I am happy to introduce you to my guest blogger today.  Please welcome Scott Sanders of Cancerwell.org.  Because, like most people, unfortunately, I personally know of someone who is fighting cancer, I find this blog helopful and want to share it with you. I hope you find it helpful, as well. 

How to Make Space for a Loved One Who Is Fighting Cancer

There’s a lot to consider when a family member moves in with you. When it’s a loved one who has cancer, your worries are understandably amplified. From cleaning and sanitizing to organizing and making space, you have a laundry list of steps to take before they come home. Here are ways you can create the ultimate recovery space in your home.

Organize Storage Space for Everyone

Whether you need to clear out a room or make space in the garage for your loved one’s belongings, staying organized is vital.

Of course, if you don’t have a garage, you’ll need another long-term storage option. Adding an outbuilding to your property can help protect your or your family member’s belongings and keep them nearby. Choosing the cheapest option isn’t always the best value, though. Think about what materials to choose — whether steel or wood — and how climate can affect them.

For example, steel has the benefit of being resilient against the elements. However, it can be far more expensive than wood. It also heats up in warmer weather, which could affect your items stored inside. Wood may be less durable, but it’s also more affordable than steel. However, wood doesn’t stand up to weathering as well as other materials. Some wood, like cedar, can resist outdoor conditions better than others, however.

You should establish a budget, then research your area and what materials are most suitable for storing your loved one’s and your own belongings.

Consider Home Care Services

Although you may have the best intentions when choosing to move your family member home for recovery, it can be stressful. Many family members of patients wind up feeling anxious, depressed, helpless, and more when they face caring for their loved one full-time. For everyone’s health and well-being, it can help to seek support.

Cancer.net explains that many types of home care services can help you and your loved ones live fuller lives. Assistance ranges from home health aides who provide nursing care to volunteers who merely sit with the patient so the family can have a break.

Living at home rather than in a facility is often preferable for patients with cancer. Considering in-home help can make the transition easier and less intimidating for everyone involved.

Make Safety and Accessibility Modifications

Depending on your loved one’s health status and mobility level, you may want to add safety features to your home. Side effects from common chemotherapy drugs can include a weak heart, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, poor coordination, and other health issues. In short, the effects of treatment may cause safety challenges at home.

Steps like incorporating grab bars in the restroom or non-slip flooring in the halls can help your family member feel safer and more independent. A shower seat can enhance stability while bathing independently, and a first-floor room means less exertion than climbing stairs.

Think about modifications you can make without renovating your home, but don’t discount the possibility either. Fortunately, many renovations can be low-cost and even DIY.

Give Your Loved One Their Independence (and Privacy)

Undergoing cancer treatment can be stressful, painful, and scary. But it can also be frustrating for a loved one who was formerly independent. For family members with strong personalities, focusing on independence and privacy can help you all live together harmoniously.

Ensuring that your loved one has a say in their moving decision is a good first step. Providing choices for where to store their belongings, how to decorate their room, and what type of home support they have can do wonders for their self-confidence. After all, they’re a person first and a patient second. something many people with cancer want you to recognize.

Studies also suggest that patients who self-manage feel more empowered and confident in their recoveries. Therefore, having a say in medical and other decisions is crucial. Programs like prehabilitation, where patients undergo physical and social training before surgery and treatment, can also help your loved one maintain their strength and independence.

Moving your family member home for cancer recovery is a significant commitment. By working together, you can see them back to good health, and beyond.

Photo via Unsplash

Wishing you all the best!

Decluttering and organizing takes commitment. So many people come to me because they are overwhelmed and don't know where to start when it comes to getting organized.

Aside from taking the first, and sometimes, difficult step of admitting that you are struggling with your clutter, you need to decide you are committed to the process. (And it is a process!)

Here are the steps you need to take to commit:

1. (as mentioned above) Admit that you are struggling with your clutter and you need help. Although family members and friends might have good intentions, hiring a professional organizer is the most efficient way to get the job done. A good professional organizer is never judgmental or can only provide one solution.  This makes it easier to step up and take that first step.

2. Contact a professional organizer to ask for help. Take that next important step. When you speak with an professional organizer who specializes in a certain type of organizing (i.e. residential, paper management, time management, project management, etc.) and you feel comfortable with them, you have taken a big step forward.

