Creating a Dream Community: Building a Land-Based Eco-Village

We shared about our upcoming move and the temporary ideas we’re exploring. But today, we want to share something even more significant—our DREAM. This dream has been with us since September 2011, when we first met in Wellington, New Zealand. It’s a vision that continues to inspire us as we navigate the challenges of our current situation. We dream of creating a land-based community, an eco-village that fosters connection, learning, and sustainability. This vision is more than just a fantasy; it’s a call to action that we’re committed to realizing.

Learn more about the growing trend of eco-villages and their impact on sustainable living.

Our Unfulfilled Eco-Village Dream

When Emilio and I first connected, we shared a desire for something more than just the conventional path. We wanted to create a space that reflected our values—a place where people could come together, learn, and grow. Our dream is to own a piece of land where we can develop upcycled and eco-friendly accommodations, from tiny houses to earth ships, and offer a central space for ceremonies, yoga, and creativity.

This dream extends beyond just the physical structures. We envision food forests, native gardens, and partnerships with local beekeepers to create a thriving ecosystem. We want to offer volunteering opportunities, workshops, and retreats, making our land a hub for healing, creativity, and community engagement. This is a vision that excites us deeply, and we are eager to bring it to life.

Discover the benefits of land-based learning and its role in community development.

The Reality of Housing Uncertainty

Despite our passion and vision, we are currently facing a significant hurdle. After 11 years of living in our beloved home, we are being evicted as our landlord prepares to sell the property. This space has been more than just a house—it’s where we’ve raised our daughter, planted gardens, and built a tiny home. The prospect of leaving is heart-wrenching, but we believe that this challenge is a stepping stone toward our ultimate dream.

As we grapple with the uncertainty of where we will go next, we remain committed to our vision. We know that realizing our dream will require resources, collaboration, and unwavering trust in the process. We are not seeking this dream in the traditional way; instead, we are putting it out into the universe, open to guidance and support from those who resonate with our vision.

Explore strategies for manifesting abundance and overcoming financial barriers.

What We Envision for Our Eco-Village Dream Community

• Upcycled accommodations: repurposed campervans, boats, shipping containers
• Eco-friendly buildings: tiny houses, earth ships, teepees
• Central space for ceremonies, yoga, workshops
• Communal sweat lodge, sauna, cold plunge
• Food forests, native gardens, greenhouses
• Partnerships with local beekeepers, community involvement
• Volunteer and time exchange opportunities
• Workshops, retreats, and forest school for children

Calling In Support and Collaboration

As we continue to navigate this period of transition, we are calling in collaborators, landowners, and investors who share our passion for community and sustainability. We believe in the power of collective effort and know that this dream is bigger than us. We trust that the right people and opportunities will align as we move forward.

This is a time for healing, connection, and showing up fully to share our gifts. We are ready to commit to this vision and invite you to join us on this journey.

Conclusion

Our dream of creating a land-based eco-village is one that has been with us for nearly 13 years. While the path to realizing this dream is not without its challenges, we trust in the process and are committed to bringing it to life. This is a vision of healing, community, and sustainability—a place where we can all thrive together. If you feel called to be part of this journey, we invite you to connect with us and explore how we can make this dream a reality.

Support our dream and get involved in our vision for a land-based eco-village.

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.

During the past months, I have had the opportunity to help several individuals uncover very deep emotional trauma that was causing a LOT of clutter in their lives. I want to share some of these experiences and what we did to start healing them. Hopefully, it helps you in your journey.

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.

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.  

Clearing digital clutter can be like pulling teeth, no one really is interested in doing it. And because digital clutter often lies out of sight out of mind it can create big problems. But there is strong evidence that taking steps to organize your digital life can have positive ripple effects on our mental health. I can admit that when I was able to organize and create a photo album from piles of inherited photos I felt overwhelming relief. Now my photo clutter has turned into a slim photo book that I can share with family.

