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Unpacking the Power Purge

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Unpacking the Power Purge

When people begin a decluttering project, they go in with the best of intentions. They imagine that just a little motivation and some bins and labels will surely solve almost any organizational problem. But all too often, aspiring organizers skip the most important step of all: The Power Purge! Reorganizing the objects without getting to the heart of the problem—that we all have Too Much Stuff—is just a temporary fix. It’s more like a Band-Aid than true healing for your cluttered home. If you don’t go through the process of saying goodbye to your excess clutter, you’re just moving stuff around, which still takes time and effort but gets you no closer to having a peaceful, clutter-free home.

Unless you’ve recently fully organized a space and therefore are just maintaining your good work, any decluttering effort will benefit greatly from careful consideration about which items should stay in the space, and which items should be removed. But how do you choose which items should remain and which items to set free? Thankfully, as professional organizers, we’ve developed a tried-and-true process that can help bring clarity to this series of overwhelming decisions. As you touch each object that currently lives in the space you are organizing, ask yourself the three key questions of the Power Purge. Don’t think about this process as getting rid of things that are important to you; instead, think about it as an opportunity to make room for the people, activities, and things that you love!

1 Does This Item Make Me Happy?

If the item you are focusing on makes you smile or brings back a wonderful memory of someone you love or an adventure that you had, keep it! Don’t feel pressured to throw away things that are meaningful to you. As you go through this process, some items will have obvious happy emotions tied to them: family photos, precious gifts from a loved one, that perfect sweater. Other items will bring you joy for reasons that you can’t put into words and that is fine too! To be able to keep an item, you don’t have to justify why it makes you happy—just feel the positive emotions and keep it!

But not everything that you think should make you happy actually does make you happy. The magic of the first key question of the Power Purge is that it gives you permission to let go of items that you or others think should make you happy, but don’t. You have the permission to let go of memorabilia, or old collections, or things you purchased that you regret. You don’t need to hold on to things just because you feel like you should. This is your home and you get to choose what is lifting you up and what is holding you down.

Just because something doesn’t make you happy doesn’t mean you should necessarily get rid of it! Also, never forget that there is sometimes a middle ground in these decisions. For example, instead of keeping the entire 64-piece set of your grandmother’s china, keep a special tea cup that you will use or put on display as a reminder of her. We keep most items in our homes not because they make us happy, but because they serve a function. That brings us to the second key question of the Power Purge.

2 Is This Item Useful Now or in the Near Future?

Just like in the first question, if you answer YES to this question, it’s a no-brainer that you should keep it. It’s up to you to decide what “regularly” means for you, but our Bees advise that if you are using it every year, that’s likely enough to warrant keeping. So if you have been holding on to that fondue pot for that “someday fondue party” for the past five years, either plan the party or ditch the fondue pot and borrow one when you get around to planning that party. Keep in mind the 80/20 Rule as you’re simplifying: We only use 20% of our items 80% of the time.

Things get more complicated when you answer NO to the question “is this item useful.” If you are performing the Power Purge on your closet, there’s a very good chance you will run across clothing that you haven’t worn in years…or even decades. If the item doesn’t make you happy (and especially if it makes you feel a negative emotion like guilt or regret), and you aren’t using it regularly, now is the right time to let it go and move on.

Letting go of items that you don’t use regularly (and that you don’t love) can sometimes be extremely challenging. Getting rid of the item means admitting to yourself that it was a wasteful purchase in the first place—or that you bought it for the wrong reasons. Sometimes, it means facing the fact that you did not stick with that hobby you bought the equipment for or that the one dress you are waiting for a chance to wear may have already gone out of style. It’s natural to feel the occasional strong emotion as you sort through items. Don’t let the emotions surprise you—and BEE sure to give yourself the gift of self-compassion and a judgment-free zone as you feel your feelings. This work of purging what is no longer useful or meaningful to you will give you more room in your life for clarity and joy!

3 Is This Item Valuable or Irreplaceable?

You’ve made it to the third key question! As you consider the item you are focusing on, you’ve already determined that it does not make you happy and you do not use it regularly. The answer to the third key question will help you figure out how to best deal with this item.

If the item is valuable, you will likely need to take more care in figuring out how to part with it. In this context, valuable items are those that either cost a significant amount of money when you originally purchased it—or are likely worth a significant amount of money now. (You get to decide what a “significant amount of money” means to you!) Sometimes, people hold on to an item for no other reason than because it is valuable. The third key question in the Power Purge is your reminder that just because something is valuable doesn’t automatically mean that it deserves to take up space in your home. If the item is not useful to you and it doesn’t bring happiness to you, now may be a great time to sell the item, give it to someone who would love it, or donate it to a cause that is meaningful to you. Check out your local Facebook “Buy Nothing” groups, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and other websites to find a variety of options for giving your items new life.

