Bella Organizing collaborated with Redfin Realty and other cleaning and organizing experts to bring you Spring cleaning tips.
As the days grow longer and the weather begins to warm, we start to see the first signs of spring in the air. If you live in New York, Portland, or anywhere in between, the signs of spring are the same – the flowers begin to bloom and the birds are chirping again. After all, spring is the season of new beginnings, so why not refresh your home with spring cleaning? Declutter and deep clean the interior and exterior of your home before spring has sprung with these expert tips. Read more…
If someone you know is going through a serious collecting or hoarding challenge, they simply may not be ready to let go, as they will usually have a very different perspective than you about what’s too much. If their clutter is causing fire, falling, or other hazards and you feel the need to help them immediately, it’s still extremely important to be patient and not pushy. If this person in not responsive to you, pick up books from the library on the topic and learn about the many options for professional help. If you attempt to tackle things on your own, consider these important tips:
Avoid trying to persuade them to get rid of things. It often leads to arguments, the person closing up to the possibility of you helping at all, and can damage your relationship with him/her.
Use encouraging verbal and body language. Be supportive and communicate with positive and genuine words and actions when discussing the situation. Be careful and aware of your tone of voice.
Highlight strengths. If you begin working with someone to downsize, see the whole person and don’t be concerned with problems in the home, but rather the effort to change.
Treat this person how you want to be treated. With love, kindness, respect, and encouragement, you can be of assistance in many ways. You may one day hold the honorable title of being the trusted friend or family member there when they are ready to let go, or who guides them to seek professional help when the time is right. But first, they must be ready and willing to help themselves.
A variety of helpful information, research, and resource information on the topic of hoarding can be found in The Hoarding Handbook available online and through your public library.
I’m having so much fun watching this show! It’s exciting to see people diving into clothing, shoes, books, and piles of stuff large and small, being honest with themselves about what’s taking up space and not fueling the spirit. It’s also important to learn limits as to how much you can realistically tackle at a time, and to understand and accept with a passionate heart and determined mind that the process of decluttering the complete home takes commitment and consistency. Are you up for the challenge? It’s worth it, I promise!
Since the show premiered my organizer friends everywhere are receiving calls. I suddenly have 25% more inquiries in my inbox each day, which brings me great joy! I am excited that people are ready and willing to take control of their lives and their stuff. A common question asked with these new inquiries is:
” Are you a coach or do you actually help me do it?”
We help you do it! We can even do it for you when you’re not at home, so that you come back to a beautifully organized space without lifting a finger. And when you need to be home because there’s stuff to make decisions on or because you love being part of the process, my team and I are on the front lines with you sorting and lifting, containing and labeling.
A complete organizer should provide you 1) organizational design ideas, 2) energy & motivation, and 3) implementation. It’s magical! Help with all three areas makes things move forward faster, and inspires you to keep going when you see how much can be accomplished in a matter of hours when we do it together. Teamwork makes the dream work when the goal is to declutter and organize your space asap so you can focus on and be productive with the people and things that matter most.
San Francisco Bay Area Professional Organizer Isabella Guajardo works with clients to downsize, minimalize, and organize their wardrobe closets, offices, paperwork, kitchens, garages, and any challenging area of the home. Call her today at (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary 20-minute conversation about downsizing and minimalism.
Commit to get organized and stay protected by updating account passwords this month – Email, banking, credit card, investment, Paypal, Venmo, government and taxes, online stores and commerce sites, social media, digital storage sites for photos, videos, and documents, gaming & entertainment, personal websites, and even your ATM pin.
Online managers such as 1Password, Dashlane, and Lastpass exist to help organize and secure passwords in one place, but remember that anything online and in the cloud is vulnerable to hacking no matter how many layers of encryption they claim to have, just as your home is vulnerable to burglary despite dogs and alarm systems.
Keep passwords in a safe place that only you and those you trust can access. Update them at least once per year and stay safe.
Isabella Guajardo is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). She travels to work with clients throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and around the world. Call (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary consultation on how we can get your home or office moved and/or organized. Gift cards are available.
Today, if you have DVDs and CDs sitting around your home, you are wasting valuable space. That space could be better utilized or simply kept clean and clear.
Downsizing the DVDs and CDs in Your Home
If you have shelves of old CDs and DVDs, what should you do? If you are looking to make a few bucks, try to sell them on websites such as Amazon and ebay. You may be surprised what you can get for some of the more rare ones.
Not quite ready let them go yet? Download the music and movies that you are about to get rid of and import the music from your CD’s to your iTunes or other digital music library on your computer. It’s simple and now you’ll be able to have these items wherever you go. You don’t need the hard copies cluttering up your home.
Ready to donate? Give them to a public library, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other local charitable organization or school. Be prepared to gain lots of extra room in your home and you can also get a tax deduction for items that you donate.
No more DVDs and CDs cluttering up the space that you live in. And don’t forget to clean out your car, too.
