planners

How Can Planner Organization Help Me?

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You’re likely no stranger to just how productive you can be when utilizing a planner in your day-to-day life. Planner organization is a tool used to help increase your time management, focus, tasks, motivation etc. There are countless ways to use personal planning systems and once you master yours, you will become more organized and less stressed! Organization isn’t just about decluttering or managing the home, garage or office – organization is a way of life. If we can help organize any part of your life to make it more efficient and functional, we are happy. Paper planners specifically, allow you to write things down, be creative with colour and add your own personal flare. Research suggests that when we write something down, as far as our brains are concerned, it’s as if we are doing that exact thing. Those of you who write things down, know just how important this activity is – and more importantly, that it works!

Here are some benefits to using a personalized planner for organization.

Increased Productivity

We’ve already mentioned that when we write things down on paper, it’s as if we are doing that very thing in our minds. So – when you write down your tasks, errands, appointments and reminders, we are far less likely to forget about them and much more likely to accomplish everything we write down.

Decreased Stress Levels

Writing things down decreases stress and anxiety levels. If your day ahead feels overwhelming, writing your to do lists down relieves those overwhelming feelings and allows you to focus on one task at a time. Writing things down also provides prospective. Tasks and responsibilities that seem stressful, when written down become manageable and you feel more able to tackle them.

planner organization

Photo by Alexa Williams on Unsplash

Increased Motivation

The beauty of having a paper planner rather than a digital planner is that you can utilize your own creativity when arranging tasks and responsibilities. Write down your favourite motivational quotes to help keep you in good spirits. Use colour and bold letters for those items you really want to remember and highlight. Make it fun! The more visually appealing your notes are, the more fun you will have with it, and the more likely you are to remember what you’ve written.

No Missed Appointments

If you’ve ever missed an appointment simply due to lack of planning, or even better – accidentally double-booked yourself – writing every appointment in your paper calendar will ensure you remember your appointments and keep them. You will feel more focused, organized and in charge of your day, rather than your day running you.

There are many ways to stay organized using an organizational planner system. Once you discover your best methods, you will find yourself more relaxed – knowing that your general everyday tasks are not forgotten – but in beautiful display. If you’re not accustomed to the benefits of a paper planner, we invite you to give it a try. Buy some pretty new pens or markers along with your planner and have fun with it. Keep it simple. We’d love to hear about your planning systems. Feel free to leave us a comment here or visit us on our Facebook page with pics of your planners!

organizing using calendar

How to Organize Your Professional Life

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Our homes are not the only place where organization can be of value. As workers and professionals, we have deadlines, projects and work during the week. It is challenging to organize your professional life with so many priorities, meetings and commitments. It is a reality that if your professional life is disorganized, it might be suffering. We’d like to introduce you to various tools that can put the spark back in your professional work life. These are some useful tools that have helped us to stay organized both in personal and professional life.

 

Evernote

This program allows you to keep track of one to one notes and to keep ideas you want to research and pursue. The best part, is the ability to search the topics and the keywords in the notes. The search function in this application alone sets a standard of the organization tool. Another feature of importance is the ability to organize the notes and tag them with useful keywords for search reference.

 

ColorNote

We have enjoyed making to-do-lists to satisfy our tasks. With the use of smartphones on the increase, we use the ColorNote app to organize our notes and create perfect to-do-lists on the go. With the app, it is easy to set up alerts, and reminders for each task – otherwise we may forget.

organizing using calendar

Calendar

You may use Gmail or outlook for your calendar needs. Digital calendars are great ways to help you stay organized. The time blocking tool on the schedule is a valuable tool to perform specific tasks. Research has shown that your are more likely to complete a task when it has been scheduled on your calendar.

 

Unrol.me

If you’re like me, you have an enormous email inbox full of subscriptions. It’s super stressful to open up your computer each morning to find an overwhelming amount of emails to tend to – most of which are not important. Unrol.me scans your inbox to provide a list of all your subscriptions. From this list you can then decide which to unsubscribe from and which to keep.