3. Schedule an appointment to meet with your organizer. This will allow both you and your organizer to get to know each other and become familiar with the project you are looking to take care of. This is a vital step before simply jumping in and starting. There is so much information to be gained by previewing the area and creating a plan to move forward. Everyone functions differently so it is vital that your organizer becomes familiar with that aspect in order to achieve a successful result.

4. Commit to the process. Once you have met with your organizer, commit to the process. If you are shopping around and simply scheduling consultations without taking the next step, you are procrastinating.  Allow your professional organizer to take you through the process from beginning to end so that your vision for an organized space or completed project can come to fruition. Trust in the process that will get you there. 

5. Do your homework. When your organizer asks you to get something done in between sessions, do your homework. This will help to speed the process along. A good organizer will know exactly how much is enough to do in between sessions and what is too much to expect. Follow their guidance to move forward with the plan.  

YOU SHOULD BE COMMITTED! (To the process, that is!) If you follow these steps with your professional organizer to get either a room or an entire home decluttered and organized, congratulate yourself on a job well done and then you will be able to enjoy the benefits for many years. 

If you are ready to be commited, simply pick up the phone or send an email to A BETTER SPACE and take the steps necessary for a successful outcome and long-term benefits. You deserve to invest in yourself. 

As always, I am here to help.

Think about it. Buying and using craft supplies are actually two different hobbies. What is the difference? A crafter is a person who uses their hands to skillfully create something. Obviously, buying craft supplies is different from actually using the supplies themselves.

As a professional organizer, I work with many creative and artistic people. I love working with them because they tend to have so many interests and love to be express them so creatively. Because of this, they tend to collect a lot of items. The creative wheels spin every time they walk into a craft store such as Joann Fabrics, Michael's or AC Moore!

If you are attempting to declutter, you might want to take a look at your supplies and equipment. Owning craft supplies does not make you a crafter; using them does.

Just like owning musical instruments does not make you a musician, playing them does. 

You don't need to be a great artist, you just need to enjoy using your craft supplies on a regular basis.

There are reasons why you may want to keep certain items, but you need to make sure they are good reasons.

Consider giving yourself a deadline for decluttering unused equipment and supplies. For example, if you purchased a large amount of yarn with the intention of making sweaters but you have not used the yarn in a year, you should consider selling or donating the yarn and stop purchasing more yarn. Keep only what you want and intend to use soon without purchasing more. Avoid "bright, shiny object syndrome". It can be so tempting. 

I think that having a hobby that you enjoy is wonderful! Taking the time to create something that you can appreciate, give to a family member or a friend can bring great joy! It creates great balance in our lives. However, we must be aware as to how much we are collecting as opposed to what we are using and make sure we are able to store our supplies in a well-organized fashion.  Collecting is not the same as crafting. 

So, are you a crafter or a simply a collector of crafting supplies? 

If you are overwhelmed with your crafting supplies and seeking solutions that can encourage you to create, don't hesitate to contact me. I am here to help.

We are about a month into Winter and I'm over it already. I am not a fan of bone chilling temperatures, snow, ice and high winds. This week has put me over the edge. I am counting down until my mini get-away in the later part of February. (Honestly, looking forward to it keeps me going until Spring arrives.) I need a taste of Summer.

Are you planning a trip somewhere warm this Winter to get you through?

Before heading off on your vacation, here are a few things you can do so you don't come home to any unwelcome surprises:

1. Water Heater - Set it to the lowest temperature to save energy. New models may offer a vacation mode or wireless control.

2. Thermostat - Adjust it close to the outside temperature but no lower than 50 degrees. (You don't want your pipes to freeze.) In the Summer, you don't want to let it get too hot in the house. If you have wood floors, they can warp. If you have a wireless system, adjust it to it's normal temperature a few hours before you arrive home so it is comfortable when you return. 

3. Electronics - Unplug appliances from the wall outlets (or use surge protectors) in case of any electrical issues. This will prevent the potential for an electrical fire. 

4. Water - Turn off valves to your dishwasher, washing machine and sinks to avoid any leaks. After you return, you might find air in the pipes when turning the water back on, so do it slowly. 

5. Mail - Arrange to have your mail held at the post office until you return home or have someone come to your home every day to bring it in the house. You want to avoid having your home look like no one is home for a long period of time.

6. Newspapers - If you still get a daily newspaper, contact the carrier to put a hold on your delivery until you come home from vacation or have someone bring your newspapers into the home.

