I want my kitchen to be minimal. I need it to be easy. These were the words of my client when she was describing how she wanted her kitchen to be. I could see the overwhelm in my client's eyes as she described her struggles with getting the home organised. My client who we will call Anna lives with memory, attention and processing challenges. And when faced with too much information and distraction can become overwhelmed and frustrated. Which didn't take me long to witness as Anna would literally jump with fright every time, she would open an overflowing kitchen drawer or cupboard. With the Tupperware drawer causing the most distress.

At the heart of it, Anna wanted a kitchen that would make morning routines easier and also support her in preparing healthy meals for her and her family. Proper nutrition is vital to Anna as it will help her to overcome some of the physical health challenges she faces. So, I could understand how important it was for Anna to have simplicity in her kitchen. I knew that the sooner we got the kitchen sorted the sooner Anna could move forward and focus on her health.

What I observed when Anna was showing me her kitchen was several appliances and other bits and pieces living in different areas on the benchtop with no real place to call home. Various food items hanging out in different parts of the kitchen. Overflowing drawers and cupboards with some refusing to close due to overcrowding. It was a kitchen that overtime got a little out of hand which can happen to the best of us. Anna just needed a helping hand to get things back in order, and that is what we did.

Anna's idea of an easy and minimal kitchen meant being able to quickly and effortlessly access what she needs when she needs it without having to frantically search for things and feeling overwhelmed. So, over a few sessions, I would work with Anna to reassess the use and functionality of three core areas of the kitchen: the bench, the pantry and the cupboards and drawers.

The Kitchen Bench

When Anna was showing me her kitchen, she expressed how important drinking juice and tea was to her health and wellbeing which was evident with several juicing appliances spread across the bench and different types of teas on display. The areas of the bench that Anna would use to prepare meals was cluttered, with decorative items, a blender, and a tray to store random items. Anna would need a better meal prep workspace one that would give Anna the room and space to prepare meals without her feeling submerged with clutter. To achieve this Anna's bench space would be divided into three core stations:

a juice stationa tea stationa meal preparation station

The juice station

To make the process easier for Anna to prepare her juices we created a juice station which would house all of Anna’s juicers and blenders in one location of the kitchen. Everything related to juicing would have a new home at the juice station. Frequently, used and heavier juicing equipment would permanently live on the bench, and other juicing equipment would be moved to the cupboards below the station. Items such as glassware and jugs were stored in cabinets above. Anna would no longer need to frantically move things around to prepare her daily juices.

The tea station

The tea station, like the juice station, would house all things relating to tea (and coffee). The bench housed the kettle, a stand containing mugs and canisters for tea, coffee and sugar. All of Anna's teas were now stored in the cupboards above the tea station along with other tea making equipment. Anna can now go to her tea station and have everything she needs to make her cups of tea. The meal preparation station

Through the creation of the juice and tea stations and also decluttering some of the items stored on the bench has freed up bench space for a meal preparation station. Things such as bowls, plates and cooking utensils are now stored within easy reach of the meal preparation station. Anna now has the room and the freedom to make meals without the feeling of being on a crowded train during peak hour.

Creating designated locations for the core things Anna does in the kitchen will make it easier for her to do the things she needs to do, as everything she needs to complete each task is in the one place this will support Anna with her processing challenges. Also, the stations will also help to eliminate the frustration Anna was experiencing as she no longer needs to move things around when completing tasks making performing jobs easier. Finally, Anna will have a clear understanding of where items are based on the particular station within the kitchen, supporting her with her memory challenges. For example, seeing the kettle on the bench will act as a visual reminder that tea leaves are stored in the cupboard above the kettle.

With the bench now under control, we start to tackle the pantry.

The Pantry

Opening the doors to Anna's pantry, I could see similar products spread out across the various shelves with each piece looking lost and needing to find their way home. We needed to bring order back to the pantry.

We agreed that all food items would live in the pantry (or fridge) except for some supplements/health foods which would be located in a cupboard near the juice station as they were used solely for juicing.

Once we said goodbye to food items that were expired, we began to organise the pantry. Using a combination of stands and containers food items were either stored by meal type (e.g. breakfast, snacks etc.) or food type (e.g. bread, canned food etc.). We also labelled containers according to what was stored in them. Labelling will make it easier for Anna to locate what she needs and will also support her to know where to put things once she is done with them which will be essential in assisting Anna to maintain an organised pantry.

Centralising the food this way will make it easier for Anna to find what she needs to prepare a meal. It will also make the process of writing her weekly shopping list easier as she will have clear visibility of what she needs and doesn't need.

The Drawers and Cupboards.

Some but not all of Anna's drawers and cupboards were overcrowded. To stop Anna feeling overcome and frustrated every time she opens a drawer or cabinet, we would need to firstly declutter some items. This would also support Anna in her goal of having a minimal kitchen.

At times, Anna can get overwhelmed when faced with too many decisions, to help manage the choice of what to keep and what to discard we established some decluttering rules.

Rule 1 any items that were chipped, broken or not working would instantly be is discarded.

Rule 2 any duplicate items would be dealt with by the process of elimination whereby items that were in better conditions stayed, and the other would go. These rules would reduce the number of decisions Anna needed to make and will also help to speed up the decluttering process.

Anna was able to shed a good volume of items out of the kitchen including some of her Tupperware. Once we had completed the decluttering, we then commenced organising.

When it came to organising the cupboards and drawers, we stored items in the location they would be used. For example, pots, pans and baking dishes would be stored in drawers adjacent to the oven and stove. This would make it easier for Anna to get what she needed when she needed it and get a clear view of where everything is.

Now for the Tupperware drawer. We were able to get most of the Tupperware stored in one location directly under the meal prep station. We also stored the Tupperware on its side rather than bottom up as this makes it easier to store.

Given that Anna has some challenges with her memory I wanted to ensure she remembers where things are, so we placed labels on drawers and cabinets. Anna can choose to remove these once she feels comfortable in knowing where things are.

With the drawers and cupboards now done our kitchen organising journey has come to an end. But Anna would also need some strategies to help her maintain her organised kitchen.

Maintenance

To maintain her organised kitchen, I have asked Anna to be a cop. Yes, Anna will need to be a cop and will need to make sure that everything goes back into its place at the end of the day. Again having labels placed on cupboards and drawers will support Anna with the maintenance process.

And to keep the Tupperware at bay, I have asked Anna to apply the one in one out rule. This will mean that if Anna buys another food storage container, she will need to discard an existing one.

Making these adjustments to Anna's kitchen, we were able to streamline it and make it more functional. Doing this has helped to eliminate the overwhelm Anna was experiencing in her kitchen. Anna and her family love their new organised kitchen and she has done a magnificent job of keeping it in order. But more importantly Anna has been able to use her kitchen to focus on her, and her family’s health and nutrition and has now started to have healthy meals prepared in her home. I’m grateful that I have been able to support Anna to organise her space and to enable her to focus on her goals.

Clients name has been changed for privacy reasons. Photos are of the client's kitchen and have been used with the client's permission.

Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar on Unsplash

Have you been inspired by the Netflix series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo to declutter and organise your home? Have you started to sort your clothes only to hit a roadblock?And, now you are sitting at home wondering why you cannot get your home organised.

The answer!

Maybe the KonMari method to organising is not right for you, and that's okay. I'm going to share different insights into how you can go about decluttering and organising your home. Please note this post is all about offering a different perspective to organising and is not intended to discredit anyone or any method instead it's about providing alternatives.

So, if the KonMari method is working for you then that is great keep going, you will get so many benefits from living in an organised space. If it's not working, don't give up and keep reading.

6 Alternatives to Consider If the KonMari Method Isn't Working for You.

1. Get results by finding a decluttering and organising system that suits you not everyone else.

The KonMari method to organising is just one method, but it is not the only method.

Think about it.

It's like exercise, some people like running, weights, boxing etc. I hate running but many people love it, and even though I hate running it doesn’t mean that I don’t exercise, it means I need to find a fitness approach that works for me which is lightweight training and the cross trainer.

The same approach needs to be applied to decluttering and organising your home.There is no one size fits all approach to organising you need to find the right method that works for you based on your organising challenges, needs and style.

And yes this may take some time, some trial and error and may even require you to work with a professional organiser to help you find the right organising solution.

The key is not to give up.

2. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Humans are social creatures, so you may need some help to get organised. Assistance can be in the form of a supportive and non- judgemental friend/ family member or a professional organiser. The right support will ensure you get it done.

A critical thing that Tidying Up with Marie Kondo highlighted is that people were able to work through years of clutter and disorganisation through the support of a Professional Organiser (Marie Kondo).

I see this with my clients. Through having me help them through the organising process, they get results.

Remember:

It's okay to ask for help.

3. Get faster results by finding quick wins

Picking up every item you own and determining if it sparks joy may be too overwhelming and exhausting for some people and, would slow the organising process down.

Try and find some quick wins that can help to speed the process up. I find setting up rules is a great way to get some quick wins.

How do rules work?

Rules are something you can set up at the start of a decluttering process to help you quickly discard items. For example, if you are organising your kitchen, you can set a rule that every chipped plate, cup, bowl etc. would just be discarded without any thought. Rules will make the decluttering process less overwhelming and more efficient as there is very little thought involved when decluttering.

Other quick wins might include:

Food that in the pantry/ fridge that has expired can go straight in the binClothes that no longer fit go straight into the donate bag

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

4. You need to set the goals and the order.

One thing I love about the KonMari method is it does provide structure. And for many people who struggle with disorganisation structure is essential, as it allows for a starting point.

The key is determining the right structure for you. I agree with Marie that sentimental items should be left to last as they are the hardest items to deal with and can slow the process down.

However, what is a sentimental item?

Well, that needs to be determined by you. What is sentimental to one person may not be sentimental to another person.

I have a friend who couldn't discard a pair of shoes (which they didn’t wear because they were too small) but said they could easily shed photos. In this case, starting with clothes would not be a good idea.

If you are going to organise by category, then you need to set the order based on what is least sentimental to most sentimental as determined by you, which may mean that clothes and books get done last.

But wait there’s more,

You don't always need to organise by category; it's okay to organise room by room.

In many cases, it can be beneficial to organise by location especially in a situation where there may be health and safety issues. Rooms, where there is excessive clutter on the floor, should be tackled first as they may be a tripping hazard.

Establishing the approach to decluttering and organising your home should be determined by your goals and needs. If your goal is to start writing a book, then it might be a good idea to start organising your writing space. It wouldn't make sense to tackle your clothes first as this is not important to you.

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

And in some cases, you may need to organise by category and location. The key is to create your structure that suits your needs and one that is also flexible.

5.Have a goodbye plan

One of the most critical steps, before you start to declutter, is to know how you are going to discard items you no longer want. Many people hit a roadblock when organising as they don't know how they are going to discard unwanted items, which may lead to you holding on to unwanted stuff.

In my experience.

Knowing how you are going to deal with unwanted items makes the organising process more manageable as you will know how to deal with unwanted items and there is no risk of unwanted items staying in your home.

Also, the quicker you get rid of unwanted items, the better you feel.

6. Understand your needs and challenges

Decluttering and organising is more about the person and not the stuff. It is, therefore, vital to understanding your individual mental and physical health challenges that might be causing you to become disorganised. Factor such as ADHD, memory issues, or physical ability etc. does need to be factored into the organising process if organising is going to be successful and sustainable. A qualified professional organiser can help you with this.

If you have been inspired to organise your space but have hit a roadblock, please don’t give up. Remember there are other ways you can go about organising your space it’s about finding a way that works for you.

If you have tried the KonMari method to declutter and organise, how did it go? What worked? What didn't? For me, the KonMari folding method has worked, and I now fold all my clothes this way.

Please share your comments below. Also, if you need help, you can email me at joey@creatingpositivespaces.com.auor give me a call 0401 149 185 (Australian residents only).

When an unexpected event such as an illness or accident occurs, it can be a challenging time for most people. During a crisis, you can often feel like you're losing control of things. Your to-dos and goals start to fall through the cracks, and life can start to become chaotic. You begin to worry about all the things you need to do but can't as you need to deal with this unexpected crisis. And slowly your stress levels start to rise.

But it doesn't need to be that way.

In my experience being organised can help you cope when life throws you a curveball.

