How To Talk To Your Parents About Downsizing And Letting Go

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It’s a conversation we never want to have but for a lot of us the time will come when we need to talk to mom and dad about moving out of the family home into something smaller and more manageable or perhaps even into assisted living.

You may have noticed that they just can’t keep up with the family home any longer and for physical or financial requirements they need to move.

These tips and suggestions can take a little bit of the pain out of that sensitive conversation.

Start the conversation early

Don’t wait until the move is imminent. Start the conversation early on to let your parents know that you’re thinking of them and their welfare. Talk to them just to find out how open they are to the option and whether they’ve been thinking about it themselves. If you wait until the crisis has started you are apt to make plans that are less thought out causing undue stress on them and you.

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Parents really don’t want to be a burden on their children so I think you’ll find they may be quite receptive to talking about it early to let you know how they feel about it and to express their specific wishes.

Make sure everyone agrees

It’s important to have all the siblings, and in laws as well, on the same page. Whether mom and dad are going to live with you, move into a smaller home or reside in assisted living it’s important that all family members agree on the plan and agree with the decision made by the parents.

Leave any emotional baggage or past disagreements outside. What’s best for your parents is what’s important here. Sometimes one sibling can feel guilty about placing parents in assisted living or wants them to stay in the family home for personal reasons. If you are not all on the same page it will cause anxiety and chaos for your parents.

Deciding what will go with them

Any move is likely going to result in smaller spaces. If your parents have lived in their current home for a long period of time you can bet they have accumulated a lot of memories and treasures.

Crowded home

Find out what is most important to them and see if it can be accommodated in the new home. If not, there are a lot of options to keep the memories close by such as memory books, shadow boxes and storage containers. Moving is tough enough but holding on to some of the most important memories will ease the stress.

Deciding what to do with the rest

Our parents are probably the last of the generations that hang on to things. Today we don’t hold much value for things like china or formal dining room sets. Our taste in clothes and jewellery is also much different.

Your parents may believe that everything they have still holds value and it does. Just maybe not the value they believe. Find out what charities they support and suggest they donate to that cause. Hold an estate sale or consign the larger items for sale if they want or need the funds. If need be you can always have a professional appraiser come in to have a final say on the value. If there are items being left to certain family members perhaps mom and dad want to give the item to them now so they can see them get the use out of it.

Keep them safe

Let your parents know that the discussions you are having and the assistance you are giving them is out of love and you are looking out for their best interests. You don’t want them to be burdened with a home they cannot take care of any longer nor do you want their new home to become a safety/trip hazard with items they don’t want or need in the new smaller quarters.

It can be a tough, gut wrenching conversation but if you start it early, be supportive and let them know it is out of love the conversation will go a lot easier. If you need help with the process of de-cluttering, downsizing or moving to smaller spaces contact me here and we can chat.

organizing your home

7 Golden Rules Of Kitchen Organization

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The kitchen is the most travelled and used room in the house. We prepare meals there, eat there and have some of our most interesting conversations in the kitchen. In order to make the most of your meals and conversation it’s important to have an organized kitchen. Here are seven rules I use to organize almost any kitchen.

   1. Horizontal surfaces must be clear

I’m a stickler for horizontal surfaces being clear. It’s too easy to lie something down and “get around” to putting it away later. Before you know it you have a lot of other stuff that has been added to the pile and you now have a kitchen counter full of items that do not belong in the kitchen.

organized kitchen

If you must keep small appliances on the counter keep it to the ones that you use every day like the toaster, coffee maker, and maybe your smoothie machine. Appliances that are seldom used should be stored elsewhere. You’ll be amazed at just how neat and organized your kitchen will look with a clutter free horizontal surface.

    2. Keep it clean

Now that your surface is clear it will be easier to keep the counter clean. Get in the habit of cleaning the counter once a day at a certain time. I give mine a wipe when I come down in the morning, after my son has made his breakfast and left traces of said breakfast for me to clean! A clear and clean counter looks great!

  1. Keep it within reach

Organize your kitchen so that the items you need are easily within reach of the task you are performing. If you are cooking make sure your pots and pans are close by. Are you right or left handed? Take this into consideration. Try to have your glasses stored next to the fridge. Your dishes close to the dishwasher for easy return. Keep only your essential kitchen cleaning supplies under the sink. The rest of those cleaning supplies can be stored neatly in your laundry space. This will save you steps and time and will reduce the traffic chaos in your kitchen.

