Since 2012 we have witnessed many clients and students being held back by their own thinking distortions around the idea of getting organized. What is a thinking distortion? Simply put, it’s our brains way of telling us how things are or ought to be based on past experiences and teachings. And yes, we can all get stuck at one time or another in thinking distortions. So, I wanted to break down 10 common thinking distortions that we see on a regular basis.

Why is understanding thinking distortions important in order to get organized?

Understanding your own unique thinking distortions can help you break out of negative thought patterns. Most of the time we don’t even recognize that we’re stuck in an old story line. It isn’t until someone new helps pull back the blinders that allows us to see the situation in a different way. Emilio and I are often a catalyst for change in people’s homes not because we’re amazing professional organizers, but because we help people see a situation in a different way.

Can you change thinking distortions?

The good news is that by becoming aware of thinking distortions you are then able to change them. It’s not always overnight, but awareness is the first step to positive change. By allowing yourself to be open to new ways of thinking, you are creating an opportunity for future success where there may not have been previously.

10 Common thinking distortions for getting organized

1. Black and white thinking

What is it: Everything is viewed with an all or nothing approach.

Example: I tried to organize the garage in one day and I couldn’t finish it. I will never be able to park the car in the garage and I am a complete failure.

2. Setting unrealistic expectations

What is it: Expectations are set that no one, or very few people, could every achieve. However, there is a sense of failure when expectations are not met.

Example: I must be a perfect mother and know how to help my kids stay organized at all times.

3. Selective thinking

What is it: Only remembering the negative. Lots of good things could happen in the day, but only the bad are remembered.

Example: I accidentally shredded a piece of paper I needed while sorting my tax papers, but you were finally able to still file your taxes on time.

4. Converting positives into negatives

What is it: Changing a good experience into something negative. Being unable to accept a compliment.

Example: A friend says how lovely your kitchen is and you respond that it’s so messy and disorganized.

5. Overgeneralizing

What is it: Use of the words “always” or “never” when talking about situations.

Example: My children never clean their room. I always am left to tidy up the house.

6. Exaggerating unpleasantness

What is it: Making something sound far worse than it is. Like making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Example: If the garbage isn’t taken out on garbage day the house will become infested with rats.

7. Catastrophizing

What is it: If consequences for something are going to be negative, then the situation would be unmanageable.

Example: If I don’t finish organizing the house my family will hate me.

8. Personalization

What is it: Everything revolves around you. It’s all my fault. You take everything personally.

Example: My spouse doesn’t want to organize the shed with me, so I must be a terrible person to work with.

9. Mistaking feelings for fact

What is it: Taking what you feel in your body or mind and believing that it must be true about yourself.

Example: I feel unmotivated, therefore, I am incapable of doing anything. I feel disorganized, therefore, I am a disorganized person.

10. Jumping to negative conclusions

What is it: Assuming the worst.  Oblivious to seeing positive outcomes.

Example: I unexpectedly inherited a lot of stuff and stuffed it into my basement. I have extreme hoarding tendencies. The donation centre isn’t taking my quilts. I am not worthy of sharing.

Did any thinking distortions seem familiar?

If you resonated with one or a few of these common thinking distortions, relax. Take a breath. It’s completely normal to have these thoughts. Now that you are aware that they potentially could be standing in your way of success, you are more likely to overcome them. Remember to be mindful and loving with yourself. If you catch yourself thinking one of these common thinking distortions, try sharing with someone or journal out other possible ways of viewing the same situation. You’re great and don’t you forget it!

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.

Since 2013, Emilio and I have been offering workshops and team-building events on the topics of organization, minimalism, and self-care. This Spring, we were introduced to a company who is completely changing the way team building events are thought of.

A company called WholeHearted connected with us to discuss being a part of their programming for a corporate customer event that would see it’s employees gather, eat and drink local treats, learn about decluttering, and donate their unwanted items to charities in need. The best part? The employees were given hours off from work to actually take action on the learnings.

So picture this: everyone met online, the snacks and drinks were delivered to their door the day before, KW Professional Organizers shared their expertise to help kick-start a declutter session, and then the employees signed off and went at their own decluttering projects and the employees supported each other’s progress through the company chat.

