How to Start Organizing Your Space
A professional organizer’s guide to kick-starting decluttering and organizing for 2024.
A professional organizer’s guide to kick-starting decluttering and organizing for 2024.
Welcome to 2024!
It’s the time of year when new beginnings abound and we want to give you the secret ingredient to organizing success. Whether you prescribe to new years resolutions, or are just ready to make a change, we’re ready to share our #1 tip for starting your organizing journey!
Let Me Introduce Myself
I’m Kaytlyn Beakhouse, the Owner and Lead Organizer at Sort & Simple Professional Organizing. I have a passion for simplicity, efficiency and sustainability. Our team of expert organizers supported over 100 individuals on their organizing journey last year, and we want to help you get started too!
How do I get organized?
You might be thinking the first step is to declutter. While that typically is a major part of the process, there’s something we need to do first. Before attempting to make decisions about what to let go of or keep, it is essential to identify your goals and motivators.
That’s right. Before you break a sweat moving boxes, shuffling papers and emptying out drawers, we need to sort out what we are working towards and why. Not only will this help you work towards a specific goal, it’s going to empower you to make intentional decisions.
STEP 1: VISUALIZE YOUR SPACE
Close your eyes and picture your space transformed. What does it look like?
Likely, you’re already picturing a functional, tidy space where you can easily access and put away items. If it’s an office, there are neat filing systems and a clear desk top. In a bedroom you see calming colours and a floor clear of clothes and clutter.
Let’s keep going. How does the space feel once it’s organized? Maybe your craft room feels inspiring, creative and peaceful. Or a kitchen feels cozy, welcoming and energetic.
From there, what activities are you doing in the space? Identify the specific functions that it serves. In a storage room you might picture yourself stowing away holiday decor with ease, whereas, in a living room you can picture friends and family gathering together with ample space to play games.
Now, I want you to imagine how you feel in this space. Confident, peaceful, happy, excited, relieved - these are many of the common emotions clients are working towards.
STEP 2: WRITE IT DOWN
Having created a clear and specific visualization of your transformed space, it’s important that you write it down. This further solidifies the image you’ve created and turns the vision into articulated thoughts.
TIP: If you share your space with others, do this part together to ensure you’re on the same page.
We’ve made it nice and easy - use our complimentary worksheet to organize your thoughts.
STEP 3: FIND YOUR MOTIVATIONS
With your clear and specific vision identified, take a look over and see if you can spot your key motivators. These are the “why’s” that will keep you working towards your goal.
Here are some examples of visions and their accompanying motivators:
My space will look beautiful. - Motivated by aesthetics.
My space will feel inspiring and creative. - Motivated to have space for hobbies and learning.
I will be able to cook for my family. - Motivated to spend time with loved ones.
I will feel confident in my abilities. - Motivated to grow and improve self-esteem.
List at least three motivators that you can refer to throughout the process. These are going to be paramount to overcoming obstacles like loss of momentum or indecision.
TIP: Post your vision and motivations on a wall to keep you on track.
STEP 4: TIME TO DECLUTTER!
Armed with an inspiring vision and clear motivations, now you’re ready to tackle the decluttering and organizing process!
When you come across items you’re not sure about letting go of, reflect on whether it aligns with your vision. You’d be amazed how many things we have in our homes that don’t match our goals. With your specific goals in mind you’ll be able to make intentional decisions confidently.
TAKE ACTION
It’s time to apply what you’ve learned and to make 2024 the year you declutter and organize.
Want to make it even easier to get started?
To guide you through finding your organizing vision, download our complimentary worksheet here.
Looking for additional support? We’d love to work with you through identifying your goals and motivations, to set you up for success. Contact us below!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kaytlyn Beakhouse is the Lead Organizer at Sort & Simple Professional Organizing. With a
passion for simplicity, efficiency and sustainability, her team brings flow and function to any
space. Need help getting started? Contact S&S
5 Tips for fitting in Exercise as a Busy Mom
Becoming a mom means your entire life and body undergo a lot of changes. Fitting in exercise during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond into motherhood will probably look different than any other phase of your life.
Photography by Jenn Pagnucco
Becoming a mom means your entire life and body undergo a lot of changes. Fitting in exercise during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond into motherhood will probably look different than any other phase of your life. Instead of feeling frustrated with the changes or giving up on your exercise routine all together, try these 5 tips to make exercising easier as a mom.
You don’t need a full hour to get a good workout in.
Finding time to exercise as a parent is not easy. Luckily, you don’t need a full hour (or even 30 minutes) to get a great workout in. At Core Love, we work with busy moms and parents so every workout we create can be adjusted to take between 5-45 minutes. Sometimes our members even break the workout up and complete it in 10 minute chunks throughout the day. Adjusting your expectations about how long workouts need to be is often the biggest game changer when it comes to fitting in workouts as a mom. (Want some short core workouts designed specifically for a mother’s body? Grab them free at www.corelove.ca/resources).
Photography by Jenn Pagnucco
Keep your gear near.
You don’t need much to get a great workout at home. A few bands and weights or heavy household items can do the trick. Having a dedicated workout space in your home might work well but for many busy moms, keeping their exercise gear close makes it easier to get a workout done. Consider keeping some bands and weights in your kitchen or living room. Some squats while you wait for food to cook or glute bridges while you play on the floor with your baby are easy ways to get more movement in without taking much time.
Skip the workout clothes.
