organizing videos Archives - Page 8 of 11

Do You Need to Hire a Professional Organizer?

Are you suffering from too much stuff in too small a space, too much stuff in a large space or simply too much stuff?

Do you have trouble locating important information in your office?

Can you find what you are looking for without getting stressed out?

Do you lose your keys, phone, eye glasses or kids?

Do you need to hire a professional organizer?

Check out this video to see.

Ask yourself these questions:

Have you ever thought “there has got to be a better way to manage all your papers”?
Is it a challenge for you and your family to get out the door on time each morning?
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
What is your stress level? Would you like it lower?
Are you embarrassed to have friends or family over?
How would you feel if the neighbours dropped in unexpectedly?
Does it take you more than 20 seconds to find what you are looking for?
Would you like systems?
Would you like your kids to be more organized?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, it might be time to hire a professional organizer.

I know of a really great one! 😀

I will encourage, support and empower you with moving forward in getting organized and staying clutter free. I will support and encourage you with the purging of stuff. Most importantly I will give you your life back.

Let me know what area in your home is bugging you the most. Leave your bug list in the comment box below. I will give you a tip to get started right away with getting and staying clutter free.

Have you taken advantage of your FREE session yet?

If not then please ease on over HERE and let’s get started today.

We can discuss if you need to hire a professional organizer, or if you need some productivity coaching sessions or maybe you need just a little pep talk.

Either way I am here to support, encourage and empower you with moving forward.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:43+00:00August 6th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer, Organizing to Move, Self Care Organization, Tax Organization, Time Management, Travel Organization|2 Comments

Organizing your closet

Do you have cleaning supplies in one area, your vacuum in another, and your broom in yet another?

Would you like to have everything in one place? Ya, who wouldn’t?

Are you lucky enough to have a hall closet that can be used for all your cleaning supplies and equipment?

If so, please take a quick moment to watch this video on organizing your closet

. I trust you will get a few tips to help you out.

Here are a few other simple tips to follow to organizing your closet.

Tip 1. Be sure to only keep household cleaning supplies that you like and use. I made the purchasing mistake of a Swiffer vacuum. My girlfriend swears by hers. I used it a few times and did not like the results. It is time to pass it on with love. There is no need keeping items in your closet that you simply move to one side every time you need the vacuum or broom.

Tip 2. Pair down cleaning supplies. Keep what you use, need and like. Good old fashion white vinegar does the trick for most cleaning jobs. This cuts down on the number of items you need in your closet and the number of chemicals. I like the idea of keeping a small supply of cleaning supplies under each sink in the home. That way if you want to quickly clean a bathroom you have the items right there.

Tip 3. Have a limit on the number of rags you keep. I have a small basket. Once it is full that is my limit. The interesting thing about homes it that we are always accumulating more rags. You know the odd left out sock, the tea towel that has seen better days or a t-shirt that is full of holes.

Did you know it takes 40% less time to clean an organized home? If you have a housekeeping service come in that will save you money. If you are the housekeeper, that will give you extra time to relax, play with the kids, go to a movie or have a relaxing bath. Some people like the idea of cleaning one area of your home per day. Others like the idea of cleaning the whole home in one day.

What works best for you? Please leave your comments in the box below.

Have you had your free session?

This would be the perfect time for us to discuss organizing your closet.

. Together we can come up with a solution as to the best way to organize your cleaning supplies.

Head on over HERE for all the details.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:43+00:00July 8th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer|0 Comments

How to Have an Organized Garden

Do you like to garden?

Do you find it takes more time than you can give it?

Has your garden gotten out of control?

Most of you know I am new to gardening. My goal is to keep my garden compact, neat and organized. My other goal is to garden and not get dirty! That goal is almost impossible to keep. Like most gardeners I find it very relaxing, quiet and therapeutic. There is also a great learning curve when it comes to plants and the garden.

Please take a minute to watch this short video on how to have an organized garden.

