Spring Forward: Mini Motivators for Organizing Your Space

By: A Clear Path Team Member, Lauren Brennan

Let’s cut to the chase, it’s Spring, the state is about to reopen, and you never organized those closets. Along with the sourdough starter kits of the world, many of the projects you intended to complete (or simply start!) fell by the wayside. We don’t blame you. Like a drawer filled with Tupperware to which there is no matching lid, this last year has been frustratingly chaotic. If the thought of the pandemic ending fills you with dread because you still don’t know what’s buried in your hallway closet, don’t worry. There’s still time to get it together, at least where your belongings are concerned. Sometimes just getting started is half the battle.

Here are a few places around your home that might be in need of some TLC and how to tackle them:

The hallway closet. Usually smaller than a wardrobe closet and situated near an entrance, this area of your home is perfect for throwing away things that aren’t yet garbage. Part of what makes it so terrifying is it’s mysterious contents. Anything could be in there.

Junk mail, empty amazon boxes, broken light bulbs, a holiday wreath…All of these items are known to congregate in this forgotten place you pass by so often. Grab a recycling bin because most of what’s in here probably never belonged anyways. The wreath can stay. Maximize the space in your closet by utilizing the interior wall space. If space permits, a command strip or nail in an inconspicuous area can be used to hang the wreath inside of the closet. Other items like umbrellas or reusable grocery bags can be hung up as well.

Recycle, reduce, reuse those single-use plastic bags!

Speaking of grocery bags, how many do you currently have shoved into a small space beside the fridge? When you open the cabinet under your sink does a confetti-like assortment of plastic or paper bags burst forth? Thanks to covid, single-use bags are back, for now. Luckily there are hundreds, if not thousands, of tutorials online on how to store plastic bags. Click on this link for an easy and free option for storing all that plastic. The Russian Doll method of storing plastic bags will leave you feeling like a magician pulling an endless array of ties out of a hat.

Environmentally friendly tips in honor of Earth Day:

Instead of plastic bags use washable-mesh produce bags.
Instead of plastic wrap try ethically sourced beeswax paper.
Large empty food containers with lids make excellent mini-storage bins for paper-thin produce bags. Poke a hole into the top and grab as you go!
Reuse single-use plastic bags for smelly trash like raw meat and expired veggies.
Don’t throw out plastic water bottles and aluminum cans at the gas station unless the trash is separated for recycling.
White vinegar is a powerful, affordable cleaning agent that’s Earth, kid and pet friendly. Use it with baking soda to deep clean dirty spots like the bathtub and kitchen sink.
Use this month as an opportunity to safely dispose of all old batteries. Check this site for for a list of places to toss them.
Check around the house for items to use as organizers in the car or trunk before buying something new. Cardboard file boxes or empty tubs and bins can double as storage spaces in the trunk.
Earth

Keep it moving! Don’t neglect your second home

Cars are another high traffic area that often get treated like a trash can. We use our cars for so much more than driving. They’re an extension of our home, a place we eat and sometimes even sleep in. During the pandemic, it may have doubled as your therapist’s office, or just a quiet place to escape the sound of upstairs neighbors. Grab that trash bin. Throw out all those empty coffee cups and pastry bags. If you don’t need it to start the car, it probably has a place inside your home instead. Consider investing in a backseat or trunk organizer if you travel often. While most people can see your car coming from a mile away, it’s an easy hiding place for junk and clutter.

If doing a little is still a little too much, we’re here to help

You don’t have to organize your entire space in one day; starting small can provide you with the jump start you need to get motivated. Most of the clutter in our way does not serve us any longer yet we hesitate to get rid of it for a myriad of reasons. The pandemic ending is a huge relief for many, but it could also unleash waves of anxiety as we consider welcoming our loved ones back into our personal spaces. Articles like these can provide helpful tips and tricks to get started, but if you feel overwhelmed by the level of clutter in your home and don’t know where to begin, that’s ok, too.

Reach out to us at A Clear Path and we will help get you sorted.

Clearing Chaos: Estate Sales

a beautiful estate should be handled carefully by a trusted fiduciary

As a professional fiduciary working on behalf of seniors or persons with mental or physical disabilities, you are legally and ethically bound to put your clients’ interest ahead of your own, with the duty to preserve trust and good faith.

Since the majority of your clients probably don’t have any family members to protect their money or healthcare needs before or after they pass on, you are ultimately responsible for the actions of anyone you hire to assist with managing their needs. And that’s where professional estate clearing services come in handy.

Benefits of Professional Estate Clearing Services for Fiduciaries

If anyone you hire improperly handles your client’s property, you can be surcharged by the court for losses. Fiduciaries are often faced with complicated family dynamics, and you must serve as an independent third-party entity to keep your clients safe and their assets protected.

If you often encounter challenges with estate sales amidst family conflict and stress, a professional estate clearing service provider can help ease the pressure. So, here are a few ways a moving company specializing in estate clearance can help you free up the property for sale while ensuring comfort and peace of mind for your clients.

1. Clearing Chaos

In most cases, you may need to move an elderly person or a person with a mental or physical disability from a home packed to the ceiling with a lifetime of mementos and valuable objects into a one-bedroom condo.

Estate clearing services help you with decluttering, chronic hoarding, and downsizing for seniors and their families. By allowing an experienced moving company to work on comfortably relocating your client, you’ll free up time to focus on your fiduciary duties of bettering the life of your client.

