My organizing clients ask me all the time about selling or donating items that they no longer want or need. I know it is difficult to accept that most of what you paid a lot of money for years ago is no longer valuable. There are exceptions to that for sure. Here are some helpful … Read more
There is a wonderful rule that you can follow if you are trying to maintain some semblance of organization in your life. It’s called the “one in one out” rule. It works like this: every time you buy something new you let go of something old. The same is true for electronics as with any … Read more
I was fortunate to do several interviews with news outlets to promote “The Big Downsize” documentary series. A few of them asked me about the pursuit of minimalism and living a life with less. I believe owning less brings you a sense of freedom and hopefully more money to enjoy experiences instead of stuff. During … 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
Over the last week or so I have been talking to quite a few people about what a great time this is to tackle some downsizing and decluttering projects and the challenge of what to do with items we want to give away. I suggest setting up a “green zone” for donations. Create a Green … Read more
As I have studied and tried to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle, my mind has often turned to our need for possessions and how they are related to what we buy, where we buy and how much we buy. How often do we stop and think about why we are buying something? Do we think … Read more
I hope this post finds you all safe and healthy during this challenging time. I know that many of you are home following the guidelines set by our government and health experts as we all work to overcome this virus together. I am willing to guess that some of you may be feeling stressed and … 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
In the last newsletter we wrote about getting back into routines. This month, as I think ahead to the Holiday season, I am going to ask you to consider breaking from routines or traditions. Don’t get me wrong, if you have traditions that you truly enjoy, please stick to them. What I want you to ask … 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
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
As I spend more of my time talking to clients about letting go of excess and taking control of their life and their stuff, I become more fascinated by what we can do if we have less. I think we can actually do more. Here are a few examples: Healthy Eating I helped a client get rid … 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
I read the first of two books written by Japanese organizer Marie Kondo. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. A few of my clients have read it, and many of their friends have been talking about it. People everywhere are asking themselves if their clothes “spark joy” as she suggests. I think it must be the … 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