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Celebrating 28 years of saving you TIME and MONEY

Peace of Mind

Finding You Order, Peace of Mind & Beauty

As 2020 draws to a close, the Changing Places team reflects on the year that was. Gratitude is the first word that occurs to us. We’re grateful for our clients, partners, hard-working staff and our collective health.

We’re grateful for the very mission we serve: to create order, peace of mind and beauty. Throughout this difficult year, as we’re spending more time at home, it is so gratifying to help our clients make order out of clutter, simplify and beautify their homes.

In this issue, we offer solutions to some of the nagging items on your “home to-do list” and expert tips to create more space.

Read more

Finding You Order, Peace of Mind & Beauty

Peace of Mind

Finding You Order, Peace of Mind & Beauty

As 2020 draws to a close, the Changing Places team reflects on the year that was. Gratitude is the first word that occurs to us. We’re grateful for our clients, partners, hard-working staff and our collective health.

We’re grateful for the very mission we serve: to create order, peace of mind and beauty. Throughout this difficult year, as we’re spending more time at home, it is so gratifying to help our clients make order out of clutter, simplify and beautify their homes.

In this issue, we offer solutions to some of the nagging items on your “home to-do list” and expert tips to create more space.

Read more

Distance Learning & The Organized Home

Distance LearningPhoto: New York Times

We at Changing Places have run out of adjectives to describe life in the “new COVID-19 era”–different, challenging and uncertain are a few. Adding a layer of stress to our lives here in Northern California? The wildfires that are still raging in several counties, threatening homes and life and sanity. Oh, and school just started for many of our kids.

We know this much is true: Your home should be your haven. It should be a place where you find refuge, calm, peace and comfort. The dynamic and stressful world outside should stay outside.

The Optimal Kid’s Workspace

For most American families, the new school year has begun remotely from home, aka “distance learning”. We’ve collected several great tips to optimize the calm and order in your home, while also creating a productive learning space for your kids.

This New York Times article provides awesome tips for setting up a great, productive remote learning space for your kids:

  • Carve out space for schoolwork based on your child’s age and learning style.
  • Consider a rolling cart for moving school supplies from room to room on the fly.
  • A label maker can transform any workspace into one that feels neat and organized.
  • Hang a large white board in your kids’ work area and, depending on their age, use it to help them chart their various meetings and tasks, or do so for your entire family.
  • Headphones are not so much an organizational tool as they are a sanity tool. If you’re trying to work while one kid watches Khan Academy and the other enjoys Sesame Street, you’ll be glad for a set of headphones.
     

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Kitchen Organizing Tips

Kitchen Organizing

Help your kitchen live up to its full potential with the right organization tricks. Our area-specific ideas will get your most essential room in the house organized—and rid yourself of “clutter anxiety” for good.

1) Sort:

Tips before you start to sort “Like with like” is the key. As you review items in your kitchen, edit out anything that is:

  • broken/chipped
  • outdated
  • stained/torn
  • duplicated too many times
  • starting to take up space instead of being useful

2) Do:

Shelf lining: This will help preserve the condition of your shelves and drawers from accidental spills and rubbing from metal and/or plastic. This is especially helpful whether you’re a new home owner or renting. Assess current lining; if you’re reusing, clean and reinstall. This is a good time to switch out shelf lining if you don’t love your current product. We recommend lining under sinks throughout home as well as any high “traffic” area (e.g. mudroom cubbies, pantry shelves, laundry room detergent shelves, etc.). No liner is needed for glass shelves.

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The Changing Places Survival Guide to Sheltering in Place

Sheltering in place

THE CHANGING PLACES SURVIVAL GUIDE
TO SHELTERING-IN-PLACE

Now, more than ever, the Changing Places mission to create order, peace of mind, and beauty, rings true. These jarring times bring uncertainty, anxiety and disorder.

We feel passionately that offering the resources we cultivated over the last two weeks is a gift we can give you: our clients, partners and friends.

How are you and your loved ones doing? Send us a quick note to let us know what your new “normal” looks like.

We’re all in this together.

Breathe. Connect. Stay positive.

With gratitude,
Margaret Walsh, Katie Carr & The Changing Places Team

Changing Places is here for you:

TO CREATE ORDER

Order begins with clarity.