Whether it is an inherited family home that needs clearing or your client is downsizing to a new life, estate clearing services can save you the headache associated with moving seniors or persons with mental incapacitation.

2. Sorting, Organizing, and Categorizing Possessions

Many seniors, and persons with cognitive or mental health issues, often develop emotional attachments with their possessions. An experienced estate clearing agent will handle all your client’s possessions with respect and care, and assist with sorting, organizing, and categorizing items that your client wishes to keep from the stuff that needs to be donated, sold, or disposed of.

A trusted professional will go through every envelope, file, box, book, bag, and clothes to find treasurers, stocks and bonds, money, titles, checks, and insurance papers.

Depending on your preference and availability, an estate clearing agency can run an estate sale or set up a consignment shop or online auction for items too valuable to donate. Alternatively, estate clearing can help you arrange for pick-up of certain valuables by a charity of your choice.

3. Preparation of a Home for Sale

Allow a professional estate clearing service provider to free you from the burden and stress of decluttering a home for sale, so you can function better, feel better, and enjoy life fully. The process often begins with a free assessment meeting to discuss your goals and establish a viable plan of action.

With your approval, the company will provide a written estimate and start the process. Full disclosure, honesty, and confidentiality are the cornerstones of a reliable estate moving company.

Ultimately, a clean, clutter-free house is relatively easier to sell. Estate clearing services can help you de-clutter, thoroughly clean, and re-arrange the furniture to enhance traffic flow. The shift in energy from dark, stagnant, and stuffy space to a bright, clean, and clear space will automatically attract buyers.

4. Relocation and Downsizing with a Touch of Love

Moving, especially for seniors and persons with disabilities, is one of the top three stress factors in life. Relocating from a home you have lived in for a lifetime can be traumatizing. Memories and emotions can keep you and your loved ones from making sound decisions. Whether your client is moving to a smaller home, hospice, retirement community, nursing care center, condo, or even another family member’s home, an estate clearing company can help.

Save yourself the stress, time, and money by hiring an estate clearing company to declutter and sell all the things your client no longer needs, so you can focus on your fiduciary responsibilities.

Contact A Clear Path for a One-call Process!

At A Clear Path, we take full responsibility for sorting, organizing, clearing, disposing, and selling all the property in your client’s home. We also offer services to address trash, e-waste, shredding, and even toxic waste.

If you need to sell tangible personal property, ask about our online Estate Sale Auctions. Our goal is to alleviate any stress associated with choosing the right vendor for such detailed and delicate tasks. We can also help you settle the estate expediently for clients who have either passed on or are in the midst of a transition from their regular homes into assisted living facilities.

We are able to roll our fees into Escrow to pack, organize, and unpack your client’s possessions and manage the entire moving process. Contact us today for more information about estate clearing services and how we can help you clear chaos as you focus on overseeing the health care or finances of your clients.

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How to Declutter and Organize Your Closet

Having to clear out your home for whatever reason can be challenging. You’re aware that there’s quite a bit of work ahead of you and dread even thinking about beginning. However, procrastinating will only make matters worse, as you’re probably very well aware. This is why you should take a breath and decide to start. The sooner you do, the sooner it’ll all be over, and you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. That being said, you shouldn’t rush into this process; there are some things you should inform yourself about prior to diving in. In the spirit of painless beginnings, let’s go over how to declutter and organize your closet without a lot of fuss.

Make an inventory of everything you own

making a list is a first step i a decluttering process when using a professional organizer Take the time to sit down with yourself before you start to organize and declutter your closet. Clear your mind and
thoroughly examine everything that you possess.

Write down your belongings in categories in as much detail as you seem fit. You should find the right balance, meaning that the inventory should be informative to a productive degree. Don’t clutter the list that’s supposed to help you declutter. Whether you’re downsizing your home or just doing some spring cleaning, this step will benefit you greatly. Making home inventories in advance and adding to the list as you go along can save you a lot of time. However, it’s completely understandable if you’re not that kind of a person.

If you wish to organize and declutter your closet, you should make an inventory first.

Detect your weaknesses from the start

If you’re someone who cannot focus on tasks such as decluttering and organizing your closet, admit this to yourself. By pinpointing certain areas of your character that are flawed, you’ll be able to aid them in the right way. If you’re too much of a perfectionist ever to start this process, make yourself get up. If you have a problem with being organized, write everything down and hire estate clearing services or a similar organization to help.

Clean your home

One of the biggest misconceptions about organizing and decluttering your closet is that it doesn’t include cleaning. A tidy home and a clean one go pretty much hand in hand. You cannot do one without the other. So when you start cleaning, decluttering, and organizing, make sure you use the right products. It will help you immensely. If nothing else, once you’ve purchased everything you’ll need, you’ll be much more motivated to start.

Hire a professional company to declutter and organize your closet

Much in the same way you’d hire move management and relocation specialists or cleaning services, you should think about hiring professional home organizing services to help you declutter and organize your closet. Especially if you’re not the most organized of people, there’s no harm in having someone to guide you through the process of decluttering and organizing your closet.

Divide and conquer

criteria for separation is a key to good organizing If you want a neat and tidy closet, you don’t necessarily need organizing services. Although hiring someone would help you out quite a bit, that doesn’t mean it’s required. You can involve your family and friends and delegate the work. This is especially advisable if you own a lot of things. Try not to look at this as some dreadful task. Make a fun day of it. Turn up some music, order a pizza, and reward yourself and your trusty helpers with some wine to help it all go down a bit more smoothly.

