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If you are having trouble beginning the process of downsizing remember:
1. Embrace your new lifestyle.
2. You are still the same person; you just choose to have fewer belongings.
3. Simplicity reduces stress.
4. Saying “goodbye” to the past can open new doors in your future.
5. Your worth in is who you are and what you do, not in what you own.
6. Start with easy items to downsize and then move to the items that have sentimental value that are harder to let go of.
7. You are good at making decisions, you can let go of things and nothing bad will happen.
8. You have control of your situation, pick the time that is right for you to downsize your lifestyle.
9. You will have fewer possessions to take care of, maintain, store and organize and more time for things that are important in your life now.
10. Find a “downsizing buddy” and support each other in your project to downsize your lifestyles. It is always easier when you have someone to talk to that is going through the same thing.The things you own should help you become the person you want to be. Share on X
There are 3 ways I can assist you.
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- Book a virtual organizing appointment and we can do it together. I’ll be in your room with you watching you through your computer, phone or tablet and helping you with the process. https://mindoverclutter.ca/virtual-organizing-services/
- If you’re having trouble making changes to your room book a coaching appointment to discuss how to reduce your fears with making changes. https://mindoverclutter.as.me/organizingsession
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Here is an excerpt from a great article on why we procrastinate and tips on how to stop procrastinating.
“You know how it goes. One part of your brain says –
“Stop procrastinating. Just get on with it. Finish it!”
But then another part screams-
“But I don’t want to!”
Ziegarnik effect
It may not be anything major, but the task keeps niggling at the back of your mind. It can leave you feeling unsettled, slightly annoyed and stressed. Here’s the thing: you can’t be fully at peace until you complete the task. Why? Because the Ziegarnik effect is in full swing. The Ziegarnik effect is the tendency we have to worry about something we have started and haven’t yet finished. But if you can just get it done, your brain will breathe a sigh of relief. You will feel lighter. Chances are you will have turbocharged energy levels too.”
Read the entire article at http://learningfundamentals.com.au/blog/how-to-motivate-yourself-at-any-time/
Procrastinating, why do you do it?
There are tasks or projects that need to be completed and they are getting put off to the side and nothing is being done. Many times the problem is that you don’t know what to do. Break the task or project into smaller pieces so you can start on the things you know how and complete them. As you continue you will find the parts you are not sure how to handle. When you have determined the part that is outside your knowledge, ask for help, do research or delegate to someone with that expertise. Let procrastination be a trigger to look at the situation as a problem solving question instead of an activity you don’t like to do.
For tips and articles to help you organize your mind and space join Julie’s Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Quick Tip: Estimating Photos from The Photo Managers
Association of Personal Photo Organizers
The association has changed its name to The Photo Managers
No need to count every photo in the box, especially if you are working with hundreds of printed photos for a job. Instead, use a ruler or a scale. Did you know 1 inch of printed photos stacked is about 100 photos? If you are estimating a shoebox packed full of printed photos, get your ruler out and measure the length of the box for a reasonable estimate of quantity. And 1000 photos weigh between 6 and 7 lbs, so set the tub of photos on a scale instead! The Photo Managers are the experts in photo organizing.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Quick Tip: Sorting Photos
Instead of trying to sort photos chronologically sort them by topics. Photos tell stories. By sorting using topics you will get stories on vacations, cars you’ve owned, children’s lives, pets, flowers, scenery etc. Pick any topics that suits your life and start making piles. As you’re sorting, get rid of ones that are out of focus, duplicates, ones where you don’t recognize the people or setting.
Scrapbooking, photo albums or photo boxes
Once your photos are sorted, label each pile by theme or date and store them. You may want to do a scrapbooking project with them, organize them in photo albums or keep them in photo boxes. I choose photo boxes for my pictures. It was quick and easy to put each category in an envelope, label it and place them in a photo box. I used the envelopes that the photos came in from the store and cut off the flap. You can use more attractive envelopes and use colouring coding too. You might just want to use dividers cut from cardboard or bought at a stationary store.
