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Organising Trends Over the Past 20 Years

Organising Trends Over the Past 20 Years

From Marie Kondo to Real-life systems If you’ve ever folded clothes a certain way, labelled clear containers, or wondered whether something “sparks joy,” you’ve already experienced how organising trends shape the way we think about our homes. Over the past 20 years,...

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Rest Is an Action: Why You Need It

Rest Is an Action: Why You Need It

Rest is one of the most underrated parts of a healthy, sustainable life. Many of us treat rest like a reward - something we’ll earn once the house is sorted, work is done, and everything is finally “under control.” But rest isn’t passive, and it isn’t a luxury. Rest...

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Today Is the Special Day: Use the Beautiful Things

Today Is the Special Day: Use the Beautiful Things

Use the beautiful things A gentle reminder to enjoy the things that bring beauty into everyday life. As I hung a towel on the line today, I found myself thinking, “What a shame they didn’t enjoy them.” I’d found two beautiful 1970s towels in their original gift box at...

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Celebrating Wins, Big and Small

Celebrating Wins, Big and Small

As the year draws to a close, there’s often a rush to set new goals, make resolutions, and plan for what’s next. But before leaping forward, it’s worth taking a gentle pause — to look back, reflect, and celebrate how far you’ve come. Why Celebration Matters We’re...

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Top Tips for the Festive Season

Top Tips for the Festive Season

The festive season is a time for connection, reflection, and joy — but it can also bring chaos, financial pressure, and clutter. At A Hand to Help, we’ve gathered some of our favourite Christmas ideas from your favourite past blog posts to help you create a season...

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Organising for a Neurodivergent Family

Organising for a Neurodivergent Family

Every family is unique — and so are the ways we think, feel, and experience the world. For families with neurodivergent children or adults, the home environment can make a big difference in how calm, confident, and supported everyone feels. Creating a home that’s...

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Support Through Grief and Loss 

Support Through Grief and Loss 

Grief and loss touch every part of life — from emotions and routines to the physical spaces we live in. During these times, even small daily tasks can feel overwhelming. Managing the belongings of a loved one or adjusting your home after loss can be one of the hardest...

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Clearing Space for Recovery and Healing

Clearing Space for Recovery and Healing

In a previous post, Decluttering for Life’s Unexpected Turns, we explored how creating calm at home can make a difference during times of change and uncertainty. For many, those unexpected turns include illness, hospital stays, or adjusting to new health needs....

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Pausing: Powerful Breaks and Organising

Pausing: Powerful Breaks and Organising

When you dive into an organising project, it can feel tempting to power through and just “get it all done.” The sorting, the decisions, the moving of belongings—it all takes energy, and before you know it, you’re exhausted. What often gets forgotten is that rest is...

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Life’s Unexpected Turns: Calm Amid Change

Life’s Unexpected Turns: Calm Amid Change

Life can change quickly with life’s unexpected turns. Sometimes it can be a change we’ve chosen, but other times it comes unexpectedly — through illness, disability, or the loss of someone we love. During these moments, our homes often reflect the weight we’re...

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Organising a Multi-Generational Home

Organising a Multi-Generational Home

Multi-generational living is becoming increasingly common, with families coming together to support one another, share resources, and enjoy closer connections. While this way of living brings many benefits, it also presents challenges — particularly when it comes to...

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Organising and Mental Wellbeing

Organising and Mental Wellbeing

At A Hand to Help, we’ve seen time and time again how closely our environments and our mental wellbeing are linked. When life feels overwhelming, it often shows up in our spaces—and when our spaces are chaotic, it can add to the stress we’re already carrying....

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Simplify Meal Planning. Let AI Help

Simplify Meal Planning. Let AI Help

Ever feel like dinner and meal planning sneaks up on you every day? If planning meals feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. Between busy schedules, changing tastes and tired brains, deciding what’s for dinner can become a daily headache. But here’s the good news: AI...

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Overwhelmed? Here’s Your Next Step

Overwhelmed? Here’s Your Next Step

Are you feeling overwhelmed? You Don’t Need All the Answers — You just need you're Next Step If you’ve ever stood in a cluttered room, looked around, and thought,"I don’t even know where to begin..."— you’re not alone. That feeling? It’s called overwhelm. And it...

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Downsizing a Garden

Downsizing a Garden

Downsizing a garden isn’t just a physical change; it’s often a deeply emotional one. Gardens can be connected to decades of memories, milestones, and life events. Downsizing a garden can feel like letting go of a piece of yourself. Acknowledge the feelings Many...