If you want to declutter and organize all your clothes, you should be decisive and get to it right away.

Organize a yard sale

Once you’ve separated the good from the bad, you then need to get rid of all the things you’ve deemed useless. One of the best things you could do to help this process move along quicker is to organize a yard sale. This way, you’ll earn and get rid of the old stuff. It’s a win-win situation. Of course, if money doesn’t play a grand role, you could also donate some of the items you’ve decluttered and organized in your closet.

Storage ideas

On the other hand, anything you don’t want to give away and get rid of, but you don’t want in your closet either, you should store. If you can make use of in-house storage ideas, go right ahead. Nonetheless, you can, of course, use a storage unit if you don’t have enough space. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to do it properly. Divide your belongings safely and efficiently so as not to have wasted all the time spent decluttering and organizing the closet.

Don’t stress about things not going exactly according to plan

Simply said, don’t stress over everything that might come your way. There will undoubtedly be some moments that won’t go as planned. That’s fine. Trust a job like decluttering can be stressful, but not if you are using a professional organizer with a decluttering specialty that you’ve done enough. Better yet, reward yourself for everything that goes right instead of punishing yourself for the mistakes that are out of your hand. Organizing and decluttering your closet can be very therapeutic if you let it be.

Try not to stress out over the things that aren’t in your control.

Don’t keep items for the wrong reasons

As the world has gotten to know people like Marie Kondo over the years, some things have become common knowledge. However, just in case you’re not yet familiar with the inner-workings of one of the most organized people known to man, we’re here to help. She’s practically given the world of decluttering and organizing closets a completely different meaning. One of the most important things she’s preaching is that we should attentively think about what we should keep in our homes and hearts.

Here are some questions to help with decision-making:

Do I love this item, and is it giving me joy?
Do I still fit in this outfit, or am I holding on to an older version of myself?
Does it project the picture that I want to show off?
Do I feel comfortable in this?
Am I trying to impress people by owning something that’s just not me?

Sometimes asking yourself some simple and seemingly shallow questions such as these can really help. You’ll be able to declutter and organize your closet much more efficiently if you’re not holding on to specific pressures and triggers. Minimalism has never seemed more appealing.

A rack of clothes that can help you declutter and organize your closet.

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Smart Ways To Prepare For A Successful Declutter

de-cluttering sounds easy until one gets overwhelmed with all that must be accomplished, but help is there if you are using a professional organizer like A Clear Path

Disorganization causes 80% of all household clutter, according to one study by the Soap and Detergent Association. For those looking to declutter their homes, however, getting started often seems like a daunting task — especially if you’ve just moved, or your home is on the larger side. From preparing yourself mentally before you begin to making yourself actually get started, here are just a few fundamentals when it comes to getting the job done successfully and with as little stress as possible.

Set goals before you begin

Physical and mental preparation are key to successful organization, with one important aspect being to let go of any guilt beforehand. This will make a world of difference when it comes to actually being able to part with items and meet your organizational goals, especially if you have a difficult time parting with things that others have given you. Making a plan that includes a task list and creating a set schedule before you begin decluttering is also necessary to ensure productivity, and will allow you to set and reach your goals clearly. This will be particularly beneficial if you have a larger house, or if you plan to declutter your home over a longer period of time, since you’ll have a written record of what you plan to accomplish.

Choose an organizational system

After preparing to declutter your home, actually getting started and making progress often follows with difficulty, which is where having some kind of from messy to clean all done with a professional organizer with a specialty in decluttering organizational system or strategy in place will help greatly in getting the job done productively. One smart way to do this is by doing one room at a time, and tackling the rooms that need decluttering the most first. This allows you to break up the task of decluttering into smaller, more attainable goals.

When it comes to actually sorting your belongings, using a system such as the “four box technique” will help in prioritizing your things. With this method, you simply label four different bins (keep, donate, throw away, and store), which will allow you to have a visual aid as to how much you’re keeping vs. donating. If you’re finding difficulty in deciding what to keep, one rule of thumb is to keep in mind whether or not you’ve used the item recently, which will aid in determining how useful it is to you. When putting things away again, it’s also important to keep elements like convenience in mind to ensure that things stay organized in the future — for instance, designating a place by the door for your keys will prevent you from misplacing them.

Make a plan for your unwanted clutter

Perhaps one of the most important things when preparing to declutter your home is having a plan for getting the unwanted items out of your home once and for all. If you have the time, organizing a garage sale or setting up a page to sell the items online is one way to do so effectively while making a profit, which will be useful in getting your money back out of those expensive, lesser used items. For instance, if you put some thought and planning into a garage sale, you can easily make between $500 and $1,000, according to the New York Times. Any items that you don’t sell can be just as easily donated to local organizations that will give them a second life.

Decluttering and organizing your home is often distressing — especially if you’ve recently moved and your things are in disarray, or if your home is particularly large. However, by preparing beforehand, having a system, and considering resources for getting your clutter out of your home, you can effectively organize everything you own.

