Storage - Custom Walk-in Closets - Downsizing - Household Setup - Relocation ### Areas Served - San Francisco - Oakland - Hayward - Berkeley - San Leandro - Alameda - Walnut Creek - Castro Valley - San Lorenzo - El Cerrito - Lafayette - Ashland - Albany - Orinda - Moraga - Cherryland - Emeryville - Piedmont - Fairview - Saranap - Canyon ### Typical Job Cost $1,000 - 20,000 Cost varies based on project ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | ShipShape | | Address | 5223 Belvedere Street, Oakland, California 94601, United States | | Phone | (510) 533-0375 | | Website | http://shipshape.com | | Followers on Houzz | 4 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [ShipShape](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/professional-organizer/shipshape-pfvwus-pf~1703351785) - **Website:** http://shipshape.com - **Phone:** (510) 533-0375 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - NAPO Golden Circle Member - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2020), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 11 reviews** ### All 11 reviews **★★★★★ — Darryl Vance, Oct. 2019** > Can't rate these folks highly enough! Warm, professional and efficient barely begins to describe them. > > We have used ShipShape on three different projects. These included packing our belongings and unpacking them on two different moves in the Bay Area. On these occasions, they found ways to minimize costs, protect our things, and take all of the stress off of us. When unpacking us, they found ways to cleverly store our things and beautifully arrange our furniture. At the end of both moves we felt very smart for hiring them. > > Recently, we needed artwork shipped from the East Bay to our new home in Ireland, and again, ShipShape saved the day. Easing the entire process from packing to pricing to shipping, they saved us many, many hundreds of dollars, and made it all seem simple. > > We love ShipShape! **Comment from ShipShape:** > Thanks, Darryl!! It mean the world to us to read your kind words. Time to open up ShipShape Dublin! **★★★★★ — Sandy Deutsch, Sept. 2019** > I have been a client of Deb and Sylvia's for over 13 years and don't know what I would do without them. Besides being two of the loveliest people that I have had the pleasure to know, they have helped me with various apartment moves, closet organizing systems, seasonal closet and drawer reorganization, preparation for trips such as clothing to take and actual packing. They have come up with so many wonderful suggestions that I would have NEVER thought of on my own. Their knowledge and expertise in so many areas has been so helpful to me and know that it will be for you as well. Don't hesitate to contact Shipshape as I know you will be MORE than pleased !!!!!!!!!!! **Comment from ShipShape:** > You are too kind!! We are so happy to have you as our client. Thank you. **★★★★★ — Craig Williams, Sept. 2019** > We needed our closet redesigned to maximize storage. Sylvia is a gem. Smart, resourceful, professional organizer. The solution was affordable and we show it off to anyone who comes to visit. You have a problem, ShipShape helped us find a solution. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Thank you for your very kind words. It was our pleasure to work with you and Roz!! **★★★★★ — lydia fitzsimmons, Sept. 2019** > we have worked with shipshape and their team many times over the last 10 years. it's truly hard to imagine undertaking any major (or not so major) home project without them! sylvia and deb are remarkably skilled and compassionate professionals. in particular, they possess a vast knowledge of home office organizational systems, resources for local and distance travel > and moving as well as on-going home office maintenance. they work quickly and efficiently. > most recently we found them to be invaluable help with clerical tasks that had become difficult due to vision problems. we highly recommend them for both short-term and long-term projects. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Thank you, Lydia for your very kind words. It is greatly appreciated. **★★★★★ — Dena Gardi, Sept. 2019** > I have been using Shipshape and Sylvia for many years to help me organize a busy family household. She has helped with projects such as organizing office supplies and furniture, setting up filing systems and maintaining them, organizing the kitchen and storage there, in pantry and garage,, reviewing and categorizing mail and projects so they are prioritized and manageable, organizing children's rooms, setting up new closet systems. You name it and she can do it. She has great ideas on streamlining, space planning to create workable spaces, schedule/project planning, cutting the clutter and "seeing the forest for the trees." She is respectful and strikes a wonderful balance between the job that needs completing, the way our family operates, and my work style and personality. She digs right in and starts tackling each project. No job is too big or too small. Lifesaver. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Dena, thank you for your kind words. We are so happy to have you as a client. Take care!! **★★★★★ — Steve Ginsberg, Sept. 2019** > Shipshape is the best! Expert at what they do, sensitive to their clients' needs and very can do, positive and fun to deal with. Our closets went from disaster to incredible. They even helped us get rid of things we didn't need and figure out what was best to keep. The highest recommendation. Sylvia & Deb & their team rule!!! **Comment from ShipShape:** > What wonderful words!! It was a pleasure working with you and Stephen!! **★★★★★ — Beth Samuelson, Sept. 2019** > I’ve been working with ShipShape for many years now and I can’t imagine finding better support for home and office organizing! Deb handles all the scheduling and Sylvia is the organizing powerhouse. She so smart, practical and hands on with a perfect combo of experience and great ideas for rethinking systems and space use. > Sometimes I find myself channeling Sylvia and asking myself what she would think or recommend. I have recommended ShipShape to my own clients many times. They are the best! **Comment from ShipShape:** > We really appreciate you kind words. Sylvia loved hearing that she is being channeled at your home. **★★★★★ — Babs Hanscom, Sept. 2019** > ShipShape changed our lives! > Sylvia came to our rescue on many occasions and organized our house and garage. She is no ordinary organizer for she helped with everything from external hard drives, computer tricks and theater > recommendations! > My only hesitation with this review is that she will get busier than she already is and won’t be available. