Get Organized for Going Back to School

I know the last thing you want to do with your children in the summer is think about how to get organized for going back to school. However, I assure you that a bit of preparation over the next few weeks will pay off big time once the first day of school hits. Summer can … Read more

How to Free Yourself From Moving Stress by Asking for Help

We have just wrapped up a household move project with one of my long-time clients. As with most projects, the less time it takes, the less stressful it will be. And one of the best ways to free yourself from moving stress is by asking for help. It takes a village of people to execute … Read more

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

How to Stay Organized During the Holiday Season

Everywhere I go right now, everyone asks, “So, are you all ready for Christmas?” instead of commenting on the weather. In whose mind is that a helpful question? Of course, I’m not “all ready.” I’m not sure I even know what “all ready” means. If I interpret it as having everything perfectly organized and having … 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

How to Get Organized at Home with Zones

As you declutter your home and create a plan to get organized at home with zones. Setting up zones makes it easy to put things back where they belong, and, more importantly, find what you need. This process can take a lot of thought and planning. Pay attention to how and where you use things … Read more

How to Sell Your Stuff and Declutter Your Life

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

The Six Best Ideas for Staging Your Home

I am not a professionally trained stager, but after 20 years of helping my clients move, I do know that decluttering your home is the first step to preparing it for sale. Even if you’re not selling, pretend you are staging and see how it feels. It will definitely be more open and inviting and … Read more

Merging Two Households Into One

Merging two households into one can be challenging. I have worked with dozens of couples over the years who have come together later in life after living in their own homes. And I did it myself, just one year ago! If you’re planning on moving in together, consider the points below. They will help make … Read more

Planning Your Move to a New Home

Are you thinking of moving and getting super stressed about where to start? During my career as a Professional Organizer,  I have helped dozens of clients prepare for their move, unpack, and set up their new homes. With that experience in mind, here are four things you should consider when planning your move to a … 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

Make Time to Achieve Your Goals

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

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

The Pros and Cons of Changing Out Seasonal Clothing

I was recently working with a client changing out seasonal clothing. We packed away summer clothing and brought winter wear out of storage.  It got me thinking about the pros and cons of this process and how it might be simplified. The Benefits It’s an opportunity to take inventory and determine what fits, what’s worn, … Read more