Team building events can feel better

Cat, co-founder of WholeHearted, shared that employees spend a lot of time at work, and they deserve to feel good about it. WholeHearted helps companies and leaders offer their teams opportunities to do good through events and fostering corporate wellness.

Cat also enlightened me by stating that one of the ways employees can feel great about their work and who they work for is by having opportunities to give back. Volunteer Canada supports this with “research that indicates that 80% of employer-supported volunteers believe that group volunteering strengthens their relationships with colleagues.”

Ask your boss to get into corporate wellness

You might be asking yourself after reading this, “Great! How can my boss offer better team events?” Good question. We thought the same thing and decided to ask Cat and Gill from WholeHearted for their suggestions.

3 ways to ask for better team building events

1. Ask for a survey – it’s easier to offer your feedback to the company leader or manager if it’s asked for. Maybe your company already offers a survey to their staff, but if they don’t, this is a great place to start down the road to getting better employee experiences. Let your company know what solutions you’re seeking, what causes you support, and what you’d really love to see for your wellness.

2. Identify the gap – what is really missing at your work? Sometimes it’s challenging for your leaders to know what it is the team really needs. You probably have the answers because you’re working on the front lines. Does the team need time to rekindle after months of working solo at home? Maybe a group of you have been wanting to learn a new skill? Share this knowledge with your leaders and you might be happy to find it weaved into the next team-building event.

3. Reinvent the same old event – you know what I’m talking about here. At the end of every quarter the group gets together for pre-cut sandwiches, coffee, and a speaker, then everyone heads back to their desks. The truth is that your company does want to support your wellness, but they need a nudge in a new direction. If the events are scheduled, all you need to do is suggest the previous two tips and your afternoon in a chair with sandwiches is sure to change for the better.

Better company culture, better work

WholeHearted founders say it best, “these days, people are looking for a sense of meaning in their work. It’s not all about the paycheck and the corner office anymore.” And we couldn’t agree more. We witness the power of positive self-care and wellness with our clients and our audiences every day. If you start to use your voice to ask for what you really want to see at your work, you will have the positive ripple effect we’ve all been waiting for.  

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.

The KonMari Method – The life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo

When it comes to decluttering and organizing, any ideas, tools, and resources to get you inspired to take action are most welcome!

In this article, we want to share a very popular book from Marie Kondo:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

We have heard both great and really bad comments about the KonMari method by the Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo. Her book and method sparked a lot of conversations. And we think that conversing and having an opinion is better than being indifferent :).

I took the time to read the book and analyze everything that Marie Kondo shares.

After reading it, I reflected on our own experiences helping hundreds of clients declutter and organize their spaces and have a fresh start in life. I am happy to share my opinion about the KonMari method, the pros, and cons, and how it compares with our method.

I will write all my opinions in orange color for you to know.

It’s going to be interesting… 😉

So let’s dive into the KonMari method:

Success Is 90% Mindset

A dramatic reorganization of your home will cause dramatic changes in lifestyle and perspective. It is life transforming. This is so true! We find that physical clutter can prevent you from enjoying your lifestyle to its fullest. Your time and energy may be wasted on unnecessary things. You may also feel distracted and overwhelmed. 

Marie Kondo believes that the lack of organization is not lack of skills but rather lack of awareness and the inability to make tidying a regular habit. She says that the root of the problem lies in the mind. Success is 90 percent dependent on your mindset. Mindset is the most important step! If you are not aware and don’t want to try something different, you won’t be able to move forward. You need to recognise that what you are doing now is not getting the results you want. You need to become aware of why this is happening and then try something different. 

The conclusion is that when you put your house in order, you put your affairs and your past in order, too.

The secret of success according to Marie Kondo is to start by discarding, then organize your space, thoroughly, completely, in one go. I have heard many people complaining about this. They say that some people can’t get it done all at once. The process needs to happen in one go. The length of that will depend on the project and every specific situation. It could last one week, one month, even years. The secret is to make it a special event, not a routine that happens over and over.

You will get a new start on life. Oh yeah! you totally WILL! We have seen amazing transformations. Check out these client stories if you want to see some before/afters.

