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High school graduation can be a bittersweet time for parents. One the one hand, you are ready to have your child leave the nest and start their own adventure, but on the other hand, you may feel sad about not getting to see them every day.  This transition tends to raise the age-old question: “what do I do with their stuff after they move out?” Here are some suggestions to simplify your life:
If you are feeling stressed by this process and you don’t know how to start decluttering or getting organized, then the Clutter-Free Home online course is perfect for you! It’s a step-by-step guide designed to help you shift from feeling overwhelmed to organized in a short amount of time. Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts.
xo, Sarah Larsen Home Organizer in Portland, Oregon
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We all have organizing habits that either support or hinder our ability to stay organized. We may not even be aware that we have organizing habits in the first place because, after all, they happen subconsciously. For example, you may get up at the same time every day, brush your teeth in the same exact order each time, shop at the same grocery store every week, drive the same route to and from work every day, etc. Our days are filled with habits but, because they’re operating on autopilot, we don't even think about how they affect our lives. The same goes with organizing habits. It’s just not something we’re taught to even think about, let alone process how they can affect our homes and our lives. In order to create new organizing habits, it’s important to examine your current ones, so you can successfully maintain organizing systems in the future. Here are the top 3 organizing habits that have changed my clients' lives and if you implement them into your daily routine, they will change yours too!  1. Don't Buy Stuff I Don't NeedEasier said than done right? It’s easier than ever to get whatever we want whenever we want it; it’s literally at the touch of a button. The habit goes like this: we want something, so we go buy it or order it. It arrives and we have nowhere to put it. Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:
 2. Stop Buying in BulkMost homes are not designed to handle large quantities of items OR the huge boxes and packages that they’re stored in. I have yet to find a house that can accommodate 48 rolls of toilet paper, 12 rolls of paper towels, huge boxes of cereal, and giant bags of chips without taking up precious real estate and making the house look and feel cluttered. I know this may be hard to hear, but it’s so true. Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:
 3. Don't Keep Things "Just in Case"We all know this feeling. We try to get rid of something, but there’s a little voice in our head saying, “should I keep this just in case?” Spoiler alert: the answer is usually no! By letting go of the things that are holding you back, you will be able to move forward. Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:
If you would like to learn more about organizing habits that will change your life, how to get organized, and where to start organizing in your home, sign up for the VIP email list and save $100 off the upcoming course, "Clutter-Free Home: A Step-By-Step Guide to Shift From Feeling Overwhelmed to Organized in 60 Days!" Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts.
xo, Sarah Larsen Home Organizer in Portland, Oregon Are you trying to get your paperwork in order so you can file your taxes, but you can’t find what you're looking for? Are the piles of papers taking over your office and frustrating you so much that you feel paralyzed? Here are my 5 favorite tips to organize your office so you can reclaim your space.  1. Organize for 15 Minutes a Day Keep it simple. Set a timer for 15 minutes, mute your phone, and limit all distractions so you can really focus on getting organized. Do this every day until your office is sparkling clean. If you're up for a challenge, increase it to 30 minutes a day. 2. Tackle the Piles on Your Desk First It's challenging to organize the other areas of your office if you don’t have a place to sort. Start with one pile and sort the papers into the following categories: to do, to file, garbage, recycling, shred, and relocate. Once the timer goes off, proces all the papers accordingly.  3. Shred Old Documents We all have them: the old credit card statements, bank statements, car insurance policies, and utility statements that burst out of our files. Shredding old documents will make room for the new ones to filter in so they won't take over your desk again. Many statements are available online, so likely, you don't need to keep them at all. Write down a list of the companies that you receive statements from as you shred them. When the timer goes off, you can go to the website for each company and select the paperless option. This will keep papers from coming into your home in the first place! 