As of the writing (and updating) of this blog I, Samantha Kristoferson, am celebrating my 10th year of alcohol-free living. I was 27 years old when I came to the realization that I had an addiction to alcohol. And I realized my addiction by accident.

I never knew I had an addiction. I found out by accident.

My good friend at the time was diagnosed with cervical cancer and she wanted to try a cleanse which she read could be helpful in her condition. It was called the Master Cleanse and it is an extreme form of riding your body of toxins. At the time I had never heard of it or of any cleanse for that matter. But my friend asked if I would do it with her so that she had support. I said yes. 

During the beginning of the cleanse I felt absolutely terrible, but after 3 days (there are 10 days of cleansing in total) I started to feel alive. I had energy, my sleep was deep, I would wake early without an alarm, my skin and hair looked and felt great, and I felt lighter. The feelings and thoughts of depression also disappeared during this time because I was feeling so great about myself and my body. By the end of the 10 days cleanse I felt better than I had in years.

After the cleanse…

After the cleanse my life went back to my “normal” routines. I skipped meals and when I ate, I chose bad foods, binge drank alcohol 5-7 times a week, and exercised sporadically. I was very aware that I was frequently depressed, but I never considered that my daily habits were in large part the reason for this. The cleanse woke me up.

Here are FIVE addiction challenges I faced and how I overcame them:

1. I couldn’t say “No” to a drink

I tried for several months to stop drinking cold turkey among my friends and family, but it never worked. The more I was offered a hospitable drink the harder it was for me to say “No” to the offer.

My Solution: It was extreme, but I actually moved to New Zealand. When I got off the plane I told everyone I met that I was allergic to alcohol, so no one ever offered me drinks. This was the largest contributing factor to my success with letting go of alcohol. More ways to turn down a drink.

2. I felt tempted in events with alcohol present.

Almost all the experiences I encountered while traveling and working included alcohol being present. Alcohol is so commonly entrenched in many cultures that I would go for dinner and wine would be served; I would watch a rugby match and there were always beers; I would go to a meet-up and everyone had a drink in hand.

My Solution: I would order a non-alcoholic drink, but ask for it in a wine glass. Oftentimes restaurants and bars will serve non-alcoholic drinks in large cups or less fancy options — I wanted to blend in and not stick out, so I would request a similar-looking drinking vessel. By having a drink in my hand I felt less tempted to drink alcohol and felt like I still belonged.

3. I gave in to my temptation and drank alcohol.

Breaking the habit of drinking alcohol was hard, it’s still hard. The problem with my addiction was that I LOVED alcohol. I just didn’t love the results that alcohol had on my physical and mental health… oh and my financial health. So I made a few bad choices on my road to recovery.

My Solution: I never stopped believing in myself. I had felt the benefits of giving up alcohol and I wanted those benefits more than drinking booze. Each time I gave in to the temptation of alcohol I reflected on why I did it and then tried to learn from that experience. Was I trying to impress someone? Did I do it because I felt bored? Did I miss the buzz from alcohol? Eventually, my willpower became stronger than my temptation and I found new ways to get the same results, but soberly.

4. I had more free time.

One of the shocking benefits that were challenging to deal with was how much extra time I had. I was now sleeping in less and having time in the mornings to do things. My evenings were no longer consumed with the hobby of drinking, so I had to find new forms of entertainment.

My Solution: I started journaling more and trying to discover what I liked and didn’t like. I had deeper conversations with strangers that I just met. I researched events in newspapers and online to fill the time that I used to spend going to a bar. I was basically forced down a path of self-discovery which helped me to feel more confident to be the person who I always dreamed of being. Here are some ideas of how to spend your time.

5. I didn’t know how to date.

All of my relationships (if you could even call them that) occurred when I was drunk. I’m not exaggerating this. In my entire 20’s I never had sex soberly and I didn’t know how to behave around someone I was interested in if there wasn’t alcohol involved.

My Solution: I had a very destructive and self-abusing past with men and when I started with sobriety I told myself that I came first. This attitude actually kept me pretty celibate for months, but during that time I realized who I was looking for in a partner and who I felt I deserved to be with. It wasn’t easy for me to become engaged in a relationship because I had so much learning to do. I’m grateful every day that I put myself first and demanded to do better because I eventually found that exact partner.

Setting the right expectation.

It’s taken me years to be able to share my story of recovery. The truth is that I am still learning every day about my addictive personality and how I make my choices. Maybe in years to come, I’ll be able to share how I have been able to battle my sugar addiction.

Addictions come in all shapes and sizes and so do their solutions. It will never be easy to let go of an addiction, but it starts with awareness and the belief that you can do it if you want to. I hope that by my sharing a difficult challenge from my past I have given you hope. If you want to read more about my story you can find a copy of a book I co-authored with my partner called A Recipe For An Extraordinary Life. Organization | Minimalism | Self Care. 

The Power Of Coaching!

Laura’s story is a real example of how coaching, mentoring, and support can help you overcome your challenges and create the life that you want to live.

Laura was struggling with physical clutter, mental clutter, too many activities and her mental health was a reflection of all this chaos.