You can’t tidy if you never learned how

Marie Kondo believes that the ability to tidy requires training, and it’s not something that we acquire through experience. Many times people have tried their best, and they couldn’t get the job done. This is a skill that you need to learn and practice. It’s ok to ask for help when you feel stuck and can’t move forward.

Food, clothing, and shelter are the most basic human needs. So having a home where we feel comfortable is as important as what we eat and what we wear. Many times we are not aware of the huge impact that our physical surroundings have on our mental health and overall mood.

Before You Start, Visualize Your Destination

What’s the GOAL? What was it that motivated you to tidy in the first place? What do you hope to gain through tidying?

Before you start getting rid of things, take the time to think this through carefully. This means visualizing the ideal lifestyle you dream of. Be specific. Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space.

Your next step is to identify “why” you want to live like that. The whole point of both discarding and keeping things is to be happy. Before you start tidying, look at the lifestyle you aspire to and ask yourself, “why do I want to tidy?” When you find the answer, you are ready to move on to the next step: examining what you own.

Having a very compelling reason that motivates you is key to keep you on track during the decluttering process.

This is always the first question we ask our clients: If you could click your fingers and see the space finished, what do you see? What do you love about the space? what do you hate? What activities will you do? How will you feel?

I can’t stress how important this part is! Starting organizing and decluttering without having a clear understanding of your goal and why you are doing it it’s a recipe for disaster. 

Do it in one shot

Marie Kondo encourages you to tidy in one shot rather than doing it little by little. You can dramatically change your mindset, your emotions, your way of thinking and your lifestyle habits.

She believes that by using the right method and concentrate your efforts on eliminating clutter thoroughly and completely within a short span of time, you’ll see instant results that will empower you to keep your space in order ever after.

Tidying is a special event, don’t do it every day. The work of tidying should be completed once and for all within a single period of time. 

From Marie’s experience with private individual lessons, “quickly” means about half a year.

So many people are intimidated by this. Others may think that this will be very overwhelming. From our experience, we can tell you that if you are ready, if you have the right mindset and have a clear understanding of why you are doing this, the rest it’s just a matter of time. And the faster you can get it done the better. 

The majority of our projects that you can see in our videos have been completed in hours! Our average session to transform a space is 5 hours. This is working with two organizers and using our tested system. So this proves that change can happen very quickly if you are ready 🙂 Are you ready?

Aiming for Perfection

Marie recommends aiming for perfection just once. 

The work involved can be broadly divided into two kinds:

• Deciding whether or not to dispose of something.
• Deciding where to put it. 

If you can do these two things, you can achieve perfection. Objects can be counted. All you need to do is look at each item, one at a time, and decide whether or not to keep it and decide where to put it. It’s not hard to tidy perfectly and completely in one fell swoop. In fact, anyone can do it. And if you want to avoid rebound, this is the only way to do it.

Resetting Your Life

Marie says that when your home is uncluttered, you have no choice but to examine your inner state. You are forced to deal with issues because you can see them. There are no more physical distractions (clutter). 

When you start tidying, you will be compelled to reset your life and as a result, your life will start to change.

Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to create the lifestyle that you want most once your house has been put in order.

We find this to be so true! Change is scary. The unknown is scary. When you remove all the clutter and the distractions that you used to have, you are opening a whole lot of time and energy that will be available for something else. The scary question for many is: What is that something else? 

It’s ok if you don’t have all the answers yet. This is a process and allowing yourself time to try new things and see how you feel could be the answer for now. There is one thing we know for sure, if you are trying to do this it’s because what you used to do wasn’t giving you the results you wanted. So let’s try something different 🙂

Storage experts are hoarders

Marie says that putting things away creates the illusion that the clutter problem has been solved.

It doesn’t make sense to organize things you don’t need.

Tidying must start with discarding anything we don’t want and need.

We like to say, there are no such things as hoarders, there are people with hoarding tendencies.

Once we go through the process of understanding why we are doing this and having a crystal clear picture of our desired goal, we will have the answers about what to keep and what to let go. This will look different for every individual.

The ultimate goal is not to get rid of things, but to make sure that you feel well about what you keep, and make sure that every item has a home and you can access them easily.

