Articles

By Martha Tobin

Walking into any retailer of late is sure to remind you that the lazy days of summer are over and school and work are in full swing with Halloween fast-approaching.

This is also the time of year where you notice how ‘high traffic’ your front entrance has become (i.e backpacks, purses, transition seasonal clothing, shoes, umbrellas, pet accessories etc).

Here are 8 organizing items to optimize the functionaliity of your front entrance:

1. Narrow bookshelf or cabinet (provides a surface to drop keys and mail as well as drawers and cabinets for sunglasses, pet accessories, etc).
2. Add some small baskets to the top of this bookshelf or cabinet to contain keys, etc
3. Add hooks or a coat rack in this area (to easily hang backpacks, purses, everyday coats, etc)
4. Add a shoe/boot tray to collect everyday footwear and make them easily accessible
5. Consider a tiered shoe rack in the hall closet for less-used footwear
6. Ensure hall closet only has current season’s outerwear in it.  Move out-of-season items to a labelled storage bin elsewhere
7. Add labelled canvas bins to your closet’s top shelf (for less-often used seasonal items like swim class items)
8. Make the most of your hall closet by adding an over-the-door closet organizer for small outerwear accessories so younger family members can access them.

When you can find and return items easily in your front entrance it reduces stress and saves time with less chaos involved.  And maximizing the efficiency in this area helps clutter from spreading into your home.

How you head out into the world each day and the calm welcome that greets you upon your return contributes to your overall sense of life-balance and wellness.

Need some assistance to ensure the organizing and decluttering you want to do happens fast? Reach out to me at Martha@Declutter4Good.ca

By Martha Tobin

​Making space in your home and deciding to declutter to create this space can be an emotional process.

Letting go of items from your past can ‘feel like a funeral’ and while we know that logically our stuff is not who we are, we attach emotions to these inanimate objects – clothing, dishes, books, art, heirlooms, etc.

If these items are ones that you use and enjoy then keep them but if they are just piling up in a corner, taking up space in your closets, or covering surfaces, consider decluttering these items.

Yes, decluttering can be time-consuming but like any investment in your personal well-being, it will be worth it and the space you will gain can now be used much more efficiently and can even encourage personal growth.

7 Questions to ask yourself about items you are holding onto:

1. If you could reclaim the space that these items were taking up, what could you do with this area?
2. Are these items adding to the person you are now?
3. If you took a photo of these items would that allow you to keep the memories but let the items go?
4. Are you holding onto these items for sentimental reasons, guilt, potential use, etc?
5. Are the items you are holding onto useful or bringing you daily joy?
6. Could someone else use and benefit from these items?
7. If you reduced down the volume of items you are keeping, would this allow you to feature a few of these treasures and enjoy them daily (versus having them out of sight?

Simplifying your life increases mindfulness, lowers stress and creates better emotional connection to yourself. And the less upkeep required of your physical environments, means you can invest more time on yourself and others in your life.

“It will feel first like a funeral like who you are is being ripped away

but eventually you’ll find that mourning is just another word for making space.”

(Whitney Hanson)

By Martha Tobin

Change is the only real constant in life and while there is a small chance that the ‘what if’ items you are holding onto will be needed later, the cost of holding onto these items can keep you from fully enjoying your life now.

Here’s a list of 8 common ‘what if’ items:
-Clothing that no longer fits (too big or too small)
-Unused furniture in your garage, basement or shed
-Kitchen gadgets that you might need some day
-Broken items that you’ve been intending to repair
-Home decor items for a home or a life you don’t have
-Hobbies you no longer do or are keeping for when you have time
-Family heirlooms kept for your children or grandchildren
-Old documents or text books that are now obsolete

Hobbies, styles, and interests change over time. If you’ve been holding onto your ‘what if’ items for more than a couple of years, ask yourself about the liklihood that you’ll actually use or want them in the future.

Surrounding yourself with items that support the person you are right now is a conscious decision that aligns your daily life with the person you are now.

In the end our things are just ‘stuff’ and if those items are not bettering your current life, consider lightening your load. A lighter, more intentional lifestyle will reduce your feelings of stress and overwhelm that these ‘what if’ items represent.

Enjoy your space and embrace your current life. You deserve it.

Martha Tobin

At Declutter4Good we are always looking for ways to increase the organizing and decluttering services we give to our clients.

With that in mind we want you to know that when we are on any job we will fill up our vehicles to take away your donations, And on any job if you have any furniture donations and/or junk removal we can coordinate the pick up of these items too.

