Articles

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.

by Martha Tobin

Now that the holidays are over, you probably have more stuff than you have space for.  Between all the gifts, the gift wrap and the newly purchased holiday decor, your spaces are probably feeling quite cramped.

If that’s the case, here are some options where you can donate items you no longer need or use.  You’ll get more space and others in need in our community will receive items they desperately need.  

—House2Home – Furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies, towels, sewing machines, carpets and art

—Caldwell Family Centre – Clothing, unopened personal care items, linens and kitchen dishes and small appliances

—Habitat for Humanity – Gently used home goods and building materials, furniture, housewares & décor, home appliances, electronics, fixtures, flooring, lighting, doors and windows (in good condition/full working order)

—Hakim Optical – Eyeglasses (including both prescription and non-prescription sunglasses)

—Heartwood House – Computer equipment and other electronics for reuse, repair or environmentally friendly recycling

—Helping with Furniture – small kitchen appliances, lamps, flatscreen TVs over 27′ and stands; couches, love seats, living room chairs, curtains, brackets/rods, bed frames, box springs, mattresses, tablets and laptops

—Cornerstone Housing for Women: furniture, toiletries, linens, clothing for women

—OrKidstra – Musical instruments in good working order (no pianos, keyboards, guitars or drum kits)

—Ottawa Outdoor Gear library – A broad range of outdoor gear (i.e. camping, outdoor sports and games, and yoga)

—Ottawa Tool Library – Household tools in good working order

—The Well – New and unopened toiletries

—Friends of the Ottawa Library – books

—Product Care Recycling – old/leftover residential paint and spray paint

**Refer to these websites to determine what is being currently accepted

**For more donation locations check out Declutter4Good.ca

by Martha Tobin, Owner Declutter4Good

Whether your children are young, in their teens or older, the colder weather means more indoor time.  And for the sake of everyone’s sanity, having a designated space in your home where they can play or lounge is key.

If you want to create this space in your basement, a spare room or your family room, sometimes it requires decluttering and organizing to achieve that vision.

Here are a few tips & tricks to make that easier:

1. Start with items on the floor first (and once this is done move to surfaces and then shelving)
2. Clear out any obvious garbage, paper or items that can be recycled
3. Sort the remaining items into broad categories (i.e. books, clothing, toys, etc)
4. Review the items in these piles and determine if they are to be kept or purged (i.e. outgrown clothing, old toys, books already read, etc)
5. Pack up items to be purged into a few labelled boxes (i.e. to donate, to sell, to give to family/friends, etc)
6. What you are left with are your ‘keeps’.  For any item you are keeping, determine where that item is going to ‘live’ in your home (ie books on a bookshelf, clothing back in dressers, toys into a toy box etc)

Items need to have a place to ‘live’ in your home so that everyone knows where to find them and to return them.  

When items don’t have a place to live, they just end up moving around your home nomadically and ultimately become a pile somewhere.  

Finding a home for your items makes organizing easy and more maintainable.

Decluttering a room reveals its essence and allows you to create a space your children will love.

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

I read recently that one of the top regrets amongst palliative care patients is that they wished they’d had the courage to live a life more true to themselves.

Certainly we all have regrets about things we did or didn’t do. It’s part of the kaleidoscope of life. Sometimes though, we get a second chance to grab at those missed opportunities.

This coming new year is there a second chance you could reach for?

Maybe it’s to take up photography, host more get-togethers with friends, set up a reading nook in your home, or just be more present with yourself and those you love.

If organizing and decluttering can help you move you forward so you can live your best life, we would love to be a part of this journey.

At Declutter4Good we help clients create calm environments in their homes so that they can recharge and refocus on what’s truly important to them.

As the saying goes, ‘this is not a dress rehearsal’. If not now, then when?

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you imagined.” (Henry David Thoreau)

Feeling deflated by the thought of decluttering and organizing on your own?

At Declutter4Good we know how to make any home more calm, spacious, organized and maintainable.

Reach out and we’ll show you how quickly we work so that

your dream for your home becomes a reality.

***And on any job we’ll take your donations to local charitable organizations***

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

8 questions to ask yourself about the ‘stuff’ in your home:
–Do you find it difficult to keep rooms clean and tidy?
–Do you waste a lot of time looking for items?
–Do you purchase duplicates because you can’t find the original items?
–Does your home make you feel stressed?
–Do you repeatedly organize your home with little success?
–Are your closets, cabinets and shelves at capacity?
–Are the majority of your surfaces covered?
–Do you feel anxious about having people over?

8 Benefits of organizing and decluttering:
–More space to move around (and safer spaces)
–Knowing where to find items when you need or want them
–Better overall mental well-being
–Improved relationships with more attention to present moments
–Less energy and time wasted trying to find items
–Increased productivity and focus due to less distractions
–Easier to clean your home with less stuff to work around
–More money now that you know what you already have

Wasting time, money and energy on accumulating items you don’t need, use, want or love will not bring joy or contentment.
In fact, too much ‘stuff’ will likely keep you from lasting happiness.

