Professional Organizers (P.O.’s) have a neat perspective on how they view life and how they view material possessions. Organizers are constantly in homes that are chaotic and filled with clutter. They are able to bring vision, clarity, and peace to a space and often their own homes are minimal and intentional. Organizers have a gift, a gift that they share with others and that they want to continue to pass on. I am often very thankful that I have a gift that helps others and that makes a difference. But sometimes I think, could it also be a curse? Fall has arrived here in Ontario and there is no shortage of fall activities that families are partaking in. People are eagerly going apple picking, buying pumpkins for their front porch, and decorating their fireplace mantles. Stores are filled with fall decor enticing buyers to fill their shopping cart with seasonal items. Fall photos across social media are being shared and influencers are telling their followers where they can buy fall pillows and how to decorate a 3-tiered cake stand full of all things pumpkin spice. Before you go on thinking I’m bashing fall, I’m not. Fall is my favourite season. The crisp air, the comfy sweaters, and the coziness that the season brings, I love it! But as a P.O. when I see these photos on social media or when I walk into a home decor store filled to the brim with fall decor or any seasonal decor for that matter, my first thought is why? Why are we spending our money on decor that will only be displayed for one month maybe two at the most just to be packed away and forgotten for 10 months? Why are we decorating our homes with decor that we will use for this year but not like the following year and then will have to buy something new? Why are we cluttering up our bookshelves and mantles with little tidbits of seasonal and holiday decor which only adds to the visual clutter? I can't help but think through theses questions, asking the why's and questioning everything that comes into our homes, and that is the curse of the Professional Organizer. (*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through any links. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and/or believe will be good for my clients and readers. You may also use the items in the links as an example of what to look out for when you are shopping. But remember, always be intentional of what you bring into your home.)

Kitchens are the heart of the home, so they say. It’s a place where family meals are made, where guests typically gather to chat, and where the majority of our time is spent. Kitchens are essential no matter the size. But when it comes to kitchens, oftentimes it’s the most unorganized space in the home. There is no rhyme, reason, or rhythm to how kitchenware and food is stored. We tend to pack our upper cabinets full of serving dishes and coffee mugs that we don’t use. We shove every gadget in a deep drawer which forces us to go on a hunt for the right one every time we open the drawer. We store our bulk food on top of the fridge and even bulk food on the floor. Our counters are filled with kitchen appliances and loose papers. Does this sound familiar? Now, I understand that with some kitchens the size does matter. That it becomes tricky cooking and storing food in a small kitchen. I am not going to touch on small kitchens right now as that would take up an entire post, but I want to let you know that small kitchens require more thought, more organizing and a lot more minimizing along with creativity. I hope to touch on small kitchens in a couple of weeks. Let's Get to Work I had the opportunity to work in a beautifully designed kitchen with a separate room that held the pantry. My clients had recently moved into their new home that they specifically designed, and they knew exactly what they wanted for their pantry. They had the beauty but now they needed the function and that’s when they contacted me.