Articles

Martha Tobin

The next couple of weeks will be busy: fiscal year end wrap up, shopping for last minute gifts, hosting, travelling etc.

When the dust settles you may feel overwhelmed with all the holiday decor to put away and the gifts you’ve received that now need to find a place to live in your home.

Here are 10 categories of items you can easily declutter:

1. food storage containers with no lids
2. unused coffee mugs or glassware
3. old electronic packaging (i.e. iPhone, earbuds, etc)
4. duplicate-sized vases
5. expired herbs and spices
6. extra tech cables you don’t need
7. unused cleaning supplies
8. expired medications
9. worn out towels or linens
10. outdated magazines

From all of us at Declutter4Good, we hope you have a relaxing and restorative holiday.

“Owning less isn’t about going without. It’s about trading chaos for calm. Less clutter. Less stress. More space. More peace. More ease.”​ (Organize Every Room)

By Martha Tobin

Have you ever felt deflated after you have gotten up the energy to tackle some decluttering? You’re not alone.  Getting motivated to declutter is one thing but the emotional weight of making decisions about your items can be exhausting.

Here are 5 questions to help you with your decisions:

1.  Does this item reflect who you are now or who you want to be?

–Holding onto too many items from your past can prevent you from moving forwards by taking up not only physical space in your home but also mental and emotional space.

2. How often have you used this item in the past year?  

–Keeping some items that aren’t used often is not a problem but holding onto too many of them can be limiting.  Ask yourself about their frequency of use.

3. Would you buy this item again today?

–Determining if you would repurchase this item now can be an objective way of deciding if the item is worth keeping.

4.  Are you holding onto this item out of guilt?

–Holding on to items (i.e. gifts) because of a sense of obligation has a negative effect on our well-being.  Keep the memory by taking a photo and let the item go so it can have a great second life with someone else.

5. What is the true value of this item in your life?

–Regardless of an item’s monetary value, every item comes with a cost (i.e. maintenance, space it takes up, emotional).  True value is determined by an item’s usefulness, appreciation and the joy it brings you.

Looking backwards to move forwards limits personal growth while letting go of items that drain you is liberating and frees up space for joy, creativing and unclutters the path ahead of you.

“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” ​ (Marie Kondo)

By Martha Tobin

This holiday season many people are opting to purchase less ‘stuff’ and instead giving more intentional gifts in the form of experiences.  

Adding more material possessions means having to find a place for this ‘stuff’ to live in a home and this can often lead to feelings of overwhelm and stress.

According to a number of studies, giving an ‘experience’ as a gift creates lasting memories, strengthens relationships and promotes personal growth.  

5 experiential gift recommendations (for yourself or for someone else):  

1. Give the gift of self-care (i.e. art class, organizing & decluttering session)
2. Purchase a gift certificate from a local business (i.e. restaurant)
3. Plan an shared outing (i.e. museum or art gallery)
4. Buy tickets to an event (i.e. play or musical performance)
5. Consider a tour in your city (i.e haunted tour, tasting tour)

An experience offers an escape from day-to-day routines, broadens skills and can even inspire a life-change.  All of which will always be a more memorable gift than having to find a place to store more ‘stuff’ in a home.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou)

by Martha Tobin

During the month of December you are probably going to be adding more items to your home. And whether these are in the form of holiday items brought out of storage to decorate for the season or purchased decor and gifts, your rooms are going to feel more cluttered. Decluttering as you go along will help reduce your feelings of overwhelm.

Here are some tips to help:
–Determine the volume of holiday decor you will be adding to your living spaces. This will give you a sense of how many current items need to be either decluttered or stored so that your holiday decor can be featured.
–As you unpack your holiday decor determine if any items are broken, unused or in excess and declutter or donate those items.
–Declutter your children’s toys to clear space for new gifts. And by donating toys now you can help other children in need receive holiday gifts.
–Donate any items that you were gifted but will not use or gifts you purchased by never gave to those recipients.
–Declutter your entryway to create a more welcoming and functional space for guests.
–Declutter your guest room by organizing those items you want to keep and donating excess items.

Holiday shopping, the guests, the meals, the wrapping, and the decorating are overwhelming enough without the added stress of you feeling weighed down and fenced in by it all.

As you head into this holiday season create more space by decluttering before more items and more people crowd your home.

If you would like some assistance organizing and decluttering before the holidays, reach out for a FREE consultation.

by Martha Tobin

Over the past decade we’ve all noticed harsher weather both here and abroad.  Heat waves, droughts, floods and fires are threatening our ecosystem, our infrastructure and our individual health.

That’s why Declutter4Good is so passionate about donating those items that our clients no longer want to others in need in our community and keeping these items out of landfill.

And it’s why I am so pleased to have found Recycle Warrior Girl.  Sylvie D’Aoust is a fellow female entrepreneur who has also aligned her company with a commitment to the environment.

You can schedule a pick up from Recycle Warrior Girl on her website.  She accepts a huge variety of products including:

-old appliances

-tech waste

-car parts

-AC units

-christmas lights

-printers

-trampolines

-exercise bikes

-power tools

-snowblowers

-lawnmowers

-water heaters

-fencing

-radiators

-batteries

(See the full list on her website)

Decluttering items you know longer want or use creates space, gives you more control of your home, reduces stress, improves your productivity, and allows you to achieve your dreams (i.e. renovating your basement, setting up a calm home office, creating a reading nook, etc)

Whether you are decluttering through our Donations That Do Good program at Declutter4Good or by recycling your scrap metal with Recycle Warrior Girl, you are doing a very good thing…protecting our planet!