  1. Pare down that junk drawer

I’ll admit that I don’t have a junk drawer in my kitchen but I do have a much needed drawer for pens, a pad of paper, mini stapler, eye glass cleaning cloth and a few other items such as bag clips and twist ties. It is still an organized space. But I have seen a lot of junk drawers that are full of just that – junk. A place you judiciously slide things into because you don’t know where to put it. Try not to use the junk drawer for a convenient way of hiding items that do not belong in the kitchen like tools and batteries. Just how many elastic bands do you really need anyway? If you cannot easily locate what you are looking for it kind of defeats the purpose of having a “miscellaneous” drawer. Let’s keep it organized with everything contained.

  1. Keep a list of what you need

Take a piece of paper and tape it inside a cupboard next to the fridge. When you run out of an item, jot it down on the piece of paper – both food and cleaning supplies.

 

Take this list with you when you go shopping and stick to it. It’s kind of like going shopping when you are hungry. Without a list you are going to forget some items that you need and most likely pick up items you don’t need thus spending money needlessly and adding clutter to your kitchen in the process.

  1. Out with the old

Make a habit of going through your fridge and cupboards once a month to get rid of items that have spoiled or have gone too far past the expiration date. When you do please remember that a best before date is just that – best before. You don’t have to toss items right at the best before date. But no need to keep that green stuff in your fridge any longer either!

  1. Out with the broken

Like all other items in the house toss out anything that is not working like old can openers or small appliances that you just may one day get around to trying to fix. Chances are that they are small enough and cheap enough to replace and let’s face it, you’re probably not going to get around to fixing it anyway.  Any bigger repairs, consider hiring a highly rated kitchen contractor to help.

So, these are my seven rules for an organized kitchen. Follow them and you will find kitchen bliss. ClutterBGone has helped many families get their kitchens organized and left them with a simple process to stay organized. Let us know how we can help you by contacting us here.

8 Things That Are Making Your Home Cluttered And What You Can Do About It

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Sometimes you walk into your home or a room in your house and you think to yourself, “why is this place always looking so cluttered?” The whole house doesn’t have to be in disarray to make you feel that your home is out of control. Often a small space or a small area that is causing you grief can make the difference between feeling defeated and feeling like you have things under control.

Here are 8 common areas that you can tackle quite quickly.

Cosmetics drawer

I am somewhat of a minimalist when it comes to make up and I know others that are quite the opposite. Regardless of how much cosmetics you have, the key is knowing what you have and having it accessible. Otherwise, you’re wasting time tearing through your drawer or purchasing items you don’t need because you can’t find them.

Cosmetics drawer

There are many inexpensive organizing trays you can use but remember to store like with like and to toss old make up on a frequent basis. Some make ups can be a breeding ground for bacteria so know when it’s time to replace an item.

Junk drawer

I don’t like to use the term “junk drawer”. I do have a drawer in my kitchen for pens, a pad of paper, mini stapler, eye glass cleaning cloth and a few other items such as bag clips and twist ties. It’s still an organized space. I have seen a lot of junk drawers that are full of just that – junk. A place you drop things into because you don’t know where to put it.

If you cannot easily locate what you are looking for it kind of defeats the purpose of having a “miscellaneous” drawer. Let’s keep it organized with everything contained.

Souvenirs

I was recently down south and was strolling through one of those markets that sell the tacky cheap souvenirs and wondered who really buys those?

Souvenir plates

Well, I have seen some pretty strange knick-knacks in people’s homes over the years letting us know where they have vacationed. Before you know it you can have a collection of clutter. Photo albums, memory boxes or mementoes that have real meaning to you are a better way to cherish the memories and keep your home organized.

Collections vs. obsessions

Many people collect items for various reasons and it can be a great way to pass time and to show people your interests. However, when it starts to control your home it has become an obsession. Invest in the storage system that is appropriate for your collection and proudly show your collection to your friends and family. Keep in mind that an interest of yours may not be the interest of others so don’t let it take over your home.

Entry way closet

Your entry way closet is normally the first place people see when they enter your home when coats are hung up. If space is a challenge, keep items seasonal by taking the spring and summer clothes out and replacing with the fall and winter wear and vice versa when the seasons change to make more room. Each time you do this, take the items you no longer wear or that don’t fit anymore to a local donation center. Boot racks and hanging shoe bags can be used to increase the vertical space needed for larger families.

