One of the greatest things about our fast food nation is all the conveniently packaged freebies we get to load up on. No Chinese take-out meal would seem complete without the requisite assortment of sauces and fortune cookies. A visit to the local burger establishment would be deficient minus a ketchup packet or 3. We love them because they are so hygienic, unlike the big containers we have in our refrigerators that get crusty and fused shut along the handy flip-top cap. Still, you normally wind up using only a portion of what these eateries have generously supplied. Whatever is left over is simply slipped into a drawer to frolic with renegade toothpicks, old bottle caps, loose twist ties and a couple of paper napkins. Over time, you can accumulate quite a stash. Around the time that you are no longer able to close the drawer, you should mull over the idea of thinning them out. After all, they are food products that eventually do expire, despite the presence of an illegible date. Safety first!!
Challenge
Repeat after us. Thou shalt not save any of the following from this point forward:
Soy sauce packets
Sweet and Sour sauce packets
Artificial sweeteners from the coffee shop
Tartar sauce packets
Tiny coffee creamers
Mustard packages
Mayo packages
Salt and pepper shakers from airplanes (available in first Class or on foreign airlines only)
Wasabi packets
Oyster crackers that come with soup
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Other People
There is a point that almost everyone eventually reaches, when say they say "Enough"! The storage capacity is maxed. There’s no room in the closet for another thing. There are boxes that have remained unexplored for so long, they sport layers of dust and mold. The reasons and timing may differ, but the conclusion is the same. They must do something about the stuff that prevents the home from being a comfort zone.
Only, often they don’t know where to begin. We suggest evaluating how much of the clutter is actually yours versus someone else’s. Who do you know that has been using your basement, extra bedrooms, garage, attic or storage locker to preserve their stuff for immortality? Yes. We are talking about children or friends who are avoiding making decisions, typically hanging on to vestiges of former lives, due to your generosity. Of course, some may be away at school or travelling and may be saving furniture and other possessions for when they have larger living quarters. But the vast majority of excess belongings that we encounter at our clients’ homes don’t fit into those legitimate categories. They are the rusted bed frame left behind by an old friend who has since moved to another city. Or, they are abandoned collections of mildewed magazines and stuffed animals, that have been simply forgotten. Or perhaps binders that should have been returned to an organization for which you had once volunteered.
If you want to get serious about getting your clutter under control, you would be well served to contact those people who have been the beneficiaries of mini-storage at no charge and request that they come to confront and remove their personal artifacts from your premises. You need to communicate a sense of urgency, specifying deadlines and your intentions regarding future use of the space. Treat it like an appointment. Don’t be afraid to explain that unclaimed items would be donated to charity. You will be amazed at how much space you will free up, by reducing the volume of storage used by the "other people" in your home.
Only, often they don’t know where to begin. We suggest evaluating how much of the clutter is actually yours versus someone else’s. Who do you know that has been using your basement, extra bedrooms, garage, attic or storage locker to preserve their stuff for immortality? Yes. We are talking about children or friends who are avoiding making decisions, typically hanging on to vestiges of former lives, due to your generosity. Of course, some may be away at school or travelling and may be saving furniture and other possessions for when they have larger living quarters. But the vast majority of excess belongings that we encounter at our clients’ homes don’t fit into those legitimate categories. They are the rusted bed frame left behind by an old friend who has since moved to another city. Or, they are abandoned collections of mildewed magazines and stuffed animals, that have been simply forgotten. Or perhaps binders that should have been returned to an organization for which you had once volunteered.