4. Place Sentimental Items in a Bin As you organize your office, you may come across old photos and items from your childhood that spark memories. This can be a wonderful feeling, but don't fall into the trap friends! Reminiscing about old times can really slow down the organizing process and derail your progress. So, place those items in a bin and look at them later when you can give them the attention they deserve.  5. Remove Items That Don't Belong in the Office Somehow the office tends to be a magnet for things that don't belong there! Random toys, clothes, bags, and mystery piles pop up everywhere. Don't worry, this tends to happen to all of my clients. As you are organizing, place these miscellaneous items in a pile, then take them back to the place they go when the timer is done. If you would like more guidance as you organize your office, grab your complimentary Clutter Free Office Checklist. Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts. xo, Sarah Larsen Home Organizer in Portland, Oregon Whew, we made it to 2022! The changing of the year always inspires me to reflect upon the previous year and to think about ways that I can make positive changes in the new one. One of my favorite ways to kick off the new year is to host and participate in a 31 Day Declutter Challenge for the Balanced Home Organization Community.  The Challenge gives you an opportunity to remove 496 items from your home throughout the month of January to give you a fresh start. Getting rid of the clutter will help you feel lighter and more focused. Having less visual distractions will propel you toward meeting your goals. Here's how it works: declutter 1 item on January 1st, 2 items on January 2nd, 3 items on January 3rd, all the way up to 31 items on January 31st. Now, 496 items might seem like a lot of stuff to declutter, but think about the past few years. We have been home more than we have ever been which can lead to more purchases and, therefore, to the accumulation of more items in our homes.  If you feel that you are ready to embark on a decluttering journey yourself, I have put together a list of questions to help you get unstuck and move forward toward living the life you want. These are the same questions that I ask my clients during home organization sessions.
 You don't have to be part of the 31 Day Declutter Challenge to start decluttering your home. Any day of the year or any time of the day is great to start simplifying your life. If you want to join the 31 Day Declutter Challenge just click here to join in on the fun, or follow my stories on Instagram for inspiration. Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts.
xo, Sarah Whether we are ready or not, school starts in a few weeks for most districts. Getting ready early has some benefits and it can simplify your life. Children thrive on routine and structure; it helps them relax when they know what is expected of them. Most adults feel more focused when they follow a schedule as well, so getting ready early can be good for both of you! Here are some ways to simplify back to school time. Write Out a Morning Schedule Once you figure out what time school starts, write out a morning schedule so your kids can see what the expectation is for the year. Start the routine a week or two before school starts to help everyone get ready for the transition. Reinstate a Bedtime Routine  It is so light at night in the summer that it is easy to let the bedtime routine slide. About a week before school starts, try reinstating a bedtime routine so that your child feels well rested going into the school year. It may be rough for a few days, but it’s better to do it the week before school than the first week of school. Prepare the Night Before  This is a game changer! Preparing lunches, snacks, and drinks the night before can decrease stress in the morning. Packing folders, books, and school supplies in backpacks ahead of time can make the morning calmer. Additionally, having your child set out their clothes the night before can prevent one less meltdown in the morning. Download the School Calendar Check your child’s school website for the academic calendar for the upcoming year. Add the following dates to your calendar so you are prepared for what is to come:
Shop for School Supplies in Your Own Home  It's tempting to go out and purchase everything brand new for the school year, but you may have everything you need in your home already. Using what you have can keep your home from becoming cluttered, save you money, and save you time. Here are some items that you may be able to reuse this school year:
Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts.
