De-Stressing the Holidays (We Promise it's a Real Thing!)

We know, we know - You've barely had time to put the pumpkin in the compost bin, and here we are talking about Christmas. But as you can probably guess, the Room to Breathe team thrives on being well organized and ultra-prepared - doing so is the best piece of advice we can give for de-stressing any stressful time in life, so we thought we would share some tips on doing just that in advance of one of the busiest, though most wonderful, times of year.

Feel free to follow along if a mellower, less-hectic holiday season is something you are striving for, and please leave a comment below sharing any tried, tested, and true tips that make the hustle and bustle of December run a little bit smoother in your world. With everyone's help, 2017 could be our most peaceful holiday season yet! 

MAKE A LIST (NO NEED TO CHECK IT TWICE) - We love a good list! And the coming months definitely warrant a serious list or two. A few ongoing, must-have lists for the RTB team include:

• A WINTER BUCKET LIST - If you have kids, or even if you don't, it can be really fun to make a winter bucket list - getting the whole family involved in naming a few seasonal activities that everyone would like to try is sure to leave us all feeling excited about things other than presents.
• MAILING LIST - If you send out holiday cards, now is a great time to start making your mailing list and gathering addresses. Consider compiling your list in a program like Microsoft Excel so you are able to come back to it again next year, and you can easily update any address changes that come in throughout the year. Or if the thought of mailing out holiday cards gives you hives, perhaps consider an email 'year in review' or e-card. If December simply feels too hectic to add one more thing, consider sending a New Year's greeting instead.
• GIFT LIST - of course, there are gifts to be bought (we will talk more about this later in the post), but to help keep you on track and on budget, it can be beneficial to make a list of each person you want to buy for. You can add details like gift ideas you may have, budget allotment, or things you know they love. If you start planning and thinking about it now, you will hopefully be spared the stress of holiday crunch time! 

STOCK THE FREEZER - Three things that are always handy to have in your freezer, but especially so during the winter months include:

• BAKING - Most baking will freeze well, and nothing is handier than being able to pull out a few cookies when unexpected visitors pop by. Start baking a batch or two over the next few weeks, freeze as needed and package up to use for teacher/neighbour/hostess gifts throughout December.  
• BUTTER -  If holiday baking is part of your winter tradition, start purchasing an extra pound of butter on each coming trip to the grocery store. It freezes well and is one less expense for you to have to worry about come December (that stuff is expensive!) Plus, nothing is worse than running out of butter in the middle of cookie baking marathon. This same rule can be applied to other staples you know you will use a lot of throughout December - start slowly accumulating items now so your grocery bill isn't quite as massive next month. 
• PRE-MADE MEALS - December is BUSY! Regardless of how much preparing you do, the parties, outings, and additional obligations always run rampant. Now is a great time to double up a few recipes and freeze easy meals to reheat in a pinch down the road. Think hearty soups, stews, lasagnas, or curries- portion out in individual servings and watch December-you rejoice. 

MAKE ROOM FOR COZY - Where will the tree go? How about the decorations and parcels and all things winter-cozy? Take a look around your living spaces and begin to tuck away and clear surfaces. Box up any books, knickknacks, non-seasonal decor, or items that won't be needed until post-holiday time, and begin to create a blank canvas for all that is to come.

Now is also a great time to tidy and reorganize your pantry and fridge- checking for expiry dates and tossing whatever has gone bad, pulling out anything you can spare to be used for food donations that are abundantly requested during these next few months, all the while making room for the 'extra' that floods in in December. Also, add any pantry staples that need replenishing to a trusty list noted above.

GO EASY ON YOURSELF (THE PLANET WILL THANK YOU) - We all want to find that perfect gift, but shopping in December can be both expensive and stressful. Online shopping is a great option to avoid big crowds at the mall, but reevaluating our relationship with stuff, especially around the holidays can be really impactful. So much of the work that Room to Breathe does is because of the excess stuff we often unconsciously bring in to our lives. Having excess of course takes a toll on our emotional well being (overwhelmingly, our clients report the stress of too much stuff as their main reason for hiring us), but it's also really hard on the environment.

