» Check out our before and after gallery

1. Be sure to have recycling bins and garbage bags – Before you start packing, you need to get rid of things that you don’t need. A good example are clothes that you haven’t worn for the last two years and that are taking up space you could use for new clothing.  This applies to books, toys and home decorations.
   Find here where to recycle a certain material: http://rcbc.bc.ca/
2. Throw out the fridge – or at least a lot of it – Food and vitamins are not like a good wine. They don’t get better with the age!  Go through your pantry, medicine cabinet and vitamins; throw away any food that has expired.
3. Give stuff away - to friends, family, church, or community.
4. The “Maybe” Box – Sometimes it’s hard to let go. If you feel conflicted, put it in a “MAYBE” box that you have prepared especially for tough decisions. After few days, go check in with your ‘maybe box,” your clarity will increase and you may see things differently.
5. Use containers, suitcases etc to pack in – Take a look at your home. You probably have some plastic containers, suitcases and camping bags that can be use for packing. Sometimes these bags are stored in the attic and they are full of dust, clean them use them before you buy or rent boxes. If the containers are loaded with toys or Christmas decorations, have a look and see if there is something that you can get rid of. If you still have space in the container, try to combine stuff from the same type into one box.
6. Use plastic rental boxes – If you are going to unpack most of the boxes in your new home, I would highly recommend the rental plastic boxes (Like Frog Box).  They drop them off and pick them up from your new place. They are easy to work with, eco-friendly, and there is no need for packing tape so it saves you time and money.
7. Soft Items – Place soft items (like clothes) in bags and suitcases.
8. Fragile Items - Plastic containers are best to pack dishes and other fragile treasures.
9. Wardrobe Boxes – They are easy to use, and save time, you can pack the closet at the last minute. All you need to do is place the hangers with the clothes as they are in your own closet. At the bottom of the wardrobe put the empty hangers.
10. Packing supplies – Always use unprinted newspaper to wrap the dishes. When packing fragile things, first pad the bottom of the box with shredded paper, kitchen towels, or tissue paper.
11. Manage your time properly - Start organizing and packing at least one month before the moving day. Start with things that you don’t use daily. Your ski suit, snow boots, winter clothes, most of the books, CD’s and computer games and other things you can do without for a few weeks. Start slowly, and dedicate an hour or two every day for packing.
12. Label every box – Don’t label the top – always on the side.  So when you stack them one on each other, you can tell what’s inside.

Call for a free – no obligation quote today.  We can save you time, money and a lot of stress.

778.228.6976

Limor Friedman is Vancouver’s Professional Organizer and expert in packing and unpacking strategies.

Turn Your House Into an Organized Home:

Closet organizing

A fact: We wear only 20% of our clothes for 80% of the time.

• Take a hard look at your wardrobe. How long has it been since you wore that sweater, jacket or pair of trousers?
• Keep only the clothes that look good, make you feel good, and reflect your lifestyle.
• Don’t keep cloths that used to look good on you, wrong size, lost color and shape.  If you DO lose weight, you won’t want to wear your old “fat’ clothes anyway!
• Ask a friend to help!  Ask for an objective opinion on what to keep, share what you have, laugh while you cry.

In the Kitchen

A fact: A single plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to degrade. Plastic bags remain toxic even after they break down. Buy your own shopping bags.

• Store your most frequently used items in the most accessible places.
• Food and vitamins are not wine! They don’t get better with time! Go through your pantry, medicine and vitamins cabinet, throw away any food that has expired.

Use shallow drawer for smaller items and deep drawer for big items.

Storage

A fact: Storage is not for useless items!

• Storage is ideal for seasonal, Christmas decorations and things that you don’t use daily- but not for useless items. Get rid of items that you don’t need, do not store them.

• The goal is to keep things accessible! If you can’t find the item that you stored you will end up buying a new one.
• Keep things in clear containers so you will know what’s inside. Don’t keep them in plastic bags-you will never know what’s hidden and if this is just a puffy empty bag!

Donate

A fact: one’s useless item is another one’s treasure.

• Make a box for donation: things that you don’t use anymore. When the box is full take it to your favourite donation place- or call them to pick up!

Resources to take Donations

DDA – Developmental Disabilities Association

http://www.develop.bc.ca/contribute/donate-clothes/pickups.html

• Orphan Aid Thrift Store – 7889 Edmonds St, Burnaby, BC V3N 1B9  604-521-1013
• Home start foundation – A non-profit Christian humanitarian organization helping people re-establish a home. Working in partnership with over 70 member agencies, give donated home furnishings to people in need.

http://www.homestart.ca/donations.htm

More Resources for Green living

Find out where to recycle a certain material: http://rcbc.bc.ca/

• Learn what are the green options for your house at:  Light House Sustainable Building Centre; an enterprising non-profit society dedicated to advancing and catalyzing sustainability
• Learn bike routes, safety tips for cyclists, and bike routes in Vancouver:Vancouver area cycling coalition

Garden tools and sporting gear comes in different shapes and sizes (bicycle, kayaks, balls, golf clubs, fishing rods, skates).  The variety of sizes and shapes is what makes storage difficult to manage if it is disorganized.

Before

This family loves sports and outdoor activities, however their gear took up valuable floor space, and they couldn’t find anything. On the floor: ski shoes, helmets, boxes full of camping items and garbage.

Our plan

To maximize the storage and find a designated space for each item.

After

• We sorted the items- Camping, climbing, ski suits. Everything went to its place. The floor is clean!!
• We installed hanging racks for ski and garden tools.
• We installed storage system that can hold all the sports equipment.
• A “bicycle shadow” added some style to the place.
• Helmets & gloves on hooks and in the basket

» Check out our before and after gallery

» Check out our before and after gallery

» Check out our before and after gallery