 Can you relate to this? The move is on the calendar. You know it's coming. And at some point — maybe this weekend, maybe next week — you're going to stand in the middle of a room, look at everything in it, and think: where do I even start? For most families, the answer is boxes. Get the boxes. Start packing. Figure out the rest as you go. And that's exactly the step that makes everything harder than it needs to be.
The real cost of skipping it When families skip the decision phase and go straight to packing, here's what happens: they pack things they don't need. Things they don't love. Things they forgot they even had. Things they were always going to donate, someday, when they got around to it. And then they unpack all of it at the other end. Every unnecessary box is time, money, and energy spent moving something that was never going to stay anyway. And arriving at a new home to unpack boxes full of things you don't actually want? That's not a fresh start. That's relocating the same overwhelm to a different address. The families who do the decision work first — who arrive with less because they made the hard calls before moving day — consistently say the same thing: the move felt different. More intentional. Like they were choosing their next home, not just surviving the transition to it. What the decision phase actually looks like This isn't a one-day event, and it doesn't have to feel like a project. It's a few hours spread across the weeks before your move, worked through one room at a time, without the pressure of a closing date making every decision feel urgent. For each room, you're asking three questions: What am I definitely bringing? These things get packed with confidence. They've earned their spot in the moving truck without negotiation. Pack them, label them, done. What am I not bringing? These leave before moving day — donated, given to someone who'll use them, or released. Not packed "just for now." Not brought to the new house to sort out later. Gone before you go. This distinction matters more than it sounds. What do I still need to decide on? This pile gets a deadline — a specific date, at least a week before the move. Not "someday." Not "I'll figure it out." A date on the calendar. Because on moving day, this pile cannot still be a pile.
This is where the move actually begins The truck, the boxes, the tape — those are logistics. They can be organized and executed efficiently once the decisions have been made. The decisions are the part that determines whether you arrive at your new home feeling like you're starting fresh, or like you've just carried the same unfinished business from one address to the next. When you do the decision work first, something shifts. You arrive with intention. Your new home gets to begin the way you actually want it to — not overloaded with things that didn't make the cut, but set up for the life you're living now. That's what a move is really for, when you think about it
Grab the free Pre-Pack Decision Checklist
To help you work through the decision phase room by room, I've put together a free Pre-Pack Decision Checklist — a clear, printable guide for deciding what comes, what goes, and what needs a plan before a single box gets taped shut. [Download the free Pre-Pack Decision Checklist →] Progress over perfection, always. Warmly, Eryn 💜
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The Summer Slump: Why Your Organizing Systems Feel Like They're Breaking (And What to Do About It)7/1/2026
It's not you. It's the season.Here's the thing about organizing systems: they're built around how a home gets used. And in summer, everything about how your home gets used changes. More people home for more hours. Different routines — or no routines at all. Kids cycling in and out with shoes, sunscreen, water bottles, and every piece of sports equipment they own. Meals at different times. Bags dropped in different spots. The front door opening forty more times a day than it did in May. A system designed for a school-year schedule isn't going to hold up under those conditions. That's not a failure on your part — it's just math. The system was never designed for July. The goal isn't to push harder on a system that isn't working. The goal is to adapt it.  The rooms that take the biggest hitEvery home is different, but there are a few spaces that tend to bear the brunt of summer in most households: The entryway or mudroom This space was built around a very specific routine: bags go here, shoes go here, out the door by 8am. That routine is gone. Now it's a landing pad for everything — wet towels, soccer cleats, helmets, backpacks that haven't been touched in three weeks. The problem isn't that your family is messy. The problem is that the system doesn't have a category for summer yet. The kitchen Lunch is happening now. Snacks are happening constantly. The counter that stayed clear during the school year is suddenly the staging area for everything. If the kitchen feels like it's always in a state of mid-meal, it's because it kind of is — and it will be until September. The living room This one sneaks up on people. The living room in summer becomes a playroom, a homework spot, a hang-out space, and a place to dump whatever didn't make it upstairs. The systems that worked when the room had one job don't always hold up when it has five.  