xo, Sarah Clients ask me all the time why I started Balanced Home Organization. My journey to becoming an entrepreneur is a culmination of nature, nurture, & life experiences. Here is my story!  It all started the day I was born! My father was a military officer & my mother was an accountant; talk about growing up in an organized home with organized people! I was a tidy kid & that continued into high school when I was voted, “most organized!” Life started getting more complicated in graduate school & even more so 10 years later when I had an infant & a toddler at home. I was working in hospital & clinical settings while trying to care for my children & manage our household. I felt overwhelmed, overscheduled, & exhausted. I wanted a simpler, less busy life, but didn’t know where to start.  Things started looking brighter when my mother-in-law re-introduced me to the joys of home organization. As I began to declutter & transform our home, I began to feel hopeful & excited about life again! It felt good getting back to my roots & using my natural organizing skills. I was more focused, more energetic, & I felt balanced for the first time in years. Having fewer physical items in my home allowed me to organize my mental clutter & make positive changes in other areas of my life. I could finally see a clear path & a spark was lit. I blended all the things I loved about occupational therapy with my passion for home organization to provide client-centered & holistic organizing services.  Two years after launching Balanced Home Organization, I stepped away from the hospital setting to grow it into the business you know & trust today. Now, I look forward to every home & life organization session knowing that I get to help my clients simplify their lives & find their balance. Thank you for allowing me into your homes, lives, & hearts! Sarah The holiday season is upon us! It can be a very exciting time of the year filled with family time, good food, & fun. Here are some ways to stay balanced this holiday season if you feel overwhelmed by all of your responsibilities. Keep it Simple There are so many things we do year after year because they are tradition, but are they things you actually enjoy or do you feel obligated to do them? This year, give yourself the gift of simplicity. Write down all of the things you do during the holidays. If those things make you happy, keep doing them. If not, feel free to let those traditions go. Tired of Elf on the Shelf? Tell your kids he moved to the Caribbean! Order Your Holiday Meal  Preparing holiday meals can be fun for some people, but stressful for others. If you don't enjoy cooking, order your holiday meal & let someone else do the work; just heat & serve. Ordering your meal from your favorite local restaurant or store also feels good because they could really use your support this year. Ask for Experiences vs. Stuff One sure fire way to keep the clutter at bay & stay balanced this holiday season is to ask your friends & family for experiential gifts vs. physical items. Ask for a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant, winery, or museum. Better yet, ask them to join you on the experience to make it more enticing for them to support your wishes. One in One Out Guideline If your friends & family do purchase you physical items, you can use the one in one out guideline to minimize clutter. It works like this: if someone purchases you a sweater, choose to either keep the new sweater if you like it & purge one that you already own or donate the new sweater if you love the ones you own more. Don’t feel guilty about getting rid of a gift that someone gave to you. Simply appreciate their generosity & let it go to someone else who will love it more than you do. You will appreciate that your closet is not more cluttered! This guideline works well for children too. If they receive 5 new toys, give them the choice to keep those 5 new toys & purge 5 old ones or just keep the old ones. You will be giving your children the gift of making choices & learning how to minimize clutter before they reach adulthood. Schedule in Some Time to Relax  We may want & need to relax, but somehow it can be challenging to carve out time for ourselves during the holidays. Embrace relaxation this season by getting cozy in front of a fire, taking a bath, reading a book, or doing whatever makes you feel relaxed. I’m sure we can all agree that 2020 has been quite the year, so let’s ease into 2021 with a fresh perspective and a feeling of balance. Happy Holidays! Sarah It’s time to transition from the warmer, summer weather to all the cozy things that fall has to offer. Here are some tips to help you get organized during this time of transformation & change.  Rotate Your ClothesIf you’ve never been one to rotate your wardrobe before, this is a great time to start. It will make a huge impact on the amount of things that you have in your closet & it will help save time when you get ready in the morning. The first step is to declutter & donate the summer clothes that you never ended up wearing this year or that you no longer enjoy. Then, store them in closed bins under your bed, in your garage, or another dry area. Now that you have the summer items out of the way, it is time to declutter & donate fall clothes that you no longer like or that no longer fit. This includes fall accessories: gloves, hats, scarves, & shoes.  Hang or Fold SweatersFolding sweaters & putting clear shelf dividers between them is a great way to save space in your closet. Alternately, you could hang them up. Save your drawers for smaller items to maximize space.  