At a recent NZMCA Rally I was talking to a delightful couple from Papamoa! They had sold their house and put their furniture and household items into storage and had been travelling around New Zealand for two years. Every month they received their account for the high cost to store those items and recently went and opened the doors and laughed when they looked inside. They asked me whether I had ever seen Storage Wars on TV. Anyway, whether you pay for storage or not, there are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide what to keep and what to toss. My favourite question is: Would ..read more

After browsing Pinterest and seeing all the things you can make from toilet rolls, it's easy to start thinking what if I need that empty toilet roll latter? The easy answer is: do not do it! It is hard enough to keep the bathroom free from clutter. Usually one of the smallest areas in the home the bathroom is always a challenge. Multiple tooth brushes no-one knows who they belong too! Those half empty containers of shampoo and conditioner! Make-up you don't like anymore. Here are some tips to keeping your bathroom free of clutter in under an hour. Head into the bathroom armed with a plastic ru ..read more

Supporting an elderly person to make a move means much more than simply packing up boxes and calling in a moving company. It is important to recognise and understand the physical, emotional and cognitive changes faced by an older adult and the impact this will have on their ability to participate in the process of moving. Even a fit and well older adult will have less energy, will tire more easily and can become mentally fatigued more quickly than a younger person, or even compared to their former self. Health conditions such as heart complaints, breathing difficulties or arthritis may be mana ..read more

Mysterious, impenetrable? Does the thought of opening your wardrobe doors strike fear in your heart? Transform your wardrobes from frightening to friendly with these helpful organising tips. SPACE: Don't waste space storing things you don't need, like or use! Clear the clutter! Your wardrobes are prime real estate. Just because you paid a lot of money for something, don't let it guilt you into keeping items you know you won't use or wear. KEEP THE DEAR NEAR: A key organising principle is to store things near where they're used. That means items that get used frequently should be located up fro ..read more

A person's daily possessions form a kind of exoskeleton, and the act of disposing of them is another stage of mourning and letting go. Never does this become more apparent than when dealing with the lifetime of possessions accrued by a loved one, which their nearest and dearest must somehow deal with once they have died. The secret of dealing with the emotional attachment that clings to material objects is all in the timing. At one end of the spectrum is the person who can let nothing go. At the other end is someone who can select just a few objects to embody the person they have lost. Nothing ..read more

I want to talk about one of the transitions that many of us will be involved in sooner or later, and that is helping our aged parents to make the huge leap in moving out of their home and into a smaller home, retirement village or residential care. It's probably mainly the baby boomers among us who are facing this tough time, and I know first-hand how emotional this can be for all parties involved, and especially for our loved ones who may be unwell and needing special care. Having been through this, those memories of that difficult time are still vivid. For many families this decision can be ..read more

Just like you wouldn’t choose a bruised apple, potential buyers may expect to pay less for a property that doesn’t look its best. There's an old saying – 'first impressions last' – and nothing could be truer when it comes to presenting your property for sale. That means a tidy and presentable interior and exterior, as many people will drive-by before deciding whether to inspect it during open homes. Your property is usually just one in a very long list of properties a buyer will see, so it's crucial that they see it in the best possible light. The more desirable your property appears, the bett ..read more

Have you ever asked dad for a hammer and the response has been “sure, if you can find it!” “Didn’t you get me one last year?” Garages tend to become a dumping ground for just about everything. Because they are big open spaces, they're easy targets for that suitcase that won't fit in the closet, the rollerblades your daughter doesn't want to throw away yet, the sewing machine you need to give back to your neighbour, and anything else that doesn't have a set place. And how often do you (or more likely, can you) actually park your car in it! How often is your garage facing the road but you are to ..read more