When push comes to shove, there is very little that most of us actually need, so try to think outside the box and consider non-traditional gifts ideas- pick a charity or cause to donate to on behalf of the ones we love most, offer a gift of service or time spent together, or hand-make something sentimental. If its tears of joy you want to see on Christmas morning, these gifts are sure to get them flowing.

For more great alternative gift ideas and tips on how simplifying the holidays have a look at New Dream's downloadable booklet. It's an absolute favourite of ours, and is FULL of amazing ideas for thoughtful, environmental, and budget conscious meaningful gifts. enjoy! xo

Blog post written by Jessica Thorburn - Our Vancouver-based Marketing and Administration Superstar.

Welcome Kristen!

We are so thrilled to announce the newest addition to our Room to Breathe Family! Kristen Walling is joining us as a Professional Home Organizer, and we couldn't be more excited!



Bringing with her a heart full of compassion and empathy, Kristen understands that life gets busy, and purging and organizing on your own can feel like an overwhelming or daunting task. Working closely alongside Indi, her experience has proven that coming together as a team fosters some truly innovative outcomes, alleviating the stress and burden that tackling organizing projects solo can bring. Kristen loves the hands-on aspect of her work, treating each client and project as an opportunity to learn and master her organizing skills.

During her downtime, Kristen can be found soaking up time with friends and family, playing soccer with her boyfriend, or working on her photography skills. Kristen is a graduate of SAIT Polytechnic, receiving a diploma in Business Administration, majoring in Human Resource Management.

We are lucky to have such a genuine and lovely person rounding out our team, and are grateful to have Kristen's passion and experience linking up with us! Welcome Kristen!

Get in touch with Room to Breathe today and allow Indianna and Kristen help you clear the clutter once and for all.

The Essential Back to School Organizing List

Despite the marketing worlds best efforts to convince us otherwise, it is still OFFICIALLY summer until September 22nd, and the Room to Breathe team is doing everything we can to soak up these last few sunny weeks before we inevitably embrace crunchy leaves, sweater weather, and all things pumpkin spice.

That said, the transition from August to September can be a big one, particularly if you have people in your household heading back to school. So even though we will be diligently barbecuing and sun soaking until the first signs of frost tell us to pack it in, we also wanted to share some tips to help get your home and life organized, ensuring your back to school transition runs smoothly.

CALENDARS ARE KEY! Whether your preference is an online calendar, a hand-written agenda, or a family bulletin board, having one centralized place to track appointments, lessons, field trips, birthday parties... even meal planning, is definitely a good idea!

Looking for a little inspiration to setup or overhaul your schedule tracking? We've got you covered!

MAKE HOMEWORK FUN. In a perfect world, kids would quietly do their homework in their bedroom- not getting distracted by toys or technology, not making a mess, and without being nagged. But the reality is, they want to be near us and near where the action is- which, in most homes, is the kitchen or living room. So why not embrace that and set up a homework station in the area they want to be in? Designate a space where the kids can sit down and focus to get it all done, and where you can observe and offer a helping hand when needed. 

(We shared some great links for homework station inspiration in an archived blog post HERE.)

MAKE PINTEREST YOUR NEW BFF. Social media gets a lot of flack, but Pinterest is a site that has the potential to help save you time and get organized. It is loaded with incredible recipes (have a quick search of 'best slow cooker meals' - you wont be disappointed!) and is the perfect spot to spark your inspiration for everything from creative teachers gifts to inexpensive party planning.

A cool idea we recently came across is to set up two recipe boards- the first is where you pin any and all recipes you find that sound delicious and you want to try out. The second board is called 'tried, tested, and true' - a place where you can re-pin the recipes you have tried and loved and you will want to make again. You can even invite other friends on pinterest to collaborate, adding their best tried recipes to this shared board.

