Is this the golden era for photo albums and frames?
We recently suffered a catastrophic tech failure. Our hard drive storage failed and died, taking with it about 15 years of digital memories. Poof, gone, just like that. When I first realised, my heart beat a little faster, I asked why, and how, and wanted to apportion blame to someone, anyone.
When it all becomes a bit too much
A personal essay reflecting on stress, motherhood and running a business, and the realisation that I was simply not thriving.
Tips for organising busy spaces
Organising busy spaces with lots of fiddly components (like craft supplies) can be overwhelming. Follow these guidelines to reduce feeling overwhelmed when you DIY your home organisation.
3 surprising decluttering lessons
I was working with a lovely decluttering client last week and we were making excellent progress after about 1.5 hours together. I had a couple of my large bags filled with stuff to be donated, and our piles of things of things that had been sorted and required action were in excellent shape
Should you get a storage unit?
The topic of storage units comes up often when I'm working with clients. I think there naturally comes a moment when the process of decluttering feels a bit hard, and the solution seems to be to hire a storage unit.
Welcome to the team, Jo!
Jo is a recent addition to The Ship Shape Shoppe. We’ve worked on two client projects together, and I found Jo lovely to work with. She gets down to work quickly, and has excellent ideas about how to organise spaces.
What's your decluttering personality?
I've been a professional organiser for 4.5 years now, helping people around New Zealand declutter and organise their homes. In that time, I reckon I've come across three distinct decluttering personality types.
How to make clutter disappear
I worked for a lovely client a couple of weeks ago who had just moved her studio and shop to a new location. She needed help organising her stock room; with less space than she was used to in her previous premises, she was feeling overwhelmed at the idea of creating an effective and fuss-free store room.
Try this simple decluttering strategy in your home
Something that I see often with my clients is things overflowing from a designated space into other areas of the home. Think - towels overflowing from the jam-packed linen cupboard to take up space in the spare room's wardrobe; cans of peaches that don't fit in the pantry being tucked into the garage.
Meh, who needs help getting organised? Erm... it takes all sorts!
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Kylie Klein-Nixon for an article she was writing for Stuff - she wanted to chat about the online trend of watching other people organise their spaces. What was really cool is that during the article, Kylie asked if I had any clients that might be willing to have a chat with her to provide another perspective for the article.
The hidden power of positive procrastination
This week I haven’t felt like doing much. The weather has turned to custard – it is cold, wet and windy and I have reminded myself that I always feel a drop in productivity at the change of seasons; my inner cavewoman tells me that it is time to hunker down and conserve energy during the hard winter months.
The wife's role in a household 😬
An essay on the modern-life conundrum; we're on the treadmill of doing, doing, doing - there is no relief in sight, no end to the to-do list. We are too busy, our partners are too busy, and so the jobs pile up.
The unsexy secret to decluttering ... and staying uncluttered
if you have decluttered once and been disheartened to see the clutter return, I’ve got news for you. You’re completely normal! Today I’m sharing the truth about those picture-perfect homes you see on the internet.
24 decluttering and organising tips - an invitation
From December 1-24, I'll be sharing decluttering and organising tips on Instagram Stories - but only for people on my close friends list. Find out how to get on that list!
A quick tip to boost summer organisation
Every summer, I use this simple organisational tip to help me get out the door faster when it's time to hit the beach. Learn what a “go bag” is, and why it is my secret weapon for a less-stress summer.
How To Use Accountability To Declutter and Organise Your Home
Lacking the motivation to declutter and organise your home? An accountability buddy may be the answer! Find out why accountability is the solution here.
How Clearing Clutter Gives You Space To Focus On The Things That Matter
Having trouble staying focused on what’s important or always feeling distracted? Find out how clearing clutter can provide more than just physical space.
How to maintain focus when you are decluttering
It can be hard to stay focused when working on decluttering your life. It is common to become distracted by literally anything and everything in the home - which not only makes it take longer but also can make it pretty demotivating. Let’s look at strategies to help you stay focused when decluttering and organising your home.
Why it's important to take a step back from your own clutter
Let’s explore the subtle side-effects of living amongst clutter and hear from Miriama, a client I worked with to create a calmer, more organised home.