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” (Robert Swan)

Martha Tobin

It’s not easy to avoid ‘impulse buying’ as you head into the Christmas season with the daily bombardment of holiday tunes, decor and gift promotion.  

Corporations and retailers are very persuasive at separating you from your hard-earned money and encouraging emotionally-driven purchases.  But in our current economic times it’s more important than ever to give pause to what you can afford and what will add to your life instead of overwhelming it.

Here are five questions to ask yourself to avoid impulse purchases:

1.  Consider where this item is going to ‘live’ in your home or your recipient’s home.

2. Is this an item you can afford?

3. Is this item replacing or upgrading something necessary?

4. Are you buying this item because it will truly enhance your life or your recipient’s life?

5.  Will you regret not purchasing this item?

The volume and variety of products available and the ‘click of a button’ delivery of these items makes purchasing very easy.

This year consider pausing before you buy any spur-of-the-moment purchases and ask yourself about their long term value.  Will they add to your life or just add to your feelings of overwhelm?

Often adding more ‘stuff’ to life is not the solution but rather, letting go of items is where happiness comes from.  

“Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”

(Minimalist Lifestyle)

by Martha Tobin

When your parents need to downsize and sell their home there can be a few layers of complication to helping them achieve this goal. Often they have lived in the home for decades, have many belongings and memories related to the home, have raised their family there and/or have mobility or health issues.

Here are just a few benefits the Declutter4Good team brings to each job:

1. A proven strategy to get the job done within a dedicated timeline
2. A nonjudgemental approach that focuses on calm, objective encouragement to help move the job forward
3. Progress updates to involved family members
4. Donation drop offs on every job
5. Furniture donation services and junk removal services
6. Resources for selling of items, cleaning, handymen, painters, etc

We are committed to making the decluttering process easier and more efficient for you and your parents and we do it with compassion and care.

Consultations are free so reach out so we can provide assistance.

“The measure of a society is how well it treats its elderly.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

Martha Tobin

Selling a home is like a first date. The preparation prior is key to making a good first impression. And decluttering is a big part of getting a home for sale into ‘first date’ shape. Decluttering though can take time so starting early (even for the spring market) is a great idea.

Here are 4 reasons a decluttered home will sell faster:
1. Neutralizes the home so that it appeals to a broader audience of potential buyers
2. Allows potential buyers to see themselves in the home and emotionally move in
3. Ensures potential buyers can focus on the fixed features of the home
4. Home appears more spacious and potential buyers can see that there’s ample storage for their items

The way people live in their homes is rarely the way they would present it for sale but getting a home ready for market can be exhausting and stressful thereby potentially delaying the sale. At Declutter4Good we’ll do it fast and reduce your feelings of overwhelm.

Services we offer at Declutter4Good:
-Decluttering
-Packing
-Donating
-Packaging up garbage/recycling/ewaste/hazardous waste
-Unpacking and setting you up in your new home

Reach out to us at Declutter4Good to set up a FREE virtual consultation.

by Martha Tobin

Lots of people have a ‘pile of denial’ on their dining room table, in bedroom corners, in closets, etc. For some, there might be a few piles.

Here are 8 examples of ‘piles of denials’:

1. Memorabilia from a deceased family member (i.e. photos, letters, old greeting cards)
2. Items you might be holding onto for someone else (i.e. until your son/daughter have their own place)
3. Items that don’t have a rightful place to ‘live’ in your home (i.e. wall art but no space or unsure where to hang it)
4. Unpacked boxes/bins that have followed you from your last move
5. Family heirlooms that you don’t feel right letting go of (i.e. jewelry, dinner sets, silverware)
6. Clothing that you’re keeping in case you lose or gain weight
7. Your kids old toys to pass on to grandchildren you might have
8. Specialized cooking utensils in case you make that dish again

The problem with these items is that when left unchecked, they tend to expand and start cluttering your living spaces. And buying more shelving, more baskets or more storage bins is rarely the solution. Instead review these items and ask yourself if they are adding to your life right now. If they are find them a place to ‘live’ in your home.

Our homes only have a finite amout of space and our lives only have a finite amount of years. Surround yourself with items that support the person you are now. The past is no longer, the future is not guaranteed but your present is right here, right now. Live the life you want in a home that supports and empowers you.

by Martha Tobin

The colder months are fast-approaching and very soon you’ll be spending a lot more time indoors​.  With that in mind, now might be a good time to give your home a ‘refresh’ with some decluttering. 

The ‘Move Out’ decluttering method encourages you to imagine that you are moving (even if you aren’t) and to use this mindset to determine what you would keep and what you would not take with you. If an item is not worth the time, energy and money to box up, move and unpack then it might be time to let that item go. 

Here are 9 items to consider decluttering with the ‘Move Out’ method:

-old birthday cards

-grocery bags

-excess seasonal decor 

-unused small appliances

-items that need repair

-old board games 

-irrelevant paperwork

-books/magazines you won’t reread 

-‘just in case’ items

Pick an area of your home (i.e. closet, cupboard, bookshelf, etc) and visualize packing these items up for a move. Have three labelled boxes on hand for ‘donate’, ‘to sell’, ‘trash/recycle’ items. What you are left with are items that you truly use and deserve the space they are taking up.

Even if you are not planning on moving, this ‘Move Out’ method of decluttering allows you to gain some perspective so that you can determine what is of value to you and what you are holding onto due to guilt, indecision or habit.  It’s a great way to streamline the contents of your home and make your home more enjoyable for the colder months ahead.

“The more uncluttered I lived the more joy I found.” (Zina Harrington)