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

Use Organizing Services to Transform Your Home Into an Income Stream

clean-up and decluttering is best accomplished with help from an expert organizer like Regina F Lark

If you’re thinking of picking up a side hustle, you aren’t alone. According to Zapier, one in three Americans now have a side gig to supplement their primary income stream. The key to success is utilizing resources you already have at your disposal, like your house. There are a number of ways that you can monetize your property and turn it into another source of income. If you’re successful, you might even turn your side gig into a full-fledged business.

Before you can monetize your home — for example, by showing it off on social media — you’ll need to get it looking its best. A Clear Path offers decluttering and organization tips to help. Read on for more tips to follow if you want to create a clear home to transform into a gorgeous, money-making machine.

Document your home improvements

HGTV shows like Fixer Upper have become popular in recent years. Country Living notes that ratings for such “home genre” shows are high. Seize the momentum of this trend. Document your own home improvements, big and small. Make sure to use appealing visual formats, like YouTube or Instagram. Shane Baker provides tips on figuring out which platform is best for you, like considering your niche and current follower counts.

decluttering is one of the specialties of A Clear Path a professional organizer.

Monetize your blog or website

You can also document your home improvement journey in writing via a blog or website. This opens up yet another source of possible income — selling ad space. For example, if you write about a plumbing disaster, you might have ads for plumbing services. Diggity Marketing provides other pointers for monetizing a blog, from using Google AdSense to accepting visitor donations.

Check out affiliate marketing opportunities with home organizing services and more

Look for affiliate marketing opportunities that make for logical collaborations. As Big Commerce explains, this is a type of performance-based marketing where marketers (called affiliates) earn a commission for marketing another company’s products. Their sales are tracked via links. You might team up with home organizing services like A Clear Path, home remodeling companies, homewares providers, and more.

No clue how to do affiliate marketing? Ahrefs provides a quick step-by-step guide. Here’s an overview:

Pick a platform, like a YouTube channel or blog.
Select a niche to narrow things down. For example, maybe you want to focus on gardening and houseplants.
Research affiliate programs that are a good fit.
Sign up for your chosen program.
Create compelling content to engage your audience.
Drive traffic to your affiliate collaborator.

From there, all you have to do is cash in, and you’re already making money from your clean and clear home.

Boost traffic with social media ads

If you’re going to monetize a blog or website, you need to have consistent traffic. More visitors means more visibility. When it comes to points like selling ad space, this ups your brand’s value. Goins Writer explains how to drive blog traffic through social channels. They recommend asking others to promote your blog through social bookmarking sites, like Reddit and Stumbleupon, and implementing sharing tools on your platform.

preparing to rent or sell your property? Use a professional organizer like A Clear Path

Transform Your Home-Related Business Into a Real Company

Ideally, you will grow your side hustle with time. You will attract more followers on social media, boost website traffic, and raise your profile overall. At some point, you may discover that your “side hustle” has become a legitimate business. Grasshopper provides tips for determining whether you’re ready to quit your day job, such as:

Try a beta test: Start treating your side business like it’s a full-time business for one full day per week and see how it goes.
Assess your confidence: Making the leap can be daunting. Assess your confidence and determine if you’re emotionally ready.
Write a business plan: Writing a business plan that includes financial projections will help you determine if this is a viable path forward.
Consider financials: Finally, consider whether you need additional funding to get your business going.

If you do think that it’s time to create a full-time business, make it official. Establishing a formal legal entity like a limited liability company (LLC) protects your personal assets in case you run into business problems. You have to register your LLC with the state. While this requires some paperwork, it’s not a super complicated process. Business formation services can help you get it done in as few as five steps.

The Final Word

You won’t transform your home into a money-maker overnight, but you have to recognize the signs. Be patient! With perseverance, you will be able to take your home-related side hustle to the next level.

A Clear Path Professional Organizing and Productivity can help you get your home ready for the spotlight through decluttering, and other services. Check out reviews from former clients.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
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Stuck On Repeat

By: A Clear Path employee, Lauren Brennan

For a month that centers around warm and fuzzy feelings, February can be an ironically depressing time. Winter festivities are behind us and we’ve settled back into our monotonous routines. For some of us the mid-month dose of candied hearts and sappy greeting cards has us rolling our eyes, especially when we’re still fighting our way through a global pandemic. What do we have to look forward to? Spring cleaning? Didn’t we just do that last year?! Ugh.

Organizing is an unending effort. It’s a job that can feel like it’s never done. in the northern hemisphere, hearts inform us that spring will be here soon and de-cluttering and removal is in the air In the 1993 movie Groundhog’s Day an arrogant journalist named Phil Ryerson finds himself stuck in a supernatural cycle where, for reasons unknown to him, he must relive February 2nd indefinitely. Forced to repeat the same day in a snow-blanketed town that worships a rodent, eventually he loses his mind. Looking for the twin to a set of socks in a messy drawer can have a similar effect.

Valuable Lessons

For Phil Ryerson and those of us living in the real world, repetitious endeavors can lead us to the brink unless we learn a valuable life lesson: while our circumstances may be unvaried, our perspective is not. With all the time spent at home watching dust collect on top of clutter that never stops materializing, it’s easy to feel stuck, out of control of the world around you. Messes can be ignored when we aren’t surrounded by them all day long. Now, with many of us at home most of the day, it’s unavoidable. Each morning we wake up and the clutter is still there. But the truth is, you’re not stuck. You can get it together regardless of that pesky Groundhog declaring four more weeks of winter. Here’s how:

Start small.

