Here is a snapshot of the things we do not buy:

Only by curiosity are we writing and sharing this blog. We in no way think less or more of anyone if they do or do not buy anything. We are all different, with stories and reasons for lifestyles and behaviours. Our friend asked us to write out this list and we thought it was a fun exercise to think about “what don’t we buy?”

1. Plastic wrap, sandwich bags, or plastic bags

Even without buying these items, they can still make their way into our home. What in sweet jesus do we do when we have left overs? Or are making sandwiches for a picnic? Good question: we do it the Spanish bocadillo way 😊 wrapped with tinfoil.

2. Salad Dressing

We love making our own. The standard is olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and honey. We do make our own ranch, Caesar, and Greek dressings. Recipes are here.

3. Gasoline

It’s true, we stopped indirectly buying gas. We became community carshare members and no longer have to pay directly for this resource. Yes, we still use a petrol car, but far less. And it really is great to pay as a collective for things like car insurance, car maintenance, and gasoline. It’s incredible how much happier we are and less stressed we are about owning a vehicle.

4. Coffee Pods or filters

We use an stove top espresso maker and a reusable espresso cap for the machine.

5. Premade Cleaning Products

We use water, vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, dish soap, laundry detergent. Samantha started cleaning from a very early age, she always felt like Cinderella. Regardless, she witnessed how pre-made cleaners were harmful to her skin, left streaks, had pungent odors, and in general didn’t work well. Nothing was a safer or cleaner option that vinegar and water. Check out her blog about cleaning the fridge.

6. Popsicles

We have a reusable popsicle mold that works great for extra smoothies, or intentional fudgeicle creation.

7. Microwave Popcorn

I make it on the stove top in a soup pot.

8. Kombucha, Smoothies, or Juice

With the exception of ordering this at a restaurant or café we make all our own juices, smoothies, lassis, and kombucha. This has been a magical discovery for our alcohol free family. It makes for an easy choice of what to imbibe when having a gathering or day out in the sun.

9. Movies or Cable

Except for a subscription to CBC Gem, Gaia, and Spotify we do not rent movies or pay for television. In fact we have our tv covered all the time with a removable painting. If we are temporarily staying in a space we cover televisions with a scarf, towel, or blanket.

10. Napkins or wet wipes

We use cloth napkins, towels, and cleaning rags instead of one-time use only products like paper towel, paper napkins or disposable cloths. We did use wet wipes outside the house while our daughter was in cloth diapers.

11. Alcohol

Since 2011, Samantha has been sober from alcohol. Emilio never felt compelled to consume alcohol even with it’s prevalence in Spanish culture. There is a great novel written by Harold Johnson called Fire Water: how alcohol is killing my people and yours. The arguments offered in this book are beyond compelling as to why we would be better served to move away from this destructive past time and invest into more soul filling pursuits.

12. Presents

Easy! This is a sensitive topic for sure. But yes, you won’t see us buying you or anyone else gifts for birthdays, Christmas, weddings, etcetera. Don’t write us off completely though. We just don’t believe that giving of gifts or money should be obligatory for anyone. We also don’t expect to receive gifts. We do still like to offer gifts of time, food, experiences, and help whenever we are able.

13. Granola

We make our own made up of our favorite oats, nuts, and dried fruits

14. Flowers

We try to buy plants and seeds in leu of any cut flowers. It’s not that we don’t think they’re incredibly beautiful, but we just feel strongly about sharing living things.

15. CDs, Vinyl Records, or Tapes

Samantha tried to revive her collection of CDs and vinyl, but the truth was she didn’t want to make the time to listen in that manner. It was her last effort to try and keep the collections that she had spent literally thousands of dollars on since her first job. However, practically it has become much easier to stream music. If the power goes out or the internet fails, she always goes back to the guitar, piano or drum.

16. Underpants (Samantha only)

Who needs them?

17. Tampons or Menstrual Pads

Converted years ago to the Diva cup there has been no turning back to ease and comfort of using this device. Yes, there can always be an accident, but that was the same with tampons or pads. I appreciate this invention so much and am grateful that I no longer am forced to wear other products.

18. Decorations

If you see decorations around our home it’s because they were hand-me-downs, inherited, free, or created by our daughter. We re-use the same Happy Birthday pendent, put out a small bag of Christmas items, but in general do not decorate. And for those of you who know us intimately know that we do still like to celebrate the times, but not the materials associated to the celebration.

19. Soup 

This is one item that we love making and when we do, we make extra for the freezer. It’s interesting that it’s a product that used to be a staple in the cupboard, but has since been eliminated from purchases.

20. Nail Polish + Makeup, Face, Hair, or Hair Removal Products 

A long, long time ago Samantha used to paint her nails to match her outfits. She had the best colours from MAC makeup and had a whole make up routine before leaving the house. Now, after years of sobriety, I have never felt more confident and beautiful then this stage in my life. I no longer feel like I need to invest time into routines that did not make me feel more beautiful and consumed my precious time. And the truth was that this started because while I was traveling I could no longer afford to dye my hair, wax my pussy, shave my legs, paint my face, and distort my image. From that experience I came to find myself. One that was truly proud of who she was, how her body looked ‘naturally’ and when I found that women – I also found my partner in crime. When I became a true reflection of myself, I found my true reflection in another. I’m grateful always for Emilio loving me for who I am, body hair and all. Just as I love him, body hair and all.

21. Fresh Herbs 

The flavours of fresh herbs and aromatics are incredible additions to any diet. We plant a garden that supports that love. Full disclosure we do indirectly purchase fresh herbs in our Little Fields Farm CSA purchase. All year long Samantha grows in the basement herbs and lettuces. During the outdoor growing season you will always find cilantro, rosemary, thyme, chives, garlic, lavender, basil, parsley, lemongrass, dill, mint, marijuana and more growing in their medicine garden. When the plant is near the end of harvest we dry herbs using the dehumidifier. And we also the plants to always “go to seed” to collect and plant for the next year and share with others.

22. Water in Bottles

We do our best to always bring water along with us. One reusable bottle for each person. We clean our bottles with wire brushes and straw cleaners.