7. Neighbors - Make a trusted neighbor aware that you are going out of town so they can keep an eye on your home and look for any suspicious activity. Give them a key and a code to the alarm system, is necessary. Show them how to reset the alarm upon leaving, if need be. 

8. Deliveries - Make sure you do not arrange to have Amazon or any other online store make deliveries to your home while you are out of town. With package theft at an all-time high, you don't want packages being left on your porch or at your front door for an extended period of time. (Not to mention damage caused by inclement weather!)

9. Social Media - Resist sharing on Facebook that you're going away if your home is going to be empty and tell your kids to do the same. 

10. Timer - Keep one or more lights on a  timer in your home that are visible from the outside. Set them to go on at dusk and then turn off shortly before your normal bedtime. This is another way for it to look as if someone is home when you're not. 

Be safe and have a great time on your vacation! 

Another year is underway. Have you made any resolutions? (Honestly, I hate that question.) I don't make resolutions anymore because I have a tendency to fail. I stop exercising after about a month, I start eating more desserts than I should after a few months of eating healthy. It's just too much pressure!

Instead, I set a goal or an intention. I find I am much more successful that way and it makes me feel much less pressured.

Last year, my goal was to declutter and upgrade my entire home, from top to bottom. Yes, one whole year to do so. I focused on one room a month, for twelve months. I planned it out in great detail at the beginning of the year. I decluttered what needed to be, did some cosmetic upgrades and tweaked some organization in my home. By year's end, I was thrilled with the results.

Although I did not get to the basement like I had planned, (mainly because some things took longer than expected), I am setting a goal for the next two months to finish decluttering and organizing the entire basement. With being as busy as I am, this goal is reasonable and achievable.

This year, I decided to have a theme. I decided to name my theme for 2019 "Use What You Have".  I am fortunate to live in a nice home and have what I need. Last year's project re-aquainted me with all that I have. I realized, I have enough. As the saying goes "Enough is enough". I am going on a buying diet. I am going to focus on using what I already have, instead of purchasing more. This is especially true for me when it comes to clothing and shoes. I am resisting the urge to purchase more and simply use what I have.

I plan on making more use of my serving dishes and trays, which have been stored away since my wedding in 2002 and infrequently used.

I plan on burning the candles I have been storing. I love candles and love to use them but I have aquired a lot and have not made it a habit of burning them. Now I will!

I plan on reading the books I have aquired without getting more. This is particularly true for my fiction books. I love books! People give me books! I can't resist accepting their offers to take their books they no longer want. I have enough!

Honestly, now that I am in my late 50's, I recognize that I have to be honest with myself and need to make sure I will have enough time to get to make use all of my possessions. Trust me, storage is not an issue. I have plenty of room, but, I don't want to run out of time before I have used what I have.

Hopefully, this is food for thought. Is it possible for you to go on a purchasing diet, like me, this year, and "Use What You Have"?

I am curious as to what you believe you have enough of and what you can avoid purchasing more of this year. Post a response to this blog below and share your thoughts. Let's all inspire each other to Use What You Have.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with too much stuff in your home and want to simplify, don't hesitate to contact me.

I am here for you!

Well, Hello!

Happy New Year!

Admittedly, I was very lax last year in posting blogs, but, the good news is...I'm back! I actually enjoy writing so I am looking forward to providing new, updated blogs in 2019 on a more regular basis.

I thought it would be a good time to start with the topic of "NEED vs. WANT".

When it comes to decluttering, these terms can be confusing. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed with the process.

Just imagine that you want to declutter your storage room. You have all types of items in this space and you want to make sense of them. The storage room can easily become a dumping ground for clothes, tools, kitchen items, holiday decorations, toys and memorabilia, just to name a few. You find that your head is spinning when trying to determine whether you should keep something. That's where "Need vs. Want" comes into play.

When I work with my clients and they are feeling overwhelmed with trying to decide whether to keep something or not, "Need vs. Want" can cause confusion. So what is the difference?

The term Need is defined as " necessity, something required that is lacking". The terms Want is defined as "something that is desired". In other words, Need vs. Want equals Require vs. Desire.

There are various factors to consider when determining whether you need or want something.

First, is it for the right reason? 

When you look at an item, do you ask your self whether it's something you need in order to function somehow? Is it a tool that you use for home repair, for example? Is it a small kitchen appliance that you use infrequently, but do still make use of? For example, you might have located a large crock pot for larger dinners and you plan to entertain more this year. Do you exclaim, upon finding it, "I've been looking for that! I need this!" 