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We Don’t Manage Time

We Don’t Manage Time

Time. It’s the one thing we all share, and yet it often feels like we don’t have enough of it. We often hear “I just need more time!” As if the day could stretch to accommodate our endless to-do lists. But here’s the truth: we can’t manage time— we can only manage...

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Downsizing: Making Room for What Matters

Downsizing: Making Room for What Matters

Part One: Downsizing with Heart – Letting Go Without Losing Yourself Let’s be honest—letting go is hard. When it comes to downsizing, it’s not just about belongings. It’s about memories, identity, and the life you’ve lived. You’re not just sorting through objects....

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5 Decluttering Tips for Selling Your Home

5 Decluttering Tips for Selling Your Home

When selling your home, first impressions matter. A clean, clutter-free space helps potential buyers envision themselves living there, making your home more appealing and increasing its perceived value. Before working with a home staging company, decluttering is a...

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Staying Organised: Maintenance Matters!

Staying Organised: Maintenance Matters!

Organising your home is a fantastic step toward a more functional and stress-free life and home. Here’s the truth that not everyone talks about—staying organised requires ongoing maintenance. Decluttering and setting up systems are essential, but without regular...

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Storage – the positive and the negative

Storage – the positive and the negative

Storage is a wonderful tool when used well—it helps keep our homes organised, making everyday life easier. The key is ensuring our storage works for us, not against us. At A Hand to Help we often hear “I don’t have enough storage.” More storage is not always the...

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Paperwork & Downsizing

Paperwork & Downsizing

Moving into a smaller home is an exciting new chapter, but what do you do with decades of paperwork? From old tax records to sentimental letters, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.The good news, you don’t need to keep it all! Here’s how to tackle paper clutter so you can...

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Two reasons why we don’t use skips

Two reasons why we don’t use skips

There are two reasons A Hand to Help does not use skips.These are respect and cost. We had cleared a home for a client who moved into supported living. There was a short time frame, and the property needed to be cleared quickly. The neighbour spoke with us mentioning...

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Save Money and Simplify Life 

Save Money and Simplify Life 

Hiring a Professional Organiser isn’t just about creating a tidy space. It’s a step towards an intentional and cost-effective lifestyle. A Professional Organiser can help you save money and simplify life.  Here’s how working with an expert can set you...

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Back to School: Get Set for Smooth Routines 

Back to School: Get Set for Smooth Routines 

The back to school season is here!  Now’s the time to set up simple systems to make the school week flow easily—for you and the children.   Here are a few quick tips to help with smooth routines:  1. Create a School Hub Choose one spot to store all the...

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Downsize to Upsize Life for 2025

Downsize to Upsize Life for 2025

As we step into 2025, now’s the perfect time to take a pause and evaluate what no longer fits, suits, or works in your life. Downsizing isn’t just about clearing out—it’s about making space for new opportunities and a fresh start. Resizing to match your needs. Here’s...

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2025 – Mix Old with New and Tweak

2025 – Mix Old with New and Tweak

A New Year often brings new resolutions, but at A Hand to Help, we’re taking a different approach. This year, we’re embracing the idea of a “tweak” instead of a traditional New Year’s resolution. Rather than starting from scratch, we’re focusing on building upon what...

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Your Complete Guide to Festive planning

Your Complete Guide to Festive planning

The holiday season can bring joy, fun and great memories—but it can also invite a little chaos and clutter into your home. Here at A Hand to Help, we believe that with a little planning and a few clever organising strategies, you can have a holiday that’s memorable...

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Ready, Set, Camp: Organising camping tips

Ready, Set, Camp: Organising camping tips

Summer is the perfect time to embrace the great outdoors, maybe sleep under the stars and enjoy everything camping has to offer. Here’s how being organised ensures your camping trip is fun, stress-free, and memorable for all the right reasons. Ready, set, camp! 1....

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3 Top Organising Tips for Camping Fun

3 Top Organising Tips for Camping Fun

The weather is warming up and for those of you who love camping, you are going to love these 3 top organising tips for camping fun. A tip for preparing, a tip for during and a tip for after camping. These 3 tips will help you get on your way, enjoy time away and...

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3 Reasons We Hold Onto Things and How to Let Go

3 Reasons We Hold Onto Things and How to Let Go

There are 3 reasons why we hold onto things.It may feel like clutter sneaks up on us.  Whether it's an overflowing wardrobe, the 3rd drawer down in the kitchen or a spare room with forgotten keepsakes. Many of us struggle to part with things we no longer need. Why do...

