Emergencies can happen any time without warning. Vancouver Island is situated on a major earthquake fault.Though we live in a rain forest our summers are hotter and drier than in the past which means an increased chance of wildfire. Drier springs mean fire season starts earlier than ever before. We are surrounded by water and early spring flooding has become a reality in some places.Having a “go bag” in each family vehicle and a full emergency kit will help keep your family, including pets, safe in the event of fire, flood, earthquake. Polls suggest that the majority of British Columbians have not acquired the necessary items to survive the critical 72 hours let alone the probable 2 weeks if disaster strikes.I can help with planning, collection and itemizing an emergency preparedness kit and protocol, including digital storage of important papers and irreplaceable photos. We can also arrange neighbourhood workshops and presentations by experts.

I raised four wonderful, self-sufficient children while participating in various volunteer organizations and achieving manager status selling Tupperware. I juggled cooking for four boarders and a family of six, with vegetable gardening, canning, freezing, planning meals and shopping by the month as well as continuing with volunteer work with sports teams and school activities. Cooking 20 loaves of bread at a time would bring the neighborhood kids to the back door for fresh warm bread and homemade jam. I provide general home organization including kitchen, pantries, cupboards, bedroom, closets, basement, garage. I also teach skills to achieve harmony in the family by improving communication, listening to all members of the family to come up with a plan that will be sustainable and enable each family member to be comfortable in their own space.

Downsizing for seniors can be an overwhelming and emotional task for both the senior and the family of seniors. I can help you break the downsizing process into achievable pieces and can ensure the job is done by any deadlines such as possession dates.

Our family has the experience of downsizing from a 3200 sq foot home to a 1200 sq foot home to a 385 sq foot motor home, all in the past 10 years. What seemed daunting at first, became a cleansing operation that left us feeling unencumbered and free to explore the next stages of life with our families.

I teach how to let go of objects while still retaining the memories. Working with your own possessions, we can create a calm, safe and cheerful environment to allow you to keep your independence and give your family peace of mind.

Spring-let’s sort the garden shed, the garden and the outdoor furniture,and your closets during this changing season.

SUMMER…. need help clearing the clutter before your visitors arrive? We can help and have it done in no time. We will help take  away unwanted or unneeded furniture.  Assembly of furniture and gazebos is also a service we provide.

FALL …time to put away the summer toys and furniture and prepare for the colder,wet weather. Also, you may want to haul out the Christmas decorations.  This is a great time to sort them.  Sometimes we just pack everything away in a hurry at the end of the holiday season.  Now we have time to pick out what we really want to keep and then donate or sell the others so that someone else can enjoy them.  Testing Christmas lights and counting how many we need for outdoors and indoors will allow us time to take advantage of the upcoming sales to purchase more if needed.

WINTER-the relatives are coming for Thanksgiving or Christmas.We excel at helping to relieve the stress of the season,by clearing out clutter,organizing the kitchen for easy food prep and readying your home for guests.

RESIDENTIAL
DOWNSIZING – moving from the family home to a smaller space? Don’t know what to part with or even what will fit in the new home? Let me help you figure things out and allow you to sort what you need, what you love from those things that perhaps it is time to give to someone else to love.
BLENDED FAMILIES – aging parents moving in with you? Or perhaps you have a new life partner and need to work out how the family home can become one that reflects both your personalities and likes. I can help you decide what to store, what to keep, what to sell, what can bring you both happiness and avoid contention. Your home should be comfortable with all your loved ones. We can take the stress out of creating a peaceful space.

ESTATE PREPARATION – if you have a family member who has passed away, I can help to sort the estate items ready for shipping or auction. I work with distant relatives and trustees by using Skype and Google Duo to ensure that we work as a team. I sort and itemize every piece so we have a complete inventory.

Do some of your clients have a problem preparing their homes for sale?  I am experienced in ‘staging’ with client’s own furniture and possessions and perhaps  the purchase of a few inexpensive accessories.  I can make the house look inviting to a prospective buyer without a great deal of expense to the current owner.  The idea is for the buyer to see the possibilities and to visualize themselves in the space.  It sometimes just means packing up unused items early for the subsequent move or we can do a full home de-cluttering.