Refrigerator

The fridge is an appliance you use several times throughout the day and can easily become a cold, cluttered mess each time you peer inside. I know we all have grown a science experiment in the back of the fridge at some time.

Resolve to go through the fridge prior to each major shopping to toss spoiled foods and to take stock of what you have so you are not purchasing items that are not required.

Magazine rack

If you’re still subscribing to magazines and newspapers, the old fashioned magazine rack can become an eyesore with past issues stuffed in there. Keep no more than the last two issues of any magazine and if the last 2 issues have not been read maybe it’s time to cancel the subscription.

Mag rack

Better yet, most magazines can now be purchased in an electronic format or are available with an app service such as Texture. Once read, newspapers should be tossed into the recycle bin. Are you really going to refer to yesterday’s news?

Your “In” basket – the OHIO rule

We all have an in basket for mail, flyers, bills or any other miscellaneous pieces of paper that comes into our home. Try the OHIO rule to keep the in basket to a minimum. Only Handle It Once. Pay it, file it, take action on it or toss paper when it comes in.

It’s typically the smaller areas of your home that can give your house a cluttered look and that you can easily tackle within a short period of time. Have a go at them and let me know how you make out.

5 Signs You May Be Chronically Disorganized And What You Can Do About It

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We are all a little disorganized in some aspects of our life but for some of you being disorganized affects your day-to-day living. Lets begin with defining what chronic disorganization is (also known as “challenging disorganization”).

Being chronically disorganized is defined as being disorganized for a long period of time during which you have not responded to attempts at self-help. It has a negative impact on the quality of your life and can also affect your relationship with others.

It’s normal to feel a little disorganized when certain life events happen, like a death in the family, when you move or even something as simple as having a house full of visitors over for an evening.

You may recover from these events quite quickly but if you are chronically disorganized these events just add to your current challenges. If you are chronically disorganized it’s important to remember that it is a condition, and not a flaw in your character.

There are many signs that point to being chronically disorganized. Lets look at 5 of them.

1. Unable To Find Things

I frequently have trouble finding things myself, especially when I’m in a rush. Sometimes another family member has put something away in a spot totally different to where I keep it. For me and most people, it only happens once in a while and does not impact my life.

If you are chronically disorganized you’re always looking for something that you need and often you’ve left it to the last minute so panic now sets in and chaos ensues. This can lead to missed appointments, being late in making payments (leading to late fees or a bad mark on the credit rating) and can even have an adverse effect on your health with higher blood pressure and anxiety.

2. Cluttered Living Area

A very visible sign of being chronically disorganized is the condition of your living area. If you have small children in your home I’ll bet you feel that your home is always disorganized with toys and baby accessories seemingly everywhere. Do you have a husband who maybe forgets to pick up after himself? No need to worry, we all go through this.

Cluttered living area

If you are chronically disorganized you live in a cluttered state that affects you to the point where you perhaps cannot find most things and may even have to clear things out of the way just to find a place to sit. In extreme cases this can lead to a safety issue with trip hazards on the floor or the room becoming a fire hazard.

3. Off Site Storage Is Required For Possessions

This happens more than you would think. We all love our possessions or “stuff” as George Carlin used to say, but you may acquire an over attachment to belongings for sentimental or other reasons. It may be that you find items that are too good to pass on, whether somebody is getting rid of something they feel has value or when shopping a sale is too good to pass. Your thinking may be   “why spend more on an item later” when you can get it on sale now. What a deal, right? Before you know it you have more than you can keep track of and you forget where everything is so you buy more, and the cycle continues.

Typically a lot of these items will spoil or become contaminated thus turning into a health hazard. Of course there is the cost of outside storage to keep in mind, a cost that is probably really not needed.

4. Missed Deadlines

Whether at home or at work, if you are chronically disorganized you may frequently miss deadlines. At work this can of course affect your career path and in the worst cases can lead to dismissal.Missed deadline

At home missing deadlines can lead to late payments causing financial penalties. Failure to get your financial information to your bank on time can lead to not taking advantage of a low mortgage rate. Your children could be missing out on something fun at school because you failed to get a document back to school on time. Deadlines are important and missing them affects just more than you.