Before: “I feel in such darkness, trapped in the lifestyle that can’t move”

After: ” I feel alive, lighter, freer, happier, fresher. Every piece of my life has a reason now”

She enrolled in our coaching program and since then she has been able to make DRAMATIC improvements in her life. She wants to share her story to inspire others to take action.

You have the power to change your life. Yes, YOU!

If you are not feeling well, and you are unable to find a solution on your own, please don’t stop searching for the right help. Sometimes it’s a family member, sometimes a good friend, sometimes a therapist, sometimes a coach, a mentor, a professional organizer…

If you don’t like your current situation and are ready for a change, make sure you keep your eyes open for opportunity. And never give up!

We try our best to create content and resources to help you.

This is the power of coaching!

Any questions for us? Let us know what your struggles are and we will create content just for you!

Judie’s Story / 8 Part Mini-Series

Judie was ready for change and she reached out for help. We were very fortunate to be able to facilitate that change for her.

Judie is a very brave person and she allowed us to record all the sessions we did with her.

She wants to inspire and empower others to take action and reach out for help if required.

We have created an 8 part mini-series where you will be able to see the process, her struggles, her wins, and the amazing transformation that she created in her spaces and her life.

It’s not very usual to be able to invite you into such an intimate process, but we believe that by sharing, many others will feel empowered to get started and reach out for help if they feel stuck.

We were able to capture very beautiful moments. We are sure you will enjoy this series. 

The 8 Parts + 4 Bonus Episodes Are (Click on the episode below to watch): 

Part 1: Meet Judie

Part 2: The Kitchen

Part 3: The Closet + The Bathroom

Part 4: The Storage

Part 5: The Bedroom

Part 6: The Living Room

Part 7: 5 Weeks Later

Part 8: Judie’s Reflections

Bonus Episode 1: 8 Months Later

Bonus Episode 2: Time Management

Bonus Episode 3: Finances

Bonus Episode 4: Guided Tour with Judie

If you prefer you can also  watch it on Youtube

This is what she has to share about the process:

(Originally posted on google reviews)

OMG!!! where do i start to tell you about my experience with KW Professional Organizers!!! I don’t think i can really say enough great stuff about these two, Samantha & Emilio & this system they have to help organize or purge… cuz they have really helped change & inspire me to do & think about things differently but still, one that works for ME!!! I have always dreamed about that someone or some place that could help me achieve what i really want in my living space. Well, they did this & so much more than “organizing” even tho that’s what is in their title saying what they do!!

You have to understand tho i was so ready & overdue in finding the right people to give me direction, information, resources, tools and guidance to go thru this process of making the most of my space i have always dreamed of! So i knew i was ready for their help to do whatever was necessary to get to that better place….one of … having actual space to move around in, to really feel excited about when i walk thru my apartment door & know i really want to be here & really enjoy my home.

My gosh we went thru, EVERYTHING, & i mean EVERYTHING….every little box, space, pieces of furniture… we went thru to make sure i REALLY really wanted to keep it, donate it, purge it, reuse it, repurpose it, or get rid of it!!! I am not kidding, i now know exactly what i have & where it is & am pleased with every decision I MADE, not them, but me…i decided what would give me peace & feel comfortable with or without in my new apartment. We went thru each room in just a matter of a few sessions in my one bedroom apartment & now this is my cozy sanctuary i come home now each day to!! When i open my door i feel so happy & content knowing i am coming home to a sense of calm & simplicity to a place i finally feel like this is my HOME!!! Their patience & expertise & understanding how difficult a process this might be for me, i felt totally comfortable to do what i needed to with their guidance, compassion & their empathizing with me as i considered each item we looked at. They never pressured me about anything & would remind me that i didn’t need to do something if i felt i just couldn’t at that moment…i never felt rushed or pushed in to a decision that wasn’t right for me and at that time!

However, as i said before tho, i was ready for this huge challenge in my life! I was also tired of moving in to a new place & waiting for help to make my place my own, not waiting months or years to have it set up to live in! I was tired of the status quo of each time moving & settling with all the junk i kept taking from one place to the next & the stuff that i knew didn’t fit my lifestyle anymore, so i kept losing more & more space in each place i moved in to……so it was really time to stop all this, time to priortize & find a way to get the help i needed & deserved to feel better about my life & what i had or didn’t have in my life, NOW!! So it was not really surprising how easy most of it was to “let go”stuff or to accept a new process to make my space work for me, so in the end, i really did feel satisfied & comfortable with every decision i did make!! 
The excitement in their voices was infectious, right from the first phone call to the first session & to every session after, always a huge smile on their faces & ready to go. They LOVED seeing my energetic little furface Merlin, my 2 year old puppydog…they LOVE animals!!! They easily took me through their thought process around their system which helped me in creating a space i really wanted & would feel comfortable in. Well, i now feel like a huge weight off my shoulders not to mention at the end of each session i had nothing to rid of or tidy up, they do it all!!! I can now move forward incorporating all i have learned to maintain my home the special place i feel excited about to come home to & live in with contentment. I know i can easily continue to think simple & with ease at decisions around whether i have a place for this or that & do i really need or want it in my space 🙂 

Judie Witt

There is a lot of LOVE and INTENTION put into the creation of these episodes.  We hope you enjoy this series!

