Different Organizing Methods: What's your Style?

Organizing is never one size fits all. What works for one, might not work for another. Find out which method would work best for you. This will really help with maintaining your organized spaces.

Let’s dive into some organizing methods, shall we?

1. The KonMari Method

Marie Kondo swept the world by storm a few years back with her take on organization. Her method involves only keeping items in your home that "spark joy." The idea is to declutter by getting rid of anything that no longer serves a purpose in your life. Another aspect is organization by category and not by location. So for example, you would not organize your complete closet as a whole - but you would organize by category; clothes, books, accessories, etc.

Her method is more of a mindset and appreciating your belongings and thanking them for bringing function to your life.

2. The Zones Method

This method involves dividing your room into zones and organizing each zone based on its function. Take the kitchen for example, rather than organize the complete kitchen in a day, cupboard by cupboard, you would instead organize by zone; pantry, food storage, food prep zone, etc.

This approach helps you to focus on one area at a time making the task less overwhelming. Organizing can take time. You're more likely to feel accomplished by completing a zone at a time, vs leaving behind an unfinished space for another day.

3. The 4 Pile Method

Start by creating piles such as "to keep," "to donate," “to sell” and "trash". Go through your belongings by making decisions in which pile the item belongs. This method is quick and straightforward and great for those who just want to get things done quickly.

The important thing is to not just make the decision but also take action after the process is complete. Remove the trash, put up the items for sale, take items away to be donated and put back things in their "home" for the items that are staying.

4. The one-touch method

The idea here is to not delay decisions or it will lead to clutter. You brought in shopping bags? Don't lay them at the entry way - open up the packaging and put it where it belongs. Items placed at the bottom of the stairs in hopes of being brought up at a later time, might get forgotten and stay there for days.

The idea is to handle each incoming item only once and make a decision about it right away. This also works when dealing with daily routines and tasks. For example, if there is a task that you can complete quickly - get it done right away instead of adding it to your to do list to deal with later.

5. Swedish Death Cleaning

Don't get fooled by its dark name. Swedish Death Cleaning was made popular in the book "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter" by Margareta Magnusson.

The concept here is to organize your own belongings within your lifetime and not leave this task for your loved ones to tackle after your passing. We don't want to burden them with the task of sorting through what we left behind. Live simply by only keeping what you need. Less items means more freedom.

If there are items that you'd like to pass on to specific family members, openly communicating to them also helps eliminate some of the guesswork and confusion.

There is no one correct or best method of organizing. Which one connected with you the most? Try it out and find something that suits your personality. Happy Organizing!

Spring is Here: Time to Declutter

Spring is a time of renewal. What better way to embrace this than by decluttering your home and getting organized? As a professional organizer, I've helped many clients tackle their clutter and create spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Here are some tips and tricks for decluttering your home this spring.

Start with a plan

Before you dive into decluttering, it's important to have a plan in place. Start by identifying your clutter hot spots in your home that need the most attention. This could be a room, a closet, or even just a drawer. Once you've identified your clutter hot spot, create a list of tasks that need to be completed to achieve your goal. This might include sorting through items, deciding what to keep and what to donate or discard, and organizing the remaining items.

Be ruthless

When it comes to decluttering, it's important to be ruthless. Don't hold onto items that you no longer need or use. If you're struggling to let go of items, ask yourself if you've used them in the past year or if they hold any sentimental value. If the answer is no, it's time to let go.

Sort and categorize

Once you've identified the items you want to keep, sort and categorize them. This will make it easier to find what you need later on. Use bins or boxes to separate items into categories such as clothing, books, and household items. This will also help you to see how much you have of each item, which can be helpful when it comes to organizing your space.

Create designated spaces

To keep your home organized, it's important to create designated spaces for your belongings. This means finding a specific home for everything. Consider investing in storage solutions such as shelving, bins and baskets to help you keep everything in its place.

