Each new year gives us yet another chance for a fresh start. Maybe now is the time to ask yourself how you can live the next year in the best possible way. What goals can you set to help you have a happy and successful year? And more importantly, how can you make time to … Read more
As you begin your decluttering and downsizing journey, setting yourself up for success is very important. Positive thinking can help. Downsizing can be a challenging process at times because there is a lot of mental and physical work. You’ll also deal with various emotions – yours and those of your family members. Focus on making … Read more
Getting up earlier to try to get things done may not be the best idea. I’m willing to bet that all you night owls (yes, I am one) are absolutely thrilled to hear that. I don’t know about you but working from home (or at least trying to) during the pandemic has been an eye-opening experience … Read more
As we enter our third month of dealing with COVID-19 and we try to process the horrific events of the April 19th weekend in Nova Scotia, I am sure, like me, you are all struggling with staying positive and feeling hopeful for a better future. Now, more than ever, perhaps you need to escape from … Read more
I recently came across an article I saved from 2013 about clutter and how it affects your brain. I have most certainly written about this topic before but some of the research cited by the author of the piece, Mikael Cho, is quite fascinating. He discovered, as I and many of my clients have, that reducing … Read more
I’m wondering…if I was to take a peek in your garage, basement, storage room, or even your closets, would I see stuff strewn all over the floor? I’m willing to bet in many cases I would. It’s like the stuff exploded and then grew as it lay there seemingly without you doing anything. I know, it’s kinda freaky. Well, … Read more
I don’t know about you, but the more I learn about technology and tools for organizing and productivity, the more confused I become. Sometimes I feel like I’m wasting time on the latest tool. Do you have a tendency to download the newest one, try it for a few days, and then give up? I’m sure I … Read more
Do you find that some days your stuff weighs you down? When I have the chance to work with clients for a significant amount of time, whether that’s several days in a row or spread out over a number of months, it does feel as though their home gets lighter. During these decluttering projects we may … Read more
It seems like suddenly it’s October and time to tackle Thanksgiving. I know, the expression “time flies” is such a cliché, but sometimes it seems like to really does fly. For some of us holidays can be quite overwhelming, especially when we’re already so busy with everyday life events and a busy job or home schedule. One … Read more
Summer is all about relaxing your regular routine just a little. Later bedtimes and easy mornings. BBQing, camping, swimming, boating. Just being outdoors. While some welcome the routines of the late summer with the return to work and school, others find the end of summer daunting at best. As summer draws to a close, the following tips may ease … Read more
I came across an article I’ve been saving that really has nothing to do with organizing, “I won’t I won’t I won’t – you can’t make me” by Carl Duivenvorden. However, the point he makes about the difference between “can’t” and “won’t” has everything to do with organizing. So many times clients have said to me, … Read more
How can it possibly be difficult to organize a large home? Turns out it’s really quite a challenge. When I first met these clients they lived in a modest home of probably under 2000 square feet with their three children. They now live in a substantially larger home, I’m guessing well over 4000 square feet, yet chaos … Read more
Balance: a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. Balancing act: an attempt to handle or deal with two or more things (such as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements. Many people consider balance to be all about work/life choices. Many of my clients spend a … Read more
“If you think unruly and unfocused committees in your company or your community can be a frustrating waste of time, try the one in your head.” ~ David Allen According to statistics, busy professionals have an average of 200 hours of uncompleted work at any one time. Wow. Add to that all of the commitments we … Read more
I came across a blog post recently that was all about how we sabotage our own happiness. For instance, something that makes me happy right now is that it’s summer. Yippee! I know one thing right off the bat that might sabotage that happiness – a complaint that it’s too hot. I implore you, don’t do it. Enjoy the … Read more
Have you ever had disagreements with your partner about the level of organization (or lack thereof) in your household? I’m guessing you have. We all have different expectations for how tidy our home should be. These expectations can be a result of the environment in which we were raised – was it cluttered or tidy? And a result … Read more
“You can never get enough of what you don’t really need . . .” ~ Eric Hoffer A few years ago, I travelled to California where I spent 3 days in Palm Springs fueling my obsession with mid-century modern design, and the following 3 days attending my first National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) conference … Read more
“Less house, more home.” –Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist In 1950 the average size of a family home was 1,000 square feet. That increased to 1,500 square feet by 1970 and to 2,200 square feet by the year 2000. If I do a calculation based on the average family with 2 adults and 2 children, for some reason we … Read more
If you haven’t watched it, I’m sure you’ve heard people talking about it. “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo is a Netflix series that has been viewed by millions, millions of her books have been sold and she has even introduced her own line of storage boxes. Hmmm….isn’t that adding stuff back into your life? And now there’s … Read more
Do you find that some days your stuff weighs you down? You’re not alone. When I work with a client for a significant amount of time, whether several days in a row or spread out over several months, it seems like we’re shifting the weight and feeling lighter as we declutter and organize. During these … Read more