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Three secret tips to prepare for a move

Three secret tips to prepare for a move

Yay, you’re moving! As Professional Organisers, we help many people declutter and move home. As you know, there is so much to do and think about. To get you set up for success, here’s three "secret" top tips that will support you to prepare for your move. These tips...

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How to Recycle at Home Without the Stress

How to Recycle at Home Without the Stress

How do we recycle at home when there are so many items to recycle and keep out of landfill? The reality is, we can’t recycle every single possibility. A streamlined, easy-to-manage recycling system at home means you can stay on top of the recycling, which is great for...

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Create the Perfect Organising System for You

Create the Perfect Organising System for You

Creating the perfect organising system that works for you allows you to stay organised. This is so much easier than having to constantly reorganise. Creating a sustainable organising system is the key.A sustainable organising system is one that you can maintain over...

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Your perfect organising system

Your perfect organising system

In today's digital age, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the flood of picture-perfect homes on social media. These photos are not designed to show or cater for your individual organising needs.   The allure of a clutter-free, aesthetically pleasing space is...

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Mental Health Benefits of Decluttering

Mental Health Benefits of Decluttering

Mental health is affected by our spaces and environment. Decluttering is a powerful tool for improving mental health and cultivating a sense of well-being. As winter descends on us, we tend to retreat to the warmth and comfort of home. If our spaces are cluttered,...

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Embracing Autumn: Decluttering and letting Go

Embracing Autumn: Decluttering and letting Go

Drawing inspiration from nature, particularly Autumn, we can adopt Autumn’s letting go approach within our homes. Autumn is the season that teaches us the beauty of letting go (decluttering) to make space for new growth to come.  Just as it whispers its message of...

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Landfill is not the only option

Landfill is not the only option

When downsizing and decluttering there is understandably a concerned about the destination of cherished belongings. At A Hand to Help, we are deeply committed to the principle that valuable possessions should not be consigned to waste. Our priority is to diligently...

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5 ways to use children’s artwork

5 ways to use children’s artwork

With another year of master pieces to create and come into your home, we would like to share with you 5 ways to use children’s artwork. Having a child’s artwork on the wall is a beautiful personal touch to a home. It’s so encouraging for the child and builds...

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Habit stacking. An easy way to stay organised

Habit stacking. An easy way to stay organised

Habit stacking is an easy way to stay organised. It is a powerful strategy that can help you stay on track and manage your daily tasks. This is your simple guide to habit stacking and staying organise. What is Habit Stacking? Habit stacking allows you to piggyback a...

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January Reset

January Reset

A January reset is all about embracing sustainable habits and focus for the New Year. As you bid farewell to the past year, and begin to plan and create your year ahead, you may set New Year’s resolutions. New Year resolutions can put unnecessary pressure and stress...

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Last Minute Recycled Gift-Wrapping Ideas

Last Minute Recycled Gift-Wrapping Ideas

Discover three simple, last-minute recycled gift-wrapping ideas with us. We've all experienced that moment when the presents are ready, but the wrapping is nowhere to be found. Fear not! We'll delve into some last-minute gift-wrapping tricks using common household...

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A free Christmas gift

A free Christmas gift

Christmas is coming and we want to share with you a free Christmas gift idea. There are many strains on budgets and home incomes which makes Christmas a financially challenging time. One gift that is undervalued is the gift of a story. A story makes a beautiful free...

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How to save money by shopping at home

How to save money by shopping at home

Shopping at home will save you money, time and helps the environment. We have experienced this twice recently. We needed a new light bulb. It was one that doesn’t get changed often so we assumed we’d need to buy one. Before heading to the shops we looked at the light...

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What to do with my wedding dress

What to do with my wedding dress

Let's talk wedding dresses and what to do with my wedding dress after 15 years. Hello, I’m Kate. A Professional Organiser at A Hand to Help.When I got married I felt like a princess in that beautiful white dress. The gorgeous stitching, bead work and the big foofy...

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Too much craft!

Too much craft!

Can you have too much craft? How do you accumulate too much craft? Hello, I’m Veronica owner and professional organiser at A Hand to Help. As a crafter myself I get excited about the ideas, possibilities and starting a new project. I have also experienced the...

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Declutter with Nature

Declutter with Nature

Have you ever considered decluttering with nature? Decluttering is a natural process for Mother Nature. We see this the most in Autumn. Mother Nature doesn’t hold back. She generously lets go of her leaves. And for a time, we enjoy her “minimal” style. Following...