Sort by Category, Not by Location

Marie says that tidying up by location is a fatal mistake. When we tidy each place separately, we fail to see that we’re repeating the same work in many locations and become locked into a vicious circle of tidying. To avoid this, she recommends tidying by category. 

One reason so many of us never succeed at tidying is that we have too much stuff. This excess is caused by our ignorance of how much we actually own. When we disperse storage of a particular item throughout the house and tidy one place at a time, we can never grasp the overall volume and therefore can never finish. To escape this negative spiral, tidy by category, not by place”

If you forgot about what you have, or where it’s located, that means that the system you are using is too complicated. Having different locations for the same category can complicate things.

We always bring up the kindergarten example: How is it possible that when the bell rings, small children are able to put everything away fast, and even have fun doing it? Because it’s simple. They understand where everything goes. There are very clear and defined stations. The drawing station, the puzzle station, the book station, the craft station… so putting things away becomes very easy and convenient. 

There is no such thing as right or wrong system. The system either works or it doesn’t. If you are having issues with clutter and you feel frustration, you need to change the system. Our goal as professional organizers is to help you find the right system for you, not to impose one.

Start by Discarding, All at Once, Intensely and Completely

The secret of success, according to Marie Kondo, is to tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible, and to start by discarding. (Remember that from Marie’s experience with private individual lessons, “quickly” means about half a year)

Tidy in the right order.

Do not even think of putting your things away until you have finished the process of discarding.

Never start organizing without decluttering first. It doesn’t make sense to organize things that you don’t need.

These are the steps of our system:

Step 1: Define your Goals.

Step 2: Declutter.

Step 3: Organize.

Step 4: Beautify.

Step 5: Tweak and Maintain.

Does It Spark Joy?

We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.

Take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.

Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.

This is the most popular question from Marie Kondo. Many people like this approach and if it works for them, great! 

We believe that once you have a clear understanding of your goals, why you are doing this, how you want to feel,  and the activities that you want to do, you will then know what belongings will support your desired lifestyle and which ones won’t. The decision-making process will become way easier.

Click here to read 12 questions to help you let go of difficult items. 

How to help others tidy? Start with yourself first!

According to Marie Kondo, the best way to help others tidy is to start quietly working away at disposing of your own excess.

You can leave the communal spaces to the end. The first step is to confront your own stuff.

It may sound incredible, but when someone starts tidying, it sets off a chain reaction.

You cannot help someone else declutter and organize if they don’t want to be helped.

But you can influence them by showing them the benefits of being organized and feeling great. When they see you so happy and energized, they may get curious and ask: What’s going on? This is your opportunity to share with them what you did and why.

Please make sure you don’t judge someone else’s situation. Judging is not helpful at all and will make the other person go to the defensive side. There is always a reason of why the situation got to this point. They may be not aware, they may not know what to do, they may feel embarrassed, they may feel guilty, they may feel that they should know how to do this… It’s really hard to be in a situation like this and it takes a LOT of courage to ask for help. Please don’t waste the opportunity to be helpful.

One Category at a Time

Always think in terms of category, not place.

Dealing with just one category within a single time frame speeds up the tidying process.

Gathering every item in one place is essential to this process because it gives you an accurate grasp of how much you have. You can also compare items that are similar, making it easier to decide whether you want to keep them.

The process of deciding what to keep and what to discard will go much more smoothly if you begin with items that are easier to make decisions about.

The best sequence according to the KonMari Method is:

1. Clothes 
2. Books
3. Papers
4. Miscellany
5. Mementos

You will find very detailed ways on how to deal with each category and the right order in her book. I can write a follow-up blog post about that if you want to learn more. (Leave me a comment below).

We follow a very similar approach. The order may change depending on our client’s emotional attachments. We normally leave paper until the end because it takes a very long time to deal with it and you won’t see a huge visual change.

It’s a great idea to have a “maybe pile” for all those items that are challenging. You can go back to that pile after and make more confident decisions.

About Gifts

They are an expression of love and consideration. Presents are not “things” but a means for conveying someone’s feelings.

Most of these gifts remain unopened or have been used only once. Admit it. They simply don’t suit your taste.