 

LastPass

Gone are the days of needing to create and remember all your passwords. Who uses the same password for everything? To give yourself more password variation with added security consider using a password manager such as Lastpass. Now you can relax in the knowing that the app is remembering all your passwords.

professional life organizational apps

Exercise + Self Care

This may seem like an odd item to list – but exercise is a great way to clear your mind and get focused. Step away from your desk and go for a quick walk – grab a glass of water while you’re at it. Taking a few minutes away from the task can prepare you mentally and physically to come back more energized and overall more organized. You will be refreshed, renewed and ready to get on top of the to-do-lists.

 

In our professional lives we are painfully aware that time is of the essence. Unfortunately, we cannot add hours to our days but by implementing some tools and applications today, we can become more organized and save ourselves time tomorrow. Give us a call if you need some extra support or advice on how to stay more organized in your professional life!

 

professional organizer help with moving

Reasons to Hire a Professional Organizer When Moving

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The average person will likely move up to 10 times in their lifetime. Shocking – I know! The mindset of a move creates an enormous amount of stress – even if the move is a positive one. Planning and organizing a move requires extra energy and time that we may not have in our already busy lives. Searching for our new home, arranging movers, turning services on or off, packing and unpacking. These become extra projects to manage during our non-working hours. A professional organizer can offer support from logistics to action-plans.  There are many reasons to hire a professional organizer prior to moving but we will share just a few with you here.

Organization

Professional Organizers often get called upon to assist with the task of getting organized prior to and during a move. They can assist with tasks such as providing a packing strategy, helping you decide which items to take and which to donate or toss. Juggling a variety of moving tasks isn’t easy. However, with the right organizational ‘know-how’, it can be done.

help with moving

Unpacking

Let’s not underestimate how expensive a move can become. There’s time taken off work, money spent on moving trucks or support, not to mention eating out costs because your kitchen is in disarray! If you hire a professional organizer for just one thing – let them help you unpack and organize your kitchen in your new home. If you’ve ever moved before, you know all too well how much time it takes just to un-pack and organize this one highly-valued room! Let the professionals tackle the load of unpacking while you get some work done, go grocery shopping, or better yet – take a nap!

While you’re settling into that new kitchen, remember the trucks hauling all those boxes face their own maze of responsibilities. Movers and logistics teams juggle tight schedules, fragile items, and long miles, and any unexpected bump in the road can send expenses soaring. Midway through planning, many companies factor in Cargo insurance cost to protect what they’re transporting, ensuring every dish, appliance, and cherished household item arrives safely. It’s one more layer of peace of mind so you can focus on making your new space feel like home while the pros handle the heavy lifting.

Downsize, Donate or Ditch

Professional Organizers can help you decide what to do with all of your belongings prior to the move. There will be items you want to move and items you’re unsure what to do with. An organizer will help you decide whether or not to donate items and will even have suggestions on where to donate your items. They can advise you to throw out items with no value and they’ll help you decide which items to take and help you sort, pack and label by room to make for an easy transition when unpacking.

Moving is considered one of the five most stressful events in life. We at ClutterBGone’s don’t want you to go it alone. Our Professional Organizing team specializes in making all aspects of your move as stress-free as possible. Call us today for a free consultation.

elderly parents moving

How to Talk to Your Elderly Parents About Downsizing

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Talking to your elderly parents about downsizing is one of the most challenging things. For the talk to yield positive fruits, you have to be cautious and steer the conversation in a subtle manner. The move might seem practical for the senior, but the thought of moving can provoke strong emotions. As the responsible party, you have to make the senior understand why this is in their best interest and why it has to be done which is challenging but not impossible.

Start the discussion as early as possible

How do your parents or the seniors in your life imagine their future? Before the move is immediately necessary, begin talking to them about other options to make the transition easier. Make sure you discuss the topic multiple times and show them the pros and not the cons of moving. This way, arriving at a decision you are both comfortable with is easier. Bring up a neighbour or an old friend who has downsized and talk to the senior about the advantages of the move.

Let the senior stay in control

Before you can figure out what to tell your elderly parents, listen to them first. Downsizing is emotional as it makes the seniors feel like they are losing control over their lives. State one fact before anything else that the decision to downsize is ultimately theirs and you are here to provide support and make suggestions. Never impose but instead, ask gentle questions about the current living situation and let them know how downsizing can help them improve and live a happier life.

elderly parents moving

Air your concerns

Most seniors respond best if you are open and honest. Instead of imposing, making choices, or controlling them, share your worries about their living conditions. Most of our elderly parents don’t like it when their children worry so much about them. For this reason, they won’t be defensive or feel upset if you express your fears and the desire for them to be safe and happy.