A 'BORROWED BASKET' TO KEEP YOU SANE. Keeping a basket near the frontdoor for things that need to be returned - items borrowed from friends, library books, thing to be exchanged at the store... is a game changer! Having one central place to collect all the things that don't otherwise have a home will immediately lower the hecticness level in even the most organized home.

NO NEED TO BECOME AN ART CRITIC. YET. Keep a few art projects on display and fill a bin with all the rest. Don’t decide which ones to toss or keep yet, accumulate them all throughout the year and over the summer you can sort back through and decide. If you are feeling really advantageous, take photos of all the completed art and make a photo collage to hangup or add to a keepsake box or family scrapbook. 

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING (AND EVERYTHING IN IT'S PLACE). Making a habit or routine of keeping items in the exact same place everyday will save you much mental anguish. Everyone in our house knows- water bottles, indoor shoes, and any other items that need to go to school daily are to be stored IN backpacks. We also keep a small zipper pouch inside that serves as a designated spot for things like pizza day money or forms that need to be returned to teachers.

DARE WE SAY PAIN-FREE LUNCH PACKING? The newest lunch trend over the last couple of years seems to be bento-style lunch boxes. I will admit, I was a bit of skeptic at first, but after two full school years of packing lunches this way, I will wholeheartedly attest they are worth every bit of hype! Having small compartments makes it easy to designate which item should go in which spot, taking all the guess work out of what to grab from the fridge. A spot for fruit, a spot for veg, a sandwich and a little treat, and you are done. Plus, they are better for the enviroment and our health- no waste and no need for overpriced, prepackaged food!

Be sure to check out Pinterest for endless bento box lunch inspiration!

A FILE FOR REPORT CARDS AND SCHOOL PHOTOS. Create a file folder in your filing cabinet for school photos and report cards. Each year, keep adding to the file, and soon you have a really neat time capsule of year after year photos and progress reports. Feel free to use this folder for team photos and swimming report cards too.

DON'T FORGET THE SNACKS! Set up an easy access station full of nutritious and healthy snacks that all members of your home can easily access. It fills the void after school, and allows for a quick grab-and-go on the way out the door to hockey practice or meetings. Plus we promise you wont miss the constant 'I'm still hungry!' requests between the hours of 3 and 6.

This blog post was written by Jessica Thorburn - Our Vancouver-based Marketing and Administration Superstar.

What NOT to do When Decluttering the Clutter - 5 Great Tips!

For many of us, it seems to happen at least a few times throughout the year- we get bitten by the organizing bug! Whether you crave a deep spring clean or a full-on minimalist get-rid-of-everything-purge, today, we have some tips on what NOT to do when that bug bite itches.

DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW. Do not set aside an entire day to organize your whole house. Very few people have the energy or stamina to spend 8 straight hours organizing. You'll likely become frustrated and less efficient as the day progresses, and it's much better to spend a few hours — 2 or 3 — on one project or space. In the end, you'll feel motivated to do more, not burned out or overwhelmed by the process.

DON'T PROLONG THE INEVITABLE. There are no shortage of gimmicky 'get organized one bag at a time' tricks floating around the internet - the 40 bag challenge (committing to getting rid of a single bag of 'stuff' every day for 40 days), the 12x12x12 challenge (locating 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home), the 365 Less things challenge (giving away 1 item every day for an entire year)...

Although these challenges sounds simple and even a little fun in theory, the reality is they draw out a process that is best handled quickly. No one wants to be thinking about organizing or dealing with their clutter for an entire year, and seeing the amazing transformation of an entire room over the span of a few hours is much more impactful (and thus, more motivating) than watching items slowly disappear 1 at a time. So do the hard work and commit to powering through - the end result will be much more enjoyable.