Here are my top 3 tips on how to have an organized garden:

Tip#1: Keep your garden compact. Every section of your garden does not have to have a plant in it. (Just like every cupboard in your kitchen does not have to be filled.) Some empty dirt spaces make your garden look more organized. You can see the individual plants and it gives them space to grow. I like to use hanging baskets. This keeps your herbs compact and easy to reach. As mentioned in the video be sure to keep mint in a pot or it will take over. I love picking the mint and making tea or adding it to cold water in the summer time. I also like hanging flower baskets. They add a splash of colour and are easy to maintain.

Tip#2: Take time to trim back. As a new gardener I got some help on this one. Twice a year we have a company come in and they trim back all the bushes, plants and trees. This seems to keep things under control. It makes weekly maintenance a little easier as well. As you experienced gardeners know, it does not take long for a garden to get out of control. In Vancouver Canada we have enough rain to make any garden lush.

Tip#3: Have a plan that you can adjust. Most people inherit a garden with the purchase of their home or townhome. The previous owners may or may not have had a plan. Now you need to add to that plan or start a new plan. Gardening can be pricy, so chances are you will add to the already excising plan. Look at magazines or other people’s garden for ideas. Consult local garden centres or expert gardeners. The one thing I find with gardeners (not me since I do not know enough!) is they are willing to share their knowledge. Gardeners are a happy group of people. If your garden is too much for you to care for, adjust your plan.

This is just a very small example of how to have an organized garden.

There is so much more to gardening then meets the eye. I’ll share more tips in future articles. In the meantime, if you have an awesome organizing garden tip please share it in the box below. Your comments are always welcome. Hey, maybe I’ll learn a great gardening tip from YOU.

Have you taken advantage of your FREE 30 minute call yetl? Soon the gardening gloves will be put away for the winter and the rubber gloves will be put on for some overdue “spring” clearing. I know how it works. The inside of the home gets neglected when the sun is out and the garden is calling your name. In our call I’ll give you 2 quick tips on getting back into the swing of things with keeping your home organized. To take advantage of this FREE call, click here.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:43+00:00June 24th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer|0 Comments

Live simply so that others may simply live

-Gandhi

This is one of my favorite quotes.

This quote does not mean living without. It does not mean being poor or deprived, it simply means thinking about how you live and what you live with or without.

Imagine if everyone in non-third world countries lived like this. Would that help others?

Would this quote “ Live simply so that others may simply live” also help you with getting and staying clutter free?

Check out this short video on live simply so that others may simply live and enjoy these fascinating facts.

Here are a few fascinating facts to ponder.

More than 4 million pairs of eyeglasses are trashed annually, according to Unite for Sight. When I am working hands on with a client and come across outdated prescription eyeglasses I take them to my local gym. There is a drop box at the front desk. These glasses get sent to third world countries and repurposed. There are more than a billion people with eye sight problems in this world. www.theVisionvillage.com, $20.00 for 20/20; www.worldvison.org.

22.3 billion lbs of textiles, including clothing, were thrown away in 2010. Now some of your husband’s tee shirts might warrant being thrown away however what about all the other clothing items in your closet that are not being worn? Can you donate tee shirts, pants, dresses etc to a less fortunate family? As many of you know I am a member of the Soroptimists International. We collect gently used items for the less fortunate family’s right here in the Greater Lower Mainland. Let me help you hands on with organizing your clothes closet. You will be amazed as to what we find to donate. Please keep in mind that nothing takes on value unless it is being used. Pass your clothing on before it is too late for anyone else to wear it.

Had the estimated 32.7 billion aluminum cans tossed out in 2011 been redeemed at recycling center, they could have netted about $ 820 million. Can you believe this fascinating fact? As a kid I collected pop/beer cans, returned them and sent myself off to summer camp. Today Mark does all of our returns and donates the money to charity. We have very few returns however every little bit counts.

15.8 million tons of reading material (books/magazines) and other paper products were trashed in 2010. Who do you know who would love some new books, reading material or updated magazines? Why not take them with you the next time you go on vacation to a less fortunate country.

Over ten million bicycles are dumped into American and European landfills yearly, says Bicycles for Humanity. Pass your children’s bikes on before they are all rusty and out of date. That goes with all the other sporting equipment sitting in your garage or crawl space.