Invest in Matching HangersMatching hangers can have a big impact on the way your closet looks & functions. It can instantly elevate your closet to the next level & make it easier to see all of your clothes at a glance. Some of my favorite hangers to use in clients' homes are wood, black, grey, or white. I usually purchase them from The Container Store or Amazon, but there are thousands of choices out there, so you can achieve the look that you want.  Place Accessories in Bins or BasketsAccessories have a way of taking over closets & making it more difficult to find what you want. Open or closed bins & baskets can help you organize your accessories into categories, which saves time when getting dressed. I designate a bin for each type of accessory: gloves, hats, scarves, belts, etc. My favorite fabric lined baskets are the Montauk Woven Storage Bins from The Container Store. I also like the clean look of the Coiled Rope Basket from Target. Happy Organizing & Welcome to Fall! Sarah Home organization has been a hot topic the past few years. In light of this trend, TV producers have launched some new shows about ways to makeover your home. I’d like to highlight a few recently released shows that have inspired change in homes across the world. Maybe you will find the inspiration you need to make the first step toward organizing your home! 1. Get Organized with The Home Edit The most recently released show is called, Get Organized with The Home Edit, which aired on Netflix on September 9th, 2020. Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin are the owners of The Home Edit; a Nashville based home organization company. Each episode features them transforming a celebrity’s home & a typical client’s home. They bring their big team of employees to each home to edit, categorize, & contain the items. This show highlights the categorizing & containing steps of the home organization process. The end result is a functional, organized, lovely space. Clea & Joanna are well known for using rainbow as an organization system. Just prior to launching the show they created some home organization items in partnership with The Container Store, which have been flying off shelves since the show aired! 2. Hot Mess House Cas Aarssen, an Ontario based home organizer, launched her show, Hot Mess House, on HGTV on June 24th, 2020. The show highlights how a virtual home organization session works as Cas coaches families on ways to edit, categorize, & contain the items in their homes via Zoom. She “meets” with families who need help organizing a room in their home, gives them homework to do between virtual sessions, & she provides organization containers that the family puts in place while she coaches them along. The end result is a lovely, clutter-free space where the homeowner’s can relax & thrive. An added bonus is that clients feel confident that they can change their own space. 3. Tidying Up with Marie Kondo  Marie Kondo is most well known for her best-selling home organization books, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up & Spark Joy. Marie grew up in Japan & she tells stories about how she organized even as a young child. Her show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, launched on Netflix on January 1st, 2019. It highlights the editing & categorizing aspects of the home organization process. She enters client's homes & shows families how to declutter by category rather than by room: clothing, books, paper, miscellaneous, sentimental. The end result is a home that only has things that bring her client’s joy. Marie believes that people should be surrounded by things that make them happy, so they can feel more relaxed & calm. All 3 shows may inspire change in you! If you are feeling unhappy with the clutter in your home, you are ready to move forward, & you don’t know where to start, a home organizer can coach you through the process. It makes home organization less stressful & more fun when you have an organizer by your side!
Well, it's official: distance learning is really happening this school year for most families. Maybe it's not quite what you wanted or expected, but it is coming soon. Here are some tips to help you stay balanced, so you can thrive!  Set Up Your Home ClassroomBefore the pandemic, your child was most likely going to school in a preschool, elementary, middle, or high school classroom. That environment was set-up to support learning. When your child entered that space, it sent a clear message that learning would take place there. That is what you are trying to replicate at home. Find a space in your home that is quiet, has limited visual distractions, is organized, & has natural light if possible. A home office, dining room, basement, or a playroom are some common areas where I have helped clients’ set-up their home classrooms. But, the options are endless. If you will be working from home, you may need to set up a work station for yourself in the same area to help your child stay on task & to answer questions as they arise. Consistency is key with children, so try to have school in your home classroom every day to help them understand that they need to follow your school rules when they are there. Follow a Daily ScheduleChildren thrive on routine & structure! Try to establish a daily morning routine to set your child up for success at school. Wake at the same time, eat at the same time, complete self-care at the same time, then enter your home classroom at the same time each day. Children are used to following daily schedules at school. It helps them relax & get ready to learn when they know what is expected of them & they know what will happen next. Most adults feel more focused when they follow a schedule as well, so it can be good for both of you! You child’s teacher will most likely set the daily school schedule or you may need to take on that responsibility. You will learn this during the first week or two of school. Either way, print out a copy of the schedule & go over it with your child at the beginning of the school day, so they know what will be happening.  