The reset: adapt, don't scrap The most important thing I want you to take from this post is this: you don't need to start over. You need to adjust. Your systems aren't broken — they're just running a different operating system than the one they were installed for. A few intentional tweaks can make a significant difference without requiring a full reorganization of your home. Here's where to start: Add a summer-specific landing zone Give summer stuff its own home. A basket by the door for sunscreen, bug spray, and outdoor toys. A hook for wet towels that isn't the one everyone else is using. A bin in the entryway specifically for shoes that get taken off before they hit the floor. Small, clear, obvious homes for the things summer actually brings in — because fighting it every day isn't the answer. Simplify your kitchen counter rules Rather than clearing the counter completely (ambitious in July), decide what's allowed to live there. The things you reach for every single day can stay. Everything else needs a home that isn't the counter. That distinction — daily use only — is easier to maintain than an aspirational blank surface. Give the living room a reset basket One basket. End of every day, anything that doesn't belong in the living room goes in. Once a day, the basket gets sorted. It takes five minutes and it stops the slow creep from getting out of hand. It's not a perfect system. It's a working system, which is the only kind that matters. A few things to remember as you work through this You don't have to fix everything at once. Pick the room that's bothering you the most, start there, and let that win carry you to the next one. It's okay to keep it if you have the space — but summer is also a natural moment to notice what's accumulating that doesn't serve anyone. A few quiet donation runs between now and September can make a real difference by fall. And if you look at your systems right now and feel genuinely overwhelmed — that's okay too. Sometimes we need a little support to see our spaces clearly again. Someone else can often see the potential we've stopped being able to see. Remember to breathe. Summer is loud and full and fast. Your home is doing its best to keep up. Grab the free Summer Systems Reset Guide
To help you work through this room by room, I've put together a free Summer Systems Reset Guide — a short, practical reset for the spaces that take the biggest hit when everyone's home. It's not a full reorganization. It's a recalibration — the smallest adjustments that make the biggest difference between now and September. Download the free Summer Systems Reset Guide → Progress over perfection, always. Warmly, Eryn 💜 Can you relate to this? Someone — maybe your kids, maybe your doctor, maybe just the quiet voice in your own head — has started saying the word "downsize." And you're not quite sure how you feel about it. Maybe it makes sense. Maybe you know, if you're honest with yourself, that the house is more than you need right now. But knowing something makes sense and feeling ready for it? Those are two very different things. Here's what I want to say first: you're allowed to take your time with this. Downsizing doesn't have to happen on anyone else's timeline. And it doesn't have to feel like giving something up. Let's try a different word
Why this is harder than it looks If it were just about things, it would be simple. But it's rarely just about things, is it? The dining table where your family gathered for twenty years. The dishes you brought out for every holiday. Your grandmother's sewing basket that you've never actually used but couldn't imagine not having. These things carry weight — not because they're valuable, but because they hold stories. Here's the good news: the stories don't live in the items. They live in you. You can write them down. You can tell them to your grandchildren. You can photograph the things before they go and keep those images somewhere beautiful. The memory lies within your heart and your head, not the item itself. Write the stories. Tell the stories. That's where the memories are. The pressure from people who love youSometimes the hardest part of downsizing isn't the stuff — it's the people. Adult children with opinions. Family members who want certain things, or who have strong feelings about what you should keep, what you should give away, and how quickly this should all happen. I want to say this clearly: you don't have to hold on to things for other people. And you don't have to let go of things for them either. This next chapter belongs to you. Hold on to what makes you happy. Let go of what you're ready to release. Take the time you need. And if someone in your life is making this harder instead of easier — it's okay to name that. It's okay to ask for a little space to make decisions on your own terms. Where to begin (when you're ready)If you're not sure where to start, start small. Pick one drawer. One shelf. One closet in one room — not the whole house, not the basement, and not the things that feel the most loaded. Not yet. Start somewhere that feels manageable and let yourself feel the small satisfaction of having made some decisions. That feeling is important. It tells you that this is going to be okay. A few questions to help you as you go:
What less actually makes possible