“Never underestimate the importance of abandoning crap you don’t need. It has the power to change your life dramatically.”
(Joshua Becker, founder on Becoming Minimalist)

Wondering what to get someone you love this year for Christmas? Or maybe you’re wondering what they can give you?

How about a gift certificate for an organizing and decluttering session?

No one likes to feel overwhelmed by the amount of ‘stuff’ they have. A home should be your sanctuary where you/your family can recharge and rejuvenate. Working with Declutter4Good can quickly allow you to see results and hope.

As professional organizers Declutter4Good makes the organizing and decluttering process easy. We’ll keep you focused and motivated so that you can achieve the vision you have for the space(s) you currently find unmanageable and daunting.

And for those items you no longer want we’ll take them and deliver them to local charitable organizations. This is part of our Donations That Do Good program as we see this as a Win-Win-Win: you get more space and calm; people in need in our community get the items they require and our planet benefits by not having those items go into landfills.

An organizing and decluttering gift certificate is the gift that keeps on giving!

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

The holidays are a time when you want your home to look and feel its best.   Whether that’s because guests will be dropping by or

for our own peace of mind so that you can truly relax.

Quick wins for organizing and decluttering will allow you to see progress before the holidays and will motivate you to continue.

Areas to focus on for quick wins:

—front entrance/hall closet

—kitchen counter

—dining room table

—bathroom counter

Tip for quick wins:

Create some cardboard boxes and label them:

• donation
• sell
• recycle/trash
• memorabilia
• documents

Questions to ask yourself as you tackle areas:

• Have I used this item in the past 6 months or year?
• Am I likely to use this item again?
• Do I have something similar that can do the same job?
• Does the item need to be repaired to be functional?
• Where is it going to live in my home?

Quick wins do not involve scooping all items into a box to get them out of view.  Important items will get lost and inevitably make the situation more overwhelming after the holidays.

Like dieting, quick wins for organizing and decluttering will allow you to see your progress and this will motivate you to continue.

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

It’s a great time of year to be changing over your seasonal wardrobe ensuring less cluttered and more organized closets.

• Pack out-of-season items in large, clear labelled bins (labels specific to different family members)
• Add items you no longer need or want (i.e. due to fit, colour, style etc) to a donation bin
• Have a couple of donation bins in your home to make decluttering easier (i.e. guest room closet and/or basement laundry room)
• Consider using thin, felt hangers in your closets as they are durable, non-slip and save space
• As you hang up your current season’s items, turn the hangers around. When you wear the item for the first time, turn the hanger back the right way so that you can easily know at the end of season what you did and didn’t wear
• Put ‘like with like’ clothing together (i.e. skirts, pants, dresses) to be able to see your wardrobe at a glance
• Colour group items in each of these categories to see your volume per colour and avoid duplicate purchasing
• For the upper shelves of closets, use labelled canvas bins/baskets to make the most of this vertical space (versus piling items on top of one another)
• Sort items ‘like with like’ in these bins/baskets (i.e. jeans, work out clothes)
• Use shelf risers to add additional shelving (i.e sweaters and hoodies)
• To make the most of under-used spaces on the back of doors, use over-the-door hooks and over-the-door shoe racks

Check out my recent appearance on CTV Morning Live discussing all of the above.

Decluttering, organizing and maintaining closets is always easier and more maintainable when you have good systems in place.

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

Moving from any home can be stressful but moving from a larger home to a smaller dwelling (i.e. condo or retirement residence) can be even more challenging.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help make the process easier:

1. Start early.  Even if you don’t have a move date in mind, it’s never too early to let go of items you (and your family) no longer need, use, love or want. 
2. Consider the size of place you will most likely be moving to (ie. one bedroom, smaller kitchen, one bathroom)
3. Work in your least used room first leaving areas like the primary bedroom, bathroom, office and kitchen for last.  Often the basement or a spare room is a good starting point.
4. Work in one room at a time.  
5. Start with items on the floor first and work your way up (ie then surfaces and then shelving).  
6. Set up three categories in each room:  
   1. Keep for now
   2. Keep for later (only needed after you move)
   3. Items to purge (donate, give to others or sell)

Decluttering before you move (and ideally giving yourself the time to do it) will always reduce your stress and feelings of overwhelm when you do have to start the process of moving. Need some decluttering and packing up help?  Maybe you’d like help unpacking and organizing?

by Martha Tobin, Owner at Declutter4Good

Every home (big or small) only has a certain amount of physical space in it. When drawers, closets, cabinets, and shelves are bursting at the seams and piles are starting, it’s a sign that storage areas are maxed out.

Ultimately this has a negative impact on the equilibrium of your home.

The ‘one in, one out’ rule can help restore this equilibrium when you let something go for every item you bring into your home.

For example, if you buy a new sweater, let another sweater go that you are no longer wearing (or a pair of shoes or a book etc).  

The key is not what you let go but rather that you are making space for the new item by purging the other item.  This will help restore the balance of items in your home.

An easy way to do this is to set up readily accessible ‘donation’ bins (maybe one bin in an upstairs closet and one in the laundry room).

When you begin to restore the physical balance of your home, you’ll notice your own personal equilibrium is more aligned and you will be more in harmony with yourself, your day-to-day activities and your goals.