Please share with us any comments or suggestions 🙂

Watch how we boosted business storage for this small business in Toronto.Give your brain a break. Embrace the power of labels and systems to stay organized with your stuff.

Recently we were invited to Toronto, Ontario to complete a project of creating an organized storage system for several businesses in one space. Over time the shared space had become a dumping ground for items because there was never an established system for having “homes” for things. This is very common and easily fixed.

Watch the video below of the transformation, we explain the steps we followed to make it happen. Below the video we’ll share our Top 4 Tips for making your project a success.

4 Best Practices to follow when creating your ideal storage spaces.

1. Start with your why! You have to know what you’re working towards. What is the bright future that you can visualize when the project is complete? This is your key to ever-lasting motivation. When the times get tough — just remember why you’re doing this in the first place.

2. Schedule Time. Estimate a good amount of time that you can dedicate to your project. Remember it’s an investment in yourself. It doesn’t feel good to be rushed, give yourself time to get things done. Even if it’s one hour a week — eventually over time you will be successful!

3. Know Your Challenges. If you can name the roadblocks that might stand in your way, like procrastination, budget, or decision making, then you can make strategies for how to overcome them!

4. Prioritize Routine Maintenance. Maintenance is the difference between staying organized or falling back into chaos. We personally enjoy this part of the organizing process. Routine maintenance allows you to confirm that your system is working, that labels are still relevant, and it acts as a memory refresher for what you have in storage. Maintenance is the investment in yourself and your peace of mind — if someone tells you they’re too busy to make this happen, they’re not making healthy investments with their time. 

To read about the experiences of our friends at Coco & Cowe first hand, visit their blog about their storage space transformations.

Classroom Organization can greatly be enhanced when routine Decluttering’s are scheduled.

What exactly is Decluttering?

Let’s use the classroom as our example.

Decluttering is the process of going through ALL the classroom items and determining what’s important and what’s no longer important. It’s easy to say that you’re sure everything belongs and that you need to keep things “just in case.” However, when we store too much that is no longer useful — it blocks our ability to find what we need, when we need it, this is called Clutter. 

If you want to jump deeper into the process of Decluttering we wrote Decluttering: A Transformation that will Change Your Life.

6 Tips for Decluttering Your Classroom

• Schedule Time — Look at your calendar and block off time to complete the Decluttering process. Blocking time and protecting it from interruption will actually save you hours throughout the year. We suggest always adding 2 hours more than your time estimation, just to be safe.
• Postive Mindset — Get ready mentally before the Decluttering process happens. Remind yourself of the end goal that you’re working towards which is less stress, easy access to things when you need them, simplification for your students, and letting go things that are standing in your way of success.
• Enlist Help — To maximize your time and effort, it is essential to get help for this process. Can you buddy up with another teacher? Is there a teaching assistant who would be keen to be involved? Or maybe a good friend or hired help would be the best way to go.
• Off-loading Unwanted Items — It’s much easier to let go of items that you no longer need, when you’re already certain there’s a new place for them. Nothing belongs in the landfill unless it’s non-recyclable, damaged, or soiled beyond repair. Think of charities, local donation centres, families in need, or privately selling items.
• Use a Work Station — Don’t spend time bending below the waist or sitting on the ground. Set yourself up for success with a proper work station for sorting and organizing. We recommend a folding table with several bins for recycling, garbage, and donation. It’s also helpful to have on hand a permanent marker, masking tape, scissors, and baggies.
• Have FUN! — Make sure you have snacks or a good meal on hand for when you need to take an energy break. Stretch and move around if you’ve been stuck sorting through paper for a while. Also, put on some motivating music, no lyrics is better for less distractions, to keep you feeling energized.

Sharing What You Know

We know many teachers who dedicate a good portion of their lives to providing safe, fun, and educational spaces for their students. We dedicate this blog to them. We hope it inspires them to reach out when they need a helping hand and to have permission to let go of items they no longer need!

Please share a tip that could benefit a teacher below.

The garage is one of the places where clutter appears fast. It’s accessible, convenient, roomy, and out of sight. Once the garage is piled up with stuff, it becomes a big job to organize it.

In this client story, we show you how we transformed this space in just one session. These are the steps we followed:

• Define the desired outcome – We have the client “visualize” the ideal space once is organized.
• Declutter – Touching every single item in the space and deciding if it belongs in the garage or not. “It doesn’t make sense to organize things that don’t belong in the space.”
• Organize – Once we are left only with the items that belong in the garage, is time to organize them.
• Creating Homes – Every item needs a “permanent home”. We reused existing storage space as much as possible. We also installed extra solutions to create homes for the bicycles, garbage station, and ladder.
• Unwanted items – At the end of the session, we took with us all the unwanted items. Depending on the items, we can facilitate an auction and get $$ back. The rest will go for donation to our local thrift store. Nothing ends up in the landfill unless is recycling or broken items.

The secret is to maximize the vertical usage of the space by hanging items on the walls. 