  • We’ve been amazed how many of us don’t fully understand what COVID-19 is. This enlightening video explains it calmly, clearly and scientifically.
  • Are you struggling to keep your kids engaged and homeschooling even when their schoolwork is done for the day? Khan Academy is an amazing resource, with its library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and. And even better: it's all free!
  • Have you found yourself clearing out your closet/garage/spare room? Read these tips on what to do with your extra stuff while you’re stuck at home.

 

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Unpacking & Organizing Strategies for a Fresh Start in Your New Home

You’ve probably heard the thoroughly researched data that moving is one of the most stressful of life events, ahead of divorce or a break up. Finding the best moving company, coordinating packing, and then dealing with a dysfunctional home for weeks after moving day are huge contributors to this stress.

Fortunately we’re here to help get your home organized as fast as possible. If you’re looking for some practical, easy-to-understand tips for stress-free unpacking, take a look at this unpacking article from lifestyle website thespruce.com. Some highlights:

  • Get the essentials unpacked first, then take your time with the rest of the house.
  • Plan each room before you unpack too many boxes.
  • Anticipate future needs. Rather than putting off work—such as lining cabinet shelves or installing closet organizers—do it now, when it is most efficient.
  • Let each member of the family unpack their own bedroom, as applicable. This allows kids to participate in the event.

Are You Ready
To Get Organized?
Let’s get your project moving today

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Spring Home Organizing Tips

Spring has sprung! Are you organized?

Start by studying how you and your family move about your house. Recognize how you utilize each room, and how often you’re there–this will help prioritize your organizing. We’re offering some basic and clever tips for overall home calm: 

Spring Home Organizing

1. RESIST THE PILE HABIT
Most of us walk into our house with purses, groceries, keys, and more. An intuitive “drop zone” off your main entryway creates a home for essential items. It may include a key rack, an inbox for kids’ artwork or bills, or an attractive container for everyday items.
Bonus: Find space in your entryway for a custom–or makeshift–mudroom area.
 

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Changing Places Won Best Home Organizer For 2019!!

We’re thrilled to announce our 10th consecutive win
in the prestigious Pacific Sun Poll!!

Thank you for all of your support!

Why We Won Best Home Organizer:

  • 26 years of experience
  • One stop shop for relocation
  • Save clients money
  • There’s a team behind the team
  • Most comprehensive insurance coverage in the industry
  • Most extensive network of resources and partners
  • Proven local, national and international moves
  • Designers, architects, and stagers on our team
  • Accuracy, attention to detail and record keeping
  • Compassionate, devoted and loyal team
  • Satisfaction and peace of mind delivered

What Our Clients Are Saying

“Katie and her team at Changing Places are true miracle workers. They not only have the process of organizing, clearing, packing, moving, storing, and unpacking your home down to a science, they do it all with such acumen, that their clients feel completely confident and at ease.”

– Steven Mavromihalis, Compass Real Estate

Contact us to learn more about or organization services:

Tel: (415) 461-6257
Info@Changing-Places.com

CHANGING PLACES FOR MARIN’S BEST HOME ORGANIZER

PLEASE VOTE FOR CHANGING PLACES AS BEST HOME ORGANIZER

Voting is EASY:
  • Click HERE to vote
  • Simply enter your name & email
  • Vote for at least 20 categories
  • Don’t forget to include Changing Places as  BEST HOME ORGANIZER under the HOME IMPROVEMENT category
  • Print our handy voting guide. Click HERE

In its 26 years in business, Changing Places:

  • Relocated hundreds of clients out-of-state moves
  • Moved clients to or from 18 countries
  • Donated tons of household items to various charities
  • Diverted tons of items from going to landfill
  • Worked with hundreds of clients who hired us more than once
  • Brought order and peace of mind to almost 1,500 homes around the world

Margaret and her team graciously thank their clients, crew, realtors, vendors, friends & all those who have supported Changing Places’ incredible journey since 1993. As Margaret says, what we do is create miracles every day.

De-cluttering, organizing and clearing a home to go on the market

  • We take on details of preparing a home to show and sell, so you can quickly get the property on the market
  • We are the only organization and relocation company of our size in Northern California with workers’ compensation, liability and bonding insurance
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  • We help to increase the market value of a home
  • De-cluttering, organizing and clearing the house
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  • We are fully insured, which means that hiring us offers peace of mind
  • Staging and design assistance which boost home sale price

“Wow! You worked miracles over 3 days. The house looks spectacular. Night and day makeover. No wonder you keep winning awards. Thank you so much. Excellent to work with you once again!”

– Jackie Safier | Prometheus Real Estate Group, Inc.

Before and Afters