Do you, perhaps, look at an item and consider whether it's something you want to keep, such as an old photo album or your grandmother's dishes? Why do you want to keep it? 

Second, can you downsize? 

Let's use the example of small appliances. You have found several crock pots that you have acquired over the years. You don't need all of them. Can you narrow down your collection to one, or two at the most?  Do you have a large set of Grandmom's dishes that you no longer need, but want to hold onto, because it evokes a memory of Sunday dinners with the family when you were a kid? Did you ever consider reducing the 12 place settings down to 4? Can you reduce the amount by half or more? If so, you can still hold onto the memory, make use of the dishes from time to time, but not have to keep the entire large set.

Third, are you keeping it out of guilt? 

Sometimes we purchase something and it cost us a lot of money. Sometimes, someone gives us something as a gift and we don't really like it. These are two common examples of why people hold onto things they don't want or need. When determining whether to keep something or not, do not keep it out of guilt! Remind yourself that you are to only keep things that you need or that you want. Also, remember that everything cannot be your favorite! If you spent a lot of money for something and you no longer need or want it, see if you can give it to someone else who would enjoy it or, perhaps, see if you can sell it. The same holds true for items you get as gifts. Determine right away whether you like something enough to keep it. Otherwise, let it go! (The money was already spent. The item gifted to you is now yours and it is your decision whether you want to keep it or not, not someone else's.)

Keeping these points in mind as you begin your journey of decluttering an area of your home will help you to determine whether you really should or want to still keep it.

If you are overwhelmed with your clutter and have a hard time determining what to keep and where to put it or what to toss and how to get rid of it, don't hesitate to contact me. As a professional organizer I can help you get through the process and make it less overwhelming. 

I am here for you!

I'm sure you've noticed that I basically took the Summer off as far as writing any blogs.

I have been focusing on working with my clients and doing home improvement in my own home. I am working on upgrading some features in my home, including new lighting fixtures throughout, renovating my powder room, window treatments, landscaping, painting, flooring and carpeting to name a few. It's a year long project I decided to take on and hope to complete by year's end.

During this process I have needed to locate and hire professional service providers in order to get some of these improvements completed. It has been a long, tedious and, sometimes, frustrating process.

It took considerable research, trips to various stores and coordination of appointments. I am not done, but my experience has made me realize how important it is to find good, reliable people and companies to work with.

On numerous occasions, I attempted to hire certain individuals and companies based on recommendations but they quickly fell short of my expectations.

I called a painter about a month ago, leaving several messages and never heard back from him. I contacted a carpet installer to set up an appointment to bring samples to my home and take measurements based upon the recommendation of my previous carpet installer who has since retired. He cancelled last minute and did not call me back to reschedule when he said he would.

You can understand my frustration.

I began thinking about how I run my business and what my clients and potential clients expect from me.

I have been a professional organizer for over 14 years and, from the beginning, I always made it a point to do the following:

1. Make sure that I can be easily found on the internet. (Most of my clients have found me via Google.) 

2. Provide clear and concise information about my services, my experience and background relating to professional organizing. (Have you taken the time to look at my website. It's very comprehensive.)

3. Make it easy and convenient for potential clients and existing clients to contact me. (I am available by phone seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and provide several avenues on the internet to contact me.)

4. Promptly return calls. (If I am not available, I return calls as soon as possible and within 24 hours at the latest. If I am away on vacation, my answering service provides you with that information so you know when to expect a return call.)

5. Schedule appointments to meet my clients' needs. (I do my best to make myself available during the week and, if need be, on weekends, for your convenience.)

6. Respond to inquiries so that potential clients get the answers they need as quickly as possible to determine whether they wish to work with me. (I personally respond to each and every inquiry promptly.)

7. Spend time making sure that my clients understand the process of decluttering and organizing. (I want my clients to feel comfortable with the process and know what to expect.)

8. Provide a clear and easy-to-understand written Agreement prior to starting any project so my clients know the terms and condition of our working relationship. (I review the Agreement, line by line, in person, with each and every client.)  

9. Listen. (I listen and do not judge. I rely on my clients to provide me with information about their situation and what they wish to achieve. My goals are solution-based.)

10. Provide solutions. (This is not a cookie-cutter process. It is personalized to meet each of my clients' specific needs.)

Because of my work ethic, I expect the same from the service providers I look to hire. 