The end result is a functional garage with space to park the car inside!

These are some before and after photos:

Would you like to learn how to declutter and organize any space? Learn the tested system we have used successfully with hundred of clients. Sign up for our online course here. 

What did you think about this client story?

Can you park your car in the garage? 

Leave a comment below.

We would like to share with you a powerful exercise, called Mind Mapping,  that will help you declutter your mind.

Mind mapping will allow you to write down on paper all the ideas, challenges, tasks and activities that are cluttering your head. Many times we have too many ideas, or we are worrying too much about something, or we need to brainstorm about what to do next in a specific area of our lives.

Our head is cluttered and we feel overwhelmed. By doing this exercise, you will be able to let all these ideas out of your head, bringing clarity and calmness to your life. Also, you will be able to identify your priorities and take immediate action.  Are you ready to get started with mind mapping?

You will need a piece of paper or notebook, pens, markers, and highlighters.  Try to have a few different colors. 

Watch the video and try to follow the same steps:

1. Write down your main ideas/challenges.
2. Under every main idea/challenge, write down everything that you need to do relating to it.
3. Now it’s time to set priorities.
4. Try to create specific tasks that are easy to schedule in your calendar.
5. Estimate how much time every task may take.
6. If there is a monetary cost or budget involved, write it down.

After you have done all these steps, it’s time to reflect. Very often, you will see that you are trying to do too many things. If this is the case, you can try to delegate some tasks, ask for help or prioritize what’s really important.

Repeat this exercise as many times as you need. If you have a LOT of ideas to write down, you can try to get started by doing this exercise only for a specific area. Be creative and have fun!

We hope this is helpful. Please let us know how it goes. If you have any questions feel free to share them with us. We will do our best to answer them.

This client contacted us because she wanted to create her own space where she could relax.

Her main goals were:

– Being able to use the bed.
– Having a nice reading chair.
– Make the bedroom feel like it’s my space.
– Paper system that works for me.
– Nice and quiet room to watch tv on my own.

After understanding her goals and desires we got started decluttering and then organizing every corner of the room.
The end result is impressive!

She was so happy that she didn’t want to leave the room 🙂

We used temporary labels with painter’s tape. They can be removed easily once she gets familiar with the new placements.

We also used existing plastic bins she had and put all the paper there. Now that she has a very nice room she can deal with those papers at her own pace.

Paper takes a long time and that’s why we advice to finish the room first. That way you will feel empowered and motivated to keep going.

We hope you liked this client story.

Please share any comments or questions you may have.

Relocation is more than moving.

In this client’s story, we share the steps we followed to make the process painless.

In this Relocation project, we helped our client transition from her 2 bedroom apartment, in Kitchener (Ontario), into a new apartment in British Columbia.

Challenges

She lived most of her life in this apartment. In the past years, she has faced challenges like:

• Reduced mobility due to hip problems.
• Loss of close friends.
• Family members moving out of the province.
• Inability to drive her own car anymore.  

Life on her own became very difficult and a relocation to British Columbia, closer to family members, made sense to her. 

She didn’t have anyone here to help her and she was looking for assistance. She needed peace of mind knowing that someone will take care of all the details for her.   

Goals

The Process

These are the steps we followed:

• A session with the client to decide what to take and what to leave.
• Assistance finding a pet-friendly airline company. 
• Get a few quotes from moving companies and choose the best fit.
• A packing session a couple of days before she left.
• After she left, come with a truck and empty the apartment.
• Take “sellable” items to Auction Company. (We used KW Auctions)
• Take “donatable” items to Thrift Store. (We used Worth a Second Look and Thrift on Kent) 
• Return Rogers TV/Internet rental gear.
• Meet with the Landlord for the final OK.
• Sent Before/After photos and videos and all the auction details to our client by email.
• Sent final cheque from auctioned items and detailed list.

Conclusion

Our client was able to live in her apartment until the last day, and then have the peace of mind that we were taking care of the rest for her.

She was free to enjoy this new chapter of her life.

What did you think about this relocation story?

Please don’t forget to comment below and share it! 

Creating a Starting Point.

“I have tried many times to organize my room, but I can’t find the way to do it”

In this project our client wanted us to create a starting point where she feels comfortable to keep going on her own.

Now she knows where everything is and she has a detailed to-do list to follow.

We went through every single item in the room. 

This transformation happened in just one session.

The challenge

Our client tried several times to organize this room.

She had a lot of ideas but couldn’t find the way to implement them.

Every time she attempted to organize this room she felt overwhelmed.

The importance of understanding your goals

The most important step in any decluttering/organizing project is understanding what the desired outcome is.

These were the goals for this specific client:

• Declutter what does not belong in the room. 
• Define and group all the unfinished projects and store them together for easy access.
• Set up a sewing and crafts station.
• Have an extra table to increase working surface.
• Have a bookshelf with only the books/magazines she wanted to read.

The process

Decluttering:

We touch every single item in the room helping the client make decisions about every item. The decision-making process becomes way easier when you have identified your goals.