Each year more than 350 million pairs of shoes march into landfills, according to the charity “Shoes for the Cure” How many pairs of shoes does a gal/child need? If you are Imelda Markus you need a special closet just for shoes. If you are you and me well that is a different story. We are all on the road of decluttering so less is more. Keep the shoes that fit you, that are comfortable and in style. Please donate the rest.

According to the NRDC, the average American family of four ends up tossing the equivalent of $2,275 of food into the garbage annually. Have you taken advantage of my FREE session yet? I will discuss menu planning and quick, easy, healthy recipes. Being organized and planning will eliminate food waste. CLICK HERE

The roughly 38,000 miles of ribbon we toss each year is “enough to tie a bow around the Earth.” What if we used string and then repurposed that string or reused the ribbon?

In 2010 Americans got rid of 152 million cell phones and other mobile devices, of which 135 million made their way to the landfill. Do you like to have the latest and greatest new phone that comes out? There is nothing wrong with that as long as you repurpose your old ones. These items and many more can be sent to third world countries or recycled through London Drugs.

Let’s all work together to run our lives with TLC “Total Liquidation of Clutter” and TEW “Total Elimination of Waste” and LEI “Lower Environmental Impact”.

Join me in a simplicity movement or start one of your own in your community.

P.S. Have you heard about our referral program?

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:43+00:00June 10th, 2013|Organizer|8 Comments

Decluttering your home: quick and easy tips to follow right away

Do you dream of a more organized home?

Do you wish you could zip through your home and quickly tidy up?

Once you get your home organized and set up a system, it takes 15 minutes or less to decluttering your home.

Would you like that?

Why not give these top tips to decluttering your home a try. Grab a java, put on your favorite tunes and set the timer.
You will not need much time to quickly declutter your home if you follow these simple tips.

Living Room: The top of your coffee table should be 75% clear. Clear off and recycle the old newspapers and magazines. Put any unopened mail in a “to do” basket or file. Clear off anything else that is not related to the living room or to the coffee table.

Save only the last 2 issues of magazines. If you must keep an article from a magazine, tear it out and file it. Better yet, can you find that information on Google when you need it?

Keep all remotes in one basket or decorative box.

Ottomans not only act as great storage they are comfy to sit on. I like the look of a tray on top of the ottoman. This acts as a surface to put your drinks and snacks on.

Downsize the number of area rugs you have. This can make your home look smaller and cluttered. Not to mention the amount of dust that can accumulate in them.

Be mindful of your bookshelves. Are the books falling off the shelf? Are they crammed in there so tight you cannot get them out even if you did want to re-read them? Did you know that most people do not re-read their books even though they have the best of intentions to? Keep at least 10% of each book shelf bare. Have no more than 3 non-book items on any given shelf. For example a glass vase that you got on one of your vacations or as a wedding gift.

Displaying photos in similar frames is a more cohesive look. It helps to keep your eye on the photo not on the frame.

Have a place at your front entrance for shoes. Nothing looks decluttered more than a pile of shoes. It is the first thing you see when you walk in your home. It can be a trip zone as well.

Kids Zone: Keep kids toys in baskets. Keep to the same size, shape and colour of baskets. One basket can be for all red toys or cars. One basket can be for all blue toys or dolls, etc. This helps with clean up as it is easy to ask your child to take a basket and go pick up all their red toys for example.

Install pantry sliders helps to keep your kitchen organized.

Kitchen: Keep no more than 10-12 plastic storage containers in your kitchen drawer or cupboard. If you eat yogurt you are always bringing more plastic containers into your home.

Say goodbye to junk drawers. What is in yours? When was the last time you looked in there? Are the take out menus still applicable or have the restaurants gone out of business?

Take out recycling every day or every other day. Piles of recycling can look disorganized.

Have one place for keys and one place only. For safety purposes do not have your keys hanging on a hook which can be seen from the outside of your home. For example by your back door window. Keep a spare set of keys to each vehicle and each door of your home in a secondary spot. For example in the kitchen drawer. (Not the junk drawer as you will no longer have one!!)

