4 Tips For Pet Ownership In Downsized Living Spaces

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With pet ownership increasing and living space being downsized, how do we continue to enjoy our pets with the limited space we have?

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The latest statistics show that 35% of all households own a dog and that 38% of all households own a cat. Canadians are now spending $6.5 billion a year on their pets. Many of us are moving and downsizing to smaller spaces and have less space for ourselves let alone our beloved pets. On the other end of the spectrum many of us are moving into our first home and they tend to be smaller starter homes or one of the new very small condos that seem to be sprouting up everywhere. How do we ensure that we will all get along within the space we have?

Choose wisely

funny-dog-pictures-your-dog-is-also-downsizingFirstly, choose your pet wisely. Sounds obvious, but if your favourite dog breed is a German Sheppard or larger you may not have room for yourself in that 700 square foot condominium let alone your four legged friend.

Choose a breed you like but that will also fit into your space and lifestyle. And don’t forget, bigger dogs tend to require more space and a lot more exercise.

Feeding spaces can be challenging

Having food and water bowls cluttering an already small floor space is not only aggravating but can even present a trip hazard. There are many options out there to not only contain the food but the eating area as well as all those pet accessories we have.dog-feedings-organized-400x400

 

Converting an old dresser or bottom kitchen cabinet unit is one option to create a pet feeding station.

Make clean up easy

Invest in a good vacuum. Some breeds will not shed but will create other messes that need to be cleaned up and the ones that do shed will make a small space look like a hairdressers shop after a busy day. I am sure many of you, like me, have had that lint roller parked at the front entrance for that final swipe before you head out the door.

Cats shed as well and will tend to kick the litter out of the box into the area surrounding their litter box. Invest in something compact and easy to operate.

dog vacuum

Let’s face it, if you have to drag that big vacuum unit or hose out and then attach the accessories you just aren’t going to do it as often as may be required. I know I don’t. Personally I like the small Dyson but there are many choices out there that do the job.

In fact, Dyson even has a special Groomer vacuum just for your pet.  Besides, if you are doing a light vacuum more often maybe you don’t need to do a major vacuum as often?

Commitment

Lastly, make the commitment to regular exercise for your pet, particularly dogs. Even the small guys need to get out and stretch their legs. Schedule this at least twice a day and if you can’t commit to this or need a substitute once in a while there are plenty of pet walking services everywhere. Make contact with one now so you are ready when the service is required.

 

We all love our pets and life will be a whole lot easier for you and for them if you are properly prepared in your smaller living space. If you need help in coming up with some additional creative solutions for containing your pet food supplies and accessories and feel you don’t know where to even begin with your organizing project, contact us at 905-642-5669 for a Free telephone consultation.

 

Storing Bikes In Small Spaces

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Let’s face it. Bikes and storage of bikes can take up a lot of space. But, we need our bikes, especially if we love the sport of cycling.

As we move towards smaller living spaces how do we accommodate our two wheeled transportation? We can’t just leave it in the living room as a conversation piece having it get in the way and having to move it every time we cross the room.

Once out of the downtown core of the big city and out in the suburbs or out in the country, there is a lot of room for bike storage. The garage, left on the porch or even chained to something outside. However, for the city dwellers, bikes are just as important as cars or public transit but do we leave our bike locked on the front porch or in the backyard subject to weather and thieves? Do we leave it in a spare room or on the balcony as an eye sore?

Some of you may be lucky enough to have a garage or a storage locker but for others the storage of your bike is a serious issue. Companies are realizing the need for attractive, usable storage systems for bikes and have come out with some bike racks that are outstanding!

With new racks on the market, bikes can even become a focal point of a room for conversation. With prices of bikes now getting into the thousands of dollars some of us want to show off our bike or at least have it stored properly. Today’s bike racks run from single, simple wall mounts to ones with book shelves and racks. Whether you go to your local hardware store for a hook to mount into the wall or ceiling or whether your tastes and budget allow for something a little more stylish there is something everyone.

This North American made rack mounts to wall studs and acts as a book shelf. How cool is that?

na bike storage

 

 

 

 

This European beauty can hold all your bike accessories including your helmet. Everything for your bike in one place!

