But when it’s organised and decluttered, then it becomes a blessing, somewhere you can quietly focus on your work, or household accounts, and a place for everything and everything in its place. Okay, so this is the ideal and it may not always look beautifully organised, but when systems are in place it’s a great deal easier to put everything away at the end of the day.

The home office will usually contain a mix of business and personal files and papers, and this is where you need systems to keep it well organised. I always suggest to clients that they have designated areas within the home office for specific functions. This means if you have shelving units, a filing cabinet and maybe a wardrobe, that specific areas are designed for each purpose.

- A wardrobe, for example, is ideal for archive boxes containing both current and historical information. As long as they are clearly labelled and stacked neatly on the shelves, it will be a simple matter to retrieve the information when needed. If you do have shelves, then ensure you put the archived material up on a high shelf where you don’t need to regularly access it. The eye-level shelves can then be used for current boxed files.

If your wardrobe doesn’t have shelves then you could get a 2 or 3 tiered wire racking system, or better still slip into the bottom of the wardrobe a book shelf unit.

- Shelving units and book cases are great in a home office, and you can use them to categorise your files, stationery, software, resource material and magazines. You do need to systemise the shelves with each area designated by category. This makes finding and returning items to their place so much quicker.

- Filing cabinets need to be sorted so that related drop files are bunched together, and well labeled. If you can have a drawer for personal files, and another for business related files, that’s even better.

These few tips will provide you with some ideas on how your home office can be organised. But if it’s really a nightmare, and you don’t know where to begin, I can help you. In a three or four hour session we can get your home office working for you so the space becomes efficient and an area you enjoy.

I hope life is treating you well and that you have a great month.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

Imagine how much easier it would be if you could see at a glance exactly what you’ve got, and you can access any item without having to move several others. You also won’t be over-buying on food that you didn’t realise you already had. I once worked with a client who had 6 packets of the same type of pasta and at least 5 of rice! She said she kept buying these items because she couldn’t find them in her overstocked pantry.

Believe me, it is possible to have a lovely organised pantry and here are a few tips to make it easy:

- I generally start by taking everything out of the pantry and grouping items. Lay everything out on your bench space to make it easier to sort and group.

- Obvious groups will be: cans and non-perishables with soups and quick meals; herbs, spices, vinegars and oils; cereals and spreads; baking items: flour, baking powder, yeast, sugar; pastas, rice, legumes.

- Once you have your groups you can decide which shelf you are going to use for which foods. Eye-level shelves are best for most often used products, which may be your breakfast cereals, and perhaps quick meals such as soup and canned foods. It’s useful to bear in mind items which the children need to be able to reach.

- Plastic containers are useful to keep small items contained, such as herbs, as it’s so much easier to keep them all together and to immediately see what you’ve got. You don’t necessarily need to use the container lid, as long as the container is deep enough it will neatly encapsule like products together.

- Do keep foods with close expiry dates accessible and near the front of your pantry so you don’t forget to use them.

- I also do a regular cull of my pantry, and fridge and freezer, to make sure I’m not keeping foods which are well past their expiry dates.

- I always suggest to clients to invest in a couple of stacking stands for your shelves so you use the top of the stand for small items such as herbs, soups etc, and underneath you can line up canned food, or your pastas and rice. You can find these stands at many of the $2 and $3 shops, and as they come in various sizes you’ll be able to get the size to suit your pantry.

- If you’re fortunate enough to have a large pantry area you may be able to use the floor of the pantry for a couple of bins, baskets or stackers for pet food, potates and onions, and even a small wine rack.

Remember: you need to be able to see and to reach anything in your pantry without knocking things over, or having to move items to get to those at the back. If you can place individual items alongside each other, rather than in front – that often works well, particularly in the case of large cereal boxes and baking products which come in boxes such as baking powder, custard powder etc.

I hope these tips will inspire you to get stuck into your pantry. Believe me, once you’re done you’ll be thankful you took the time. And keep in mind your plan, and why you’re doing it so you don’t get sidetracked or bored – I always have fun organising these spaces because I know what a pleasure it will be once I’m finished.