If you want to get serious about getting your clutter under control, you would be well served to contact those people who have been the beneficiaries of mini-storage at no charge and request that they come to confront and remove their personal artifacts from your premises. You need to communicate a sense of urgency, specifying deadlines and your intentions regarding future use of the space. Treat it like an appointment. Don’t be afraid to explain that unclaimed items would be donated to charity. You will be amazed at how much space you will free up, by reducing the volume of storage used by the "other people" in your home.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Failure to Launch
Back at the end of March, Good Riddance’s services became the subject of piece in our local Vancouver newspaper under the rubric of Do It Better (www.theprovince.com/doitbetter). The reporter wanted to shoot a video that would showcase our de-cluttering process. Our clients, members of the Baby Boomer generation, looking forward to retirement and allegedly “empty nesters” agreed to become the case study for the report. I say allegedly because although their twenty-something children had left home, their belongings had not. In their son’s case, he had moved downtown, but his bedroom remained frozen in time, housing his clothing, music, sports equipment, books and memorabilia that he hadn’t the room for in his small apartment. Their daughter had likewise moved out on her own, only to return several years later with her craft supplies, collectables and wardrobe. When she came home, she deposited her bags and cartons in the finished basement, converting a would-be media room into warehouse space. We were brought in to organize the “wrecked’ room into a rec room.
Ever since the release of the comedy, “Failure to Launch”, much has been written about this phenomenon of the “boomerang” kids and the economic, social and psychological drivers responsible for the behavior. After a point, what parents don’t fantasize about reclaiming the house for their own purposes – converting bedrooms into home offices, gyms, and meditation or craft rooms? Is it not a reasonable expectation that when they do leave, that adult children take their possessions with them and not leave them with Mom or Dad for time immemorial? As professional organizers, we encounter many situations similar to the one described above. Parents often walk a thin line in making their adult children feel welcome while postponing their own plans for a post-child centric abode. We believe it is important for parents to address this with adult children. Expectations must be communicated, lest resentments build. Adult children need to understand that their family home should not be treated as a giant storage locker. Clutter is everyone’s responsibility, no matter what age. Use it or lose it!
Ever since the release of the comedy, “Failure to Launch”, much has been written about this phenomenon of the “boomerang” kids and the economic, social and psychological drivers responsible for the behavior. After a point, what parents don’t fantasize about reclaiming the house for their own purposes – converting bedrooms into home offices, gyms, and meditation or craft rooms? Is it not a reasonable expectation that when they do leave, that adult children take their possessions with them and not leave them with Mom or Dad for time immemorial? As professional organizers, we encounter many situations similar to the one described above. Parents often walk a thin line in making their adult children feel welcome while postponing their own plans for a post-child centric abode. We believe it is important for parents to address this with adult children. Expectations must be communicated, lest resentments build. Adult children need to understand that their family home should not be treated as a giant storage locker. Clutter is everyone’s responsibility, no matter what age. Use it or lose it!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
For Now=Forgetaboutit
Are you one of those people who is constantly on a search and find mission, always re-buying the same necessities because you don’t know where they are and feeling frustrated because you can’t seem to break the cycle? If this sounds remotely like you, chances are that you may suffer from the “For Now” syndrome.
As you are likely to be a busy person, pre-occupied with the things that really matter like performing well at your job, being a nurturing spouse, friend or parent, keeping yourself in shape or finding parking, you may not be placing significant focus on what happens to things when they enter your home. Just coming in the front door you are generally greeted with mail and periodicals. You probably have packages in your hands. The phone is beeping. On your way out, there are even more distractions. So, what generally happens is that things get placed "temporarily" until you have the time to deal with them properly. You tell yourself, I will put this here for now – a drawer, a table, a pile, in a plastic bag – instead of in the room or cabinet where they actually belong. And there’s the rub.
When your things don’t have a permanent home, they have a tendency to become forgotten. You pay the price in lost time, productivity and low self-esteem. Fitting everything into a busy schedule is challenging enough without spending another 25 minutes hunting down missing keys, permission slips and overdue books.