If you are considering hiring a professional organizer, l invite you to reach out by phone or by email and speak to me about your particular sitation. I promise to live up to the standards I listed about when working with you to create A Better Space. 

I will provide you with the same standard of service that I expect from others. 

It's been a while since my last blog. Besides working with my client's, this year I am working to declutter and update my own home, from top to bottom. I am giving myself this entire year to do so.

My son recently moved out and that now leaves me with an extra bedroom. I took my time to figure out what I wanted to do with that room. About a month ago, I decided to create a reading room with a beach theme.

Two of my passions are the beach and reading. Since I live in suburbs outside of Philadelphia, PA, our beach season does not last as long as I would like. Therefore, I am extending that feeling of calm and relaxation within my own home.

I have painted the walls a sandy beach beige. The carpeting is dark blue and I am leaving it that way. (It will represent the sea.) I will be putting a small area rug in front of the love seat I am repurposing from my family room with a beach theme inspired design.  I purchased new window treatments with decorative sea shell beads along the top, a seashell filled lamp, a wicker end table and new bookcases to fill with books that I treasure. I will be purchasing some wall decor and other items to complete the look.

The reason I mention all of this is that I want to make a point.

It is very important that, as we go through life changes, we make sure that our real estate reflects those changes. Whether it's a child moving out the home, like mine, or the birth of a new baby, a marriage, a divorce, the death of a spouse or elder parent who had lived in the home, we need to be sure that the real estate we own is being used to its best potential.

Time and time again, when working with new clients, I always make sure that all of the areas of the home are being used.  Often I find that there are bedrooms that lay idle and become a dumping spot for clutter, or a basement is not utilized as good storage space, a garage is so cluttered it does not have enough room for a car.

Over the years, I have transformed many under-utilized rooms in my client's home into something they can use and enjoy, creating a space that reflects their interests.

When life creates change, be sure that your home reflects that change. Reassess the rooms in your home and transform them into something you can use and enjoy. Leaving your precious real estate idle is a waste of space and money. You paid for the real estate; use it.

If you are overwhelmed with the prospect of creating a new purpose for an old space, don't hesitate to contact me. I can not only help you to visual a room to meet your needs, but help eliminate the clutter, get it organized and take the steps needed to see it come to fruition.

It's all about having A Better Space!

Do you remember the movie "Mommy Dearest"!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUkE9qaVgmo. It was such a frightening scene when Joan Crawford was screaming "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!". I will never forget it! 

These days, in a much calmer tone, I gently explain to my clients why I am not a fan of wire hangers. And this is why:   

Wire hangers can cause damage to your clothing when clothes are left on them after returning from the dry cleaners or simply used to store clothing. They can affect the shape of the shoulders and can actually create rust. (I had a client once who used wire hangers and had a cream colored suit that she had kept on the wire hanger from the dry cleaner. When we were reviewing her wardrobe to organize her closet, we discovered, unfortunately, that the wire hanger on her suit had rusted, leaving a permanent stain. The beautiful suit was ruined.)

Also, when it comes to dry cleaning your clothes, be sure to remove the plastic bag they are returned in. There are chemicals used when the dry cleaning process is used. If you keep the bag on the clothes when they arrive home, these harmful chemicals stay trapped in the clothing.

I highly recommend that "no more wire hangers" are kept on your clothing in your closet. Switch them to plastic or velvet slim hangers instead. The next time you head to your dry cleaner, take all of your unused wire hangers with you. Most dry cleaners recycle hangers and actually appreciate you returning them because it saves them money. You get rid of clutter in your closet and help keep landfills free of hangers.

Also, unless you have a need for the plastic bags they wrap around your clothing, you can ask for the dry cleaner to keep the bags off of your clothes. It keeps you from having to toss the bag when you get home, and again saves the dry cleaner money. Also, men’s dress shirts can be folded instead of put on a hanger so that you don’t have to take a hanger home with you at all!

When you go to pick up your clothes at the dry cleaners, take your plastic hangers or thin velvet hangers and garment bags with you. It's just like taking reusable shopping bags with you when you go grocery shopping. That way you don’t even need to take their wire hangers and their plastic bags home at all.

Now you will no longer have wire hangers and with these tips, you will have an organized, clean and safe wardrobe in your clothes closet to enjoy. 

If you are overwhelmed with the thought of getting your wardrobe decluttered and organized, don't hesitate to contact me. As always, l am here to help.