 

euro bike storage

 

 

 

 

 

… and this is our favourite. A freestanding unit that can be set up just about anywhere. This beauty looks just as good in a living room as it would in a basement or garage.

 

free standing bike storage

So whether your needs are simple from just a large hook installed in the wall to something a little more exotic like the examples above, you can get that two wheeled transportation system up and out of the way in a variety of contemporary and creative ways.

If you are struggling with finding ways to create more storage space in your home and don’t know where to begin, let us guide you in the right direction. If you think you need the help of a professional organizer, but are undecided, then check this blog post out to assist you in that decision. We can help!

Too Many Cookbooks In The Kitchen?

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Are you someone who has a bunch of cookbooks scattered throughout their kitchen? Maybe you even have some in your basement floating around or even tucked away somewhere in your bedroom. We get them as gifts, pick them up from big box stores thinking we are getting a deal, or sometimes they come in the mail in the form of a magazine.

Where do you draw the line on how many cookbooks is too much? Do you even read them?

In our home, like many people, we have at least 3 cookbooks stuffed away in our kitchen cupboard or drawers that seldom get used. Most have been handed down from our parents or given to us as gifts. We all like to think that we are good cooks and will use these to create dishes that will taste fantastic and will impress our friends and family. But do we really?

The ugly truth

sticky cookbooksThe truth is these books have been thrown about when we are looking for something and pages have been torn out or frayed.

And even when we have used these books the odd time they have had some of our cooking ingredients spilled on them with pages now stuck together. Yuck!

Cookbook apps

cookbook IPADI recently downloaded a few apps to my IPAD that contain thousands of recipes. I can even submit some of my own recipes to these apps. I can search and save recipes that I like or want to try for easy access.

Rather than having an open cookbook on my counter I now have a much smaller resource taking up less space and I don’t have those cumbersome cookbooks taking up space in my cupboards or drawers.

Some favourites to try

Some of the apps I have found useful are Big Oven, Better Homes and Epicurious, but there are literally hundreds of recipe apps and websites that you can bookmark out there. Need a little more space when you are cooking? Try your own device for storing recipes and see what space and time you can save. Let me know what apps you use and we can share your ideas with our readers!

If you are challenged with finding space in your kitchen and feel the job is too overwhelming for you to start, simply contact us for a free telephone consultation at 905-642-5669.

Organizing & Decorating On A Budget

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As many of you know, once we get you organized, downsized and de-cluttered, there are many times when you turn your minds to decorating your new spaces.  This week I am pleased to have Ann Wicks, a professional Green Design Consultant, be my guest blogger and advise you how to decorate on a budget.  Read on and she will inspire you!

Looking to achieve that “look”

decorating-Berger-1-0709-lgHow often have you looked through a decorating magazine wishing that you could achieve “that” look in your home but it’s not in the budget to buy new furniture or accessories this year? Fear not, achieving a new look in your home, be it the living room, dining room, kids room, office or kitchen … you name it, it can be done on a budget.

Creating a new look in the home by using what you already have and re-purposing it in other rooms is the way to decorate on a budget. It all comes down to re-thinking the use of rooms and the furniture within them.

It’s the “3 R’s” of decorating; Re-Use, Re-Purpose & Re-Think (along with reduce and recycle!).

Re-purposing

wagon booksInstead of replacing pieces of furniture consider re-purposing them in another room in the house. An old chest of drawers could be used in a home office for storage, in the dining room for linen storage or in the baby’s room as a change table.

The list of possibilities goes on. Don’t throw that 2-drawer filing cabinet out; it still has good use as a bedside table (freshened up with a coat of paint!).

Change rooms

Kids toys are all over the place? How about changing up the bedrooms? Bunk two children in a larger room and use the smaller room as a toy/play room. If the rooms are virtually the same size; then consider giving the master bedroom as a room for the children to share, after all – does the master bedroom need to be so big to sleep in?

If you don’t use the formal dining room or breakfast nook; then consider changing it to serve as the home office or study. After all, how many times do the kids come home from school and start their homework at the table when you’re preparing dinner?