Recently, I came down with a terrible cough and when I say terrible I mean it was nasty, and it knocked me out for a good three weeks. The coughing was, loud, and intense and there were times when I thought my neighbours would be knocking on my door to see if I needed a doctor or an exorcist. The biggest struggle was at night, where nightly coughing fits were preventing me from sleeping. After a visit to my doctor, I was put on antibiotics which would take some time to kick in. In the meantime, the nightly coughing fits continued which I was able to manage by drinking hot water, lemon and honey but the relief was often brief.

Moving into my second week of being sick, I was feeling fatigued and exhausted. I had never been this ill or debilitated before. I didn’t have the mental ability to do anything but sit on the couch. But I had things on my to-do list that needed to get done, a blog post to write, a presentation to prepare, ironing to do, etc.

While it was frustrating not being able to complete my to-do list, I still remained in control. Being in control even when I was knocked down with a cough was due to the organising systems I have implemented.

One of my organising systems is documenting my projects, goals and tasks which I do electronically using ASANA. My big projects and goals are broken down into smaller tasks and tasks are given due dates. Having this system in place meant that I had oversight of what projects and tasks I needed to get done, but was too unwell to do. Having a clear picture of what I needed to get done meant I could easily reprioritise my tasks and set new completion dates.

There was only one task I chose to complete which was a presentation I needed to deliver to my networking group. Fortunately, I had already started working on the presentation, so I just needed to finish it off and present it. But all other tasks got reprioritise and getting better became my new number one priority. I also had to cancel/ reschedule social events and other commitments. And my weekly gym routine had to be put on hold, but I knew I could resume it once I got better. Accepting that I was sick and being able to reprioritise my work meant that I didn't have to worry about the things I needed to do, as I could resume them once I got better.

Tip Whether you do it electronically or paper consider documenting your tasks. You will feel more in control of the things you need to get done.

Another organising system I have is ensuring that all my possessions have there own dedicated place. While I was sick, my apartment was getting untidy, but I knew I could quickly get things back in order once my health improved. It's a lot easier to tidy up when everything has its own storage location. When I was able to get things back in order there is no time wasted deciding where things should go. Everything just falls back into place.

Tip

Aim to have a home for everything in your home. This will make keeping your place organised much easier.

Living an organised lifestyle is more than merely having a tidy home. It provides a sense of control and calmness, especially when unexpected events occur. My own personal organising systems helped me to manage when I became unwell. Having a clear picture of my tasks, commitments and space, I was able to reprioritise and focus on getting better rather than worrying about the things I should be doing.

The last few weeks I have learned that no matter how organised I can be there will always be times when something will disrupt my routines, goals and tasks — that's life.

When the unexpected does happen, I accept it (it doesn't mean I like it), refocus, reorganise, and regroup. Which is a lot easier to do when I have established organising processes in place.

I'm a lot better now, while this cough still lingers, I no longer have extreme coughing fits at night. I'm now able to get a good night sleep and am now starting to pick up some of the tasks I had to put on hold.

Living a more organised life will help you to better handle unforeseen events and get you back on track quickly. If you need support getting organised send me an email at joey@creatingpositivespaces.com.auor give me a call on 0401 149 185 to discuss how I can help.

Photo 1 by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Photo 2 by STIL on Unsplash

Photo 3 by Holger Link on Unsplash

As I run my business from home, I thought the only thing I needed would be a laptop. I didn't need a home office as we live in a paperless world.

I was wrong.

Sitting on my couch with my laptop on my lap was not working. I never felt comfortable, which meant I wasn't productive and it was definitely not helping my back. I knew that to improve my productivity and help my back I needed to set up a home office.

The challenge

I live in a small one bedroom apartment with a small open plan living space. There was no room for an office in my bedroom which meant that my workspace needed to be set up in my living space.

I knew that setting up a desk in my apartment would mean that it would become the focal point of my home. This required a workspace that wasn't only functional but also looked good.

Here are 7 things I needed to think about when setting up my home office in my apartment.

Before I begin a small disclaimer I refer to products and retail stores in this blog, I'm not associated with these organisations nor am I paid by them to reference their products. I purchased these products as a consumer and referencing these products and retail stores in this blog is for illustrative purposes only.

1. The Space

Where was the desk going to live?

Now

I didn't go all Feng Sui on this. I simply created a space that would accommodate a desk and a chair but still allow me to easily access other areas of my apartment.

As it turns out:

Ten months earlier I made the decision to declutter my television and entertainment unit. This freed up a lot of space allowing me to rearrange existing furniture to make room for my desk.

Tip:

Think about what items of furniture you can let go over to free up space to enable you to set up your home office.

2. The Desk

There were two key things I wanted in an office desk, space and style.

Space When I'm at my desk I need space to work, and spread out my documents. But I also needed space for a monitor and keyboard. The one thing I didn’t want was to feel restricted while working.

This meant that size mattered! I needed to think about how much space I needed to work and also what items were going on the desk. And it also needed to fit in its allocated area.

Style The style was also crucial as the desk would be the new focal point of my apartment. I needed it to look good and blend in with the existing furniture.

I chose the Stilford Professional Desk (1800mm) from Officeworks with black legs and white top. The desk was large enough to meet my space requirements, but at the same time, the design was minimal and didn't clutter the apartment. The design of the legs allowed for light to pass through them creating a feeling of openness, which is crucial when adding furniture to small spaces.

3. The Chair

When I was thinking about what chair to buy, I needed to consider design but also ergonomics as I can suffer from back pain. I ended up purchasing the Professional Enduro Heavy Duty Mesh Chair in black from Officeworks. The chair ticked my ergonomic requirements.

Good News!

It also met my design needs as well. The blacked contrasted well with the white top of the desk. The chair having no arms meant it was easy to tuck in under the desk when not in use. And the mesh back creating an openness feeling.

3. The Monitor

Being able to connect my laptop to a monitor was a must.

Hunching down on my laptop was taking its toll on my back and led to multiple trips to my osteopath. I purchased a Samsung 27" Curved Monitor from Harvey Norman. This was big enough for me to comfortably use the split screen functionality (which was a must for me) and also sit on my couch and watch shows and movies. What I also loved about this monitor is it’s minimal and stylish design.

Now: The one drawback with the monitor was the height couldn't be adjusted, so I overcame the issue by purchasing a Kensington monitor stand from Officeworks.4. The Keyboard and Mouse

I chose to purchase a wireless keyboard and mouse, as I find it easier to work with a mouse than a laptop touchpad. I'm also using my laptop as a second screen which meant I needed to have it next to the monitor, which would make it hard to use the laptop keyboard.

The HP wireless keyboard and mouse I purchased from JB HI-FIwas slimline in design making it easy to store under the monitor raiser when not in use and didn't make the desk appear cluttered.

5. Desk Accessories

When it comes to accessories, I wanted to keep things as simple as possible.

Here's Why:

My desk is a workspace, not a display shelf.

I’m firstly going to start with what didn’t work. The document tray. While document trays may appear to be an organiser's best friend, they ended up being my worse nightmare.

Why?

My document tray ended up becoming a dumping ground for paper and other random stuff. Rummaging through my document tray to find what I needed was time-consuming and the Everest of paperwork was becoming a visual eyesore. My document tray wasn’t working for me, so I needed to say goodbye to it.

Now I store paperwork in files placed in black magazine files purchased from IKEA. I have labelled files in a way that is meaningful to me. Keeping documents in files has kept my desk looking neat, clutter-free and is much easier on the eyes. And more importantly, paperwork is easier to find.

By the way

I have repurposed my in-tray. It now lives in my wardrobe and used to store small items that I need to return to people, e.g. books.

I have also used one of my existing black side table lamps that I purchased from Aero Designs a couple of years ago as a desk lamp.

You might be wondering.

Where is the colour?

Yes, I have gone with neutral blacks and whites as the central colour scheme mainly as it keeps the style minimal and simple.

But

I have added colour by purchasing coloured files and notebooks. The primary colours I've used are reds, blues and yellows, which are used throughout my apartment.

I also decided not to use a pen cup and instead continued to store pens in my pencil case. I did a pen cup trial and felt having the pens on display was creating visual clutter.

6. Storage

Given the small size of my apartment, I opted not to introduce any new storage and continued to use existing storage. Having a minimal wardrobe has meant that I have additional drawers and shelves that I have utilised to store documentation, magazines and books.

I store stationary in a red Bongothat I purchased from King Furniture when I first moved into my apartment. It is in easy reach from my desk and also does double duties by acting as my coffee table.

One of my goals is to reduce clutter by going as paperless as possible. Where I can I store documents electronically on my laptop. I’m currently using the Adobe Scan app which has been great in helping me to scan receipts and other documents.

7. Finishing Touches I have decided to add two additional accessories to my desk.

I know what you are thinking.

I just said my desk is a workspace and not a display shelf.

So yes I'm a breaking my own rule, but I feel I can as the desk is big enough to allow for two additional items without making me feel cluttered or uncomfortable when working. And given that the workstation is a focal point in my apartment I needed some extra accessories to make my apartment feel more homely.

I have added a Sansevieria Trifasciata (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) plant on my desk as I have wanted to add some greenery to my apartment for some time. Fingers cross it doesn't die, but I've read that these are a hardy indoor plant. The plant lives in a blue self-watering potthat I purchased from The Super Cool Store located at South Melbourne Market. Finally, I found a blue wooden man figurine at my local Sacred Heart Mission Op Shop in South Melbourne.

I have now established my office in my small apartment that suits how I work and my style.

Think about these 7 categories before setting up your space to ensure you create something that works for you and provides you with optimal productivity.

Need help with your office send me an email joey@creatingpositivespaces.com.au

When is it a good time to declutter and get organised? My first response to this question is now. As I don't believe there is a right time, a right day or a right month to get organised. I've been successful at sorting any time, any day, any month.

But, in my experience:

It's not about finding the right "time" that is important instead, it's about understanding the situations that suggest it's now time to start decluttering and organising your life. Identifying and understanding these situations can help to improve your life.

Below are 7 signs that indicate it's time to get organised.

1. When Clutter and Disorganisation Impacts Your Well-being

Your home should be a place that promotes positive wellbeing. A place to relax and unwind after a long day. Often when disorganisation takes over people can feel overwhelmed and stressed as they have lost control of their environment resulting in negative well-being. If this is something you can relate to, then it's time to consider organising your space.

2. When Clutter and Disorganisation Stops You from Living to Your Values and Goals

We all have different values and goals for some it may be to live a more healthy lifestyle, for others to spend more time with the kids, or undertake creative pursuits.

Sadly,

Clutter and disorganisation can act as a roadblock to pursuing the things that matter. A typical response I receive when I ask people the question what will you do with the space once it's organised?i s I want to use it to pursue my hobbies. When clutter and disorganisation prevent you from living a life, you value it's time to get organised.

3. When Clutter and Disorganisation Impacts your Relationships When people live with someone, who has excessive clutter or disorganisation they can often feel frustrated by the chaos. This may put a strain on relationships. Also, disorganisation can also lead to isolation.

How?

This usually occurs when people no longer invite family and friends into their homes as they feel ashamed and embarrassed by the amount of clutter taking over their homes. When chaos leads to negative relationships, it might be time to get things in order.

4. When Clutter and Disorganisation Is a Risk To Your Physical Health

Excessive clutter and disorganisation can be a potential health and safety hazard within a home or office. Items on the floor can be a tripping hazard. A disorganised medicine cabinet can lead to the consumption of outdated medication. Cupboards overflowing with stuff can result in items falling on people when they are open.

Sadly,

Clutter can also be a fire hazard. Unfortunately, we have seen situations where excessive stuff within a home has caused and fueled fires.

5. When It's Time to Move Home or Office

A great time to sort out your home or office is when you are about to say goodbye to it. Before you start packing go through your staff and determine if you need to take it to your new location? Will the items you own in your old space add value to your new life?

How is this beneficial?

Decluttering your home before moving will ensure you are only taking the things you need. Disregarding items will also make the packing and unpacking process a lot easier and faster. Also, decluttering and organising prior to moving is particularly essential if you are downsizing as you have less space for items in your new home. Finally moving is stressful and moving with less stuff will help reduce stress as you have fewer things to deal with.

6. When Your Renovating

Decluttering and organising before commencing a renovation can be beneficial for a few reasons. It will help you to determine what you actually need and how you use your things. This can help you to shape the future layout and design of your home or office ensuring the final renovation aligns with how you use your space and the stuff you own.

For example, you may discover that your storage requirements may change after decluttering.

Also decluttering before renovating will give you a clutter-free and safe space to work without being suffocated by unnecessary stuff. This becomes even more important if you are planning to live in your home during the renovations. If you are planning to put your things in storage during the renovation, you may discover that you don't need to or you storage requirements may change, potentially saving you money.