Tackle one junk drawer a day until everything has a place and a purpose.
Clean up the desktop on your laptop or computer.
Leave no family photo or online receipt behind!
Rename screenshots so you can find them later with ease or simply delete them entirely.
Screenshots of photos that already live forever on your Facebook page may not be necessary to keep.
Photos and large files take up valuable storage space on your hard drive.
Clear a space for new memories.
Eliminating objects crowding your physical space can be very empowering.
The simple act of deleting a few files can leave you with a sense of accomplishment and the inspiration to continue clearing more.

Use what you have on hand.

The KonMari shop sells beautiful, albeit expensive, boxes that act as drawer separators making your folded clothing more easy to spot.
If you have deep dresser drawers, use empty shoe boxes instead of purchasing fancy paper ones.
Upcycling is friendly on your wallet and the environment.
Don’t save every little box that Amazon sends your way, but do keep sturdy packaging that can be repurposed for later storage.
Utilizing what you already have lying around saves you time and money. Don’t get lost in the pages of a virtual Container Store.

There’s no need to waste any more time waiting to get organized, we all know the postal service has more important things to deliver these days. You probably have the tools already, you just need to get a little creative.

Get crafty!

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, literally.
Not everything needs to be hidden away. Remember that form follows function when considering where to store and place items.
You can repurpose unconventional spaces like the space underneath a kitchen cabinet or in front of a backsplash for hanging pots or mugs.
Pinterest is a great resource for creating mood boards and finding inspiration for new projects.
- It’s a photo-centric mood board in and of itself, with many of the photos linking to helpful articles or online shops.
Type in “upcycled organization” or “diy storage” and you’ll find a slew of hacks and tips for getting your life in order.

Not that crafty yourself?

Etsy is an excellent online shopping alternative to Amazon and other corporate distributors. The shops on Etsy are largely run by small business owners looking to broaden their market. With farmers markets and art fairs put on hold, it’s a great way to support artists and local vendors. It’s also a pathway to connect with real people, something you can’t get from a big-box retailer. Sellers often include handwritten notes, stickers or homemade cards with purchases. If you don’t have the materials on hand to DIY a shoe organizer or sock drawer divider, consider shopping small first.

Donate it!

Spring time isn’t the only suitable purging season. Take stock of your household inventory not once but twice a year. Autumn, before the holidays, is a great time to clear your space. Go through old decorations and any back-to-school items you may have lying around and donate them just in time for someone else to enjoy. Donating items during times that correlate with events throughout the year increases the chance that someone will actually find and use the item you’re giving away.

The next time you are feeling victimized by your clutter, remember: you are in control. Tomorrow can be different if you choose to act differently. An emotional weight is lifted when we physically remove what no longer serves us. Incorporating recycling and donating into our organizing practices helps us waste less and connect with our community. Perhaps you spent last year in a vicious cycle of daily online shopping. A Groundhog’s Day scenario that transpired for many of us was reaching for the phone and hitting the “Buy with 1 click” button before we even had our morning coffee. Giving away old (or even new) items to someone in need can help with the guilt of past purchases and free up valuable space in your home. Next time, look around your space and see what you could repurpose before you reach for the credit card. Finding out that you already have everything you need, now that’s a warm, fuzzy feeling. Contact us for help for what might seem to be an overwhelming task.

Should You Hire Unpacking Services After the Move

Having good organizational skills may come in very handy in a lot of life situations. If you are an organized person, you may excel at your workplace or keep a tidy house, especially if you have children or pets. But, being organized doesn’t mean that you will always be on top of every situation life throws at you. One of those life occurrences is certainly relocation. Usually, people perceive relocation as a stressful period in life; now, even more than ever, with the busy schedule we all keep. That is why relocation specialists have their work cut out for them. The fact is that some of you don’t have the time or the money to go through the moving process by yourself, so hiring a move manager is the right choice. Know that they offer all possible services you can think of and are moving-related: packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking services, storage, you name it.

Which type of services is fundamental when opting for professional move management?

Some excellent moving companies offer a full pack of services that don’t just include the loading, transportation, and unloading of your belongings and household items. Their teams also do your packing, storage, and unpacking if needed. If you add time management and home organizing services to the list, you will have a somewhat clear picture of what senior move managers have in their job description. Suppose you are a working mum of two, relocating for business across the country. In this scenario, your exceptional organizational skills are good to have. Still, you may lack time and focus because of all the things you must think about and care about in the process. If your relocation circumstances are like the above scenario, a good option is to hire professional help to assist you in the moving project. Hired professionals can help you save time, and with good budgeting also money.

Busy parents with small children can benefit from professional move management.

What can you expect after moving day?

Your moving day is approaching, and you feel you have done everything right. Suppose you opted for hiring a senior moving manager and his team to help you through this endeavor. Besides, imagine that they also did your home inventories and left you a clear home on the moving day. But what happens when you arrive at your new house or apartment? What about all the boxes and wrap-upped furniture? Firstly, take a deep breath and acknowledge that there are many things that need to be done. It surely would be good to have someone navigate you through the unpacking process so you have more time to focus on your new job, your kids’ new school, or meeting the new neighborhood. That is why it would be beneficial to plan unpacking services after the move if the budget allows you to do so. For a more detailed outlook on the matter, look up professional organizing and what it involves.