Is clearing digital clutter even necessary?

Emilio and I noticed several years ago that our Google Drive storage capacity kept expanding year after year which started to set off alarm bells in our minds. It’s true that each year our business and our personal lives grow in new areas and with new content, but we were in denial about what files were actually necessary.

If you were to stop right now and think to yourself – is everything in your digital life necessary? Are you paying for storage space that may not needed just to avoid clearing digital clutter? If the answer is yes, we have some simple strategies for you below. If the answer is no, you can still benefit from reading the strategies to help prevent digital clutter from piling up in the future.

Clearing digital clutter to clear your head

We have worked with many clients who contacted us because their digital clutter. Their clutter was negatively impacting the way they worked, their sleep, and their inability to find things when they needed them. First I just want to share that there is no shame in having a lot of digital clutter.

Think about it, there isn’t a lot of education coming out about how to manage the files we create and use everyday. Smartphone companies more than happy to show you all the ways in which you can take photos, share documents, download apps. However, they don’t share in the fine print you could end up buried in digital clutter. That’s why we’ve created a list of strategies to help you mitigate those pitfalls.

6 Simple strategies for clearing digital clutter

1. Unsubscribe – this is directly talking about email clutter and not only to do you want to address what’s already in your inbox, but you want to prevent more from coming in. We have helped clients who have had over 10 000+ unread emails in their inbox – this isn’t uncommon. We recommend always finding a solution that works for you, but there are free services to help you unsubscribe and paid versions like Unroll.me and Mailstrom.

2. Inventory your devices – as the years go by you may notice that you have more places where digital clutter could be living. Take a moment with a piece of paper and a pen to make an inventory list of where things exist. For example, external hard drives, cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive, desktops, smartphones, cameras, laptops, tablets, etc. Once you have this list compiled it will be a lot easier to consolidate digital clutter and also to decide if all devices are still relevant.

3. Recycle old electronics – many times we come across clients who have closets and boxes full of old computers, devices, and phones. Often the hesitation with old electronics are fears of people hacking data or files off of the old electronics. If this is the case make steps to clear those devices and get those devices to a drop off location where they can be properly disposed of. Our electronics are filled with resources – everything from glass and plastic to gold, silver, copper and palladium – that need to be recovered and recycled and it’s never been easier to do so. Just type your postal code and find a spot near you.

4. Make a photo plan – they’re so easy to take, yet can be so difficult to decide what to do with! What do you really want from your photos? There are many ways that you can preserve those photo memories and not too long ago. It’s a great idea to clear your phone and start fresh. Set an intention for why and how you take your photos and they less likely to create frustrations in the future.

5. Book a yearly digital purge – this is Emilio and I’s favourite solution for keeping digital clutter to a minimum. Yes, it’s true, even professional organizers accumulate digital clutter! Every year between Christmas and the New Year we schedule 6 hours to go through our Google Drive and declutter. It’s a tedious task, but the relief we feel after completion is priceless. We know where our files are, we let go of what’s no longer relevant, and we often finish feeling inspired for the year ahead. The blocking off in our calendars keeps us accountable to getting it done and we protect that appointment as if it was booked with our doctors.

6. Try a digital detox – we have personally experienced taking an extended break from using digital devices and witnessed dramatic changes in how we use the devices upon returning. It’s a great idea to take a break, if even for half a day, from your devices to see how it feels to not have that distraction.

You have the power to turn it off

To conclude I can honestly say that when the overwhelm starts to bare down on me it’s a relief to know that there is a power switch on every device. Don’t hesitate to do a factory reset if that’s what you think could help. Humans have survived centuries without a digital life and my grandma would say that she didn’t miss out on any joy in life because she didn’t have a smartphone or computer, ever. All you need is love.

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.

Living during the Covid-19 pandemic

My day started like any other regular day during the Covid-19 pandemic. I woke up and started in on my morning routine, but routine has become so much harder for me to maintain. I think it’s important to reflect on this time in lockdown because it has been such a challenge.

