Archive for category: Misc

I get asked once and again, from not just prospective clients but from a lot of other people as well – “Why hire a professional organizer? I could do that myself.” In fact, many of our client’s well intentioned friends who feel they are organized say this to our clients without truly understanding what we do and how we do it.

The fact of the matter is that trained professional organizers for which this is a full time business are highly skilled professionals, often with a background in either psychology or sociology and communication. Most skilled professional organizers have the training and expertise to not only implement the basic principles of organization, but also to provide creative solutions, maximize space, have a ton of credible resources and have the ability to address some of the underlying issues and challenge some of the distorted thinking that comes with being chronically disorganized.

Here are 5 basic reasons to hire a professional organizer.

Time & money

1) We will actually save you time and save you money. Lots of it. Everybody’s time is worth something. If you are performing the work yourself you are not doing something else whether it is going to work, enjoying extracurricular activities or just plain relaxing. We are trained and have the expertise to develop and implement solutions to chronic disorganization. As such we can successfully complete an organizational task in a much shorter period of time.

Success

2) Being disorganized costs you. I’m not talking just money here (although that still factors in).  I’m talking success. How much time do you waste looking for things? Are you paying interest charges on bills because you paid late due to not being able to find the bill? Is your clutter or disorganization affecting your marriage or straining friendships?  Are you missing out on opportunities?  Are you less productive?  Do you appear disorganized at work leading to missing out on promotions? Is your child’s disorganization affecting success at school?

Some people become embarrassed to have company if they feel their home has become out of control or they feel that visitors may be judging them based on the surroundings rather than as who they are. A professional organizer will de-clutter, organize and create a system to maintain a clutter free and less stressful life.

Projects

3) We can help you tackle those projects you have been putting off.

You know those projects that you have been putting off because you feel it is too much of a task for you or think it is too large for you handle? We are ready willing and eager to get at these projects. They are our Disneyland! Once complete you will feel that a heavy load has been lifted right off your shoulders. You will breathe easier, feel less anxious. You will want to use that space, that valuable real estate that you have worked so hard to pay for. And who knows, maybe even invite guests over that have not visited for some time due to your embarrassment of your home.

Coaching

4) We are your organizing coach. Sometimes you just need a gentle push to get you going or to guide you through the steps to complete the task. We are there with you all the way for as much or as little as you need us. Do you have a small room or closet that needs attention? Great! A larger room that will take more time? That’s good too. We have seen and done it all and no job is too large or too small. We just want to help.

No Judgments

5) We are non-judgmental and unbiased. Is your place a mess – in your eyes? Do you still have your childhood toys? Paper everywhere? A ton of stuff from a family member who has long since passed on? You can’t see the floor because of all the stuff?  Perhaps your basement is unusable space?  No problem. We are there to help and to get you organized with compassion and gentle guidance, and set up with a system to make your life easier. We are not here to judge but to develop and implement solutions for you.

If you have an organizational task for which you just don’t  know where to start, call me now for a free telephone consultation and we can chat.  No judgments.  Just solutions.

In our part of the country it’s been a long and cold winter. In fact, over the Family Day weekend in February the temperatures dropped to the minus mid-twenties and with the wind it felt like -35. It definitely has been one of the coldest winters in recent memory and boy are we ready for the arrival of spring!

Here is a list of things we’re going to do in our home to prepare for the arrival of one of my favourite seasons:

Goodbye Winter Wear

1) As the weather starts to get milder and I start to smell spring in the air,  I always organize our home for the next season and go through the heavy winter coats to see what still fits, what is worn and for the adults what is still in style. Anything that is longer in style or doesn’t fit can be boxed or bagged and dropped off at your local charity.

Anything that is very worn, stained or damaged can be bagged for trash. In some cases you may be able to take some gently used, nor longer worn items to a consignment shop but keep in mind that they only take winter items in the fall, not in the spring. They also have to be in great shape Don’t take it personally if they won’t accept your things.

2) Pull down those boxes of scarves and mittens, pull out all of the boots and do the same thing. Anything not needed can be dropped off at a donation location for those that may need them next winter. Kids grow out of boots quickly and are always in need at charity organizations for those that cannot afford new footwear for their own kids.