The true purpose of a gift is to be received. 

You don’t need to feel guilty for parting with a gift. Just thank it for the joy it gave you when you first received it.

The person who gave it to you doesn’t want you to use it out of a sense of obligation, or to put it away without using it, only to feel guilty every time you see it.

When you discard or donate it, you do so for the sake of the giver, too.

If you are going through the process of decluttering, it’s very important to share what you are doing with your loved ones. Make sure they understand how hard you are working on solving this problem and ask them to please don’t bring physical gifts.

If they really need to bring you gifts, they can always be in the form of time, presence, food and experiences.

Click here to learn 11 ideas for giving gifts that aren’t things.

Reaching the Just-right Click Point

As you reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you.

You will feel it as clearly as if something has clicked inside your head and said, “Ah! This is just the amount I need to live comfortably. This is all I need to be happy. I don’t need anything more.”

The click point differs from one person to another. For a shoe lover, it might be one hundred pairs of shoes, while a book lover might not need anything but books.

As you put your house in order and decrease your possessions, you’ll see what your true values are, what is really important in your life. But don’t focus on reducing, or on efficient storage methods, for that matter. Focus instead on choosing the things that inspire joy and on enjoying life according to your own standards. This is the true pleasure of tidying.

The amount of storage space you have in your room is actually just right.

The real problem is that we have far more than we need or want.

Once you learn to choose your belongings properly, you will be left only with the amount that fits perfectly in the space you currently own.

This is so true! We can’t really explain it logically. Most times, we get started with our session without knowing 100% where it will take us. But magically, things start to flow and the end result is always stunning! for us and for the clients.

A very common comment after our sessions is “I can’t believe everything worked out so perfectly”

We find it’s really important to let things flow. Be present and aware of what’s happening, ask many questions to find out the right answers, and be confident that we will find the “happy balance” between stuff, storage space, and the ideal location for every item.

Following Your Intuition

Following criteria proposed by others and based on their “know-how” will have no lasting effect – unless their criteria happen to match your own standards of what feels right.

Only you can know what kind of environment makes you feel happy. The act of picking up and choosing objects is extremely personal.

We do believe that you are the only one who can find your own recipe to live an extraordinary life. We even wrote a book on the topic. Click here to check it out.

Our job is to ask smart questions to get smart answers that will help you move forward. We will find the way to help you get the results that you want.

Finding a Home for Every Item

The reason every item must have a designated place is that the existence of an item without a home multiplies the changes that your space will become cluttered again.

Without a designated spot, where are you going to put things when you finish using them?

The secret to maintaining an uncluttered room is to pursue ultimate simplicity in storage so that you can tell at a glance how much you have.

Store all items of the same type in the same place and don’t scatter storage space.

There are only two ways of categorizing belongings: by type of item and by person.

If you live with your family, first clearly define separate storage spaces for each family member.

If storage places are spread around, the entire house will become cluttered in no time. To concentrate the belongings of each person in one spot is the most effective way for keeping storage tidy.

Having your own space makes you happy. Once you feel that it belongs to you personally, you want to keep it tidy.

There is no need to buy dividers or any other gadget. You can solve your storage problems with things you already have in the house.

Rather than buying something to make do, for now, wait until you have completed the entire process and then take your time looking for storage items that you really like.

We always recommend not to buy anything before finishing the decluttering process. 95% of the times, you will have everything that you need to organize the space. And if there is something missing, we can then know exactly what we need to store, how, get specific measurements, and then go out and buy the perfect solution for your specific needs.

The Magic of Tidying Transforms Your Life

Put your house in order and discover what you really want to do.

At their core, the things we really like do not change over time. Putting your house in order is a great way to discover what they are.

The magic effect of tidying: letting go is even more important than adding. The lives of those who tidy thoroughly and completely, in a single shot, are without exception dramatically altered.

One of the magical effects of tidying is confidence in your decision-making capacity.

Tidying Is Not Necessary

You won’t die if your house isn’t tidy, and there are many people in the world who really don’t care if they can’t put their house in order. Such people, however, would never pick up this book. You, on the other hand, have been led by fate to read it, and that means you probably have a strong desire to change your current situation, to reset your life, to improve your lifestyle, to gain happiness, to shine. For this very reason, I can guarantee that you will be able to put your house in order. The moment you picked up this book with the intention of tidying, you took the first step. If you have read this far, you know what you need to do next.

