Thinking of Painting?

My boyfriend and I moved into a new place together. The entire house was painted peach with blue green accents, such as countertops, faux shutters and ceramic tile.

We didn't like the colour and couldn't change the surfaces (it's a rental) so what to do?

We started at Benjamin Moore Paints. There I found out about Colour Consultants!

She came to our home and I let her know that we weren't crazy for the finishes. She suggested adding colour which downplays these surfaces. She explained that a colour will appear different when paired with different colours. And, whether you want to highlight or downplay it's good to know these rules.

We went through the important rooms and she asked all kinds of questions  and displayed all kinds of colour chips.

In the end, I choose 3 colours and used them throughout the house. Our home looks so beautiful with the new paint and we don't even notice the elements that we didn't like. What a huge improvement!

The charge for this service is $75 per hour. Now that seems like a lot but when you consider the investment of paint and time, getting it right the first time is priceless! Plus, when you purchase the consultant service you get a 10% discount on paint and accessories.

If you decide to go this route, I strongly recommend that you prepare for the consult. What rooms do you want to paint? What colour family suits you? What about surfaces and furnishings you can't change? Also, what kind of atmosphere do you want to create? At $75hrly you want to make the most of the consultants time.

It's all well and good to do it yourself, but knowing when to call in the professionals can reduce stress, anxiety and the time you spend on a project.

Great Storage Ideas for that Artificial Tree

I came across a couple of Christmas tree storage bag ideas. The first one is found at the Canadian Tire store (easy for us Canadians!). It’s a great way to store that artificial tree that never seems to fit back into the box it came in.

An even better solution is a storage bag that works first as a tree skirt. When the holidays are over simply pull the bag up from the stand and roll it into a closet or the garage. No need to unwind the lights. Unfortunately, this item is sold only in the US. The shipping cost will add $35-$50 to the cost. You may think it’s worth it once you see it!

Happy Holidays and Happy Organizing!

How Do My Gift Certificates Work??

Recently, I’ve had some emails about my gift certificates and questions on how they work.

First, locate the pretty present on the “Home” page of my website or go to the “Services” page and click on the words “perfect present” (located in the last paragraph).

Print that page.

If you’d like the gift certificate to be a little more luxurious looking, put some attractive paper in your printer beforehand.

There are two images to choose from, one with neatly folded and stacked towels and the other, neatly stacked papers. It’s your choice, just go with your “gut”!

You’ll need to fill in the number of hours of service (at least 3hrs at my minimum rate) and of course your name (they’ll definitely want to know who thinks they need help with their mess!)

Once the recipient has accepted the gift and I have given the free consultation, it is then that I will contact the donor to arrange payment.

Please keep in mind that not all people are interested in having someone come in to help them with their clutter. I’ve had recipients down-right refuse the gift and this is why payment is made only after I’ve discussed, in person with the beneficiary, what the project entails.

Also, keep in mind that the area I am prepared to travel in is restricted to  greater Ottawa.

Thanks for your consideration!

Last Year’s Holiday Cards

Are you the type that keeps all those beautiful, funny holiday cards that you received last year??

Well, I am. And, I’d like to share with all my readers what I do with these memories.

I use them as gift tags for this year’s presents. I take the prettiest part of the card, taking care that the opposite side is blank, and cut them into small squares, triangles or circles (any shape that appeals will do). You can fold them or not, just add “To” and “From” and the recipients name and Voila, you have an original, attractive and sometimes abstract gift tag!

This makes goods sense because recycling paper is good for the environment, also it saves you money and makes good use of something that’s just sitting around in a box! What’s better than that??

The Little Green Bottle

My Dad, in his later years, kept himself busy with creative endeavours. His favourite pursuit was working with stained glass. He bought kits and make kitschy items like butterflies and toads and herons in tall southern grass (that one I still have!).

As a special gift for me, he fogged and etched a plain looking green bottle with a figure skater (my first profession) and the words “I Love Lois”. Now, these types of sentiments from him were rare and it said to me that he was proud of my accomplishments. A warm (albeit surprised) feeling swept over me when it was presented and to this day, whenever I use it, those same feelings spread through me again.

For years, I put dried flower arrangements in it but when that look fell out of grace with my changing aesthetic, it had nowhere to go but in a box. I couldn’t figure out what to do with it. Luckily, I moved around a lot and was reminded of it’s existence every time I unpacked.

I tired of carrying around something that I never used or saw and vowed to make use of this treasure.

It now sits next to the tub holding my bath salts. It’s the perfect solution, as the shape of the bottle lends itself perfectly to it’s task.

So, the moral of the story is; what something was originally intended for can be used for a completely unrelated task. Get creative with the stuff that you won’t get rid of. Change it’s purpose. You’ll find that these small items can enhance your life.

Your Mom loved it….but do you??

Our Moms collected stuff from another era. Stuff they loved, displayed and used. Like silverware, decorative glass bottles and Toby Jugs (just to name a few!).

When our folks pass away and leave us with these treasures, it is often difficult to decide what to do with them. 

“My Mom always wanted a silver serving set” a recent client said to me, as I stared down into a vast box overflowing with silver plated bowls, platters, candle stick holders etc, etc, etc. There was a sad, wistful look on his face as he said this. And, in contrast, I’m thinking “she had one, how wonderful”!

He knew that it wasn't his taste and that the likelihood of his ever using it was slim. But still, the thought of selling his Mother’s pride sat like a rock in the pit of his stomach. It seemed like a betrayal. She had worked so hard and had taken many years to accumulate the collection that we now stared down upon.

It is not the “thing” that we value so much, but the meaning it had for the ones we’ve lost. My client’s Mom loved her serving set but he doesn’t. He loves the memory of her loving it and the importance it held for her. What to do??

How do you preserve the memory but let these items go? First, try keeping only 1 or 2 things that you see yourself using. Second, look for an old photo of Mom using the serving set? Third, set it up in the dining room, and photograph/video you and your family/friends using it one last time. And, of course, don’t forget to make a “toast” to Mom!

In our modern world, sentimentality cannot rule. We just don’t have the time or space. It certainly is allowed to reside but let’s give it a smaller corner of our universe. Integrate, keep some things, but not all. Personal items are important but as with the story of my client, if you can’t use it or display it, as our parents did, it’s going to waste. You are not honouring these items (or the memories) by putting them in a box and leaving them unseen until your children inherit them.