Latest Blog Posts

Back to school organization for your household

By Julie Stobbe / August 22, 2023 /

Reading time 5 minutes

The fall season is here! For many households, now’s the time to prepare for the new pace of life. Back to school and back to the office routines bring a whole lot of stress to the household. If you and your child are heading back to the office and school after several months of remote working from home, you may find it overwhelming at first. How can you manage to run your household when your routine is changing again? The truth is that for a lot of people, remote working has introduced new time management habits. So, you will need some time to find the best routines when you need to commute again. Here are some organizational tips that can save you a lot of time and stress.

Clear the garden and outdoor

Commuting is exhausting, especially after a long period spent at home. So, you want to make sure you can tackle some essential maintenance jobs rapidly before they affect your home. As the first leaves will soon fall and turn our garden into a beautiful red and orange carpet, you need to arrange for fall gutter cleaning soon. Gorilla Property Services has many locations across the country. Indeed, there is nothing worse than a clogged-up gutter on a rainy day. As fall is renowned for being a wet season, you can’t afford to wait for long. Clogged-up gutters can increase the risks of water infiltration through the walls and the roof. It’s going to be messy, costly, and stressful to arrange for repairs. But you can keep up with the autumnal challenges by outsourcing essential jobs to professionals, from gutter emptying to garden checks.

Have a plan for college students 

College students are packing or have just packed to head to the campus for the first time. It is an exciting time for them, but it can be daunting too. A lot of college students are unprepared for household challenges. It can be helpful to arrange a simple schedule of chores with them. For instance, you can decide how to care for their dirty laundry, especially if they don’t have easy access to washing machines. Similarly, nothing beats a healthy family meal.  Students might not take the time to cook. They might not have a great place for cooking. For example, you can arrange for pre-made dishes they can pick up on weekends and bring back to the campus. Decide what meals they enjoyed at home and make a quick and easy recipe book of their favourite meals.

Make your lunch boxes go further

For the first time in months, you have to think about lunch boxes. Planning and packing lunchboxes can take a lot of time. Without appropriate organization, you might even end up wasting a lot of money. Some households prefer to map out the lunches for the week to get ahead with grocery shopping on a budget. Others love to prepare individual ingredients separately, so they can pack a lunch box in a few seconds. You can even create a lunch packing station in your fridge and pantry, storing specific items to make lunches rapidly.

Box with finger foods

Keep everyone’s schedule visible

Last but not least, pop everybody’s schedules in a visible area at home. Pinned on a corkboard in the entryway or attached to the front of the fridge with a magnet, a shared calendar on your phones, you’ve got many options! Sharing schedules will save you planning time, so you know when everybody is free.

Going back to back to work and school after spending many months at home on a summer schedule can be daunting. You find yourself running out of time to maintain your household! But hopefully, these simple tips can help save you time and hassle in the long term.

If you need help developing routines to organize your household book a complimentary appointment with me.  

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices,  virtually. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you to manage your time. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

 TwitterFacebook Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

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5 W’s of Downsizing

By Julie Stobbe / July 25, 2023 /
Scaling down

Great ideas for downsizing, moving or moving a family member

Whether you are moving from a house to an apartment, retirement home or you have already done this but still have abundance in your home and want to scale down even more understanding the where, why, who how and what can make the decisions easier.

Where does all the stuff come from?

It may not even be your stuff.  Some of you have things from your parents downsizing that ended up at your house because your Mom and Dad didn’t want to give it away but didn’t have room, so out of respect to your parents you stored it at your house. Perhaps your children have moved out but their stuff hasn’t.

Why do we keep so much?

During the Depression, we learned to keep an iron grip on anything that might still have some good in it. Then we were encouraged to buy, buy, and buy and to acquire every luxury we could afford.  Next, items began to be manufactured so cheaply that when you couldn’t find it you bought another. The Reagan years were about visible consumption.  We had TV shows like The Lifestyles Of The Rich and Famous.  We started competing with millionaires. Perhaps you have spent 40 years accumulating and now you are spending time getting rid of excess.