DON'T BUY STORAGE CONTAINERS BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY ORGANIZE. We get it. Buying cute storage baskets and containers to house your things is definitely the most exciting part of organizing, but containerizing is one of the LAST step on your organizing journey.

The Room to Breathe team organizes using the Julie Morgensten's SPACE method:

• Sort || Going through everything and grouping like with like according to categories that make sense to you.
• Purge || Get rid of items that are broken, useless, superseded or otherwise irrelevant. Morgenstern and RTB are a firm advocates of the notion "if you haven't used recently, ditch it!"
• Assign || Assign a permanent home. Think outside the box (or room you are in) and pick a location that makes use of your own preferences and existing habits. Doing this ensures you always know exactly where everything is at any given moment, and saves you from searching endlessly for items you tucked away somewhere.
• Containerize || Now (and only now) is the time to evaluate whether you need to bring in any containers- whether that's a new bookshelf or a little box to keep toiletries in, evaluate what you already have and can repurpose, and what might be most useful to keep your belongings neatly secured in their new home.
• Equalize || The final key step is dedicating time every day (or every week for less frequently used rooms) to equalize: returning every item to its proper home. If you've been diligent with the previous steps, this shouldn't be time consuming.

Ultimately, you can't buy storage containers without knowing what and where you are storing things, so resist the urge to shop for pretty containers and only purchase items after you have sorted, purged, and assigned a home to your belongings.

DON'T LEAVE THE JOB UNFINISHED. This is the most important part: Once you have decided to part with something, take it there! Never keep bags for donation or boxes for friends in your home to deliver later, or you will absolutely start to second guess your decisions. Finish the process- take the bags and boxes out immediately. You've done so much work getting to this point, seal the deal!

DON'T DO IT ALONE IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED HELP. We all have different strengths in life, and for some us, organizing may not one of them. So if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, burdened, or nervous about tackling a project on your own, give Room to Breathe a shout. We will guide you through the process step by step, teaching you along the way, and leaving you with an individualized organizational system that actually works! And in less time than you probably thought. 


Blog post written by Jessica Thorburn - Our Vancouver-based Marketing and Administration Superstar.

The Benefits of Organizing (More Than Just a Tidy Home!)

We all know that getting our space organized and decluttered is a good thing, but did you know that organizing can actually be good for your mental, physical and social well-being?

Not convinced? Have a peek...
 

DREAMING ABOUT A CLUTTER-FREE SPACE ISN'T HELPING YOU SLEEP

We generally understand the value of a good nights sleep - it's imperative for optimal immune health, emotional stability and cognitive functions, such as memory, decision-making, and the capacity to focus.

But with sleep disorders on the rise, leading experts on the subject believe a cluttered bedroom could be to be blame.

According to Michael Breus (aka the Sleep Doctor,) “When you walk into a room, what your eye sees can actually determine whether or not you’re going to have an easy time falling asleep.” A pile of laundry at the foot of your bed, a ransacked closet, or random papers and unopened mail on your night stand, could all be contributing to a restless night. That’s why the first thing Breus advises patients with sleep complaints is, “Clean up your bedroom.”

HEALTHY EATING STARTS WITH... A TIDY KITCHEN?

A recent study found that a cluttered kitchen can nudge us to overeat.

To test their theory, researchers set up two kitchens - One kitchen was neat and tidy. The other was strewn with mail, newspapers and dirty dishes. The participants were provided with snacks - cookies, crackers and carrots - and told they could as much as they like. When the study was complete, they discovered the participants in the messy kitchen had consumed twice as many calories from cookies as those in the tidy kitchen. (an interesting note: there was no difference in the rate of consumption of carrots or crackers.)

"We think we're smarter than the environment around us," Wansick said. "That's why these external cues are so powerful. We're often not even aware that they are influencing our behavior."

STOP FEELING STRESSED WHEN THE DOORBELL RINGS

An organized home makes it easier to have people over without the stress of cleaning and preparation. It has also been shown to reduce family conflicts and resentment and tension between couples.