23. Marijuana, vapes, or cigarettes

Although, Samantha uses marijuana, she does not buy it from shops or others. She grows it in her medicine garden, dries its, and keeps it in her freezer. It’s easy not to by cigarettes or vape products as neither Emilio or Samantha smokes.

24. Tissue or Kleenex

We use beautiful handkerchiefs, each with their own stories. They are easily disinfected in the wash (I wash these in a load with cleaning cloths at a hot temperature). Samantha has handkerchiefs from her Farfar, a friend’s grandmother, and a local print screen artist in KW. Emilio found a great collection while he was home in Barcelona, Spain.

25. Conditioner, body gel or liquid hand soap

When you detox your hair from using conditioner, you may find it’s a product that is no longer necessary. Personal choice of course, but none of us use these products and instead have a homemade bar soap for our hands and body. We are so grateful to our amazing friends and family who know how to make this in their homes.

Okay, so hopefully you found this information interesting, informative, or helpful. Our intention is not to make anyone feel shame, judgement, or pressure. Just the opposite. We hope to inspire, empower, and bring awareness to our situations.

Emilio and I are always open to learning and growing along with you all, so please feel free to comment and share below with what you no longer purchase that may be interesting for us to learn.

The real reason you have clutter

If you’re still believing (like I used to!) that your home will suddenly become neater when you just upgrade to that 2 bedroom condo, or maybe even a single-family detached home, then you’ve got some disappointment coming your way.

Think about it for a second.

If your approach to organization is to just keep jamming things into your storage closet until opening the door is an inherently risky operation… then a bigger closet is just putting a longer fuse on that clutter bomb.

If your paper filing system is to make teetering stacks of it on your desk, leaving just enough space for your laptop and your coffee mug… then a bigger desk just means you’ll build that paper pyramid so high it becomes a legitimate class-2 avalanche concern.

The real reason your home isn’t clean

The real reason that your home isn’t clean, is not because it’s too small for the amount of stuff that you have.

Throughout your life, as you went from bunking with your big brother or sister, to sharing an apartment with roommates, to having your own home, the clutter has always followed you into these bigger spaces, hasn’t it?

So, if a bigger home doesn’t mean you’ll have a cleaner home, maybe there’s a better approach to clutter (one that doesn’t require spending $$$ on a bigger home).

A better approach to clutter

An approach that…

… gives you more time for daily joy, instead of daily stress

… lets you get on with the important things in life

… lets you start a new way of life, letting go of the past

The truth is…

There are thousands of people who live this reality each and every day.

But they didn’t get there by dreaming of bigger closets and buying 4,000 sq. ft. homes.

They got there by FIRST adopting the approach that the clutter is tied to themselves, not their space… and then learning the techniques and mindset shifts that opened the gates to more productivity and mental clearness.

They didn’t rely on organizational gimmicks. But the powerful step-by-step process that helped them find the roots of why their clutter had become an issue in their life.

“Great. I get it. But I never learned how to deal with my clutter growing up. Life has always looked like this.” Read about the real reason our client Kim kept resisting a better approach..

The misperception that is holding you back

That’s a topic for our next blog post. This misperception that you should just naturally, instinctively know these things, and if you don’t, well you’d better feel embarrassed asking anyone else how to learn them!

If you have a smaller home or space, rejoice! When you have a clear, organizational system, a smaller space will always be easier to keep tidy and clean than a 4,000 sq. ft. house.

Dealing with emotional attachment to stuff doesn’t have to suck.

Dealing with emotional attachment to stuff is a very common challenge for people journeying through the process of getting organized. Whether you’re feeling stuck, downsizing, moving, or just needing a change in your space – you are not alone. In fact, we’ve explored the topic of why we form attachments in the first place.

Is having emotional attachment to stuff bad?

I hesitate to say a firm no, that having emotional attachment to stuff isn’t bad. However, if you find yourself having an emotional attachment to every object you encounter, I would challenge to ask you if you have a strong understanding of who the real you is?

It is completely normal to have emotional attachment to non-living things. Just look how children form relationships with their favourite toy growing up, playing make believe, having crisis moments when that toy disappears, etcetera. Adults are no different in their ability to create relationships with their belongings – though tantrums are lesser as we age, right?

How can I declutter if I have emotional attachment to stuff?

Set yourself up with the right expectations and go easy on yourself. If you have experienced difficulty with attachment for most of your life, change is not going to happen over night. The good news is that by understanding what you want to achieve, where you want to go, and allowing yourself realistic time to process getting organized, you will.

3 Ways to help declutter through emotional attachment

ONE: Develop the right mindset

Success often lies in understanding the potential outcomes to undertaking your goal to declutter. Now is the time to think about all the positive outcomes that could occur if you get organized. For example, easier to tidy up every day, a bit of revenue gained from selling unwanted items, etc.

In order to avoid major upsets along the way you must also imagine all the challenges that you could face getting organized. For example, dealing with buried grief attached to an inherited item, accepting that money was wasted on impulse purchases, etc.

TWO: Honour your feelings

If you are feeling something when you look at or hold an item, it’s a valid feeling. Make sure you respect yourself during the process of letting go. Nothing is silly, nothing is shameful. Psychologists still don’t fully understand how the mind forms all attachments, so denying your feelings has no place in this process.

However, you are capable of changing the story you always tell yourself around the owning of an object. If you feel guilt looking at a jacket you never wear, but it was a gift from a friend – do you want to continue holding that guilt or are you ready to make room to feel something better?

THREE: Get the right help

You decided what is truly helpful during your decluttering process. Help can come in the form of a friend, time, a professional organizer, meditation, a dumpster bin, a donation centre, an online marketplace, a 30-day challenge, an online course, etcetera.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for processing emotional attachment to stuff. There is beauty in believing that your decluttering process looks different from mine; that Joe’s looks different from Tammy’s. If you are here reading this post – you are already on your journey. Congratulations.

Your stuff doesn’t define who you are

Dealing with emotional attachment to stuff can feel painfully slow and confusing. Remember you ask yourself, why are you getting organized? It’s important to understand your why because it holds the power behind your motivation. The most successful people who get organized and stay organized are fuelled by a why that promotes internal motivation. You have to want to change and do something different, otherwise you are going to remain in that old story. Try our mini-crash course if you would like a deeper explanation in how to get started.