Finding Homes for every item:

Once the decluttering portion is finished, you are just left with the items that belong in the space. Now you will have a better understanding of how much space you need and how you can organize them. The most important part is to make sure that this space is functional and inviting for you to do what you love. In this case, the activities that will take place in the space are sewing, crafting and reading. 

Detailed To-do list:

Having a detailed To-do list will help you to keep track of all the ongoing projects. 

What did you think about this blog post? Please leave a comment below and don’t forget to share it.

Decluttering for Successful Entrepreneurship.

“Decluttering forces the entrepreneur to go through everything (physical, mental or both!) to find what is important and what adds value.

Once this process is completed what remains is a clearer view of what needs to be done”.

We had the honour to meet with Zoe, the Chief Executive of Schmooz, a successful Online Consulting Firm in Toronto. 

Zoe understands how important decluttering is for successful entrepreneurship. She shares with us challenges that most of her clients are facing and also her personal challenges regarding of clutter.

She also created a blog post “Decluttering… for entrepreneurs” where we answer some questions for her.

Why are you interested in talking about decluttering Zoe?

I have had many clients coming to me talking about all the noise that surrounds them as they work on building their businesses. When I ask what “noise” they are talking about, it’s many things: It’s the stack of papers on their desks, their accounting tool, the ads that pop up on their Facebook making them feel that they should be doing more and the pressure they feel to use every platform for their business.  I’m interested in talking about decluttering because I think people need to feel that they have permission to choose and to simplify so that they can be productive, efficient and more satisfied.

“People need to feel that they have permission to choose and to simplify so that they can be productive, efficient and more satisfied”

What kind of clutter have you seen from working with entrepreneurs? 

I have seen lots of different types of clutter in my time working with entrepreneurs.

Technology clutter– “Which tool do I use? How many self-help online course videos should I watch? What entrepreneur newsletters should I unsubscribe from?”

Paper Clutter- “Hold on, let me write that in my agenda, my day planner, my google calendar, my iPad notetaker, my Evernote”…you get the drift!

Brain Clutter – “I’m not sure what to do for my business, there are so many options. I could expand, I could do an e-book, I could run ads, I could go door to door…but I only have $1000.00 to spend”

How do you think decluttering can help small business owners? 

I think a lot of people feel overwhelmed by all the options available and are worried about missing out on something if they don’t do it all. This is something I can relate to because it’s a very human thing to feel. Learning about decluttering could be very helpful in making small business owners clarify what is specifically important to them.

Do you personally feel like you have clutter in your life/small business?

My biggest challenges are keeping track of my expenses and managing my own expectations about clutter. I’m a very in-the-moment type of person, and I find it hard to take a pause and take a picture of my receipts. The other challenge I’ve had is that my husband and I have been doing home renovations through most of my time running Schmooz Media. It was particularly hard to run my business from home while our house was a dusty messy construction site. As the home projects subside, and I leave home to go to work now, I feel much more balanced.

How best do you learn new information? 

I learn best by doing. From my days of teaching, we always talked about show don’t tell and I think that could not be truer. That’s why teaching my clients how to reach their clients and not only reaching clients for them is important to me. Knowledge (that means something to you) is power! If I’m in a stressful situation, I will learn to adapt and do so well, but my desired learning experience is to understand why I need to learn something from a high level and then do it, even if mistakes are made along the way.

What value does learning about decluttering offer?

I believe that small details make a big difference, however, that does not necessarily mean getting hung up on too many things. In life, simplifying is important. Fewer things done meticulously could be just impressive than many things done in a mediocre way. It’s a choice. Learning how to make that choice is vital- learning what gives you energy or takes energy away from you is empowering. Learning about decluttering can help make it clear what your priorities are.

What are your top 3 fears when it comes to decluttering or clutter? 

1) I’m afraid I’ll “declutter” too much and forget to keep something important. I’d like to trust myself more but in life, there are so many variables and things to remember that it is hard to give myself permission to let go.

KW Professional Organizers comment:

We believe that you can become paralyzed by keeping things for that “just in case” situation. We also believe that if you have the storage space and an organizing system in place, KEEP STUFF! Make sure the items you keep are easily found, accessible, and most importantly, are not preventing you from using a space for it’s intended purpose.

For example, you might think storing papers on top of your desk is best because that’s where you see them and they’re easy to access, BUT they prevent you from having a clean and clear working space. Try instead a paper management system like a filing cabinet, stackable trays, etc.

The most successful entrepreneurs always make time to step back and re-evaluate! We strongly recommend scheduling time in your calendar every 6 – 12 months to go through your stored items and repeat the decluttering process. If you are succeeding with growth in your business, you will not need most of the items you’ve been storing.  Schedule the time and keep only what is relevant and adds value!

2) Holding onto clutter gives me an excuse to mess up. If I get truly organized, then I won’t have an excuse if I make a mistake. While I only have myself to blame if things are out of control (“If only I had more time to organize my desk, then I would be more productive every day” for example)…if I try to control things more and still fail, the failure might feel greater. (“Now my desk is organized, but I still don’t know what work to start with. What’s wrong with me?”) This is counterintuitive because while it’s likely that I will succeed more with less clutter, the fear of this type of negative self-talk is still there.

