Articles

By Martha Tobin

by Martha Tobin

by Martha Tobin

Six years ago my mom and my youngest brother died twelve days apart and my world fell apart. In quick succession we then had to empty and sell my mom’s home and empty my brother’s apartment.

I ended up with a lot of items that fell under the heading of ‘memorabilia’. For a few months these items sat in a pile in the middle of our living room as I didn’t have the emotional strength to tackle it.

When I did start to go through these items, it was a sad but beautiful experience that made me realize that while I had kept some of these items more out of grief than memory; other items conjured up vivid, powerful memories.

Here are the determining factors regarding memorabilia that I kept (and you may find helpful):

• Does it conjure up a good memory? (i.e. photos)
• Would it be something I would want to display in our home? (i.e. painting)
• Is it something I would wear or use? (i.e. recipes)
• Is it something that I can store but access easily? (i.e. letters)
• Is it relevant generational information for our children? (i.e. old passports)

In the end, I kept some photos, letters, handwritten recipes, a few clothes, a recording of their voices, some paintings etc. And I have found sacred spots for these to ‘live’ in our home.

There is nothing that will ever replace the loss of a loved one but having their energy around you in the form of memories that you can glance over at will bring you joy.

At the end of any decluttering journey there is always a ‘lightness’ that makes life more hopeful and encourages self-awareness so that you can move forward with your plans and dreams.

Keep your treasures….better yet, find them a place to live in your home where they can be enjoyed everyday.

by Martha Tobin

More and more these days, the younger generation is saying ‘thanks but no thanks’ to the items generously offered to them by their parents and grandparents.

Instead this younger audience tends to favour a more contemporary, cleaner aesthetic that doesn’t include fancy dishes, serving platters, china cabinets, boxes of old family photos, VHS tapes or photo albums, old handmade quilts, antique dolls or figurines.

The younger generation are very aware that due to the rising cost of living, their starter homes will be smaller with less storage space.  They also know that most of their parents and grandparents’ furniture and collections have likely depreciated in value. So while these items hold meaning and memories for you, the reality is that these items have little sentimental or monetary value for them.  

Additionally young adults these days value experiences more than acquiring things. Their priorities are travel, flexibility and freedom and they know that ‘stuff’ will only weigh them down.

So what can you do with all of your furniture and collections that your kids have indicated they don’t want?

If you want to sell your items here are a few options:

–yard or garage sale

–post items on online marketplaces

–reach out to an estate or auction company

–take them to consignment stores

If you want to give your items away here are a few options:

–put them on a Buy Nothing group

—donate them to a local charity

–post them on the GiveShop app.

Determining what you want to do with your items well-ahead of time will allow you to start the decluttering process at your own pace and perhaps find someone who treasures your items like you do.  

While getting rid of items you spent money on can be difficult, the burden of ‘clutter’ can be equally costly in terms of time, focus, energy and space.  And it can be costly both emotionally and physically to your kids if in the end they have to do all the decluttering when you are no longer able to do it.  

“If everything is special than nothing is.”

(Ruth Soukup)

by Martha Tobin

Do you feel like you have too much stuff?   Life is hectic and there’s no question we all need things to run our homes, our lives and to function day-to-day like dishes, clothing, toiletries, tech items, tupperware, and gift wrap, etc.  

But how to determine if you have too much stuff?  Here are 10 questions to ask yourself:

#1. Is your home making you feel stressed and overwhelmed?  Your home should be where you recharge and unwind.  

#2. Do you lose items or can’t find items when you want them (i.e. keys, receipts for returns, items to give back to a friend, etc)?

#3. Do you have duplicates of items – maybe that you bought because you couldn’t find the original (i.e. gift wrap bags, sunscreen, travel mugs)

#4.  Do you have boxes in your home that you’ve never opened, unwrapped or used. Maybe you’re not even sure what’s in them anymore. Maybe they ‘moved’ with you.

#5.  Are you finding that you have to buy more and more storage bins and baskets to store all your things?  More containers or off-site storage units are rarely the solution.

#6.  Are you embarrassed to have people over as they’ll see the state of your home?  Often clutter causes shame and this can lead to loneliness when we keep others at a distance. 

#7. Do you repeatedly try and organize but within a short time, it’s back to its original mess? When you have more stuff than you have space for organizing is not maintainable. 

#8. Are the surfaces of your home covered with stuff and you find your home difficult to clean?  Clutter everywhere makes moving items around to clean very challenging. 

#9.  Do you feel distracted and find it difficult to focus or be productive? Having too much stuff around you overloads your senses.

#10.  Are you hanging onto items in case you’ll need them someday?  Keeping ‘just in case’ items is always going to cost you space so determining when you last needed the item is a good gauge to know if you still need to hang on to it. 

When the stuff in your home starts to weigh you down and fences you in, decluttering is key.  Our ‘stuff’ should never control us.  Experiences and the people in our lives are where our memories are made. 

Need some quick, non-judgemental help?  Reach out to me for a free consultation.

by Martha Tobin

I don’t know about you but for me there is nothing like getting a good sleep.  It allows me to wake up energized, recharged and refreshed.  A good night’s sleep affects our mood, how we get along with others, how we think, react, work and learn.

Cluttered bedrooms remind us of our hectic lives so it’s really important to remove these distractions to be able to truly unwind.