Organizing is a skill that you could learn if you are interested in making self-improvements. If you have ever looked around at others: friends, family, people who have clean, organized homes and thought “wow, they make it look so easy and effortless, it must be so nice to have that come naturally” then you’re doing yourself a disservice.

I wish I learnt this sooner

I wish I had learned this sooner myself, instead of just assuming that I didn’t have the knack for organizing, and I had to accept that my home would always be messy and disorganized. If you believe that some people just have the knack for organizing, and some people–like you–just don’t… then no wonder your sporadic cleaning efforts have never lasted. 

Because the real reason that some people make it look easy, is that… Being organized is a skill.

And skills are something that anyone can learn! Those people who just easily, breezily keep a tidy, uncluttered home, are just flexing those organizational skills that you can learn from our How to Declutter & Organizing Any Space course.

Organizing is a skill you can learn right now

If we can agree that being organized is a skill, then we can realize that… it’s okay not to be an expert right away. No piano player dives right into Chopin, you start with Chopsticks. There is a path you can follow towards mastery. And different people will be at different levels.

Some people were lucky

Their parents taught them these skills at a young age, and they internalized them so that it didn’t even feel like something they ever had to learn. Not all parents and families pass these skills along, but you can still learn these skills later in life.

And I can hear you saying, “Alright, I can learn these skills, but I actually like some of my stuff. I don’t want to have to get rid of my entire wardrobe when I don my minimalist robe.” Well, you don’t have to be a fanatical minimalist to learn a couple of things from the “own less stuff” movement.

Emilio and I both developed our organizing skills through our parents and numerous life experiences. For example, did you know that before the age of 26 I had been employed as a housekeeper, a provincial park maintenance worker, a bartender, a server, a sheep farmer, a kitchen manager, a tour guide, a nanny, an ice cream attendant, a landscaper, a University student, a varsity rugby captain, and the list goes on and on. All of these job opportunities helped me develop my organizing skills across the span of my life. Organizing is a skill and we want you to help you strengthen it with some simple exercises.

3 easy exercises to improve your organizing skills

Discover your organizing style – it’s true, there is an organizing style that probably speaks to you. Even if you don’t consider yourself an organized person – that’s a style of its own! Once you discover the organizing style that feels right for you, you will be more confident in your ability to stay organized. Because here’s the secret, there is no one way to be organized. It’s about finding out what works for you and your family and owning it!

Write in one place – we are personally big fans of Bullet Journaling, but no matter what system you use to write down your ideas, lists, or thoughts; keeping everything in one place is the key for keeping your thoughts organized. I used to use scrap pieces of paper to make my to-do lists and things to remember, but in the end I just had missing pieces of paper everywhere. When I switched to one journal over 5 years ago I stopped losing things, I could reference my ideas better, and generally I was a lot less stressed.

Use a calendar – you can use analog or digital, but start inputting your commitments. You will find yourself becoming better aware of how to manage your time, which is an excellent organizing skill. This is especially beneficial if you find yourself over committing, showing up late or missing appointments.

You’re never too old, or young, to improve your skills

We’re a bit biased when it comes to how important we think organization can be for quality of life. Our personal experiences have demonstrated time and time again that strengthening our organization skills helps us stay resilient to change and ready for opportunities. We believe that you can do it too and we are here to support you on your journey. Come join our private facebook group for support.

For many years Emilio and I have wrestled with the idea of going carless. Would living in Canada without owning a car actually work? While KW Professional Organizers was in full operations it wasn’t an option we could really consider. I mean, it would be pretty challenging working with clients in their homes and then not having any wheels to hull away unwanted items for donations. Good thing our online courses were up and running so we could help in other ways.

Covid-19 lock-downs here in Ontario changed all of that thinking. KW Professional Organizers was not considered an essential service and for well over a year we have not been offering one-on-one services. Also, our daughter was accepted into a daycare program that was right around the corner from our house. All of a sudden we no longer had a need for car use on a daily basis.

Carless could actually be a convenient option

We live in an urban location in Waterloo, Ontario and since moving here in 2012 the local carshare company has dramatically improved their offerings. We live right off of a major bus route, there is a light rail transit not far from our home, and the Waterloo Region has been slowly adding more protected bike lanes. Everything started adding up to be the right time to try going carless.

Going carless could save us serious bank

When we crunched the numbers we realized that we had the opportunity to save $400+/month from insurance, licensing, and gas. Not to mention the savings from selling our Dodge Caravan and annual maintenance costs. You know the old adage a car is the endless pit you throw all your money in. Emilio and I debated for a long time and then finally decided to post an add to sell the van. We decided to test our experiment for one calendar year and experience all the seasons carless.

5 myths of going carless

Myth #1: You can’t use a car anymore

Just because you’re letting go of ownership of your car doesn’t mean you can’t drive other cars. We became carshare members the minute we sold our car. We knew that if push came to shove and we needed to take a trip somewhere or pick up large items we could always count on having access to wheels. Our local carshare Communauto is a wonderful resource and helps us feel comfortable in our decision to go carless.

Myth #2: Owning a car provides more options to move around

It’s funny because we were so worried about not having options to go places, but the truth is that the opposite happened. Owning the car limited our way of thinking about moving. When we let go of the car we started to think of all the different ways we could move around. For example, when Emilio took Eva to go second hand shopping for some clothes across town he needed to think about how he would do it. Instead of just jumping in a car and going from point A to point B, he and Eva took the light rail transit, explored a new paved trail by roller blades and stroller to visit the shops, and then jumped on the train home. They both enjoyed the whole experience and fit in exercise, exploration, and practical shopping at the same time. In the past it would have been a pretty mundane drive to the store, shop, and drive back home.

Myth #3: Public transit is your only way to move around

Depending on your location there are a lot of ways to get around without relying heavily on just public transit options. When we sold the car we invested in an electric scooter, an electric skate board, we own three bicycles with trailer and seat attachments for our daughter, we use roller blades, we walk, we are car share members, and occasionally have used the bus and light rail transit. Please remember, we’re just sharing our experiences and we know that not all areas are as well served as where we live. We had tested electric scooters in San Francisco and absolutely LOVED the experience. We knew that owning a scooter would be a great joy to ride.