The second part of this question asks you to consider whether the item is irreplaceable. If the answer to this question is YES, but the item does not make you happy and is not useful to you, all this means is that you may need to take more care in deciding where it goes after you’ve decided to part with it. There’s a chance that one-of-a-kind items mean more to someone else than they do to you, and it might make sense for you to check with them before disposing of the items.

For example, perhaps you have a crate of Kindergarten art from your grown child taking up space in your guest room. It’s completely reasonable to sort through it and keep the ones that make you happy and then decide that you no longer need the rest. But since the items are irreplaceable, it might make sense for you to share the contents of the crate with your adult child so that they can decide if they too want to keep any of the crayon masterpieces. The same reasoning holds true with all those photos you’ve collected over the years. Give yourself permission to dispose of pictures that don’t bring you joy, are of poor quality, or you cannot name the people or places. For large framed photos, take a picture and let it go! Digitizing photos and photo albums is a great way to eliminate the actual items.

Remember that just because something is irreplaceable, it doesn’t automatically mean that it gets to take up space in your home!

You’ve done it! You’ve thoughtfully considered each item in the space you are decluttering, and you’ve (hopefully) given yourself permission to part with so many of the things that were weighing you down. The great thing about the Power Purge is that you can’t find a loophole in the line of questioning. These three questions were designed to press you and make you be honest with yourself. The more you do it, the better you’ll BEEcome.

Removing all of the extra items will make organizing what’s left go so much more smoothly. As you work to transform your space, let happiness and usefulness BEE your guide, and savor the sweet nectar of a decluttered life!

If you need a helping hand to get started, reach out to the Bee Organized location nearest you—our Bees are ready to give you the compassionate, confidential, and judgment-free service you deserve!

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5 Steps for Organizing Your Home

Just BEEgin – Conquer the Chaos and Love Your Space

Think about a part of your home or life that is completely chaotic. Is it organizing your garage? Your refrigerator? A junk drawer? The box full of mystery cords that you can’t bring yourself to throw away, Just In Case?

Have you ever come home after a lovely day feeling energized and content—but then your mood sours the second you walk through the door? If you are like us (and our thousands of clients), staring your chaos in the eyes can make you feel embarrassed, overwhelmed, and even a bit hopeless.

You know that you need to wrangle this chaotic area of your life. You understand that your disorganization is costing you precious time and money—and that it’s impacting your ability to focus on the people and activities that bring your life the most meaning. The challenge isn’t knowing that you need to make a change—it’s figuring out where to BEEgin!

When you have multiple areas in your home that are overwhelmed with clutter, it’s tempting to look the other way—or to turn around and walk right back out of your house! But you don’t need to let the clutter get the best of you. All you really need is time and a PLAN (our expert decluttering steps).

1 Pick One Area

We know that you have countless nooks and crannies in your home that need some TLC, but you can’t do everything everywhere all at once. Start small with just one area—yes, ONE. Will you pick the spot that’s the biggest eyesore when you walk in the door? The junk drawer that wastes your time as you paw through it looking for a key or a flathead screwdriver? Your purse that’s like a black hole devouring items that might never be seen again?

2 Schedule Time

Unfortunately, your house can’t be organized with just a Mary Poppins-style snap of the fingers. Taming the chaos takes time.

The size of your home organization project will determine how much time you need. Organizing your bins of holiday bits and pieces might just take an hour, but giving your pantry a makeover might take a full afternoon. And when you’re ready to tackle the largest trouble zones—the loneliest parts of your storage room or a dusty attic—you’ll need to allot a full weekend or schedule multiple work sessions to finish it up.

Think of the time you spend organizing as a savings account for the future. Every minute you dedicate to your home organization strategy will pay you back in the future in saved time, money, and frustration.

3 Sort Your Stuff

So you’ve picked your trouble spot and blocked off a bit of time on your calendar. So now what? Remember that you can’t organize what you can’t see. If you are starting with a drawer, empty the contents onto a wide open space so that you can really understand what you are working with. If you are beginning with a closet, your first step is to remove everything so that you have the full picture of what needs to be organized.

Let’s imagine you are tackling a kitchen counter that serves as a landing pad for everyone who walks by. Our Bees tell us that every single item on that counter can be sorted into one of the nine categories below.

You are going to need nine different Drop Zones for the organizing and sorting process, and each Drop Zone should be labeled with a Post-it Note or just a piece of tape. For a small project like a drawer, you could have all nine Drop Zones on your dining room table, but if you are organizing an entire room, you will need to spread out.