You don't have to do this aloneThis is genuinely hard work — emotionally and physically — and there's no rule that says you have to figure it out by yourself. That might look like a trusted friend who can sit with you through the difficult decisions. It might look like family members who take things off your hands so you know they're going somewhere good. Or it might look like a professional organizer who can manage the practical pieces while you focus on what matters most: making decisions that feel right for you, without the weight of doing it all yourself. Not everything needs a second set of eyes — but when it does, someone else can often see the potential you've stopped being able to see. If you're anywhere in this process — whether you're just beginning to think about it, or you're further along than you'd planned to be — I'd love to be a resource for you. You can reach me directly at [contact link/email], and we'll figure out together what kind of support makes the most sense. A gentle place to startI've created The Downsizing Decision Guide as a companion to this post — a thoughtful, printable framework for working through what comes with you, what gets passed on, and what gets released. At your pace. On your terms. Download The Downsizing Decision Guide → Helping you create the best chapter yet — that's exactly what this work is for. Yours in organizing success, Eryn 💜 Do you ever open the garage door, take one long look inside, and quietly close it again? Yeah. Same. The garage has this very specific talent for becoming the place where everything goes when you don't know where else to put it. The sports equipment from the season that ended eight months ago. The boxes from the last move that never quite got unpacked. The thing your neighbour gave you because they were downsizing and you felt too awkward to say no. It builds slowly. And then one day you look up and realize it's become a lot. Here's what I want you to know before we go any further: this doesn't mean you're disorganized. It doesn't mean you've failed. It means you have a space that never had a real system, and stuff has been making its own decisions in there ever since. That's fixable. Why the garage gets away from us The garage door closes. That's the whole problem. When life gets busy — and whose life isn't busy — the garage becomes the path of least resistance. It's out of sight. Nobody's eating dinner in there. So it waits, quietly collecting whatever we don't have time to deal with right now. The trouble is that "right now" adds up. Season after season, the threshold to start gets higher. Not because you don't want to deal with it, but because it starts to feel too big to know where to begin. The trick is to stop trying to tackle it all at once. Before you touch anything: decide what this space is actually for This is the step most people skip, and it's the one that makes everything else easier. What does your garage actually need to do for you? Is it first and foremost vehicle storage? A functional workshop? A home for seasonal gear, sports equipment, and the things that don't belong anywhere else in the house? Some combination? There's no wrong answer — but there is your answer, and that's the one that matters. Your garage doesn't need to look like a showroom. It needs to work for how your family actually lives. Once you're clear on its purpose, everything else becomes a filter. Does this belong here? Does it have a proper home here? If the answer is no — it's time to make a decision. A zone-based approach that's actually manageableForget trying to sort everything by category all at once. Instead, think in zones. Here's a framework to get you started: Zone 1: Active use Things you reach for regularly — the lawnmower, bikes, tools you use weekly, whatever sport is currently in season. These get prime real estate: easy to grab, easy to put back. If you have to move three things to reach something you use every week, it doesn't have a home yet. Zone 2: Seasonal storage Holiday decorations, winter tires, camping gear that comes out twice a summer. These can live higher up, further back, clearly labelled. You don't need them often — you just need to find them immediately when you do. Zone 3: The exit lane This is a temporary zone by design. It's where things land while you make a decision: Is this coming with us? Does someone else need this? Or is it time to let it go? Set a deadline — a week, two weeks — and stick to it. This zone doesn't get to become permanent. Zone 4: The honest pile We all have one. This is the stuff that's been sitting there for two years and you genuinely can't remember why you kept it. Ask the honest question: is it earning its space? It's okay to let it go. That is the permission you've been waiting for. A few things to keep in mind as you go Remember to breathe. You don't have to do this in a day. You don't have to get rid of anything you're not ready to let go of. It's okay to keep things if you have the space and they have a proper home. The goal here isn't minimalism — it's a space that functions without making you feel defeated every time you open the door. And if you hit a wall partway through and it starts to feel like too much? That's normal. It doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. Start with one zone. Just one. See how that feels. It will always feel harder before it becomes easier — and that's not a warning. That's a promise that it gets better. One more thing: if a move is on your horizon The garage is often the last thing families tackle before a move, and the first thing that causes delays. If a summer move is on your radar, the garage is actually a great place to start now. Getting clear on what's coming with you before the pressure of a closing date means less to sort through under stress — and it means your movers aren't loading things you were planning to donate anyway. The families I've worked with who get the garage done early always say the same thing: once that space is sorted, the rest of the move suddenly feels manageable. If you could use a hand — whether you're moving or just ready to reclaim the space — I'd love to talk. You can reach me at [your