Maintenance

Once you've decluttered and organized your home, it's important to maintain your space. This means taking the time to put things back where they belong, and regularly going through your belongings to ensure that you're not accumulating more clutter. Set aside some time each month to tackle any clutter hotspots, and you'll be able to keep your home organized all year round.

Decluttering is a process, so don't be afraid to take it one step at a time. With a little effort, you'll be able to enjoy a clutter-free home that will bring you joy this season.

Having a Clear Kitchen Counter - It's Possible!

Let’s be real, not everyone has the time every night to keep a cleat kitchen counter. Keeping kitchen counters clear can be a challenge, especially in a busy household. But, a clear countertop can help to create a sense of calm and organization in your kitchen. Here are some tips to help you keep your kitchen counters clutter-free:

1. Designate a home for everything: Make sure that everything in your kitchen has a designated place, and make sure that everyone in the household knows where items belong. This will help to keep counters clear and prevent clutter from building up.

2. Get rid of items you don't use: Take a good look at the items on your kitchen counters and get rid of anything you don't use regularly. This could be appliances, decor, or other items that are taking up valuable counter space.

3. Use storage solutions: There are many storage solutions that can help you keep your kitchen counters clear. Consider using a kitchen cart, under-cabinet organizers, or shelf risers to maximize storage and keep items off the counters.

4. Use a "one in, one out" rule: When you bring something new into your kitchen, make sure to get rid of something old to keep the counters clear. This will help to prevent clutter from building up over time.

5. Keep a clear surface for food preparation: Dedicate a portion of your countertop for food preparation, and make sure that it stays clear of any other items. This will help you work more efficiently in the kitchen and keep your counters clutter-free.

6. Put items away immediately: Make it a habit to put items away immediately after using them. This will help to prevent clutter from building up and will keep your counters clear and organized.

7. Make a daily habit of decluttering: Make a daily habit of decluttering your kitchen counters. This will help to prevent clutter from building up and will keep your kitchen looking tidy and organized.

Spend less time cleaning and organizing, and more time enjoying your kitchen!

Holiday Gifts for that the one who loves all things organized

It’s that time again when gift giving is on everyone’s mind. It’s hard to think of the perfect gift to give that friend or family member of yours who loves to live a minimalistic life style and could probably view gifts as clutter.

Not to worry! Here’s a list from a professional organizer to help you pick the perfect gift for that special person. Feel free to click through the items, I’ve included some links that point directly to purchase the item. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get a small percentage of the product price (with no extra cost to you!), so thank you for buying through me and supporting my business.)

1. If they don’t already have one - get them a label maker! What other way can you help your organized friend - stay organized!! Labels help maintain organization so all that hard work that went into creating those organization systems will continue to remain so.

2. These books by The Home Edit are just so….pretty! I can browse these pages for hours and admire all the symmetrical pantries and colour coded rainbow closets.

3. Turntables are so useful to contain items, especially in hard to reach places. Items look more intentionally placed when on a turntable - add some style with a marble turntable that not only is functional, but beautiful as well.

4. I’m all about stackable items. These jewelry trays save space as well as protect your jewelry. They can be stacked or kept individually in drawers.

5. For that jet setting friend - a set of packing cubes for their luggage. Use them to group category of clothes or even to sort complete outfits.

Why do you want to get Organized? Here are some Benefits.

So there are a lot of benefits to being more organized than just knowing where your items are kept.

Saves you money:

Being organized keeps you from buying items that you already have, but might have forgotten about or lost. Raise your hand if you’ve ever gone to the store and came back home with ingredients you already had unopened, hidden at the back of your pantry. 

Saves time:

No more running around, looking for that lost document you needed. Know where everything is kept, so you can find it when you need it.

Boost energy and productivity.

Productivity is all about efficiency -- doing more, faster and with less. When you are organized, you have your whole day somewhat mapped out. You know which tasks are high priority, and you can schedule them into your day.