I hope you have a wonderful month, and a lovely Easter break.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

Don’t be embarrassed if you feel your decluttering efforts appear to have reversed themselves. Think of the Tango, that gloriously sensuous dance – it’s about two steps forward and one step back. Each time you make a start on your decluttering, even if you don’t complete an area or room, you’ll still be ahead.

The important thing is that if you have initially cleared at least some of the clutter, and set up systems to keep your belongings organised, then you won’t usually regress back to how it was in the beginning. Setting up systems really means finding a logical home for everything. So when more ‘stuff’ comes into your home, you’ll pretty much know where it’s going to go. And as the clutter starts to creep back in, it doesn’t take so much effort to get it all organised again.

Work Plans

I touched on this in last month’s newsletter when I talked about my decluttering Guiding Principles. Once you’ve decided you’re going to start your decluttering project, do commit your plan to paper – don’t try to keep it in your head! Writing down a plan for every room, itemising exactly what needs to be cleared out, repositioned, and organised, enables you to schedule your time and be very clear about what needs to be done. You can then pick up your plan when you have a spare hour or two and decide which area you’re going to tackle. And by ticking off actions when they’re complete, you not only see that you’re making progress, but you’ll also enjoy the satisfaction of seeing what you’ve achieved.

If you want some tips on how to get your work plan down on paper, let me know. I’ve been doing this for a long time now and love to share my ideas.

Some of my clients happily work off their plan, which we create together. By keeping in touch with me, I can act as a sounding board if they get stuck, and also keep them enthused about their project. However, others are very clear that they won’t do it on their own – they need the guidance and energy created by our doing it together. And of course, it gets done very quickly because we are both focused on the project.

If it all seems too much for you to tackle on your own, and you’ve reached that stage of overwhelm, contact me. You’ll be surprised at how fast we can transform an area, and I make it a fun exercise [rather than seeming like hard work].

There are so many benefits to decluttering, saving time and money being just two of many that you’ll experience when you declutter and organise your environment. I hope you’ll give it a try. You’ll love the outcome.

Have a wonderful month.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

- Create your vision of how you would like the area to look i.e. a minimalist clutter-free room, or a comfortable ‘lived in’ look with your favourite bits and pieces on show. Your vision will give you the impetus to get started, and keep going.

- Write a work plan outlining what you’ll need to do, which can include moving furniture, investing in new bookshelves, cleaning out and reorganising cupboards and drawers.

- Decide when you’re going to put your plan into action, and do allow yourself an hour or two of uninterrupted time when you’re ready to take action so you get a good run at it.

- Take it one bite at a time! This will stop you from going into overwhelm. Perhaps you could start with just one cupboard, and work on that before tackling the rest of the room. Working to your plan means you can tick off what’s been done, and you’ll have a clear idea of what to do next.

What can you let go of this month?

At this time of year there may be a number of items you could discard, or archive:

- Last year’s diary [you may want to keep old diaries in an archive box, out of the way but still accessible if you need to refer back to them].

- Out of date calendars.

- Used Christmas gift paper and wrappings.

- The Christmas tree and decorations [these can be stored away in one or two large plastic containers with a clip top lid].

- Christmas cards [if you want to remember for next Christmas who sent you a card, make a list and throw the cards away].

- Appliance and toy boxes [unless the toys need to be kept in their box for storage].

I often think of a new year as hitting the Refresh button – a bit like cleaning house, literally and metaphorically. Do you make New Year Resolutions, goal lists, or decisions to ‘turn over a new leaf’ when it comes to any area of your life? Why not make one of those goals to start a decluttering project, bit by bit clearing what you don’t need any longer, and getting rid of that tension that can build up when you can’t find anything amidst the clutter.

And I recommend you reward yourself each time you manage to clear an area, or a room – rather than buying yourself something as a reward, you might enjoy instead a massage, manicure or a trip to the movies with a good friend.