Once your home is clean and clutter-free, it is easier to maintain the level of cleanliness you desire: A study found that people are significantly more likely to litter in already-messy environments than they are in clean environments. The same theory applies to the home — when you have a clean, relaxing space, you're more likely to keep it that way. 

PRODUCTIVE MINDS LIKE CLEAR SPACES

No real surprises here, but when your home feels like a place of restoration instead of 'unfinished projects,' you'll feel more energized and productive being there.

The Journal of Neuroscience reports efficiency and productivity increase when you're not weighed down by clutter and the distractions of your space. This also flows over to the workplace - excess clutter has been shown to result in decreased productivity and unprofessional behavior.

 

STRESS LESS (AND ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT) 

It can be hard to clear out the clutter, but it can be even harder to keep living with it.

According to an online survey, home organization is one of the most universal stress triggers. 84% of recently stressed Americans say they worry that their home isn’t clean or organized enough, and within that group, 55% called it out as a source of recent stress. 

Should you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed in your home or office, please give us a call. It's important to remember that we all have different strengths - for the Room to Breathe team, that strength is creating organizational systems that actually work and help you maintain order in your home or office. We are here to help, without judgement, and in much less time than you might think. 

This blog post was written by Jessica Thorburn - Our Vancouver-based Marketing and Administration Superstar.

Spring is here! Time to Prep the Yard for Enjoyment.

The grass is going green, the birds are out chirping and our parkas here in Calgary are now at the back of the closet (hopefully not needed again until next winter ). I love this time of year and when I did have a yard in the past I loved getting it cleaned up, organized and blooming. Here are some of Room to Breathe's fun yard organization ideas:

Create a kids parking pad for kid’s cars, bikes and scooters. You can involve the kids in creating this and also put one of them in charge of being the “parking enforcement”. This will help keep the yard decluttered which is easier on the eye and makes yard clean up and moving the lawn an easier task.

Assign a home for your loose yard tools and toys. This home can be a shed or even just a box depending on how much you have to store. Storing this stuff away will also increase its lifespan as they will be out of the elements. Make sure to only keep the tools you need. If you have a home already then give it a few minutes of organizing love to make it a space you enjoy using.  

Introduce an outdoor activity trolley. Whether you have kids or not this can be useful. Have a trolley that you can store in the garage or shed during the winter and roll out into the yard for the summer. This trolley can hold things like chalk, bubbles, jump ropes, sand toys, Velcro ball, critter cages, snacks and more for kids or ring toss, bocce ball, water balloons, yard dominos, beverages, etc. for the older crowds.

Set aside some time to give the garden some love. A nicely kept garden is always pleasing on the eye and creates a space you want to enjoy. Prune low branches and shoots to open up under the trees and make the yard feel bigger. Collect and remove all yard waste and plant some fresh flowers for a pop of color!

If you have a yard that overwhelms you and you can't seem to get started, give Room to Breathe a call today to help get your yard summer ready. We would be happy to help!

Tips for Downsizing

The other day I heard birds chirping outside my window. Spring is coming! I don't know about you but we are excited for some warmer weather and all the fun that it brings. Alongside having lots of fun some of you may be planning on selling your home and downsizing, or in other words rightsizing! This can be a stressful time as there is lots to do but Room to Breathe is here to help curb the stress with some tips for downsizing!

START PAIRING DOWN BEFORE CRUNCH TIME.

Your move may be months away, but now is the perfect time to start getting ready. Dedicate a bit of time each day and go through closets, cupboards, and storage spaces. Tackle one box, drawer or closet at a time, and slowly chip away. Giving yourself lots of time will help prevent feeling burnt out or overwhelmed.

 

BEGIN WITH THE LEAST SENTIMENTAL AREAS FIRST.