7. When Living Arrangements Change

The people living in a home can change over time. Children turn into adults a move-out, relationships end, and sadly people pass away. And there are also times when people enter a home, a new baby, a couple decides to move in together, or an elderly parent needs to move in. When living arrangements do change, it does provide an opportunity to reassess your space to ensure the home aligns with the needs of the people currently living in it.

A change in living arrangements can be a stressful and emotional time so ensure you organise the space at a time you feel ready to do so. It shouldn't be something you are forced into doing.

Now might be a good time to start decluttering and organising your home, office or life especially if you can relate to the above situations. You can start small even spending 10 minutes a day decluttering, and organising can lead to significant results over time.

Each situation is unique and will have its own decluttering and organising challenges. I will discuss different approaches and strategies on how to declutter and organise based on each situation in future blogs.

If you don’t know where to start consider obtaining support from a professional organiser. If you want to know more about how I can help email joey@creatingpositivespaces.com.au or call 0401 149 185 (Australian residence only).

And remember aim for progress and not perfection.

Blog Cover Photo by Brendan Church on Unsplash

You’ve organised your home, office or life and weeks or months later you are back to being disorganised.

The frustration.

You ask yourself what went wrong? The answer could be you didn't organise your space based on your personal needs or style. Often when we start organising our lives, we apply mainstream organising methods we see on television or read in popular organising books. While these methods can work for some people, they may however not work for others.

Why?

Because we all organise in different ways and applying a universal organising approach may not meet the needs of everyone. Living an organised life means finding an organising system that works for you. And this can mean trying different strategies until you find one that keeps you organised.

Now you might be wondering:

What other organising approaches can I try?

One approach is to organise based on your learning style.

Think about it:

If you learn and retain information in a certain way, chances are you can stay organised if you apply how you learn to how you organise. I’m going to share some tips on how you can organise your life based on your learning style.

What are Learning Styles?

Learning styles are theories that explain how people learn. There are many theories on how we learn, but for this blog, I will focus on a prevailing theory known as VAK learning styles.

What is VAK?

VAK suggest that there are three core learning styles:

1. Visual Learners A visual learner will retain information better when it is presented in visual form, for example, in pictures, diagrams or charts. When assembling a new flat-pack TV unit a visual learner will most likely open the box, read the instructions, and then commence to put the unit together.

2. Auditory Learners An auditory learner will learn best when they can listen to what is being presented. When assembling a new flat-pack TV unit an auditory learner may read the assemble instructions out loud or have someone explain to them how to put the unit together.

3. Kinesthetic Learner A kinesthetic learner likes to touch or feel objects during the learning process. When assembling a new flat-pack TV unit, a kinesthetic learner will most likely open the box, disregard the instructions and jump straight in and start putting the unit together.

If you are unsure what learning style you are, google VAK learning styles to find an online self-assessment. Note, it ’s not uncommon for people to have more than one learning style; however, most people will be dominant in one.

Let's now get you organised based on your learning style.

Visual learners will benefit significantly from visual cues when organising which can be achieved in many ways.

1. Labelling Labels will make it easier for visual learners to identify where things need to go. Written labels work well but you can also use pictures, for instance, when organising financial records rather than labelling the file finances you could stick a picture of a dollar sign on the file. Or having a file with a photo of a house to store paperwork relating to home insurance, mortgage documents, bills etc. Using pictures may make it easier to identify the content in the file.

Don’t limit your creativity.

2. Shelves Visual learners may benefit from using open shelving rather than cupboards as storage. Open shelving allows a visual learner to quickly identify where items are as stuff isn't hidden behind doors. This will also make it easier to return things back to their correct location once items are no longer needed. A similar outcome can be achieved by removing doors from cupboards.

3. Storage Containers Transparent storage containers can help visual learners to identify what is stored in them easily.

4. Using Colour Allocating different colours to items can aid the organising process for visual learners. For instance, storing garden supplies in a green tub and pool cleaning products in a blue tub makes it easier to identify what’s in each tub as the colour is associated with the items contained in it.

Caution:

Use colour sparingly as for some visual learners too much colour can become visually distracting.

Sound is essential for auditory learners and needs to be factored into the organising process if it is going to be successful.

How can sound be used when organising?

In a few ways:

1. During the Organising Process Auditory learners should consider having music or background noise playing when organising. Background noise will help to retain the organising system implemented. Also having music playing while organising will make the process more enjoyable.

Tip:

There is evidence to suggests that classical music (e.g. Mozart) can help with mental performance and aid in memory retention. Also talking about the organising solutions with a family member, friend or professional organiser can also help to ensure that the organising systems are enforced and retained.2. Recording Notes

Auditory learners may benefit from recording their to-do list or other notes rather than writing them down. Replaying recordings can help to retain information and keep the auditory learner on track with what they need to get done.

3. Using Alarms Rather than writing reminders on post-it notes, auditory learners may find it helpful to use an alarm for essential reminders. For instance, setting the alarm for every Thursday at 6pm as a reminder to take the bins out. Also, some electronic calendars allow for sound notifications to be set up which act as a reminder that an event is coming up.

Kinesthetic learners will need a hands-on approach to organising which can be achieved in a few ways:

1. During the Organising Process A kinesthetic learner will need to be actively involved in setting up their organising systems. They will most likely need to touch items they are organising as this will help them retain the organising solutions that have been implemented.

2. Organising by Association A kinesthetic learner may benefit from storing items in the location they are used rather than where they should go. This approach will make it easier for a kinesthetic learner to quickly identify where things are or where they need to go as they are able to link the item to the action they are performing at the time. For instance, if a kinesthetic learner pays their bills in the kitchen, then the bills should be filed in the kitchen. This will make it easier for the kinesthetic learner to file their bills once they are paid as the file is located where the task was undertaken (the kitchen).

Organising your home based on how you learn may lead to better organising outcomes. While we all have one dominant learning style, we may also have preferences in others. So if you have tried organising your space based on your dominant learning style and it hasn’t worked, consider organising approaches from other learning styles. The key to organising your home is test organising solutions until you find one that works for you. So don’t give up.

Let me know how you go organising your space based on your learning style. What are your challenges? If you need some support give me a call on 0401 149 185 (Australia residence only) or send me an email joey@creatingpositivespaces.com.au to discuss how I can support you.

Blog cover photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

Living in an organised home has many benefits like reducing: stress, cleaning time and time spent looking for stuff. But often people miss out on these benefits as they think that organising their home can be expensive.

The truth is:

You don't need to spend lots of money on expensive storage solutions to get your home organised.

Here are three cost-effective storage options to help you organise your space.

1. Save Money (a Lot of Money) Declutter First

You might be wondering:

This is not a storage solution but stay with me.

Decluttering is the most essential step in getting your home organised on a budget.

Why?

You won't need to invest in storage for stuff you no longer use.

Did you know!

According to an IBISWorld report, it is estimated that the Australian Self Storage industry is worth about $1.1 billion.

This is crazy:

While putting items into self-storage for a short period (e.g. when building a new home) is okay, avoid it as a long-term organising solution, as it will cost you a lot of money in the long run. Put your money to better use.

If you find decluttering your home to be challenging and confronting reach out to a Professional Organiser for support.

Once you have decided what you are keeping, you will have a clearer picture of your storage needs.

2. Repurposing: A Budget-friendly Storage Option

Organising your home doesn't need to involve expensive containers. One of the ways I like to keep my storage cost down is by repurposing or reusing items.

The best part:

This can be a fun and creative process. And you are also helping the environment by reducing your waste.

Here are some everyday items that can be repurposed or reused as storage.

1. Shoeboxes

What you can store in a shoebox are endless.

You can store:

Electronics Cables Small kids toys Craft suppliesPhotosSocks

The list goes on.

But the best thing to store in a shoebox is?

You guessed it shoes.

Depending on your storage space keeping your shoes in their boxes may help to keep your home neat and tidy, without shoes being scattered everywhere. Label each box with the type of shoe in it (e.g. black heels), so you know which shoes are in which box. If you are feeling more creative take a photo of the shoes and stick it on the box.

Wait there is more: Shoe boxes also make great drawer dividers.

2. Jars Don't let getting the annoying food labels off jars stop you from using them as storage. You can remove food labels by soaking the jars in some boiling water for a couple of hours. After they have finished soaking, the labels should peel right off. Eucalyptus oil works great for those stubborn labels.

Jars make fantastic and stylish storage for small items like:

ButtonsNuts and screws Beauty products CoinsSmall stationary items

In the pantry.

Reusing glass jars is a fantastic way to get your pantry organised. You can store food items such as nuts, seeds, baking products, grains and legumes. I use small jars to store herbs and spices I buy from the bulk food store.

Tip:

You may want to sterilise your jars before storing food in them.

3. Milk Containers I love this creative storage solution which was shared to me by my professional organiser colleague Veronica Kennedy from A Hand to Help.

You might be wondering:

How can a milk container be used as storage?

The answer:

Cut the top off the milk container and use the bottom to store stuff in. The base of the milk container can be used as a pen cup or as small tubs/bins to store miscellaneous items.

4. Food containers Ice cream, butter, margarine, and take away food containers can all be washed and reused as storage.

And the best part

It is a great way to reuse single-use plastic.

For as long as I can remember my mum has used a butter container to store soap and sponges under the kitchen sink.

5. Bedding Packaging Here I'm talking about the plastic/ fabric packaging that new sheets, doona covers and blankets come in.

You can store all sorts of things in these from:

Christmas decorations Bedding when not in useUse them as cosmetic/toiletry bags while travelling Stationary

The list goes on.

I use a blanket bag to store the cleaning items I need to clean my balcony. So when it's time to give my balcony a clean I grab the bag, and I have everything I need.

These were some everyday items that can be repurposed/reused as cost-effective storage solutions.

Tip:

Even if you do have a budget for storage consider repurposing or reusing first before spending money on new containers.

Why:

As you want to test whether the storage solution will work before investing money in new products. There would be nothing worse than spending money on new containers to later realised that they don't suit your needs.

3. Buy from Opportunity Shops (Op Shop) for Cost-Effective Storage Solutions

If you do have a limited budget, consider exploring your local opportunity stores to discover your next storage solution. Not only will your find cost-effective storage ideas but you will be amazed at what hip, funky and cool products you can find. I recently visited my local Op Shop the Sacred Heart Mission in South Melbourne, and they had some great storage items from antique boxes and containers to vintage Tupperware. They also had more current products for those wanting something more contemporary.

It gets better:

Besides being cost-effective, shopping at an Op Shop can also benefit the local community. Profits made from selected Op Shops go to supporting community programs like helping the homeless.

You have just read three ways to get your home organised on a budget. Now it's your turn to implement some of these solutions. If you have other budget storage tips, let me know in the comments below.

If you need help decluttering and organising your space give me a call on 0401 149 185 or send me an email joey@creatingpostivespaces.com.au.

Running out of time in your day to get things done?

Do you want more time to focus on your essential tasks, goals, and values; more time to exercise; more time with the kids; more time to sort out your finances—more time to do the things you have always wanted to do?

The truth:

I cannot give you more time. We all have 24 hours in a day.

But, here's the good news:

I can help you to make better use of your time to enable you to get the most out of your day. Here are three digital spaces to declutter right now that will make you more productive.

1. Get Hours Back in Your Week by Minimising the Amount of Television You Watch

The way we watch television has changed. With services like Netflix, Stan, YouTube, and Freeview, you can watch what you want, when you want, how you want.

Good news!

Gone are the days when you needed to be at home at a specific time to watch your favourite television show or else you missed it (unless you remembered to record it on VHS). At first glance, this may seem excellent as you can plan your day without worrying about missing your favourite television show.

However, the truth is:

Being able to watch shows at your convenience has led to more people sitting in front of the screen and the dawn of the binge-watching era.

The problem:

People are no longer pursuing their values and goals as they are now spending hours and even days sitting in front of the screen and watching content. It's amazing how many people don’t have the time to do the things they value but can spend over three hours a night in front of the screen.

Now, this doesn't mean that you need to stop watching television altogether, but you do want to manage how much time you spend in front of the box?

3 Ways to Develop a Positive Television Habit

1. Set limits

Allocate time in your calendar for when you will watch your favourite content. It might be watching an episode of your favourite show every second night or spending 30 minutes a day watching YouTube videos. Setting limits will give you more time away from the screen to pursue the things you may not usually have the time to do.