If you haven’t already downloaded my free Special Report on my website, you might find this helpful for getting you started on your decluttering project.

I hope you find these tips useful. If you have an area in your home or office which continues to frustrate you, do contact me. I have a raft of ideas to handle any problem area. Meanwhile, have a great month and my very best wishes to you for a wonderful year.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

I don’t have room within this newsletter to go into every recommendation I would make for a master bedroom, but here are a few starting tips:

- Clear the surfaces: I know you’ve heard it before but it really makes a huge difference immediately if you sweep everything off the top of your bedside tables and drawers. Then put back only what you absolutely need, or want, on that surface.

- Make your bed a beautiful feature and try not to use it as a dumping area for laundry and clothes you don’t know what to do with.

- Sort your wardrobes and drawers so that all your clothes fit into them. And do archive out of season clothes [e.g. in plastic containers that hopefully will slip under the bed].

- Pick everything up from the floor and put it away. Nothing will make a room look more cluttered than objects scattered all over the floor.

I know this may sound easy enough in theory, and in reality you may be standing in the doorway of your bedroom with a feeling of hopelessness. If you are at this stage of struggle and overwhelm you may want to consider a session with me, even to initially organise storage systems in the room that will work for you. I can help you create a bedroom that you’ll love.

I hope you find these tips useful. If you have any area in your home or office which continues to frustrate you, do contact me. I have a raft of ideas to handle any problem area. Meanwhile, have a wonderful month.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

If you don’t yet receive Grab One’s special daily deals sign up on www.grabone.co.nz/ and check your emails on Sunday for my special offer – it will never again be this price! You might also like to forward this onto your friends and family.

Now is a great time to declutter in preparation for Summer, you’ll love the outcome.

Please note, this offer is only valid through Grab One on Sunday.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this on to anyone you feel may be interested.

Here are a few of the most common ‘dumping areas’ and the type of clutter they attract:

- Hallway table: coats, jackets, mail, briefcase, handbags, keys
- Kitchen bench: mail, opened and unopened bills, papers, newspapers, kids’ school books and bags, toys, vitamins, boxes of tissues
- Coffee tables: remotes, books, magazines & newspapers, glasses
- Bedside tables: books & magazines, glasses, water bottles, tissues

All of these items create a cluttered look to any room. The first step is to clear everything off all furniture surfaces and then decide absolutely what needs to be there, and what doesn’t. For example:

- Kids’ school books, bags and toys go into their bedroom.
- Papers and bills can be contained in a file box which can live in your home office, or a spare room cupboard, as long as it’s visible and easily accessible.
- Mail ideally gets sorted when it’s brought into the home, otherwise use a container or basket to keep mail in until it can be sorted. Dump the junk mail immediately.
- Kitchen benches are working areas so keep these as free as possible.
- Decorative boxes or magazine containers can store books and magazines which can sit alongside a couch or beside the bed.

Once you’ve cleared the areas and created your systems for where everything is now going to live, make sure you show everyone in the family. A good clutter deterrent can be a vase of flowers on a hallway table, or a display of flowers and a bowl of fruit on the kitchen island bench. People will be less inclined to dump things on a surface where you’ve created an attractive display, and they’re not going to risk knocking over a vase of flowers by dumping their stuff on the table or bench.

And finally, do you have a dumping room? Lots of homes have entire rooms which have become major clutter areas. I find these are usually the guest room, garage and/or home office. These areas may need more hands on assistance – which is where I can help you. After all, how frustrating is a room that is unusable because it’s so full of clutter? Each room in our home has a designated function, and once cleared of the clutter a guest room and/or home office are such useful rooms. Even garages can have multiple functions, aside from parking the car.

I can help you declutter any area, including the garage, with my distance decluttering service which will provide you with a step by step work plan for you to follow. I also provide email and/or phone assistance and tips as you go through the process.

Have a wonderful month.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

This may not be your type of book, but here’s one saying from the book which I think is just perfect: Come to grips with the radical concept of “enough is enough”! So beautifully simple when you think about it…

We really do have too much stuff

But it’s not just about the stuff, it’s what happens when clutter and the resulting overwhelm affect how you feel on a day to day basis.