As you examine each item, decide which Drop Zone it belongs in. Remember that there are no right or wrong answers, to be patient with the process, and to withhold judgment! Here’s our simple sorting checklist (Drop Zones) to stay organized and control the clutter:

  • Keep: Imagine the best use of the space you are organizing and how to make it work for you. The Primary Real Estate in any space should be reserved for those things that you use the most, that you see the most, and that are the most important to you. What items should be in the Primary Real Estate of this space?
  • Trash: Some items can go straight to the garbage can: gum wrappers, broken widgets, expired food, and items that have no reasonable use for you or anyone else.
  • Donate: Do you see anything that you no longer want or need but still has life left in it? Put all those items in the Donate Drop Zone and you can take the whole lot to the nearest donation site when you have the time, or schedule a pickup for larger items
  • Return: One of the most overlooked decluttering tips is returning an unwanted item. Whether it’s something that needs to be returned to a store or to a friend who has a habit of leaving their belongings behind after a visit, place everything that needs to be returned together.
  • Fix: Look through the items that remain. Is there anything that is still functional or irreplaceable to you but isn’t operating the way that it should? Maybe it just needs a fresh battery, or some super glue, or a new screen. Put those items that need fixing together to tackle another day.
  • Give: Sometimes, you see something in the area you are organizing that would be perfect for someone else. Maybe you pull out a sweater that isn’t really your style but would look amazing on your niece. Or you uncover a long-lost cookbook that would help your friend who’s attempting to learn how to make the perfect omelet.
  • Sell: You may come across an item that makes the most sense to sell—especially if it’s in good condition and can fetch enough money to be worth your time and energy to sell it! Set sellable items in a safe place until you are ready to list them.
  • Recycle: Most communities have the ability to recycle a whole host of items beyond the obvious food containers and office paper, including electronics, batteries, used oil, and much more. Keeping your recyclable items together makes it easier for you to distribute the items in time-efficient batches.
  • Relocate: And finally, your last Drop Zone is for those items that you really want to keep, but just not in the space you are currently tackling. Make a pile of those items that already have a home elsewhere or that you need to create a home for elsewhere.

We often hear that the hardest category to deal with is the last one—how do you relocate an item that doesn’t have a place to go? The last thing you want to do is just to move it someplace else to make clutter for another day! That’s why the next step is so important.

4 Assign a Home For Everything

Organizing goes beyond mere tidying—it’s a thoughtful way to manage our belongings. Assigning every item a designated home is key to gaining control over the clutter in your life. Take another look at the items that don’t already have a place in your home and ask yourself:

  • Are these items useful, important, or irreplaceable to you? If they are not, are you sure you need to find a home for them, or do they really belong in one of the other Drop Zones above?
  • Does it make sense to group some of the items together in a bin?
  • Do related items already have a place in your house? For example, maybe a good place for the candle lighter would be in the same place you keep your flashlights. Maybe the knife sharpener should go in the drawer directly under the knife block because that’s where you would look for it first.

As you think about making a place for those placeless items, remember that the key is to have everything visible and accessible so that you can easily locate and use the item when you need it. Clear storage bins, baskets, and labels are all home organizing tools you can use to keep similar items together, visible, and easily accessible.

Making sure that every item has a home has too many benefits to count . You will save time looking for lost things and cleaning around clutter, your home will be safer and more peaceful, and everyone who lives in your home will be able to more easily clean up after themselves!

5 Maintain

Now that you’ve tamed a space (or more!) in your home, you’ve got to create habits that will keep it that way! A small amount of regular effort goes a very long way in maintaining your new clutter-free space. Here are a few Buzzworthy tips to ensure your organizing efforts last beyond the first week:

  • Establish a Routine – Set aside dedicated time regularly to tidy up and maintain your space. This could be a daily or weekly routine, depending on your needs and the size of the space.
  • Declutter Regularly – Periodically assess your belongings and perform the Power Purge.
  • Designate Homes for New Items – Any time you bring a new item into your space, make sure you find it a home right away. Consider following the One-In-One-Out Rule: for every new item you bring into your space, remove an old or unused item.
  • Clean as You Go – Incorporate the habit of cleaning up as you go about your daily activities. Put items away immediately after use, and clean up small messes promptly to prevent them from escalating.
  • Involve Everyone – Encourage everyone you’re sharing space with to learn where everything goes and the steps you are taking to maintain the organized spaces.
  • Adjust as Needed – Be flexible and willing to adjust your systems as your needs change.

As you get started on this journey, remember that the areas you organize do not have to be perfect, and you don’t have to have your home 100% organized in order to call it a success. We are looking for REAL home organization methods that will help your space be more functional and enjoyable—not the type of organization that only looks pretty on Pinterest.

Once you tame one area in your home—no matter how big or small—you will get energy from that work, and you will be just a little bit faster at working through the next trouble spot. You have the ability to take on this challenge, you have the list of steps to take from our experts, and you have the motivation to get started.

JUST BEEGIN! You’ve got this!

But if you decide you need some organizing help from your local Bees, schedule an appointment today!

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New Year, Clutter-Free Cheer

People having group hug

Simplify Your Hive and Make Room for Your Best Life!

Everyone knows that getting and staying organized at home feels unBEElievably good, but it may surprise you to learn that experts from countless fields have weighed in on the proven ways that clutter-free living can improve your well-being. In this blog post, we walk you through the three most significant benefits of organizing your life. What are you waiting for?

