Comments (0)

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.

Comments (0)

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

Comments (0)

By candace kramer, December 10, 2010 3:33 pm

Don’t think downsizing is a trend? Well…it looks like the design world is responding to it in a BIG way! This amazing line of  space saving furniture is not only beautiful but incredibly efficient for small and multi-functional rooms. Designs like these are making the shift towards downsizing even easier. Get ready to be wowed by these innovative creations by Resource Furniture.

All of a sudden having a dinner party or an overnight guest in your new two-bedroom condo doesn’t seem so impossible…right? Takes Murphy beds to a whole new level!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Video via youtube.com

Comments (0)

By candace kramer, October 27, 2010 2:48 pm

Today, I wanted to feature one of my favorite people – Julie DeJardin.  I met Julie when I was working as a designer for Neil Kelly and she was the president for the National Kitchen and Bath Association. She’s an amazing designer, a dear friend and she really knows how to downsize in style!

Julie recently moved into Portland’s beautiful high-rise – The Metropolitan.  She loves her new space, the view and the ease of living in the Pearl District but the kitchen, well that had to change. Renown for her amazing culinary skills and love of entertaining, Julie quickly realized that her kitchen – the heart of her new home – simply wasn’t up to par. With the ease of an artist with a brush, she pulled out her measuring tape, a pad of paper and began re-designing the space.

Check out the before shots…dull and dark.

And after…modern, clean and fresh!

It would have been near impossible to match the wood tone of the current cabinetry, so Julie ingeniously added these stunning high-pressure Italian laminate cabinets in a stormy gray, to provide even more storage.

Julie gets kitchens. I mean she really gets them. And when it came to her own kitchen she knew exactly what to do to meet her needs both functionally and aesthetically.  Check out some of the details…

By being creative with her space she gained a whopping 11.5 linear feet of  base cabinet storage. Now everything is easy to find and easy to reach!

The sparkling back-splash is a combo of polished and brushed metals, interlaced with crystal clear glass. Sourced locally at Pental Granite & Marble.  Gorgeous isn’t it? The snowy white Caesarstone Quartz counter tops provide the perfect contrast to the dark cabinetry.

Think that island is just an island? Think again! Julie added casters to the unit, so it can be moved into different configurations to suit her entertaining needs. It’s a dining table, buffet, bar and workspace! How’s that for multifunctional design?

By removing an existing wall, this elegant bar elongates the kitchen and adds sparkle and flair! Every girl needs a lovely place to whip up her favorite cocktail!

Nothing but the best for Julie’s appliances – a Viking fridge, Miele oven, Wolf cook-top and a Blanco micro-edge sink, all make this kitchen perform like a pro’s. Not to mention that whipping up delicious meals with this view is simply inspiring.

Julie’s artfully designed kitchen shows us, that when executed well, small spaces can truly meet all our needs!

Want more inspiration? Check out some beautiful compact kitchen designs here.  Does your kitchen meet the needs of your lifestyle? What would you change?

Have a fabulous day!

Comments (0)

By candace kramer, October 13, 2010 9:39 am

I’m sure many of you love following the extremely successful and inspirational blog : Apartment Therapy.  Never heard of it?  You must go take a look. It is chock full of fantastic ideas and home tours of some really incredible spaces.

For all those considering downsizing, it is an absolute necessary stop on your internet search. However, not everyone likes to get their information online so….why not check out this new, gorgeous book by Apartment Therapy founder, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan.

Full to the brim with imaginative solutions for small spaces, storage and organization, it may have you looking at your home in a whole new way! Maxwell believes that small spaces or size constraints actually opens up your creativity, forcing you to think outside the box. Since downsizing really involves a re-invention of your lifestyle, I really appreciate his fresh approach and I think you will too.

Want to add it to your library? Click here to buy.

Is there a small space in your own home that is begging for a makeover? Could it be more functional or even multi-functional if you looked at it with a new perspective? Look around you might just get inspired!

Have a fantastic day!

All images via Apartment Therapy