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Two top moving house tips

Two top moving house tips

Moving house is not exciting for everyone. In fact, as a professional organiser at A Hand to Help I see the stress of moving house firsthand. Yet, I was so excited about the whole process when I moved house recently (to be fair I had lots of warning about this move,...

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Marie Kondo and clutter

Marie Kondo and clutter

I was recently reading an article about Marie Kondo and clutter.Two things struck me about this article in the Australian newspaper: The notion that clutter is a “Bad” thing. Marie’s change of view on how decluttering is done was presented negatively. Let’s explore...

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Best Organising and Planning Apps

Best Organising and Planning Apps

Kristianna, A Hand to Help’s admin guru, has investigated, weighed, and measured some of the best organising and planning apps for your phone. Choosing the right organising and planning app for you makes being and staying organised this year so much easier. We get it!...

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January reset

January reset

Congratulations you have made it through another year, another Christmas and reached another January reset. Hello, I’m Kate, a Professional Organiser and declutter expert at A Hand to Help.I don’t know what life looks like for you in January, but for me I see my...

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Gifts that make a difference

Gifts that make a difference

At A Hand to Help we love meaningful gifts that make a difference. Christmas gifts or gifts at any time of the year. Gifts that fill a need and change a life are the ultimate! But how do you do this within a personal budget? It’s easy with GIVIT GIVIT was born in 2019...

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Packing for a holiday

Packing for a holiday

Packing for a holiday doesn’t have to be a trial. Think of it as the necessary preparation for your time away.Hello, I’m Kate and I love a good holiday! Whether it be a trip in the caravan, a road trip interstate visiting family or friends or a bigger trip on an...

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How to write a To Do list

How to write a To Do list

“How to write a To Do list?” you ask. Should be easy right? Isn’t it just a list of all the things you need / want to do. No. A list of all the things you want to do is called a wish list. A wish list can have a few tasks on it or it can fill a book. Wish lists are...

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Disorganised to organised

Disorganised to organised

Life doesn't always go to plan and even a Professional Organiser can be in a state of being disorganised. After discovering our fridge had been leaking for quite some time, most of our kitchen floor and half the kitchen needed to be demolished and replaced. Hello I’m...

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I don’t want it to go to landfill

I don’t want it to go to landfill

When we help clients edit, declutter and organise, it’s not uncommon to hear “I don’t want it to do to landfill”. This is a legitimate concern. Caring for our environment and being careful what goes to landfill is important. But I wonder if we should be asking the...

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A Professional Organiser at home

A Professional Organiser at home

I wanted to share with you a day of a Professional Organiser at home. I'm Kate, a Professional Organiser at A Hand to Help and I have just finished reorganising my bathroom cupboard due to a cotton tip “disaster”. You know the ones? Cotton tips everywhere! With my...

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How a body double can help you organise

How a body double can help you organise

We want to share with you the power of a body double and how it can help you organise. While working with Danielle recently she said “What is it about you? I can’t do it without you!”  I joked “It’s the apron,” but we both knew my apron was not a magical cape....

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Stay organised by finishing the loop

Stay organised by finishing the loop

There is a way you can stay organised. At A Hand to Help, we call it finishing the loop. Finishing the loop is about maintaining your organising and your home. Finishing the loop helps us stay on track. There are 3 things we need to share about finishing the loop....

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One size does not fit all

One size does not fit all

When it comes to organising one size does not fit all!The pretty, tidy organised spaces we see on social media cannot and will not work for everyone. And that is okay. Organising will look different because we are all different.Some people are comfortable with more...

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Change your wardrobe for the season

Change your wardrobe for the season

When you open your wardrobe do you see the clothes you need to stay warm this autumn or winter? Would it help you to find them easier? Just as the season is changing, you too may need to change your wardrobe so you can quickly find and quickly put away what you need...

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Breaking Christmas Pressure Rules

Breaking Christmas Pressure Rules

Hi, I’m Kate a Professional Organiser at A Hand to Help and I love Christmas, I love everything about it. But I am definitely a “break the Christmas pressure rules” kind of person.I put up my Christmas tree before the 1st of December because who doesn’t want to look...

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Three things to do to stay organised

Three things to do to stay organised

Many people tell us they find it difficult to stay organised. You may have had an edit / declutter and clean up in your home and you now feel organised. That is until life happens; the washing needs to be put away, shopping is dropped on the floor, toys have piled up...