1 Increase Your Happiness

The state of your living space can have a profound impact on your sense of wellBEEing. The research—and our clients—tells us that living in an organized space has a far-reaching impact on every aspect of our happiness.

We all know that healthy relationships are fundamental to happiness, but many of us ignore the fact that chaos and clutter in our homes can actually harm our social connections. Taking care of clutter can help you reduce conflict and tension with the people you share your living space with.

In addition, extending hospitality to friends and family can be a lovely way to keep those relationships strong—but only if you feel confident and comfortable inviting people into your space. Having a well-organized home makes you more likely to host both planned and spontaneous events and activities, helping you care for those precious relationships both inside and outside of your Hive.

two people sitting on a couch looking at the window

Second—and we know you already know this one—organizing your space boosts your mood. The amount of clutter in a living space is directly related to one’s overall feeling of well-being. Catherine Roster, a researcher at the University of New Mexico, explained, ”When there’s lots of clutter, you lose control over your physical environment, which is very defeating and can bring on stress, depression, or anxiety.” She found that organizing one’s environment directly increased their feelings of well-being and happiness. Leave the anxiety and stress behind and bring on the relaxation and peace!

Finally, having an organized living space can give you a confidence boost, as well as everyone else who lives in the home! Researchers at UCLA found a strong connection between the amount of clutter in a home and the family members’ sense of self-esteem. That’s right—the simple act of keeping your home organized can help every single person in the home feel more confident as they go out into the world each day.

You deserve to live your happiest life filled with the confidence to grow relationships, reduce your stress, and enjoy the home you’ve created for yourself. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to BEEgin!

2 Give Yourself the Gift of Time

parents playing with a child in a grass valley

Time is undoubtedly your most precious resource. Simplifying Your Hive can give you back some of your time, allowing you to focus on the people and activities that bring joy and meaning to your life.

A well-organized space can save you immeasurable time and money. How many minutes per day do you spend searching for your car keys, replacement batteries, your kid’s sports uniform, or some other item you know you have somewhere? Those minutes add up fast!

In fact, Americans report that they spend an average of 2.5 days per year looking for items they have lost. And those missing items can cost you money in addition to time—talk about adding insult to injury! Too often, we not only lose the time we spend looking for misplaced items, but we also carry the additional burden of running to the store or hopping on to Amazon to replace that item … which just leads to more clutter and wasteful spending.

Having an organized living space also reduces the amount of time you need to spend cleaning each week. Picture the entry into your home—it’s much quicker to sweep or mop the area when you don’t have to first sort and move the piles of shoes and bags and mystery items. Cleaning an organized space simply takes less time than cleaning a space filled with clutter.

neatly organized closet

Finally, several studies have shown that when your work space is free of clutter, you are able to process information much faster and therefore are able to get your work done more efficiently. According to an article in the Stanford University health newsletter, research shows that you will be less irritable and distracted, more productive, and better able to process information with an uncluttered and organized home and office. Organized space = time saved!

So how will you spend that newly found time in ways that will help you live your best life? Will you finally dig into that book you’ve been meaning to read? Meal prep healthy lunches? Volunteer at the animal shelter? Play more board games with your honey? Have an impromptu party?

3Improve Your Physical Health

Did you know that BEEcoming more organized can have a positive effect on your physical health? Numerous studies have demonstrated the critical link between having an organized living space and increasing your physical well-being.

First, having an organized living space can help reduce several common household dangers. When you clear out the clutter from your living space, the breeding ground for the mold and dust that worsen asthma and allergies is also cleared away.

In addition, when all of those items that take up space on the floor have their own place to live, you dramatically reduce the potential for trips and falls in your home. Even the National Fire Protection Association is anti-clutter! Not only can disorganization accidentally lead to the placement of flammable items too close to heat sources, but it can also block emergency exits such as egress windows.

Second, clutter is stressful! Researchers at DePaul University in Chicago found that excess clutter can raise the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Other researchers have noted that extra clutter can increase one’s heart rate and blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic suggests that decluttering your space will go a long way toward decluttering your mind, and therefore reducing stress and fatigue.

Finally, we all know that sleep is fundamental to living an active and fulfilling life, but several research studies have shown that nighttime sleep is shorter and less restful when the sleeping space is cluttered. Dr. Pamela Thacher, a psychologist at St. Lawrence University, found in her study that people who slept in cluttered bedrooms were more likely to experience a sleep disorder. Taming the chaos in your bedroom can go a long way toward improving your health through restful sleep.

neatly made bed

Having a clutter-free home is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for living your healthiest life. Your organized home can reduce stress, improve sleep, and protect you from common household hazards.

After years of working with thousands of clients, we’ve seen firsthand the effects of clutter and the transformation that our clients experience once their home is in order. If you need a helping hand to get started, reach out to the Bee Organized location nearest you—our Bees are ready to give you the compassionate, confidential, and judgment-free assistance you deserve!