Who is downsizing?

The first thing is for YOU to make the decision that it is necessary to do it.  Not because your spouse or your sister or friend says you should.  Just like losing weight or quitting smoking, it has to be your decision otherwise you won’t be successful.  It is a hard process not only because it can be very physical but there are a lot of emotions that go with it and it can be a long process.  Our culture seems to think that building up is inherently better than scaling down. Fewer luxuries make you appear to be a less successful person.  The idea that some people judge your worth by the things you own, rather than by your personality and achievements can stop you from downsizing. It can be life changing to let go of your things.  When the process is over, you may feel

  • less stressed,
  • sleep better,
  • have more time to be with family, grandchildren or even travel.

Scaling down does not mean renouncing your own style. It means stripping away things that no longer fit or do not contribute to making your lifestyle easier.  You want to be able to find the things you need and love.

How? Make a Plan

Once you have made your decision to downsize or streamline before you begin the process it is important to know what you want as the outcome and set a goal of what you ultimately want it to look like. If you’re moving – you need to know room sizes and what are the absolute must have large items like a bed, couches, dressers, antiques etc.  Write it all down.  Once you know what you want, and what it should look like and visualize the end product then you start to go through your things.  It will help make the decisions easier because you can see if it will fit your plan.

What is stopping you?

If you are the type of person that has a hard time getting rid of things, try to understand why it is difficult for you.

  • Are you sentimental?
  • Do you like to be in control?
  • Is it about pride?
  • Do you hate making decisions?
  • Is it too painful to revisit certain parts of your life?

Being honest with yourself makes the process easier.

When?

Schedule time to do it when you are not rushed and do one room, box or corner. Give yourself a set amount of time, if you feel you want to continue then great, but don’t become overwhelmed.

Here are some steps you can take to tackle the job

  • Set up a few boxes or bins and label them.  Charity, family, garbage, recycle, keep.
  • While sorting, group like with like.  Put all your books together, electronics, collections, paper etc.

At the end of the session

  • take the donated items to the front door or even better right out to your car so that you will drop them off
  • put the recycling out
  • put the garbage out
  • move items that you are returning to other people close to the door

When deciding whether you should give it away, go back to your plan and see if it,

  •  will fit into your space
  • will go with your new design or décor.
  • If not donate.

After grouping all the items you can then see how much you really have and you may need to donate some more items.

Collections and Antiques

The hardest thing for people to let go of are their collections and antiques especially, if they belonged to a parent or a loved one that has passed. Ask yourself:

  • Do you have room for them?
  • If they end up in storage or in a box how treasured are they?
  • Could you just keep one or two and give away the rest?
  • Can you take pictures of them?
  • Do some research to see if they are valuable and have someone sell them on eBay for you or contact an antique dealer.

If you don’t have room for it give it to a family member that has the same passion for collecting so they can enjoy it and you can visit.  Invite people over for brunch.  After the meal show them the items you are giving away and let them select things that have meaning for them.

Staying surrounded by things that remind you of the past or which you respond to predictably may prevent you from moving ahead with your life.   Remember they are just things you will still have the memories.  After you have completed downsizing you will end up with a beautiful home, filled only with what you need and love, that uses every inch of space the way you want. You will have control over your environment and freedom from chaos.

Need help with downsizing, contact Mind over Clutter for a complimentary 30-minute chat on Zoom.

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

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Organizing your paper photos.

By Julie Stobbe / July 18, 2023 /

 

Pictures in frames hanging on an old wall

Have you run out of space for hanging your pictures?

Have you run out of space on your walls to hang your pictures? Many people have photos in boxes just waiting to have time to organize them.  Don’t wait for the perfect time or for a day when the weather is inclement. Schedule time to get started.

What to do first

As you look over the photos you may not be able to remember when you took the picture, the year or date.  Instead of organizing the photos chronologically think about using themes.  Sort your pictures into celebrations, vacations, family, friends, pets and homes etc.

