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By candace kramer, February 8, 2011 4:06 pm

It is raining, as usual, so it’s the perfect time for me to clean and organize my home -  it being on the market and having weekly showings doesn’t hurt to keep me motivated either! Plus, my recent coffee chat at Chuck’s Coffee with Jan Harju from Good Daughters was truly inspiring!

Good Daughters is a group of moving experts specializing in transitioning seniors into their new homes. Their slogan is: “It’s your move – We Make it Happen!” Reassuring to say the least! 

Moving and downsizing, as we all know, can be overwhelming and downright stressful. Fear not! Downsizing is something Good Daughters does best! Not only does Jan and her team help you decide what to do your four fondue sets, three popcorn poppers and endless paper stacks – she knows how to transport household goods overseas or just down the street into your new home.

Jan and her husband, Arnie are Oregonians that have had long careers in logistics, transportation, and human resources.  They now blend these skills and assist families, large and small, to tackle the arduous tasks involved with downsizing. Jan is reassuring and non judgmental – the perfect neutral party to step into the family dynamics.  By developing a personalized moving plan and time-line, Jan makes your move HAPPEN!

Some of her favorite resources and supporters:

• Scott Director at Director furniture – they have a line furniture that specializes in scaled down furniture.
• First Choice Movers are reliable, patient and professional.
• A Season in Time is operated by Nancy Farrer who specializes in estate sales.

The best secret I discovered is that Jan takes whatever does not sell to charitable organizations – her favorite is Willamette Valley Humane Society, there are two stores in Salem and 100% of the proceeds go to an animal shelter.

Jan, you really do know how to take care of it all in a compassionate and efficient way!

Give Jan a call at 503-522-6637 or email info@gooddaughters3.com

She inspired me to go back and start recycling and donating the items I really do not need! Very good rainy day projects.

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By candace kramer, January 28, 2011 9:56 am

I had the pleasure of chatting with Missy Gerber at Chucks coffee shop. It was very informative (no wonder) with her 10 years of experience. I wanted to share some her valuable tips with you!

With a keen sense of organization and a passion to make a difference in people lives, Missy founded Organizers Northwest. Her and her seasoned team tackle clutter and combat mess, creating peace and improving the lifestyles of their clients.

Missy prides herself on establishing authentic connections with her clients, be they homeowners or business owners, providing dedicated service and expertise. She also conducts popular seminars at Storables, where she breaks down her technique into 5 easy steps. I gotta check one of these out!

Here philosophy brings the relative concepts of the here and now to the forefront.  Be mindful of the present and ask yourself  the 5 whys to discover the true answer to the question, “Do I really need this?”

In this day and age, we don’t really need to hoard magazines, cookbooks, movies and music – all of this is available online. My mom had a huge collection of cookbooks and I inherited this too! After my conversation with Missy, I went straight home and purged my stash of cooking mags!

Missy helps many with that annoying office clutter – you know the stacks and stacks of paper that seem to accumulate effortlessly on our desks, tables and counter-tops?  Clutter is really just postponing decisions and Missy is excellent at making you examine the emotional attachments we have to  our STUFF.

Here are some before and after pictures of her work:

Quite a difference right!?

Best of all, many of her resources, including recycling are local to Lake Oswego. Here are just a few:

• Got junk piling up? Charlie Marino is the man to haul it away.

• Do you have a collection of vintage cell phones, and an old microwave lurking in your garage? Far West Fibers recycles electronics and more!

• Got too many books?  Take them to Powells or the Lake Oswego Library Booktique.

• Want to resale some old belongings? Lakewood Center for Arts has a resale store to donate items to OR the Community Warehouse will pick up your unwanted items for $20.

Downsizing and re-organizing your life can feel overwhelming and exhausting. Often, Missy’s clients call her feeling panicked, stuck and suffocated by their clutter but when she is done, they have renewed energy and more time to spend time with family and friends! They enjoy a new lifestyle – CLUTTER-FREE! Or in Missy’s words:

Less mess, less stress, better life. Period.

Missy you are a true expert in space & time! Be sure to contact Missy at 503-245-3564 or missy@organizersnw.com

Where could you de-clutter in your home?

I’m off to go get rid of some more of MY stuff!

Before & After images via Organizers Nortwest