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Feel Good Holiday Tips

The holiday season should be a time of joy, connection, and reflection. However, for a lot of people, the holidays can be stressful and overwhelming, sucking the joy right out of the season. Why not let this be the year that you take control of the chaos? Navigate the season with these Buzzworthy holiday stress tips to focus on being more present in order to savor the special moments of gathering with those you love.

1 BEE Intentional with Gifts

Give a gift that doesn’t take up SPACE! Take the stress of gift buying off your plate and keep clutter out of the house by following these holiday gift ideas:

  • Change the Trend: Tell your friends and family that you don’t need another thing. Agree to NO GIFTS this year and stick to it! Instead, create memories together by spending quality time with activities like game nights or holiday movie marathons.
  • Choose Experiences Over Things: Instead of traditional gifts, consider giving the gift of experiences. Plan a weekend getaway, music concert outing, trip to a sporting event, spa day, or trip to your favorite restaurant. The possibilities are endless when you really think about the person you’re gifting to.
  • Give Your Time: Cooking a special meal, baking a treat, babysitting, sharing your talent or lending a helping hand are way more meaningful than something you could buy.

    • two people cooking

  • Make a Donation: Choose a cause close to their heart, and that does good in the world and donate your time, goods, or money to help them this holiday season.
  • Give a Gift Certificate: Most of us already have too much stuff, so don’t add to the clutter. A gift card is convenient and allows the recipient the freedom to choose for themselves without adding to their physical belongings.
  • Give a Consumable: Gifts that can be consumed make wonderful gifts that don’t add to the clutter or take up precious space. Here’s some of our favorite consumable gift ideas:
    • – Gourmet Treats or Baskets
    • – Wine or Craft Beers
    • – Specialty Teas or Coffee
    • – Create a Photo Slideshow
    • – Create a Music Playlist
    • – Subscription Services (Audible, Netflix, Meals, etc.)
    • – Cooking Classes or Workshops
    • – Cheese and Charcuterie Board Set
    • – Zoo and Botanical Garden Memberships
    • – Herb or Vegetable Gardening Kit
    • – Dance or Art Lessons
    • – Tickets to a Concert or Symphony

2 Plan Ahead

Start your holiday planning early so you can approach the season with a sense of organization and reduced stress, allowing you to fully embrace the joy and meaning of holiday festivities. As organizing and planning experts, we feel certain you’ll experience some of these benefits by planning ahead:

  • Avoid Last-Minute Stress: Create a checklist and prioritize tasks to stay organized and prevent last-minute rushes. Whether it’s gift shopping, decorating, or meal preparation, having a plan in place gives you ample time to tackle each task without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Declutter Now: As professional organizers, we’ve seen the measurable impact that a freshly organized space can have. The more you can do to remove clutter now, the better off you’ll be later. Grab a trash bag, bin, or cardboard box, set a timer for 30 minutes, and see how much you can quickly declutter from your main rooms so you can feel good at home. Gather up all of the trash, broken items, etc. and toss them in the trash bag. Collect unwanted items in the cardboard box and donate them.
  • Stay on Budget: The holiday season often comes with increased expenses. Planning ahead allows you to create a budget and make thoughtful decisions about how much you want to spend on gifts, decorations, and other festive activities. This can help prevent financial strain and post-holiday budget woes.
  • Opportunity for Thoughtful Gift Selection: Taking the time to plan ahead allows you to choose gifts more thoughtfully. You can consider the preferences and interests of your loved ones, resulting in more meaningful and appreciated presents.
  • Time for Personalization: Planning ahead provides the opportunity to personalize gifts or decorations. Whether it’s customizing a present, creating handmade items, or ordering personalized cards, having extra time allows for a more thoughtful and unique touch.
  • Flexibility in Scheduling: Planning ahead gives you the flexibility to schedule holiday activities and gatherings at times that work best for everyone involved. This can help you coordinate with family and friends, making it easier for everyone to participate.
  • Reduced Pressure and Anxiety: The holiday season can be stressful, and procrastination can intensify that pressure. Planning ahead helps distribute tasks over time, reducing the burden and without adding unnecessary anxiety.
  • More Time for Relaxation and Enjoyment: Planning ahead ensures that you have more time to relax and enjoy the special moments of the holiday season. You can focus on spending quality time with loved ones rather than rushing through last-minute preparations.

3 Follow the ABC’s for Healthy Holidays

The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it’s crucial to prioritize your health and well-being. Finding a balance between enjoying festivities and maintaining healthy habits can lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable holiday experience.

We sat down with our friend and expert, Catie Herst, a licensed mental healthcare professional (LCPC, with Monarch Family Therapy), for simple tips that support positive mental health and will help make things less stressful during eggnog season.

  • Ask for & Accept help
  • Boundary Setting
  • Compromise & Control

Learn more in this video from Catie and our Bee Organized co-founders, Lisa Foley and Kristen Christian.