Step two

Next, get rid of duplicates and out of focus pictures. Remove pictures where you don’t recognize the people or location.  Once you have your best pictures grouped you may want to write on the back the name of the people in the picture, year or location.

Step three

Now you can decide if you want to scan them, place them in boxes with dividers or scrapbook your photos. Scanning can be expensive so scan the best of the best. You can digitize them yourself by taking a picture of the photo with your phone and saving it to a folder on your laptop.

Hire a photo organizer 

Photo Organizers work with clients to sort through images, find connecting themes, and neatly catalogue and edit them into photo narratives and albums that clients are proud to share – now and for years to come. Association of Personal Photo Organizers

Need more help

Enjoy spending time with your memories. If you need help regaining control of your photos and memories, I am ready to take on the challenge.

 

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

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Towards a clutter free bedroom

By Julie Stobbe / July 11, 2023 /

A bedroom with a queen size bed and 2 night table and a cityscape picture over the bed.

The benefits of having a bedroom free of clutter are obvious to see. It is easier to move in the room without tripping on items left on the floor.  You can find things on your night table without bumping other items over. Have you thought about how a  clutter free bedroom might make you feel?  You will feel as though you have a clearer mind when you are in that room, and that might help you unwind and sleep more effectively.  When it is less cluttered, you might enjoy being there more and it can become a sacred place. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to gain a clutter-free bedroom, so let’s take a look at four steps you might not have thought of as a way towards achieving that.

Match The Bed To The Room

Have you seen a bedroom with a bed and furniture that take up all the space so that it is difficult to move around the room?  Did you ever think the cluttered feeling could be caused by the size of your bed? Try to match the bed to the room size.  A less crowded room is easier to keep clean and organized. When you have a huge bed, one problem is that you might struggle to feel relaxed in that room with no place to move.  You might need to visit a mattress store in your area to find better options for your space. Visually your room will look bigger, less crowded and more inviting. You will feel less anxious entering the room and have less stress. Practically it will be easier to get things out, put them away and make your bed every day. 

Store Items Under The Bed

This is a simple thing you can do which will make your bedroom less cluttered and visibly cleaner. Storing items under the bed is something that is not always possible – for instance, if you have a divan base that almost touches the floor. Captain’s beds are built with drawers under the bed for storage.   Some beds have a base that is hinged to create a storage area in the bed frame.  You can create storage under your bed by using bed risers to lift the bed up.  When there is space under the bed,  make use of it. It’s amazing how this space can be used so you have more room in your closets or dressers. 

Ikea bed with a mattress that lifts to have a storage space.

Minimize Wall Decorations

It can be tempting to go all out and try to decorate your bedroom in a way that is beautiful.  You might find it quite beneficial to not go overboard here. In fact, you’ll find that keeping wall decorations to a minimum will lead to a space that has less visual clutter and a much clearer appearance.   Put items on the wall that have a calming effect so it is easier to relax and clear your mind as you get ready to sleep. 

Store Things Elsewhere

Finally, there is something to be said about not letting the bedroom become a general dumping ground for random items around the home.  It is one of the most important rooms in the home and one that you need to care for and respect. It is a space where you rejuvenate your mind and regenerate your body for the next day.  It is easy at the end of a tiring day to bring things into the bedroom, put them down and say you’ll put them away tomorrow.  Take the extra minute and put them away so you don’t have a constant reminder of an unfinished task when you are trying to go to sleep.   Don’t end up with lots of random items cluttering up your restful space. 

Usually, I talk about the process of decluttering a room to have less unwanted stuff.  These 4 steps approach making a bedroom clutter-free in a different way, through the thoughtful selection of furniture, decoration and storage.  They also help to create a room with less visual clutter and mental clutter.

In the comments share how you make your bedroom clutter-free. 

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

 TwitterFacebook Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

Click here to learn more about working with a Professional Organizer.