No, let me rephrase that. This time in lockdown has been an entirely new lifestyle change. In many ways, I’m grateful for all the new opportunities to test my resilience, but I admit there have been real lows of depression.

And because I am an optimist at heart, I started to look at all the ideas my family and I have used to try and raise our happiness during this pandemic. I am always learning and open to more, so if you have some ideas to share at the end of this article, please leave them.

There is no shame in being depressed 

Yes, I can hear you listing the compiling factors as to why you might be feeling down. In fact, there is growing research about the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on people around the world.

Please remember that acknowledging sadness, anxiety, and depression in your life is actually a step to healing it.

8 ideas used to feel better during the Covid-19 pandemic

1. Counseling – interestingly enough, it was Michele Obama’s confession of going to counseling that opened me up to even considering it. Previously, I didn’t even think I was worthy of going to counseling – I didn’t truly acknowledge that I might have challenges worth discussing with a counselor. The truth is, Emilio and I started couples counseling and we immediately found relief for the arguments that seemed to be stuck on repeat. We also were given helpful exercises and new language to use for de-escalating our confrontations. If you have ever been in doubt about using a counselor – I highly recommend you engage in a free consultation with one. My journey is continuing with one-on-one counseling and I have found it to be very eye-opening.

2. Hobbies – Can you relate to having creative outlets that you never really found the time to pursue before the lockdowns? I love to play guitar, paint, garden, and go for walks – all of these received far less dedicated time before Covid-19. Now, these hobbies are the things I look forward to in the day and bring me such joy.

3. New Hobbies – Emilio always knew how to juggle with 3 balls, but during the first lockdown he decided to take his skills to the next level using tutorials on Skillshare. He mastered juggling 4 balls and is now on to learn how to do 5! Emilio also gave me a slackline for my birthday this year and this has been a lot of fun to learn.

4. Learning Something New – Is there anything that you’ve been wanting to learn more about or expand your interest in? I am currently completing my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training to complement my Yin Yoga certification from the fall. I am so grateful for the expansion of online learning and the accessibility to explore our interests. And don’t underestimate the learning that comes from the library, there’s no need to enroll in a course when a book from the library will fill that need.

5. Go Carless – you don’t need to sell your vehicles to experience this feeling of freedom. You can choose to have carless days of the week or carless afternoons. All the research says that if we want to feel well we need to exercise every day, so going carless helps knock this task off the list. Depending on your climate and location there are many alternatives for not using the car – walk, ride, bus, train, scooter, etc. If you want to make time for exercise – consider ditching the automobile.

6. Digital Detox – taking a break from notifications and scrolling may sound easy to do, but I challenge you to try it. I slowly quit each social media channel after reading Digital Minimalism. I found it challenging to feel bored, not share what I was doing, and to know how to fill all the extra time accompanied by quitting. Side note: I’m used to quitting bad habits – read about my 10 years of sobriety.

7. Daily Fun – you know what I’m talking about! Good old-fashioned fun. Emilio and I like to do a daily board game. Our favourites include but are in no way limited to cribbage, Patchwork, Azul, Agricola, Jaipur, Monopoly Deal, and Splendor. Your choice of daily fun sounds completely different from ours, but if you struggle with knowing what to do. Try to think back to your childhood – what brought you joy? What made you laugh out loud?

8. Connecting with Self – How can we know how to spend our time if we’re not even sure about how we feel? Energy levels are up and down, so it’s important to check in and plan your days accordingly.

Doing less also works

These 8 offerings to feel better may have led you to feel more overwhelmed. Maybe you’re saying to yourself “Crap… I should be doing this and this and this.” Honestly though, taking a break and just breathing could be exactly what some of us need. The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been a slowdown or stop for many of us. In fact, the opposite has occurred with more childcare, more meals to be made, more workload falling on your plate, more bills mounting up, and fewer support outlets available. If this is the case, take a breath and hug yourself. You deserve a beautiful, long hug.