I hope this post is helpful and brings value to your life and to your decluttering/organizing journey. If you need more information and resources, make sure to check our blog section, our youtube channel, our courses, and our book.

If you live in our area, you may be able to attend one of our live seminars or even work with us 1 on 1. If you would like to bring us to your city, we would love to explore the idea 🙂 we love travelling. Please contact us here.

What do you think about the Kon Mari Method?

To be a member of Canada’s national association Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) there are a few requirements. Businesses or individuals must pass course requirements, uphold a code of ethics, and contribute member fees that contribute to continual professional development. Have you ever worked with a professional organizer? There are many benefits to getting organized with professional help.

KW Professional Organizers have been POC members since 2013

Early on in our business we always felt it was important to stay connected to our growing industry and learn from fellow professionals. Having been members since 2013 earned our business silver leaf status with the association. Also, Samantha previously volunteered for the national board and local chapter for 4 years while growing KWPO.

Our roots getting started

When we first started our business we called ourselves GK Improvements. “G” for Garcia. “K” for Kristoferson. “Improvements” because we knew we wanted to help people improve their lives through organization. We have transformed a lot since 2012, but our mission has not changed. We’re here to inspire and empower people who are ready for change through Organization, Minimalism, and Selfcare.

Now in light of Covid-19 and a big shift in online course enrollment, we offer online education to help fuel the movement towards simplicity. Our course offerings focus on divulging our experiences gained from being professional organizers since 2012.

How our POC membership helps our clients:

• Annual conference for continual education
• Contacts for assisting clients who move cross-country or even internationally
• Insurance
• Ending stigma towards hoarding tendencies and consumerism
• Safety & ethics for clients

A big thank you

As members of POC, we strive to contribute to our industry through volunteerism and upholding our code of ethics. We are grateful for the professional development opportunities and connections offered through POC. In fact, our local chapter of Grand River Ontario has played a significant role in our business formation and development. We are currently members of the Cyber Chapter. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank POC and all its members across Canada for their support and leadership.

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Every year The Record newspaper holds a Reader’s Choice Award… and we won!

Why winning your favourite organizing service award means so much to us.

As we pass our 5 year anniversary of being in business we always reflect back on why we are here. And the answer is always “to be here to help you.” Thank you for this award.

Without you we would not be in business. Without you we would not wake up in the morning and feel excited to go to work. Without you we would not have confirmation that there are others who are passionate about organizing and living well as much as we are!

If you’re just learning about us…

Here’s the main ways we can help you:

• we publish a weekly blog
• we produce online courses
• we wrote a book which guides you through building an extraordinary life
• we speak on the topic of Organization, Minimalism, and Selfcare
• we offer coaching services
• we help you let go of clutter

It is through these offerings that we pursue our mission. Our mission is to inspire and empower people who are ready for change. No matter where you find yourself on your journey we want to support you. 

We wish to thank the other winners: Heart of the Matter and 4 Life Transitions. There are many professional organizing companies registered in the Grand River area. If you want to learn about the other companies we encourage you to visit Professional Organizers in Canada’s (POC) online directory. We are members of POC and are currently fill two volunteer positions on the executive board.

Just like in fitness, personal trainers exist in Organizing to provide training, advice, and guidance.

I want to share an analogy with you, so bare with me. A lot of people ask what we do as Professional Organizers and it was actually a client that described it best.

He said, ‘Listen, I know I can get organized, but you’re like, my personal trainers to get it done.’

And I have to say that I agree with him. EVERYONE has the ability to get organized. Just like EVERYONE has the ability to go to the gym. So what’s the big deal?

We don’t. That’s the big deal. Life is busy. It may not be a TOP priority.

So back to the analogy…. A large majority of the public enjoy the support and coaching from a professional. Hence why you see so many personal trainers guiding their clients through a work out. The trainer’s objective is to expertly ‘push’ their clients to reaching their ultimate fitness goals. And we do the same, but with organizing.