Here are 6 tips to create a place of peace in your bedroom:

1. Spend a few minutes everyday putting things back where they live in your bedroom (i.e. clothes back in closets or drawers, shoes back in a shoe rack.
2. Return items to their rightful locations in your home (i.e. dishes back to the dishwasher, laptop back to your home office.
3. Add some baskets and bins to sort ‘like with like’ (i.e. phone chargers, tech accessories, adaptors in one, magazines and books in another).
4. Add some vertical shelving to make the most of your bedroom storage and keep items from piling up on the floor.
5. Eliminate potential distractions by moving them elsewhere (i.e. workout equipment to another room)
6. Remove trash from your bedroom or out of sight by adding a trashcan with a lid in a corner of the room.

A peaceful bedroom is going to create a relaxing vibe and encourage a restful and restorative sleep.

As Charlotte Bronte once said, “a ruffled mind makes a restless pillow”.

by Martha Tobin

As we move into the month of February, the winter weather and less daylight hours can begin to give you cabin fever. And of course, if you are also feeling weighed down and fenced in by your ‘stuff’, it can make you feel even more blue and overwhelmed.

Perhaps this is the year that you decide that your ‘stuff’ is no longer going to control your day-to-day enjoyment and your productivity.

Maybe this is the year you want to have friends over to your place again or maybe you just want to feel some calm when you enter your home so that you can truly recharge there.

With that in mind, here are 8 things you can start to declutter and get out of your home:

–Kitchen utensils you no longer use

–Clothing that is damaged, stained or no longer fits

–Tupperware that doesn’t match up

–Dead or sick plants

–Old magazines

–Broken footwear

–Toys your kids don’t play with

–Bags/boxes of donations you’ve been meaning to drop off

Need some assistance making decisions about items you are hanging onto? Declutter4Good can help.

Martha Tobin

As seen on CTV Morning Live (Jan 28, 2025)

6 Benefits of decluttering to move: 

• Selling a home is one of the biggest returns on investment 

• Important to create a good first impression to potential buyers

• Starting early gives you a headstart on moving and packing 

• Decluttering creates more space in the home 

• Decluttering neutralizes the home 

• Decluttering makes for better listing photos and showings 

6 Effective Downsizing and Decluttering Tips

1. Start early and schedule decluttering times 
2. Consider the logistics of your new home 
3. In current home, start with the least used room
4. Keep only what you need, use, want and love for your new home
5. Pack your ‘keep for new home items’ as you declutter  
6. Set up a 7 ‘box system’ for sorting: 

• Trash
• Recycle
• Shred
• Donate – charities list at www.Declutter4Good.ca
• Sell
• ‘Maybe’ items
• Items for later review  

What you are left with is your ‘keep for now’ items 

 5 Tips to Declutter any room:

Process to tackle any room 

• Start with items on the floor 
• Items on surfaces 
• Closets/shelving 
• Sort ‘like with like’ items 
• Ensure any essential ‘keep for new home’ items are clearly labelled when packed 

 8 Questions to ask yourself as you are sorting

1. Have you used this item in the past year?

2. Would I buy this item again?

3. Is this item worth the time, energy and money to move with it? 

4. Where will this item live in your new home?

5. Is this item worth repairing?

6. Do I own something similar?

7. Is this item worth the space it will be taking up?

8. Could someone else use this item more than me? (Declutter4Good.ca/charities)

by Martha Tobin

While there is no doubt that decluttering will give you more space and calm, many people continue to put it off to ‘another day’.

Here are the top 6 reasons why people don’t declutter:
1). Lack of time
2). Not motivated
3). Unsure about where to start
4). Little support from others in the family
5). Uncertain about being able to accomplish the task
6). Overwhelmed by the thought of it

If any of these reasons resonate with you, you are not alone. Every client at Declutter4Good has mentioned one (if not all) of these reasons when they have reached out to ask for our assistance.

And that’s ok. Decluttering can be challenging. For some Tips & Tricks, check the drop down menu on this website.

If you would like some assistance, reach out so that Declutter4Good can quickly and efficiently declutter any space that has become a problem. We know what to do, where to start, how to help you make decisions and how to accomplish your decluttering goal. And we make it fun!

Once you start decluttering you’ll feel lighter and more in control of your life. And isn’t that a great way to start the year – with more space, more calm, and more focus? We’re here to help you get there.

“Your home should be a reflection of you – not a distraction to you”.
(Sarah Nettleton)

Martha Tobin

Getting your closets organized and decluttered can make a huge difference in your home as they offer great storage space (top shelves, bottom of closet and hanging area).

Here are a few tips & tricks for getting started:

• Start with your least-used closet as you are probably less emotionally attached to those items so you’ll see progress and be inspired to continue.  
• Begin with items on the closet floor, then the top closet shelves and then those items that are hanging.  
• Declutter items by asking yourself these questions:
  • When was the last time you used this item?
  • Does this item need repair and if repaired, are you likely to use this item again? 
  • Is this item worth holding onto and does it merit the space it is taking up?  
  • By having fewer clothes will it make it easier to choose items that compliment your current size and style?
  • Can you create a ‘maybe’ pile for undecided items and then circle back to these in a couple of days to make a decision?
  • Why not give the current season’s items premium spots in your closet and store out-of-season items in less easily accessed areas of your closet?
  • How about adding labelled baskets/canvas bins to contain ‘like with like’ items (i.e work out wear, scarves etc)?

By decluttering items that you no longer need, use or wear, you can focus on items that truly reflect your lifestyle and who you are now.  Decluttering always frees up valuable space and makes finding and returning items easier.

As an added incentive this is a great time of year to donate clothing (especially winter clothing, coats, boots and winter accessories).  There are many in need who would benefit by having items you no longer need or want.