Although Christmas comes just one day a year, the preparation for it, for some, begins in earnest in the fall. With the vast amounts of activities, food prep and decorating to be done, sometimes as early as September! When it takes what feels like a Herculean effort to get our homes and hearths ready for […]
Margaret Hay
Margaret Hay is a senior organizer with Blue Nest Home, LLC, in Silverdale. Specializing in working with clients who have hoarding disorders and chronic disorganization issues, she is a member of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, where she is in the process of becoming a certified professional organizer.
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For Every Thing, There’s a Season
In recent memory, not much has been pleasant. We have all struggled, suffered and persevered over the past 18 months or so. Gratefully, we finally seem to be coming out the other side of the worst experience — older, wiser and, for many of us, no longer the same size. While some are better than […]
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Swedish Death Cleaning
By now you are probably familiar with the KonMari method of organization, made popular by Marie Kondo and her show, “Tidying Up.” Move over, Marie, there’s another method! And it is, by design, the last one you will ever need. This method is targeted specifically to those 65 years of age or better. Swedish death […]
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What’s the Difference Between Hoarding and Collecting?
A china cabinet full of crystal goblets and a lovely set of gold-rimmed china. A room full of bookshelves, chock full of first editions and illustrated volumes. A glass case containing cloisonné snuff boxes from around the world. All clearly collections, lovingly accumulated over time and having intrinsic value to the owner, right? A room […]
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Minimalism: Tiresome or Trendy?
Frankly, it’s neither. While even entertaining the notion of an attempt at minimalism is panic-inducing for some, for others, the opportunity for the peace and simplicity it brings to the home and daily operations is just simply too tempting to ignore. The trend toward more simple living is a product of our environment. City living […]
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Is There Such a Thing as Too Organized?
With downsizing, “finding joy” in your belongings, and the tiny-house phenomenon, organizing is on the front page of current trends. But how much is enough? And can there be too much? When beginning any organizing project, whether it be a whole house, top-to-bottom project, or just a one-closet or one-room small project, the first thing […]
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Downsizing in the Digital Age
Downsizing. Does the mere mention instill fear in your heart? It seems that the pace of life has become so frenetic that there simply isn’t time to consider, let alone implement, the process of eliminating your treasured possessions. The days of preparing for and organizing a traditional yard or garage sale are not only a […]
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Your Month-by-Month Guide to an Organized, Minimized and Stress-Free 2019
The New Year is a time of reflection, planning and resolutions. A grand idea — and usually an abysmal failure. Many people have organization on their New Year’s resolutions list, especially with the new trends toward minimalism. But most plans are doomed without proper planning and time management. Organization, for many, seems an impossible task. […]