5. Work Evaluations Focus On Improving Organizational Skills

Has your boss ever “suggested” that you improve your organizational skills? If you are chronically disorganized, it is not likely to be just affecting your home. It’s part of your life such that you may be disorganized at work as well. Are you busy at work and juggling a few projects at the same time? Not being organized will have an impact on your reviews and thus your salary increases. In extreme cases jobs could be lost thereby losing your sole source of income.

These are just 5 signs of a chronically disorganized person. There are many more. Chronic disorganization is a condition that can be changed. It takes time, patience and an organizational system designed specifically for you, to learn what you need, what is cherished, to set caps on categories of items and to learn how to make the system work for you.

7 Laundry Room Organization & Storage Tips

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Unless you have a very large home, your laundry room is probably pretty small so organization and efficient storage can be challenging at best. Here are several organization and storage tips to help you be more efficient in your home.

Shelving

Whether you have a top loading or a newer set of front-loading washer and dryer, shelving for your detergents,

softeners and dryer sheets are a must.

Laundry shelving

For the do it your-self person wire shelving is readily available at almost any hardware store and is easy to fix to the wall. More elaborate systems with cupboards to keep items out of sight are available from a wide variety of sources and can be a great alternative for that uncluttered look without breaking the bank.

Hanging Shirts

When you do install shelving try to incorporate rods for hanging shirts and other items right out of the dryer onto hangars to reduce the ironing that may be required later. If space is tight there are a few foldable drying racks that fold up against the wall when not in use or can be pulled down from the ceiling.

Soaps and Cleaning Supplies

Have a few small bins or baskets available to hold your laundry accessories like stain removers, dryer sheets, etc.   Your laundry room may also be the storage area for household cleaners so ensure you have a bin or basket available to store these items as well.

laundryroom supply storage

We keep a bucket on our laundry room shelf that contains all of our cleaning supplies for ease of access on cleaning day.

Color Coded Laundry Baskets

Do you have older kids that like to do their own laundry because of colors or fabrics? I wish! If so, give each one a differently coloured clothes hamper so you know whose laundry is whose.

Guard Your Socks

We often lose a sock here and there in our home and always wonder where they went. I often find a sock or a small clothing item behind an appliance or between the washer and dryer.

A laundry guard that can fit on top of your washer or dryer, or both, can be helpful to keep that “sock monster” at bay.

Small Change Adds Up

How many times do you find a nickel, dime or quarter at the bottom of your washer or dryer? Keep a jar or even a piggy bank in the laundry room and deposit those coins every time you find one. You’ll be surprised how soon you will save enough for one of those expensive cups of coffee.

Also, keep a jar for those other items you find when your family is looking for something they may have left in a pocket. Don’t forget to label your bins, baskets and jars so everyone in your family can find and return the item in their proper place.

What Else Goes In There?

Most of the newer homes now have an upper floor laundry room. It makes a lot of sense as the top floor is where most of the soiled laundry is found. We also tend to use the laundry room to store other items like the previously mentioned cleaning supplies as well as paper products and maybe even linen if your upstairs closet is too small.

Dedicate a space to these items and label the shelf so when supplies run low nobody is putting anything else there that will have to be dealt with when supplies are replenished.

A laundry room can easily become a catch-all and clutter hot spot. Without proper organization it can be tough keeping this small area neat and organized.

If you need help in knowing where to purchase any of these products noted above, contact me here and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

5 Signs You May Have Hoarding Tendencies

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Ever since the introduction of television shows like “Hoarders” and the rest of them that followed, the term “hoarding’, in my opinion, is now too commonly used. It’s estimated that between 2% and 5% of the North American population exhibit some type of hoarding behaviour. We are a society of stuff and most of us have more stuff than we need. What really constitutes a person with a hoarding disorder?

Acquiring items – Is it really a hobby?

Everyone needs a hobby. Hobbies show the world what we are interested in and can be very relaxing, easing a lot of tension. Some of you collect stamps, records, pop bottles and anything else you can think of and I personally have seen some very interesting displays of things that people collect.

collecting

Acquiring items can be an emotional experience for you and it feels good to you to purchase and to have items. However, when the collecting of items begins to impact your life in a negative way such that your collection has taken over, it’s no longer a hobby. You may have a tendency to hoard.

Has your social life been affected?