contact link/email]. Grab the free Garage Reset ChecklistTo help you get started without the overwhelm, I've put together a free, printable Garage Reset Checklist — a zone-by-zone guide built for real garages, not showroom ones. [Download the free Garage Reset Checklist →] Progress over perfection, always. Warmly, Eryn 💜 I've stood in a lot of homes. I've seen overflowing closets and garages that haven't been opened in three years. I've sat with people surrounded by boxes they moved from the last house — and the house before that — still sealed. I've helped families sort through decades of belongings after a loss, and helped young couples figure out how two full lives merge into one shared space. And in all of that, I've learned something that might sound counterintuitive coming from a professional organizer: The clutter is almost never the problem. What We Talk About When We Talk About Clutter
The Shame Makes It WorseHere's the part nobody talks about enough: shame is one of the most powerful forces keeping clutter in place. We look at a disorganized home and we think: I should have handled this by now. What does it say about me that I haven't? What would people think if they saw this? And then, because the shame is uncomfortable, we close the door. We tell ourselves we'll deal with it when we have more time, more energy, more of whatever it is we feel like we're running out of. The clutter stays. The shame compounds. The cycle continues. What I've noticed is that the people who are hardest on themselves about their spaces are almost always the ones carrying the most — caregiving for a parent, managing a business, raising children, navigating a health challenge, holding an entire household together largely on their own. The disorganization isn't evidence of laziness or failure. It's evidence of a life that got very full, very fast, with not quite enough support. You are not your clutter. And the state of your home is not a verdict on the state of your character. What Decluttering Actually Asks of UsThis is where I want to be honest with you, because I think a lot of organizing content glosses over it: decluttering is not just a physical task. It asks things of us emotionally, and sometimes those asks are significant. It asks us to make decisions about things we've been avoiding deciding about. It asks us to let go — not just of objects, but sometimes of the version of ourselves those objects represent. The person we were going to be when we bought that equipment. The life we imagined when we kept those things. It asks us to grieve, sometimes. To acknowledge that a chapter has ended, that a relationship has changed, that something we hoped for didn't happen the way we thought it would. None of that is easy. And none of it has a shortcut. What I can tell you is that on the other side of it — when the space starts to breathe again — something shifts. People describe it in different ways. Lighter. Clearer. Like they can finally exhale. Like the house feels like theirs again. That's not magic. That's what happens when the physical environment finally catches up to who you actually are right now — instead of holding you in who you used to be, or who you thought you were supposed to become. Why Having Support Changes Everything I want to gently push back on the idea that you should be able to do this alone. We hire people to help us with our taxes, our health, our legal questions, our cars. We ask friends to come help us move furniture. We bring in contractors to do work that technically we could do ourselves but would take three times as long and cause a lot of unnecessary stress. And yet there's something about the home — about the personal, intimate nature of our stuff — that makes people feel like asking for help is an admission of failure. It isn't. It's actually one of the most efficient, self-respecting decisions you can make. Having someone in the space with you changes the dynamic entirely. The decisions feel less heavy. The momentum builds faster. The things you've been avoiding for months can often be resolved in an afternoon — not because a professional organizer has some special power, but because having a calm, non-judgmental presence beside you makes the whole thing feel possible instead of impossible. I'm not there to judge what you kept or why. I'm not there to tell you what your home should look like or make you feel bad about where you are. I'm there to help you figure out what you actually want — and then help you create a space that reflects that. A Different Way to Think About Getting OrganizedIf you've been thinking about getting organized but you're not sure you're "ready," I'd invite you to consider this: You don't have to be ready to be ready. You just have to be willing to take one small step. Maybe that's a phone call to talk through what's going on in your space. Maybe it's reading this post and quietly recognizing yourself in it. Maybe it's finally saying out loud — even just to yourself — that the way things are isn't working anymore, and that's okay. The clutter is telling you something. Not that you're a mess. Not that you've failed. But that something in your life has been asking for attention, and now your home is echoing that back to you. When you're ready to listen — and to get some help responding — I'm here. Eryn Moreau is a Professional Organizer and Moving Specialist serving Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, and the Simcoe-Muskoka region. She offers in-home organizing, moving packages, downsizing support, and virtual organizing — all with a judgment-free, real-life approach.
