About The Home Ranger

My name is Lesley Earl-Templeton and I specialise in getting it done. Getting everything done with an easy hand and no hard rules. I do not judge. I know what to do. I get rid of the mess and I make it work.

The fundamental reason people ask me to work in their homes is because, for whatever reason, the way their homes are functioning is no longer tolerable and they want help to sort it out.

In my experience the point where a home becomes intolerable is different for everyone. It can be when the pantry or the wardrobe is a mess. When the washing never makes it to the drawers. When too much is stashed, broken, fallen and lost. When guests are no longer invited because of the state of the house.

When there is nowhere peaceful to be.

It can become intolerable because of time pressure, lack of interest, moving or merging homes, illness or a death. Or because it has all just built up and enough is enough.

We realise that our intolerable homes are making our lives unnecessarily hard.

We have lost the joy and comfort our homes can provide.

When we know we can't stand it anymore we are often called into action and decide to sort it out. Sometimes the job is too daunting to tackle alone, and it doesn't quite get done.

But sometimes people call me and it does.

The Creed

The Home Ranger conducts herself by a strict moral code put in place by Lesley at the inception of the character. Lesley takes her role seriously and lives by this creed. It reads as follows:

I believe...

  • There is always a place to start
  • That to help we must listen
  • That living well and being well are fundamentally connected
  • That protracted struggle and overwhelm do not serve us
  • That no two men require the same medicine
  • That an expressive and functional home is a joy
  • There are many ways to skin a cat

In addition Lesley drew up guidelines which embody who and what The Home Ranger is.

The Home Ranger...

  • Is neither jury nor judge
  • Wears no mask or disguise
  • Never dictates to, or imposes unsustainable rules upon another
  • Is unfailingly at peace with human frailty
  • Is a source of support and a guide
  • Carries no guns

With acknowledgement and thanks to the very great Fran Striker, George W. Trendle, Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. The creators of, and actors in, the original Lone Ranger.

The Wrangler

My own home became intolerable about 4 years ago.

It was during another weekend spent sorting and reorganising my things to make it all "better" that I realised I just didn't want to do it anymore. That unless I changed how I was with stuff, I would be doing this for the rest of my life.

My mass of stuff was robbing me of my energy, freedom and joy.

Now I loved all my things - the beautiful, essential, meaningful and 'might-be-handy-one-day' things. I needed it all. I loved sorting and clearing and arranging everything - I was so good at it!

But that weekend I just longed to be anywhere else doing anything other. Of course I couldn't be anywhere else because I absolutely had to get things sorted at home.

I was hit, right then, with the impossible weight of it all.

I quite honestly slumped into a chair (one I hadn't had the time to re-upholster yet) and reached for a hanky from my collection.

And for me that was it. I knew I was going to get to the point where I never absolutely had to spend another weekend wrangling my stuff.

It took me three years of dedicated time and ongoing practise (I didn't count the hours) to get the "right" amount of things and order in my life.

Now when my home gets messy it's not the big deal it once was because I know that every single thing can be back in its place without a thought. This still surprises me.

And only very, very occasionally do I now spend weekend time wrangling my stuff.

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Although at the time I didn't know I was in training for a new career, it was doing it alone that gave me the learning I needed to become The Home Ranger.

I coached myself. I discovered "tricks" and developed methods. I began inventing creative systems that worked for me - systems that have lasted.

And somewhere along the trail I thought - If I could have hired myself to help me it would have been so much easier. I would have always known what to do and where to put things. I would have cared, understood – I would have been great. I wouldn't have had to do it all myself!

And so here I am - still wrangling - but now for you.