The boxes can be archive quality or from the dollar store. I found they took up less space than photo albums and took less time to get the photos put away neatly.
This box holds 4 x 6 photos, and panoramic photos and has an envelope for large (8 x10) photos.
To digitize or not to digitize?
Digitizing all your pictures may not get you the results you want. They will take up less physical space but they will still be unorganized in the cloud or on your computer. Digitizing your entire photo collection can be expensive. Use a reputable company so your photos don’t get lost or damaged. I always suggest to my clients that they only digitize a small portion of their photos. Selected the best of the best photos and put them in a folder with a title. When you send them off to be digitized tell them to put it in a folder with the same name. When you have them back in the cloud or on your computer you will be able to easily find them and enjoy them. You may want to have them on a digital photo frame. If you want to share a photo or 2 or 3 with someone quickly, you can take a picture of the photo with your phone or tablet and send it to them.
Share how you store your photos.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using ZOom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Here is a short excerpt from an article by Harold Taylor. Harold Taylor is a time management and productivity expert.
Change your environment in some way to offset your natural inclination to avoid doing things you don’t like.
You can minimize distractions:
- turn off your cell phone,
- disengage voicemail,
- turn off email alerts and
- close your office door at specific times while you work on your priority projects.
image by Jason-Salmon
You can minimize visual distractions:
- remove all clutter and other potential distractions from your immediate work area
- including any in-baskets, they give you an excuse to chat with the person dropping off paper
- don’t have family photos or memorabilia in your line of sight
- face a blank wall, not a window or open doorway.
You can set up a work schedule:
- Work on projects for 60 or 90 minutes at a time – maximum.
- Then change to another type of work for 15 minutes
- Work on a project for 60-90 minutes
- Then take a 30 minute break, doing something completely different from your previous work
- Work for 60 more minutes on a project
If you find that’s too long to postpone urges to interrupt yourself, shorten the work sessions. You can always increase them gradually later. Between sessions, you can check email, return phone calls and grab a coffee. Work in short sprints rather than attempt marathons. Research shows that it takes a lot of energy to practice willpower.
Resist the temptation to interrupt yourself
Do what you can to develop a work environment that makes it easier to resist the temptation of interrupting yourself or others, checking email constantly, grabbing for your smartphone whenever there’s a call or being distracted by other things.
To subscribe to his monthly newsletter on Time Management go to www.taylorintime.com
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
No Wifi, oh no
My favourite time management technique is to know when I will have a WiFi connection and when I won’t. Yes, there are still times and places when I can’t get WiFi. Use data? Not me. For those times I plan to have work with me to do when I am unconnected. You might think, “When does that ever happen”, more often than you think:
- When I arrive early at a client’s home
- When I arrive early to pick up someone
- When the person I am pickup arrives late
- When the client is late
- When the distance between appointments and returning to the office will cause me to waste time commuting, I find a quiet location to work instead of wasting my time driving.
Plan your time
I will have a book along to read to do some professional education, mail to open or start on my e-mail that I downloaded before I left for the call. Sometimes I am reviewing a speech I am presenting, signing holiday cards, plan my week/ month or get in my exercise by going for a walk. Using these small expected or unexpected amounts of time well will make you more productive. I learned this technique by trial and error. I found myself sitting around waiting with nothing to do when my children were involved in activities. I quickly realized that I was wasting a lot of time and needed to plan my “spare time” as well as my work time to be able to get everything accomplished without using my family time or free time to get things completed.