2. Use television as a reward

This is all about prioritising. Tackle your essential tasks first, and after you have completed them, treat yourself, and watch your favourite show. This is something I do after I have finished a session at the gym - I will spend some time watching a YouTube clip.

Remember:

To set those limits.

3. Cancel streaming services

You might be wondering:

This may seem extreme.

But If you cannot stop at just one episode of a television show and you are spending hours in front of the screen, this might be an option. Think about the time you will get back, the money you will save, and all the things you will accomplish if you said goodbye to streaming services. I don't subscribe to television streaming services, which gives me more time to focus on my business, my writing, and my health.

Now:

This doesn't mean I believe television is the devil. I do use YouTube, catch-up TV, and going to the movies for entertainment. But I do this with intent and limits in place on the amount of time I spend watching content.

The thing to remember is:

Don't deprive yourself of entertainment, as it plays an essential part in our lives. However, don't let the screen take over your life to the point where you are no longer living your values and pursuing your goals.

2. Have a Productive Day by Developing a Healthy Relationship with Social Media

Social media is now commonplace in society, and when used appropriately, it can add value to our lives. Social media can entertain us, help us to share content, and keep us informed of what others are doing. But, like television, it can consume a lot of our time, preventing us from completing the essential things.

Here’s the deal:

All that time spent updating statuses, scrolling through feeds, and posting pictures does add up to a lot of time over days, weeks, months, and years.

Sadly,

I have lost a bit of time on social media, which I recently discovered. I like to go to the gym about three times a week, and I want each visit to be for no longer than one hour. (Note: My gym program can be done in this timeframe.) But, I was spending an hour and a half at the gym and not my preferred one hour.

Here’s why:

After each workout set, I would check Facebook. And, what should have been a 30–45 second recovery time was turning into 1–2 minutes. Scrolling through Facebook meant that I was distracted, lost track of time, and spent more time at the gym than I wanted to. Now when I go to the gym, I have a rule that my phone data is off, and I don’t check my socials.

The result:

I have become more productive at the gym and can complete my workout within an hour. As a result, I get 30 minutes back in my day.

Takeaway:

Don't underestimate the amount of time you can lose on social media. Even small amounts of time checking your socials can add up to hours over a week, which can have a massive impact on your productivity.

4 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Social Media

1. Set limits

Like television, set limits on how much time you spend on your socials.

For example:

Spend ten minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evening engaging with social media. Or only check your social media on your train trips to and from work. Discover what works for you.

Tip:

Avoid checking social media when you are engaged in an essential activity: doing so will ensure that you remain focused, distraction-free, and more productive.

2. Turn off notifications

One way to help reduce your time on social media is to turn off notifications.

Why?

It's easy to be drawn to the sound or light on your phone or a pop-up on your computer when a new notification comes in. Avoid the temptation and turn off notifications.

3. Turn off your Wi-Fi/data

Turning off your Wi-Fi/data for a selected period of time will help you stay focused on important tasks and can also help you to relax.

4. Declutter your socials

Think about it:

The more socials you have, the more time you need to spend engaging with them. Keep only the social media accounts that add value and say goodbye to the rest. I now only use Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn as I find them the most rewarding for both personal and business use. I recently said goodbye to Snapchat, Pinterest, and Twitter as they weren’t adding any value to my life.

3. Save Time by Better Email Management

For the purpose of this blog, I'm only focusing on personal emails. Inboxes full of emails are distracting and can take up a lot of your time and energy to maintain. The very thought of having an inbox full of emails can be stressful.

1 Way (the Best Way) to Manage Your Inbox

1. Hit the unsubscribe button.

While deleting or filing emails is a good way to keep your inbox in order, it's far more beneficial to hit the unsubscribe button instead.

Here’s why:

You won't be distracted by unimportant emails hitting your inbox. And while it's easy to hit the delete button on unimportant emails, you still spent time and effort actioning them. Start saving yourself some time and effort by hitting the unsubscribe button, so you don't have to deal with these emails again.

You might be wondering:

Is this the only way to manage emails?

No. You can apply most of the above television and social media strategies to email as well. However, I have found that unsubscribing to emails has been the best way to manage my personal inbox and has saved me a lot of time. I spend no more than an hour a week maintaining personal emails.

But wait-there’s more...

While hitting the unsubscribe button is an excellent way to keep your inbox under control, not subscribing to emails in the first place is actually even better. Only subscribe to emails that will add value to your life.

Here are some ways to manage your digital clutter to help you gain more time to focus on things you truly value. Are there any you are going to tackle? Is there anything I might have missed? If you try it, let me know in the comments section below.

I think you’ll agree that most people want to live a more sustainable life and lessen their environmental impact but often struggle to find ways to do so.

Good news!

One way you can live a more sustainable life is by reducing your waste by shopping at a bulk food store.

Do you want to know more about how to shop at a bulk food store?

Then keep reading.

What is a bulk food store?

Put simply,

A bulk food store offers copious quantities of food in large containers/bags. Consumers can buy the desired amount of a product by transferring it from the larger container/bag into their own smaller container/bag.

Now:

This doesn’t mean you have to buy in bulk; instead, it means you are buying from them. For most bulk food stores, this means you can buy as little as you like.

Three easy steps to shopping at a bulk food store.

Step 1: Get your containers tared.

You can do this at the store.

Why is this important?

Because you don’t want to be charged for the weight of your containers.

Tip:

Some items are sold by volume rather than weight so make sure you know the capacity of your containers or bottles.

If you are using reusable bags, you can skip this step.

Step 2: Fill up your containers/bags.

Select the food you want and place it in your reusable packaging.

Be a great customer:

Don’t mix products in your containers/bags as each product needs to be weighed and charged individually.

Also, if applicable, note the product number. (I take a photo of it with my phone.)

What is a product number?

The product number acts as a barcode and will make the checkout process easier.

Step 3: Pay for your goods

Now that you have your products, go to the counter and pay for them.

The salesperson will weigh your containers/bags (subtracting the weight of your container). You will then (if applicable) need to quote the product number.

Once everything has been weighed and charged, you can pay for your goods, and you're done.

Tip:

Make sure you bring your own reusable shopping bags as most bulk food stores don’t have bags.

The above steps show how it works at my local bulk food store, The Source Bulk Foods in South Yarra, Melbourne. However, the overall concept should be the same for most bulk foods stores.

The process is similar to buying fruit and vegetables from the supermarket.

What kinds of food can I buy from a bulk food store?

Each bulk food store will stock different products; some of the items sold at my bulk foods store include beans, pulses, cereals, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, tea, coffee, flour, grains, herbs, spices, oils, pasta, and rice.

Some of the items I buy are walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut oil, salt, pepper, herbs, quinoa, flour, and bi-carb soda.

Now, you're probably wondering:

“Am I still shopping at a traditional supermarket?”

Yes, I am.

Why?

This is because I cannot buy all my groceries from my bulk food store due to selected products not being available. Some of the items include almond milk, coconut milk, and sauces.

Sadly,

I haven’t yet found a local store that will allow me to refill bottles with these items.

Make life easier by having the right containers.

Here are three things to consider when selecting reusable containers.

1. Transport

How you get to and from your bulk food store will determine the type of reusable packaging choices.

Think about it:

If you are walking, you will want to travel light, so reusable bags or plastic containers would be a more suitable option than glass containers, which are heavier. That’s not to say you couldn’t use glass containers, but be mindful that they will be heavier and might be more suitable if you are driving to the bulk food store.

I use public transport, which means I want to travel light, so I primarily use reusable plastic containers and small glass jars.

2. Number of visits

Size really does matter here.

For example:

If you want to make fewer trips to a bulk food store, then you'll need larger containers to ensure you don’t run out of products before your next visit. Alternatively, if your bulk food store is close to home, or you're happy to make more trips, then you can get by with smaller containers.

I want to limit the number of visits to my bulk food store to one in every 3-4 weeks, so I use medium-sized containers, which store enough products to last for that period.

3. Storage

Again, size really does matter.

While it might be tempting to go a little overboard at the bulk food store and start filling up huge containers of food, you need to ensure that you have the storage space for them.

My pantry is small, so medium-sized containers work best. Best of all, my containers are stackable, which helps with utilising my limited space.

This is how you shop at a bulk food store.

No doubt about it:

Shopping at a bulk food store is different from shopping at a traditional supermarket and does require some getting used to.

However, it’s a great way to reduce household waste, and once you have done it a few times, it will become a habit.

Now that you know how to shop at a bulk food store, why not give it a go? If you do, let me know how it went by posting a quick comment below.

It lived in a box unused for over 21 years; I knew I would never use it again, and yet I still held on to it–it was time to let it go.

It was mid-1994, and I was 11 years old. I was visiting my cousins one weekend, and they had just purchased a Nintendo. I had never played with a Nintendo before so I was eager to give it a go. My cousin inserted the video game cartridge into the console, turned the power on, handed me the control, and we started playing Super Mario. The moment my hands touched the control and my eyes hit the screen, I knew I wanted a Nintendo. There was, however, one problem: I didn't have the money to buy one; I needed to save for it. And that is what I did; I got a big tin cylinder money box, the kind that can only be opened with a can opener, and placed every dollar and every cent I could get into it. By early December, the money box was full, and I opened it and counted the money. I was confident that I had saved money enough to buy a Nintendo.

A couple of days later, I was off to Target with my dad to buy my Nintendo. To say that I was excited would be an understatement. We arrived at Target and headed to the electronics department where we discovered that a new Super Nintendo was on the market; I had to have it. Excitement, however, quickly turned to disappointment when I realised that I hadn't saved enough money to buy it. I was heartbroken. But then the unexpected happened: my dad gave me the extra money I needed to buy the Super Nintendo as my Christmas present. It was the happiest day of my life: I had my own Super Nintendo. The moment we got home, we connected the Super Nintendo to the television, and I started playing Super Mario; I didn't even have to wait until Christmas. For an 11-year-old boy, life was great.

A couple of weeks passed, and my love for my Super Nintendo was still strong when, on December 18, 1994, the unexpected happened: my dad suffered a major heart attack and passed away. The Super Nintendo would be the last Christmas present I would receive from him.

A couple of years passed, and it was time to say goodbye to Mario and his friends and go on a new adventure with Lara Croft: I (my brother) got a PlayStation. The PlayStation had better graphics, better sound, and overall was a better gaming experience than the Super Nintendo, and yet I couldn't let it go. At 13 years old, I felt I needed to hold on to the Super Nintendo because it was the last gift my dad gave me. I am not sure why I felt this way; maybe letting go of the Super Nintendo would be like letting go of my dad and his memory. All I knew is I needed to keep it, so I placed the Super Nintendo in a box where it would remain for over 21 years.

It's 2017, I opened that box, and there is the Super Nintendo still looking as good as new. I pick it up, and I realise that it no longer brings me joy or adds value to my life. I am no longer the boy who likes to play video games. The Super Nintendo had a role in my life, but it doesn't now: it was time to let it go. That obligation I had as a 13-year-old to keep the Super Nintendo is gone because I have realised my dad is not a possession. He was not the pieces of plastic and screws that make up a video game console; he was a person... he was my dad. I will always remember how he helped me purchase the Super Nintendo, knowing how desperately I wanted it. It's this memory and many others that are important, not the Super Nintendo itself. All of these memories live within me and not in the Super Nintendo or any other possession.

On 17 December 2017, almost 23 years after my dad's death, I sold the Super Nintendo to someone who plans to collect and display vintage video games. The buyer will get more value out of the Super Nintendo than I would keeping it in a box.

While the Super Nintendo did trigger memories of my dad and our trip to Target, I no longer need to keep it to spark these memories. Taking a photo of the Super Nintendo and writing this blog now act as the prompts to my memories, but more importantly, sharing this story with you has done more to keep my dad's memory alive than a Super Nintendo stored in a box.

Do I organise my whole apartment before going to bed? Yes, I do, but I don't mean I go through every drawer or cupboard every night and declutter and organise it. Instead, I spend about 20-30 minutes in the evening ensuring I put everything away. I make sure I put dirty clothes in the washing basket, clean garments in the closet, shoes back on the shoe rack, rubbish in the bin, etc. Spending some time tidying my home before hitting the hay helps create a sense of calm, preparing me for a good night's sleep.

To make this process easier, each item I own has its designated place. That way I am not wasting time deciding where things should go. I simply put things back where they belong. And yes, there are times when I am too tired to do this and will go straight to bed; however, when I do tidy before bed, I start my day in a better mood than when I don't.