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Organize Your Work Schedule with an Interruption-Free Hour

By Julie Stobbe / July 4, 2023 /

With many people working from home, it is important to have time when you’re not interrupted.  Make sure to have a sign or signal that indicates you are unavailable.

Many people realize that multitasking is not the best way to get work completed.  However, they experience many small interruptions in their day, e-mail, texting and phone calls that take away from concentrating on a project.

These small tasks, added together, use up your work day.

“Drive by” conversations, when colleagues stop by your desk, stop you in the hall or a family member bursts into your office and gives you information also take time away from completing important tasks. As well the information may be forgotten or lost.

Being interrupted by colleagues stopping to chat can cost you a lot of valuable time.

Some offices have designated a specific time of the day for working on projects. It is an interruption-free time to concentrate on work during which employees can’t send or answer emails, texts, phone calls, attend meetings, etc.  Each office is different so the designated time may be office-wide or scheduled into each person’s work day, week, or month individually.  It is important that this time and format are respected by your colleagues, family and supported by management.  You may be surprised how much you can get done in one hour without interruptions and your full concentration on one task at a time.

How do you plan on scheduling interruption free time?  Let me know in the comments.

Julie Stobbe, professional organizerulie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

 TwitterFacebook Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

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Tips for Organizing Storage Rooms

By Julie Stobbe / June 27, 2023 /

Every storage room has its different problems to consider.  Some have very low ceilings.  Some may be hard to get into. The walls and corners might be angled. There are a number of questions to ask yourself before you purchase shelving for your storage room.

Show or Stow?

1. Do you like things displayed on open shelves or stowed behind closed doors?  This will help you determine if you want a cupboard or shelving.

White shelves with books and home decor items.

Measure Carefully

2. Next measure the space.  You need to get storage that uses all the area and not buy storage that leaves some of the area unusable. This happens when one storage unit is too large and another storage unit can’t fit into the remaining space.

Lids or no lids?

3. Next ask yourself, will you open a lid to put things into a container, will you reclose the top of a box?  If the answer is no, cut the flaps off the box or purchase containers without lids.  You want to make it as easy as possible to get the items into the correct box.

and orange box with a lid

Make it easy to get to the bottom container

4. Lastly ask yourself, if your bins are stacked will you unstack them to put something in the bottom container?  Will you restack the containers on the storage unit?  If your answer is no then buy large containers that fill the vertical space between the shelves so you can maximize your storage.  It is usually good to have two or three containers on each shelf so they are easy to move and not too heavy.

How to place items on the shelves

Now you have your storage units and bins.

  • Store items you use frequently at eye level.
  • Store heavy items on the bottom shelf
  • Store items close to where you use them
  • Store infrequently used items up high or in less accessible areas.

Hockey bags?

Trying to store hockey bags?  Try placing two shelving units that are 4 or 5 shelves high, with 24” or 36” deep shelves, one in front of the other and securely attach them together.   This will hold one bag per shelf with room to leave it open to air out and place some items beside the bag to dry.

With the right shelves and bins, it is easy to sort your items into categories, place them in a labelled container and locate them in your storage room.  Remember to keep only what you need and love.

Book a complimentary 30-minute virtual chat with me to get started planning your storage area.  

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

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Lack of abundance

By Julie Stobbe / May 30, 2023 /

 

Are you stuck in a mindset of “lack”?

Do you sometimes feel that you will never get ahead?  That life is holding you back.  I feel that way some days when I am working in my business.   There can be a number of stumbling blocks to becoming successful.  Some we may not have any control over.  One of the biggest stumbling blocks can be our own attitude.

Overcoming a mindset of lack and embracing abundance requires adopting new habits. Here are some steps you can take to cultivate an abundance mindset.

Your beliefs

Start by becoming aware of any negative beliefs you have about abundance and wealth. Sometimes you may think “money is scarce,” “I’ll never have enough,”.  Interestingly you may think that “rich people are greedy” and so you do things so you won’t become rich. Think about your beliefs and make sure they are positive and empowering ones so you can create wealth and abundance in all areas of your life.

