downsize Archives - Getting it Together

Confessions Of A Professional Organizer – Part 6

When I was a young girl, I grew up across the street from Central Park in Burnaby British Columbia Canada. I think I was always destined to be an entrepreneur. At a young age I went to my neighbours’ and asked if I could start babysitting. I was only 11. They agreed that I could take care of their young son only if my mum was home for any emergencies that might arise.

I was in business. Yeah!!

Fortunately, there was never an emergency.

On one occasion the young couple gave me this green sewing kit. I have coveted it for decades but it was time to downsize as I am no longer a sewer.

If I need anything sewn, repaired or constructed I contact my talented friend Denise who owns www.hellobeautiful.ca. Be sure to check out her site and see her talents.

In the meantime, check out this short video on Confessions Of A Professional Organizer part 6

PS: What’s one thing you have from your childhood? Finding it hard to part with these items?

Contact www.gettingittogether.ca today to book a free over the phone consultation

By organize|2021-03-23T21:50:07+00:00March 23rd, 2021|Home Organization|0 Comments

Emergency Preparedness. Be Ready. Be Organized.

Heaven forbid that any of us finds ourselves in an emergency situation.

Being the Girl Guide that I am, it is always best to “be prepared.”

Take a look at this short video on Emergency Preparedness so that you too can be ready and be organized.

Then read on for the following guidelines.

#1 Make a plan: Take 15 minutes to make a family plan. Plan how you will meet or get in contact if you are not together at the time of the emergency.

Draw up a floor plan of your home that shows all possible exits from each room and from your home.

Keep copies of your plan in your emergency kit, your car and on your phone.

Have a neighbourhood plan. Are there people on your street or in your building that require extra help?

#2 Know basic first aid. Make sure your emergency kit has all the necessary items like band aids, swabs, rubbing alcohol etc. Keep a kit in your car and one in your master emergency kit.

#3 Make copies of important documents. Birth and marriage certificates, passports, licences, wills, land deeds and insurance. Keep these copies in your safety deposit box and or at a friend’s. Keep an up to date photo of all family members including pets and keep those photos both inside and outside of your home.

#4 Make note of any special heath needs. Keeping a record of medications required, allergies and medical conditions. Keep a copy of this in your emergency preparedness kit and on your phone.

#5 Have emergency contacts in your phone. Put ICE beside their name so authorities know “in case of emergency.” Keep photocopies of these contact numbers in your kit.

#6 Dairorize to update your kit once per year. Change the water, batteries, food and update any contact info.

#7 Safe home instructions. Make sure your carbon monoxide detector, smoke alarm, fire extinguisher are in working order and that your first aid kit is well stocked.

Have a fire extinguisher on every level of your home and know how to use it.

Know how to turn off your homes’ water, gas and electricity. Keep shut off instructions close by.

#8 Keep a small amount of cash on hand. Cash machines, debit and or credit cards may not work in a time of emergency.

Emergency Kit

Basic Emergency Kit:

Water
Food that won’t spoil, such as canned food, protein bars, dried nuts and dried fruit. Replace once a year.
Manual can opener
Battery powered flashlight and extra batteries.
Battery powered radio and extra batteries
First aid kit
Spare keys to your house and car
A copy of your plan and contact information
Candles, matches, lighter.
Change of clothing and footwear for each person
Warm blankets
Toiletries
Hand Sanitizer
Utensils
Garbage bags
Toilet paper
Water purifying tablets
Basic Tools such as hammer, screwdriver, work gloves, dust mask and pocket knife.
A whistle
Duct tape.

Emergency Vehicle Kit

Blanket
Candle and matches
Extra clothing and shoes
First aid kit with seat belt cutter
Flashlight with extra batteries
Food that won’t spoil
List of contact information
Radio and batteries
Small shovel, scraper and snowbrush
Warning light or road flares
Water
Whistle
Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid
Fire extinguisher
Road maps
Sand or salt
Tow rope and jumper cables.

Let’s hope we never have to use any of this information or items.

To all of our safety.

PS: What’s your resolution for this year when it comes to clearing the clutter and getting organized?
Book a free 15 minute mentoring session to discuss a game plan.
604-520-9550
www.gettingittogether.ca

By donnap|2020-06-07T20:52:34+00:00January 17th, 2017|Home Organization, Organizer|0 Comments

Collections VS. Clutter- are they the same or different and how to tell them apart

Did you start the collection or did someone start it for you?

Is the collection something that you love to look at?

Do you use the collection?

Did the collection happen by accident and then get completely out of control?

Check out this short video on Collections VS Clutter and then read on to find out the difference.

Collections and clutter are 2 different things.

Clutter is an untidy collection of things where as collections are several “like” items intended for display or investment. A collection can be untidy if it is not stored, displayed or cared for properly.

* Is this collection something you started? In the case of Mary. NO! Her parents thought it was a good idea for her to have an owl in her office. Then a friend and then another friend. Never once did my client buy herself an owl. She did not start the collection nor did she ever intend to have an owl collection. This is important to note.

* Do you like the collection? My client thought it was ok to have one or maybe 2 owls in her office however by the time I started working with her she was not happy with the takeover of owls. They were everywhere and it was looking too cluttered. This is where a collection starts to become a problem. Another client of my inherited a salt and pepper shaker collection. She had at least one hundred pairs and only used one!

* What to do with the collection? In the case of Mary she was ready for a change in her office. She had enjoyed the owls for many many years. We decided to keep her top 3 favorites. The one from her parents and 2 other neat looking ones. The rest we put in the hallway of the university with a sign that said “free”.

* What happened next? The interesting thing is that all the people walking past her office door thought she was leaving the campus. They did not understand why all of a sudden she wanted to get rid of the owls. It made them a little uncomfortable at first until they heard she was just going for a change.