List of tasks included in professional unpacking services

Depending on your budget and your requirements, you can opt for full service or partial unpacking. Maybe you need assistance only with one room, your library, or your closet. Then, it would be wise to choose partial organizing services. On the other hand, if you need help with organizing your whole house after moving day, hiring professionals will entail the following:

Unwrapping all the furniture and appliances
Unpacking all the boxes with other household items
Making an inventory of every item
Assembly of furniture if needed
Organization of kitchen, bedroom, closet, bathroom, or other rooms
Putting all items in place
Clean up, removal of all packaging material

To make this process go smoothly, it is essential to brief the team about your requirements. Give clear and concise input on where you would like your things to go. Most (un)packers will professionally do their job with little or no bother to the owner.

Does it cost a lot to have relocation specialists help you settle?

One of the questions you will think a lot about is how much it all costs. Well, it depends. Firstly, it depends on the size of your home. It is not the same to have a team unpack a one-bedroom apartment and a 4-bedroom house. Secondly, it depends on the time frame you need your relocation to finalize. Mostly, professionals can do the unpacking in a day or two, but sometimes people need the service quicker. If you are on a budget but still need help and assistance in this department, think about opting for partial unpacking services. For example, if you have a case of a boomer downsize in your family and you are helping, it will be useful to choose a package with estate clearing services. This way, the senior relocation process will come full circle, and the price will be complementary to a complete package deal.

Are you in need of hiring home organizing services after the move?

certified move managers are an excellent source for moving boomers and seniors that are downsizing. Certain situations almost impose hiring professional unpackers. Here is a list of such cases to help you decide whether you need these services or not:

You move a lot for business and don’t have much time to transition because of your busy work schedule.
Being a senior citizen without the help of family or friends, where packing and unpacking is a physical hurdle.
Maybe you are a busy parent with a large family, little time, and a lot of responsibilities.
You have the budget, and you want good value for your money.
Having already made a complete package deal with a moving company, from packing, clearing house estates, transportation, and unpacking.
You might have a time constraint on your unpacking for any reason, and you need the service done quickly and efficiently.

Conclusion

Whatever your reasons are, if your budget allows you to, hiring professional unpacking services can turn into an investment; you ultimately invest in more time, allowing you to take care of some more important things, like your family or your job. Time is, after all, our most valuable asset. If you have the budget and the opportunity to take advantage of a stress-free moving experience, you definitely should.

Used photos:
Featured image – https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-smiling-behind-the-headboard-3616688/
Image 1 – https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-crew-neck-t-shirt-sitting-on-brown-couch-4568697/
Image 2 – https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-black-leather-boots-sitting-on-brown-cardboard-boxes-4553277/
Image 3 – https://www.pexels.com/photo/elderly-couple-walking-on-the-street-5637575/

6 Tips for Downsizing Your Home as a Senior

There will come a time when seniors will need to downsize and there are several professionals: organizers, move managers can help

Living as a senior has its own challenges. Many tasks, which once seemed simple, present a challenge now. This is just a part of life, but there are certain things you can do to make your life as a senior easier, more comfortable and to ensure you have more time to enjoy the finer things in life. Downsizing your home as a senior is probably the best way to free up more time for yourself and your hobbies.

At the same time, downsizing can be emotionally draining as well as physically demanding. Therefore, hiring relocation specialists to help you with your move management can make things a lot easier. Ensure that you are familiar with the key issues related to using a senior move manager. They know all the tips and tricks to make your move smooth and hassle-free.

Downsizing in a few easy steps

Reputable relocation specialists know the main rules when it comes to downsizing. There are a few things that can help make your move easier. We will share six tips for downsizing your home as a senior that will help make your life simpler. They will allow you to spend more time doing the things you like.

Face the facts and be emotionally intelligent

Emotional intelligence can significantly influence our decision-making process. Senior relocation is not easy. Some moments might tug on your heartstrings, but it is important that you deal with your emotions. Recognize that downsizing will benefit you in the long run. It might seem difficult when going through old, cherished memories, but keep in mind that it will enable you to create new memories.

Get your kids involved. Ask your family members to help you sort through your belongings and spend time with them, as this will make you feel at ease. Family can get us through the toughest of times, so don’t be afraid to recognize your feelings and discuss them openly.

If you like the neighborhood you currently live in, try consulting a senior move manager and asking them to help you find a smaller place in the same area. If, on the other hand, you wish to move somewhere else, you can always ask for help with the transfer to your new neighborhood. Downsizing and moving don’t have to be stressful and tiring. If organized properly, it can be a simple step towards a lifestyle transformation. Don’t hesitate to search for help, contact your movers today, and let them provide you with the best senior relocation services.

Plan on time and organize in advance

If you feel like you have good organizational skills, you should try to create a system that will allow you to plan and organize the tasks that need to be completed prior to your move. If not, you can look for a move manager or senior moving specialist to help you organize the tasks at hand. Whichever route you choose to take, keep the following in mind:

It would be best if you didn’t rush sorting through your belongings. Go through your current home one room at a time and take breaks whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed.
Going through your belongings is going to be emotional. It is a good idea to start by going through the items you aren’t too emotionally attached to first. This will get your mind used to the idea of downsizing and will help when dealing with your more cherished belongings later on. You should recognize that you are downsizing and that you won’t have space for all of the items you currently possess.
Getting professional estate clearing services can help you if the going gets rough. However, knowing some of their estate clearing secrets can go a long way if you feel up to the task.
Pay special attention to the things in your current home that make your life easier and more pleasant. Write notes down to keep track of these things and remind you to create a similar setup in your new home after downsizing. This will help you adjust to your new home faster.
Professional home organizing services can help you organize your new home in a way that best suits you and your current needs. You can also use these services to reorganize your home if, at some point, your needs change.