KW Professional Organizers comment:

It’s very normal to be afraid of change. Decluttering means change, by having less you will have more room for more. More time, more space, more freedom.. but what’s next? It’s really important to ask yourself “why am I doing this?” There is always a reason or a goal that will pull you to keep going.

It’s also important to be aware that trying and failing is a part of life. Don’t be afraid of failing because when you fail you will learn a very valuable lesson. Every time we encounter a challenge or tough experience we ask ourselves, “What are we learning from this?” It quickly flips your mindset from being pissed off or frustrated to “Wow, I just realized that I never want to do a project like this again!” OR “If I had to do this all over again, I would have started like this instead to avoid the outcome I’m in now.”

3) If we assume that time = money, what’s the return on investment in terms of spending the time to declutter? Are there tangible ways to measure the time I spend making myself feel more in control? The answer is yes, but this might be more of a feeling than something I can capture in items I can hold in my hand.

KW Professional Organizers comment:

We measure everything and that includes time! We believe you can measure the investment by keeping track of how you spend your time. We recommend using Toggl to track your time. When you start to see where and how much of your time you spend on projects, paperwork, social media, and other business stuff; you can become empowered by numbers.

For example, meet Sally. Sally is always spending time looking for missing papers, that one email, her keys, or that note she jotted down on a post-it. Sally decides to track how much time she spends looking for things and it adds up quickly. She spends on average 1 hour a DAY looking for things. Sally is a consultant and charges her clients $185/hour. Let’s do some math!

1 hour x 5 days per week = 5 hours
5 hours x 52 weeks per year = 260 hours
260 hours / 24 hours in a day = 11 days *almost two weeks of time spent looking for things
OR Financially… 260 hours x $185 hourly rate = $48,100 of billable revenue LOST

What are your biggest challenges? Feel free to leave a comment below. 

If you liked this article please share it.

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t things.

This client used our services as a Christmas Surprise for her husband. They recently moved into their new home and didn’t have the time to get their garage organized.

“What a great experience! They were so friendly and knowledgeable and they did exactly what I was looking for…”

“When I started the search to have my garage organized for a surprise for my husband I wasn’t really sure this was a “thing”. But it was and I am so happy with the end result.

My husband now has an organized garage and everything has its own home and label.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

The process:

These are the steps we followed:

• Initial conversation with the client to understand her goals and the desired outcome.
• Go through every item in the garage. 
• Sort items together: Tools, camping gear, gym equipment, winter gear, gardening tools…
• Create a “donation” pile. We took all the unwanted items at the end of the session and donated them.
• Create a “for sale” pile with the items our client wanted to sell. 
• Photograph and measure “for sale” items. They were ready to be listed online.
• Keep an ongoing to-do list with all the tasks that come up while going through the items.
• Uninstall existing hooks from the wall.
• Set up designated sections: gym section, tools section, gardening section, storage section, garbage section…
• Decide the most convenient “home” for every item. 
• Install hooks to suit the new organizing system.
• Place every item in its new “home”
• Label items for easy access if necessary.
• Install recycling bins brackets on the wall. This system will save floor space and create a convenient garbage/recycling station by the door.
• Hang art on the wall. Yes, we encourage clients to display their favorite pieces if they don’t have space in their homes. It’s always nicer to look at a piece that brings you joy rather than looking at a blank wall.

The end result:

Basement Organizing Project

Before and after photos and video

One session was enough to transform this cluttered basement into a functional and inviting space.

The final goal for this project was:

• Being able to host guests.
• Get additional income by renting the space when not in use.

In order to declutter this space, we followed the steps described in our “Decluttering” post.

These are some before photos and a video:

“The situation got so bad it was grossly affecting my mental health.

Every time I opened the door to attempt a clean up I closed it again because I had no idea how to begin.

It was something that just gnawed away at me”

Client’s Request:

“I have an old grubby two car garage that is filled half way to the roof with my and other people’s junk. The stuff is falling all over the place. I haven’t been able to park a car in there for three years. I need help with both the organization and the physical labor of cleaning up the mess”

Client’s Words About Their Experience:

I can not recommend Samantha and Emilio highly enough.

I live in an old Victorian house with a large two car garage. Over a number of decades, the garage had become a dumping ground not only for my belongings but for those of my grown children and the cast-offs of my husband’s deceased father. It was a jumble of boxes, junk, and tubs that were stacked beyond the rafters.

“The situation got so bad it was grossly affecting my mental health”

Every time I opened the door to attempt a clean up I closed it again because I had no idea how to begin. It was something that just gnawed away at me.

The experience of working with Samantha and Emilio was wonderful. In one day we sorted everything and decided what had to be donated, sold, tossed or kept. The garage was cleaned out by the time they left at the end of the day. They took all the items that were being donated to them. Everything was bagged and ready for garbage pick up before they left.

It was not in the least stressful to make decisions. It was quick and easy with their help.

Outcome:

The relief I felt as the process started was wonderful. The relief I felt when it was over was huge.

At the end of the day, there was a clear plan of organization and a few things I wished to complete.

I have been able to complete most of these projects because of the process.

