Get organized in 2018!

By NextHome Staff
March 14, 2018

Are you among the 70 per cent of Canadians who feel unorganized? Don’t fret! We asked Marie Potter, marketing director for Professional Organizers in Canada (POC), to give us the top five trends to get you motivated to make changes this year!

1. MINIMALISMDesign magazines, showrooms and Pinterest boards emulate clean, clear spaces. It’s no wonder people love the idea of simplifying their cluttered spaces. People are drowning in choices and caught up in some form of purchase mania. Society is yearning for simplicity. While it looks great, it can set up false expectations for families with young kids trying to keep up with a minimalist lifestyle. Working with a professional organizer ensures your home is realistically organized so you are able to maintain it.

2. MULTI-FUNCTIONALWith rising housing costs and smaller spaces, we are seeing trends such as the tiny house movement and apartment therapy. This trend is creating better products to help organize smaller spaces. We are seeing more triple-duty furniture options and convertible rooms serving more multiple purposes – such as a living room that converts into a dining room, then at the end of a day is a place to sleep. A side benefit to this is that people are diverting dollars away from products and instead directing their spending into experiences, which ultimately equates to a happier life.

3. DOWNSIZING Baby Boomers are moving from their larger homes into condos. They are either not able to keep up with the maintenance or want to lighten the load so they can travel. In some cases, the move is forced due to health issues. It can be a daunting job paring down or getting rid of a lifetime of possessions. Smart Millennials are helping their aging parents prepare for this before it happens.

4. DIGITAL ORGANIZATION It’s been said if you can find something in 10 seconds or less, you are an organized person. Whether it’s using a GPS to locate your phone, keys or pet, the digital age has its advantages. Using apps and technology to manage time, exercise, health, groceries, mileage and records has exploded. Finding the best app for the job is easier with the advent of customer product reviews. Professional Organizers of Canada is sharing some of its favourite online apps to help you to be better organized.

  • Google Calendar – Keeps all appointments and meetings in one place
  • Anylist – Keeps grocery lists handy so you never forget an item while shopping
  • Evernote – Great for random pieces of paper and business cards. The app syncs with mobile and desktop
  • Time Timer – Helps to manage one’s time effectively
  • KeyRing – Digitally store all your loyalty cards and free up space in your wallet
  • Keepy.me – Organizes and saves kids’ artwork, schoolwork and mementos, freeing up your fridge
    door and counter space


5. GETTING HELP
Don’t have time to declutter and deal with the backlog of your life? If you don’t know where or how to start, the process is easier when you partner with a pro. You’ll save money, reduce stress and get the results you want, not to mention being on trend today.

WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER DO?

  • “I help people get organized at home or in their work. I relieve the stress of getting rid of things, making decisions, creating systems so organization can be maintained. The first steps usually involve dealing with years of backlog, prioritizing, assigning homes for things and lastly for families, teaching the lifelong skill of organizing to children,” explains Marie Potter.


WHAT IS POC?

  • Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) is a national registered non-profit association that provides education, business development tools and a code of ethics for all types of organizers across Canada.

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