In 2008, make the extra effort to develop and maintain logical locations for new purchases, important papers and indispensible tools like telephones. Don’t fall into the “for now” trap. Those are two words to eliminate from your vocabulary and you’ll stay on top of your clutter
As you are likely to be a busy person, pre-occupied with the things that really matter like performing well at your job, being a nurturing spouse, friend or parent, keeping yourself in shape or finding parking, you may not be placing significant focus on what happens to things when they enter your home. Just coming in the front door you are generally greeted with mail and periodicals. You probably have packages in your hands. The phone is beeping. On your way out, there are even more distractions. So, what generally happens is that things get placed "temporarily" until you have the time to deal with them properly. You tell yourself, I will put this here for now – a drawer, a table, a pile, in a plastic bag – instead of in the room or cabinet where they actually belong. And there’s the rub.
When your things don’t have a permanent home, they have a tendency to become forgotten. You pay the price in lost time, productivity and low self-esteem. Fitting everything into a busy schedule is challenging enough without spending another 25 minutes hunting down missing keys, permission slips and overdue books.
In 2008, make the extra effort to develop and maintain logical locations for new purchases, important papers and indispensible tools like telephones. Don’t fall into the “for now” trap. Those are two words to eliminate from your vocabulary and you’ll stay on top of your clutter
Monday, June 23, 2008
Top 10 Packing Tips
The recent hike in fuel costs has resulted in airlines having to increase costs and pass them onto the consumer. Most notably many airlines are now charging a fee for luggage over 23 kilos. Don't even think about trying to check 2 pieces of luggage as more than likely, you will be charged for that 2nd piece. This alone can add more stress to an already stressful endeavour. That said, now more than ever, we are being approached by the media for our opinion on how to pack a suitcase. So, we have come up with our top 10 packing tips:
1. Make sure your suitcase is a newer, lighter model and choose a medium size
2. Give yourself enough time to pack (it takes longer than you think)
3. Roll your clothes
4. Employ the use of compression bags or space bags
5. Only pack clothing and shoes that you love...don't pack things you think you might wear.
6. Use small containers for your shampoo and cosmetics
7. Separate toiletries into ziplock bags that you can tuck into small spaces in your suitcase
8. Ensure your on-board bag has a change of clothes just incase your suitcase doesn't arrive
9. Bring only 3 pairs of shoes
10. Stuff socks into shoes to maximize space
We hope this helps you for your next trip!
1. Make sure your suitcase is a newer, lighter model and choose a medium size
2. Give yourself enough time to pack (it takes longer than you think)
3. Roll your clothes
4. Employ the use of compression bags or space bags
5. Only pack clothing and shoes that you love...don't pack things you think you might wear.
6. Use small containers for your shampoo and cosmetics
7. Separate toiletries into ziplock bags that you can tuck into small spaces in your suitcase
8. Ensure your on-board bag has a change of clothes just incase your suitcase doesn't arrive
9. Bring only 3 pairs of shoes
10. Stuff socks into shoes to maximize space
We hope this helps you for your next trip!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
100 Things
OK - we haven't commented for quite some time...I guess life got in the way. Susan and I have been very busy with several projects and in March I decided to take a trip to Italy for 2 weeks. Then upon my return immediately move to a new condo. Whew! Glad that's over. There's nothing like downsizing to keep you honest. All that "stuff" my husband and I thought we needed but now really don't....
things like this 
that we used to really love or that 
we always meant to refinish. But the greatest reward from downsizing is that you can't take it all with you. This is a very liberating experience because the process forces you to make the best and wisest choices. Simply put, you must let go of some of your things. Speaking of things, you must visit this website http://www.guynameddave.com/. His challenge is to bring his personal possessions down to just 100 items by November 2008. He will then live for one year with just 100 personal "things". What a challenge! His blog is interesting and includes lists of the items he currently has as well as some categories of things that are exempt from his 100 count. His latest count brings him to 97 items but he feels he has forgotten a few things. We're looking forward to keeping tabs on his progress.
