About Us

Jane Allardice - Fossicle

Hi, I’m Jane.

Originally from New Zealand, I’ve lived in London, Nairobi, West Sussex in England, and am now based in Hampshire, England.

Moving around the world has given me a lot of practical experience of deciding what to keep and what to let go of.

Professionally, I’ve worked in legal firms in Auckland and London; a London-based High Commission’s Consular and Passport Department; PR agencies in Auckland and England; edited a glossy, quarterly, 100-page sailing magazine; and run my own PR consultancy representing clients in sectors including not-for-profit, IT and usability,  aerospace, and engineering innovation.

My voluntary work has included being a parish councillor responsible for co-ordinating local planning applications and as an editor for my local talking newspaper providing news for visually impaired people.

I’m so inspired by the many people and organisations helping individuals and their families deal with life-changing events that I’ve trained as a Senior Move Manager® through the National Association of Senior and Speciality Move Managers (NASMM).

Fossicle brings together the strands of my personal and professional life: creativity, organisation, attention to detail, crisis management, problem-solving, working to deadlines, and, best of all, working with people.

Let’s talk about how we can work together.

Our Story

A few years ago, I had to deal with a family member’s estate overseas unexpectedly. As well as involving complex estate law in more than one country, clearing the house was  a logistical challenge.

What’s more, I hadn’t anticipated how overwhelming, time-consuming, and emotionally exhausting it is to sort through a person’s lifetime of cherished belongings, photos, and papers.

Being involved with family in the UK sorting parents’ homes, too, made me wonder how people manage in similar situations, not necessarily on the other side of the world but living in different parts of the same country or perhaps just not having the time, due to their own commitments, to help.

And so I set up Fossicle, a professional house organising and move management company, to help people sort and declutter a house when dealing with a life-changing event such as moving, relocation, downsizing or bereavement.

To find out how we can work together, please get in touch.

Fossicle - moving house bereavement estate organise declutter Portsmouth Southampton Hampshire

Our Name

One of the most difficult things about setting up a new business is what to call it, so why Fossicle?

When sailing, I used to call the fo’c’sle (abbreviated from fore castle, the forward defensive structure on galleons of old) on our boat the fossicle, the crew’s quarters below deck where you keep your gear on board and fossick through to find things. A bit like sorting through belongings and papers to get back on track after a life-changing event and create calm out of chaos.

NASMM

National Association of Senior and Speciality Move Managers

NASMM is the only non-profit trade association providing training and support for senior move management professionals.

Set up in 2002 to help older adults and their families organise, downsize, and relocate, it now encompasses speciality moves for people of all ages and life situations requiring move management services. Visit www.nasmm.org to find out more.

The term Senior Move Manager® is a Registered Trademark of NASMM.

Why use a Senior Move Manager®?

All NASMM’s general members have to meet strict vetting requirements:

  • pass NASMM’s Four Cornerstone courses in Ethics and Accountability, Contracts, Moving Industry, and Safety
  • be insured
  • sign and abide by the NASMM Code of Ethics and guidance from the NASMM Ethics Compliance Commission (NECC).