Look at developing the habit of tidying your home before going to bed to experience the positivity that comes with starting your day in an organised space. If the thought of organising your home before going to sleep seems overwhelming, consider decluttering your home. I have found that living with less does help make my evening organising routine easier.

This is blog seven and my last blog of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed.

I take my lunch to work for two reasons:

1. I save money – I have estimated that I save about $2,300 a year by making my lunch rather than buying it.

2. I eat healthy – preparing my lunch ensures I eat healthily and avoid the temptation of unhealthy take-away food.

My ability to maintain this habit depends on preparing my lunch in the evening rather than in the morning. The reason for this is I have limited time in the morning, and if I have slept in or am running late, I will most likely skip making my lunch, as I know I can buy it. Making my lunch in the evening means all I have to do in the morning is put my lunch in my bag and I am on my way – a huge morning time saver.

Preparing your lunch in the evening can be made easier by using leftovers. When cooking dinner, cook a little extra food that can be used as lunch the next day. Alternatively, you can meal prep, which involves preparing a bulk amount of food that you can divide into smaller meals which are frozen (if necessary) and taken as lunch when required. If you use these methods, ensure you follow the appropriate food safety guidelines, as some meals may have specific storage and reheating requirements.

If you do require a packed lunch, consider preparing it before going to bed. Waking up to a prepared meal will make your morning routine efficient, as all you will need to do is grab it and pack it, and you are on your way.

This is blog six of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number seven in the series.

My productivity is determined by how clean and organised my workspace is, which is why I make it a habit of getting my workspace in order at the end of the day.

A clear and organised workspace helps to support my performance, as my mind is clear to perform tasks without being distracted by clutter. On the other hand, a disorganised workspace can limit how much work I get done because I am wasting time shuffling and looking for stuff; consequently creating stress and reducing my motivation.

Before my workday is done, I spend some time cleaning an organising my desk, ensuring everything is put back in its place, and any unwanted items are appropriately discarded. I don't just limit this habit to my physical desk; I also apply it to my digital workspace–my laptop. Digital clutter is just as distracting and can also limit my productivity in the same way as physical clutter, which is why I spend time filing or deleting emails and other electronic documents. If an email needs action, I will add it to my to-do list.

Whether it’s an office, kitchen, garage, shop, or the many other places people work, consider developing the habit of organising your workspace at the end of the day. Starting your workday with an organised space will help keep you calm, motivated, and more importantly, productive.

This is blog five of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number six in the series.

"I don’t know what to wear." This is a familiar meltdown that people often experience in the morning—a crisis that I have undergone many times in the past. Do I now prevent this meltdown by organising my outfit before going to bed? No, I don’t.

Many organising blogs encourage people to plan their outfits the night before to help to make morning dressing easier. And while this approach can work for many people, it’s not something that I would do because I have minimised and simplified my wardrobe. This means that my wardrobe contains neutral-coloured clothes and clothes that can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion.

The benefit of having a simplified wardrobe is that I don’t have to think too hard about what to wear. I have the right amount and styles of clothing that enables me to put an outfit together quickly and with very little decision-making. When I pick up a pair of pants, I already know that there will be a matching top (or shirt) and pair of shoes. The stress of not knowing what to wear is determined by the overall organisation of your wardrobe and not whether or not you plan your outfit in the morning or evening.

Consider simplifying and minimising your wardrobe to make getting dressed easier at any time of the day and to overcome the "I don't know what to wear" meltdown.

This is blog four of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number five in the series.

Whether it's a handbag, a laptop bag, a backpack, a gym bag, or whatever bag you use, develop the habit of packing it before going to bed. Waking up to a packed bag will avoid the rush of running around in the morning to collect everything you need for the day, making your morning routine run smoother.

I use two bags: my backpack, which I use for work and personal use, and my gym bag. I follow the below process when organising my bags:

Step 1: Declutter

At the end of the day, I go through my bag and put away or bin/recycle anything I don't need. Like my home, I ensure my bag isn't cluttered with stuff I don’t need. Any items I need for the next day remain in the bag.

Step 2: Pack It

Once I have cleared out my bag, I determine if there is anything else I need to pack. I will often pack my bag after I have checked my calendar and completed my to-do list to ensure I only pack the things I need for the next day.

Tips

Keep your bag as light as possible. A heavy bag is not good for your back or shoulders. A light bag also makes travelling from A to B more comfortable, and you aren't slowed down by the weight of a heavy bag.

Finally, if you have an exercise goal, packing your workout bag the night before will help to keep you motivated, especially if you go to the gym first thing in the morning.

Consider organising your bag(s) before going to bed, as this will ensure that you have everything you need for the next day and will give you one less thing to worry about in the morning.

This is blog three of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number four in the series.

Who doesn’t love a to-do list? A to-do list provides structure and keeps me focused on my essential tasks. When I don't have a to-do list, I have no idea what to work on and often don't get anything done. But the one thing I love about to-do lists is the satisfaction that comes with marking a task as completed. Ah, the simple pleasures. Not only have I made it a habit of having a to-do list but I make sure I do this before going to bed. I do this for two reasons.

One is I am a morning person which means I have more mental energy in the morning. I like to use this energy to complete my tasks rather than planning them. I love starting my day knowing exactly what I am going to be working on and can start work the moment I enter the office. Utilising my morning energy to complete tasks means I am more productive and get more done.

Secondly, it helps to reduce stress ensuring I have a relaxing evening and a good night's sleep. Stress is reduced because I know what I have coming up the next day, and I don't have to worry about remembering what I need to do as I have it listed on my to-do list.

Tips

Before I complete my to-do list, I check my calendar to ensure I plan my tasks around my appointments and meetings. This planning helps me to create a list that is realistic, as the more appointments and meetings I have, the fewer jobs I can do. I also prioritise my list, ensuring I work on tasks that will add the most value first. While I am to set a realistic to-do list, there are times when I don’t get everything done, but at least I work on the most critical items first.

If you are a morning person, I recommend completing your to-do list before bed to ensure you use your morning energy to complete your essential tasks.

This is blog two of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number three in the series.

It was 7 am, and all I wanted was my coffee. But my stovetop espresso maker was sitting in the kitchen sink, unwashed and surrounded by dirty dishes from last night's dinner. Also, there were all sorts of random kitchen items on my bench. This mess, this chaos was preventing me from having my morning coffee and starting my day. The sun had barely risen, and I was already in a bad mood–not an ideal way to start the day. I could have avoided all this negativity if I just spent some time tidying up my kitchen before going to bed.

Now, I make it a habit to clean and tidy my kitchen before going to bed. This simple habit ensures that I can wake up and start my day without wasting time cleaning up yesterday's mess. More importantly, it guarantees that I commence my day in a positive mood rather than a negative one.

To make this process easier, I put things away once I have finished using them rather than leaving them on the kitchen bench. I wash, dry, and put dishes away as I cook, resulting in fewer dishes to wash after dinner. Before going to sleep, I spend some time scanning the kitchen, ensuring everything is put away, and doing a final wipe-down of the kitchen bench.

Developing the habit of cleaning and tidying your kitchen before going to bed can help to ensure your morning routine runs smoothly. You can start your day without having to deal with the mess of yesterday. And you will wake up and experience the calmness that comes with an organised space.

This is blog one of my short blog series called Things I Organise Before Going to Bed. Keep an eye out tomorrow for blog number two in the series.

A question I have asked myself recently.

In 2016, I read the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo and decided to declutter and organise my apartment applying Marie’s methods. I held every item I owned, and if it didn’t spark joy, then I would let it go. After two days, I had decluttered and organised my apartment, and I thought I would never need to do this again. I was wrong. It’s now 2018, and sitting comfortably in my armchair is a bag of items that I need to take to charity. Why hadn't I discarded these things back in 2016? The answer is that what sparked joy in 2016 no longer sparks joy now. The reason these items no longer spark joy is that my values, goals, and lifestyle have changed. And, over the last 12 months, I have continued to discard stuff that no longer aligns with these changes. For example, last year, I became a vegetarian, so I let go of my steak knives. I also wanted to have fewer distractions in my life, so I said goodbye to my television. These were some of the things I would have never considered discarding back in 2016 as they added value then but don’t now; hence, they needed to go.

I have learned that decluttering my apartment or any other space will never be a one time process. While I never see myself needing to do a major declutter as I did back in 2016, I will continue to discard stuff as a result of changes I make to my life. Holding on to things I no longer need acts as a burden, as I waste time and energy on cleaning, organising, and maintaining items that serve no purpose to my life. By only surrounding myself with the things that add value I gain more; more time, more focus, more calmness, more simplicity. That small bag sitting in my armchair is not a reflection of a failed decluttering attempt back in 2016; instead, it's a reflection of growth, of being able to make changes and live a more valued focused life; being willing to let go of things that no longer support my values. And it symbolises the ability to focus on the present rather than holding on to the past.

Your home needs to align with your values, goals, and lifestyle. Your environment should not act as a roadblock to your future growth and success; it should support it. Take the time now to look at your space and ask yourself is it helping me to create a life that I value and if it doesn’t don’t be afraid to change it by decluttering and organising your home to suit your lifestyle.

Did you achieve everything you wanted this year? I didn’t, and the main reason is that I had a long, unprioritised list of things I wanted to do.

I have always been a superman when it comes to setting goals—improving my health, travelling overseas, completing an improv course, writing more blogs, improving my writing and blogging skills, going on more dates, increasing my business revenue, upskilling myself on minimalism, becoming a vegetarian… These were most of the things I wanted to work on in 2017 while still working a full-time job. It was a lot—too much. I did tick some of these goals off, but I also dropped the ball on a few. And the balls that ended up on the floor were the ones that were the most important: blogging and dating.

The problem wasn’t not knowing what I wanted; it was thinking I could achieve it all in 12 months. The second problem—the bigger problem—was that I didn't prioritise the items on my list. I didn’t determine what was truly meaningful—what was going to have the most impact on my life. Instead, I was trying to juggle everything, which resulted in the important balls hitting the floor.

Today, I still have my list, but it’s a lot shorter. I now limit my focus to one to three goals that are going to provide the most growth and value—becoming a better writer/blogger, having more intimate relationships, and becoming a vegan. Every day, I work on one to three task that will get me closer to completing my goal. Once I finish a task or goal, I move on to the next one.

Setting limits on my goals has ensured that I am focused on achieving the things that have the most impact. Limits have also made working through my list more manageable, guaranteeing that the essential balls (only one to three) stay in the air. It is okay to have a list of goals but ensure that you set limits and focus on the goals that will add the most value. There will be more satisfaction in achieving one goal than in having a long list of unfulfilled achievements.

I had the most organised wardrobe, and yet I would often feel like I had nothing to wear, which was frustrating. Yes, my wardrobe was minimal, but there was definitely, enough clothes to wear. It was also organised; clothes were folded nicely (the KonMari method of course), and I knew where every piece of clothing was. Despite this getting dressed in the morning would often be time-consuming and a struggle.

Then it dawned on me, although I had an organised wardrobe, the actual clothes left in it were the issue. Why? Because I had a lot of unique, single-use, and different coloured clothes which made it challenging to pair clothes together to create a suitable style. For example, I had one pair of pants that only worked with one type of shirt, which could only be paired with one kind of shoe. Ultimately, this left me with limited choices on what to wear.

So, I needed to sort out my wardrobe (for the second time) but not only focusing on decluttering and organising my wardrobe but ensuring I had the right clothes in it. After doing a bit of research and reassessing my look, I reorganised my closet, which is now much more functional. This not only meant discarding clothing but also buying some new items.

So here are the three things I have learned and implemented that will help you to have a more minimalist, organised, and more importantly functional wardrobe:

1. Have more neutral coloured clothing My wardrobe now has more neutral coloured clothing rather than non-neutral colours. I retained the majority of my black, white and grey coloured clothing as well as purchased a few additional items in these colours. This has allowed me to mix and match clothes and create different styles much more quickly. For a bit of brightness, I have retained a few blue items which pair well with my white and grey pieces. Likewise, with shoes, keeping them to black, brown, and white. Having a wardrobe that has more neutral colours will also mean you stay in style for longer as black and white are always on trend.

2. Have more adaptable clothing Having the same item of clothing that can be worn for different occasions has kept my wardrobe minimal and functional. For example, a pair of pants that works well with a t-shirt and casual boots could be dressed up with a collared shirt, blazer and dress shoes. Clothes that I can dress up or down has made it easier to dress for different events.