👉 Book a free clarity call Eryn 💜 Get Organized with Erin | Organize. Move. Thrive. May feels a little like the Sunday of summer. Everything is possible, the pace is still manageable, and you have just enough breathing room to actually make a plan — before the chaos of June, the heat of July, and the "HOW IS IT AUGUST" panic set in. If you've been thinking about moving this summer — browsing listings, having the conversations, maybe already whispering the words "we should probably start decluttering" — this post is for you. You're not behind. You're actually right on time. But May is the month to stop thinking and start doing, because the families who feel calm on moving day? They started here. First, a Reality Check (The Kind One)Summer moves — especially in Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, and the surrounding area — get booked fast. Movers, storage units, junk removal companies, and yes, professional organizers all fill up quickly once the school year ends and the real estate market heats up. That doesn't mean you need to have everything figured out by Friday. It means that starting now, even in small ways, gives you options. And options feel a whole lot better than scrambling. What to Actually Do in May (In Order of Importance)
2. Walk Your Home Like a Stranger This is one of my favourite exercises. Walk through your front door as if you've never been there before. What do you see? What feels heavy, cluttered, or tired? What would make a buyer (or frankly, your future self) nervous? You're not trying to redo your whole house. You're just looking for the 20% of things that are creating 80% of the visual noise. That's usually where we start.  3. Identify Your "Definitely Not Coming With Us" Zones Every home has them. The storage room where things go to be forgotten. The basement corner. The garage. The junk drawer that somehow became a junk dresser. In May, you're not tackling these — you're just naming them. Give them a label, a rough size estimate, and an honest assessment of what lives there. That information is gold when it comes time to plan your declutter and move prep. 4. Start One Box I know. You're not ready to really pack. But starting one box — just one — does something important: it makes the move feel real in a manageable way instead of an overwhelming one. Put it somewhere visible. Toss in things that are clearly coming with you but don't need to be accessible between now and move day. It builds momentum without pressure. 5. Book Your Support Early Whether that's movers, junk removal, a cleaning company, or a professional organizer — reach out in May. Not to commit to everything, but to get on radars, get quotes, and understand your options. The families who call me in May get to be thoughtful about how we work together. The ones who call in July are often in triage mode. Both are totally fine — but the May version is a lot more fun for everyone. What You Don't Have to Do in MayJust in case you needed permission: you do not need to have it all figured out. You don't need to have had "the purge." You don't need to pack up the kitchen or label every box or know exactly what's going into storage. May is for orientation, not execution. Get your bearings, make a few moves, and trust that the rest will unfold — especially if you have a good team behind you. How I Can HelpMy moving packages are designed specifically for families and individuals in the Simcoe-Muskoka region who want to move with less stress and more intention — whether you're upsizing, downsizing, or just ready for a fresh start somewhere new.
 Not sure which one fits? That's what a discovery call is for. No pressure, no commitment — just a conversation about where you are and what would actually help. 👉 Book a free discovery call You've got this. And if you don't want to do it alone — that's what I'm here for.