“When you know what’s important to you, making a decision is quite simple.” Anthony Robbins

Learning how to say no can be a real challenge. You see saying no is like a muscle that needs to have regular exercise otherwise it becomes weak. And as your “saying no” muscle gets weaker, you end up doing more stuff you dislike and feeling like you never have time for yourself. Can you relate to that feeling? Explore how to say no and you’ll start to improve your overall happiness.

Why do I keep getting sucked into stuff I don’t like doing?

First off, don’t beat yourself up. Oftentimes people who have difficulty saying no are working against their natural instincts. For example, you may be a people pleaser and thoroughly enjoy being able to provide help to those who ask for it. The problem normally arises when too many people are asking for your help or you’re not being realistic about the amount of time you can offer to others.

However, one of the biggest reasons people have a hard time saying no is because they are not aware of their boundaries or in fact, have never created healthy boundaries.  But do not fear, setting boundaries is a lot easier than changing your natural instincts. People who are great at saying no understand their boundaries very well. They are confident when they have spare time, they know who they enjoy helping, and they have a good sense of when they are overcommitting.

So how do I learn to say no?

Let’s start by examining some basic boundaries that you can set for yourself and others around you. Remember, boundaries are personal decisions and only you can determine what will work best for your life.

4 basic boundaries you can establish with examples

• Time Boundaries – this can be as simple as letting people know when it is a good time to call or as detailed as setting up a schedule for work meetings
• Material Boundaries – letting your roommates know what is off-limits to share or creating your own office at home with a lock on the door
• Emotional Boundaries – verbalizing how someone can support you by listening and not offering judgments or suggestions of solutions
• Work Boundaries – having clear outlines of role expectations, duties, and responsibilities or deadlines
• Explore more healthy boundaries

4 ways to verbally say no

1. Thank you for asking, but no. Have you thought about asking (insert name), I think they would love to do it?
2. No, based on previous experiences this is not something I would like to do.
3. No, I currently have too much on my plate.
4. Although I really want to say yes, it is best for me to say no because I will not be able to give it 100%

Practice makes permanent

The more you exercise your muscle to say no the easier it will become with time to practice. Although, sometimes you may be met with confrontation, but again the more you understand your boundaries the more confident you will feel in your decisions to say no.

Moments, days, and time, in general, can really fly past us as we go about our lives. You know what I’m talking about right? You had been planning or visualizing that special day for months and then when it comes to the day of the event and – BAM – sweet, but over.

So how do we hold onto those moments? How do we truly savor the good stuff while it’s happening? And one answer is being present. Being physically and mentally present is the best way to live in the moment.

Why would you want to learn how to live in the moment? Because it reduces stress, helps you feel happier, and way more reasons than I can to type out. 

Do I have to constantly pinch myself to be present?

Being physically present is often the first way to live in the moment. Focusing on the physical is an easier steppingstone because it’s tangible, we’re tangible. We can pinch our arms and know that we’re here, we can feel it.

Being mentally present is more challenging to achieve for some because our minds are untrained in slowing down. Meditation is one way to train your mind to slow down and has been scientifically proven to improve overall wellness. Yet, although it is simple in theory, it can be difficult in practice.

Let’s practice living in the moment

We’re going to use an exercise of eating to put our skills to the test. Eating is something we all have to do to survive however it is commonly rushed or thoughtless activity. If you want to practice living in the moment you can start with your next meal.

Depending on what meal you choose (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time) you will want to block off a decent amount of uninterrupted time. A 20-minute minimum is required for your brain to even keep up with whether or not your full, so keep that in mind.

Tips to live in the moment while eating

• Set the table – take some time to clear a nice space, set down cutlery, a dish, and something to drink from. You may even want to light a candle or put a comfy cushion on your chair.

