December 31, 2008

That’s Not Enough

Often as Seniors Move Organizers one of our tasks is to help our clients sell those items they will no longer need or have room for. Because many of our clients are downsizing, furniture is usually among the first things to be discarded.

Often, we feel like the Bad News Bears.

Unless your furniture is truly an antique its value will be only a fraction of what you paid for it. There are a few reasons for this:

Styles change.
Wear and tear.
Over Sized.

A quick look through buy ‘n sell websites will give you an idea of current pricing for particular used pieces. We also work with consignment shops, auctioneers and used furniture dealers who give estimates for furniture.

You might also consider donating your furniture. The Furniture Bank will get it to recent immigrants and refugees, or to others in need.

Unfortunately buyers don’t pay for sentimental value. Don’t let the furniture’s sentimental value cloud your judgment.

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December 24, 2008

Are You Overloaded with Stuff?

As Seniors Move Organizers we work clients who have, well, let’s just say a bit too much stuff. And as we’re helping them move, we have to deal with all this stuff first. It doesn’t make sense to pack, move, and unpack unused excess stuff for two reasons:

You’re spending time and money to look after items you’re not using. The more stuff you have to move, the more it will cost to move.

Your new home may not have the same space as your existing home.

But a move may not be the tipping point for decluttering your space. Maybe you’ve forgotten the rug colour in the den because there are piles of books, blankets, and boxes everywhere. Or, you can no longer use the dining room because it’s also full of boxes.

If your stuff-meter is in the red and reading “overload”, here are some tips to get started.

Pick a place to start your declutter journey. Then for a few minutes everyday work through the room, determine if each item is to be kept or discarded, that is donated, given to someone, or recycled.

Touch each item only once; don’t put it back down until you’ve decided where it should go.

At the end of each week take the discard pile and disperse the items as you’ve already determined.

What if you can’t do this work, at any speed? Ask for help.

As Seniors Move Organizers we help work through your stuff. We can work with you, and provide advice on what should go where. Or we can work on our own, and make the keep, donate, or recycle decisions ourselves.

Don’t give in to your stuff. You’re in charge, and you can bring the stuff-meter reading back into the green.

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December 17, 2008

So, how’s that working for you?

As Seniors Move Organizers we work with our clients to declutter their homes, or help them sort and organize their possessions in preparation for a move.

Some of our clients have accumulated literally decades worth of stuff without really figuring out a way to organize it. Here are some very easy ways to manage your stuff.

Keep stuff in the room in which you’ll use it most often. For example, keep your kitchen gear in the kitchen. If you’ve run out of room in the kitchen for it, then it’s time to divest yourself of some of it.

Do have your TV in the den? Where are your VHS tapes, or DVDs? If you’ve got so many that they’re all over the house, then it’s time to donate some of them to your favourite charity.

Keep like stuff together. Where are this year’s bills, receipts, tax notices, and bank statements? Bring them all together in one spot – a shoebox, a file folder, or a drawer that you’ll use only for this year’s records. If you’ve got all this paperwork in one spot, it’ll make it that much easier when it comes to tax time.

Ask for help. Sometimes when we’re too close to a situation, we lose perspective. Test your perceptions. Ask a family member, a friend, or a professional for their opinion regarding your home organization. Another set of eyes may see things you haven’t noticed in a long time. For example, you may not notice that the piles of newspapers you’ve kept in the garage are now a happy home for furry little creatures you’d rather not house.

Decluttering, sorting and organizing your space can bring a new perspective, and a new look, to your home.

Give a Gift of Time

Our Gift Certificate is the perfect gift for someone who has everything.

Purchase the services of a Trusted Transitions Seniors Move Organizer to help a loved get organized. Follow the link for all the details.

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December 10, 2008

Stop Stepping Over It

Why do you have that big pile of towels sitting in the middle of the dining room? Or how about your kid’s infant clothes stored in the basement, and your kid just graduated from university? Or, maybe the best litmus test of all – when’s the last time you put your car in the garage?

As Seniors Move Organizers we help our clients get ready for moving. We work with them on sorting, organizing, and downsizing their stuff. We also work with clients of all ages who want to gain back the space in their homes that they’ve lost through storing too much stuff, that is we help declutter.

We work with our clients on developing a plan of attack that will work for them. Some of our clients need us to do it all, make all the decisions on what to keep, and how to discard of the rest. Some of our clients want us to work with them, and work through each room of their home in a methodical, steady pace.

Here are two important reasons to declutter:

Safety – Seniors often have mobility issues. If the floor is populated with piles of stuff, it may be difficult to move around. This could increase a senior’s chance of falling. Accumulated piles of newspapers or magazines, could be a fire hazard.
Environmental – Piles of stuff could stop the natural airflow in your home. It could increase the amount of dust that gets accumulated, and that you breathe in. It could also deter your heating, air conditioning and ventilating system to working at its maximum efficiency.

The most important step, regardless of which plan works for you, is to get started. If you feel the task is overwhelming, ask for help. Perhaps a family member or friend can help you. Or, hire a Seniors Move Organizer.

Give a Gift of Time

Our Gift Certificate is the perfect gift for someone who has everything.

Purchase the services of a Trusted Transitions Seniors Move Organizer to help a loved get organized. Follow the link for all the details.

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December 3, 2008

Gift Suggestions

What do you get the seniors in your life? Something fun? Something practical? A collectible? The latest mystery novel from their favourite author?

Most seniors have passed the “accumulate” phase of their lives. They have a home, and have the stuff that goes in a home. And many may also be particular about the stuff they want.

I suggest the gift of time. Invite your family or friend to a meal, to a play, a musical performance, or a movie. Invite them on a drive to a park, or through a scenic route.

Or do they need help in their home? Perhaps their kitchen could use a fresh coat of paint. Or perhaps the rugs could be cleaned, or the drapes and curtains dry cleaned. Even if you can’t do this yourself, you could make the arrangements for a professional to do the work.

If you know someone who has lived in their home for a number of years, it may be time to clean out drawers, cupboards, closets, the basement, and the garage of unused items. As Seniors Move Organizers we can help sort through items in these places, and help declutter. We have a Gift Certificate available, to help you give this gift of time.

We’ll work with the recipient for three hours. We can focus on one particular area of their home, sort through their possessions with them, and advise them on the disposition of unwanted items. We could also assess their needs, and provide a plan on how to tackle the areas that need the most work.

It may seem a bit ironic to give a gift of decluttering at the time of year we tend to accumulate, but this gift may last as long as any thing you could give, and give joy and peace of mind.