Fresh paint and accessories

decorating budgetOnce you’ve decided what items of furniture will be re-purposed and which rooms will be changed around, then all that’s needed is a new coat of paint and maybe a few new accessories.

All on a very manageable budget, with nothing more then some sweat equity and time.

(Anne Wicks is a Professional Green Design Consultant and an Interior Re-design Professional. For more information on ECO DecoR visit annewicks.ca).

Help Your Kids Get Organized For Success

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donate toysAs many of you know, I work with many families with young children, which is a very interesting and rewarding experience for me.  It’s interesting because the interaction between a parent and child when reviewing the items that the child owns is actually very revealing.

Often times the parent and child have very different ideas of what to keep and what to donate.

Let your kids make the decisions

As a result, I generally have a chat with the parent before the editing part of the process to request that their child be allowed to make the decision and that that decision be respected rather than questioned.  Sometimes it’s much more productive if the parent is not in the same room because the energy coming off from the parent can affect the process in a negative way.

playroom 2Allowing the child to make decisions helps to teach them to not only express and understand what items are important to him or her and to distinguish treasured items from non-treasured items, but also teaches the child responsibility, respect and how to be charitable.

My parent clients are often quite surprised by how easily their kids will let go of items, especially when they know their unused toys will be going to other children in need.

 

Start young

It’s always a good time to start working with your younger children to teach them how to let go of their unused and unwanted items.  There are many ways to do this, and the use of books and reading can be a great opening to a discussion on giving.

Books that help

One book I really like is The Berenstain Bears and The Messy Room.  In this book brother and sister bears’ room was a mess and they argue with each other quite a bit about who should tidy up instead of working together to get the job done.  This book is helpful in that it will teach children to do their fair share in keeping their spaces clean without arguing. It teaches children responsibility.

donation box

Another book by The Berenstain Bears is Think Of Those In Need.  As with all the books in this series, this one teaches a timeless lesson as well as principles easy for little ones to learn.

They also help parents in demonstrating a good way to handle sometimes difficult situations.

Teaching organization equals success

It’s never too young to begin to teach your children the basic principles of de-cluttering and organizing. In doing so you are instilling important values: one of which is that the important things in life are not things.  Abundance does not equate to success in life.  In fact, abundance can equal debt and misery and lead to hoarding tendencies which can lead to hoarding.

This is something we all need to think about.  My clients learn that to be successful in life, school and work, they need to be organized.

If you or your children have trouble letting go and think you may need some assistance, contact me for a free telephone consultation.  We are only a phone call away!

 

Estate Clearing: Tips for Organizing After the Loss of a Loved One

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Estate Clearing Services Toronto

The death of a loved one is an emotionally challenging time, and the obligation to clear out your loved one’s estate can feel overwhelming in the midst of your grief. It’s completely normal to feel conflicted as you sort through your loved one’s belongings, deciding what’s useful, what’s important, and what you need to throw away. Here are some strategies to help you manage this difficult process.

Don’t Rush Yourself

The grieving process is different for each person. It’s important to go at your own pace, and not to begin clearing out the estate until you feel ready.  In some cases, you may be forced to begin clearing, if you need to sell the house or clear space for a new family member to move in, for example. In this situation, consider temporarily boxing up your loved one’s belongings, giving yourself the opportunity to go through the boxes later when you’ve had more time to heal.

When you do finally feel ready to begin organizing your loved one’s possessions, it might be a one-time event, or you may decide to go through everything slowly over several months or years. As time passes and you move through the grieving process, you’ll find that you gradually feel ready to part with more items.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Clearing out a loved one’s estate is both a physically and emotionally demanding task that can be quite a burden to manage alone. You might find it helpful to go through the possessions with someone else, such as a family member, close friend, or professional organizer. Another person can help you make those tough decisions about what to keep and what to say goodbye to, and act as a source of general emotional support during a difficult time.

Honour the Memory

As you slowly clear out your loved one’s possessions, you can begin to choose a few items that you want to keep. How much you decide to keep is up to you, but it’s best to limit it to a small collection of items that will help you remember your loved one, without being overwhelming. Decide which items bring you the happiest memories or remind you of your loved one’s personality and find a special place to keep these items, by framing or displaying them in some way. Remember that clearing out the estate and getting rid of your loved one’s belongings does not mean you are forgetting about that important person. Your memories will always be much more valuable keepsakes than the items in your loved one’s home.