Keep in mind that the holiday season is a time to cherish the company of loved ones and celebrate the joy of giving. Set realistic expectations for yourself knowing it is okay if everything doesn’t go perfectly. Let go of the idea of a “perfect” holiday and embrace the imperfections. Focus on the joy of spending time with loved ones rather than striving for perfection. By being intentional, simplifying, planning ahead, and focusing on what truly matters, you can create a calmer and more joyful holiday experience.

Holiday Checklists

With the hustle and bustle of the season in full swing, we thought a few good holiday checklists might come in handy to keep you organized and focused on your holiday preparations.

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Feel Good at Home

They say your home is your sanctuary, a place to feel safe, calm and be restored. How do you feel when you come home? Does your home bring you peace, relaxation, inspiration, creativity? Or does your mood shift if you see disarray with dirty dishes, heaps of laundry, and piles of clutter on every surface? If you’re honest with yourself, most of us would agree that a cluttered and disorderly home can be a joy sucker. Experts on the topic go as far as stating that clutter not only affects our mood, but it can impact our anxiety levels, sleep, ability to focus, productivity and our general health. Who knew clutter came with such a hefty price tag!

As professional organizers, we have seen firsthand the damaging effect that clutter can have on a home and the well-being of the family living within. So many of us are living in physical clutter which is stressing us out, draining our energy, and simply wreaking havoc in our daily lives. AND there is good news…WE CAN gain back control of our home, clear the clutter, and improve our mental health and well-being.

We sat down with an expert, Catie Herst, a licensed mental healthcare professional (LCPC, with Monarch Family Therapy), for some simple tips to clear the clutter and create space that supports positive mental health in your home.

1 Recognize the impact of clutter

When our internal selves feel stressed, chaotic or unstable, it can be very helpful and beneficial for our mental wellbeing to establish external order. Recognizing that the clutter surrounding you may be causing you stress is the first step towards change.

2 Start Somewhere

Set small, realistic and attainable goals for yourself so that success is likely and confidence can be built.

3 Focus on what you can control

When life feels crazy and out of control (because so much is out of our control!), find something small that you can take control of and stick to it. Choose a small area of your home or a part of your daily routine to master and take pride in that.

4 Improve where you sleep

If possible, focus on order in your bedroom first, the place where you start and end each day. Think of this as the most important place in your home, a place for daily restoration, relaxation and peace.

5 Work Together

Remember that having order, organization systems and structure as a family unit, benefits the mental health and wellness of ALL members, no matter their age.

6 Bask in the change

Let yourself enjoy the transformed space! Never underestimate the power of a clean surface or an organized space on your mood!

There’s no denying that the link between clutter and mental health is real. Always remember to be good to yourself, give yourself grace and starting small is better than not starting at all.

If you need a boost to get started, give us a BUZZ …we’d be HONORED to help Simplify Your Hive! Bee Organized is a premier professional organizing company, now in 20+ cities nationwide, all embodying the same core Bee-liefs of providing compassionate, confidential, and judgement-free services. Reach out to the location nearest you to schedule a free onsite or virtual consultation and get you started on your organization journey. It would be our HONOR to serve you!

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The Benefits of Owning a Bee Organized Franchise

To Bee or not to Bee? That may be the question if you’re considering owning your own professional home organizing business. Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Do you have a passion for organizing and the desire to build your own business, with a family (or Hive) to help you do it? Then you’re in the right place, and this may be the opportunity for you to become our next Bee Organized Franchise Owner!

Our franchising opportunities at Bee Organized offer many “Buzz Worthy” perks, so if you love organizing and you’re looking to extend this passion beyond your own home, it’s likely time to try your hand at franchising.

So what are the benefits of owning a professional organizing franchise? Let’s find out!

5 Reasons to Start a Bee Organized Franchise

Running any small business has its challenges, and owning a professional organizing franchise is no different. Still, choosing to take ownership of your career and becoming your own boss can be as sweet as honey, especially if you partner with a company that offers the proper foundation, right tools, and support team.

Our Franchise Owners enjoy a host of business ownership benefits when they partner with us. So what’s all the Buzz about and why choose Bee Organized?

1 You Will Transform Lives

Our Bees’ superpower may be organizing, but their true passion is in helping others. Bee Organized’s Omaha Franchise Owner, Michelle Clark, said it best: “Becoming a Franchise Owner has allowed me to continue to ‘fill my bucket’ of helping others while providing a professional, exemplary service.”

Sometimes, people just need a motivating support system to get things done–especially when it comes to home organization. For some people, home organization can be easy; but for others, disorganization can feel chronic and largely impact many areas of their lives, including their mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.

As a Franchise Owner, you’ll have the opportunity to meet clients where they’re at and customize a solution that works best for them, as well as their season of their life. With the ability to tailor each home organization job to what the client needs, your efforts will go far in making an impact on their lives.