Take Movement Breaks Throughout the Day Everyone needs movement in order to focus & stay healthy. According to the CDC, incorporating movement into your child’s school day may also help reduce disruptive behavior, increase motivation, & improve academic performance. Plus, it adds some fun, variety to your day. Some movement ideas for your home classroom space are yoga, jumping jacks, jogging in place, jumping on a mini trampoline, push-ups, sit-ups, or dancing. During recess & PE you can go for a bike ride, walk, hike, play soccer, run, or set-up an obstacle course. This movement will help you unwind & boost your energy as well, so have some fun together! Keep All Your Passwords TogetherThere are so many passwords that you will need to keep track of for distance learning! There will likely be a password for your child’s electronic device, a password for the learning platform, a password for each learning app, a password for Google Classrooms, etc. It will save you so much time if you keep all usernames & passwords in one place. If you like paper, write them down & hang them on the wall in your home classroom. If you like technology, download a password app like, LastPass, & enter in all of your usernames & passwords there. Believe me, the last thing you want to be doing is searching for passwords when your child is supposed to be in a virtual meeting with their teacher & peers!  Be Kind to YourselfThe most important piece of advice that I can give you, is to be kind to yourself. This is a strange time & distance learning may be new for you. Heck, it’s new for me too! Be patient with yourself, speak kindly to yourself, & make sure you schedule some time to care for yourself. It can be challenging to keep track of all the things. I will be on this journey with you. I will post tips for you on my Facebook & Instagram pages as the year unfolds. If you need help setting up your home classroom, I offer Distance Learning Home Organization Sessions. We can do this together! Organization can be a cringe-worthy word for those who have a project, but don’t know where to start. This is the most common challenge that I hear from my clients, “I’ve wanted to do this project for years, but I just didn’t know where to start.” If this sentiment resonates with you, then you will be happy to hear that getting organized has many benefits that will help you feel better! 1. Increased “Me” Time This is very important to most of my clients: busy parents & professionals alike. It feels like there is “not enough time in the day” to take care of ourselves with all of our obligations. Getting organizational strategies in place can help you structure your day to win back some “me” time! Whether that is reading, exercising, meditating, or simply going to the store alone; it all feels good. Self-care is essential to our health & wellness. A Life Organizer can help you sift through your daily clutter to figure out what is important & what you can purge from your schedule, so that you can enjoy some time alone. I personally love alone time! 2. Reduced Anxiety & Stress A study published in Current Psychology found that clutter can negatively affect mental well-being. Clutter can also increase levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. We all know this, we feel it when we have incomplete projects, clutter, & “to do” lists a mile long. The good news is that getting organized can make us feel accomplished, relaxed, & happy! A Home Organizer can help you tackle those projects that cause you stress & help you create habits that can be sustained over time. 3. Increased Productivity Do you ever start your morning with such good intentions to get things done, but end up feeling like a hamster in a wheel as the day unfolds? We all do, the key is to know how to get out of that wheel & take control of your day. A Life Organizer can help you set goals & create a path to accomplish those goals, so you can be more productive & feel more balanced. 4. Increased Energy Spending just 10 minutes a day organizing is enough to boost your energy & make you feel better according to WebMD! There is a sense of gratification that comes with purging unwanted items; it feels as though a weight has been lifted & it allows my clients to move forward when they have been feeling stuck for so long. The majority of my clients have said that Home Organization “is fun” as they see their space become less cluttered & they get excited thinking about what is to come. The “grand reveal” moment at the end of my Home Organization sessions is really energizing! It gives clients the confidence they need to tackle other areas of their home & life. 5. Improved Sleep The National Sleep Foundation found that 66% of people sleep better when their bedroom is clean & organized. Further, making your bedroom a sanctuary that is designated for rest can help you fall asleep faster. A Home Organizer can transform your room into a cozy, soft, warm, & luxurious space. Goodnight! We're excited to be adding new features to our website. Keep checking back as we're adding resources, tips, & other services to help you stay balanced!
Warmly, Sarah Your Home & Life Organizer |
AuthorSarah Larsen helps people experience the freedom that comes with having an organized home & life.
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