Organizing Tips and Tricks
Where to Recycle, donate and consign; the ultimate guide to sustainable decluttering in Kingston
As we head into spring there is often an urge to declutter to start the new season fresh. The most frequently asked question I get as a home organizer is where can I donate so that my items go to people who need them or so that the proceeds stay in the community. This list is focused on community minded organizations as well as consignment options so that you can make a little back too!
10 Minutes A Day To A More Organized Life
Organizing and decluttering can quickly and easily become overwhelming. It often feels like the space will take longer than the reality so it’s easier to just avoid it than start making progress. Rather than thinking of it as an all or nothing thing start by making small habit changes to incorporate a 10 minute tidy each day. Remember, the goal of an organized home is not perfection, its finding what you need when you need it. These simple tasks not only make life more manageable but also help reduce stress, create a sense of accomplishment, and ultimately, pave the way for a clearer mind.
How To Create Lasting Organization In Your Home
We’ve all heard it, New year, new me… Well I call bullshit! How many times have you made a resolution only to have it fail by the 10th? This year let's try something new, instead of changing yourself let’s change the systems that aren’t working.
The Pre Holiday Purge
The Holiday season is here and with it the joy that comes from traditions. From Decorating the house and the warm lights that come from the tree to baking our favourite holiday treats to cuddling up on the couch to watch our favourite Christmas movies, or driving around to look at all the lights. Another important but slightly less magical tradition is our pre holiday purge.
Guilt, Boundaries and Your Home
At what point do you say forget it and actively choose what belongs in your home instead of keeping things because you feel guilty getting rid of them? Imagine the day when you can fill your house with the things you really love and use instead of them being storage units for what others think is important.
Creating A More Equitable Home
In the last three years as a home organizer I’ve seen that in most homes one person is responsible for the majority of the household tasks. Some call it the mental load or emotional labour, but at the end of the day it is work that adds more to one person’s plate. The reality is that the person who’s taking on the burden of the household often finds themselves resenting their partner as they either have to do it all or delegate tasks rather than the partner seeing on their own what needs to be done. What’s worse is the partner who doesn’t participate criticizes the decision to hire help, they don’t see that there is a problem or worst of all think that it’s not their problem.
How To Pack Like A Pro
Summer means travel and since that’s one of my favourite things to do I thought it was about time to share my favourite packing tips.
5 Easy Organizing Projects to Tackle this Spring
Spring has arrived and with warmer days comes an opportunity to give our homes a refresh. This year I figured I’d keep spring organizing pretty simple, with the 5 spaces that you should tackle seasonally. It will make your home feel fresh without feeling completely overwhelming.
A Dream Pantry Makeover
Organizing a pantry is one of my favourite things to do and this one turned out to be the perfect example of how much of a difference organizing can make.
Digital Declutter: Photos
If you own an iPhone or basically any smartphone, it’s likely that it's your go-to camera to snap photos on the go. The iPhone camera is quick and easy to use, however, unless you're a pro at digital decluttering, you’d probably agree that the only number more haunting than your inbox is the one in your photo library. With the average iPhone holding over 258GB of storage, it's easy to rack that number up into the hundreds, or thousands. What's not so easy is trying to find the exact photo you're looking for or remembering what's even stored among all the random screenshots, pet pics, and food spreads. If this sounds anything like you, you may be in need of a Marie Kondo-style photo storage makeover, and I’m here to walk you through it. In this blog post, you'll find 4 Simple iPhone Photo Organizing Tips.
Part 2: How to Maintain Your New Year’s Intentions of Staying Organized
Traditionally, it seems that every year we start off with the best of intentions and the greatest ambitions, only to find ourselves in the same cluttered mess by the end of the month. So now that we have set our intentions to become more organized this New Year, it’s important to be determined and disciplined enough to follow through and maintain these intentions throughout the year, and hopefully, for the distant future. In this blog post, you’ll find part 2 of the New Year's Organizing Series including tips and tricks on how to maintain your New Year's Intentions on Staying Organized.
The Ultimate Guide To Organizing This New Year - Part 1
Wow! It’s crazy to think we're already two weeks into 2023. I don't know about you all, but this year for me is all about new beginnings. Last month I graduated from Queen’s University after a 4.5-year Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree and for the first time in my whole entire life, I don't have any academic obligations, exams, or deadlines. So what a more perfect time than the first month of 2023 to start implementing healthy habits, routines and intentions. Around this time of year, many of us take the time to make “New Year's Resolutions” or as I like to call them, “New Year's Intentions”, to implement positive changes in our lives for the new year. One of the best “intentions” you can set for the new year is to be organized. I know it seems broad, but it not only is simple and allows for flexibility and adaptation, but it also encourages continuity and maintenance. From organizing various rooms and spaces in your home to organizing your goals, finances and schedules, this two-part blog series covers Organization-Specific New Years Intentions you can implement to be more organized in 2023, as well as a How-To Guide on Maintaining Your Organizational New Year's Intentions.