After working with thousands of clients over the years, it’s evident that our purpose has become bigger than organizing. We are transforming lives one Hive at a time. We’ve built our business on core values and are proud that a family culture has organically developed throughout our company, with everyone Buzzing together with the same goal. As our Co-Founder, Lisa, said, “One of our greatest joys has been watching our Franchise Owners spread their wings and experience the sweet nectar of success, while providing a needed service.”

2 You Get to Love What You Do

Is organizing your superpower? If you’re someone who likes keeping things tidy and neat, home organization is likely something you’re already passionate about. Combined with a desire to be your own boss, you can make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality! Franchise ownership can allow you to take your skills to the next level and own a business that not only feeds your passion, but also gives you the opportunity to build and scale a business.

You will likely see along the way that many clients don’t have the same passion as you, which may be one of the reasons they struggle to organize in the first place. At Bee Organized, our Bee-liefs of upholding a compassionate and confidential organization process allow each franchisee to share their organizational tricks and tools in a judgment-free way. You will have the ability to bestow your own passion onto others, which can go a long way in helping your clients achieve their long-term goals.

Here’s some additional good news: working in a career you’re passionate about is much more rewarding than having to wake up every day and go to a job you can’t stand. Who doesn’t want to increase joy and happiness in their life? You’ll have a more positive attitude, which will translate to your work and significantly improve your interactions with clients.

3 You Will Have a Built-In Support System

One of the greatest benefits of franchising is the continued support and training you’ll receive from the Bee Organized management team. You will have access to a network of knowledgeable and experienced Franchise Owners who have already walked through many minefields and have learned a thing or two about building a large, loyal following.

You also gain membership into a group of like-minded, hard-working, and fun-loving individuals. We can help you build up a profitable franchise a lot more quickly than if you were to do it on your own, since we are constantly collaborating, sharing, ideating, and innovating on the best ways to deliver our services, help our clients, and grow our businesses.

As our Seattle Franchise Owner, Suzanne Albee, described: “I have found that with Bee Organized, the co-founders have created a culture that is collaborative, supportive, and fun. The entire Hive and other Franchise Owners are such a valuable resource focused on helping one another succeed.”

With Bee Organized, we give you the tools to build a business for yourself, but not by yourself.

4 You Have Access to Our Proven Processes and Procedures

When you own a professional organizing franchise with Bee Organized, you will be given a road map of our proven processes and procedures so you can hit the ground running from day one. From training to implementation, our experts at the Main Hive are here to help you Buzz-in and take flight immediately.

Under our wings, you can effectively train each of your own Bees and get them up to speed on how the business works. Our policies can be easily replicated for your franchise, giving you time to focus on helping clients organize their homes rather than trying to come up with these procedures yourself. This will help improve client experience and ensure the organizer-to-client relationship is exceptional from day one.

5 You Can Take Advantage of Our Existing Brand Reputation and Awareness

One of the challenges in starting your own business is creating a successful brand. We believe brands are much more than just a pretty logo; in fact, many successful companies already know that great branding is woven into every aspect of their business in order to ensure successful brand awareness among their customer base.

At Bee Organized, we’ve created a brand that is embedded not only in our culture, but also in the hearts of our clients. We are an inclusive brand with a strong reputation for making customers feel welcome and unjudged. Because of this, our brand is recognized nationwide and our solid reputation continues to grow and pollinate across the United States.

Our Bee Organized brand and established, profitable business model can be both replicated and scaled to fit your needs. We have forms, processes, and systems you can learn and use to get up and running quickly, along with ongoing marketing and public relations support that can keep new leads flowing each month.

If this has you Buzzing, then you might just be our next Bee Organized Franchise Owner. Bee Organized is now Simplifying Hives in 20+ cities from coast to coast, and your city could be next! Contact us today at 913-735-6409 to see what all the Buzz is about!

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Should I Hire a Professional Organizer?

Many of us can relate to the anxiety and chaos of an unorganized home. It happens for many reasons, ebbing and flowing throughout the year. Some people are naturally messy. Some people cannot organize their thoughts and don’t know where to begin. Some just cannot focus on their space and see it in different ways.

No matter the reason, struggling to organize your house, and keep it that way, is a challenge for many people. You are not alone. Whatever the reason for your struggle, hiring a professional organizer like Bee Organized to organize your hive might be the right solution for you.

6 Questions to Determine If You Need a Professional Organizer

It may be tempting to go the DIY route for your home organization project. Saving money by doing this project yourself is appealing. The idea of a finished project is appealing, too. For many people, finishing an organizational project, and learning to maintain it, is the hardest part. This is what makes professional organizers worth the cost.

Our Bees are pros at teaching you how to organize and maintain clutter, even when life gets hectic. If you are struggling with one of the questions below, it is time to consider hiring a professional and Bee Organized would be HONORED to help!