Paper: Use the 2 F’s rule when it comes to paper. Can you file it (bills, bank statements) I say go paperless on this one? Or frame it (for example, kids artwork)?

Kiss junk mail goodbye by signing up for www.reddotchampainge.com

Visit catalogues online to avoid extra paper products coming into your home.

Shred, shred and shred some more. This is the perfect task to delegate to age appropriate children.

Check out this video on decluttering your home for a bonus tip:

Bathroom: Keep cosmetics in a nice cosmetic bag or basket on bathroom counter. Better yet, slip it under the sink after each use. Have a basket for your blow dryer, hot iron and all other hair products.

Keep only one shampoo, one conditioner and one body wash in your shower stall at all times. All those unused bottles need to be used up and recycled.

Bedroom: A well made bed says hello to being clutter free.

Hang up clothes as soon as you take them off. This will save you so much time when it comes to decluttering your home.

What is one decluttering rule you make sure and do every day? For some it is a clean kitchen sink, for others it is a made bed. Please leave your comments in the box below.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:43+00:00May 27th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer|2 Comments

How To Be More “Green” – Part Two

Hope you enjoyed all the tips from

Part One of How To Be More Green

. I’ll bet you are already applying some of the tips. The more I looked into this subject the more I realized there was a need for Part Two.

Please check out this short video on how to be more green and enjoy some more of Getting it Together’s Top Tips.

Have you found that the more environmentally friendly you become it is forcing you to become more organized?

Have you found that you are getting into some good habits?

Tip # 11: Clean all your produce at one shot. Fill your sink with lemon water. Wash all your fresh vegetables before putting them away in the fridge. Think of the water you will save. Think of how organized you will be by having healthy snacks ready to go.

Tip # 12: Hang your clothes as soon as you take them off. This will also save on washing them unnecessarily. It will save on electricity because you will not need to iron them. It will save on the longevity of your clothes as they will not be getting wrecked by being stepped on. Your bedroom will look neat and organized.

Tip # 13: Walking your kids to school. You need to be very organized in order to leave enough time to walk instead of drive but just think of how green you will be. Not to mention healthy.

Tip # 14: Car pool. Have to get your kids to soccer practice? Get a list of all the players and their emails. Plan in advance who will car pool and when. Your environment will love you for this one.

Tip #15: Pack a lunch. Taking your lunch to work will save on packaging, save on gas if your need to drive to get something to eat, and save on energy because someone else will not be doing the cooking. Not to mention it will save on your health.

Tip # 16: Buy consignment first. When at all possible buy children’s clothing, baby items such as strollers, furniture and household items at your local consignment store. This will save on packaging and the price. You will need to be a little more organized as you might not find what you are looking for right away. Give yourself some time to shop around.

Tip # 17: Reusable water bottles. Did you know the US consumes 1500 plastic water bottles every second? Did you know that out of every 50 billion water bottles 80% of them end up in the landfill? Please be organized and take your own water bottle with you even when you travel.

Tip # 18: Use reusable containers to store food. Instead of grabbing a plastic Ziploc bag please grab a reusable container to put your food items in. I have two or three that are the perfect size for my lunch bag. I put cut up veggies in one, cheese and crackers in the other and some nuts in the third one. Our landfill will love us for this one. Did you know it takes up to 50 years for a plastic bag to break down?

Tip # 19: Reusing paper. As mentioned in the video this is a green task we can all do. By being organized you can reuse paper in your printer, you can reuse paper for note pads and for any kid’s art projects. Each piece of paper has two sides. Let’s all work together to use both of them as much as we can.

Together we can all make a difference.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:44+00:00May 13th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer, Self Care Organization, Time Management|0 Comments

How To Be More “Green” – Part One

Do you wish you had a lower environmental impact (LEI)? This is the new word for being more green.

Do you feel if you were more organized you might in fact be more green?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind?

please watch this short video on how to be more green

Did you think of the most popular “going green” tactic?