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The pressure to have an Instagram Pantry

The pressure to have an Instagram Pantry

A Hand to Help's Professional Organiser Kate, writes about the pressure to have an Instagram pantry. Have you noticed the latest Instagram trend of people’s immaculate pantries? You know the ones with the beautiful brand-new containers and the personalised vinyl...

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A Morning routine

A Morning routine

A morning routine will set you up for the day and help you leave home with what you need. A morning routine focuses on your needs and your tasks. As it is personal to you there is no one size fits all when it comes to your morning routine. Your morning routine is...

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“Small” activities make big impacts

“Small” activities make big impacts

At A Hand to Help we hear statements from our clients that might seem small or insignificant to the ears of the average organised person.They are statements like: “We can sit at the table to eat”. “The children are playing on the floor”. “A friend can come over!”. “I...

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3 Unexpected Organising Tools

3 Unexpected Organising Tools

Can organising have unexpected organising tools? Yes! We want to share these unexpected tools because they are foundational in helping you be and stay organised. When you think organising a picture of tubs, a trip shopping for something pretty or labels might come to...

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What is clutter?

What is clutter?

What is clutter? This maybe an easy question for some to answer and a harder question for others. Clutter comes in many forms. Physical, mental, financial and digital clutter and you may be able to add more to the list. Several years ago, I came across Anxiety...

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Stop Clutter

Stop Clutter

A great way to stop clutter is to catch it where it drops. It is nearly Easter and an Easter egg hunt is something to look forward to. But try hunting for something you want when you cannot find it. This is not fun It is stressful!! Items usually get lost because they...

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How to stop Groundhog Day Organising

How to stop Groundhog Day Organising

What is “how to stop Groundhog Day Organising” you ask? It is A Hand to Help’s take on the movie “Groundhog Day” where every morning is the same. Groundhog Day Organising is when you start organising an area and start again and start again… The starting process...

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The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time

After such a difficult year, giving the gift of time this Christmas is special. Thinking of friends and family and being with them over the Christmas season brings a smile to my face. If spending money on gifts is not be an option for you now, then do-it-yourself...

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Exit Strategy

Exit Strategy

Do you have an exit strategy for items leaving your home? Or you might be asking “what is an exit strategy?” An exit strategy is the way your belongings leave your home. As an organiser I often come across items that are not wanted but have not left a home. They may...

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Hooked on Hooks

Hooked on Hooks

I’m hooked on hooks! They can be used for so much more than just hanging up a coat or a bag. Here’s three reasons why I love hooks. Great way to use vertical space Vertical space is space waiting to be used for organising. So many options! I love Crafty Hack’s...

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How To Organise When You Don’t Feel Like It

How To Organise When You Don’t Feel Like It

I want to share with you how to organise when you don't feel like it. We all have those day when "I'm not up to it today" happens. I really understand the "I don't feel like doing it" mood. I've been putting off writing my monthly blog because of it. A difficult week...

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To Label Or Not To Label

To Label Or Not To Label

To label or not to label? Before I became an organiser, I wasn’t drawn to labels. The written word didn’t grab my eye. But after many years working in homes of clients with diverse needs, I’ve become a label lover; but not a label lover in the sense of perfect writing...

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Shop at home

Shop at home

When I’m working in client’s homes, I encourage them to shop at home first and see what can be reused before considering purchasing new organising products. We usually find something that was purchased before or we repurpose an item already in the home. This is a...

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When is too much, too much for our home?

When is too much, too much for our home?

I’m often asked “when is too much, too much for our home?” Every person has their limit of belongings. Some like less while others are very comfortable being surrounded by more. Because we are all different there is no one size fits all for quantity of belongings. A...

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Clutter Free Christmas Gift Guide

Clutter Free Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is a special time of year; filled with fun, festivities and family.However, when it comes to Christmas gifts, it can be difficult knowing what to give to others. To help out, A Hand to Help has come up with a clutter free gift guide. Giving a gift that is...

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The power of a gift

The power of a gift

I believe a gift can hold power with its recipient. A gift doesn’t have to be an object. It can be time, a loving action or a kind word. There are two actions involved in a gift; the act of giving and the act of receiving. I’m not going to expand on the action of gift...

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Tidy is not Organised

Tidy is not Organised

With the arrival of spring, this may percolate thoughts of spring cleaning and tiding up. But a tidy home doesn’t mean an organised home. Can items be easily found when needed? Have the cupboards been used to keep things out of sight? As a Professional Organiser, my...

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