   

• Put distractions away – use this opportunity to put away the computer, phone, keep the radio and tv off. You are trying to avoid prompts that could take your attention away from this moment of eating your food.

   

• Be grateful – before you start in on your food think or vocalize some words of gratitude. Getting into a state of gratitude will help you not only enjoy what’s in front of you but will help you get into a positive state of mind.

   

• Eat what you enjoy – this might sound like common sense, but actually, many of us don’t plan for foods that truly nourish us. Meal planning can help you if this is something you struggle with.

   

• Observe your food – whether your alone or with others, take some time to discuss and describe your food. This action will help you be present and physically aware.

How to live in the moment is actually about slowing down

It is easy to get caught up in the fast-paced movement of our culture – Watch this! Be more productive! Have you tried this yet? Share that! – I used to find myself constantly asking if there could be 25 hours in the day, but now this feeling is rare.

The tips shared above can easily be transferred to other situations as well by applying the same strategies.

• Set the table = Set yourself up for success – meaning having the physical things around you that help you do the activities you love, help you relax, and add value to your life. If your items feel cluttered, consider decluttering and getting organized.

   

   

• Put away distractions = Minimize distractions – the same rule applies almost everywhere in your life. Be mindful of when and how you interact with distractions. Set boundaries for your digital life.

   

   

• Be grateful = Be grateful – yep, this is a good practice all day long, no matter what you’re doing.

   

   

• Eat what you enjoy = Do what you enjoy – evaluate how you spend your time and try to incorporate more of what you love. And if you don’t love your job consider the ways you can modify it or leave it for something better.

   

   

• Observe your food = Observe your surroundings – no matter where you are, the more aware you are of place, the smells, the sounds, the easier it will be for you to become physically present in the moment.

Like all advice, I recommend and personally always take things with a grain of salt. You are the only person who knows what makes your life feel good. So try out these tips and feel free to modify and tweak them as you see fit. Enjoy living in your moments.

It’s controversial to write a blog post with a strong stance about feelings. No person can tell you what or how to feel. Feelings are what we control and sometimes cannot control, but after four years of practicing gratitude, I do know that saying we have no influence on those feelings is a cop-out. Yes, it may be challenging for some to find their version of happiness, but opportunity does exist to foster this feeling. Happiness is a choice, but it’s not black and white.

Focus on what’s going right

Let’s be clear, you can choose to be happy and still feel depressed, have negative stuff happen, or lose hope. Life isn’t going to stop throwing us curve balls just because we’ve declared we only want to be happy. José González sings about the beauty and pain of life well in his song El Invento. So if you notice yourself slipping away from happiness take a step back and turn your focus to what is going right. If happiness is a choice it means you will have to put in the work to make it happen.

Where are you spending your time?

You can also reflect on how you spend the bulk of your time. Knowing how you spend your time will lend itself to discovering who, what, and where is positively and negatively contributing to your happiness. Take a look at your calendar or start tracking your mood on a daily basis. You can be mindful or actually write your results in a journal, on your computer, leave yourself voice notes on the phone, or have a friend keep you accountable with check-ins.

4 ways to make happiness a priority

1. Practice gratitude every day – be it affirmations, meditations, journaling, or conversation the more you integrate gratitude into your life
   
2. Know yourself – build a self care list, schedule time for happy moments, invest in learning about who you are. Have you tried finding your Hygge yet?
   
3. Limit the negative – keep your exposure to the news limited, avoid engaging in negative conversations, say “no”
   
4. Have more fun – maybe it’s getting a special treat for after dinner, reciprocating massages with your partner, completing a puzzle, or planning an online game meet-up; try to include fun at least once a day.
   

Happiness is a choice you might like

If you notice yourself reacting strongly to this post – either positively or negatively, sit and reflect on those feelings. I know myself personally was very opposed to the idea that I could influence my happiness. I’ve unpacked a lot of that in the last 10 years and am still learning. Be kind to yourself.

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.