3. Focus on quality clothing Recently, I have become more mindful of the negative impacts of fast fashion and am now working towards having slow fashion items. This has meant that when buying clothes, I now focus on quality items that will last longer. This helps to keep my wardrobe organised as I am not purchasing high volumes of clothes but rather small quantities of clothes that I will keep for longer. So, what did I actually achieve from applying the above?

Here are the stats, the following exited my wardrobe:

8 pairs of pants 3 shirts 3 pairs of shoes 2 ties 2 belts 2 Jackets 1 Jumper

Total items 21

The following items were added my wardrobe:

2 pairs of pants (one grey and one black) 1 black and white top 1 white t-shirt 1 pair of black shoes

Total items 5

Although the total amount of items exiting was higher than items entering my wardrobe, I have more choice when deciding on the style I want to create. As through having neutral coloured and adaptable clothing rather than many coloured and single-use clothes I can quickly pick out different looks from fewer clothes. And not only do I have more style choices opening my wardrobe is now a positive experience. Next time you are planning to declutter and organise your closet, think about what looks and styles work for you and how you can get multiple looks out of few clothes. This will help you to determine what clothes to keep and will also help you stay focused when it’s time to buy new clothes.

You can achieve growth through discomfort. Recently, I decided to test this theory by conducting three stoic experiments; no television, no YouTube, no takeaway food for a month. The objective of these tests wasn’t to focus on what I was giving up but on how I may grow as a person. How will my life be different by letting go of these things? Will it be better or worse? The result: life got better.

No Television

I couldn’t escape the small screen while visiting family and friends, but I kept it switched off while at home. No television enabled me to focus on two things I value; my health and my writing. I was more engaged at the gym as there was no pressure to rush home to watch the box. I also spent more time during the week writing which is something I only did on weekends. I have now said goodbye to the television as I see the benefits of living without it.

No YouTube

I was not as victorious with YouTube as I was with television. This defeat was due to me having to watch YouTube for an online writing course I am doing. Secondly, I did watch the odd video while scrolling through Facebook (not sure if this counts). Despite this hurdle, I did reduce my time on YouTube, and like television, this enabled me to focus on my health and my writing.

Unlike television, I have not ended my relationship with YouTube as I see entertainment and personal benefits of it. However, I am aware that this bond can have challenges as YouTube can distract me from my health and my writing. To overcome this, I have now set limits on the amount of time I spend on YouTube. This agreement will ensure a healthier relationship with YouTube and keep me focused on my values.

No Takeaway Food Despite my desire for hot chips, I bet the temptation and didn’t have takeaway food. I enjoyed cooking meals and trying new restaurants. The best part is I lost about 2 kilograms. I now reduce the amount of takeaway food I eat which is helping me to maintain my weight.

While the results weren’t 100% perfect, completing these experiments enabled me to review the role television, YouTube, and takeaway food played in my life. In doing so, I eliminated the stuff that wasn't adding value (television) and set suitable limits on things I enjoy (YouTube and takeaway food). Through making these adjustments, I am now more focused on living my life in line with my values. I now encourage you to complete a stoic experiment to see how your life may change.

Updated 22 December 2017

Want to save time on cleaning? With spring approaching people often start thinking about spring cleaning. But, wouldn’t you rather be spending more time enjoying the warmer weather than cleaning your home? While most people like living in a spotless home, many don’t enjoy cleaning them. Personally, I don’t want to be spending too much of my free time cleaning and would rather be doing the things I like. So I am going to give you the one tip on how to quickly clean your home. Here it is, declutter your home and start living with less. The less you have, the less you have to clean, maintain and organise, hence saving you time. Below are some areas/items in your home you could consider decluttering to reduce your cleaning time not just for spring but all year around.

Decorative items Limit decorative items to a few beautiful pieces rather than hundreds of knick knacks. This will reduce the number of things you need to dust. Likewise, cleaning shelving, display cabinets etc. will be easier as you have fewer things to move. Also, homes that have too many ornaments on display can appear, messy, cluttered and disorganised. Having only a few decorative items will not only reduce your cleaning time but will make your home more stylish.

General storage Limit the content of draws, cupboards, pantries, wardrobes etc. to the stuff you really need. Not only will this make them easier to clean but will make it simpler to find what you need.

Spare rooms / the garage Spare rooms and garages tend to house high volumes of unused stuff. Having large quantities of stuff in these places often leads to people spending more time cleaning them. Why, because people need to move all this clutter around to clean these spaces. Also, people tend to devote more time to organising these areas with the goal of getting the most out of the space. However, why waste time always arranging stuff that you don’t use? It’s better to get rid of unused items, which will make cleaning and organising these spaces easier.

The second car While we are in the garage, consider decluttering the second car. Getting rid of the second car may seem a little extreme but seriously, if you don’t use it and can get by with one, then sell it. You will have one less car to wash and maintain, not only will this save you time but will also save you money, on insurance, registration, etc.

Downsize your home Downsizing your home may seem drastic, but if you can live in a smaller home then do it, even if you have kids. The smaller the home, the less you have to clean and maintain. I have often visited family/ friends who have entertainment rooms, additional dining rooms that are rarely used and are just gathering dust. Like unused items what is the point in cleaning rooms that you never use? Another benefit of downsizing is it may help to reduce your mortgage and energy bills.

Saving time on cleaning is one of the advantages of decluttering and organising your home. The above are just a few areas/ items in your home you can consider decluttering. While cleaning may not be something we like to do it is something we have to do, but it can be made easier by limiting the amount of stuff you have. This spring rather than focusing on spring cleaning maybe it’s time for a spring declutter. If you struggle with decluttering, check out my past blog, or reach out to a professional organiser for support. Let me know how your spring declutter went by posting in the comments section.

Having trouble decluttering your home? Finding it hard to discard items? Letting go of stuff is one of the biggest challenges people face when attempting to organise their home. There are three common reasons why people struggle to let things go:

1. The items are too good to throw away

2. I might need the items someday

3. These items have sentimental value

To help you achieve your organising goals; I am going to give you tips on how to combat the above-decluttering roadblocks.

Roadblock 1: The items are too good to throw away

These are things that people refuse to discard as they are still in good condition. However, they are rarely used, if at all and yet people will continue to allow the items to take up space in their home.

How to handle this roadblock Handling this roadblock is about changing your mindset, rather than thinking about throwing things away why not give it away instead. You may not have a use for the item but someone else might. You have many options when it comes to giving things away, sell, donate or give it to a friend/family member who may have a need for it. Giving unused items away will not only free up space and get you organised but will also ensure items are used rather than sitting in storage becoming outdated and obsolete.

Roadblock 2: I might need these items someday This roadblock sparks fear into people by making them think that if you get rid of something you might need it sometime in the future.

How to handle this roadblock To handle this roadblock you firstly need to consider the odds of you ever using that item again. The longer you have not used an item the chances are you will never use it again. For most items, if you haven’t used it in a year you most likely have no need for it. Second, you need to consider your options, let’s just say you did get rid of that item, and by some chance, you did need it again how hard would it be to get that item. Could you borrow it from a friend, use an alternative product or worse case go to the store and buy a new one. If you have low odds of using the item again and have high options, you are in a good position to get rid of the thing. Remember you have survived this long without using something chances are you will continue to survive without it. Roadblock 3: The item has sentimental value This can be the strongest roadblock and can prevent most people from decluttering. Sentimental items such as gifts and inheritances are often the most difficult to get rid of as people have an emotional connection to them. People often keep these things for two reasons:

Obligation – if you are given an item most people feel obligated to keep it out of respect Memories – the object triggers a memory either of a happy time or of a loved one in many cases a deceased loved one.

How to handle this roadblock I will break this down by tackling two of the most common sentimental items, gifts and inheritances.

Gifts Once a gift enters your home, you own it, and you are responsible for it. If the doesn’t add value to your life, let it go. This may be easier said than done but remember that people buy gifts as a symbolic way to show appreciation or to celebrate an event the physical item is not relevant. Over time people never remember the gifts they buy others, so it is highly unlikely that people will notice that you don’t have that gift anymore. Think about all the gifts you have brought people over the years, do you remember what you brought them? If you are in regular contact with the individual who brought you the gift, use the gift for a couple of weeks while in their presence and then let it go. Like any item in your home only keep the gifts that add value to your life.

Inheritances Inheritances, the stuff we acquire when someone dies. People can have strong emotional guilt at the very thought of letting these things go. Always give yourself time when dealing with these things especially if the passing is recent. More importantly, allow yourself time to grieve the loss before decluttering inherited items. There are several strategies you can employ when attempting to declutter inherited items:

1. Remember people aren’t things

Always bear in mind that people aren’t things. A deceased loved one is not contained in the items they owned. Rather they are held in the memories of friendship, love, and good times and are so much more than any physical object. Remember that deceased people owned things just like you currently own things. The things you own don’t make you who you are rather it’s you as a person that defines you.

2. Take a photo of it or write about it

If some of these items don’t have any value to you, but they trigger happy memories consider taking a picture of it, write about it or do both. This approach means that you have the option to share the memory with others via a blog or social media post if desired. Often it is not the physical object that is important but the memory linked to it. This approach can help you capture the memory connected to an object without the need to hold onto it.

3. Repurpose Consider repurposing/using the items you have inherited. For example, if you inherited your grandparent's dinnerware rather than keeping it in storage consider decluttering your current dinnerware and use your grandparents instead. What a great way to keep someone's memory alive by having something they owned as part of your everyday life.

4. Set Limits Remember you don’t need to keep everything just because you inherited something. Consider keeping few items that you love and limit it to a box.

5. Consider Other Family or Friends Reach out to other family members or friends; it might be that they see value in something you have inherited.

Tip – some items you have inherited might be valuable so take the time to check its worth to determine the best way to discard them.

Feeling motivated to declutter and organise your home? Good. If you do struggle to let things go, the above strategies can help. Always remember to focus on why you chose to organise your home in the first place.

Are there any other challenges you face when decluttering? Let me know in the comments.

Recently I finished reading Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston. Which I recommend for anyone wanting to learn more about different insights into decluttering. One aspect of the book I found interesting was the concept of Feng Shui bagua. Feng Shui bagua is the idea that different regions of your home are linked to specific areas of your life. Furthermore, when clutter exists in these regions, they can negatively impact the corresponding area of your personal life. For example, the top left corner of a room is linked to prosperity, wealth and abundance and therefore clutter in this area may mean that a person is experiencing financial difficulty. It is only when they remove the clutter that their financial circumstances may improve. I found this concept intriguing, but at the same time, a little farfetched as how could clutter in specific regions of someone’s home impact certain areas of their personal life?

Clutter & Mental Wellbeing

Despite my view, Feng Shui bagua did reinforce that clutter and disorganisation could affect a person’s overall mental health and wellbeing. This was recently reinforced when I had to go through a box of stuff that I had stored at my mum’s place. I took the box back to my apartment, went through it and was happy to get rid of most of the stuff. However, I felt the stuff had some value, so I decided to put it online and attempt to sell it. While the items were up for sale, I decided to leave them on my armchair; ensuring they were front of mind guaranteeing that I would get rid of them.

This turned out to be a mistake as two months later some items remained on my armchair. Having these things linger in my apartment put me in a frustrated and negative mood. The primary cause of this negativity was that the unwanted items were causing clutter and disorganisation in my apartment. This was stuff I no longer needed, yet I had allowed it to take up space and energy in my apartment, and every day I was reminded of that. While I did not discover any adverse impact on a particular area of my life (which according to Feng Shui bagua it would have been knowledge, wisdom and self-improvement), it did negatively affect my overall mental health and wellbeing. It wasn’t until I got rid of the items that my mood improved.

What can you take away from my experience?

Your mood may be a reflection of how organised or rather how disorganised your home is. Consider declutter and organising your home. Living with less will not only improve your mental health and wellbeing but also clears your mind to focus on things you truly value. When you declutter, you need to ensure unwanted items leave your home as quickly as possible. This will guarantee you reap the benefits of an organised home sooner. As I experienced having unwanted items linger put me in a negative mindset and it wasn't until I removed the items that my mood improved.

The best method to ensuring unwanted items leave your home quickly is to plan how you are going to discard unwanted items. For example, unwanted clothing can be donated to charity; old magazines can be recycled, etc. While the objective is to dispose of things quickly, you need to ensure you are disposing of things ethically. While landfill may be the quickest, it is often the least ethical.

