downsizing Archives - Getting it Together

Practice Mindful Shopping: Be A Conscious Consumer

Would you like to know the important tips to conscious consumption without regretting personal choices?

Are you concerned about the future of our earth and where all “this stuff” is going to end up?

Most women like to shop, wouldn’t you agree? You might be like me and only enjoy window shopping while travelling because of the bright lights, overcrowded racks and disarray displays or you might be the type of woman who only shops online or are you the type who can hardly wait for the weekend so you can meet a friend and power through the mall?

Either way, you will want to be a conscious consumer instead of being consumed.

Take a quick look at this short video on Mindful Shopping and read on to get Getting It Togethers’ Top 5 Simple Tips

Tip1: Buy on need not price. Marketing gurus have us figured out. They know we can easily get drawn in to the “buy one get one free” or “buy one get one at 50% off.” This is not the reason to purchase. Buy what you need. Period. If you’re feeling drawn in, walk away. Go have a coffee and think about the item. Do you really need it? Can you financially afford it? What is it really costing you if you purchase it? Disagreements with a spouse, crammed closets, guilty feelings, regret?

There will be times when you are feeling weak and end up with purchasing mistakes. We all have them. Give those items away or sell them. This could be clothing, gadgets, etc.

Tip 2: Work from a list. A conscious consumer has a list of items they need. Keep this ongoing list in your purse or phone. This includes grocery shopping.

Tip 3: Do your research. A conscious consumer looks for the best price, ethical manufacturing and or can it be previously loved? Let your fingers do the walking or better yet if your kids are old enough get them to research for you.

Buying second hand saves so much on the packaging especially when it comes to kids’ toys.

Borrowing an item from a friend like their power washer or canning supplies.

Tip 4: Know where you will be storing your new items. If it is clothing, that means an item or two needs to come out of your closet before this new one goes in. If it is a big blow up water toy or a large Christmas decoration you need to think about where this will be living.

What about a case of water? Can you refill your own water bottle and save on storage, the environment and money?

Tip 5: What is the purpose of purchasing this new item? Will it bring you joy for the purchasing instant or will it bring you continued pleasure? Do you need it or is it a want?

How will you spend your spare time now that you’ll be shopping less?

What will you do with the extra money?

PS: one of the best documentaries I’ve seen is “The Real Cost” check it out on Netflix and let me know your thoughts.

By donnap|2020-06-07T20:52:34+00:00November 16th, 2016|Home Organization, Organizer, Organizing to Move|0 Comments

Getting Ready To Retire

Today was my annual mammogram exam. (Here is my small rant: please go have an ANNUAL mammogram if you are over 40!) For all you guys out there do you know what you are missing? Think of having your baby finger slammed in a door.

The x-ray technician was chatting with me about retirement. I am a long way from that however I was intrigued by what she had to say. She is 63 and wanted to work another 5 years if her health allowed her to. She went on to say what would she possibly do if she were to retire early. She thought she would not feel “needed”. I expressed my opinion by saying I thought it was okay to keep working as long as she was also doing things she really enjoyed like golfing, traveling, etc. This whole conversation got me thinking about retirement and what does it all mean. How do we get ready to retire? How do we make the most of it? Read on to get the top Getting It Together tips.

Senior Couple with Daughter in the Park Are you one of these people who can hardly wait to retire?

Do you dream of the day where you get your coffee for FREE?

Do you know of people who retire and then pass away?

People are living longer. Some people count the days to retirement and others like the x-ray technician are dreading it. Is she concerned about the lack of social interaction? Does she think she will be bored?

Like all things in life it is essential to have a well organized plan for your future and for your retirement.

Here are Getting it Togethers TOP 5 tips on Getting Ready to Retire – enjoy the ride.

Tip#1: Make a list of all the benefits of retirement. What does it mean to you? How does it look? How will you fill your days? This could be the perfect time to take up golf lessons, hang out with grandkids or volunteer. Just because you are 65 plus does not mean your life has to stop. Once they retire most people wonder how they ever had time for work. I hope you are one of them.

Tip#2: Make a list of any pitfalls. There may be some downside to retiring if you are not prepared. My partner is older than I am. Most likely he will retire before I do. Does that mean I won’t have to cook dinner anymore or will he be off golfing? Have you got your finances in order? Are you concerned you won’t have enough to do? I could only wish. My bucket list is so long that I think I will run out of time before I get it all done. Hope you feel the same way. Leave me some of your most exciting bucket list items in the comment box. I’d love to hear them.

Tip#3: Keep your brain active. One of the best ways to reduce memory loss is to keep your brain as active as you can. Crosswords, Sudoku, Scrabble, etc. keep the brain active. Reading and working on the computer are also very important. It is important to keep up with the times so you can be current and engage in stimulating conversation with younger adults.

Tip#4: Stay physically active. The more movement you have over the years the more beneficial in your retirement. Exercise increases strength, mobility, brain function and an overall feeling of well being. Exercise reduces stress. It boosts your immune system and keeps you young. Be sure to select healthy food choices.

Tip#5: Stay socially active. The most comments I hear is: “all my friends are gone; who can I hang out with; my family is busy; they have their own lives.” All of this may be true so it is important to get involved in new social outlets. Community centre’s have many senior activities. They have great physical activities as well. Dancing, road trips and parties. The seniors at my gym can put some of the youth to shame. There is no stopping them.

Retirement is a new phase in your life. It means setting up new schedules and new routines. It also means keeping your home organized because you might find yourself downsizing. Downsizing is something that can take place over the course of time. Downsizing is one of my specialties.

How would you like a FREE 30 minute phone consultation on downsizing? We will discuss how to effortlessly downsize. The pitfalls to avoid and how to start downsizing. Get your free session here.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:40+00:00November 17th, 2014|Organizing to Move|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