Calm Order is Best of Houzz 2020!

For the fifth year in the row, Calm Order is honoured to be awarded Best of Houzz 2020!

This award is given to professionals and designs on Houzz based on customer feedback, reviews and services offered. The purpose is to recognize the top-rated professionals and their work in all areas of the home - from organizing to design and landscaping. The “Best of Houzz” awards are organized by category and region and are marked on each professional’s profile on the Houzz website. This way, when people are looking to find a contractor or professional organizer in their area, they can tell based on their profile badges if they are a top-rated business or not.

Calm Order has been honoured to receive this award since 2016. As a Houzz recommended company, Calm Order is proud of the work we have done throughout the city of Calgary in the areas of decluttering, downsizing, professional organizing, space planning and move-related packing and unpacking.

On behalf of the Calm Order team, Karen said that they are “super delighted and excited” to be recognized for the fifth year in a row by the online interior design and home improvement site.

“We love what we do and we love our clients, and we strive to be better all the time,” she said.

To learn more about this award and view Calm Order’s profile, visit the Houzz website here. Calm Order clients are encouraged to visit and leave a review based on their experience, and those interested are welcome to view the profile to take a look at some of Calm Order’s projects and testimonials from past clients.

For more information on Calm Order’s team and service offerings, browse our website!

The Right Space for You

Are you living in the right space for your life right now? 

As people age and their lives change (retirement, becoming empty-nesters), the space they are currently living in may not work for them anymore. Much of this has to do with the items and belongings in this space, how it is organized, and how big it is. As people transition into different stages in their life, it may be time for them to re-think their current situation and start making plans for the future. 

Earlier in life (ages 20-40), people tend to accumulate a lot of “stuff.” Often, these are items that people eventually grow out of or no longer need – especially when it comes to children’s items, old sporting equipment, out-of-date clothing and accessories. While many people convince themselves they need to hang on to it “just in case” for many years, the reality is that you probably won’t be needing them anytime soon.  

This is especially important to consider as people age and think about changing their space and down-sizing into a smaller home. Before reaching this stage, it is a good idea to start going through all the “stuff” that has been accumulated while people have the time, energy, and ability to dedicate to the task.  

A good way for people to start this process is to ask themselves why they have been hanging on to all these belongings for so long – is it because of sentimental reasons, or a sense of obligation? Only keep items that are useful, and evoke feelings of love and value. If an item is no longer useful and isn’t bringing any joy or value into your life, then it isn’t worth hanging onto.  

If people are supporting someone else in this process, whether it is aging parents, relatives or friends, it is important to try and complete this process with them sooner rather than later. Often, many of the items keep for sentimental reasons have interesting stories and history that can be forgotten or lost as they are stored with an assortment of other items and belongings. Taking the time to organize and declutter their belongings together can bring a greater understanding of their purpose and how they may be given a new life or purpose instead of being regulated to a storage room or garbage bin. 

It may seem premature to undertake this process earlier in life, but why keep holding on to these items and pay for them to be packed up and moved or disposed of when they were never needed to begin with? Delaying the process with only make for a bigger headache later on – it is never to early to be prepared. 

This process can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to say goodbye to items that have been accumulated over a lifetime. The team at Calm Order can help individuals struggling with finding the right space and preparing for their changes in life through the entire organization process and beyond. Large projects like this don’t have to be undertaken alone – Calm Order is here to help! 

Start Planning: Lovely Valentine’s Day Treats for the Family!

Valentine’s Day is only a couple weeks away – which means it is time to start planning now what you and your family can do to celebrate the occasion! From shopping to baking and signing cards, there’s plenty to get started on ahead of time:

Planning

First, it is important to decide what you and your family will be doing for Valentine’s Day. For example, instead of just handing out paper cards, consider decorating special Valentine’s Day cookies or treats? Not only will this be a fun activity your whole family can get involved in, it will make for a sweeter and tastier treat for people to receive on the day! Before getting started, you’ll need to consider who your recipients are – is it just family or friends, or maybe classmates? Consider how many treats you’ll need and if there are any dietary restrictions you’ll need to accommodate.

Shopping

Now is the time to start shopping for any supplies you may need, like cookie cutters, sprinkles, icing, food colouring, piping bags, and any other accessories. If you’re looking to add chocolate or other candies, many grocery stores start selling them early so you can be sure to get what you need well before February 14. Make sure to pick up any supplies and accessories you need to put the treats together, like little bags or wrapping material, as well as ribbon, pens, cards and/or tags to include a small message.

Putting it Together

Make sure to set aside some time in advance for you and your family to put together these Valentine’s Day treats. Too often people make plans to bake or make a craft together but either forget about them or find they just don’t have the time to do it. Mark a day or weekend in your family calendar and ensure that everyone is aware of when and what you are all doing. It can even be a simple weeknight activity throughout the week, where you decorate and wrap a few treats each night before bed. Remember, the intent of this activity is to have fun together as a family and create a fun treat to give out to others. It shouldn’t be too stressful or time consuming, but an engaging and simple way to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

For a list of ideas on what to make, check out this post on Valentine’s Day recipes.