Tag: oakland professional organizers

Interview with Betty A. Sproule, co-author of The Stuff Cure

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date June 25, 2013

I am interviewing Betty A. Sproule, co-author of The Stuff Cure: How we lost 8,000 pounds of stuff for fun, profit, virtue, and a better world.

What a catchy title, Betty, who should read your book?

Our book is for anyone who feels that they have more stuff in their home and garage than they really need. When stuff becomes a burden, rather than a joy, it’s time to slim down. Often people need to unstuff when they are planning to move, a child leaves home, or when they need to downsize. Sometimes people need to move stuff along so they can clear enough space to park their car in the garage.

What about the fun, profit, virtue, and a better world? How can getting rid of stuff help in all those areas?

We know that buying stuff can be fun. We believe that getting rid of stuff can also be fun, if you have the right approach. You can sell your unneeded stuff for cash or you can take a deduction on your taxes. Donating to worthwhile agencies, such as Goodwill, St Vincent DePaul, and Hope, does a lot of good for our community. Reusing and recycling help us to be better stewards of our environmental resources.

When you talk about getting rid of stuff, how do you know what to keep?

We have three criteria to define a keeper. When it’s

Currently functional,
Really valuable, or
Outrageously sentimental

If something doesn’t qualify under one of these three headings, then it’s a candidate for unstuffing.

Once you decide to get rid of something, how do you make it work?

We use the principles of gift, shift, and thrift to find our stuff a better home. We discuss the seven morphs of leading an unstuffed life: Refraining, Restraining, Returning, Reusing, Renting, Recycling, and Rendering into trash. We include a discussion of our Stuff Cure Method and the 7 rules of the game. We share a proven recipe for success in getting rid of excess stuff without regret or guilt. We give a lot of specific suggestions for how to responsibly move your stuff along before resorting to just throwing it in the trash.

When do you need a professional organizer in your unstuffing process?

We recommend using a professional organizer to help you achieve your goals even faster. If you get rid of some of the stuff that you don’t need, it helps you to get more value from the time with your professional organizer and you’ll be more pleased with the result.

Mike and Betty Sproule, co-authors of "The Stuff Cure" — Mike and Betty Sproule, co-authors of “The Stuff Cure”

If you’d like to read the book, you can order it on Amazon, in either paperback or Kindle form.

Read more about The Stuff Cure on the website: http://www.stuffcure.com/

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Isabella Guajardo, also known as Girl With A Truck™, is a professional home organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She travels to work with clients throughout the great San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay, South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Peninsula. She shares simple and creative ways to stay organized and stylish while reducing, recycling and re-purposing.

Call (510) 229-7321 today to schedule a complimentary estimate for your home organizing goals. Gift certificates are available.

Keep up with Bella Organizing on Facebook and Instagram.

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Professional-Organizer

Getting ready for the packers to arrive

Post author By Bella Organizing
Post date March 5, 2012

packing services in berkeley and oakland

PACKING TIPS

Whether they are friends, family, or a professional service, have things ready when the packers arrive. This includes ample boxes and packing materials if you are providing them. Set aside or label anything you do not want packed. Waiting until the last minute to sort slows the process. Save time, money and anxiety by being prepared.

Set aside on a bed or in a box anything you need to have overnight during your move such as toiletries, medicine, clothing, the laptop, cell phone charging cords, etc. If you want the packers to focus on certain areas of the house or a room, use sticky notes to designate them. Adhere with an extra piece of scotch tape to prevent the notes from falling.
You can also prepare a written list of directions for the packers to follow. Keep it simple. Make a copy for each packer.
Clear off surfaces so they have somewhere on which to wrap. The kitchen counter, dining and coffee table are good areas.
If a tabletop and/or the items being packed on it are fragile, lay a sheet or thin blanket down on the surface for protection.
Set aside high-value items such as artwork or collections, and inform the packers of them upon arrival so that they take extra care.
Keep in mind that moving companies usually will not insure pre-packed boxes for more than the basic .60/lb. Check with your movers about their policies, you may want them to pack and insure high value items.
Have out quart and gallon-size zip-lock bags to be used for smaller kitchen utensils, or toiletries that may spill or leak. This is also a good time to use plastic grocery or shopping bags you’ve been saving.
Prepare towels or bulky linens you are willing to let the packers use to cushion fragile items in boxes and save a little money on packing materials.
Moving companies usually do not transport plants, flammables and hazardous liquids or materials of any kind. Be sure to inquire with your movers about what they will not transport so that you don’t have the packers pack it.
Providing fresh fruit, light snacks and cold water or juice for your packers and movers is a small deed that goes a long way. A couple of short and healthy fuel breaks throughout the day maintains energy, efficiency, and a positive attitude.

PRINT FREE MOVING BOX LABELS HERE: Box Labels

The packers can tape these easy to read labels onto your moving boxes…a great way to help you and your movers see what boxes go where. Print only the pages you need on the back of scratch paper. You can always just have them use good old fashion marker labeling, too.

PRINT FREE ROOM SIGNS HERE: Room Signs

Use these nifty room signs to put on doors and walls at the new house and help your movers get boxes to the correct rooms. Highly recommended.

packing services in berkeley and oakland

UNPACKING TIPS

Have the movers place boxes according to the pre-printed room signs.
Leave pathways, table and countertops clear so that you or your unpackers may use them to safely work.
Break down boxes and stack like-size ones together.
Flatten and stack used wrap paper, then roll together about 25 pieces at a time and stand upright in a large box. Several stored this way takes up less space and are easier to carry than scrunched paper stuffed into garbage bags. If you are passing these materials onto another person to reuse, she will appreciate it.
If you do not have someone to give leftover materials to, posting FREE PACKING MATERIALS on Craigslist or Freecycle is a sure way to get them hauled away quickly.
Packing peanuts are not recyclable in most areas. Check with your local mail and ship store, as they commonly accept peanut donations and reuse them.

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READ MORE BELLA ORGANIZING TIPS, IDEAS & TRAVELS HERE.

Isabella Guajardo, also known as Girl With A Truck™, is a professional home organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). Living in Oakland and Monterey, she travels in her truck to work with clients throughout the SF Bay Area, East Bay, South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Peninsula. She shares simple and creative ways to stay organized and stylish while reducing, recycling and re-purposing. Join Bella Organizing on Facebook. Gift certificates are available.

Call (510) 229-7321 to schedule a complimentary telephone consultation.