Last week I was at Tim Horton’s for a quick washroom break and I happened to overhear a conversation. A lady said to her friend, “You have to read this book and watch the series on Netflix.” Then, she passes a copy of The Home Edit to her friend. I immediately thought to myself, “Geesh, … 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
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. Because most donation locations are closed for drop off, we have to … 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
Who should you hire for your next project? Every once and a while someone will say to me, “I’m not sure exactly what you do but I think you can help us.” I always find it so hard to believe that people don’t know what I do. It’s so obvious to me and apparently only to me! I … Read more
I think there is life changing magic in the most basic of organizing principles. It’s known as “a place for everything”. Since I started working as a professional organizer back in 2003 I have been sharing this as one of the keys to successfully organizing our homes, our offices and our lives. We “professionals” tend to glibly … 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
As we look forward to everything that a new year will bring into our lives, I think of the saying, “new year, new you”. Don’t diet and exercise companies use the phrase at this time of the year? I’m not sure there is any such thing as a “new you”. I wonder if the saying should be … 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
To garage sale or not. That is the question. Many professional organizers, myself included, are not big fans of hosting a garage sale. The reason is the HUGE amount of preparation work involved for often with very little financial gain. However, if you have the time, go for it! If nothing else, it’s a fun way to spend the … Read more
You may have heard of Universal Design. This method employs barrier free design principles for intergenerational use of any space. Universal Design evolved from Accessible Design, which is a process that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. Universal Design addresses the needs of all people. There are some great ideas for employing Universal Design when organizing your home. Some … 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
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