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Thank you for your kind words, Babs. We enjoy working with you!! **★★★★★ — Sarah Forsman, Sept. 2019** > When it comes to someone else's clutter and junk, I find it quite easy to throw or give away what's not needed and organize the remainder. However, when it comes to my own clutter, I move at a snail's pace, if at all. Getting introduced to ShipShape by a bathroom contractor we had 23 years ago has been such a gift to my husband and me over the years. > > Over the past 23 years, my husband and I have used ShipShape's services for both home and business organization for the following projects: > > 1\. After a bathroom remodel in 1996, Sylvia and her crew helped us organize a new bathroom cabinet and a new hall closet by helping us to get rid of old towels, sheets, and pillows. Sheet shelves were labeled so it was easy to see which sheets were which sizes. Sylvia manages to strike a balance between firm taskmaster and allowing you to keep what you love. She diplomatically helped rid us of clutter while finding space to store things we thought we had to hold onto. ("We'll just put these in this box with a label and maybe in 3-5 years when you notice you haven't opened it, you'll be ready to get rid of them.") > > 2\. ShipShape de-cluttered and re-organized our bedroom closets soon after our bathroom remodel. > > 3\. In the late 1990's, they helped us set up organizing and filing systems for our home office as we began to add employees. The systems streamlined our workflows and made us more efficient. > > 4\. They helped us de-clutter and pack before a major remodel of our master bedroom in 2004. > > 5\. After our 2004 remodel, which included the addition of a downstairs storeroom, ShipShape completely designed and built out the master bedroom closet, customizing it to our specific needs. They also gave us great advice about how to organize the new storeroom, helped us catalog the office archive area of the storeroom, and implemented easy to use guidelines for retention and disposal of documents. > > 6\. In 2009, they helped my husband's mother in a move to a new apartment by completely setting up and organizing her kitchen and bedroom closets. Since she had not used ShipShape to pack before moving, this included paring down items on move-in so everything would fit in a smaller space. > > 7\. A few months later, they also helped my husband's mother to hang her pictures throughout the apartment with stunning results -- particularly impressive since she had many pictures and not much wall space. > > Next up: a kitchen remodel starting this week. My husband and I have done an initial paring down of 30 years of kitchenware. I plan to have ShipShape help us move back in and organize our new kitchen once it's complete later this year. > > Sylvia is a great organizer and every member of the ShipShape crews we've had over the years has been professional, efficient, courteous, trustworthy, and personable. You will be glad you hired them. **Comment from ShipShape:** > How wonderful to read about all the years we worked together. We are lucky to have you as a loyal client. Thank you for all your kindness!! **★★★★★ — Mark Schlesinger, Sept. 2019** > We've worked with ShipShape a few times. Most recently we engaged them to help us with a major downsizing effort in our home. As we have come to expect, they completed this task in a manner that surpassed our already high expectations. Sylvia is skilled, professional, and we enjoy working with her. If the need arises, we wouldn't hesitate to hire ShipShape again. Highly recommended. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Mark, we are very appreciative of your kind words. We enjoy working with you and Christine. **★★★★★ — Deborah Bishop, Sept. 2019** > In order to get the most out of your living space, you need to be able to see the forest for the trees. ShipShape is expert at cutting through the clutter: creating systems for storing all the flotsam and jetsam one can't seem to live without, finding a home for the necessary detritus of modern life, and helping to purge the non-essentials that seem to proliferate all on their own (in an environmentally acceptable way). They are great for one-time projects as well as ongoing maintenance, because—if you're like our family—the road to hell is paved with good intentions. **Comment from ShipShape:** > Thank you for your kind words. It means the world to us!! ## Selected projects - [Closet Makeovers](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/closet-makeovers-pj-vj~5848374) - Location: Oakland, CA - Photos: 3 - [Kitchen Storage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/kitchen-storage-pj-vj~5848376) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 1 - [Tidy Up Your Space!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tidy-up-your-space-pj-vj~5836229) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 11 - [Shoe Storage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/shoe-storage-pj-vj~5836221) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 5 - [Small Bungalow](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/small-bungalow-pj-vj~5853527) - Location: San Leandro, CA - Photos: 7 - [Stay Organized!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stay-organized-pj-vj~5848378) - Location: Oakland, CA - Photos: 2 [See all 6 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/professional-organizer/shipshape-pfvwus-pf~1703351785) ## Ideabooks - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/128838388/list/wish-list) — 4 ideas - [Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/126916491/list/kitchen) — 3 ideas - [Bathroom](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/32451658/list/bathroom) — 1 idea [See all 3 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/sylviashipshape) --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-02.*