Skip to main content
Tag

organizing tips

Nov 08
Love0

5 Easy Steps to a Holiday-Ready Home

By Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

Is your home ready for the holidays? The time is now upon us – there is absolutely no denying that!

 

You’ve got to finish up all the loose ends before you’re stuck cramming these last-minute tasks into one week. December is already packed tight with to-do’s and errands, so do you and your family a favor by getting them out of the way early.

 

This way you’ll actually have time to be present for that quality time!

 

Here are 5 easy steps to a “Holiday-Ready Home”:

 

 

  1. ✨ Declutter your Guest Areas

    The living room, dining room, kitchen, den, bathrooms, guest bedrooms… every social room in your house needs a thorough going-over. However tempting it may be, don’t stuff things inside cupboards praying it won’t fall out. Your guests might find themselves looking for toilet paper or dish-wares at some point and the last thing you want is a waterfall of clutter falling on them! Be prepared for this instead. Keep it organized and clutter free, period.

  2. ✨ Store Clutter Away

    We often underestimate how our every day clutter (or organized chaos) can seem more like a mess when we have a house full of guests. Why put ourselves through that embarrassment? All the excess clutter that you know you won’t be using during the holidays can be stored away while your guests are present. There has to be some space free in your garage, crawl space, attic etc. to simply set it aside until after the holidays. Who knows, you might like the freed up space anyhow!

  3. ✨ Have it Ready!

    Whether it’s your ingredients for cooking, your games for playing, or your fine dinnerware for serving, it is always wise to get it out and in an easily accessible location before your guests arrive. You’ll spend less time rushing around searching for items you haven’t used in a year and makes entertaining more fun and less stressful. Set yourself up for easy entertaining and more enjoyment this holiday season!

  4. ✨ Make it Sparkle

    Deep cleaning and making your home perfect is best done after the busy holiday season. Make your home sparkle where it counts! Like the powder bath, your kitchen, dining room, family room, and guest room if you have company coming to stay with you. Pick a couple areas and make them areas shine. A sparkly home over the holidays will make everyone’s hearts shine a little more too!

  5. ✨ Give them Luxury

    Those fancy towels you purchased that you’ve been afraid to use, it’s time to get them washed and ready for display! Your guests will absolutely love them and I know it will make you smile when you see them on display. It will be like staying at a spa or fancy hotel while they’re with you, and being pampered will automatically lift everyone’s spirits up!

And voila – you now have a Holiday-Ready Home!

Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that make the biggest impact. Only do what you have time for. And remember, it’s more about the experience and being present in the moment that matters most!

Do you have family coming to stay with you this Christmas? Comment below!

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

Like this article?

You’ll love this one👉

8 Ways to Declutter on a Busy Schedule: Get Organized In One Hour Or Less

Oct 31
Love0

What is the Average Amount of Time We REALLY Spend at Home?

By Blog, Expert Articles, Photos, Time Management No Comments

Fall has sure come fast this year!

 

I swear just yesterday it was shorts season. And now I’m layering up more and more each day! ⛄ Brr!

 

As our last leaves dance their way down, I can’t help but think about when we’ll be seeing the first snowflakes. But don’t get me wrong – I am not looking forward to the piles and piles we’ll be shoveling again!

 

Aside from pushing around all that white stuff, I think I’ll be spending my time mostly indoors. Sure I love a good walk here and there during the winter, visiting friends around the city, and a few weekend getaway trips. However when it’s rainy and chilly outside, even these favourites make me want to stay indoors!

 

I would much rather cuddle up with a good book, a matcha tea latte, and positive energy than brave the chilly weather.

 

Take a moment to think about what you have been trying to do consistently or focus on improving in your life. This is a great way to figure out what your winter project may be and to set some goals in advance!

FREE Download: Fall Cleaning Checklist 🍂

 

Photo projects are a great winter task to tackle. As is pairing down on memorabilia, since they don’t require many supplies other than maybe a photo album if your photos are not digital!

 

I believe in you and I know you can do this! It’s not easy to start, but once you get through decluttering one shelf or check off a few To-Do’s, you get momentum.

 

With all of this extra time spent inside, it becomes so important that we love our spaces 🤍 I, for one, would not like to be cramped up in a cluttered home with little to no opportunity of regular daily escapes. I love having a vibrant, comfortable home to welcome me during the colder months.

 

Which is why I spend much of my leisure time improving systems around my home and doing regular clutter checks in hot spot areas I know can accumulate clutter easily.

 

For those of us who work from home, keeping up with clutter is vital. We normally spend (aside from the time spent sleeping) 62% of our time at home. That equals almost 10 hours each day! This leads me to believe that we need to curate our homes to maintain a healthy, productive atmosphere for ourselves, but more importantly, for our families.

In this time period we are also seeing more of what is called the “Indoor Generation.” This title refers to the growing number of people who are spending the vast majority of their time indoors.

 

From one study, Canadians estimated we spent 68% of our time indoors*… but in reality, it is actually 90% spent indoors – often without enough daylight or fresh air.

*Indoors referring not only to the home. This includes other buildings, enclosed methods of transportation, etc.

 

If that isn’t a scary enough statistic for you, listen to this: Children who spend this much time indoors will be more susceptible to asthma, allergies, and other breathing issues over time. A whopping 40% more likely than their outdoorsy counterparts.

 

 

This is exactly why it is of utter importance to be on top of cleaning and decluttering regularly 👍🏼 This doesn’t mean we need to be doing chores in every moment of free time, but rather choosing joy in the process of decluttering and organizing to make it enjoyable! Without this self-discipline we would actually be putting our health at a big risk. Since we are blessed to live somewhere in this world where we are able to keep our homes safe and clean, why would we neglect to do so?