Myth #4: You will miss your car

This is definitely a personal belief, but so far Emilio and I have been at the height of summer activity, going from here to there and we DO NOT miss our van. In fact, there has been more joy and excitement in our movement, our exercise goals are easy to accomplish, and we have so far never experienced not being able to rent a car when we need it. Also, we have saved hundreds of dollars since selling the car.

Myth #5: Everyone should go carless

Absolutely, this is a hard NO. Going carless is not for everyone and can definitely be more challenging depending on where you live. However, for our lifestyle, location, and family size, going carless has been a real game changer. Many of our neighbours, friends, and family were worried about us when we embarked on this experiment, but have witnessed us take to the new adjustment very well. We hope that by us sharing you can reflect and ask yourself if going carless is right for you. It’s more than ok if it’s a No.

Re-thinking the way you move

Going carless has provided a positive ripple effect in our life. We are intentional about where we go and how we get there. Our fitness levels have risen and with that our levels of depression have dropped and according to Harvard exercise can be as effective as anti-depressants. Both Emilio and I are looking forward to adding sled and ski’s to our ways of travel this winter. Going carless is paying off for our family.

Best videos for inspiring hope by Green Renaissance

In an online world where it has become increasingly difficult to see uplifting and hopeful stories, Green Renaissance from South Africa is filling this gap in a big way. Maybe you have already been suggested to watch one of their beautifully filmed short stories. I felt strongly that our audience would not only enjoy these videos, but they would also feel full and content after watching them.

Green Renaissance in their own words is “passionate filmmakers, living off-grid and dedicating our time to making films that we hope will inspire and share positivity out into the world.” Not only are these videos made consistently, but they are being produced now and reflect the times we are currently living in, yet the messages are timeless. The videos focus on simplicity, lifestyle choices, family, relationships, and environment.

Green Renaissance’s videos help with letting go of stuff

No word of a lie, but I was doing some annual decluttering in my bedroom and closet, while I sorted through belongings I had Green Renaissance on the playlist. I couldn’t tell you how many times I felt joy, overwhelming emotion, and validation with the stories they told. Listening to the videos about living simply really helped me make the choice to keep or let go way easier.

Watch the first that caught my eye Being Simply Beautiful which they describe as “stuff everywhere! Bags, clothes, cars, iPads. We love our stuff. And over time, we’ve come to believe that this ‘stuff’ is what defines who we are. But our possessions will never fully satisfy the inmost desires of our soul. They never have. And they are not about to start. In fact, most of the time, it distracts us from the very things that bring meaning to our lives.”

Green Renaissance’s validation for moving slower

From decluttering my belongings to moving into truly appreciating the simple joys of life – their videos kept sending me these overwhelming messages of calmness, contentment, and belongings. You see the videos that are created by Green Renaissance confirm that there are more (many more) of us humans out there who don’t require stuff to feel happy. The stories being shared are coming from real people across a diverse field who share and say the things I hear in myself almost daily.

I was forwarded this wonderful video by my good friend Mandy called Grounded in Realness. They describe the video as “All too often life can feel like a competition to see who is the busiest. Our lives are filled with rushing, stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Being overworked has become a marker of success, and it’s difficult to resist getting caught up in the wave. We’re less in tune with our bodies and minds and there’s little time left over to simply ‘be’.”

My favourite watches from Green Renaissance

• Do What You Love – Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. And above all, do what you love.
• Unplugged – Something is amiss and we can’t quite put our finger on what. It seems that the further our society progresses, the more disenfranchised we feel. And although the digital world is compelling and absorbing, having a conversation without a phone in our hand, a headphone in our ear, or a screen in the background is the real art of being human.
• Soul Animals – There is something magical about horses. If you spend any amount of time with them this becomes quickly apparent. But what sets them apart? How are they so intuitive? Why do they touch our hearts so deeply? It’s a feeling that is often difficult to put into words.
• How Much Is Enough? – We’re encouraged to seek out success, wealth, and material possessions, against which we measure our status, self-worth, and happiness. We continually strive to achieve these things, but when we get them, we feel only a fleeting sense of happiness before setting our sights on the next thing. And this pursuit of ‘stuff’ often comes at the sacrifice of our physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Time well spent filling your cup

It feels good to watch something that leaves you with hope in your belly. I cannot thank Green Renaissance enough for sharing their passion for positive storytelling. I hope you find value in watching their videos and please share widely. The world could all use more love and kindness.

Discover Emilio’s audio meditations on Insight Timer 

During Covid-19 lockdowns Emilio focused heavily on creating audio meditations to connect with our followers. He, himself prefers to listen to content rather than read or watch. He’ll be the first to tell you that nothing makes him feel better than to pop in some ear buds while doing dishes, laundry, or walking around outside.

Growing conversations were occurring around applications like Insight Timer, Headspace, and Calm from our circles and Emilio chose to explore Insight Timer on a recommendation from a colleague. Since then he has been hosting live events every Tuesday at 10:00 am EST.  

What’s your learning style?

Not everyone learns by watching or reading – auditory learning can often provide fewer distractions and fit seamlessly into your daily routines. If you’re not sure what your learning style is we suggest you do a little self exploring in that area. And yes, you can be a mixture of many different learning styles.

Emilio recognized a need for audio meditations with a focus on lifestyle education. He created meditations with focuses on organization, minimalism, and self care – and they’re popular!

How to incorporate audio meditations in your day

Listen, audio meditations are not for everyone, but if you’re considering giving it a try here are some suggestions to make a seamless transition into your daily routines.

Helpful tips:

• Know your equipment – what would you like to listen on? This could be your mobile phone, over a wireless speaker, in the car, or from a computer. Figuring out the logistics of your listening will make the decision of where and when to listen easier.

   

• Choose a Topic – it’s easy to download the Insight Timer application, but there are a lot of topics to choose from once you get into it. If you’re concerned about where to start, take a moment and think about what you would enjoy listening to, learning about, or exploring BEFORE you get started. It will help prevent decision fatigue in the future. We recommend starting with Emilio’s Self Care 10 day course 😊

   

• Test the new habit – before putting any money into this new activity we suggest you test the idea for free first. Insight Timer allows users to access over 60,000 audio meditations without paying a dime.