ClutterBGone specializes in Bereavements and Estate Clearing Services in Toronto and the surrounding GTA.  We provide our services with respect for your family possessions and work with your to ensure the process is handled with care.  You can contact us here if you have more questions.

4 Key Factors Holding You Back From An Organized Home

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cluttered filled hallYou work long and hard all day and as soon as you start walking up to your front door you begin to experience that anxiety in your chest.  Perhaps your breathing starts to accelerate a bit and you find yourself holding your breath as you reach for the door knob.  Pushing the door open, there it is…. that awful mess that was there when you left the house this morning.

It never seems to go away, no matter what you do.  Does this sound like you?  If so, there may be a few key factors that are holding you back from an organized home.

Horizontal surfaces and floors as “temporary storage”

stuff all over floorFloors are not there for you to drop down your stuff.  They are surfaces for walking and placing furniture and nothing more.  They are not there so you can drop that parcel you picked up from the post office nor  to drop the garbage bag that you used to clean out the contents of your car last week.

Counters, coffee tables, side tables, they all are hot spots for drop zones….places where you automatically place your “stuff” whether it belongs there or not.  If you start changing the way you think of your floor and horizontal surfaces in your home, you will see a difference.

Buying the wrong organizing solution

overflowing basket of scarvesI give you credit for your excitement and motivation to run out and get yourself some storage bins and baskets and the like to begin your organizing project.  The problem is that you are getting these items before you even know the volume of what you are storing.

Trying to shove 10 scarves into a bin that really only holds 5 will not only cause you frustration down the road, but it will ultimately fail to keep you organized because the volume does not match the size of the bin.

Do yourself and favour and don’t rush out to purchase any containers until you collect all of the same type of item from throughout your house and ascertain the volume of what you will ultimately be storing.

Paper comes into your home but it doesn’t leave

piles of magazinesDid you know that 80 % of the paper in your filing cabinet you will never touch again?  Only that 20% will you ever find the need to pull out once in a while.  Not to mention magazines, newspapers, marketing materials, and old mail.  Once the purpose of a piece of paper has ended, it’s time to have it leave your home.

Newspapers are old news the next day.  Magazines should be read once and then recycled. If you have a special article that you like, tear it out and then toss the magazine in the blue bin.  Better yet, bring it over to your doctor’s office (but check first that they will take it).

Not being open minded and accepting help

changePeople think they should be able to do everything but they are not willing to accept change in their lives.  If you are not open to change and doing things differently then you will have a serious obstacle to organization in your home or office.

If you are not inherently organized or have been disorganized for most of your adult life, then attempting to organize your space yourself will likely result in the system failing.

This is a result of many factors,  the most important of which is not fully understanding the basic principles of organization (which, if you aren’t inherently organized in the first place, how would you know what they are?) but also not considering what activities need to take place in a certain space and what “tools” are necessary for that activity.  Remember, organization is not taught in our school system (although I firmly believe it should be part of the curriculum), so don’t  be so hard on yourself.

Overcoming any one of these 4 key factors will get you one step closer to taking control of your home.

And if any of this seems overwhelming to you, simply contact me and I will get you on your way.  Your chaos.  Our solution.  Your peace of mind.  Guaranteed.

 

Tips To Be More Efficient With Time Management

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Pomodoro timerWhat do you do to make the best use of your time?

Whether you are a busy professional that works away from home or whether you work out of the home, time management is almost always an issue.

My clients consistently tell me that with so many distractions and being pulled in so many different directions they often have difficultly focusing on the task at hand.  In my experience, two of the biggest productivity killers are distractions and interruptions.

For the last several years there has been a lot of talk about “multi-tasking”.  For many people multi-tasking prevents focus and completing priority work.  Although I used to advocate multi-tasking, I no longer believe it is a productive or efficient way of working.

If your find yourself challenged with how to manage your time, here are some tips to work more efficiently.

