Organized Haven Blog - Organized Haven

Organized Haven and the Coronavirus

4/30/2020

Last month I blogged about Senior Move Management and the Coronavirus. It is no question that COVID-19 has brought about change to our entire world. We live differently, we work differently, we school differently. Today, I'd like to share how it has impacted Organized Haven.

Let me start by saying that we will always be here for you! We are dedicated to serving our clients with professionalism, efficiency, and compassion! We strive to remove the stress from any individual who is facing a downsizing and move project, or anyone who is simply tired of living or working in chaos! Our services often include a certain level of off-site management, but for the most part, we serve our clients in their spaces - their home or their office. That has not changed and will never change. It's the nature of our work! So, you ask, "What are you trying to say to us, Nicole?" Okay, so here's the scoop:

Senior Move Management and the Coronavirus

3/28/2020

This month has reached it's end ~ we are in a completely different place from where we were when it started. For my family, we had traveled by car from Florida to Texas for the NASMM 2020 Conference (The National Association of Senior Move Managers). Every year, I travel with my family to learn and grow with hundreds of other Senior Move Managers® from all over the world. Although COVID-19 was already "a thing", we had no clue what was right around the corner. Forget not being able to travel; some of us can't even leave our homes! Life as we knew it is... on hold.

Our industry has taken a massive hit! After all, we specialize in serving seniors who are at the highest risk of catching the virus, and worse, dying from it. Senior Move Managers® are struggling not only with the limited number of senior living communities allowing "visitors", but also with the decision of whether or not to serve those who's projects don't involve a senior living community. The risk to those we care about (our clients, our team members, our partners, our families) weighs heavy on our hearts and our minds. Are we an "essential" service provider? Many states are including moving, relocation, and transportation services on the list of essential businesses. In regards to the moves we are managing, our client's homes have closing dates - both those they have sold and those they are purchasing. Are their projects to continue as normal in order to satisfy their signed contracts or do we respectfully step out and wish them the best in their transition in order to keep our team and our families safe? Also, the senior clients we serve are sometimes in a high-risk situation due to the clutter in their homes creating trip hazards and other issues that keep them unsafe in their homes. In a time of such crisis especially, don't we have a duty to these seniors to be there for them in their time of need? These are just some of the challenging questions we Senior Move Managers are asking each other.

Spring Cleaning: Advice from the Experts

3/17/2020

Original post by Lexi Klinkenberg @ Redfin:
https://www.redfin.com/blog/spring-cleaning-advice-from-the-experts/

Organized Haven featured in fourth tip...

As the days grow longer and the weather begins to warm, we start to see the first signs of spring in the air. If you live in New York, Portland, or anywhere in between, the signs of spring are the same – the flowers begin to bloom and the birds are chirping again. After all, spring is the season of new beginnings, so why not refresh your home with spring cleaning? Declutter and deep clean the interior and exterior of your home before spring has sprung with these expert tips.

Clearing the House Mr. C and his Late Wife Built

8/4/2019

We stood in silence as the furniture was loaded into the back of a hatchback belonging to a young family. As they admired their new end tables, Mr. C and I watched out the window. Tears welled up in my eyes as I imagined the thoughts going through his mind. 51 years in the house he and his wife built. 45 years of marriage before he lost his wife tragically. Quilts, dishes, and furniture that won’t fit into his new home. He said quietly, “I wish I could have taken those tables with me but I don’t have the space.” My response was “I bet it is hard seeing it all go but that young family can now use them in their home. It looks like they are going to enjoy them.” A smile came over his face as he thought about it. We looked at each other and I could tell it was hard but it was getting easier.

Clearing Your Clutter, Calming Your Anxiety

6/28/2019

Clearing Your Clutter, Calming Your Anxiety

After a long day, everyone deserves a space to unwind. Clutter is one of many things that can rob you of your peace and take you outside of your house of zen. Return home to a space that is both tranquil and calm with these tips to help you declutter your space and in turn, your mind.

5 Simple Ways to Refresh Your Old Office

12/18/2018

Offices aren't necessarily known to be the epicenters of creativity, and the image of beige cubicles feels claustrophobic at best. Your workspace options may be pretty limited depending on where you work; however, here are five simple ways you can liven up your workspace.

1. Don't Mess
Take inventory of what you have an be utilitarian: keep only what you need. That includes pictures, ornaments, or memorabilia that bring you joy. Everything else should go! Sell valuable items, donate anything that's been gently used, and recycle what you can.

Try to limit what you put in the landfill but don't be afraid to get rid of things that you never use. Afterward, stay on top of it! If you struggle to keep things tidy, try giving yourself a single designated clutter area, like a drawer or a basket to keep things small.

If you need help assessing what can stay and what can go, let us help you organize your office.

10 Tips for Tackling Garage Clutter

8/6/2018

If you’re the type of person who maintains an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, you likely have hidden corners of your home that are begging to be cleansed of belongings you no longer use. It’s all too common for drawers to become unruly, storage rooms to start bursting at the seams, and for garages to be more occupied by junk than cars.

If you’re guilty of letting your less frequently used space accumulate unwanted items, it’s time to start sorting and purging. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part so keep reading for tips on how to manage a cluttered garage.

100 Can Challenge - Food Drive Benefiting Heart for Winter Haven

5/4/2018

Reduce food waste and fight hunger with Move for Hunger and Heart for Winter Haven! Pick a day to organize your pantry and donate non-perishable food items to fight senior hunger in Winter Haven.

If there is a need for food to be picked up, let us know. Otherwise, it can be dropped off at our office - call first to be sure someone will be there.