Changing into workout clothes and shoes takes valuable minutes that you might not have as a mom. The truth is, you don’t need special workout clothes or even shoes to workout! Working out in bare feet can actually be great for your body (and your pelvic floor!). Skip the extra step and just start moving in whatever you are wearing.
Photography by Jenn Pagnucco
Fuel your exercise.
If you haven’t eaten enough food, you won’t have the energy to exercise. In those early months and years of motherhood, many moms get through the day on caffeine and maybe some kids leftovers. No wonder we don’t feel motivated to burn energy with exercise! Do your best to eat full meals with a mix of protein, carbs, fiber and some fat so that you actually have the energy to move your body.
Have a BAM (Bare A** Minimum)
At Core Love, we know you are busy and giving so much of yourself to care for your family. But we want to remind you that YOU and your care are important too. Everyone deserves a BAM (Bare A** minimum) level of self care. Whether that is 5 minutes a day or 2 workouts a week, think about what your BAM is for this season of life, and then do your best to make sure you get it.
6) **Bonus tip: Have a plan or a program to follow. Having a pre-planned program to follow means you aren’t wasting time on YouTube or Social Media searching for free workouts when you could actually be getting your exercise in! Pregnancy, birth and postpartum bring a lot of changes to your core, pelvic floor and hormonal system. Other changes like diastasis recti, prolapse, leaking and pelvic pain might mean that the workouts you did pre-pregnancy are not the best exercises for this new version of your body. Following a program designed specifically for mothers’ saves valuable brain space and gives you the confidence that the workout you are doing is safe and effective for your body as a mother.
Lastly, be kind to yourself. Know that this phase of life is one of the most demanding and challenging that you will go through. The better care you can give yourself during this phase, the better you will feel. And you deserve to feel amazing.
Kaye Burrows
Core Love Fitness
10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Pharmacy Experience
You are the most important person when it comes to your health. The right health care professionals understand this and will help in any way they can to ease your concerns and ensure your experience is positive.
You are the most important person when it comes to your health. The right health care professionals understand this and will help in any way they can to ease your concerns and ensure your experience is positive.
When taking care of yourself or a loved one, there are a number of simple steps that you can take to make sure that you are getting the most out of your pharmacy experience.
Here it is, 10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Pharmacy Experience
1. Make your pharmacist your most reliable source for information about medications. Pharmacists are truly medication experts – no other health professional possesses the unique body of knowledge that pharmacists draw upon to monitor and manage drug therapy.
2. Take medications as prescribed. Most medicines must be taken exactly as directed by your pharmacist for them to have the proper effect. Be sure that you understand all instructions before you take your medicine, and if you notice side effects or feel sick from taking the medicine, call your pharmacist for advice.
3. Let your pharmacist know if you find it hard to remember to take your medications. Some medicines have complicated directions, and we all have had times when we forget to take our prescriptions as directed. Talk to your pharmacist if you find this happening. They can give you helpful advice on how to stick to your medication plan.
4. Talk to your pharmacist! It's never too late to ask your pharmacist a question. Even if you don't think of one until you get home, you can still call the pharmacist for advice. If your provider suggests a course of treatment you don’t feel comfortable with, inquire about other potential treatment options. Don’t be afraid to ask more questions. If you’ve asked a question and still don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask again.
5. Ask for a list of your medications. Even better, ask for a one-on-one medication consultation. Most patients who take a prescription medication regularly will benefit from a medication review, they’re not just for those with complex medical conditions. Studies repeatedly show that regular medication reviews result in better health outcomes. If you are taking a medication on a long-term basis review your medication(s) annually with a pharmacist.
6. Get advice before you mix prescription or non-prescription medicines or herbal/natural products. There can be significant or dangerous interactions between prescription, non-prescription and herbal products. Interactions are not restricted to just mixing prescription medications either, interactions can also occur with common foods.
7. Ask for privacy. All pharmacies should have readily available private consultation rooms to meet with you one-on-one where you can talk without interruption and should be encouraged to ask questions.
8. Find out how you can order your refills to avoid interruption. Many pharmacies offer online refill requests and can send you a text when they’re ready for pick up. If you need more refills, in some cases your pharmacist may be able to authorize a refill of your prescription but in other cases your doctor will need to be contacted.
9. Ask the pharmacist about what else you can do to help achieve your health goals. Medication is one piece of the puzzle, there are many ways to help reach your goals. Many pharmacists incorporate lifestyle-modification patient care into their practice and can offer patients information, guidance, and counseling regarding lifestyle changes that can help manage their medical conditions in addition to prescription therapy.
10. Staying with one pharmacist and pharmacy is the best way for you and your pharmacist to keep track of your care. Your prescription records and history are maintained in the pharmacy where the medications are filled, which means your pharmacist can better understand your prescription history and identify possible drug interactions or allergies with any new prescriptions that you fill at that pharmacy.
Developing a strong relationship with a pharmacist you trust can transform your health. Make the most of your relationship by learning about and taking advantage of some of the many clinical services pharmacies now offer. If you’re interested in learning about the services at Bearspaw Pharmacy, please visit our website and check out our patient portal at bearspawpharmacy.ca.
Submission By: Kim Henke
Email hello@bearspawpharmacy.ca
Website https://www.bearspawpharmacy.ca/
Did you know that on average, people spend around 90,000 hours of their lives working? Let's make sure every one of those hours is spent doing something you love and excel at!