Time management sheets

We all at some point in time, find ourselves on this same repetitive path. One day feels like it just melts into the other. A time management sheet is an excellent resource for you to determine how you are actually spending your time.  It is an extremely effective exercise when utilized diligently for a 5 day period.

How it works

pen-and-notebookArm yourself a notebook and pen and ensure you have it with you at all times.  Then I want you to write down exactly how you are spending your time, minute for minute as opposed to hours or the day.

Be precise as this will be the tool you use to work more efficiently. Once you log your time for a few days and look back on your log you will begin to see a pattern of exactly what various activities take up your time.

Decision time

Once you have your log completed you can then make some decisions on how you can perhaps delegate some tasks to others and “unplug” yourself during certain periods of the day.  Take a hard look at the activities that you have logged in and that serve no positive purpose for you.

business to do lsitThen following some basic principles of organization, group “like” tasks together for greater productivity and efficiency. For example, make all your phone calls at a pre-scheduled slot each day or perhaps twice a day.

Answer emails only 2 x per day perhaps once at 11:00 and then again at 3:30 p.m. All your activities should be religiously scheduled in your paper or electronic calendar or day timer and stick to that schedule, including gym workouts, grocery runs, etc. There should be no procrastination.

You may find that you have a large task at hand.  Larger tasks can be broken down into smaller ones.  In preparing your schedule I want you to ask yourself “what are the 3 most important tasks” and list them in order.  Then tackle the most important task first.

Once you have your daily schedule fully written down, you then implement the schedule using the Pomodoro technique of time management.

What is the Pomodoro technique?

The main idea behind this is `time-boxing`.  It’s a simple technique that is very effective for people with short attention spans, those that are easily distracted and that work at a desk. Start easy pomodoro

In this technique you are boxing in your attention for a small amount of time and then mentally recharging yourself after each 25 minute interval of work.All you need is a timer, whether it is on your computer, your smart phone or an egg timer – they all can do the job.

6 Steps

1- Identify the task according to your schedule (or “to do” list) .
2- Set your timer to 25 minutes
3- Work on a task until the Pomodoro is finished
4- Take a 5 minute break – get up from your desk, stretch, grab a coffee, etc.
5- Set timer again
6- For every 4 Pomodoros you take a longer break (15 – 20 minutes)

Pomodoro-task list

Guidelines

As with every system, the Pomodoro has a few guidelines to aid in your success.  Firstly, no other tasks are allowed during your Pomodoro except the one you began working on.  Secondly, stop right way when Pomodoro ends.  If you didn’t finish your work during that session simply move it over to your next Pomodoro. Lastly, when you finish your task before the deadline, don`t stop.  Review your completed work until the timer is done.

By completing each Pomodoro you will feel and be more productive, happier and build momentum to help you get things done quickly and efficiently.

Let me know how this technique works for you and contact me directly with any questions you have.

 

5 Ideas for Downsizing with Style

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small space livingThese days there are many reasons why you may be downsizing and moving to a smaller home.  Perhaps you’ve started a new career and realize that a smarter sized home will grant you more freedom. Or perhaps your children have all left for college or university and you are faced with this too-large family home that is much too time consuming to maintain.

Whatever the reason, there are many ways that I help my clients downsize with style and ease.  A move from a family home to a condominium can be the most challenging of all and requires a great deal of space planning and expertise if you want the experience to be a pleasant one.

Do you still love to garden and wonder how you will incorporate that into condominium living? Do you find you need office space but don’t know how to make that happen in your new space?

Whether you’re telescoping a lifetime’s accumulation of belongings from a larger home to a jewel box, a little creativity can go a long way.

Pallet box for gardening

downsized gardeningSo you’ve moved into your beautiful new condominium and have this amazing balcony with a view of the city.  The one thing that you find you miss the most is gardening….getting your hands dirty, growing something from seed and watching it thrive.  You can still do this!  Simply re-purpose a wooden pallet box, staple some black landscape fabric to the bottom, place it on your balcony and fill it with dirt.  There you have a compact condominium garden you can call your own.  It won’t consume all of your time but is just enough to scratch that gardening itch.