Start by editing areas that contain non-sentimental items. Closets, kitchens or bathrooms are a great place to begin - most people can tackle clothing or dishes fairly easily. Also, if you are downsizing from a house to a condo, be sure to spend time in the garage - snow shovels, lawn mower, ladders… you most likely won't need them after you move.

DONATE, SELL OR CONSIGN RATHER THAN THROWING AWAY.

Whenever possible, reuse, sell or donate instead of throwing items out. As tempting and easy as it may be to toss old clothes or furnishings, consider the environment and do your best to find a home for everything. Also, second hand stores like Value Village or Goodwill repurpose your goods by selling them to people that may otherwise not be able to afford new items, and a portion of each of their sales is donated to deserving local charities. A win-win for everyone!

RECRUIT HELP!

Now is the time to bring in reinforcements! Not only is it helpful to have a spare set of hands to assist with furniture lifting or moving boxes, it is great to have an objective second opinion when you can't decide whether to keep or get rid of something.

GIFT NOW AND ENJOY SHARING IN SOMEONE ELSES HAPPINESS.

If you have family heirlooms or other special items that you no longer use but are holding onto in order to pass along to family or friends, consider gifting them now. Relish in the experience of getting to see someone you love enjoying something that means so much to you.

 

KEEP ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE OR IS A NECESSITY.

As a general rule, we abide by this perfect quote by William Morris- ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’

    GIVE US A CALL IF YOU NEED A HAND.

Room to Breathe has many years of experience helping Calgarians downsize and get organized. If you are feeling overwhelmed or need a hand at any point along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

587-228-6359 | roomtobreathecalgary@gmail.com

3 Easy-Win Projects to Tackle This Weekend!

For a lot of us, the word 'organize' can be a paralyzing one - instantly bringing up feelings of overwhelm and stress, leaving us unsure of where to even start (so often, we don't). We know that excess stuff in our homes contributes to our overall stress - when we have a lot of clutter, it distracts us and steals our attention.

The problem is, clutter typically accumulates over time. We don’t notice how much stuff we have until we hit some kind of breaking point. Sometimes it’s a major life event - a move, death, marriage or divorce, or significant change in our daily routine. Or sometimes it's more subtle - a desire to live more simply or wanting to feel less weighed down by possessions. Whatever the reason, we can move on free from the weight of objects that have outlived their usefulness.

The good news is we have 3 bite-sized projects to share that will get your organizing juices flowing, and perhaps even leave you feeling inspired to do more. Easy wins that will replace feelings of stress and overwhelm with ones of pride, accomplishment and overall lightness.

And the even better news? Our team here at Room to Breathe is ready to jump in should you find yourself with a bit more than you can handle on your own. Please reach out if there is anything we can help with!

Before we start, the one thing we like to emphasize with any organizing project is to try and focus on what you want to keep rather than what you want to get rid of. It's a simple switch in the way you approach your project, but coming from a place of excitement rather than dislike can have a huge impact on your end result.

 

TACKLE YOUR CLOSET

Perhaps an obvious starting point, but spending some time focused on your closet can be the catalyst for many other projects. Not only does it feel good to lighten the load, it's a relatively straight forward project that most people can manage on their own. It also helps you hone your organizing skills, so when you move on to future projects, they become easier and quicker to work through.

Our suggestion is to pull everything (EVERYTHING!) out of your closet and drawers - anything that is clothing goes into one big pile. This perhaps sounds counter-intuitive as you are making a bigger mess than what you started with, but trust us, there is a reason.