Brings peace into your life

Outer order brings inner calm. Unfinished projects, pending to-do’s, cluttered environments can all add stress to our lives. When our area is cluttered, it is a lot of for our brain to process. We see clutter and are then reminded of all the things we need to do. Being organized can help cut out that noise and bring tranquility to our lives.

Helps you sleep better

A messy bedroom can lead to a poor night’s sleep and increased anxiety.

A study, conducted by St. Lawrence University showed that people who have clutter in their bedrooms take longer to fall asleep than those with neat and tidy rooms

Decrease overwhelm

When things are not in order, it can cause overwhelm. Clutter is just basically reminders of things you have yet to do. It’s the one word my clients come to me to express how they are feeling in their space.

Increase time with family

Disorganization distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on. 

Who wants to spend every weekend tidying and putting things back using a system that won’t maintain the organization long term? No one. It’s a waste of time and you could be doing so much more. By finding the perfect system, tidying won’t take as long and you can do more with your time.

Simplify: To Regain some Sanity in our Lives

And just like that the month is done. Between packed schedules and getting back to our routine it’s no wonder we may start feeling some overwhelm.

When in doubt, Simplify.

Simplifying is the most easiest and quickest way to regain some sanity in our hectic lives. Let’s start by simplifying your:

Your Belongings: Everything we own takes up physical space in your home and mental space in our mind. Start small. Decluttering is like building muscle. The more you do it, the easier it will be.Less things, more freedom.

Your Schedule: Every night I take a look at my list, and choose 3 priority items for the next day, depending on my schedule. These would be the most time sensitive and urgent items or the ones that I am stressing over the most. Get into the habit of checking your to do list daily. Schedule in a time to complete those tasks. I don’t think it’s ever possible to have your to do list down to zero, but at least in this way you are continuously getting those urgent, time sensitive tasks taken care of and nothing slips through the cracks.

Your Social Media accounts: Even for a day, try it out! Let’s mute those apps that constantly cry for our attention Reduce the “noise” in your life.

Mudrooms can be both Stylish & Functional

Did you happen to catch the Gazette last week? I was featured, along with another organizer! So exciting. Here is the link to read the full article.

New Month: Time to Reset

ts no secret that I love the beginning of the month.

There are a few tasks I like to do at the end of the month, which helps me reset for the new month.

Let’s dive in:

1. Brain dump and write down your goals/to-do's for the next month.

   • Whether professional or personal, it’s a great time to plan out your goals for the coming month. Break down each task with easy, actionable steps that will help you achieve those goals.

2. Review the new month’s Calendar

   • We use a dry erase calendar at home. At the end of the month, I wipe it clean and write out all the events for the new month. I take note of birthdays and other events that may require me to purchase gifts so I can plan ahead.
     

3. Photo Backup

   • Because of my work, my phone fills up very quickly with photos and videos of my clients spaces. I copy (and delete) all photos off my phone and backup on my hard drive.

4. Deep Clean your Home

   • Clean out spaces you typically don’t get around to on a weekly space.These include areas that I usually don’t do during my weekly cleanings. (Inside the dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum etc)

5. Clean out your handbag.

   • We often forget to go through our bags. Mine are often filled with receipts of organizing items for clients! At the end of the month I dump everything out and file whatever needs to be filed, and throw out the rest.

Not all Organized spaces look the same

Organizing is not just pretty bins and containers. Decluttering can be hard for some people.

Last week I helped my client with a decluttering session. She has a tough time letting go of her personal items, but she did the best she could.

She wanted a better flow for her space. She wanted to easily access her closet without all the clutter blocking her path. That was her motivation.

We took it one step at a time, removing all her items and categorizing them. She then let go the best she could, we found homes for the rest of the items.

She now has a clear path to her closet and she couldn’t be happier.

An organized space doesn’t have to look perfect, or straight out of Pinterest. Each person has a level of organization that they feel comfortable with. My job as an organizer, is to help coach my clients to do the best they can.

See below for what we accomplished last week.