 

Now that you know we will be spending much more time inside… would you like to know exactly how much more? 🤔 Here is the breakdown of the differences in activities for the winter months:

 

 

❄️ November

This first real month of winter (for most of us) is where we begin to see an increase for time spent inside. November coaxes us to watch TV and Netflix 6% more than the preceding 8 months. Our socializing is also down -2% as we adjust to spending more time indoors.

 

🤍 December

Did you know December is the runner-up to July for spending the most time with family and friends? This makes sense with the various holidays landing in these 31 days… but would you have guessed it’s up by 15%?? It also takes the number one spot as the month we spend the most time cooking; an additional 8%!

 

📺 January

January takes the prize for the most time we spend watching TV and Netflix – with a shocking 13% increase. This is made possible because we cut down on social interactions by about -12%. And as the holiday buzz simmers down, our patience for cooking does as well. This drops to only a 1% step above the majority of a year’s months.

I hope these statistics shocked you into wanting to be organized and highly productive as they did for me!

Which stat wow-ed you the most? And what goals will you set for this winter season?? Comment below!

 

 

 

 

 

Like this article?

You’ll love this one👉

7 Psychological Benefits of an Organized Home

Oct 17
Love0

10 Smart Home Organization Ideas

By Blog, Expert Articles, Home Organizing, Simple Living No Comments


With the recent years’ influx of “smart homes,” one thing I am seeing a lot more of is smart storage!

 

Since there is less storage space in these small homes, we have had to get really creative with inexpensive, space-saving solutions. Often right down to the nitty-gritty of each drawer.

 

Not only are these little product changes making big storage impacts, but they’re also huge time savers. Bonus points for productivity!

 

These tips are especially useful for smaller spaces but also applicable to larger homes just the same.

 

Since there is no better time to get organized than the present, so let’s get right into these ideas!

Spice Jars

These aren’t only pretty kitchen accessories – they’re super functional and space-saving too!

 

Instead of a drawer stuffed full of spices in plastic bags, or a cupboard of miscellaneous bottles, find exactly what you need with uniform labeled jars. These can be purchased as fancy or inexpensive as you like, with a wide array available both online and in-store.

 

An extra tip: use a small funnel to decant the spices and powders. You’ll save a whole lot of mess!

Shop This Look:

Shop This Look:

Turntables

One of my all-time favorite products are turntables! I love them because they are so versatile.

 

I frequently use turntables in kitchens for oils and sauces, liquor, and breakfast spreads. They are also very handy in bathrooms for skin and hair care products, and laundry rooms for bottles of detergent. These products come in many durable materials; acacia wood, bamboo, and acrylic.

Drawer Dividers

Have you ever run into the drawer-jamming problem of that pesky potato masher getting stuck? I know I sure have!

 

My best solution for organizing kitchen, bathroom, and office drawers is to use dividers or small containers to keep things separate. One option I like are these bamboo drawer tension dividers. If you’re looking for a more sectional type of organization, smaller containers come in just about any material you could wish for.

Shop This Look:

Shop This Look:

Canisters in a Drawer

Say goodbye to reaching your whole arm into a flour bag! A drawer of canisters for bulk ingredients makes cooking and baking simple and accessible.

 

Make sure to first measure out your desired drawer for the dimensions of your canisters before purchasing! Once you’ve got them set, decant your bulk ingredients into them and make sure to label the top of the lids.

Color-Code Playroom

How many times a day do you ask your kids to clean up? Don’t worry, I won’t make you count – but I can guess it’s too many!

 

Turn cleanup into a fun activity for little ones by color-coding toys and books. Tidying time will turn into matching colors and become less of a chore. Plus, they will know where each of their toys are when they want to play!

Shop This Look:

Velvet Grid Jewelry Tray

Not only are these smooth jewelry trays gorgeous, but they’re also overtly functional too!

 

I like to use them for jewelry, specifically earrings to organize matching pairs. They also come in different sizes, so they are not always squares but can be rectangles, and there are even designs for rings to be propped up in.

Hanging Files

Useful in homes and work offices alike, this way of filing makes it easy to file papers and even easier to retrieve them.

 

This system is great for businesses. Keep any paper copies of legal documents safely stored in your chosen style of organization. I also use this method for organizing kids’ artwork, greeting cards, and printed photos.

Shop This Look:

Shop This Look:

Cleaning Caddy

Cleaning isn’t at the top of my fun-list, but I can make it a little less of a hassle by keeping products and accessories easy to grab and go!

 

Trade reaching into the back of a cupboard of loose cleaning product bottles for grabbing one easy caddy. My favorite caddy is functional and stylish, with a comfortable handle and durable bin. These dimensions easily fit into most under-the-sink storage spaces and storage closets.

Jewelry Board

One of everyone’s least favorite steps of getting ready is to approach a jumbled knot of necklaces. Often many of us will give up and suffice without one!

 

Keep them separated and hanging with a board attached to the back of a cabinet door, or a standalone hanging organizer. This also helps you to organize them however you please; by color, length, style, material, etc.

Shop This Look:

Shop This Look:

Garage Hooks

Most of us have a space in our garage or equipment shed where we cram gardening tools into one spot and then fight to retrieve one when needed.

 

Let’s cut that unnecessary frustration out and hang these tools up! With these easy-to-install hooks, you will be able to see where each item is and take them down without a problem. With materials ranging from plastic to durable metal out there, you can even hang heavier equipment too!

With all these smart storage tips, what will you do with your extra space? Do you already use some of these ideas in your home? Comment below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like this article?

You’ll love this one👉

Ultimate Guide: My Kitchen Organizing Process

    Close Menu