Feel gratitude

Gratitude is one way to shift your mindset.  Acknowledge and appreciate the things you already have in your life, no matter how small they may seem. Make a habit of expressing gratitude for your experiences in supporting loved ones, your health, or any opportunities that come your way.

Show generosity 

In my Organizing Mind and Space Facebook group, we did a random acts of kindness challenge.  Show your generosity by doing something unexpected for someone. Here are some ideas for you.

• Check on an elderly neighbour or shut-in. move ahead of you if you only have a few items and their cart is full.
• Allow the shopper in the grocery line to move ahead of you if you only have a few items and their cart is full.
• Check on an elderly neighbour or shut-in.
• Donate your old clothes to charity.
• Tape change to a parking meter or vending machine.
• Give the new employee a tour of your work area or offer to sit with them at lunch.
• Volunteer- At a nursing home, a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen, your kid’s school, anywhere.
• Shovel the driveway for elderly neighbours or those who may otherwise have trouble doing the job themselves. Mowing lawns and raking leaves are also good ideas.
• Send a get-well card to someone, or even a card for no reason whatsoever.
• Ask for donations to your favourite charity instead of presents for your birthday.
• Smile at someone on the street.
• Give an unsolicited compliment.
• Pay for the person behind you in line at the fast food restaurant or drive-through.
• Let the manager of the store know when an associate gives you exceptional service.
• Leave kind notes in the dressing room to encourage body positivity.
• Offer to babysit for parents who really need a night away or to help with the nightly feedings for a new mother friend.
• Clean up the trash in your neighbourhood or at your favourite outdoor recreation spots like a park or beach.
• Visit a nursing home just to spend time with those who rarely receive visitors or to bring treats for the residents.
• Send a note of thanks to someone who’s made a big difference in your life.
• Pay for someone’s layaway who hasn’t made a payment in a long while.
• Fundraise by participating in a 5K, walk or other sponsored activity.
• Shovel the driveway for elderly neighbours or those who may otherwise have trouble doing the job themselves. Mowing lawns and raking leaves are also good ideas.
• Mentor a young person entering your profession
• Help someone stranded on the side of the road.
• Take the time to listen to someone who is having a bad day.

When you give without expecting anything in return, you reinforce the belief that there is always enough to share. This creates a positive abundance cycle of giving and receiving.

Take action 

An abundance mindset alone is not enough; it must be paired with action. Take steps toward your goals, whether it’s investing in your education, starting a business, or seeking new opportunities. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and step out of your comfort zone. I was once told that even if you fall on your face you are still moving forward.  Use your mistakes to learn new things and create new opportunities for yourself. Taking action alone can be difficult. Surround yourself with people who support and uplift you.

These are 4 steps you can take to change a mindset of lack, not having enough, wanting more and not sure how to move forward. A mind set of abundance helps you to see your future in a way that brings a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and excitement into many areas of your life.

 

In the comments let me know how you overcome those feelings that you can’t achieve something that you want to accomplish. 

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices,  virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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 

Click here to learn more about working with a Professional Organizer.

 

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What could you use this tree to organize?

By Julie Stobbe / May 23, 2023 /

Sometimes when we are organizing we make the organization look like art.  We organize books by the colour of their spine, hang baskets on a wall in an interesting pattern or use brightly coloured baskets to hold exercise equipment. Let’s look at the reverse of this idea.  Can artwork help you get organized?

wooden tree artwork

This piece of artwork provides storage opportunities.

I  attended the National Home Show in Toronto Canada a few years ago.  I saw this great piece of artwork.  If you have a small home this artwork is dual purpose.  It can be used to hold CDs, video games and equipment, and books.  Plants would look lovely on this tree especially ivy or other hanging plants that would give it “leaves”.  It would be fun to decorate it for any season or special event.

a sign with hooks holding cycling gear mounted on a wall.