Conclusion:

I would be happy to have Emilio and Samantha back anytime in my house for more organizing!

“Clutter does make you sick. Get help. Stay well.”

Unwanted items were loaded in the trailer and hauled away at the end of the session. Everything was donated and some soiled items were taken to the landfill.

We left separate piles in the garage that belonged to someone else with detailed labels. Our client contacted them all and set a deadline for them to pick things up.

Using temporary labels with masking tape allows identifying every item easy! 

If you want to learn more about our decluttering process to get started right away click here. 

By sharing this post you may help others take control over their spaces and improve their mental health.

A big life event transformed what was once a creative art studio into the “Room of Doom”.

In just one session we were able to transform this space. 

Nothing ended up in the landfill. We are very fortunate in our community to have local thrift stores like worth a second look, thrift on kent, bibles for missions, restore… (just to name some) that will accept most of the donations.

Dysfunctional Bathroom Closet.

Difficult to keep tidy.

Piles of stuff on top of each other.

Increase vertical space usage by installing new shelves.

She couldn’t store as much as she wanted and keeping it tidy and organized was impossible.

Sometimes, real problems like this one can be solved with simple and inexpensive solutions. 

By adding extra shelves we increased the usable storage space by more than double, improving considerably accessibility and functionality.

Now she feels joy instead of frustration every time she opens the bathroom closet door!

This idea can be applied to any cupboard in your home.

Clutter can be reduced and eliminated by creating customized storage solutions to fit your needs. Make sure to measure the items you are planning to store. Remember, don’t buy anything until you know what you are storing and where.

What did you think about this blog? Maybe you can benefit from some extra shelves 🙂

If you enjoyed reading this post most likely others will do too. Please share it.

Kim’s Story – A successful fight against clutter.

We asked Kim if she would be willing to share her story and this is what she wrote.

“I’ve always been the kind of person who would rather do things myself than ever ask for help.

As a kid, I was taught that independence would be the most important skill I could ever have, and I’ve hung on to that for a very long time.

Housekeeping, on the other hand, wasn’t taught as strongly. I know how to do it all, and I certainly did it when I was a kid – mostly because if I didn’t no one else would and I was embarrassed when people came over – but once I moved out I didn’t have the motivation to create any kind of good cleaning/organizing habits. Things would get chaotic, I’d get frustrated and do a half-hearted “clean” where I just moved stuff around and then wasn’t able to find things, and then let it get messy again. At least I could find stuff in my mess!

I’ve grown tired of this though. It’s been awful for my mental health, and I realized my depression could be improved dramatically if I was living in a tidier home.

So I moved. And I decided in my new apartment, that I adored, I would be organized. I bought shelving, and storage units, and closet organizers, and containers and anything else I could imagine I’d need. And it was horrible. It doesn’t matter how many boxes or cupboards and drawers one has.

If you don’t designate a spot for each thing you dissolve into a new kind of chaos.

I don’t recall why exactly I contacted KWPO (KW Professional Organizers), but I had heard of them through #wrtalk on twitter, and from their tweets, I decided that they would be helpful to talk to. The free consultation sure didn’t hurt either!

When I first met Samantha and Emilio, they were at my apartment. This was absolutely horrifying for me, having major anxiety, and so I was quite a mess the day they came. My home wasn’t anywhere near my normal minimum level of “tidy” that I wanted it to be for company, but I knew that it was important for them to see exactly what they had to work with. They were very kind and gentle with me, mostly asking about what I wanted to accomplish with their help. We decided starting with the living room would probably be best, as it’s where I spent the most time, and needed to be the most functional in my apartment.

When they came back to help me with the actual cleaning, decluttering and organizing, I was terribly anxious. Even after meeting them, and knowing exactly what the plan was, I still felt embarrassed, and afraid of being seen as a bad person because of my mess. The process itself was definitely difficult, but Sam and Emilio were very patient with my indecisiveness.

It took a few good sessions with Samantha and Emilio, and one very long day with a dear friend, but I finally got my home to a place where I wanted it to be. I was so excited, that when I heard Samantha and Emilio would be at the Kitchener Market doing a workshop I knew I had to go and show them what they had helped me accomplish!”

Kim’s story is an example of a successful fight against clutter. 

After struggling with clutter for many years Kim decided to change. She had the right mindset, it wasn’t easy to follow through but she pushed herself through feelings of depression, frustration, embarrassment and anxiety to finally create the life that she always wanted. It wasn’t easy, but it was totally worth it and now she enjoys a functional life doing what she loves. Kim has moved into a new townhouse and is sharing the space with a very tidy roommate. She says it can be challenging, but she loves the new space and has kept the philosophy that every object needs a home.

The most powerful thing that we’ve been able to do over the past years is help members in our community gain control of their lives through decluttering, downsizing and simplifying.  We have seen amazing transformations like Kim’s.

If you are a victim of clutter maybe your successful story could be the next one.

What did you think about this article? Do you know of anyone who is a victim of clutter?

Please leave your comments below.

Angela Smith is hosting her 2nd Annual Clothing Swap — learn why she continues each year.