that we used to really love or that 
we always meant to refinish. But the greatest reward from downsizing is that you can't take it all with you. This is a very liberating experience because the process forces you to make the best and wisest choices. Simply put, you must let go of some of your things. Speaking of things, you must visit this website http://www.guynameddave.com/. His challenge is to bring his personal possessions down to just 100 items by November 2008. He will then live for one year with just 100 personal "things". What a challenge! His blog is interesting and includes lists of the items he currently has as well as some categories of things that are exempt from his 100 count. His latest count brings him to 97 items but he feels he has forgotten a few things. We're looking forward to keeping tabs on his progress. Monday, February 4, 2008
Skeletons in the closet
Buried deep in the closets of many Canadian homes are treasures from the past. But are these treasures weighing you down or are you enjoying them? Our clients tell us they can’t believe what their closets hold until they have to pack them up to move. You’d be surprised to realize how many boxes worth of stuff are jammed into our closets. If your son or daughter is married and have kids of their own and you are still holding onto you’re their grade 3 paper-maché art projects you may want to ask yourself why? Are you living in the past or the present? Sometimes we have comical reasons why we keep things. OK – true confessions! In my jewelry box I still have a lapel pin my 4 year old son made for me…he’s now 22! I never wear it but I do keep it as a reminder of what a great little artist he was and still is. At least it doesn’t take up too much room. On the other hand we’ve seen some clients keep every piece of art work their kids ever made. This can result in boxes not only being stored in the closet but also in the spare bedroom, the attic and the garage! Do you have a true confession? Please share!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Not a moving experience!
She was at her wits end when we got the call! This past November we worked with a woman who recently moved to Vancouver from Hamilton to be closer to her children. What should have been a transforming experience turned out to be chaotic, disappointing and botched by unqualified, uncaring movers. Though the company (who shall remain unnamed) has been in business for many years, my client and I discovered after doing a bit of on-line research and blogging, her debacle was not an uncommon occurrence with others who had used this company.
We won’t go in to absolute detail but her story is as follows. After deciding to move to the Coast her daughter thought she’d found the perfect company to assist with moving her Mother across the country. My client knew she was in trouble when the day before her scheduled move, they called to confirm the time the movers were to arrive. The agreed time did not sound right and she questioned whether they’d have enough time to pack all of the contents of her apartment. “Oh, we have to pack your items too?” said the guy on the line. At this point, it was too late to make any changes and Jane (not her real name) hoped for the best. After all, the company has been in business for a long time.
When the movers arrived the next day, Jane left the apartment so as not be in the way of the movers. Now, let me explain, Jane is a senior, has MS and is in a wheelchair and felt she would simply be in the way.
We will spare you all the details – suffice it to say her items did not arrive in tact nor did they arrive on time. Jane had to take up residence at the local YWCA because they couldn’t find her items and therefore she could not move into an empty apartment. She had to hound them daily by phone to ask them to find her stuff. Many times her calls were not returned by anyone from the administration office. Finally when her items arrived, furniture had not been packed properly and had been damaged in the move, items were missing, components of some of her furniture were missing (like the glass shelves from her china cabinet and the hose from her vacuum cleaner), items had been dumped into boxes with opened powder detergent resulting in spoiled contents of boxes. This is just a sampling of problems that were encountered. We simply want to make a point because our client realized she had made one grave error. She had not done her homework on the company she was employing to move her. Secondly, she realized she should have never left the premises and assumed the contents of your home were being handled with care.
It wasn’t until after this harrowing experience that Jane realized that there are many blogs filled with complaints and horror stories from others who have used this company. If this helps at least one person – then our job is done. Remember – do your due diligence before employing anyone to help you move.
We won’t go in to absolute detail but her story is as follows. After deciding to move to the Coast her daughter thought she’d found the perfect company to assist with moving her Mother across the country. My client knew she was in trouble when the day before her scheduled move, they called to confirm the time the movers were to arrive. The agreed time did not sound right and she questioned whether they’d have enough time to pack all of the contents of her apartment. “Oh, we have to pack your items too?” said the guy on the line. At this point, it was too late to make any changes and Jane (not her real name) hoped for the best. After all, the company has been in business for a long time.