Downsizing is a sensitive topic for the elderly and it needs a subtle approach. Make plans with your parents if you want a smooth transition and figure out their idea of downsizing. Get to understand what is sensitive about it and how to best approach that. Elderly parents feel attached to their homes and that bond can be hard to break. Do it bit by bit and in a considerate manner and let the elderly parent feel in control at all times. Let them feel their decision is respected and appreciated.

If at any time you need a little extra help and support, we are just a call away to help with all your downsizing needs!

5 Questions to Ask Professional Organizer

5 Questions To Ask Any Professional Organizer

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We always learn so much from attending Professional Organizing conferences! With a growing number of dual-income families these days, there seems to be more money to spend on things you don’t want or like to do yourself. Thus, saving you time to do the things you really want to do. Also, many families are now downsizing to smaller homes as they get ready to retire and don’t have the knowledge or ability to downsize themselves, and don’t want to take things with them that they know they will not need. Lastly, many seniors are transitioning from their own homes to seniors’ residences or living with family and again need help with the move. As this business grows so do the companies and individuals that provide the service. It’s best that clients are informed, so we put together this list of questions that you should ask any Professional Organizer that you are thinking of hiring.

What are your qualifications?

Here in Canada there is a professional organization for professional organizers called the POC – Professional Organizers of Canada members are bound by their code of ethics to ensure that you receive trusted, confidential and committed service. We are trained and certified in organizing and downsizing techniques and have access to the latest trends and organizing items.

5 Questions To Ask Any Professional Organizer

Do you have insurance?

Much like movers, Professional Organizers should carry their own liability insurance to cover accidents or damage however caused. Of course we are all careful in our work but you never know when an accident can happen and if it does you want to ensure that you and the organizer are covered. After all, it is your home we are coming into.

Pricing

Make sure you have a complete understanding of what you are being charged and for what services. An hourly or  job rate can vary but the least expensive quote may not be the best. How many people are working on the project? How many hours are estimated to complete the project? What is your protection if the estimate far exceeds the projected time or cost? An experienced Professional Organizer can be fairly accurate in their estimate and will keep you updated on any changes.

How long have you been doing this?

We recently spoke to someone whose main occupation was that of a cleaning lady and she came upon an opportunity to help a client downsize. She called looking for tips on how to help someone downsize (we did not give her any!). It was obvious she had never done this before and after we got off the phone I remember thinking how this potential client may be feeling after the job is done. Like any other business it is difficult to get started and to get some experience under your belt, but if you have a big job that needs to be done, ensure that whoever does it is experienced.

Do you have references?

You would be amazed at the number of people that are embarrassed to ask for references. Get three and call one or two. Be sure to ask them at the end if they would hire them again if required and if not, why not?

So those are the must ask questions when you are looking for a Professional Organizer to help with your project. Just like ClutterBGone, ensure they are certified, insured and experienced and have references to back it up. Contact us when you are ready to begin your project in the GTA. We are ready for your questions!

Overwhelmed? Declutter to Reduce Stress

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Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed in your home; has your safe and peaceful place become your private hell? Do you find yourself easily distracted and unable to focus or is restful sleep eluding you? As humans, we accumulate things, many things, too many things over time and these very same items that may have once brought joy into your life are now causing distress. It’s time to get serious about decluttering. Parting with once prized possessions can be very stressful for some people but once they understand that clutter is a cause of stress and can negatively impact mental health it does become easier to take steps to eliminate the clutter.

Decluttering: Plan

Think about what will work best for you. For some people a weekend focused entirely on decluttering is a challenge they’ll happily rise to, for others 4 hours a day for a month could be a better option, keep in mind this method will take more time to get it all done but you will eventually get there. If you don’t have the time and want it done ASAP consider contacting a professional who can make this process a joyful breeze. Are you really going to be able to conquer the clutter in an entire house? A room-by-room strategy we find works best. In Decluttering to Reduce Stressfact, it’s best to plan to spend a few hours at a time organizing and decluttering this way you don’t burnout and your motivation will remain charged. Be honest with yourself and set achievable and realistic goals.

