Why we use solutions for organizing.

Many people think using solutions, baskets, bins, trays etc, to organize is a waste of money, I will tell you why this is untrue. There are several reasons to use solutions and here are a few of them:

Solutions help us keep a certain number of specific items at once, it is a measuring stick to how many we should have of a particular item. For example a magazine rack only holds so many magazines, if you have more than what it holds it is time to pare down. If you have a basket for blankets you can only hold that many blankets, see how solutions are a gage to how much stuff you should have.

When you use solutions you can choose from a variety of styles, colours, materials and patterns. Solutions can help create a certain looking decor in a room. Using the same colour palette in solutions as other accents makes a room feel co-ordinated and pulled together.

Most people have trouble knowing where to put their items. Using solutions helps create homes for your items and makes it easier to tidy up. If you know where everything goes it is a quick job to return all your items to their proper homes.

Using clear solutions allows you to see what is inside. This is helpful for food, clothing, tools, batteries, art supplies etc. This will allow you to take a quick glance at how much you have of an item and it makes it easier to find items.

Some solutions are the opposite of using clear bins they help hide away items you do not want out in the open. Shoes, wardrobe accessories, spare change, etc. are items most people do not want out in clear view, there are several solutions to use to keep items out of sight.

Hope this helps you understand the world of solutions and why organizers love using them!

Manage your time, manage your life.

A main part of a professional organizers job is to create solutions that will support their clients in creating a user friendly and time efficient space. If one can organize their time better they can manage their lives better. Here are some examples of how to manage your time through solutions, thus creating a serene and functional space:

1.  Filing sytems can make your life either very stressful or very calm. One must find the right filing system for them, we do not all think the same, therefore; there is not just one solution that fits all. Two of my favorites are the Freedom Filer and The Tickler File.

The Freedom Filer can be purchased at your local office depot and explains how to create it and has all the labels you will need. The premis for this system is that it is self purging. It is set up for short term files, long term files and annual files that will be purged in 2 years since only documents that are not needed for long term are filed in them. Files are colour coded and labelled. This system is easy to follow and will house all your files both work and personal.

The Tickler File sytem looks at the month and year in files. It is set up so you can file items that you know are needed in a few days or weeks, even months from now. You have files lablled 1 - 31 and files labelled January to December. For example I have to do follow-up calls/emails on the 8th of June, today is May 29th. I can put my contacts business cards or other form of information for them in the file labelled 8 ( it represents June the 8th) the calendar is used for the month on hand. No files should have papers left in them once the day has come and gone. You can also put information into the 12 months of the year if you know something needs to be done in September not June, for example; back to school shopping/blog ideas etc. It is like a calendar done in files for you to stay on top of all your projects.

2.  Like with Like: in professional organizing we put like with like, ie. all gardeing supplies together in one spot, all christmas decorations in one area, all linens in one spot etc. This will make it much easier to know where everything goes and less time thinking about where can I store this til I need it. It is hard to have everything in its place in  your home at all times but knowing where each item is meant to live reduces ones stress greatly and will make tidying up a breeze. I suggest having a 10 minute tidy up time before retiring for the night, it will make for your next day to be less stressful to start it uncluttered.

3.  To Do Lists in action: it is great to make To Do Lists but if you are not scheduling them into your calendar to do them, then the odds of it getting done is very slim. Make a to do list on a daily basis in the morning, then look at your calendar and schedule them in, even if it is a 2 minute item schedule it. Life happens and days do not unfold as we schedule them so yes not everything will get done on a daily basis but a very high percentage will. If an item does not get done that day simply reschedule it for an upcoming day. It will eventually get done.

These are just a few examples of solutions to daily time management issues. Manage your time, manage your life.

I moved but did I purge enough?

Hi there, so I shared I was moving in an earlier post and was really trying my best to walk the walk. So I purged a lot before I staged the house for viewing. and the results were great had 8 offers in 30 hours and sold it in 4 days woot woot. I am now in my new place, I downsized to a one bedroom unit. Did I purge enough on my move?

It is perfectly natural to do a second purge when unpacking. One can see if there is enough room for everthing and it puts items into perspective of how important they are. I am now unpacked and repurging items as I have less room and less need for many items.

On a second purge ask these questions:
When was the last time I used this?
When do I plan on using it next?
Do I have a place for this?
How important is this item to me?
Is it easily replaceable if ever needed?
Can I honour this item instead of storing it in a box?

The main thing to remember is items can be donated and will be used by people who will really need and cherish them.
I am almost done purging and unpacking and organizing the new place, I am loving it here.

Family Message Centre

What is the key to any good relationship? Communication. I believe every home should have a family message centre. This is a place where family members can communicate to one another about their busy schedules and to stay connected on those sometimes non-stop weeks.
Every family is different when it comes to the style and look of a message centre. I encourage you to look on pinterest for ideas and inspiration. I am including some of my favorite looks here as well.

1.  You need to have a calender, large enough to hold all of the family's appointments and events on it. You can always make a calendar from an old picture frame. The glass will act as a dry erase board. See pictures for ideas. You can also have a "look at the week" calendar that is larger and on a white board so it can easily be changed, added to and erased for the next week to be entered.

2.  You need a cork board, magnet board or a bulletin board (one with ribbon to hold paper) to hold messages. I also think it is a great place to display family photos from recent events to keep the message centre up to date with what the family has been up to lately.

3.  You will also need a place to hold important papers like permission slips, information on upcoming events and other documents you need to have on hand. You can have a spot for every family member if that works for you.

Every message centre will look unique for each family, use your own decorative touches to personalize it. Here are some examples of message centres, as you can see no way is the right way, do what works for your family and your space.

Share pictures of your message centre we would love to see them! Thanks for stopping by we appreciate it :)

Downsizing

I am going to be part of an expo on Downsizing this Saturday at Heatherdale Senior Living,
11 Lakeside Terrace unit #104 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. This subject is a very popular one as so many people are at the age where they need to downsize, have parents ready to downsize. Downsize either from a family home to a smaller home, to a retirement condo, a nursing home etc. There are a few things that need to be thought about before the move:

1,  What can we declutter and purge before moving. It is best to go through all areas of the home and see what can be donated, tossed and handed down to the next generations. It is sometimes very hard to get rid of items that have special meaning to us but we really cannot keep everything we have. I have a few suggestions to still keep the memories alive; make a collage of all the special pictures so that your loved one can see those memories daily, use a shadow box to make a collection of special items that can be on display in the new space, take pictures of items that have sentimental value and use them as a screen saver slide show or purchase a large digital picture frame to showcase all these memories.

2.  When deciding on what clothing to take think about what clothes are easiest to launder, it will make your life easier and if you are downsizing to a facility where they do your laundry makes for your clothing to last longer.

3.  Get specific measurments of the new space, this will help you decide which furniture will fit and where. Think about bringing multi-functional pieces; like an ottoman that has space in it for storage, and/or a table that collapses on both sides. This will allow for more space when needed.

4.  When choosing home decor items only bring the ones that bring you the most joy, makes you smile when you look at it. This will minimize how much you bring and allow for that homey feel to be reflected in the new space.

5.  It is best to think that you will need room to grow in your new space, as we all buy new things as time goes on, so try and keep 15% of the storage empty. This will allow for a decluttered space and keep the new space open to new items.

I hope this gets you thinking about the next steps in getting ready to downsize. Let us know what tips you have or what worked for you when you downsized. Thanks for stopping by!!