   

• Set your boundaries – decide on a time of day when this activity would add value to your life, not take value away – we encourage digital detoxes. For example, maybe you can listen during your lunch break while out for a walk – getting some exercise and relaxation in your ears at the same time. We wouldn’t suggest you listen when you’re spending time with friends or family unless they are partaking as well.

Finding strategies to improve wellness

At the end of the day Emilio is producing these audio meditations to help people on their journey towards self love and improved wellness. He also has a sincere desire to connect with you one-on-one which is why he hosts the live events every Tuesday at 10:00 am EST. If you’ve been wanting to ask questions or suggest topics – attending the live events is the perfect opportunity.

Recently, Samantha was invited by CTV News to share KW Professional Organizers’ tips on spring cleaning and decluttering. With the spring season right around the corner many may be looking to kick start their spring cleaning and decluttering, but sometimes figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. Here’s the truth: there is no one-size-fits-all answer here.

Our rule for choosing a place to start is tackle the space that BUGS you the most. However, there are common mistakes we all make while getting ready for decluttering so here’s how you can avoid them.

Avoid these 4 common mistakes

1. Ignoring your frustrations – try to avoid investing all that time in spring cleaning and decluttering without getting rid of the stuff that really bugs you. Like the pieces of paper always falling off the fridge or the pile of shoes that trip you every time you come in the door. If it helps try to visualize that if you could snap your finger what would be the one place that you would like to eliminate all your frustrations? Is it the kitchen? The closet? The spot might be as simple as a drawer or the entire garage.
   
   
2. Not thinking it through – the easiest way to fix this common mistake is to answer some questions: What’s the ideal outcome? What would you like for this space? What activities do you want to do there? How do you want to feel in that space?
   
   
3. Comparanoia – let go of comparing yourself and your spaces to others. You can avoid this habit by minimizing scrolling on social media. Remember, the best results are going to come from your true desires – not your neighbours.
   
   
4. Shopping – there is no need to buy until you’ve completed your spring cleaning and decluttering. When you have completed your decluttering – then it is maybe time to look for a product if one is missing. We can’t tell you how many clients we have that are shocked by how little they needed to feel well in their tidy home.
   
   

Basic decluttering rules to keep in mind

Time. If you are like most of us and before we started organizing in 2012 we used to be a little over-optimistic when it came to scheduling enough time to spring clean and decluttering. It’s a real thing called planning fallacy. A good rule of thumb is to always add 2 hours to whatever you estimate.

Activities. Design your spaces to suit what you’re going to be doing in that space. For example, if you’re a painter and all your stuff is always tucked up on the top shelf of a closet the likelihood of you being able to use it is pretty low. Whereas if you can set up your space with some art supplies in a nice space where you have access to it you’re more likely going to enjoy and partake in that activity more often.

What’s the secret of keeping things from getting cluttered?

Know that this process always looks worse before it gets better. Make sure you offer yourself permission to really ask, “are all the things in our space bringing us value? do we really need all of these things?”

When you know everything in your space has value then you can create permanent homes for those items. It’s having a permanent home that makes tidy-up time so quick and easy. For example, the keys hang here, the books go on this shelf and fit, the clothes all fit in the drawers, and the extra toilet paper is stored here, etc.

Kindergarten classrooms are the best example of how items have permanent homes. This method is demonstrated every day when the children know exactly where to return their toys. Art supplies are in this corner, books are in the reading zone, and building blocks go in this box, etcetera.

Having permanent homes doesn’t mean that there will be no mess. Let’s be serious – sometimes it looks like a hurricane has gone through the room, but having designated spots to return everything is the secret to keeping things from getting cluttered.

Where’s one place in your home that is tidy?

Remember, no matter how big or how small, everyone has the ability to be organized. So enjoy this spring cleaning and give yourself time to declutter the spaces that are really irritating you – the results will be better than you could have imagined 😊

It’s not uncommon to wake up, look around and say to yourself, “I can’t do this. I just want to stay in bed.” There is no shame in feeling like your home or life is or has become cluttered. You are not alone. Heck, if you were alone in this struggle there wouldn’t be national associations of professional organizers all over the world. From Canada to the US, the United Kingdom to Korea, Japan to Brazil, these associations only exist because people just like you also can get themselves into a cluttered mess and need help to regain balance.

We have written previously about how understanding your basic needs can help lead you to calm the chaos that a cluttered life can bring. However, the following is a practical way for helping to focus your energy on keeping things simple.

First, identify where the cluttered feelings come from

Like any good problem solver, we first need to identify what area is causing the most frustration. It could be an obvious answer to physical clutter throughout the home or it could be mental clutter caused by scheduling, people in your life, or work demands. Feeling cluttered can appear in many areas of your life, not just physical stuff. If you need convincing evidence, you can watch our video on the effects of having a decluttering and organize space.

Try this exercise. If you could snap your fingers and change one thing in your life magically, what would it be?

Examples:

All the items in my home have a permanent storage place and everything looks tidy.

My email inbox is at zero.

All the meals for the week are prepped and ready to serve with minimal effort.

How to prepare yourself to fix feeling cluttered

After completing the exercise above you now have an area where you need to place your focus. Keep in mind though that you are more likely to be successful when you are feeling well yourself. Some may say that it’s a “chicken before the egg” situation, but when in doubt – always fill your cup up before taking on a big project or life change.

Love yourself some more – you’ll find more success

1. Sleep – are you getting enough, good quality sleep? If the answer is no, try making some changes such as starting a bedtime routine, eliminating screen time before bed, feeling comfortable where you sleep, trying a sleep aid like an eye-mask, sound machine, or earplugs.

    

2. Breath – sounds crazy right? Of course, you’re breathing. However, there is a big difference between breathing unconsciously and mindfully exercising your lung muscles. There are many guided meditations or breathing practices that you can follow along to for 5 minutes a day which can really help you get into a relaxed state. All of this in turn can help you tackle more challenging projects.