Tower Garden

Tower gardenPerhaps you like to see something grow vertically as opposed to horizontally. A new way to do this is with the Tower Garden®.  It’s a new state of the art vertical aeroponic growing system that is simply perfect for small spaces.  Best of all, it uses 90% less water that conventional gardening, 90% less space and you have 100% success.  Grow you very owns fruits and vegetables right on your balcony!

 

Counter Dining

condo counter diningOften times we find that condominium spaces are so small that even a conventional kitchen table cannot be accommodated.  If you are involved in the design of your space, there is a great idea to create functional and efficient seating right in the kitchen.  Pull out counter style table and seating is right from your kitchen counter is an ideal way to incorporate an eating and seating area right in your kitchen without the need for a full sized table.

 

Multifunctional pieces are key

dining office 2This is a fabulous find!  This table can function not only as a dining table for you and your guests, but can also double as office space.  With the added functionality of a vertical separator, you can create a separate office/working area as well as a dining table, plus some storage for your must have office supplies.

 

Flip down change table

change tableMany couples downsize to a condominium for efficiency and ease of working in or close to the city.  If there is a new baby in the mix, wondering how to fit in baby furniture can be a real challenge.  One way is to forgo the traditional baby change table and switch to something more creative and streamlined. Creating a change table that flips down from the wall that contains storage for essential diaper changing supplies is a great space saver and keeps your space free of excess furniture.

As with many things in life, when it comes to moving and downsizing, the more you plan and the better prepared you are, the easier it will be.  These 5 ideas will give you a good start and if you need some help along the way, contact me directly at lindav@clutterbgone.ca

8 Creative Small Space Solutions

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Living more simply is one reason you may have decided to downsize your home and your life.  Perhaps you have become an empty-nester after your children have flown the coop, or perhaps you are exchanging one large home for two smaller ones.  You may even be relocating to start that dream job to retiring and re-allocating your disposable income. With a few creative and innovative ideas your smaller space can be one of the best moves you ever make.  Creative organization is in fact the key to small home living.

Here are 8 space saving ideas to show you how downsizing can be a creative experience.

Stairway creativity

front entry under stair storagePerhaps you front entry no longer has a closet, or the one that exists is just not sufficient.  Here’s a great way to use the hidden and unused space under your stairway to create a place to hangs coats and other belongings.

Pallet boxes for your garden?

downsized gardeningIs gardening a passion of yours?  Are you afraid that in your smaller space you won’t be able to enjoy putting your hands in the dirt?  Here is a wonderfully creative and environmentally friendly way to get your hands dirty and recycle at the same time. 

Find yourself a wooden pallet box, staple some black garden cloth to the bottom and fill it with dirt and your favorite plants.  You have a wonderful mini garden that easy to maintain and will grow to your heart’s delight.

Decorative compost pail does the trick

Ceramic countertop compost pailDo you enjoy composting but fear that your kitchen space will no longer be able to hold a compost pail?  A great solution is to find yourself one of these nifty guys and place it on your counter.  It’s not only functional but decorative as well.

Use the inside of a closet door

A big problem in a smaller space is where to store your wrapping paper and all the accessories that go along with gift wrapping. 

wrapping paper storageThis solution uses something everyone has in their home.  The inside of a closet door!  Simply attach a couple of towel holders, some rings and clips and you have efficient and accessible storage for all your gift wrapping materials.

Find a small corner for your desk

corner officeWhere oh where to set up your office in your downsized space.  There is no need to dedicate an entire room.  You can find yourself a small corner in your new space, set up a small yet functional desk space like this one and away you go!

Hidden storage spaces

Lobook spine storageoking for a space to hide away those cables or other items you wish to conceal from the eyes?

This great idea using the spines of books and a simple box is a great way to store away and hide items from sight without going to a lot of expense.

Stairs risers equal more storage

stairs shoe organizingIf you are looking for that extra storage somewhere to store either shoes, off season clothing or anything else for which you need extra space, this stair riser storage is a great idea to make use of dead space in your stairs.

Creative under stair storage

under stair storage with doorsAnother way to use the dead space under your stairs is by creating this type of storage in the hidden space underneath your stairs.  This is a great place to store games, craft room materials and even tools.

Wake up your smaller space with these creative organizing solutions and you will be well on your way in your goal to downsize and live simply.