When the movers arrived the next day, Jane left the apartment so as not be in the way of the movers. Now, let me explain, Jane is a senior, has MS and is in a wheelchair and felt she would simply be in the way.
We will spare you all the details – suffice it to say her items did not arrive in tact nor did they arrive on time. Jane had to take up residence at the local YWCA because they couldn’t find her items and therefore she could not move into an empty apartment. She had to hound them daily by phone to ask them to find her stuff. Many times her calls were not returned by anyone from the administration office. Finally when her items arrived, furniture had not been packed properly and had been damaged in the move, items were missing, components of some of her furniture were missing (like the glass shelves from her china cabinet and the hose from her vacuum cleaner), items had been dumped into boxes with opened powder detergent resulting in spoiled contents of boxes. This is just a sampling of problems that were encountered. We simply want to make a point because our client realized she had made one grave error. She had not done her homework on the company she was employing to move her. Secondly, she realized she should have never left the premises and assumed the contents of your home were being handled with care.
It wasn’t until after this harrowing experience that Jane realized that there are many blogs filled with complaints and horror stories from others who have used this company. If this helps at least one person – then our job is done. Remember – do your due diligence before employing anyone to help you move.
Monday, January 14, 2008
If You Were Not Born with the Organizing Gene - Move to Another Room
Try to imagine a shopping experience in your home. Does your house or apartment resemble a department store? Stores are designed to assist people in finding what they need. A large store would no sooner combine kitchen gadgets with lingerie than they would offer baked goods and snow tires at the same counter. When applying this concept to your own living space, think of how you organize your storage, closets and rooms. Do you have closets that are repositories for cartons of books, gift wrap, mountains of greeting cards received over the years as well as clothing? Are you storing paperwork in your kitchen cupboards, bedroom side tables and your home office? Do you scatter tools in every room in the house? Are there extra dishes in the bathrooms?
Monday, January 7, 2008
Hoarders
Everyone was talking about it …. the two part Oprah show entitled “Inside the Lives of Hoarders” which aired November 15th and 16th. Kudos to Oprah for shedding light on this misunderstood topic as it may be more common than you think. http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/home/repair/slide/20071115/repair_20071115_350_101.jhtml
This was a fascinating show depicting the struggles of one woman whose hoarding affected her entire family. If you saw the show, we welcome your comments.
Our experience tells us one thing – you cannot help a hoarder until they are ready to help themselves. The worst thing to do is to step into their home uninvited and think you are doing them a great service by clearing their clutter and organizing their space. That’s the worse thing you can do! They have to be mentally ready to part with their “stuff”. A hoarder normally has very deep-seeded reasons associated with this behavior and should seek professional help. The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) has created a Clutter-Hoarding Scale as an assessment measurement tool. Visit them at http://www.nsgcd.com/
This was a fascinating show depicting the struggles of one woman whose hoarding affected her entire family. If you saw the show, we welcome your comments.
Our experience tells us one thing – you cannot help a hoarder until they are ready to help themselves. The worst thing to do is to step into their home uninvited and think you are doing them a great service by clearing their clutter and organizing their space. That’s the worse thing you can do! They have to be mentally ready to part with their “stuff”. A hoarder normally has very deep-seeded reasons associated with this behavior and should seek professional help. The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) has created a Clutter-Hoarding Scale as an assessment measurement tool. Visit them at http://www.nsgcd.com/
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
It’s Your Move…
We recently discovered a great thing and want to share it with you. When moving is right up there with death and divorce when it comes to stress, anything to make it a more pleasing experience is worth sharing! The company is called It’s Your Move. They make packing and moving easier and environmentally friendly too! They address the question: “What do you do with all those boxes after your move? Instead of using cardboard boxes they rent out stackable, plastic boxes on a dolly. They deliver the boxes to you AND pick them up at the end of your move after you’ve emptied them. Their prices are reasonable and comparable to what you would pay for cardboard boxes. Visit their website at http://www.saynotoboxes.com/
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