In my blog are you decluttering in a responsible manner?, I provide some ways you can ethically dispose of unwanted items. Selling is one ethical disposal method I recommend, however, based on my recent experience it is the most time consuming and may mean that things stay in your home longer. My recommendation if you choose to sell unwanted items is to ask yourself; is all the time and energy in coordinating the sale worth the money I will make from the sale. For example, I would have earned about $200 by selling my unwanted items. Honestly, it was not worth the time and effort, in taking the photo, posting the item online, negotiating price, coordinating the pickup, etc. I even had one person agree to by an item, I made time in my day to meet them, and they didn’t even show up. If it’s not worth, your time and effort to sell unwanted items consider giving them away for free or donating them to charity, which is what I ended up doing, since doing so, I feel much better for it.

The simple benefits of generosity far outweigh the financial rewards of most garage sales

Josh Becker - Becoming Minimalist

While I have not experienced the concept Feng Shui bagua, it has reinforced my views that clutter can have an adverse impact on a person’s life. By making your home clutter free and organised you are taking positive steps to help to improve your mental health and wellbeing. While the journey to a clutter-free and organised home can be challenging, the quicker you remove clutter from your home the better your mood.

It was 2008, and I had commenced my second year of university. One day before psychology class I was chatting with friends when I raised the topic that I just don’t have any money. One of my friends then asked, what do you mean? I went on to explain that I put money away, and then get a bill which I need to pay and as a result never have any money left. My friend then responded by saying you need to budget your money. While I knew of the concept of budgeting, I never thought of doing one to manage my finances. So instead of going home and doing my psychology reading, I searched the internet for a budget template (which I still use today) and developed my budget.

So you are probably asking what does budgeting have to do with decluttering, minimalism and organising and the answer is a lot. A big chunk of the stuff you own, you have gone out and made a conscious decision to buy it. A budget will help to keep your consumption under control. Furthermore, a budget can also help you to create a life you truly value.

What is a budget?

A budget in simple terms is a plan on how you spend the money you earn. People often identify budgeting as a negative process that puts strict limits on your spending. However, I see them as a powerful tool that gives you the opportunity to focus your energy on the things that matter.

Why are they important?

Without a budget, you end up spending money on stuff without any thought as to what you are buying and more importantly why you are buying it. Often this leaves you with stuff you don’t need. Not only is this a waste of money but also has the potential to put you in debt. Through planning where your money goes, you set limits on how much stuff you buy in a given month/ year. For example, you may set a budget of $2000 a year on clothing. Not only does this set limits on how much you spend on particular items but more importantly you begin to question where you are allocating your money and how much money you assign to things. For example, you may start to ask yourself, do I need to spend $2000 a year on clothing? You may then go to your wardrobe and identify that you can get by with the clothes you already have and only need to allocate $1000 a year to clothes. Budgeting helps to keep you overall consumption down and keeps your home clutter free and organised.

Now you are probably wondering, what is the point of having money if you don’t spend it? This is a valid question, but I propose some new questions; are you solely working to acquire more stuff? And are you living a life that you truly value? A budget should not restrict you from living a life your desire but rather focus your attention on the things you truly value. The challenge today, however, is companies are telling us what we value and what makes us happy. Company advertising and marketing are sending messages that we need more than just the essentials to live and be happy. That happiness comes from having the latest phone, car, the biggest house and the designer clothes. Does having all this stuff really make us happy? People end up devoting more of their time to earning more money just to acquire more stuff. Often leaving people to work jobs they don’t enjoy and long hours to conform to society’s concept of happiness. This pursuit of having more stuff often results in people forgoing their true passions and interests.

While I acknowledge that we live in a world that requires money to live, it should not mean that you live for money, but rather money should live for you. Through budgeting your get a clearer picture of how much money you need to live enabling you to create a life you truly value; rather than acquiring stuff that has little worth. Over the years my budgets have concentrated less on physical stuff and more on experiences, such as holidays, acting classes and other creative pursuits. These are things that I value and would not be able to achieve if I didn’t organise my finances.Likewise, through budgeting and reducing your expenses, you may realise that you don’t need to be in that high paying job that you don’t like or work long hours to make ends meet. You may discover you can work a more enjoyable lower paying job. Alternatively, you may be able to work fewer hours enabling you more time to follow your passions, spend more time with family/friends or contribute to your local community. While I do have a full-time job, budgeting has allowed me to allocate some of my income and time to support my passions in minimalist living and to establish this business (Creating Positive Spaces).

Besides keeping your home clutter free and organised budgeting supports you to see where your money is going. This helps to steer you in the right direction with what you want to achieve with your life. As a new financial year approaches maybe it's time to consider developing a budget to organise your finances. Finally, while we work to acquire money, we give up our time to work. So while we may gain money from work, we will never gain more time through work. So for every purchase, you make not only are you handing over money but also your time spent earning it. So always question is my time worth this purchase?

The bathroom is one of the smallest rooms in your home, but it’s one of the most important. It’s the place you prepare yourself for the day ahead. Having a cluttered and disorganised bathroom can interfere with your morning routine, leaving you feeling rushed and stressed putting you in a negative mood. Likewise, before sleeping many people end their days with their evening grooming/ beauty routine. Doing this in an organised space will leave you feeling more relaxed setting you up for a good night sleep.

Below are three steps to get your bathroom minimised and organised and keep it that way.

1. Minimise

Here you want to declutter drawers and cabinets ensuring you only keep the things you need.

1.1. Remove every item from cabinets and drawers. If you have a large bathroom or limited space to work, you may want to do this one cabinet or drawer at a time.

1.2. Handle every item and determine if it adds value to your beauty and grooming routine if it doesn’t let it go. Dispose of medicines and other products that have expired. Ensure you dispose of these items responsibly making sure they don’t end up in reach of children or pets. The only items that should be in the bathroom that you may not use often are first aid supplies.

1.3. Items that don’t belong in the bathroom should be placed it their appropriate location.

2. Organise

Now you need to store the items you want to keep.

2.1. Wipe down cabinets and drawers before putting things back in them.

2.2. Store remaining items in drawers and cabinets.

Here are some storage tips:

To keep things neat and organised you may want to use containers to store small and similar items together. For example, first aid supplies could be stored together in a container.

Also consider, storing items in zones, this involves storing all the things that are used for a particular beauty/ grooming routine together. For example, I shave my hair, so I keep my clippers, razor and shaving cream in the same cabinet in the bathroom. This will help you save time as you don’t have to go from one spot to another to get the stuff you need to perform your particular beauty/ grooming routine.

Avoid the temptation to store products on the bathroom countertop. The countertop should be used as a workspace to carry out your beauty and grooming routine. It should not be a place to store stuff. A cluttered countertop will not give you the space you need to work and will make the bathroom look messy and disorganised. The only exception would be hand soap, and a hand towel as these are commonly used items. Furthermore, if you only have one bathroom, you don’t want guest going through your bathroom cabinets to find the hand soap. If you want to know more about how to organise other flat surfaces check out my January 2017 blog: Could cluttered flat surfaces be stopping you from achieving your goals.

3. Maintain

Now that you have minimised and organised your bathroom, you need to keep it that way.

Here are some maintenance tips:

To maintain an organised bathroom only bring items out when you need them and return them to their designated place once done. This is also important if you share your bathroom with others, as others should not be surrounded by your beauty/grooming products when they are using the bathroom. Furthermore, clear surfaces within the bathroom will make it more inviting for the next person to use.

Replace products once you have finished rather than stocking up on the latest beauty products. Avoid getting caught up in the newest products that promise to make you ten years younger in just 14 days. Do these products actually work? Not only will this save you space in the bathroom but will also save you money and reduce waste.

Styling tips

Invest in a good quality soap dispenser and place the hand soap in it rather than keeping it in the bottle it came in. Also, consider doing the same for shampoos, conditioners and body wash if you are displaying them in the shower. The objective is to place any products (which should be very little) that are not being stored in drawers or cabinets in label-free containers. The goal is to avoid having any product labels on display, as written words can be distracting and make the bathroom look busy. Through eliminating written text, it will make the bathroom more attractive and relaxed giving the bathroom a spa feel to it. Likewise, invest in some good quality towels not only will they last longer but will also make the bathroom more stylish.

The key to an organised bathroom is only to have beauty and grooming products that you need. This will make organising and maintaining a clean bathroom easier. A tidy bathroom will ensure you have an organised space to perform your morning beauty and grooming routine in a stress-free environment. Putting you in a positive state of mind and giving you the motivation to tackle the day ahead. Likewise, after a busy day, your evening beauty and grooming routine will be done in a relaxing and calm environment preparing you for a good night sleep. Take the time to look at your bathroom if it’s not inviting maybe it’s time to get it organised.

Often when people think about decluttering or minimalism, they reflect on what they have to give up and living with less. It’s time to think about minimalism from a different perspective, with a focus on what you gain rather than what you give up. Here are three things you can gain from being a minimalist.

1. Money You don’t really earn more money from being a minimalist rather you save more of it. Put simply the less you buy, the more you save. Deep down most people know this, and yet they continue to buy more stuff. Over consuming is partly due to society telling us that success is determined by what and how much we own. Which is the result of marketing telling us that to be happy you need to have the latest goods. However, maintaining this lifestyle often results in credit card debt and/or working long hours to pay for stuff that you don’t really need. Owning less should not be seen as a backwards step, but rather a forward step in better managing your finances and leading a more rewarding life. From personal experience, saving money is not determined by how much you earn but by how much you spend or rather don’t spend. You may also realise that you can live on a lower income enabling you to quit that meaningless stressful job and to pursue a more rewarding career.

2. TimeCan you actually gain more time? No, but through minimalism, you can use your time more efficiently. Here’s how the less you own, the less you need to clean, maintain, repair and organise. How many times have you spent your free time looking after your stuff? Time spent washing that second car you don’t drive, dusting shelves that hold stuff you don’t use or organising your wardrobe, with clothes you don’t wear. It is definitely important to live in clean and organised homes but think about how much easier it will be through owning less. You have limited time on this planet, so use it on doing things that matters rather than obsessing over stuff. Being a minimalist won’t increase your lifespan (or could it?), but it will help you to utilise your time better to do the things you truly value.

3. ExperiencesWhen you stop focusing on acquiring possessions you can begin to centre your energy on experiences. The money and time you save through minimalism can be used for more meaningful pursuits. Pursuits such as holidays, concerts, theatre, community activities, sports, reconnecting with the environment and much more. When people look back on their lives, it’s often their experiences they remember not their possessions. Remember you have limited time on this planet so make it count. Furthermore, your everyday experiences can be better enhanced through minimalism. For example rather than owning a treadmill, go for a run outside and connect with nature, or meet new people through joining a gym or fitness group (this may even keep you more motivated to stick to your fitness goals). Likewise, rather than owning that big bulky coffee machine go to your local coffee shop for your morning coffee and connect with others.

Through no longer focusing your life on the pursuit of possessions you can save time and money enabling you to focus your energy on more rewarding experiences. These are just some of the benefits of embracing minimalism; there are many more benefits which I will touch on in future blogs. Remember that minimalism is not a one size fits all approach rather it about owning only what you need and what adds value to your life. Ultimately happiness and success are not determined by what and how much you own but rather by how you live your life. Looking at minimalism through what you can gain rather than what you give up can enable you to live a more meaningful life.

In my last blog, I mentioned disposing of unwanted stuff in a responsible manner. In this blog, I will touch on what that means and how you can go about it. Put simply responsible disposing of unwanted items means to dispose of items in an environmentally friendly manner. Often when we throw things away, they end up in landfill. For some items, landfill is the only option. However, where possible landfill should always be the last resort, and we should always consider alternative ways of discarding unwanted items. Landfill has environmental consequences as land needs to be cleared for it and many items remain in landfill for hundreds to thousands of years. Furthermore, items in landfill can release toxic chemicals while they disintegrate. We should avoid landfill, and one way to do this is through the reduce, reuse and recycle approach. Let’s take a closer look at the three R’s starting with recycling.

Recycle Recycling has come a long way over the last few decades. Today many basic items like plastic, paper and glass can be placed into your weekly/ fortnightly home recycling collection. More complex items such as furniture, white goods, electronics, batteries, and globes can be recycled at drop off stations provided by local councils. Check out your local council website to learn more. Furthermore, some companies will allow you to return items you no longer use. When I replaced my mobile phone, I was able to give my old one back and even got a credit on my phone bill for doing so. Where an item can be recycled, it should be rather than ending up in landfill. As great as recycling is reuse is a much better approach.