Eryn 💜 Get Organized with Erin | Organize. Move. Thrive. gowitherin.com Category: Moving Tips | Estimated read time: 6 minutes
Why Decluttering Before a Move Actually MattersMoving costs money. Movers charge by the hour, and many companies charge by weight or volume. Every box of stuff you don’t need is costing you real money to transport. Beyond the financial side, moving is a massive psychological reset. You’re starting fresh in a new space — and you deserve to fill it only with things that actually belong in your next chapter. Decluttering before a move also means:
The Golden Rule: One Room at a Time
The Three Questions to Ask About Every Item When you’re sorting through a space before a move, apply these three questions to each item:
The Spaces Most People Forget to Declutter Before a Move
A Realistic Declutter Timeline for a Move6-8 Weeks Out
4-5 Weeks Out
2-3 Weeks Out
What to Do With the Stuff You’re Letting GoYou have options:
You Don’t Have to Do This AloneDecluttering before a move is emotional. You’re making big decisions while also managing a thousand other moving logistics. It can feel completely overwhelming — which is exactly why having support makes such a difference. Our moving packages are designed to take this weight off your shoulders. From pre-move decluttering and packing support to full unpack and setup at your new home, we meet you wherever you need us.
👉 Ready to move with intention? Visit gowitherin.com to learn more or book your free discovery call. You’ve worked hard for everything in your home. Your next chapter deserves a fresh, intentional start.  Category: Spring Organizing | Estimated read time: 5 minutes Let’s be honest. The garage might be the single most avoided space in the entire house. It starts as a parking spot, becomes a dumping ground, and eventually transforms into a labyrinth of “I’ll deal with this later” that you mentally skip past every single day. Sound familiar? You’re not alone — and you’re not lazy. Life is busy, and the garage is where things go when there’s nowhere else for them to go. But spring is here, the days are getting longer, and your garage deserves a reset just as much as the rest of your home. Here’s how to tackle it without losing your weekend (or your mind). Step 1: Don’t Try to Organize a Messy Garage
Step 2: Group What You’re Keeping by ZoneOnce you know what’s staying, resist the urge to just put it all back. Instead, create zones based on how your family actually uses the garage. Common zones include:
Step 3: Work Vertically
Step 4: Label Everything This is the step that separates a space that stays organized from one that falls apart in three weeks. Label your bins, your shelves, and your zones clearly. If everyone in your family can find the bug spray and the spare batteries without asking you, your system is working. For families with kids, picture labels alongside text labels go a long way. Step 5: Do a Quick Safety CheckWhile everything is out, it’s the perfect time for a quick safety review:
The Realistic Timeline
Need a Hand?
Moving is stressful enough when it's just adults. Add school-aged kids to the mix, and suddenly you're dealing with lost homework, forgotten favorite stuffies, and complete meltdowns over leaving their best friend. Sound familiar? Here's the thing – most families try to wing it when they move, thinking they can pack everything in a weekend and somehow keep the kids happy while boxes pile up everywhere. But what if I told you there's a better way? After helping hundreds of families through moves, I've learned that the secret isn't about being the perfect Pinterest mom who has color-coded moving boxes (though no judgment if that's your thing!). It's about having a system that works for real families with real chaos. The Problem with Most Moving ApproachesMost families approach moving like this:
A Better Way: The Family-First Moving System
Three Must-Do Steps for Moving with Kids
This Week's Action Steps
Remember, a successful family move isn't about having everything perfectly organized from day one. It's about making sure everyone feels secure and excited about your new chapter together. Need help with your family move? Our Fresh Start package is specifically designed for families with school-aged children. We handle the overwhelming stuff so you can focus on helping your kids through the transition. Learn more about how we can support your family's move at gowitherin.com.
Part 4: "New Year, Fresh Start: The Post-Holiday Reset That Sticks" The holidays are magical, but they're also messy. Here's how to transition from holiday chaos back to organized calm without losing the joy. The Truth: January organizing fails when you try to overhaul everything at once. Smart families reset gradually and focus on systems that stick. The 2-Week Post-Holiday Reset
What to Keep vs. What to Release
The 15-Minute Daily Reset (January Habit) Start each day with:
Setting Up for Success in the New Year The Sustainable Approach:
Pro Organizer Wisdom: "January is not about perfection - it's about progress. The families who thrive long-term are the ones who build sustainable habits, not those who attempt dramatic overhauls. Start small, stay consistent, and trust the process." What's one small organizing habit you want to build this January? Remember: consistency beats perfection every time!
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eryn MoreauThere is nothing I love more than to help others, teaching them how to bring order and develop systems to decrease their stress levels, bringing a sense of calm to their lives. Read More..... Archives
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