Decluttering: Pitfall Warning

It’s all too easy and enticing to head out and buy lots of containers and storage bins thinking that they will motivate you to get down to the business of decluttering – DON’T DO IT! Pick up free boxes to use while you sort but save the bin shopping until you know exactly what you need otherwise you may be stuck with bins that don’t work in your space and add to the clutter. A helpful tip, stay away from coloured bins, use clear bin where possible.

Decluttering: Complete the Task at Hand

Once you have created a plan and have your goals fresh in mind, dive into the clutter and begin sorting. Complete one task before moving onto another. For instance, start by grabbing a garbage bag and take out all the obvious garbage in the room you are starting with, remove all garbage before starting to organize remaining items. Completing one task before you start another will help you to feel like you are making progress and will keep you on track.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the clutter – feel free to reach out to us for a consultation. We specialize in giving you back your peace of mind!

Your Step by Step DeCluttering Guide

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Living in a cluttered environment can prove to be very stressful and pave the way to a whole host of other issues as well. Chaotic working and living environments have often been linked with anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health problems. In addition to that, a space that is not clean and tidy could undermine productivity and prevent you from performing at your best.

Here we will provide some tips on how you can prevent the aforementioned issues, as well as keeping your home or workspace decluttered and inviting, with this step by step decluttering guide!

Cleaning and Rearranging

People often think that their spaces are cluttered because they have too many things. At times, however, this Your Step by Step Decluttering Guideisn’t the case. In most cases, a cluttered space is that way only because you might not have found the right way to flatter your area with the way it’s set up and organized. Some organization experts have saved people thousands of dollars, and even saved them from having to get rid of some of their stuff, by simply helping them rearrange their spaces in a more suitable way. Sometimes, keeping a space clutter-free could really be all about redefining its layout and organization.

Removing Unwanted or Unnecessary Items

If all else fails, and you find it hard to organize your space due to the sheer amount of the things that you own, you should consider getting rid of some of your belongings (downsizing or decluttering). This could be quite a complex task for some people. Many of us struggle to see things we care about gone. Others always think that they might need something later on in life, so they don’t want to get rid of those things, just in case they might end up finding a use for them later on. Whatever the reason that keeps you from getting rid of your stuff, you should take a deeper look at yourself, and your things. Although you might feel like you’re giving up on something by throwing things out, you might stand to gain much more than you could possibly imagine, particularly in terms of peace of Your Step by Step Decluttering Guidemind.

Adopting healthier habits

Getting your space clean and organized is only half the battle. The other half? Keeping it that way! It’s quite easy to slip into your old habits if you are not careful. In order to prevent such issues, be sure to embrace a steady routine, and be mindful about keeping your space clean and organized on a regular basis. This way, daily maintenance will only take a few minutes of your time every day, and you won’t run into the same debilitating space issues again. 

Decluttering your space doesn’t have to feel stressful. If at anytime you’re in the midst of your decluttering process and need a little more guidance and support, we’re here for you! We here at ClutterBGone love supporting others in this journey!

 

the difference between a professional organizer and a cleaner_

Professional Organizer or Cleaning Service?

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What’s the difference between a professional organizer and a cleaner? How do they compare, and which one is best suited for your lifestyle? 

What’s a professional organizer?

A professional organizer is a trained and seasoned professional that teaches important organizing skills. Organizing may seem like a small thing but it’s essential to learn how to order the chaos of everyday life. An organizer will teach the client innovative and forward-thinking techniques to get in control of their household. On top of this, a professional organizer will also ensure that these methods are sustainable for their client’s day to day life, providing systems and homes for their client’s items. The end goal is to seamlessly integrate these lifestyle changes into the clients’ daily routine.

What does a professional organizer do?

When most people imagine an organizer, they start to get a little anxious. Do I want a stranger to tell me how to run my life? Will they make me throw everything away? Well, it’s a lot simpler then you think!

An expert organizer helps people to develop tried and tested techniques to bring order to their living space. This not only helps with maintaining a clean and tidy home but also managing daily stress and anxiety. Living in a home where every object has its place and is easy to find can have a significant impact on day-to-day life. De-cluttering the difference between a professional organizer and a cleaner_your home and discovering an organizing method or system that works best for you can be life-changing.