Consider getting help

Move management has been around for a while, but specialized senior move management is a relatively young industry. It is, however, a growing industry. This is because it offers an array of senior relocation services that many aging community members find very helpful. This is just one of the reasons why you should consider hiring a senior move manager and getting help with your downsizing and relocation.

movers and the moving expreience is greatly enhanced when you you use a move manager

Consider your storage options

You will also need to think about storage. The fact that you are downsizing means that you won’t be able to take everything you own with you. There might be some items you don’t wish to get rid of, or you don’t use very often but still need them from time to time. You should consider your storage options for these items. The most common and most easily stored items are:

Oversized furniture and home items.
Documents and paperwork.
Items of emotional value.
Seasonal items.

Make sure to choose the right type of storage for your belongings. Some items might require special storage conditions.

using a public storage facility is great, but can be better with a move manager and organizing professional

Pack light and pack right

When your moving day arrives, you will need to have access to your essential items as soon as you arrive at your new home. This means that you will need to pack in a way that enables you to get to the things you use most often, such as toiletries, cutlery, and such. You won’t be needing seventeen sets of dishes and cutlery on your first day. If you do pack that many, you will probably need to learn about de-cluttering your kitchen sooner rather than later. Make sure to pack light and pack right. Basically, what this means is that you need to pack a few boxes with just your essentials. These are the things you will need during the first few days of your move, such as a towel, your toothbrush, a few plates, a set of cutlery, and a good book or perhaps your favorite CD to help you relax the first few evenings. Label these boxes clearly and concisely and when loading them into the moving vehicle, try to pack these boxes last.

Get to know your new home in advance

Getting to know your new home before you move into it can help you adjust to life after downsizing your home as a senior. Try to obtain a layout or floorplan of the place. Decide where you wish to put your furniture and try to imagine what it will look like. Try to find the best fit for your furniture and other belongings. Don’t be scared to rearrange your items several times. Also, getting to know your new neighborhood and the locations of grocery stores and doctors’ offices will make you feel more at ease once you move in.

having good checklists before starting a downsizing move

See the upside

A common mistake seniors make when downsizing is that they view it from the wrong perspective. Don’t think of downsizing as a loss of any freedom or space. Instead, think of it as optimizing your life. Why spend precious time clearing square footage that you very rarely use? Why spend hard-earned money on heating and electricity for empty rooms? As a matter of fact, if, as a senior, you still plan on working from home, there are plenty of tips on how to upgrade your workspace for maximum productivity and happiness. With downsizing come savings, both in terms of financials and time. This means you will have more time and money to spend on more important things. These are the things that fill your life with joy and laughter.

Imagine yourself happy and relaxed in the near future, enjoying life to the fullest. Downsizing your home as a senior will help you achieve that.

Used images:
https://pixabay.com/photos/building-plan-floor-plan-354233/
https://unsplash.com/photos/ZVkDLrXGMdw
https://unsplash.com/photos/OoiWpdFC0Rw
https://pixabay.com/photos/senior-couple-bed-happy-4723737/

Dual Success: How To Start A Business And Move Your Household At The Same Time

Many successful business ventures got their starts in garages, home offices or at kitchen tables. If you’re ready to launch your small business with a goal of operating primarily from a home-based location, it might be time to consider a move that provides both your business, and your family, room to grow. Let A Clear Path help, starting with the following tips:

Plans and Professionals

While launching a new business and moving to a new home simultaneously might feel like a daunting task, when done in a well thought-out manner and the right people on your team, it can pay both personal and professional dividends!

As HRchitect explains, pre-planning is key to a successful startup. Of course, this is all the more complex when you’re moving at the same time you’re getting your venture off the ground. For your enterprise’s purposes, a formal business plan can help you structure your goals and how to meet them. It will also come in handy if you apply for any loans or grants.

For assistance with finding and purchasing a new home and sorting out details related to your venture, partnering with a professional organizer can make a world of difference. From decluttering to arranging a professional mover to packing and unpacking, turn to a professional you can trust for solutions.

Setting Your Budget

As CNBC explains, you need to create a budget that takes into consideration all of the usual home-buying financial needs, such as down payment, closing costs and fees. You may want to look for a reputable lender with experience in home-based business ventures who can help you find the best loan products available for your situation. If your new home will require any type of retrofitting (like the addition of a separate business entrance), factor anticipated costs into the budgeting process.

Striking The Perfect Balance

Of course, you’ll want to take your family’s needs into consideration when situating both the household and the business in a new location. Give thought to how you will collectively use the property. Consider a home that has a mother-in-law’s quarters or a detached casita that can be used specifically for work purposes. If that’s not possible, look for a layout that can accommodate both work and home – for example, a design where office space is on one side of the house, and communal living space is on the other.

Getting Things Organized

Don’t allow the moving process to derail your business start-up efforts. Create a “go box” that has all of your most critical files, documents and essential materials, and keep it with you, rather than pack it into storage containers. This will ensure you have all relevant business info with you throughout the move. Encourage family members to do the same by packing their own essential items and keeping them at hand. This approach will reduce any “down time” around getting your business up and running.

