Downsizing isn’t just for seniors. For some reason, it’s still associated with retirees, aging and possibly preparing for the final step. We don’t believe that downsizing is only for the elderly. In fact, downsizing offers great benefits for all ages.
Have fun with your DIY projects
Last week was the final episode of The Block. 6 couples transformed a home, garden and garage over 6 weeks. The journey and the results were incredible. My friend’s husband decided to start his own DIY renovation. A day before the in-laws arrived, he decided their living room needed painting. You can see what’s coming. A large part of the house in DIY chaos and additional stress for my friend. We’re taking her experience as an inspiration for organised and stress-free DIY.
It’s almost Spring and you can smell it. People are getting excited about the warmer temperatures and being able to enjoy the outdoors. It’s the time to start again – fresh! This week, we’re continuing our spring cleaning and we’re taking on the living room. Get it ready for you and your family but also for your friends to come visit (unannounced).
Does the clutter in your home stress you out? Yes? You’re not alone! The connection between clutter and stress is a hot research topic and the results are shocking. While the famous UCLA study on clutter has been conducted in 2012, not much has changed. If we know that clutter creates anxiety and makes us feel overwhelmed, why aren’t we doing more to control the chaos in our home, office and life?
We are super excited!!! Today’s the first day of NOW, the National Organising Week, is here. The decision to have NOW at the beginning of November was easy. This week will give you the start to declutter and make space in your home. It will set you up for stress-free Thanksgiving, National Day, Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Most importantly, NOW will give you peace of mind. No matter what the busy last few weeks of 2018 will throw at you, you can handle it!!
So let’s get started with NOW.
Want to declutter your dining room? Get rid of the extra chairs. According to a recent survey, almost 30% of dining rooms are cluttered because of too many chairs. We bet you can guess what fills up hallways. You’re right! Shoes, shoes, shoes! So let’s continue your decluttering this week by looking at pieces you can let go and probably sell or donate.
You’ve probably heard about Barbara Hemphill, the paper tiger lady, mentioning SYSTEM. It’s a slogan she picked up early in her organising career and it stands for “Saving you space, time, energy, money.” That’s right, that’s what professional organisers like her and us at Organised Life and Mind do. However, some folks are still sceptical about the true benefits of getting organised. So we’ve asked the ones who’ve already started their journey of decluttering and getting more organised. “What were your biggest surprising benefits, positive or negative, when you decluttered?”
This month is filled with get-to-gethers: 4th of July with our American friends, birthday party yesterday and those last minute “Are you home for a cuppa?” meetings. We love seeing friends. Yet, no everyone loves those spontaneous visits, especially if the house isn’t perfectly tidy. Guess what, you don’t need a super clean house to welcome your friends. We got some quick tidy up tips for you. All you need is a few minutes and tada!
Tomorrow is “Clear Your Clutter Day 2018”! The founder of MoneyMagpie.com, Jasmine Birtles, set it up to help “live simpler, more clutter-free lives”. Tomorrow, get rid of what’s weighing you down and make space for the things you truly enjoy. You don’t where to start?
Grab a bag and start with one area. This could be a drawer, a shelf or your coffee table.
We had 2 special guests stay with us for the last 2 weeks. It was fun. They loved the beach and the warm weather, soaking up every ray of sunshine they could. We laughed over dinner and (over) indulged when it came to dessert. But now, they’re back home and we’re cleaning the house. What are the best ways for cleaning after your guests leave?