Author: Martha Tobin

by Martha Tobin

Everyday we have clients reach out to us to help them kickstart the organizing and decluttering they want to do.

There is no shame in this as there is often a great deal of overwhelm and anxiety that has built up alongside their volume of ‘stuff’.

Here are 7 benefits of us doing an organizing and decluttering kickstart:

1. We know where to start – there is a definite strategy to organizing and decluttering and when you work with us we map that out for you
2. Reduce procrastination – with a manageable plan in place we can reduce your feelings of overwhelm and get the job moving forward
3. We do all the work – we get your ‘stuff’ sorted and categoriized so all you have to do is make decisions about what to keep or purge
4. Questions to help you decide – we have an easy process to help you determine what to keep and what to let go of
5. No judgement policy – we have a respectful, no judgement and no pressure policy.  Your ‘stuff’, your decision….always
6. Once decluttered, we organize – when you have decided what you want to keep, we’ll organize these items into maintainable systems
7. Donations away with us – we know organizations and the items they need and we’ll take them with us at the end of any session

Organizing and decluttering can seem daunting so we make it easy for you. Reach out to us if you’d like some assistance getting started.  

We’ll do a FREE consultation and set up a manageable plan so that you can fall in love with your home again.  

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step.”(Confucius)

By Martha Tobin

In this chaotic, technology-driven world there is much to be said about cultivating a hobby that allows you to get off the ‘hamster wheel of life’.  In addition to relaxation, hobbies offer creativity, sensory engagement, self-expression and cognitive stimulation. 

But hobbies can also create a lot of physical clutter with collected supplies, crafting tools and ‘what if I need this someday’ materials.  As well, too many unfinished projects can also create mental clutter.

​Check out my video to find out the 5 Benefits of doing a decluttering ‘hobby reset’.

​Decluttering old hobbies and supplies is about making room for what really brings you joy now and allows you to embrace new creative passions with intention, time and space. 

“The primary benefit of practicing any art is that it enable one’s soul to grow.”(Kurt Vonnegut Jr.)

By Martha Tobin

Often our clients find it easier to let go of items they no longer want when they know those items will be donated to others in need in the community.

To date Declutter4Good has donated over 2100 carloads of donations.  We have also be instrumental in donating many, many, many furniture donations.  

Whether we’re giving these items to refugees, women and their children coming out of shelters, families that are struggling economically or those who have fallen on hard times, our donations are always very appreciated.

At Declutter4Good we see this as a WIN-WIN-WIN:  

–our clients now have more physical space in their homes and more mental clarity

—these donations have a great second life with others in need in our community.

—these repurposed items are kept out of landfill

If you are looking to truly enjoy your life and your home again but are not sure where to start or how to get through all the ‘stuff’ that is holding you back from the life you imagined, reach out to us.  We can make it better.

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill)

by Martha Tobin

As a female-owned company with an all-female staff we all understand how hectic family life can be and we know how to create uncluttered, maintainable organizing systems to make lives more calm and spaces more enjoyable.

To all mothers, we hope you have a day filled with appreciation and gratitude…you deserve it!

Need some assistance? We can help. Reach out to us for a free consultation.

By Martha Tobin

With the warmer weather upon us, garage sales and yard sales are a great way to make some money and let go of items you no longer need, use, love or want.  

Garage or yard sales also free up valuable space in your home and ensure items that can be of value to others are kept out of landfills.

Here is a list of 10 of the most in-demand items at garage and yard sales:

1. Clothing
2. Costume jewelry
3. Toys and baby equipment
4. Lawn furniture
5. Tools
6. Furniture
7. Sports equipment
8. Camping items
9. Decor, books, DVD’s
10. Small appliances

If you need assistance sorting, categorizing, packing up, and labelling items for an upcoming garage or yard sale, feel free to reach out to us at Declutter4Good.

If you are interested in donating any items, please check out our CHARITIES page at Declutter4Good.ca to find locations that accept these items.

“One person’s trash may be another’s treasure .” (Herbert Urquhart, 1860)

by Martha Tobin

Social media would have us believe that having a show-worthy closet is the be all, end all. In fact, having a maintainable, organized clothing system is what works best as it streamlines your daily routine and makes it easy to find items and create outfits.

By transforming your clothing system from chaos to calm, you’ll reduce decision-fatigue and overwhelm as well as the likelihood of purchasing duplicate items. 

Easily maintained clothing systems also maximize storage space and extend the lifespan of your clothing. 