3) Pull out all of your spring and summer coats and shoes and divide them into piles for each person in the home. Then take those piles and further refine them accordingly to type of outerwear. Go through each item to ensure that they too are still fully functional, not damaged, still fit and for adults not out of style (if you care about fashion).

Again, many charities would love to receive your donations of gently used clothing and with spring almost upon us now is the perfect time to be donating spring and summer items.

Clean Up

4) When it’s time to switch the coats and footwear in the hall closet from warmer to light, take the winter items out and give your hall closet a good cleaning. Out with the dirt and salt from the boots and in with the fresh, lighter coats. I’ll leave the rest of the spring cleaning up to you but you will certainly feel that spring has come when you open your closet to see the lighter garments hanging there without all the signs of old man winter.

Lighten Up

5) In our home we have a heavier bedspread for winter warmth and in the spring we switch it up taking the lighter bedspread out of the bag and replacing it with the winter one. Don’t forget to launder or dry clean your winter bedspread before putting it away if need be.

Spring signals the arrival of a new start for the earth and many homes going up for sale. Consider it a new start for sprucing up your home and getting it organized for sale.  And if you’re not in the market to sell your house right now?  That’s okay.  But take care of these tasks and you will find spring arriving a lot sooner!  Who doesn’t want that?!

If you need some help getting started, call me now for a free telephone consultation.

It happens in every household. We accumulate so many possessions (food, makeup and otherwise) and then have so much trouble letting go of things. There could be a multitude of reasons. Perhaps you spent a ton of money on something, or maybe you just “love” it so much or maybe even you think that one day you will eventually use it.

One of the challenges with this type of thinking is that some things have a ”best before” date. This doesn’t necessarily mean it expires before that date or that you “best consume it” before this date. But for many items, food and makeup in particular, it speaks to a shelf life. Once you open the product that best before date goes right out the window.

Food – Does it need to smell funny?

Take foods for instance. That best before date we see on the pre-packaged foods means its taste, nutrition and safety are pretty much guaranteed before that date. But once opened, that date is irrelevant. Even if something doesn’t have a foul odor or still tastes fine, it doesn’t mean it’s safe to consume. Bacteria and other organisms can still be growing in the food before any foul odor or foul taste is detected. So if you are ever in a position when you are wondering if something is still okay to eat, it probably isn’t. Toss it and be safe.

Cosmetics and clutter

Makeup is another challenge. The amount of money the average woman spends spends on cosmetics makes it very difficult to toss that foundation bottle you bought last year that still has some left, or that mascara that you’re pretty sure you could get another few weeks’ use of. The issue is that liquids go bad pretty quickly once opened and exposed to air. Even those little samples you get at the store can go from nice to nasty pretty quick.

Pump style containers that hold your moisturizer or foundation tend to last longer than ones in a jar because with jars of liquid your fingers (that hold bacteria) are constantly being dipped into the container thus lending to faster contamination. The general rule of thumb is 6 months for moisturizer or foundations in a container, up to a year if you have a pump mechanism for either. Of course, if the product seems to smell a little funny all of a sudden, then it’s time to toss it.

Powdered makeup last the longest provided you keep your brushed clean.  You can usually count on two years for powdered products.

Mascara is the worst. Once you open that tube you should toss it after 3 months tops! Don’t play the chance game with your eyes! If you have ever had pink eye you know exactly what I mean.  Use a Sharpie and mark the date of that sucker so you don’t take the chance of keeping it longer than you should.

Bed pillows bacteria

This last one is something we see in almost every home we work in. Bed pillows. They have a shelf life as well, especially if you are not protecting them in a thick pillow protector. Without protection, your pillows should be tossed out after one year. The reason for this is that grease from your scalp and oils and bacteria from your face and mouth soak into the pillow leading to bacteria growth which yellows the pillow and is a wonderful breeding ground for dust mites. Yuck! Do you really want to take the chance that you sleeping companions are dust mites?!

With more expensive pillows you should be getting them professionally cleaned every couple of years. But if you see any yellowing on your pillow or have had it over a year without a pillow protector, toss that baby in the trash and give yourself and your family a nice gift of a fresh, new pillow to sleep on.

If you have any questions about the shelf life of any other items you may have in your home, just contact us and we will answer your questions.
In the meantime, play it safe and don’t risk your health and safety!