All the “free’ owls were gone by the end of the day. They each got a new home in several other offices. Mary can go visit her owls any time she likes!

* How to stop a collection. If you no longer like the items you are collecting (or someone started collecting for you) or if they have taken over, it is time to put a stop to it. This can be a little delicate especially if family and friends have always bought you something to go with your collection. It is an easy gift giving idea for them and now what will they do? You will need to let EVERYONE know that you are no longer collecting XYZ. Instead you would prefer they give you consumable items or donate to a charity of their choice in your name. Let them know you are downsizing. This might even give them permission to start downsizing too.

Some collections can be sold on EBay, Craig’s List or at consignment stores. Some collections can be passed down to other family members. Unfortunately some collections end up in the land fill. Be careful what you start to collect. Be mindful of what type of collection you start for others. Is it something you will enjoy for years, does it have a purpose or value? Once it starts to take over, become a dust collector or not serve you any purpose it is time for it to go.

Check out these two pictures of collections nicely displayed and enjoyed by the owner.

I like to collect interesting people, memories and cash! How about you?

Hoo Hoo Hoo do you know who has not had their FREE 15 minute phone consultation?

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www.gettingittogether.ca

By donnap|2020-06-07T20:52:35+00:00October 12th, 2016|Home Organization, Travel Organization|0 Comments

Packing Tips – for a stress free productive move

Would you like to have a stress free move?

Do you need to downsize but procrastinate?

Human nature is to take the path of least resistance. For this very reason people hold off moving/packing until the last possible moment. This is why we have people in their 80’s and 90’s that are still living in the family home even if it is too big or too much upkeep.

Check out this short video on packing tips when getting ready to move.

Here is a general guideline for packing. Adjustments can be made based on what you are packing and where you are moving to. Local moves are just slightly different from long haul moves.

SUPPLIES:

You will want to make sure you have all your supplies handy and ready to go before starting to pack.

Boxes and packing materials.

You can “rent” cardboard boxes from most moving companies or you can get cardboard boxes from your local grocery store. If you would like to go “GREEN” you can use www.frogbox.com. Frogbox drops off reusable boxes at your door and picks them up once you are finished your unpacking. Great motivation to unpack your boxes ASAP.

Get white unprinted clean paper, bubble wrap, any old towels and sheets. (Frogbox supplies paper with their boxes.)

Purchase some good sealing tape. I prefer to not use a tape gun as I find them more hassle than they are worth. Just tape and a good pair of scissors. Be sure to leave your comments on this topic once you have watched the video.

Be sure to have labels and a few black felt markers. The better your boxes are labeled the better the unpack goes. You might even want to use different coloured labels for each room.

Prohibited Items.

Do not pack any flammable or dangerous items. Propane tanks, paint, lighter fluid, matches, bleach, acid batteries, charcoal, chemistry sets or pool chemicals are all prohibited. Do not pack aerosol cans containing oven cleaner, hair spray, lighter fluid, antiperspirants or spray paints. These items could explode and cause damage to your belongings. (This is especially important for long haul moves.)

ITEMS OF VALUE:

Jewellery, coin collections, currency, stocks, bonds, precious stones, stamp collections, deeds, notes or any other items that have exceptional value should not be packed in with all your “regular” household items. Take special care and pack this yourself. Make arrangements for you to transfer them. Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage.

PERISHABLE ITEMS:

Try to pare down as much as possible prior to your move. Use up all the frozen food items, condiments and fresh produce. If your move is local, use a cooler to transfer these items. Be mindful of your plants.

BASIC PACKING TIPS:

Have all your supplies ready in one area. Stay focused to one room at a time. Only pack what you love, use and need. This is a perfect time to be ruthless. I am doing a serious downsize. Each item I pick up I ask myself “will this fit in 600 sq feet?” If not, out it goes.

Keep as many “like” items together as possible. For example, if you are dismantling curtains/blinds or a bed keep all the hardware together with those items. Ziploc bags are perfect for this. You can see what is inside and they are sturdy.

Keep all boxes to a moderate weight. Label “HEAVY” if it is books or other such heavy items.

Seal open containers prior to packing. You would hate to arrive at your new home to find rice or cereal dumped out in a box of pantry items.

Place liquids in a sealed bag. For example your shampoo or dish detergent. Again that would be a mess to come across.

China and glassware needs to be packed standing on edge as opposed to lying down. Plates can easily break if they are laying flat. If you have old sheets or towels use these for packing your fragile items. I like to put a pillow on top of my fragile items for extra cushioning. Label “FRAGILE”.

Pack lamps separate from their shades.

Keep electronics and all the parts in one box. For example, pack your computer with all the cords, etc.

Mattresses. Use a mattress bag for extra protection. Let’s hope it does not rain/snow on moving day.

Use your empty suitcases for things like clothes, linens or pillows.

Use strong packing tape to bundle groups of garden tools or things like mops and brooms.

ARTWORK/PAINTINGS:

Package well with bubble wrap. Keep them standing up on edge. Same goes for glass table tops or mirrors.

TOYS:

Try to keep “like” toys together. A box of dolls, a box of trucks, a box of Leggo, etc.

STORAGE:

When is storage necessary? What should you store? What should you not store? Contact me and we will discuss this. All my clients are eligible for 25% of their first month of storage with www.mapleleafstorage.com

These are just some of the basics packing tips. Please contact me for a FREE 30 minute phone consultation to discuss your upcoming move. I specialize in downsizing, moving, packing and unpacking. I have an endless “LIST” of contacts. Fabulous consignments stores, professional moving companies, insurance representatives…just to name a few.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:41+00:00March 31st, 2014|Organizer, Organizing to Move|4 Comments