Clutter

Organizing the Garage in 5 Easy Steps

Did you know nearly 75% of people can’t put a car in their garage? I know, it’s shocking, isn’t it? I’m guessing that you had to have a garage to put the car in when you were house shopping. This is especially true of Canadians because clearing snow and ice off your car on cold, … Read more

Here Are Five Organizing Pitfalls to Avoid

Today I am sharing a few things clients have tried over the years. These are five organizing pitfalls to avoid because they don’t work. I’m telling you now so you can implement better solutions right from the start. If already have these problems, you can fix them right away. This will lead you to have … Read more

10 Ways to Organize and Repurpose a Fine China Collection

As a Professional Organizer with 20 years experience, I have been asked many times what to do with the china collection that has never been used. After all, it’s a collection and those aren’t actually meant be touched at all, are they? Well, that’s an ongoing debate if you are trying to become more organized … Read more

How to Overcome Disagreements About Organizing at Home

Do you have ongoing disagreements with your partner about the level of organization or lack thereof in your household?  We all have different expectations for how tidy our home should be.  These expectations can often be a result of the environment in which we were raised. Was it cluttered or tidy? If you grew up … Read more

What Are Your Clutter Hotspots Saying?

In the winter do you normally hunker down and wait for spring before you tackle any major decluttering projects?  I wonder if you drag yourself up off the sofa and take a look around the house for some of those ‘clutter hotspots’ and work to banish them once and for all. Before you do that … Read more

Tips to Help You Get Organized for the Holidays

Here are some ideas I put together to help you get organized before the Holidays season and stay organized afterwards too. I created a Holiday Checklist which allows you to check off all the things you may need to do to be ready for this busy time of year. If you want me to send … Read more

How Childhood Affects our Relationship with Stuff

At some point in my 20 years of working as a Professional Organizer I began to notice just how much your childhood experiences with ‘stuff’ can affect your success or lack thereof with managing stuff in adulthood.  It’s not an unusual phenomenon but it may be difficult to change your behavior and relationship with stuff … Read more

Not Minimal Enough to Move

You would think that someone such as myself who is considered by all accounts to live a fairly minimal existence would very easily be able to pick up and move.  Well . . . much to my dismay that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Yes indeed, I am moving after just over three years of living in 600 square feet with one bedroom.  It has been a wonderful sanctuary and I am going to miss my little abode and the neighbourhood.  Again, just another life lesson to reinforce that things change.  Don’t get me wrong, I am very much looking forward to the move and to the brand spanking new place. However, it turns out even I have some excess clutter to deal with.  Who knew?

 A Few Easy Things to Let Go Of:

Body Pillow

Cane (from the broken foot)

Books (I’m never going to read them)

Extra Wine Glasses, Picture Frame

Cutting Board (I found it above the fridge, forgot it was there)

Boogie Board (I used it twice and I don’t really like the color)

 

Is it Worth Packing?

One piece of advice I always give to clients when they are decluttering is to consider whether they would keep what they have if they were moving.  When you are actually moving it’s a good idea to decide if it’s worth packing and moving everything you have.  Or can you let go of things you don’t really need and start in your new space with less.  It seems that I really dislike packing so I am highly motivated to keep a little less.

Can You Shift Energy?

I would also suggest that you consider the movement of energy and how it brings new and exciting opportunities into your life.  When I first started my business, I met a woman who was a Feng Shui practitioner and I think her work still affects me and how I work with clients to this day. One of the foundational principles of this practice is that shifting stuff can shift energy in your home and your life. Therefore, when you can let go of extraneous stuff, you are inviting new energy into your life. I am keeping that in mind as I go through closets, drawers, and bins and somehow that is making it easier to let go.

What Fits Comfortably in Your New Space?

The other thing to keep in mind is how you will make a home for everything you are keeping in your new space.  I believe the goal is to be comfortable in that space. Please consider if you want to fill every nook and cranny of your new home with furniture and belongings or if you want to have room to move, space to breathe, perhaps even a few empty spaces in case new things arrive in your life.  My approach has always been to let go of as much as I have to in order for everything I keep to fit comfortably in my new home with a little extra room if at all possible.

I must sign off now and get to work on living with less. There truly is freedom in that.

 

 

Clutter + Stuck = Letting Go

I believe that all of the physical objects in your life have an energy, either positive or negative. Therefore the energy of the objects in your surroundings affects how you feel and how you live your life.  As you release objects with negative energy, the energy in your space shifts and you are able to change … Read more

A Quality Experience

A trip to the world’s largest furniture market sure can change your perspective on things. In April and October every year a hundred thousand buyers make the trek to Highpoint, North Carolina to see the latest trends, meet with suppliers and manufacturers, and if they own a store, order furniture, lighting, fabric and accessories for … Read more

Are Your Books Excess Clutter or Beautiful Possessions?

Aaah, books, let me count the ways I love books. I love to read books, touch books, look at books, and I really love to organize books. There is nothing more satisfying than spending a few hours removing the books from a bookshelf with a client, sorting them, giving away the ones that are no … Read more