Additionally if you or someone you love is a severe hoarder we can also provide a resource to help you with this.

10 services we offer:

-decluttering

-organizing

-donating of ‘stuff’

-storage solution recommendations and shopping for these items

-downsizing

-packing, unpacking and setting up

-photo scanning

-furniture donations and junk removal

-resources for hoarding help

-virtual and live speaking presentations/workshops

All of these services that we offer tie directly into our commitment to ‘do good’ – for our clients, for those in need in our community, for the environment and for your overall wellness and lifebalance.

We are committed to helping you become the best version of yourself and to helping you create a calm and organized environment in your home or office space to achieve this goal.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done. ” (Nelson Mandela)

By Martha Tobin

Summer is a perfect time of year to declutter and organize your garage or shed. Weather-permitting you can pull everything out onto your driveway and really see what you’ve got and what you no longer need or use.

Here are some tips for how to safely dispose of these items:

–Latex paint: Check out this link for paint disposal in Ottawa.

–Hazardous waste: Next event on Saturday, August 9 (link here)

–Batteries: Check out this link for retailer take-back program

–E waste: Check out this link for realtor take-back program

–Old bicycles or bike parts: Check out this link for where to donate

–Extra construction materials: Check out this link for where to donate

To keep items out of landfills consider selling, buying, swapping or giving away unwanted items at these locations.

Here are 10 things to get rid of in your garage/shed:

-broken garden decor and lawn furniture

-unused tools

-empty appliance or electronic storage boxes

-tires that no longer fit your vehicle

-old tech wires and devices

-seasonal decorations that you no longer put out

-old construction material

-usused/outdated exercise equipment

-items from abandoned hobbies

-old toys

Garages and sheds offer great storage options but in order to maximize their potential it’s important to declutter first and then organize the items you’re keeping. By doing so you’ll know where to easily find an item and where to return it.

Need some assistance so that you can have your garage or shed decluttered and organized fast? Reach out for a free consultation.

“I love that we’re finally digging out and it feels great!”

(past client)

By Martha Tobin

​A number of years ago I started my company, Declutter4Good, to help clients who wanted to find a way out of their cluttered lives. 

Every client’s reason for clutter is unique – sometimes it’s due to physical or mental health issues, sometimes it’s due to age, sometimes it’s due to mobility issues, or lack of time or lack of energy, etc.      

One of the most satisfying parts of my job is having so many of our clients tell me how our work has transformed their lives and increased their well-being and life balance.

Myself and my team are truly fulfilled by the work we do everyday.  We love that we are constantly able to give and to help others.

​Here are 5 of the ways we give back at Declutter4Good: 

#1.  We transform client’s lives by helping them navigate through their ‘stuff’ so that they can determine what they no longer need and then set up maintainable systems for what they are keeping.

#2.  We take client’s donations away with us at the end of any session.  Our clients love that their donated items have a second life with others in need in the community.  Click here for a list of some of our charities.

#3.  My team at Declutter4Good is outstanding at making any space more organized and more efficient all while doing so with compassion and no judgement.

​#4.  We know that every day we are doing something good for our planet by ensuring items don’t go directly into landfills but rather get into the hands of others in need in our community.  

#5.  We love making a positive difference in our client’s lives, the lives of others in our community and the life of our planet. 

At Declutter4Good helping others, helps us by contributing to our sense of purpose.  We find joy in what we do and we are grateful that we can be of assistance to others daily.

By Martha Tobin

Decluttering is a lifestyle choice that offers many benefits far beyond just a tidy home.  You may know of some of the basic benefits like more space and more time but here are 5 ‘surprising’ declutterring benefits: #1.  Your overall health will improve.  Lots of ‘stuff’ means lots of dust. Decluttering will allow you to clear surfaces and floors so that you can better clean those areas and remove any allergens that have been building up there. #2.  You’ll have more daylight in your home.  Decluttering reduces feelings of shame associated with clutter.  Opening up your window coverings again is going to let in daylight and make those areas feel welcoming and spacious. #3.  Your relationships will improve.  Clutter can cause stress which can lead to relationship conflicts.  Decluttering allows you to be more in control of your surroundings and reduces your anxiety so you can be more present with your loved ones. #4.  Your sleep will improve.  Clutter can weigh you down and fence you in due to the guilt associated with not tackling it.  Having a decluttering plan will help reduce these feelings of lack and create more peaceful surroundings. #5.  Your creativity will increase.  Decluttering helps unburden your mind by minimizing distractions and encouraging more focus.   Calmer environments allow you to think creatively and problem solve more easily which inspires solutions and fresh ideas. Studies continue to show that less is more.  By embracing an increasingly simplified life you will be able to focus on what truly matters – like personal growth, connection with others and a more meaningful life in pursuit of your dreams and goals. At Declutter4Good we are all about making transformational changes for clients.

by Martha Tobin

Reaching out for help is rarely easy.  Feelings of shame and ‘less than’ can surface.  But the first step of any self-care journey is always the hardest.  And the rest we’re going to make easy for you.  