3. Food – it’s not about what or how much you eat, but we believe it’s important for you to enjoy your food. So no matter what you consume, are feeling well? If no, consider making a change here. And we highly recommend removing any stress associated with food, if you’re challenged with this suggestion make sure to read our resources around meal planning.

4. Time – has your calendar drastically changed since the impact of Covic-19? Potentially you are facing more or less free time, more or less isolation, more or less work. We mention time because our time really affects how we set our expectations. Now is the time to recognize the power you have over decided where you spend your time. For a great exercise on this try designing your ideal week. 

You can do this!

Take your time and recognize that change will happen in small, intentional steps. Leave us a comment below about how feeling cluttered affects your life – we’re here to help.

Since the onslaught of COVID-19, we have been asked repeatedly how to best create your home office and ideal workspace. You may very well be reading this post from your own desk at home right now. And, we want to help you get set up for success by sharing the idea of what having a minimalist desk is all about.

Minimalist Desk Examples:

A minimalist desk can look like this:

But a minimalist desk can also look like this:

Does this seem confusing? Don’t worry, many people often misunderstand that minimalism doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to own anything. But in fact, minimalism is about removing what is no longer important in your life to reveal what is truly important for you to function the way you love. Read more about defining minimalism. And if you would prefer, listen to Emilio’s audio version.

So in the first photo, you can see that Emilio’s desk is simple and fun, not a lot to his murphy-style minimalist desk. And in the second photo, there are a lot of items in and around the desk, but all of them are again necessary for creativity.

How do I create my own minimalist desk?

We’re glad you asked. By following the steps we’ve outlined below you can create your own minimalist desk in a matter of minutes or hours, depending on what activities you’re doing in your workspace. Meaning that if you’re a laptop user and coffee drinker your desk will be easier to create than the woodcarver who has hundreds of necessary tools.

4 Steps to a Minimalist Desk

1. Decide – you can do this in your mind or on paper, but create a list of activities that you are going to do while at your desk (this helps you understand what physical items you might need or how much clear space you require)

2. Eliminate – find the table, desk, or area that you are going to use as your minimalist desk and take everything off of that space. You are going to set these items aside and decide one-by-one what will go back (remember to use the list you just created if you get stuck on tough items)

3. Store – now’s the time to find the right homes for the items your keeping. Often times you will never need to buy products, you probably have what you need around the home, so get creative.

4. Keep Tidy – maintenance is the most neglected strategy for having a great workspace. Try integrating a daily tidy-up of 5 minutes either morning or evening that every item returns to its proper home and used mugs go back to the kitchen sink. 

By using the D.E.S.K. acronym you can create a workspace that works for you and the work you do. Your minimalist desk is waiting to be discovered and only you know what will work best. And remember that you can always change and pivot as your needs change with the times.

Working from home can be a real blessing when you feel inspired by the place that you camp out, so take some time and create your minimalist desk. Love minimalism, but your workspace is fine? Find more inspiration in our minimalist solutions post. We look forward to seeing what you create. Leave us a comment below and we’ll be sure to answer quickly.

Let’s solve your daily frustrations with minimalist solutions that don’t cost money.

Big changes can occur with simple ideas. 

We recently presented a workshop on the topic of Minimalist Solutions to Every Day Frustrations. We broke the ideas down based on the 7 Ingredients for an Extraordinary Life (if you haven’t read our book, you can buy it here). Those 7 ingredients are Body, Mind, Work, Social, Family, Stuff, and Giving Back. Those headings are to help guide us in discovering our frustrations. 

So, take 3 deep breaths and shake some part of your body.

Now, think about your daily life, your routine or lack of routine. Do you have any frustrations that come to mind?

Example: Not having enough motivation to exercise, impulsive shopping, too many activities and feeling overwhelmed, poor relations with family members, etcetera.

The acknowledgment of these frustrations is not meant to make you feel bad. Once you can identify a frustration you are then more able to take steps to eliminate them. And if you can’t think of any frustrations that’s okay too. Smile and be proud that you’re in a good place.

Scroll to the area that matches your frustration.

BODY 

In order to feel well each one of us will need different amounts of sleep, food, and exercise. If one of those areas are being neglected it can leave us feeling frustrated with our Body. The following are 3 minimalist solutions to help get you back on track.

MIND 

It’s a power centre and requires attention to stay healthy. Some of us need more stimulation and others require a pull at the emergency breaks. 

STUFF 

If you want to take steps to evaluate your belongings please start by reading our post on decluttering.  

FAMILY 

The best minimalist suggestion we have for you is to communicate. If face-to-face visits are challenging or physically impossible then we recommend writing letters, making phone calls, or a digital version of both. Also, preserving memories can be a very healing and happy experience.

SOCIAL 

Take a moment right now and ask yourself, “Do I need more social activities or less social activities?” There is no magic number, everyone needs different amounts of social engagement. The following suggestions will help you be accountable and have some fun. 

WORK 

A vast majority of us will spend a good chunk of our time on work. Whether you work 9 to 5, shift work, or are seeking a new position our suggestion remains the same.

GIVING BACK 

The final area. An area of your life that should come when you feel you are ready to give your energy away. We don’t recommend jumping into this when you aren’t feeling able to look after yourself. Avoid burn-out or compassion fatigue by making sure your cup is full before Giving Back.

We believe that this can be one of the most rewarding areas of your life. The easiest way to be able to do it often and with intention is by looking after yourself and trying to stay away from frustrations in your own life. Also, giving back is a great way to gain perspective, maybe even feel a bit more gratitude. 

If you’re currently not in a position to give back consider accepting help from someone around you. Accepting help can be a great way to catapult yourself into feeling well again, which will then put you in a better position to give back to others. Do you see? It’s a beautiful ripple effect. So the only minimalist solution for this area of your life is to look after yourself so that you’re then able to look after others. 

Turning a Passion for Minimalism into an Impact Business (interview)

He wanted to know how we are building an impact business around organization and minimalism. 

This is a snippet of his original post: 

“Samantha and Emilio are full of energy and have a certain zest for life that is contagious.

After their interview, I got a copy of their new book, A Recipe For an Extraordinary Life.” It’s an easy read that offers a lot of great insights and inspiration.  They don’t just help you declutter your space but also your mind.