How to Organize a Clothing Swap

Recently I was invited to participate in a Clothing Swap hosted right here in Kitchener-Waterloo! I, myself, had never participated in one before and had only heard of Food Swaps and Children’s Clothing Swaps. My interest was sparked. 

KW Professional Organizers often comes across many who struggle with letting go of ‘stuff’ or wanting better ways to share their abundance. We think that a Clothing Swap is a great opportunity to share a unique and fun idea for downsizing!

I sat down with the host, Angela Smith, to discuss the why’s, what’s, and how’s of Organizing a Clothing Swap.

Where did you get the idea to host a Clothing Swap?

Angela was living in Taiwan the first time she heard of and participated in a clothing swap. She had a hard time sourcing clothes that fit properly and it turned out so did a bunch of her friends who worked there.

She said that the event in Taiwan was a bit of Free-For-All and saw everyone bringing what they didn’t want, throwing it into a pile, and just digging through it to find things they loved. Problem solved!

She has since refined the process and now in her 2nd annual event has learned the do’s and do not’s of clothing swaps.

My donations for the Clothing Swap!

Hanging and Organizing!

How does the process work for participants?

It’s best if participants know about the event well in advance, so they can take the time to go through their closets for donations. Some people may not be able to attend the actual event, but can still donate clothes. Vice versa others may not be able to donate clothes, but be able to attend the event!

In a nutshell, anyone who attends the event is allowed to take as many or as little clothes as they wish. Angela doesn’t set limits because it changes every year — one year you find heaps that suit you and other years maybe only one or two pieces work.

There are rooms or spaces available so that guests can try on anything to be sure they like what they’re taking.

What do you need to host a successful Clothing Swap?

15 Things to Consider

1. CLOTHES – without them the event doesn’t work. Make sure everyone knows well in advance that you’re collecting donations and that they are to donate laundered clothing only.
2. Clothing Hangers – ask friends for some, shop around at second hand shops to pick up extras, collect empty ones from all
   

   Get creative with displays

   your closets!

3. Clothing Racks – again, ask friends if they have any to borrow, have a look on Kijiji, get a bit create with shower curtain rods in door ways or other such DIY ideas.
4. Signage – if you have extra time to get creative you can make signs that detail what is on offer (Example: Clothing Type, Sizes, Name of the Event, Etc)
5. Mirrors – if you have extra throughout the home you’ll want to get them in accessible areas so guests can make best decisions
6. Change Room Space – dedicate bathrooms, bedrooms or hang curtains so that everyone is able to try on what they’re taking!
7. Timing – Spring or Fall are great times to host in Waterloo Region because of the changing of the seasons & weather
   

   Shoes are Swap-a-ble!

8. Invitations – make phone calls, send text messages, create a Facebook Event, mail your family, send a carrier pigeon — get the word out to your network in any way that best suits you *Remember even if someone can’t attend in person they may still have clothes they’d like to donate!
9. Bags – make sure your guests can take home their new wardrobe with ease, ask them to bring a re-usable bag.
10. Snacks & Refreshments – this is a social occasion so feel free to indulge a little while the fashion show transpires.
11. Music – Keep everything light hearted and fun with a little pick me up music!
12. Place to Donate – At the end of the night there will be left-overs — do some research and consider taking them to a local shelter, thrift store or charity!
    

    Angela includes products as a new swap item

13. Explain the Process – let your guests in on how it all works — they can read this blog 🙂 or you can let them know how it works when you invite them!
14. No Money – this is a money free event and the selling of clothes is discouraged
15. Accessories – you can expand on clothes with purses, belts, jewelry, hats, scarves, shoes, etc

Why do you enjoy hosting the Clothing Swap?

Angela says she loves second hand everything and getting people together  for out of the ordinary events.  Hosting events is one of her passions and a Clothing Swap is something different. Angela also goes deeper mentioning that this is an alternative to traditional shopping and she would like to open people’s perceptions of shopping second hand.

She mentioned that a big benefit to hosting is getting a first view of what is dropped off. Another benefit was getting to choose a place to donate all the left over clothes. Last year’s event saw the majority of clothes heading to Monica’s Place in Kitchener, Ontario.

Getting clothes ready for donation to the clothing swap. Laundered, Folded, READY!

What is the most challenging factor in hosting a clothing swap?

In this fast paced society the biggest challenge is getting people to respond in advance.  Angela said that it is a huge help to get clothing donations prior to the actual event so that she can properly sort, hang and fold them for display.

What do the future Clothing Swaps events look like?

Angela aspires to continue to grow participation in her event and eventually host it outside her home at a larger location. She is a fountain of ideas when it comes to creative events and if you would like more information regarding hosting a clothing swap or other such events please email her.

Angela Smith is 35, living and working in Kitchener Waterloo. She believes in living local, second hand and being creative.  During her vacation time she bounces from continent to continent and on her weekends she is an avid explorer within a 100 km radius.  She enjoys organizing out of the ordinary events, large and small.
If you want to start a conversation with Angela be prepared to discuss food, fashion, travel, re-purposing, music and/or outdoor activities.

Angela’s LinkedIn  Angela’s Instagram