1 What Is My End Goal?

Asking yourself this question is a great place to start when considering house organization companies. A professional home organizer is your partner in this process. Think of us as accountability partners. We are there to listen and coach you through the process.

The process of organizing your home is a team effort and you are an important part of that team. We work with our clients every step of the way.

Staying organized is a life skill–and a commitment. Working alongside an expert gives you the opportunity to create a home for everything and learn tips and tricks from some of the best in the business. This also helps you develop a system of keeping things organized that works for you. This goes a long way in helping you maintain the work long after the initial process is complete.

Learning how to organize your space has some other benefits, as well. Roughly three in ten women report that their mornings are less stressful when they have an organized closet. That feeling can carry over into many parts of your life. When you are in an organized, stress-free space, it is easier to carry that attitude out into the world with you.

2 Do I Feel Stuck in the Process?

Feeling stuck and overwhelmed is common when facing a large project. Maybe you don’t even know where to start. If you are standing in your own home feeling unorganized and overwhelmed, it may be time to start searching for a professional home organizer in your area. A professional organizer will help you take that first step, or maybe a giant leap feels more appropriate.

If you find yourself feeling stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Professional organizers come into your hive with a fresh perspective. They are not emotionally attached to your things in the same way that you are. Our Bees can see things you can’t and envision ways to organize your space you may never have considered.

3 Do I Have the Skills to Organize Myself?

Fortunately, organizing is easy to learn. It requires some critical reasoning and thinking outside of the box, but anyone can do it. There are plenty of helpful books, YouTube videos, and how-to articles to give you ideas and tools. But if you’re like most people, you’re still reading this because you need help and motivation.

That’s when hiring a professional may be necessary. Your friends and family may have skills and want to pitch in to help, but they can sometimes be critical, which is exactly what you don’t need when things are disorganized and chaotic in your home.

You need a professional partner who won’t judge you or your clutter. Hiring a pro is like having a private teacher, teaching you tips and better habits for an organized life, so be sure to soak in their knowledge. Learning how to be and stay organized, or teaching your kids/partner new organizing skills, might just be the best reason to hire a professional organizer.

Even if you have all of the skills to successfully organize your house, a professional organizer brings you some extra support, motivation, and a gentle push when you need it. A professional organizer will work through your clutter with you, helping you decide what to keep and what not to keep. This can be an emotional process and it can be helpful to have a professional organizer that has done this work numerous times.

4 Do I Have the Time to Organize Myself?

Time is a precious commodity in our modern world and many of us just don’t have the time it takes to organize our house. This is another great reason to hire a professional organizer. Time can be our biggest enemy in getting things organized and maintaining that organization. Lack of time is also one of the biggest reasons our homes become unorganized in the first place.

Most people estimate that they could save up to an hour in their day if they were more organized. An extra hour of free time can make a huge difference in most people’s lives.

Consider how much time it would take for you to declutter your space on your own. Most of our clients are blown away seeing how much two Bees can accomplish in a 3-hour session. When you schedule focused time with a pro, you maximize the time. Think of the synergy, accountability, and follow-through accomplished when you’re paying for an expert!

A key benefit of an organized home is that once you have systems in place, you’ll save time in the long run. Simply put, you’ll spend less time looking for items as well as saving time putting things away.

5 Am I Coming Up on a Deadline?

Are you having a party soon? Moving? Downsizing a family member? Deadlines are often great motivators for getting things done around the house. When you need to declutter and organize your space in a pinch, hiring a team of professionals with the expertise and the connections for services you may need, can make all the difference.

If moving soon, clearing out years of accumulated ‘stuff’ is a process and a good organizer will discuss your goals and timeframe up front, then keep you on track and support you when making hard decisions. Bee Organized takes pride in managing your project from start to finish when time is of the essence!

6 Will I Really Finish the Project After I Start It?

Are you good at pulling everything out and moving the piles of stuff, but get sidetracked along the way and never reach the finish line? We get it! Life happens and sometimes we get in over our heads. A professional home organization service can add some much-needed (wo)manpower to your project. We can offer a few extra hands and lots of experience to help you finish your project and give you the organized space you’ve been dreaming of.

Hiring a professional will also help keep you on track in your project. We’ve seen many projects started by clients, but they become distracted and the project stalls out halfway through. If this pattern sounds familiar, and you have a habit of starting but never finishing, maybe it’s time to hire a professional.

Making the decision to hire a pro or DIY is a personal one. If you’re on a tight budget, feel comfortable organizing and enjoy the work, then by all means dive right in! But if your superpower doesn’t align with organizing, you’re stretched for time, or finally ready to finish the project once and for all, give Bee Organized a Buzz today…we’re ready to Simplify Your Hive!

If you are ready to see what all the Buzz is about, reach out to Bee Organized, and let’s chat about how we can help you meet your organization goals. We are currently in 20+ cities across the United States. Reach out to the location nearest you to schedule a free consultation and get you started on your organization journey. It would be our HONOR to serve you!

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