In this interview, we talk about how they turned that passion into a business.

Decluttering is their genius. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. They want to help you remove the things you don’t need to be doing and focus on what really matters to you.”

Click here to read the original interview

We hope you enjoy it. Let us know your thoughts about this interview. 

What is Wabi-Sabi?

Wabi-Sabi is a wise Japanese tradition for achieving a balanced lifestyle.

According to author, Richard R. Powell, “Wabi-sabi is a way of life that appreciates and accepts complexity while at the same time values simplicity.” I discovered the term by attending a workshop at The Kitchener Public Library entitled Curating an Imperfect Home by Lemontree Interiors & Co. 

I was immediately fascinated by the meaning of Wabi-Sabi. After the workshop had finished I checked out the three books available on the topic and dived into the research.

Some examples of Wabi-Sabi are:

• cozy and intimate spaces
• a small collection of personal mementos
• one-of-a-kind art pieces (a child’s drawing or original sculpture)
• worn or rough stone or wood
• wrinkles on cloth napkins
• clean, but well-loved furniture

and are not:

• sleek high-tech office chairs
• solid steel fences
• an overstuffed closet
• unopened storage boxes
• things that spark envy in us

Wabi-Sabi and your home

It is advised that you think about how you want your home / room / space to feel when you’re using it. Lemontree Interiors said that when we decorate and design our homes based around what we use, love, and who we are; we no longer “feel” the need to redecorate every two years. We also stop comparing our homes to others and we no longer feel the need to continually accumulate.

I’m not sharing this tradition and belief with the intent to shame you. It is merely to bring an awareness for you to have a deep look around your home and ask yourself: does your space only have what you use, love and what represents who you are?

What is important is how you answer that question. You define what Wabi-Sabi is in your own terms. Everyone will have a different answer, a different perspective. If you answer this question blindly and without truly looking around — only you and anyone else who shares that space will feel unsatisfied with it.

Below are some photo examples of our home and how we apply wabi-sabi.

Chat About Organization/Minimalism/Self Care with James Lott Jr.

Partners in life and business, they wrote an amazing book “A Recipe For An Extraordinary Life.”

The book is great and the how the book is made is unique. The book is made by hand by a local publisher in Waterloo! Check out how he made it in this video!

Learn some of the tips that James Lott Jr is now using!

How are you integrating organization, minimalism, and self-care in your life?

The Third Industrial Revolution: Can sharing economies save the planet, your wallet, and your mental health?

The Third Industrial Revolution is already here. And you may already be contributing to it.

Tonight we watched a man named Jeremy Refkin share his theory about the future of our global economy.

We were captivated.

Why?

Because when the documentary hit minute 35 and he started talking about Sharing Economies and Zero Marginal Cost, small fireworks were going off in our brains. pew pew, pew pew *fireworks sound

It was refreshing to see someone eloquently discuss theories and ideas that we had had ourselves many times before when “dreaming” with other travelers from around the world. That maybe the world didn’t have to operate as it currently does. That there could be more than one way to live happily and with purpose without sacrificing on your fundamental values.

So before I continue on. 

If you’re interested in or curious about:

• alternative ways of thinking
• climate change
• eating less or no meat
• autonomous vehicles 
• following your passion
• minimalism
• the internet of things

Watch the documentary below. You’ll need an 1 hour and 45 minutes. Block off a time in your calendar (or heck… watch it right now). Then continue reading afterwards.

OR another take is called “The Fourth Industrial Revolution”

Why?

Because for sure you have an opinion. Whether you’re in agreement or disagreement we want to know what you think. Leave a comment below. 

Here’s what we know and have witnessed through our business:

• A steady growth of interest from people who are becoming less fond of consumerism and seeking alternative ways of living. We are in touch with hundreds of people every year who are seeking to own less stuff and wanting to share more experiences.
• Hundreds coming together to watch documentaries with us and discuss ideas in a collaborative and safe space
• A rise in mental health crisis’s from people who reach out to us for help and currently operate in survival mode
• An increase in education from alternative sources of learning. More and more people are accessing the knowledge they need through non-traditional sources.
• A plant-based movement growing daily to feel better by eating better. Moving away from heavy meat diets and seeking delicious alternatives. The increase in information about how to maintain a balanced diet and feel energized only by eating plants. 
• Rise of non-ownership through increased use of traditional and non-traditional libraries. Check out ideas like Repair Cafes, Library of Things (Sharing Depots), Couchsurfing, WWOOFing, Transition Towns, etc.

And the list could go on. 

So what does all of this have to do with Organizing or Minimalism? 

Easy. When you are organized and have less stuff, you are capable of more. You are not constantly kept back by distractions and the commitments that come from owning everything. You are able to focus in on what is important to you. You are able to follow your true passions and purpose. For some that purpose might be raising a family. For others it could be building software that contributes to our social good.

For us it’s inspiring and empowering people who are ready for change. 

This is our passion.

Are you fired up yet?

I am truly hungry for your opinion on this one.

Leave me a comment.

Swedish death cleaning, döstädning, defined by my family

As more blogs are written about döstädning I had to ask my Swedish family what they believed the word meant. My uncle Åke put it plainly for me saying, “Deadcleaning means that you get rid of your things so your children don’t have to take care of too many things after you.” 

You can watch Emilio share with CTV News a quick summary of what Swedish death cleaning is and why it’s important for you to consider.

Is döstädning the same thing as downsizing?

The closest term in English for Swedish death cleaning we feel is downsizing. Downsizing being the term most older adults have coined for starting to let go of their life’s accumulation.

The trigger for me to write a short blog about the word was that same uncle from Sweden. We sent them a copy of our hardcover book for Christmas. When they received it they wrote us, “Today I was very glad to find your nice book in our box. I’m so proud of having a relative writing a book, and it will certainly help us organize our life. Being 75-it’s time to get rid of all old things and make our “deadcleaning.”

He used the term so easily like he knew that this was a part of life. We often forget that death will eventually come for us all and what we leave behind will either be seen as pleasant or burdensome. It’s never too late or too early to consider what you have and why… in fact it is quite a freeing experience to know that your material items are just that… material items.