At Declutter4Good we are committed to helping make your organizing and decluttering issues better. That’s it.  No judgement and no pressure.  

5 Steps about what’s next when you reach out to me:

1. You’ve probably reached out because you are feeling overwhelmed and maybe even at your wits’ end.  That’s a terrible feeling so we’ll respond fast (usually within an hour or so).
   
2. We’ll have a 15 minute or so phone chat so that I can get a sense of your situation, and your space.
   
3. On that call we’ll then book an in-person or virtual consultation. 
   
4. Our consultation will take about 20 -30 minutes.  During that time I’ll be able to provide a clear plan, a timeline and an estimate.
   
5. At that same time we can look at our calendars and determine the most convenient day/time for your session(s).

And that’s it.  Right from our first chat you’ll start to feel better and more in control of your clutter.  

At Declutter4Good we love what we do.  Helping you fulfills us.  

So reach out.  Lighten your load.

“The moment I jumped off of it

was the moment I touched down”  

(Lyrics of ‘Thank you’ by Alanis Morissette)

by Martha Tobin

Oftentimes when we’ve worked previously with clients they want us back to do other areas of their home.  Sometimes they need us to even come back to ‘tweak’ areas that we previously did so that those areas stay organized and decluttered. 

Here are 5 reasons to reach out to us again:

#1.  Time:  Time is the one thing most people just don’t seem to have enough of these days.  Working with us means you’ll have more time to do the things you love. 

#2.  Energy:  At the end of your workday or on the weekends, you probably don’t have the energy or the bandwidth to tackle areas that you’ve been intending to do. The end result is that ‘stuff’ just keeps adding up until you feel overwhelmed by it. 

#3.  Fall in love with your home again:  Our goal is for you to be able to use your home to its full potential.  Maybe enjoying family meals again in your dining room or parking your car in the garage).  By removing the clutter and organizing those spaces, these goals are attainable. 

#4.  We take your donations:  As you know we will happily load up our cars and take your donations with us at the end of every session.   We see this as a WIN-WIN.  You get more space and calm and others in the community get items they need. 

#5.  Decluttering and Organizing are transformational: The process opens up space both physically and mentally so that you can actually do the things you’ve dreamed of doing. Maybe that’s clearing out a space to make an art room or decluttering and organizing your basement to create a workout area.   

Whatever the room or area is that you want to do some decluttering and organizing, we can help you find more space, more calm and more enjoyment. 

Reach out and we’ll gladly help out again. 

“The moment I jumped off of it, was the moment I touched down” (Lyrics of ‘Thank you’ by Alanis Morissette)

by Martha Tobin

Of late it feels like the world is in chaos (i.e. tariffs, wars, climate change, etc). When the outside world is in chaos, it’s more important than ever to create a calm home that is a safehaven where you can recharge and regroup.

An easy way to create this calm is to set up some systems for items. These systems allow you to reduce the visual effects of clutter thereby reducing the overload of stimulii around you.

5 suggestions to get you started with some organizational systems:

1. Set up a basket near the front door for incoming mail, flyers and pamphlets.  Review this basket weekly and recycle items as needed.
2. Set up a bin in the kitchen for kids’ artwork, bills or receipts. Review the contents of this basket every few days and take action on any actionable items.  For kids’ art consider taking a photo of some of the art so that you can keep the memory but let the item go.
3. Set up a donation bin in a closet or in your laundry room.  As you come across clothing or footwear that you no longer want, put them in this bin and when the bin is full, drop these off to a local charity.
4. Set up a bin for often-used tech accessories (i.e. charging cords, adaptors, headphones etc).  This way everyone knows where to return these items and where to find them when needed.
5. Every evening before bed take a tour of your main living spaces and put items back where they ‘live’ in your home (i.e. kids’ homework in their room or backpack, clothing back to closets, etc).

The news these days can quickly wear us down but by creating a home that is more calm, you can reduce your feelings of overwhelm, frustration and helplessness and know that at the very least your house is a safehaven to come home to.

“Your home should be the antidote of stress, not the cause of it.” (The Simplicity Habit)