Manage yourself
Time management is not about managing time it is about managing yourself. There are traps we fall into that cause anxiety and stress because:
- we are late,
- we don’t meet deadlines,
- we miss meetings,
- we are unavailable for important personal events
Determine what “traps” cause you to mismanage your behaviour making you late. Are they:
- doing one more thing that makes you late
- underestimating how much time you need to get ready and leave ( the house, for a meeting)
- thinking your time is more important than the people’s time who are waiting for you (to arrive, hand in a report), they won’t mind waiting
- procrastinating on projects, reports and commitments instead of looking for a solution to be able to complete the task on time
I can help you manage your time and streamline your routines to increase your productivity. Give me a call or text 905-321-1616
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Harry Potter Film Studio, England 2017
We use 20% of the stuff we own. Keep the 20% of paper that is important and discard the other 80% . Share on X
1. Don’t allow paper to build up
- Handle paper daily, don`t let it grow into a pile
- Place all paper in one location, don’t let it travel all over the home
- Open mail and discard the envelop and advertising
- Schedule a time to file, make calls, pay bills etc
2. Make a decision on each paper the first time you touch it
- If it can be done in 60 seconds or less do it now, otherwise R.A.F.T it
- Set up 3 files, bins or trays and sort your paper into:
- R – read later
- A – action required
- F – file
- T – toss it / shred it now
3. Follow through on work
- Each time you pick a sheet of paper put a small dot on the top corner.
- Three dots or more means it is time to take action on that piece of paper.
- If you are procrastinating about what to do, it probably means you are not sure how to solve the problem in the paperwork. Ask for advice, designate it to someone else, research the issue or break it into smaller parts you can complete.
4. Be ruthless
- 80% of what is filed is never accessed again, so 80% or more of the paper you receive on a daily basis can be discarded
- Clear out your files once or twice a year
- Remove yourself from subscription lists
5. Think before you print
- File e-mails in a folder on the computer
- Print only the selection of the e-mail or webpage you need
6. Store inactive files in boxes indicating a destroy date
7. Follow retention guidelines
- Retain files as specified by your company or accountant
- Put inactive files in boxes and place them in storage indicating a destroy date on the box
- Clear out outdated files
For more great office organizing ideas read “Don’t Agonize Organize Your Office” by Diane A Hatcher
If you need help with your paper organizing book a complimentary discovery organizing session with me. Organizing Session
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
The holiday season is here and Black Friday has come and gone and Cyber Monday is completed. Why talk about shopping now? If you’re a last minute shopper you may end up spending more than you should.
Do you need it or want it?
Developing good shopping habits will save you money. Now is the time of the year when you can get lots of practice developing good shopping habits.Developing good buying habits will save you money. Share on X
Buying for the Wrong Reasons
- It was on sale
- Too good a bargain to pass up
- I may find a use for it someday
- Someone else I know may need it one day
- It feels good to shop
I am sure we have all experienced these reasons for purchasing items at one time or another. Usually, these types of purchases are items we don’t need, use, want or even like. They cost us money, not save money. If you have made a purchase for the wrong reason, you can return it.
How to Buy
- Shop for things you need not want
- Shop for things that fit into the space you have
- Shop for things within your budget
- Determine how you will use the item
- Know where you are going to store it or display it
- When you buy something new, give something away.
Stuck for an idea
Mind over Clutter.ca has 3 hour packages designed to help with any number of tasks in the home and office. Considering purchasing an
- Income Tax Receipt Organizing Package
- Holiday Cleanup Package
- Streamlining Your Office Package.
Packages can be designed to fit the individual needs of the person receiving the gift. It can be on-site or as a virtual session online. Purchase your gift package for $160.00. Contact julie@mindoverclutter.ca to purchase your clutter free gift of time.
Give the gift of time
Do you plan a budget for your holiday shopping?
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter –Facebook – Join my Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
For children of parents who hoard, the mess remains after their parents pass away.
Newsweek by Hannah R Buchdahl
“Greg Martin wasn’t sure what to expect when his mother died last May, forcing him to return to his childhood home for the first time in nearly 18 years. The house, located on a pleasant block in San Diego, had always been cluttered, but now it was virtually uninhabitable. “There were piles as tall as me, six feet or so,” Greg said. “Where there used to be floor, there were trails—a foot and a half high, so you’d be walking on stuff.” Greg was forced to navigate through piles of magazines, papers, and books, plastic bags filled with thrift-store purchases, expired medicine bottles and literally tons of clothes. The only “living space” was a small pocket by the front door, where his mother, a colorful and fiercely independent woman, had collapsed shortly before her death at the age of 83. Greg, who has taken a leave of absence from his job, expected that cleaning out the house would take six months. It’s now been eight—and counting.”