Pulling everything out serves two purposes. First, it lets you see the volume of what you are actually dealing with. For some people, seeing a massive mound of textiles is enough to catapult them into being truly ruthless while they purge. The second benefit is it really forces you to go through each piece individually, one by one, and take a moment to ask yourself some questions:

• Is the item in good repair? Meaning there are no holes, pilling or stains that might prevent you from wanting to wear it. If its in bad shape, toss it.
• Does the item fit? Take a moment to actually try it on if you aren't sure. If it doesn't, please pass it along. Nothing makes you feel worse then opening your closet and seeing clothes that don't fit, but that you hope someday might. (And that's no way to start any day.) 
• Have you worn the item in the last 6-12 months? If the answer is no, a good rule of thumb is that it's time to part ways.
• Is the item your style? Think about your go-to outfits- the things that make you feel most comfortable and confident and that you come back to day after day. Does this item fall within that same look and feel? If not, consider passing it along.
• Does this item make you feel good when you wear it? Try to put sentimental meaning aside for a moment and think- if you were going out right this minute and had to wear the item in your hand, would you feel good about it? If the answer is 'no' or 'ummm, maybe?' then again, time to pass it along. 

Once you have gone through each and every item, put back only what leaves you feeling truly happy. Try grouping like with like (IE: short sleeved shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, cardigans, pants....) and find an order that makes sense for your life (if you wear a cardigan every day, perhaps that should be the first grouping in your closet).

SO MANY BOOKS!

Your closet is done, you are feeling good, and your decluttering skills are getting stronger with each passing moment. Onto books!

Despite maybe having a bookshelf or one central book storage location, most of us have books scattered all over the house- bedside tables, desks, on top of a dressers, forgotten about in book bags. Do a thorough walk through of your home and collect ALL the books from all over. Take each book off you book shelf and (again) make a big pile in the middle of your room. Go through each book one at a time and again, ask yourself a couple quick questions:

• Have you actually read it? If not, do you truly believe you will read it? And if so, will you read it again?
• Do you really LOVE it?

If the answer to any of these was no, then consider passing it along. And again, only keep what you truly love and has meaning for you.

THE ENDLESS COLLECTION IN YOUR BATHROOM

Over the winter holidays, I did a little experiment. I got a big IKEA shopping bag and did an arm sweep of EVERYTHING under my bathroom sink. I placed the bag in my storage room, and any time I needed something from it, I went in to retrieve it. The bag is still in storage, and the thing that surprised me (or maybe it didn't) was that I only retrieved about a handful of things over the last couple of months.

All this to say, the storage spaces in our bathrooms become a dumping ground of samples, unused shampoos, lotions, soaps, travel things, and drugstore finds that seemed awesome at the time, but we have since moved on to something new.

Challenge yourself to really evaluate what you use day in and day out. Feel free to try my IKEA bag experiment, or take the time to do as we have above- pull EVERYTHING out, group like with like, and go through each item one by one. This time asking:

• Do you love this product?
• Do you use it regularly?
• Is it expired?

Again, pairing down and donating/ tossing what no longer serves you. 

--
 
A couple final tips - make sure you take any items for donation, recycling or disposing of out of the house immediately after you have finished collecting them. Letting these items sit around or seeing them out of the corner of your eye is distracting and recipe for disaster. (We have all found ourselves second guessing the sweater we committed to parting ways with the day before...)

Also, remember that things that no longer fit or serve you, can be a real gift to someone else. Whether that's through donating items to a charity or thrift stores, or selling your items online or through consignment- sometimes realizing the joy your item can bring to someone else's life is an important part of letting go.

Lastly, be gentle with yourself. Being sentimentally attached to things is human nature (and really, a great gift in this human experience). Though it can make ruthlessly purging a challenge, working in stages is a good strategy to counter this. If you got rid of 2 big bags of stuff, but couldn't quite let go of that impractical shirt that never gets worn, but means something to you, that's OK! Don't fret the small stuff, and focus on how far you have come.


Blog post written by Jessica Thorburn - Our Vancouver-based Marketing and Administration Superstar.

5 Ways to Do Less but Get More Done

Guest Blogged by Paula Blundell

With the cool air of winter slowing me down and the celebrations of solstice bringing me inside to warm up and gather with family and friends, I find that there’s no better time to reflect on what is important in my life and to prepare my mind for a new year ahead.