A professional organizer is friendly, open, and a great listener. They are dedicated to discovering the best solutions for their clients. It’s not about creating a perfect minimalistic space, but focusing on the clients’ goals and making their dream home a reality. A professional organizer understands it’s okay to want to live in abundance with the things you love, we just help to filter the things that you don’t love so you can make more room to enjoy the things you do.

What does a cleaning service entail?

A cleaning service is quite straightforward. A cleaner is an employee who regularly completes household chores. These duties may include washing the dishes, vacuuming floors, and completing laundry.  A cleaning service can be helpful to get control of the household mess and chaos. Yet, a cleaning service doesn’t instill life changes, values, systems or methods. An organizer not only helps you to organize effectively but also encourage you to take pride of your possessions and home.

In comparison to a cleaning service, an expert organizer can be a game changer. They can help to completely renovate your space without breaking down walls or structurally changing anything. We don’t hide the clutter, we confront it!

The difference between a professional organizer and a cleaner

The main difference between a cleaner and an organizer is that an organizer wants to help their clients realize their ideal life and home potential. Together, the customer and organizer will visualize what they want the future to be and break it down into manageable steps. The goal of an organizer is to create a technique and outlook that will last the test of time. A clean and organized home will leave the client more hours to relax and enjoy their new and improved space!

Looking for some support with your home organizing needs? We here at ClutterBGone service the Greater Toronto area – helping you bring calm to your chaos with our professional organizing services. Give us a call – we’re happy to get you a quote!

Spring Organizing Tips

Greet The Season With These Spring Organizing Tips

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All the best ways to greet spring with a decluttered home. Here are some Spring organizing tips!

Spring is finally here! Organizing your home is a great way to freshen up your living space to prepare for the beautiful weather ahead. Continue reading to discover some great Spring organizing tips for organizing your wardrobe, drawers, and communal spaces!

As the weather improves and flowers start to bloom it’s time to kick- start spring-cleaning. If you’re new to spring-cleaning or just want to change up your technique, check out our tips to revolutionize your clean this year! Continue reading to discover how to save space, time, and energy this spring.

Spring Organizing Tip 1: Say Goodbye To Winter!

Winter clothing usually takes up the most amount of space in dressers and closets. These items could anything from winter hats, scarves, jackets, thermals, socks, and boots. With the coming of spring, you can expect warmer weather so why keep all those bulky winter items in your valuable closet space?

Get all the winter goods that you don’t need for months ahead and place them in storage containers. You can keep these containers under the bed, attic, garage, or spare room. This will free up space and give you some room to start organizing! Keep in mind that this should be the first step in your spring-cleaning routine. It will make it a whole lot easier to start organizing and categorizing your space. There are still some chilly days ahead, so keep out any light spring gear to keep warm!

Spring Organizing Tip 2: Have a Garage Sale

Have you been obsessing over Marie Kondo’s brand new Netflix series? Well, its time to stop watching and start doing. It’s important to reduce the clutter of your home and only keep items that are important, useful, or make you happy. Spring-cleaning is the perfect opportunity to clear out junk, make some extra cash, and start off with a clean slate.

Organize a garage sale with your neighbors or take your things to local weekend markets. When spring rolls around you’ll be so glad that you cleared out so much space! By decluttering your home before you start to organize, you’ll make the job much easier on yourself.

Spring Organizing Tip 3: New Storage Units

Are you struggling to organize all your things? Do you feel like you never have space? Then it’s time to asses your current storage options and update your furniture. Many furniture stores offer innovative storage solutions that can revolutionize the way you organize. From hanging shoe racks to stylish document folders, check out what options there are that can help you to organize and style your home appropriately. Make sure you take advantage of vertical space and label every different section in your wardrobe. By giving a clear space for every item in your home you will

Spring Cleaning Tip - Have fun

Spring Cleaning Tip – Have fun

find it easier to keep organized all throughout the year.

Spring Organizing Tip 4: Make It Fun!

Re-organizing and clearing things out can get a little stressful. So reward yourself with making some interior decorating changes. You could create your own unique wall hanging or dye an old tablecloth a different color. Get into the DIY spirit and customize your home to suit your taste and personality. It will bring a distinctive edge and highlight all of your beautiful spring-cleaning efforts!

If you’re like us, you love checklists! You can download our Organizing Checklist here to help you along the way. And as always, if you need a little guidance or support, we’re just a call away. Happy Spring cleaning!

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