Below Left: My Kristoffersson Family Reunion in Bollnas, Sweden, 2012

Below Right: Döstädning is not the only Swedish word we use in Canada. I spotted Fika on our neighbourhood cafe sandwich board 2 summers ago.

Don’t get down, get organized and keep living fully 🙂

Here is what we recommend:

• Really take time to think about your wishes — then write down your intentions.
• Consider those who will come after you.
• Who would get value from your things now or in the future?
• Make an event out of it — have a photo sorting party, laugh and enjoy your memories with those you love.
• Don’t let your age get in the way — this can be done at any stage in your life

If you like reading you can learn more by reading The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.

Have you ever thought about what will happen with your belongings when you die?

What is Minimalism? 

Minimalism is not about extremes, it’s about identifying what’s important for you, and what’s not. And making sure that the unimportant things don’t take your time and energy away from you.

We have been using minimalism principles since 2008. We both traveled the world only carrying a backpack. Let me tell you that you learn very quickly what’s important when you have to carry it on your back :).

Minimalism is not about extremes, you don’t need to let go of everything you love, you don’t need to live in a tiny home, and you don’t have to travel either.  It’s about reflecting, understanding what you want and why you want it, removing the excess and setting your intention in the important things. And you are the one defining the “important things” for you.

Minimalism is a tool that you can use to declutter your life of all the excess that is preventing you from experiencing happiness, fulfillment, and freedom. It will help you to reassess your priorities and cut through the noise of distractions and busyness to get to where you want to go.

There are many benefits for learning how to embrace minimalism into your life.  You become a more focused and relaxed person to be around, people will notice positive changes in your attitude. You will develop productive habits that reinforce this new way of living, so it’s a life-long investment of your time spent learning.

If you want to learn more about how to embrace minimalism in your life, you can check out our course here. 

What does minimalism mean for you?

My family is amazing.

I wanted to learn more about them.

I asked if they would share their gifts with me.

This is what happened…

We tried a new type of gift exchange.

For most of my childhood I could always remember my family’s joy in partaking in the annual Christmas gift exchange. Over a time though we became more grown up and more strapped for time. Finding or creating the right gift was often times more burdensome than it had seemed before.

Now anyone who knows me, knows that I love TED Talks, which is why I thought about asking if family could share giving stories instead of physical gifts. 

The idea was that all you had to do was share something. And because we have quite a few people in our family we kept the time limit to 5 minutes (though this detail is completely up to you).

What was shared?

At first many in my family were nervous, anxious, and concerned about what they would choose to share. 

Some shared:

• singing a Christmas carol
• a memory of an old home
• a slide show of photos from a recent trip
• a guided meditation
• a song on the guitar
• a presentation from their work
• some didn’t share, but enjoyed listening
• a day-in-the-life story
• a music video & dance
• words of wisdom

Now this event is something everyone looks forward to participating in because there is no pressure, no money required, no more time needed then looking inside oneself for a story, and anyone at any age can be included.

Think for a moment and go back to the basics with me.

Why do we celebrate at Christmas and the holidays?

My answer was to see my family and friends; to catch up and learn more about them. The Secret Santa Gift Exchange brought us closer together, helped us learn new things, and feel supported while we shared a part of ourselves.

There is no one-size-fit-all solution for Depression or Anxiety. You are not alone and there are alternatives to therapy.

Have you considered these strategies for reducing your depression and anxiety?

We didn’t realize when we started our organizing business how much we would discover about the link between the stuff we keep and our mental health. The truth is, 75% of our clients admit that they are currently experiencing anxiety, depression, or both. The overwhelm is so prevalent in their lives that many say they are in survival mode.  

Does this sound like you?

There is good news.

We have witnessed hundreds of our clients make big, positive improvements to their own health when they applied the following strategies. These strategies are life long investments in your health and the health of your family. 

5 Alternatives to Therapy:

• Decluttering
• Organization
• Self Care
• Goal Setting
• 7 Key Ingredients For An Extraordinary Life

Start sharing with someone you trust.

It’s time to end the stigma attached with admitting that you are not feeling well. We believe in your ability to get better and that starts with talking. 

Discover and explore the people that surround you whom you trust. They could be a friend, family, partner, medical professional, co-worker, teammate, online relationship, or other. 

If you open yourself up to sharing, know that not all whom you trust may understand what you tell them. Don’t take this personally and seek to find someone who is a good listener and can listen without judgement. 

So we decided to take a road trip and go to visit them!

This is a short video of our visit.

The residents will have a combination of experiences (formerly homeless people, senior citizens, college students and a few Cass staff members) but all will qualify as low-income. At first, the residents will rent the homes. Anyone who remains for seven years will be given the opportunity to own the home and property.

The houses are being built by both professional trades people (under the supervision of a general contractor) and volunteer teams who will manage the finishing jobs – tiling, dry walling, painting, gardening, building decks and erecting fences.

If you are interested in hearing more about the project or making a financial contribution, contact Rev. Fowler at ffowler@casscommunity.org. 

If you go to Detroit, don’t miss the opportunity of seeing this amazing project.

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 resource is hugely helpful. One of the things that people encounter when they go through a downsize, declutter, a purge is that they have a really hard time letting go of things, especially if they have sentimental attachments. That’s why we developed this 12 questions resource sheet.

This resource offers you some really hard hitting questions:

– Do I need it or just want it?
– Does this item match my goals?
– Do I want to create a home for it?
– Is it easy to find another one?
– Can I manage without it?
– Do I love it?
– Are the time and storage costs worth it?
– Am I keeping it because of guilt?
– Is there anyone who may need it?
– Will a picture of it not meet my need for it?
– Am I keeping it to avoid something emotional?
– Do I have more than one of it?

It’s answering these questions what will make the decision making so much easier and faster.

If you have a friend working with you, we suggest you give them this list of questions so that when you come across those difficult items you will know, very quickly, in less than 12 questions if you are going to keep it or let it go.

We always recommend knowing the goal in advanced because when the times get tough, seeing that bright future ahead of you, that’s what’s going to help you go through it.

If you want to learn more about clutter you can read “Understanding clutter“.

We hope this resource helps you let go of difficult items. Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.