Please help us reach our goal - 100 cans for Move for Hunger's "100 Can Challenge"!

Nicole Ramer, SMM~C
Owner, Professional Organizer, and Certified Senior Move Manager®
Organized Haven

635 1st Street S. Ste# 4 | Winter Haven, FL 33880
863.268.4041

UPDATE:
Organized Haven was honored to collect 150 non-perishable food items to help fight #SeniorHunger with Heart for Winter Haven in Winter Haven, Florida and Move For Hunger!
Thank you to our clients, team members, and community for your generous donations and support! We look forward to joining the #100CanChallenge again in 2019!

Organizing Tips that Will Make Moving an Easier Process

4/13/2018

Moving, regardless of the distance you’re traveling, can be a stressful ordeal. One of the biggest instigators behind moving stress isn’t the fact that you’ll be in an entirely new space, but rather the amount of planning that needs to go into the act to make sure that everything makes it from point A to point B without breaking. Being organized is something we all know is necessary for moving, but it isn’t something we know how to do effectively. Luckily, I have a few tips for organizing before a move that will help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Come up with a written plan
Whether you’re computer savvy and can make a chart on Excel that keeps tabs on what you need to pack or you’re old-school and like to keep things written down in your notebook, it’s very important that you keep a physical copy of your moving checklist at hand. Trust me, even if you have a great memory, a hardcopy of what you need to do before you move will save you a huge headache. Make a list of what you need to pack, who you need to contact (i.e. the post office), what needs to be cleaned, and whatever else needs to happen before you begin moving. As soon as you complete something, check it off the list immediately.

Labels are your friends
Labeling boxes and bags that contain all of your personal belongings during a move can remove a ton of stress from each stage of the process. Put a descriptive—or even not so descriptive—note on every storage container. More importantly, don’t put an item into a container that is not within its respective category. While moving, if you need to find something, you won’t have to worry about tearing through all of your already packed boxes and bags.

Note: this tip is especially important with any paper documents you plan on taking to the new home. Organize them by their purpose and don’t mix them in with other papers or you could find yourself in a nightmare of a situation.

Toss what you no longer need
One thing that almost anyone who moves realizes is that they have so much stuff. Ask yourself if you really need everything in your home. Throwing out, giving away, or selling the things you don’t need is one of the best ways to get organized. The less you own, the easier it is to store things and keep your new space uncluttered.

Don’t be afraid to hire help
Aside from the necessary top real estate agent to help you sell your house, or the professional movers to transfer heavy furniture, don’t be afraid to hire someone to help you organize your space pre-move. Most people have busy lives outside of moving, making the process a huge burden - not to mention the physical and emotional aspects, especially for older adults downsizing. Organized Haven was started for this very purpose and we’d be more than happy to help you get organized before you move. Get in touch with us today if you’re in the Central Florida area!

Nicole Ramer, SMM~C
Owner, Professional Organizer, and Certified Senior Move Manager®
Organized Haven

635 1st Street S. Ste# 4 | Winter Haven, FL 33880
863.268.4041

Getting Organized in 2018

1/31/2018

Getting organized in 2018 means more than just having your clothes ready and day planned the night before a workday. It means more than having your house in order, important papers locate-able, and bills paid on time. It means finding ways to be more productive. Since 2005, The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) has celebrated the month of January as Get Organized (GO) month. January is simply the best time of the year to review your accomplishments from the year prior and consider changes you might make to be even more productive the next. For this reason, NAPO is promoting how getting organized will help make you more productive!

Looking back on 2017, and having had set the stage in this first month for what I want 2018 to look like, I've discovered ways in which I can be more productive. When I think about the opportunities I missed and struggles I faced in getting things done, I relate these issues to three areas of my daily life:

Nicole Ramer

Hi there! Welcome to my blog and thank you for stopping by!

I am a Professional Organizer and Certified Senior Move Manager® in Central Florida. I have a HUGE passion for organizing and finding the best, most efficient way of doing things!

My goal with this blog is to use it to teach my readers methods of organizing and as a way to communicate with the members of my community.

Please feel free to chime in and leave comments with your opinions or ideas. I'd love to hear from you!

Enjoy and happy organizing!

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What Our Clients are Saying:

"My mother had lived in her home for over 65 years when she passed, so the house was filled to the brim. Nicole and her team were outstanding. They came to the house, presented a plan to remove all of the items through an online auction. They inventoried all items, separated the items into individual lots and managed the auction, down to the last item being paid for, picked up and removed from the house! The payment for their services and transfer of the proceeds was seamless. I was left with an empty house that I could then get ready for sale. Perfect! Couldn't have asked for a better solution to an overwhelming situation!"

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Central Florida Organizing, Downsizing, and Senior Move Management:

Auburndale, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Lake Alfred, Dundee, Fort Meade, Bartow, Lake Wales, Highland Park, Polk City, Eagle Lake, Lake Hamilton, Gibsonia, Frostproof, Alturas, Haines City, Davenport, Wauchula, Bowling Green, Zolfo Springs, Sebring, Avon Park, Lake Placid, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Clermont, Zephyrhills, Plant City. Central Florida counties served: Polk, Hardee, Pasco, Highlands and parts of Osceola, Hillsborough and Lake. Under special circumstances, we will travel outside of these areas, but will otherwise refer you to one of our esteemed colleagues.

Contact Us:

Nicole Ramer, SMM~C
122 E Main Street #296
Lakeland, Florida 33801
Office: 863.268.4041
Help@OrganizedHaven.com

Website designed and maintained in house by Nicole Ramer, Professional Organizer & Certified Senior Move Manager®.