Gioia Ltd

Like the magnificent Canadian geese that migrate to southern climes to avoid the harsh winters, many of us Kiwis head to the Northern hemisphere during our winter months for a touch of summer.

And I am very excited to be planning my own trip to visit family in Italy in June – it’s 7 years since I saw my Italian family and there are now three small children I am so looking forward to meeting.

Now, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that I’ve made my lists and am pretty organised already, even though I don’t leave until 9th June. However, some of these tips might make your travel preparation a little smoother. [Read more…]

I’ve talked about the benefits of decluttering and becoming organised in earlier newsletters. However, this time I want to first talk about some of the pain points clients tell me about when we first talk or meet. We may not realise how clutter impacts us, but believe me, it can be hugely stressful. Here are a few of the most common complaints I hear:

– I’m too ashamed to invite anyone to my house.

– I feel embarrassed and inadequate that I haven’t managed to get my home organised, but I’m so overwhelmed that I don’t even know where to start.

– Trying to get us all off to school and work in the mornings is a nightmare.

– I’ve got one or more rooms in my house that I can no longer use because they’re choc a block with stuff.

– We can’t get our cars into our 2 car garage because there’s no room.

– I just feel so stressed and out of control, and I’m sure my messy house isn’t helping matters.

– I keep having to go out and buy things that I know I’ve got somewhere in the house, but I can’t find them.

Now you can turn around every one of these negative circumstances and emotions and make them positive, for example:

[Read more…]

I have been a declutterer for over eight years now, and worked with hundreds of clients over that time. Decluttering is a process, and almost every client has had to make those tough decisions on what to part with, and what they really can’t let go.

Decluttering is not about creating a minimalist living environment, stark and devoid of any ornamentation. It is about wanting to live with less chaos around us, less stress, and more organisation and harmony. A home provides a snapshot of the personalities of those who live there and the memories many items evoke are meaningful and bring pleasure.

However, the danger can be that we attach meaning to every item such that it becomes impossible to let go of anything at all. We therefore need to look at what we’re holding onto with fresh eyes and ask ourselves:

[Read more…]

My last newsletter answered a few often asked questions about the decluttering process, and my services. I also mentioned giving unwanted items away to charities, unless of course they are of value and you want to put them on Trade Me.

This month I wanted to give you some ideas on some easy ways to dispose of your clutter, which often isn’t trash, it’s just ‘stuff’ you no longer use, want, need etc. So here’s my list of worthy recipients:

[Read more…]

Decluttering is quite a niche industry, the concept has not been around for very long and in fact when I began my Gioia business eight years ago, many would ask me what decluttering actually meant. With exposure through television programmes demonstrating terrifying situations where people can barely get into their front door for the amount of clutter and stuff they hoarded over the years, the idea of clearing out the home of what has passed its used by date, and is no longer needed or wanted, has become a very realistic and desirable prospect.

There is still some uncertainty around how it all works so I thought I’d answer a few questions I’ve been asked over the years: [Read more…]