We start by learning and understanding what your ultimate organizing goals are. From there we set the plan of action to help you achieve them efficiently, safely and with a little bit of fun.

So next time you’re thinking: ‘psshhh, why would I need an professional organizer?’

Remember, we are not here to say that we organize better than you OR that you’re not capable of getting organized. We know and believe you’re capable. We’re just here to help you hit that goal, so you can focus on living a more intentional and happy life in your home or office!

Top 8 benefits of working with a professional organizer infographic

A professional organizer is someone who has dedicated their time to helping individuals and families get organized. Getting organized can mean a very broad spectrum of things. An organizer can help you pack and unpack, sort through belongings, arrange estate sales, help you overcome stress around household chores, be a personal assistant, create digital storage solutions, the list just goes on and on.

Years ago, Emilio and I did our best to answer the most frequent questions we received as professional organizers in Canada and you can watch us answer them on our Youtube channel.

Move away from, “I just can’t keep up” and “I’m drowning in clutter”

It’s a common theme in today’s society… too busy, too stressful, and I have no time. Stop for a minute and think, is there a project, chore or project that you’ve been putting off due to lack of time? Are there piles sitting on your kitchen counter taunting you every time you walk to the fridge?

If you agreed with the above statements or know someone to whom it applies please keep reading. We’re going to explore the benefits available to those who require assistance when it comes to getting back on track. Life is too short to not be happy, especially in our spaces. 

But what does a professional organizer do?

The role of a professional organizer might still be confusing for you to understand. I like to make the analogy of professional organizers as the personal trainers of home organizing. Follow me here, when you need expertise, accountability, and leadership when it comes to working out or training you would look to hire a personal trainer. You would interview potential trainers, find one that fits your budget, you get along with, and who can share with you a plan of getting in shape. 

Well the same rules apply when working with a professional organizer. Like the personal trainer, a professional organizer will offer you a plan to help you with whatever your organizing needs may be. However, there are many different varieties of professional organizers, so you’ll want to interview them to see who is the best fit for your needs, and who fits within your budget. 

8 benefits of working with a Professional Organizer:

1. Reason and Objectivity: helping you to see the BIG picture. Our role is to help make sure you stay on track and always remind you of the reason why you hired us. Moving you closer to your goals in shorter period of time and leaving you feeling accomplished. 
2. Calm Attitude: there is NO problem too big that cannot be solved! Every client always asks, “is this the worse you’ve ever seen?” The truth is that helping people since 2012 has exposed us to so many different circumstances and nothing intimidates us. We love what we do and we know that makes us a bit weird 😉 
3. Fresh Eyes: not affected by ‘clutter-blindness.’ We often recognize patterns or opportunities that clients haven’t thought of because it’s hard when you live in that space to see it. 
4. Maintenance Strategies: tips for keeping things organized for lasting effects! Sometimes the challenge comes from keeping things the way you want them to be, especially when kids are involved. But this is where maintenance works every time — building systems to maintain all that hard work. 
5. Job Completion: seeing each project through to the end — even when it’s difficult. We don’t like to give up and we know it’s easier to do when we’re on our own. Again, we are your champions in the corner cheering you on to the finish line. YOU CAN DO THIS! 
6. Efficiency and Focus: staying on track and increasing productivity. Our method of taking you through the decluttering and organizing process is unlike no other. We have tried other methods and it does not produce the same amazing results. What takes others weeks, we have proven to finish in 2 days. 
7. Expertise: current knowledge on community supports, resources, and products. You don’t know what you know, until you know. We have our fingers on the pulse of where to donate, how to dispose of, what sells and what doesn’t, and not to mention the articles and books we read to stay in perspective. 
8. Hauling Away: environmentally responsible methods of disposal — the landfill is the last resort. Depending on where you live there are many places and organizations who are overjoyed to receive your unwanted items. We make sure your beloved treasures never go straight to the landfill.

Working with a professional organizer keeps you accountable to YOUR goals. If you are having difficulty raising the topic of organizing with a friend, family or co-worker consider sharing this blog. Joining our newsletter is also a subtle way of introducing conversation topics that may make it easier to share thoughts and concerns.