Hoarding is normally a source of embarrassment to the individual with hoarding tendencies such that you no longer want to have anyone over for fear of anyone seeing the way you live or the state that your home has become. Many people with hoarding tendencies become reclusive and lack the human interaction that we all need.

Do you have an excuse or rationale for keeping everything?

If you have a hoarding tendency you’re very good at rationalizing the need to keep what you have. “It’s worth something” or “I may need it one day” are common statements you may make. True “hoarders” are very creative and can see a use for anything and everything that is acquired. Possessions become part of your identity and therefore are hard to deal with. De-cluttering is typically a bad word in the vocabulary of persons with a hoarding disorder.

Have you been injured getting around your home?

Have you tripped and fallen over something in your home because there is too much to be stored properly? Are rooms not accessible due to the unorganized piles of goods in them? Has your home become something of a safety hazard?

danger-sign-adn-falling2

Too many unorganized possessions can become a trip or a fire hazard or even a health hazard if mould starts to appear. Your collection and your possessions have value but not if they’re are a hazard to you.

Does what you keep have true value?

Take a real hard look at what you collect or have accumulated. Are you keeping old newspapers and magazines? What about clothes that no longer fit or are worn or you’ve not worn for a long time? Do you have any small appliances that you know you will get around to fixing “some day”? These types of items my have no real sentimental nor monetary value and therefore there may be no valid reason to hang onto them.

If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or in a loved one it may be time to address it before it gets out of control.

Start with a small project that you know will take minimal time to sort and edit. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and spur you on to continue. If you need assistance seek out the help of family or friends or a professional.

If you need professional help ClutterBGone has many years of compassionate experience in helping people de-clutter in the Toronto area. Just contact me here.

6 Things Professional Organizers Want You To Know

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I have been a Professional Organizer for several years I’m often asked a lot of different questions about organizing and down sizing. There are a few things that I seldom get asked that I think you should know.

The System

When you hire a professional organizer you are not only hiring somebody who will help you de-clutter and get organized but you are hiring a professional who will leave you with a system to maintain your new found space after they have left. It is up to you of course to keep things in check but we just don’t come in, do the work and leave you.

The Investment

Every client situation is unique and your investment in a project will reflect that.

Cost vs benefit

A professional organizer is there to work with you and stay within a budget that works for you. You can be as hands on or as hands off as you want to be during the process enabling you to minimize the hours and get really involved. If your budget is really tight then start with an area that causes you the most concern and leave the rest to another time.

Removing the Items

A professional organizer has a large resource list of charities and re-sale stores in your area where you can dispose of, donate or consign your goods to. You may have your own favourite charities that you wish to make donations to or may have valuable pieces that can be sold to a re-sale store or place on consignment. We are not able to take anything out of your home ourselves but can certainly arrange for it on your behalf.

Storage Containers That Are Required

In many jobs there are storage containers or systems that are needed.

plastic-storage-containers

A few professional organizers carry an inventory of these so they are readily available to get the job completed as quickly as possible. These are normally offered to our clients at the same cost, or less, as at your local store. If there are special items or systems required you have the option to purchase these yourselves or have us do it on your behalf. There will normally be a fee for personal shopping but it will be much less than the hourly rate for working in your home.

Confidence In Who You Hire

Professional organizers in Canada will belong to the Professional Organizers of Canada (POC) association.POC logo

This group is a registered national association that represents professional organizers and provides the training to us all. Members of the POC are required to abide by its code of conduct. During your initial consultation ask if the organizer you speak to is a member of the POC and ask them where they received their training. Make sure any organizer that you hire is bonded and insured in case of any mishaps in the home. Lastly, ask for and check the references that are given to ensure that the person you hire is competent and experienced.

Be Comfortable In Who You Hire

Above all you need to feel comfortable with who you hire. Treat the initial telephone consultation as an interview where you are doing the interviewing. Ask as many questions as you want and get that comfortable feeling with the person that will be coming into your home or office.

ClutterBGone has serviced many clients throughout the GTA and is a member of the POC with all lead staff carrying business liability insurance. If you are looking to downsize, get organized or need help with clutter contact us here.

 

These Dollar Store Items Will Help You Get Organized

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I have purchased a lot of organizing products over the years and the dollar stores are one of the best places to buy organizing supplies. You would be surprised at what you can find in these stores at very affordable prices. You can find items to help you organize your kitchen, your bathroom, your closets, your garage – even your vehicle can be organized with supplies available at most dollar stores.

