October 2007 — VOLUME 5 ISSUE 10
Sort it out! Give yourself some space
Autumn, the season of change, presents the perfect opportunity to spend some time sifting through the mounting household disarray you’ve been ignoring all summer.
Instead of being last on the list of chores, for many people organizing and clearing out clutter is becoming a higher priority in the quest for living in a junk-free home.
More and more householders are dedicating time to clearing away unwanted and unused items, which more often than not are also unseen—buried in the darkest corner of the house under layers of dust and cobwebs.
Such is the growing demand for clutter-free spaces that out of the minefield of mess, a new industry has exploded, bringing with it a long line of companies dedicated to easing the sometimes-overwhelming operation of getting your home organized.
One such company, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, has franchises across Canada, including a branch in Kamloops, and operates in three other countries as well—the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.
Andrea Bava, spokesperson for the Kamloops division, attributes the increase in popularity of such services to rising consumerism and time restrictions.
“Time has become so important to people that they can really see the value in having a professional service such as ours take care of such a time-demanding and strenuous job,” she says, noting they aim to recycle around 60 per cent of collected items by partnering with local Kamloops-based charities such as the Red Cross.
“We’re a society wanting the newest and best materials,” explains Bava. “This means the amount of waste we generate also increases.”
She says it’s also about organizing and regaining space, and living cleaner lives—a concept that inspired Lorie Marrero to launch The Clutter Diet, a web-based business providing members with a complete plan and helpful tips for an orderly home.
Marrero, who started the company in 2006, says although most people are capable of organizing their personal items and spaces, they often get stuck, have no idea where to start and need a little help. Marrero compares organizing homes to weight-loss programs, noting they both involve similar strategies.
“Getting organized is a lot like losing weight because it involves discipline, education, maintenance, and many other behavioural aspects of personal change,” explains Marrero, who puts the mass of unwanted debris littering homes down to “affluenza” and the fact that most of today’s homes are larger, encouraging homeowners to accumulate more material possessions.
The Clutter Diet provides members with a weekly menu plan for getting organized, targeting certain areas of the home, from a “main dish” highlighting a large undertaking to a “sensible snack”—a tip for a quick fix. The most common problem areas for accumulating clutter, Marrero points out, are home offices, closets, and flat surfaces such as countertops.
Clutter steals our time, says Marrero. “It costs money, and adds stress.”
Looking for misplaced items is time-consuming and causes unnecessary anxiety, she explains, noting clutter also robs people of productivity, whereas organized spaces give a sense of control, creating a calm and peaceful environment.
“Getting organized makes people feel relaxed, elated, relieved, and in control,” Marrero explains, saying the best time to add a de-cluttering schedule to the list of weekly or daily chores is now.
So go on—make the most of the shorter fall days and cooler weather by streamlining your home. Give it a makeover—you deserve it.
For more information on the Clutter Diet visit: www.clutterdiet.com
Site designed and maintained by: PeaksMedia.com