Reuse Reuse is great as it allows you to prolong the life of an item without the need for you or someone else to purchase a new one. You can reuse many items such as glass jars, wrapping paper, boxes, etc. An old t-shirt can be re-purposed as cleaning cloths. Caution, DON’T keep things you will never use as they will clutter your home. You are on the path of a minimalist lifestyle so only keep items if you have a genuine need for them and they will add value to your life. Don’t despair if you don’t have a need for an item someone else might. There are several ways you can give away your unwanted items.

Sell

Selling is an excellent way to get some extra cash. Sites such as eBay or Gumtree are great online platforms to sell stuff and don’t forget the good old garage sale.

Give it away for free Giving something you no longer need to someone who does, can be rewarding. However, this doesn’t mean forcing your unwanted items on to others. If you know someone that has a need for something you no longer need then offer it to them.

Donate Give your unwanted goods to a charity or op shop. Many will sell your unwanted products with money raised being used to support disadvantaged members of the community. Donating can be a feel good experience as you know that your unwanted goods are not ending up in landfill but also helping others in the community. Always make sure that items are in good condition before donating them to charity. Reuse is much better than recycling however it is not as useful as reduce.

Reduce

Of the three R’s reduce is the star of the show and is technically not even a discarding method. You don’t need to think about disposing of stuff if you don’t have it in the first place. Reduce is the core of a minimalist lifestyle and will require you to challenge consumerism. This can be difficult given you live in a society that wants you to buy the latest goods. Where advertising tells you that to be happy you have to have the most recent products (which is further from the truth). For many people that can mean using credit cards to purchase items resulting in debt. Consequently, these products often become outdated within months. Reducing your consumption helps to reduce your environmental impact. As every item you own needs resources and energy to make it, placing stress on the planet's resources. During production, toxic chemicals are often released into the environment. Once goods are created, they are transported to stores, once again releasing more chemicals. Products that are no longer needed most likely end up in landfill. Through reducing your consumption, you reduce the strain on the environments resources, chemicals going into the environment and items ending up in landfill. Furthermore, reduce saves you money as you are not spending money on items you don’t need and also time is not wasted cleaning and maintaining items. Ultimately the best way to dispose of a product is never to own it in the first place.

When you declutter your home ensure you dispose of unwanted stuff in an environmentally friendly manner. Recycling and reusing are great techniques to ensure your unwanted stuff doesn’t end up in landfill. To embrace a minimalist lifestyle and to cut your environmental impact aim to reduce your consumption. Take proactive steps to always question the value of the things before you buy them, shop with a purpose and always question do I really need this. Let your real need for the item drive whether you buy it rather than images, advertisements and marketing telling you; you need it. Finally, the best outcome of decluttering, is never to declutter again.

It’s a new year, and for many, this means setting new goals for the year ahead. However, one thing could be holding you back from having a productive 2017; the organisation of your homes flat surfaces. These surfaces include benches, tables, desks, and even the floor. You use them for different purposes from working, entertaining, playing and a whole range of other activities. Consequently, for many these surfaces end up being storage spaces for various household items. Depending on the types of goals you have set the condition of your flat surfaces may determine whether you achieve them.

The organisation of flat surfaces are important as they provide you with the space you need to complete tasks. However, when they are unorganised, they can reduce your productivity and motivation as you feel you don’t have the space you need to get things done. Resulting in people avoiding the activities and goals they desire to achieve. On the other hand, organised surfaces will motivate you to complete these activities as you have the space you need to complete them. Organised spaces will put you in a better frame of mind giving you a sense of control of your surroundings. Unlike disorganised spaces which tend to create frustration and a sense of chaos putting you in a negative mood. You will be far more motivated to get things done when you are in a positive frame of mind.

Also, people working in cluttered spaces tend to waste time. When people set time to work on activities, they are full of energy and motivation but when their space is disorganised time is spent moving things around to create the space they need. So all that energy and time that should have gone into completing the activity is lost. An organised surface will allow you to jump straight in and complete your task. Furthermore, it will allow you to focus your time to pursue the important things giving you a greater feeling of accomplishment.

Organising your flat surfaces Following the three principles below can support you in having organised flat surfaces.

1. Minimise:

Declutter all the items that don’t belong on the surface:

Start by removing all the stuff from the flat surface.Assess each article to determine if you use it.You should responsibly discard items that you don’t use.

The key objective here is to declutter as much as possible to enable you to then focus on organising the stuff you need. There is no point in organising stuff you don’t use.

2. Organise:

Things you do use, should be appropriately stored and not left on the flat surface.

Remember only store the items that add value and responsibly dispose of things that don’t.

3. Maintain:

The key objective here is to ensure the flat surface doesn’t become disorganised and cluttered again.

Example 1: the kitchen bench

If you have made 2017 the year to pursue your interest in cooking, eating healthy or even spending less time in the kitchen an organised bench top will support you in achieving these goals. The key role of the kitchen bench is meal preparation. Unfortunately, it can be a dumping ground for the day’s mail, groceries, and other ad-hoc stuff.

A cluttered bench doesn’t give you the space you need to prepare meals. You may even avoid cooking when your kitchen counter is disorganised, which may result in you eating unhealthy takeaway food. Likewise, if your goal is to spend less time in the kitchen, you won’t be able to do that if you a consistently reorganising and searching for items. An organised kitchen bench should invite you into the kitchen to prepare your meals.

Organising the kitchen bench:

1. Minimise:

Remove any items from the kitchen counter that you no longer use or should not belong in the kitchen.

2. Organise:

Store all remaining utensils, dinnerware, appliances, and cookware in draws or cupboards. Making sure commonly used things are within easy reach when you need then. Keeping a few commonly used items (e.g. the kettle) on the bench is okay as long as it doesn’t clutter the countertop.

3. Maintain:

Only bring things out when you need them; this will ensure you will have the space you need when preparing your next meal. Once you have finished your meal; return all items to their storage location.

Tip Some people fall into the trap of displaying fancy kitchen appliances on benchtops just to show people they have the latest device. If the appliance is used store it in a cupboard and bring it out when needed however if it's not get rid of it; not just from the bench but get rid of it all together. People will remember the good quality food made in the kitchen over the fancy appliances.

Example 2: the desk

The desk serves as a workspace to achieve your career, study or creative goals. If you have set some goals in these areas for 2017, you may want to check the condition of your desk to make sure it’s clutter free.

A clutter free desk will guarantee your mind is clear and you can perform your tasks without any visual distractions ensuring you are productive. In contrast, a messy desk will prohibit you from getting anything done as you will constantly be reshuffling items and getting distracted by everything around you. There is nothing worse than losing your train of thought or failing to note down that excellent idea due to distractions.

Organising your desk:

1. Minimise:

Like the kitchen remove any items that are no longer used or don’t belong on the desk.

2. Organise:

Store all your stationary and other office supplies in cupboards or draws rather than on the desk. The exception would be items such as a desk lamp or a computer screen. Things such as laptops, wireless keyboard, and mouse should also be stored to ensure you have space to pursue activities that don’t require a computer.

3. Maintain:

Bring items out when you need them. Once you have completed your task; return everything to its nominated storage location. This action is essential if you share your desk with other members of your household or if you are working on different projects. If you are working on project A, you should not be surrounded by stuff that is relating to project B. Your productivity will increase if you are not spending your time shuffling through paperwork and other items.

Tip Some people have the urge to glamorise their desk with expensive stationery and accessories. This is not only a waste of money, but the quality of your work will be determined not by the quality of your stationery but your intelligence, creativity and whether your space allows you to feel relaxed to express your ideas.

The above approach can be utilised for any surface in your home. Take the time to look at your flat surfaces to determine if they are serving their intended purpose. Don’t just focus on the ones listed above but also look at others such as dining and coffee tables which are designed to entertain but can often be used to store miscellaneous items.

Also don’t forget your homes biggest flat surface - the floor. Having too much clutter on the floor can be a safety hazard. Also, the floor plays an important role especially if you have children as they will utilise this space to play.

Keeping flat surfaces minimal and organised will ensure you use them for their intended purpose. They will also be ready for use when you need them, helping to boost your productivity and achieve your goals. Finally, it’s not the size of the flat surface that matters but how you organise and utilise them.

Updated 28 January 2019.

Your pantry is overflowing with food; you can never find what you are looking for, and there is never any room to put groceries away.

Lurking in the dark corners of the pantry lies food that is mouldy and well beyond its expiry date, ready for the bin. All this disorganisation leads to waste, wasted food, wasted time, wasted money and an overall feeling of overwhelm every time you open the pantry doors.

It doesn't need to be like this. In this post, I'm going to share with you some tips on how to maintain an organised pantry.

Are you ready?

So let’s begin with getting some new storage containers to store all your food in.

STOP!

Often when you think about organising your pantry, you think of purchasing storage containers. Yes, storage containers are useful, but they aren't the secret ingredient to maintaining an organised pantry.

In my experience.

The key to keeping your pantry organised is to keep it as minimal as possible.

Think about it.

It's easier to keep things organised with fewer items than with large quantities of stuff.5 Ways To Keep Your Pantry Minimal & Organised?

1. Use what you already have. Before you venture to the supermarket, get into the habit of looking in your pantry to determine what food you already have in it. You may find that you already have what you need.

2. Plan your meal. Planning your meals is essential, as you will know what food you are preparing for the upcoming week. Once you know what meals you are going to have, you will then know what ingredients you need to make them. Check if you already have the ingredients, and if you do, then there is no need to purchase more. If you don’t have an item, then add it to your shopping list.

3. Use a shopping list. Using a shopping list will keep you on track to purchase only the things you need. Also using a shopping list will make sure you don't forget anything. You can do this the old fashion way with pen and paper or use an app. A shopping list app will make this much easier for you as the list can be reusable. Some apps will also allow you to import recipes and once added you can transfer ingredients to a shopping list, and items you already have can be quickly ticked off.

4. Stick to your shopping list. Once at the supermarket stick to your shopping list. It can be tempting to walk down every aisle of the supermarket adding items you think you may consume.

DANGER! Supermarket Specials

Avoid getting too caught up with supermarket specials. If something you use often is on special buy a few more, but set limits and don’t overdo it.

In my experience.

When it comes to specials supermarkets are predictable, what was on special this week will most likely be on special again a few weeks later. How many times have you seen 95g tinned tuna at half price at the supermarket? A lot. Set limits based on how often you use the item that is on special.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

5. Remember the supermarket is near by.

For most people, the supermarket is not too far away, so avoid the need to overstock the pantry. In the instance that you do need something and it's not in the pantry, you can most likely quickly head down to the supermarket to get it.

You might be wondering.

All this planning seems time-consuming.

Planning at first might seem to be a bit of an effort, but over time it will become an ingrained habit that will make your life easier. Your trip to the supermarket will be more efficient; you will get in, get what you need, and get out.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Minimal Pantry?

1. It’s a time saver. A minimal pantry makes it easier to access the food you need when you need it without having to rummage through mountains of food. Also, it makes putting food away quicker as there is space to store it.

2. It reduces waste. The less food you have in the pantry, the less likely food will be hiding from you at the back of the pantry left to die. Also as you are only buying what you need, there are fewer chances of food not being eaten and going to waste.

Sadly,

According to the Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Consumers throws away around 3.1 million tones of editable food each year.

3. It saves money. Buying only the food you need will ensure that you are not spending money on food you won’t use and will end up in the bin.

As it turns out:

The average Victorian household throws out approximately $2,200 worth of food each year (Sustainability Victoria).

4. Food will taste better. A minimal pantry will ensure that the food in your pantry is always fresh. Moreover, meals are more enjoyable when they are cooked with fresh ingredients.

5. It reduce stress. Minimal pantries are easy to maintain and keep organised; organised spaces tend to be less stressful than disorganised ones. You can easily find what you need without feeling overwhelmed with clutter. More importantly, it makes the kitchen a positive space. When it’s time to prepare a meal for your family, friends or just yourself, opening the doors to an organised pantry will put you in a better mood than opening the doors to a disorganised one. You may even be more motivated to cook more healthy food than spending money on unhealthy takeaway.

Of course, the content of your pantry will vary depending on the needs of your household. A single person living in an apartment will most likely need less in their pantry than a family of five. However, the principles of maintaining a minimal and organised pantry are the same, use what you already have and only buy what you need. Once your pantry contains only the items, you need you can now consider how to use storage containers to help support you in maintaining an organised pantry. I will also be posting a future blog on tips on how to declutter and organise your pantry.

If you need any help getting your pantry organised post a comment, send me an email at joey@creatingpostivespaces.com.au or give me a call on 0401 149 185 (Australian residents only).