Follow these simple Top Ten Tips on

how to be more green

by being more organized.

Tip #1 Cut out buying packaged foods. Think of how much less garbage you will have. Buying whole fresh foods is better for you and better for the environment. You will need to be more organized as whole fresh foods take a little longer to prepare.

Tip #2 Do full loads of laundry. You will save so much more water and less soap will be going into our environment. Have set laundry days. No more washing just the hockey uniform for tomorrow’s game.

Tip #3 Have all your errands planned and routed out. Think of how much gas and time you will save. This makes you SUPER green.

Tip #4 Be green by doing light coloured hand laundry first in a big bowl of water. Then wash your darks before tossing the water and doing a rinse. Hanging clothing items to dry also saves on our environment. You need to be organized and plan in advance if you need that specialty piece of clothing for a certain day.

Tip #5 Get the whole family hanging out in one room, reading, working on their computers, doing homework or watching TV. You will be so green because every light in the house will not be on. Turn lights off as you exit a room.

Tip #6 Use your oven for multiply cooking. For example if you are going to roast a beef for dinner use that oven energy to roast potatoes. Follow up with baking cookies, muffins or a quick bread. This saves on having the oven on one night for dinner and another night for baking.

Tip #7 Cooking in bulk saves on electricity. Not to mention your own energy. Be organized by planning ahead.

Tip #8 Hang your towels after each use. This way you can use them again. If they sit on the floor they usually end up in the laundry hamper. Get your whole family doing this tip. You will save on laundry, water, and the environment.

Tip #9 Take your own cloth bags grocery shopping. Once you have unpacked your groceries put your cloth bags right by the door. They will be ready to go back in your car. Be green and organized by taking your cloth bags even if you are going to the mall.

Tip #10 Use your own coffee cup. You can save a lot of paper cups just by simply bringing your own “to go” mug to a coffee shop, work or an event where you know they will have paper cups.

Do you have any other great “green” tips? Please share them below.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:44+00:00April 15th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer|10 Comments

Have you ever thought about the benefits of hiring a professional organizer?

How many times have you said to yourself “why can I not do this on my own?”

Many clients comment on reduced stress, more time, more energy and more freedom once they have worked with me.

So I thought I would share even more of the benefits of hiring a professional organizer.

Please be sure to take a moment to watch this short video on what are the benefits of hiring a professional organizer.

The benefits of working with me a professional organizer is that I will keep you focused to task.

I will be on time.

I will develop a plan of action for you and your space. If you require a handyman, contractor for renovationss, painter, rubbish removal, disposing of stuff or a piano moved I will provide the people. My endless supply of resources has proven to be priceless. So my clients say.

A huge benefit of working with a professional organizer is being ruthless.

I have a few key questions I ask you as we are sorting, purging and tossing. This makes the decisions a little easier for you. Shall you keep it, toss it, store it, sell it or set up a system for it?

Many clients feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders once they start decluttering.

If you would like to hear more benefits of hiring a professional organizer then please take advantage of my FREE session. Simply click HERE.

We will discuss your needs, your questions and how I can be of service to you.

If you like this video, click the “like” button and then share it with your friends. And if you’re not in the “Getting it Together” community, enter your name and email address to the right and get on the list. You’ll get instant access to a free ebook that outlines a simple 10-day plan for organizing 10 different areas of your home in 15 minutes or less.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:44+00:00March 17th, 2013|Home Organization, Media Appearances, Organizer, Organizing to Move, Self Care Organization, Tax Organization, Time Management, Travel Organization|2 Comments

Decluttering tips: when you have made a purchasing mistake

Purchasing mistakes. We are all guilty of it, even as a professional organizer.

Do you have any clothing items in your closet that you bought but have not worn?

Do you have any kitchen gadgets that you thought for sure you would use?

You look at something in the store and start to think: “do I have that item? do I need that item? what would my life be like if I had that item?” Or you simply look at the item and buy it. No thoughts. This is where a purchasing mistake could happen.

Has this happened to you? Please leave your best purchasing mistake story in the comment box below.