Here is a creative use of a sign. This piece of artwork has hooks added to it to organize cycling gear. When the cycling gear is removed you have a lovely picture on your wall.

 

Let me know about artwork in your home that helps you stay organized.

Julie Stobbe, professional organizerJulie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

 TwitterFacebook Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

Click here to learn more about working with a Professional Organizer.

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To Pinterest or not to Pinterest

By Julie Stobbe / May 9, 2023 /

Pinterest can be a great resource.  It has ideas on how to organize everything and anything.  It has DIY solutions in all price ranges and skill levels.    Pinterest is a good resource for visual learners, you see the design on your screen.

So why don’t I like it? 

The problem that arises for me, as a Trained Professional Organizer, occurs when clients see something on Pinterest and ask me to create that system for them.  Just because it is on Pinterest doesn’t mean it is the right solution for you.  It is the right solution for the person who posted it.

Evaluate the idea and think about how you do things before you copy it.  Just because you like the way it looks or because it is trending doesn’t mean it will work for the way you think and do things.  Deciding how to organize your books, jewelry etc needs to be done in a way that you can find what you need when you need it and in a timely manner.

Organizing your books by colour looks great on the wall, will you be able to find the book you need?  If you did it with a small number of books or only pick 2 or 3 colours of books you could adapt the idea and make it work.

Books sorted by colour

Books sorted by colour create an interesting design for your wall

If you organize your jewelry hanging it from the horizontal bar of a hanger using binder clips to attach the jewelry may be a good solution if you don’t have a lot of jewelry.  If you hang all your jewelry and then slide the hangers on a rod to look for a certain piece of jewelry the jewelry might become tangled as they sway when the hangers are moved. How would you attach your rings? You might end up this your jewelry stored in many different locations and not be able to find what you want.

Jewelery ooohund on a hanger using binder clips

If you have a small amount of jewelry and space on your wall to place your hanger this might work for you.


A recipe may look great.  Is it something you can make in a big batch and freeze so you can get 2 meals for the time you are spending in the kitchen?  Are the ingredients something you have in your cupboard or will you need to make an extra trip to the store?

Enjoy using Pinterest use it wisely to help you save time, money and effort.

Julie Stobbe, professional organizerJulie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

 TwitterFacebook Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

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Is it Possible- Family and Running A Business?

By Julie Stobbe / April 25, 2023 /
Time to schedule, words on blank board hold by a young girl in the outdoor.

Scheduling helps you to use your time in blocks and avoid scattering single tasks throughout the day leaving small segments of unproductive time.

My tip for parents running their businesses from home is about time management.

Running a business and organizing a household is a complex task.  Time management is the key to success and sanity.  Scheduling everything will help:

  • tasks to get completed,
  • commitments to be honoured
  • and make arriving on time possible

However, scheduling everything can be overwhelming initially.  Start by using only one calendar, paper or electronic, for all the activities in your schedule. Try a “clearing your mind” task.  This involves writing down everything you have to do.  Record one task per line on your paper or one task per entry until you have everything recorded.  Including, exercise, work appointments, social commitments, bill payments, household tasks, children’s commitments, social media, doctor appointments, marketing, networking, a trip to the park, birthday parties etc.  After you have them recorded, go back to the top of your list and write the date and time (schedule) when you will complete the task.  Put all of these dates on your calendar remember to include travel time when you schedule tasks.  As you look at your calendar you will be able to determine how much time you have each day, month and year available for the activities that are important to your life, family and business.  It will help to put time into perspective and help determine why you might be feeling:

  • overwhelmed
  • overworked
  • bored
  • tired
  • successful
  • energized
  • excited
  • frustrated

Once you start to schedule everything, it will become easier because many of the entries will be recurring each day, week, month or year.  They will be in your calendar and only new items will need to be added to your schedule.  This will provide a structure that you can rely on to help you with the complex task of running a business and organizing a household.

If you need help with time management book a series of mini organizing sessions with me. 

Julie Stobbe, professional organizerJulie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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

Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.

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