Many of the organizing products found in dollar stores are actually of decent quality, which makes these stores the first place you should check when you want to get organized. Not all organizing supplies are created equal, though.

Here are 9 of the best organizing products available at dollar stores:

Baskets & bins

Baskets & bins are some of the best organizing tools that you can use to get organized, and dollar stores sell them for a few dollars or less.

They are available in a wide variety of sizes, colors and designs, so you are sure to find some that fit your style. Besides the plastic bins, some dollar stores also carry fabric baskets, wicker bins and metal shelves.

Drawer organizers

When you open your drawer are you able to easily find the spatula, pen, food item or other item that you need? If not, your local dollar store carries drawer organizers that will help you get all kinds of drawers organized. Organize your cutlery, your small kitchen tools, clothing, toiletries, office items and more!

Desk supplies

You can find a lot of office organizing supplies at dollar stores that you will help you to organize all of your office supplies. Look for pen and pencil holders, in trays, file folders and much more at great prices.

Bathroom Supplies

Keep your bathroom organized with a few simple items from the dollar store. They carry toothbrush holders as well as small plastic containers that can be used to hold your make up in a drawer instead of all over the counter.

Jars

Jars are a fantastic organizing tool, and dollar stores have many of them.

Image result for organizing jars

Use them to organize spices, food, craft & scrap-booking supplies, ribbon, small items (nails, screws), markers or crayons. The possibilities are endless!

Hooks

When it comes to getting organized, hooks are inexpensive and easy to mount almost anywhere. Use them for scarves, jewelry, mugs and almost any other item you want up and out of the way. Dollar stores have a wide variety of them available. 3 hooks placed strategically can even be used to hold your pot lids on the inside of a cupboard door!

Shoe Organizers

Shoe organizers can be used for so much more than just organizing shoes! I have clients that use these to keep small packets of food inside their pantry. Others use them to sort and store kids gloves, socks and a lot more. You can also use them to organize cords, toiletries and craft supplies. The list is endless.

Hangers

Not many people give a lot of thought to hangers and use pretty much any kind they come across from the store or the dry cleaner. Freshen up your closet with new identical hangers and you will be surprised at how organized your closet can look.

Use a hanger that is appropriate for your clothes and toss those wire hangers into the recycle bin. Most dollar stores have a great selection.

Organize Kids School Supplies

Many of you went to dollar stores prior to the start of the school year for binders, pencil cases and other items that kids need to stay organized during the school year. You can even use a lot of these items in the house. I use a binder in the kitchen to hold recipes with dividers for main dishes, appetizers, etc. I also use a binder for instruction manuals – easy to find and retrieve.

Stores dedicated to organizing supplies do carry a wide range of items but sometimes they can be pricey. It really all depends on your budget. For the simple budget conscious jobs a dollar store will do just fine to find some inexpensive items to help you get organized.

Let us know what your favorite organizing item is from a dollar store. If you need help with any of your organizing projects contact us here for a no cost chat.

5 Signs That Your Parents Are Ready To Downsize

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We all go through the stages of home ownership in our lives. First we rent, then we buy our first home, then we move into a larger home when we have a family and finally we downsize as we grow older.

Do your parents need some help in making this life changing decision? Here are 5 signs that they may be ready to downsize into something more manageable.

Are they having difficulty with the current upkeep?

Your parents want, and need, their independence. But sometimes pride gets in the way in refusing to downsize and acknowledge that they just can’t accomplish what they used to. The family home was just that – a family home. Purchased quite a while ago when there were children in the house. All of the children have moved out and have started their own families and your parents are still in the same house.

As the home gets older things start to need maintenance and repair resulting in expense or your parents reaching their physical limitations. If you see them struggling to maintain the home or property or are keeping it for sentimental reasons, it’s probably a good time to have a gentle discussion centered around moving.

Are they having financial issues?

Once you stop working you become dependant on your own savings and/or government assistance. It’s nice to know that your prescription costs are covered by the government when you reach the age of 65 and doctors visits are also covered. However not everything is 100% covered and let’s face it, as we get older we can normally expect to start dishing out for medical expenses not covered.

elderly_finances

Entertainment costs, vacations and the home expenses start to eat away at savings. Many of the older generation believe in paying off the mortgage as soon as possible and using the value of the home towards their retirement.