When I consider all the things out in the world pulling my attention away from what I really want to do, I see my long list errands to run, emails to return, and house chores to do. My focus on what is important in life can all too easily be plucked up and thrown aside by inner distractions as well - an upcoming event or vacation, a stressful situation that I can’t control or fix, or a decision weighing heavy on my mind. I can spend my limited day full of hours in thought gallivanting from worry to daydream, spinning around past conversations and trying to figure something out, all the while being too hard on myself. Multi-tasking and being busy have become second nature - and even a bullet point on my resume. I wonder if I’ve forgotten how to focus on one thing at a time and how to really be present in the moment. I realize that my thoughts are absorbed in either regrets of the past or the what-ifs of the future. They are either craving what I want or resisting what I fear.

In an effort to react less to outside stimuli, and instead be more intentional with my thoughts and actions, I’ve incorporated a more conscious way of participating in my life. Living more mindfully results in deeper awareness, a new capability to take on what comes, and a still place to go to when I need answers and direction on what next good thing to say or do. Without initially realizing it, I’ve found these new skills have helped me do less but get more done!

Here are the 5 things I’ve discovered I can do to live more simply and get more accomplished:

1. Claim what is important
What if you prioritized just sitting and evaluating what was really important in your life? Then, what if you had the confidence, strength and courage to cut out anything that is not in alignment with your true self and contentment, while still meeting daily obligations and responsibilities that you felt good about? Finally, what if that practice helped you stop over-planning and over-promising to spend your energy on things that don’t benefit your wellbeing, and therefore opened you up to giving more to yourself and those around you? You won’t know unless you try. Try scheduling 30 minutes for this, and sit down with a pen and paper.

2. Recognize stalling tactics
Read this cartoon, have a laugh, and next time you catch yourself procrastinating in this way or that, or a combination of ways as it may be, gently pull yourself back to centre with the recognition that you are procrastinating - and more importantly, ask yourself why. Shout out to lifehack.org as the source for this image:

3. Say no if you want to
What will happen if you say no? What if you turned down an invitation to put yourself first? Have you ever found yourself accommodating someone else’s needs, only to later learn that what they asked of you wasn’t that important to them in the first place? Or even worse, to later learn that you assumed incorrectly that they even needed or wanted your help at all? When you are clear about what’s important to you it becomes much easier to decide whether to say yes or no. For example, if quality time spent with family and close friends are priority, then saying no to a client when your work schedule is already full is an easy choice. 

                                                                                                                      

4. Build in time to decompress
Racing directly from an important work meeting to dinner with your husband or wife is not really solid ground for a romantic evening. Crossing off fifteen errands and then running back home to play with children doesn’t lead to focused quality time. Build in a few minutes to take a breath, integrate what you’ve just experience, then let it go. Then take another minute to think about what you are about to do so you can be fully present in the next event. Decompressing and setting an intention is a momentary practice that helps you find more joy in what you’re doing. Take it one step further with meditation. Meditating brings you into your body and being in your body brings you into present time.

5. Minimize stuff and create room to breathe
The sure way to freedom is to lighten your load. Stuff not only takes up physical space but takes up your energy and attention and therefore mental space. Taking on one desk, one closet, or one room at a time in your home or office will give you a sense of accomplishment and lightness. Transform your desk covered in papers, mail and gadgets to a desk with nothing but a computer and notepad. Remember that technological clutter is a thing too – try turning off notifications of incoming texts and emails to reduce distracting you from being fully present in the moment. One area of your home that makes the biggest impact for the least input is your bedroom - especially if lack of sleep is an issue. Creating a serene space, promoting relaxation and even romance, is a room free of laundry, television/laptop, paperwork, exercise machines and children’s toys. If you find yourself needing a hand to hold or simply an objective outside perspective on how to streamline your home, be sure to contact Room to Breathe for a complimentary in-home consultation. During an informal tour of space, a professional organizer will ask you all the right questions and together you will create a plan that fits your specific needs and lifestyle.