Here are 10 clothing organizing tools you may want to consider:

1. woven baskets
2. over the door shoes and accessories organizer
3. additional vertical shelving for closets
4. drawer organizers
5. over the door hooks
6. hanging scarf organizer
7. under the bed storage case
8. closet shelf organizer
9. closet shelf canvas bins
10. shoe rack

Streamlining your clothing system will make getting dressed more enjoyable with outfits that make you feel fabulous!

And on any job we’ll take your donations to others in need in the community.

“Dress the way you want to feel.” (author unknown)

By Martha Tobin

While Earth Day is the world’s reminder on April 22 to preserve our planet, every day at Declutter4Good we are passionate about showing our love for the planet through our Donations That Do Good program.

By helping our clients become more intentional about their ‘stuff’ and then bringing their donations to others in need in the community, we are able to give those items a second life and divert them from landfill.

It’s up to each of us to protect this extraordinary planet we call home and with so many options available for donating, recycling or safely disposing of items, we can each play a transformative role.

For the safe disposal of items:

—Household Hazardous Waste:

April 19 (8-4pm): Ottawa Stadium, 300 Coventry road

May 2 (8-4pm): Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 4837 Albion road

—Batteries, Electronics, Lighting, Paint and Tires and more:

There are many retail locations in Ottawa where you can drop these off. Find a nearby location by visiting the City of Ottawa’s Waste Explorer site.

For donations of gently used household items, furniture and clothing:

Find out where you can take these donations here

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

By Martha Tobin

Professional organizers often talk about ‘frequency of use determining degree of accessibility’ meaning that those items you use the most often should be the ones you have the easiest access to.

This applies to all items in your home but at this time of the year it is particularly relevant regarding swapping out your fall/winter clothing for your spring/summer clothing.

Here are 8 benefits of doing a seasonal wardrobe swap:

1. Increased closet and wardrobe space – packing up bulkier fall/winter clothing will open up more space
2. More organized spaces – when closets and wardrobes are not stuffed full they are easier to maintain and more functional
3. Less decision fatigue – less clothing clutter means you’ll be able to see more relevant options and get dressed easier and faster
4. Less overwhelm – packing away out of season clothing reduces items in closets and wardrobes and minimizes stress and frustration
5. The gift you give yourself – unpacking clothes you haven’t seen in awhile can feel like a gift with forgotten clothing bringing joy again
6. Saves money – being able to take inventory of what you already have reduces the risk you’ll buy a duplicate item
7. Increases clothing longevity -storing clothing more effectively means they are less likely to be damaged, wrinkled or misshapen
8. Feels good – donating clothing you know you’ll never wear again is a great way to give those items a second life with others

The fashion industry would have us believe that we need new, on trend clothing for every season but the reality is that most of us only wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.

Instead of falling for that industry’s marketing tricks, create a more intentional, maintainable closet and wardrobe that is seasonally appropriate with clothing that you love and makes you feel fabulous.

By Martha Tobin

This month a local magazine featured myself and Declutter4Good in their article “How Glebe Resident Martha Tobin Helps Clients Reclaim Their Space and Mental Clarity”. Article by Hannah Sabourin

Read article HERE:

Spring is often when we look at our homes with ‘fresh eyes’. Clearing out our physical spaces is often a powerful way to also support our mental well-being.

Reach out to book a FREE consultation. And on any job we’ll take your donations away with us and donate those to others in need.

by Martha Tobin

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 6 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 declutter items you no longer need, use, love or want.
2. Be realistic about the size of the next place you’ll likely be moving to (i.e. one bedroom, smaller kitchen, one bathroom, no basement or garage)
3. Start in the least used room of your current home (i.e. basement or spare room). Leave areas like the primary bedroom, bathrooms, office and kitchen for last.  
4. Work in one room at a time.  This reduces the daunting nature of the overall process and keeps you more focused.
5. In that room start with items on the floor first and work your way up (i.e. surfaces and then shelving).  This allows you to create space to sort and review items.
6. Set up three categories:  
   1. Keep for now  (items needed until you move)
   2. Keep for later (items only needed after you move)
   3. Items to purge (donate, give to others, sell trash or recycle)

Decluttering before you move (and ideally giving yourself lots of time to do it) will always reduce your stress and feelings of overwhelm when you are downsizing.

Reach out to book a FREE consultation.  And on any job we’ll take your donations away with us after every session.