Making Work From Home Work

According to the Hartford Co., working from home can have numerous rewards, including having more family and personal time, An organized office is best completed with the help of a professional organizer and operating on your own schedule. Running a successful business from home requires exceptional time management and organizational skills, as well as a commitment from the rest of the household to draw a firm boundary between work and personal life.

Dedicated office space and equipment can help. For instance, buying modular furniture for your office space gives you the option of changing up your environment as your business grows; a new laptop, desktop, printer, scanner or other office essentials, such as filing cabinets, chairs, lighting and phone systems, can ensure professional operations. You can shop online for the latest offers, discounts and specials to aid in this effort.

There are many upsides to starting a new business and operating it from home. In addition to taking advantage of Internal Revenue Service home office tax deductions, you may also have the ability to set your own work hours, and cultivate a fulfilling work-life balance. There’s also the added benefit of not paying rent for office space, which potentially means you can put more of your income toward housing.

Having all of your personal and professional objectives top-of-mind before getting started will help ensure a smooth and successful venture. And remember to partner with A Clear Path, who can ease you through this challenging process.

Images: Unsplash.com

The Holidays, Quarantine, and Emotional Labor

As the year comes to close, organining your clutter will help bring a bright new year. It’s mind boggling to realize that the holidays, the end of the year, and the END OF 2020 are fast approaching. Our normal preparations and plans are likely taking a back seat to the goal of just getting through another day, and honestly, the process is often tiring and emotionally consuming.

I’ve spent a good amount of time in quarantine doing research on my upcoming book Emotional Labor: Why Women’s Work is Never Done, and What to do About It. With the holidays bearing down on us, I know that women’s work will become even more exaggerated as the weeks fly by, with a greater focus on family, and meeting the emotional expectations of the ones we love.

Emotional labor accounts for why a woman’s work is never done. Kin work is such a large part of the invisible labor women do that Micaela Di Leonardo, who first coined the term kin work in 1987 in The Female World of Cards and Holidays: Women, Families, and the Work of Kinship’ notes that “Women are involved in three types of work: housework and child care, work in the labor market, and the work of kinship.”

How can we possibly create a celebratory mood when we’re forced to put on hold so many of our traditions? How do we keep things simple if we have to be solitary?

At this stage in the pandemic, transitioning the home into a festival of lights may either feel like something fun to do or a total nightmare. Things are still a bit disorganized and you haven’t quite gotten to working through the stuff and clutter in the garage or the top of closets, or … “Where are all those Christmas decorations I bought on sale last year?!”

I offer a few strategies to help ease you into the holidays so that your planning and prepping is enough to get your through the holidays. Your desire to celebrate while staying emotionally managed these final weeks of 2020 (yes!) may be satisfied.

you can have a professional organizer help with de-cluttering your holiday decorations.

Get the decorations out – and in full view of everyone in the family and ask: what are our “must have” decorations this year. Let everyone pick one or two things that really “speak” to each individual. Keep it simple.
Think twice about the holiday décor that no one selects. This could be a great time to de-clutter!
Since everyone is home, everyone gets to help decorate. Choose the date and time when you turn off the electronics for an hour to make the house festive!
Take the pressure off the whole cooking thing! As a family, decide a “must have” dish and order out the rest!
Instead of gifts, let the family choose a non-profit, or a shelter, or organization that serves the greater good.
Virtual family outings – tours of museums and galleries – here’s an outstanding link showing 75 of the BEST of the BEST tours!
Family fun with extended Family: Host a Murder Mystery and create an actual virtual “who done it?”
Plan for next year! Gather ‘round the Zoom room and get excited about Holidays 2021!! Delegate responsibilities, trust everyone will follow-through, and then delegate who’s going to follow-up with everyone who is follow-through!
Delegate tasks to family members to create a family activity. Have one person work on writing addresses on envelopes for cards, another to help with meal preparations, someone else may do the online shopping, etc. This creates shared responsibility and achievement for the whole family.
Sharp Health Group in San Diego offers emotionally healthful strategies for making it to the end of the year
Enjoy living in the season rather than being focused on creating memorable moments for everyone else. Focus on what matters to you and loved ones and prioritize those first.
Gifts: Many of my clients tell me that some of the clutter in their home is from gifts they’ve never needed, used, or desired. They keep them due to GUILT Which keeps the gift trapped in their home! I listen to the holiday gift-buying commercials. Before 12/25, television and radio ads encourage you to buy things that people will LOVE!! After 12/25, the ads change, reminding consumers that since they didn’t get the gift they really wanted, they can exchange it for something they’ll really love! No one, it seems, can win at this game of gift giving/receiving. Here at A Clear Path we’re all about the gifting that doesn’t cause clutter! Being of service, cooking a great meal, helping someone organize… now those are gifts everyone can use!

If you haven’t figured it out already, probably the most important thing you can do for yourself is to learn and understand the art and practice of delegation. A few of the strategies for getting through this time includes the delegation of the emotional and physical work of making the season work for you. Click here to schedule a free 30-minute call to learn better the nuances of delegating.

And speaking of delegating – remember – the Clear Path Ninja Organizers are here for you – and we love decorating your home for the holidays – and organizing everything when the holidays are over!

Peace and love to you all…

Regina