And not only do we already have too much stuff, we regularly go out and buy more! Now I love shopping. I don’t shop often so when I do I relish the whole experience. I am quite practical though when I shop, and I ask myself:
- Where is this [object] going to live in my home?
- Do I have room for it?
- Can it replace something that I’m tired of and ready to throw out?
- If it’s an item of clothing: do I have things to wear it with?
- Do I need it?

It doesn’t take the fun out of shopping for me, and if I love the item I’ll buy it anyway. However, I do regularly declutter all the areas of my home so I’m not really at risk of over-accumulating. But for lots of people, there comes a time when their ‘stuff’ overtakes the home and it’s no longer fun.

Here’s something for you to think about this month: if you apply Pareto’s 80/20 principle, where could this make a difference in your home, or your life? If you only wear 20% of 80% of your wardrobe how many items of clothing are cluttering your wardrobe unnecessarily? If your kids only play with 20% of 80% of their toys, are there toys you could give away/donate? If you apply this idea everywhere, and take action, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.

Here’s another quote I love: “I resolve to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution” Andrew Carnegie.

Why not have some fun with this idea, imagine your home, office, wardrobe, garage… as fabulous uncluttered areas. How would that make you feel? Think about it. And if you’re not sure what your first step should be – call me – you won’t know what a difference I can make until you contact me. Spring really is just around the corner – a decision to declutter is a wonderful way to begin a new season.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

Sorting the Garage

Is your garage beautifully organised with plenty of room for parking and storage? Or does your car sit outside, a victim to the elements, because the garage is packed with clutter and stuff? Believe it or not I love doing garages – it’s so satisfying when the job’s done and the garage is finally functioning well. Here are a couple of ideas to get started:

• Use the walls: stack storage containers up the walls as much as possible so you’re not losing valuable floor space.
• Invest in some heavy duty hooks and hanging systems so you can hang bikes, wet suits, brooms etc.
• If your workshop is in the garage have your bench clear and hang your tools on a board.

Garages can become a great storage area if they are well organised. If you’re not sure where to start contact me.

Did you know…

That only 4% of New Zealanders donate blood. And transfusions number around 42,000 each year. I have been donating for over three years and find it immensely satisfying to know that by donating just four times each year I can benefit as many as 12 Kiwis. Our blood really is ‘worth bottling’. If you think you might be interested you can find all the information on NZ Blood’s website: www.nzblood.co.nz .

As always I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Have a wonderful month. These glorious days remind me that Spring is just around the corner.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed

Organising handbags

This tip is for us girls who like voluminous handbags, but struggle to keep them organised so that we can find what we want. If you’ve searched your handbag for house keys or a ringing cell phone you’ll know what I mean. The clever little plastic container below [given to me by my clever and very organised sister-in-law] organises everything beautifully, and it’s so easy to pluck out of one bag to transfer to another. And as it’s transparent it’s easy to see everything at a glance. I also steer clear of handbags with black lining as it’s impossible to find anything unless you virtually put your head inside…

Organising briefcases

Whether you have a hard briefcase, or one of the soft slouchy bags that strap over your shoulder, it can still become a jumbled mess of papers, files, bills, etc etc. I’ve found the best solution here is to invest in a few L-Shaped Pockets. They’re firm plastic sleeves which are open along the top and one side so it’s easy to slip papers in and out, and again because they’re transparent you don’t have to label them, it’s immediately obvious what’s in each file. I suggest you get a few different colours so you can colour code the types of papers you keep in your briefcase – it’s a fast way of being able to retrieve what you’re looking for in seconds.

I hope you find these tips useful. If you have an area in your home or office which continues to frustrate you, do contact me. I have a raft of ideas to handle any problem area. Meanwhile, have a wonderful month.

In Joy!

Angella Gilbert

P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella@gioia.net.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone you feel may be interested.

They can subscribe via this link: RSS Feed