Relatives are forced to put grief on the back burner and the emotions that surface are usually anger, frustration, guilt and depression.
Books
This book can help you to better understand hoarding even if you are not a professional organizer.
Everything A Professional Organizer Needs to Know About Hoarding by Judith Kolberg
Clutter Scale
It can help to get information so you better understand the situation. You can download a clutter scale at https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/clutter-hoarding-scale-
ICD
ICDThe Institute of Challenging Disorganization also has resources available and a directory of Professional Organizers that can help a family member who hoards.
Share your stories with us in the comments.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
My guest blogger is Wendy Dessler of EverPresent
Photos capture moments that celebrate joy. Sometimes, they’re a snapshot of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Other times, they’re an heirloom to look back on that captures a candid moment with a loved one. In most cases, they’re irreplaceable.
Storing and preserving your old images ensures that your memories persevere. Here are some tips for protecting your precious memories so that they stand the test of time.
Digitize Your Images
The best way to maintain and preserve old photos is to ensure that there is a digital copy. Not only does this keep your memories safe in the event of a disaster, but it also makes it easier to share those memories with other members of your family. For example, using a slide scanning service offer to transfer your old vacation slides to a disc will allow you and your siblings to share the memories without worrying about hard copies.
With the prevalence of cloud and remote technology, it’s easier than ever to digitize your images. Use a cloud sharing service to store copies of your photos to use for future projects and future generations.
Keep Old Photos Out of Light
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
The sun and exposure to light over time can have a detrimental impact on your original photos. When storing images, be sure to keep them out of the light. Rather than framing and displaying that original sepia photo of your great grandfather on his farm, make a copy and display that instead. Keep the original stored in a dark area to help maintain it.
It’s not only old polaroids that you have to worry about. Even printed photos from as late as the 1990s and early 2000s are susceptible to light damage. Never display a photo without ensuring you have the original tucked away for safekeeping.
Avoid Pens, Clips, and Rubber Bands
Keeping similar photos together with clips and rubber bands can be tempting, but they can also damage your photos over time. Instead, use dividers to separate your images by date, place or event. When looking for paper dividers, be sure to use archival quality paper that won’t discolor your image over the years.
Noting where the image was taken and who is in it can be beneficial when looking back. It’s a great way to pass along some interesting family history to younger generations. However, writing on the back of the image in pen can indent the front of the image, causing breakage. Furthermore, the ink can seep over time, impacting the image touching the ink from behind.
Get some high-quality sticky notes to adhere to the back of your image and write in pencil when possible. There are also archival-grade pens for this purpose. When using these pens, be sure to allow the ink to dry completely before storing your photos.
Taking measures to protect your photos will keep your memories safe for years to come. Share on XMake it Air and Water Tight
The more secure your images, the better they will last. Forgo the decorative cardboard and wooden boxes and store your images in airtight totes. Not only will this help protect your images from the elements, but it will make them much easier to transport.
Have Smart Handling Protocols
When taking your photos out, set some ground rules. First and foremost, ensure no one has food or beverages near the photo. One small accident can result in the loss of your precious memories. Be sure that handlers wash their hands first and try to hold the photos by the edges to avoid smudges and fingerprints.
If you plan on handling a lot of images at once or are working on a photo project, it’s worth wearing pure cotton gloves to create a barrier between the images and the natural oils your body produces.
Looking for a Personal Photo Organizer to help you with your photos? Go to APPO and find a directory of photo organizers in your area.
Taking measures to protect your photos will keep your memories safe for years to come.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
You have successfully accomplished back to school organizing but the day to day chores are not getting done and you are feeling overwhelmed. Clutterbug has a great video, Organizing Hacks for Parents. Organizing your home to help your children become more independent means that they are able to complete tasks without your help. This will help daily routines and habits to be accomplished quickly leaving more time for family fun together.
Which hack worked best in your household?
Need some organizing help contact Mind over Clutter, julie@mindoverclutter, to help bring happiness to your home.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