Now take a quick minute to watch this video on

decluttering tips

when you have made a purchasing mistake.

The deal is to be ruthless. Just because you bought it does not mean you have to keep it.

The challenge comes in when you start to think about the money that you spent on the item. Keeping the purchasing mistake does not bring the money back. Everyone wants to get their money’s worth. By not using the purchasing mistake you are not getting your money’s worth. This is where we all fall short. We will NEVER get our money’s worth from a purchasing mistake.

How many items do we really get our money’s worth from anyway?

Think about a wedding dress. They are usually very expensive. You wear it for a few hours and then it hangs in the closet for years. If you are happily married I would say you got your money’s worth. Or what about those beautiful high heels that kill your feet after ten minutes? We have all been there.

A TV on the other hand might give you a really good rate of return or your computer for example.

Chalk it up to experience. Next time you would like to buy something ask yourself these very important questions.

Do I need it?
Will I use it?
Am I buying only because of price? This is never a good reason.

Do not be hard on yourself. We are human and we all make mistakes. The best news is we can learn from them.

Why not take 15 minutes and go through your coat closet. See if there are any purchasing mistakes in there. Do yourself a favour and donate them to the less fortunate. YOU will feel lighter and freer.

Now do the same with your kitchen gadget cupboard. Things like the pasta maker that never got out of the box. Pass it on with love.

Are you feeling like you need a little support?

Check out my new FREE session HERE.

If you like this video on

decluttering tips

, click the “like” button and then share it with your friends. And if you’re not in the “Getting it Together” community, enter your email address and your name to the right and you’ll get instant access to a free eBook that outlines a simple 10-day plan for organizing 10 different areas of your home in 15 minutes or less.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:44+00:00February 18th, 2013|Home Organization, Organizer|0 Comments

Productivity Tips-Get The Most From Your Mobile Phone

Do you have a love-hate relationship with your smart phone?

Do you use it for your convenience or do you let it run your life?

Why not check out this short video on

productivity tips

and see if you can get a handle on your time and your mobile phone.

We have rules for so many things in our lives, why not have rules around our mobile phone?

Many parents are setting rules for their kid’s phones or even taking them away as a form of punishment.

I know of one lady who took her daughter’s phone away for 2 weeks. She felt her daughter was not engaging in conversations any longer, not participating in family dialogues and becoming isolated. The daughter actually thanked her mother after the 2 weeks. She could see how dependant she was on her mobile phone and how addicted she was.

I met another young lady, who goes out for dinner with her friends they have to all put their phones in the middle of the table. The first person to answer or look at their phone has to pay the tab for the whole table. I love it!!

Are you setting boundaries with your smart phone? Would you like to set some with some friends of yours?

Phones have become out-of-control at social situations. This interrupts the time you are having with that person. In order to be more productive whether in a social or work environment, you need to know how to manage your time. Answering your phone when you cannot deal with the situation on the other end is a huge time buster. You have to call the person back. Let the calls go to voice mail and deal with them when you are able to.

How many accidents have you heard of because of mobile phones? They truly are distracting while walking, driving or in a checkout line up. Recently I gave up my land line. I am now 100% mobile. I can see how setting boundaries and rules are so important. I can also see how distracting the mobile phone can be if you let it.

Why not try these top 5

productivity tips

and see how much more time you have.

1. Start your day off with your most important task.

2. Answer your phone only when you can talk.

3. Check emails twice a day.

4. Take one day off a week from your phone. Leave it at home or at least turn it off.

5. Text only when you can concentrate on texting.

If you like this video on productivity tips, click the “like” button and then share it with your friends. And if you’re not in the “Getting it Together” community, head on over to gettingittogether.ca and get on the list. You’ll get instant access to a free eBook that outlines a simple 10-day plan for organizing 10 different areas of your home in 15 minutes or less.

If you would like to know how to balance your time more effectively contact me for your free session.

I’ll share with you my tips and my colour coded secret.

By Rowena List|2020-06-07T20:52:45+00:00January 18th, 2013|Organizer, Self Care Organization, Time Management|4 Comments

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