Well, perhaps financial challenges are now coming to play and the equity in their home can be used to help them in their later years. They don’t have to be further away just because they sell their home. Many parents are now moving in with their adult children. Finally! Some revenge!

Are they having difficulty finding things?

When you visit your parents and you ask to see a family picture or a memento that you know they have, do they have difficulty in finding it or can’t locate it at all?

I’m not talking about the medical diagnosis of dementia here, just not being able to find something because of all the stuff your parents have in the home. It’s nice to be surrounded by items from the past but not if they are packed away because of the volume of items in the house.

I’ve suggested to many families that they create a Memory Box with the most important photos and remembrances and hang it on a wall for all to see. Just the sight of these items will bring back a lot of memories to cherish. If your parents are keeping a home just because they can’t fit everything they currently have into smaller quarters it is time to talk about downsizing and reorganization.

Do you feel your parents are not safe in their home?

As your parents age they may not be able to get around like they used to and perhaps don’t have the reflexes that they once had. Things they could easily manoeuvre around before or step over may now be a trip and fall hazard.

Elderly tripping cartoon

Remember that old television commercial with the lady who fell? – “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. If you feel your parents safety is being compromised by having too much stuff in the house, it is time to discuss downsizing.

Are they looking for a little freedom in their lives?

Perhaps your parents secretly want to buy that motor home or want to leave the cold for a couple of months in the winter. They feel guilty about spending that kind of money or feel guilty about being away from the kids or the grandchildren. They’ve probably worked hard most of their lives and they deserve to do these things while they still can. Let them know that they have plenty of time to visit in the warmer months and that by downsizing they will have the funds to enjoy themselves.

Downsizing may not be right for everyone but many of our parents are going to do it. Look for the signs and have the gentle conversation with them. It is of course their decision, but downsizing could have a very positive impact on their lives.

ClutterBGone has assisted many families with this life transitions and would be pleased to assist you as well. Contact us here for more information or to have any questions answered.

Organizing In The New Year – 5 Easy Steps

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In any business, organizing is a process of establishing work required, the flow of work and grouping of activities related to that work. It really isn’t that different when you apply this to your home or small office.

In the professional organizing industry we like to use the acronym SPACE – Sort, Purge, Assign, Containerize and Evaluate. These 5 basic principles will guide you through the organizing process and allow you to organize pretty much anything.

Sort: This is where you evaluate your items that you wish to organize and sort them into broad categories, placing like items with like items.

sortYou can then further sort your broad categories into smaller ones. For instance, if you’re sorting clothing, begin with placing all your long, short and sleeveless tops in one pile then further refine it into 3 separate piles: one for sleeveless, one for short sleeve, and one for long sleeve. This will help you clearly see how much you have of each type of item.

I recently sorted my husband’s tee shirts in this exact same way. He was surprised at just how many tee shirts he had and was able to purge which included quite a few shirts he just doesn’t wear any longer.

Purge: Purge can sound like a lot of things to a lot of people and can be scary to some, but think if it as the stage where you decide what will stay and what will go. It does not have to mean these are the items you are throwing out in the garbage. We want to keep as much out of the landfill as possible.

Make separate piles for items you are going to donate (it can be a charity or to family); put away (those items that belong in another room or space); sell (via an on-line sale site, garage sale, second hand store, etc.) or throw away (items for garbage or recycle). Don’t be too sentimental with items. After all, you are going through this process for a reason.

Assign : This is where you determine the best place to store items based on how you function on a daily basis. Ask yourself these questions: Where is this supposed to be stored? Where is the most convenient place for me to keep this where it is most often used or needed? Give some thought as to how you work, what your reach limitations are, etc. Don’t put items away that you need often and have to get the step ladder out for.

Containerize: Once you have completed the previous steps, you can shop your own home or office for the appropriate sized containers, or go out shopping for the containers you need to adequately store the items you have.

plastic-storage-containersRemember to store items in containers using the smallest possible container that will house all of the items in a particular category. Try to always use clear totes to easily identify what is inside and always label containers. Choose decorative bins and baskets if you wish that will fit in with your décor if these are to be left out.

 

Evaluate: Now that you have completed the first four steps of the process you need to conduct regular on-going evaluations to maintain the organization that you have now implemented in your space.

These processes will give you a good start on your next project in getting organized so you can calm the chaos. Get your project started and let me know how you’re making out. I would love to hear from you.