Simplify and Style

02/11/2024

Some practical shelving /storage equates to an organised loft space.

14/08/2024

Moving home?

This blog on the APDO website has lots of practical unpacking and organising tips to ease the process.

At Simplify and Style we also provide a range of services to help you with your move: decluttering, assisting with packing, tidying and staging before photos, unpacking and organising, and home styling.

Do get in touch if we can help with your move 💙

Practical tips to help create that feeling of home in your new place.

06/08/2024

It was a busy and productive (and hot!) day for us today, working on two bedrooms.

Our client is lucky to have lots of wardrobe and cupboard space, but it needed a declutter and reorganisation.

At the end of the day we took bags and boxes of donations to the charity shop, and left three big cardboard boxes of items to sell on Vinted - doing a clear out can be good way to make some extra cash as well as some extra space!

Here are some before and after shots, with thanks for letting us share them 💙

26/07/2024

Enjoyed a day off together with a picnic at Pitmedden Gardens - in between the rain - and managed to get completely lost on a walk!!

Hope you're all having a lovely summer 🧡

07/06/2024

A hall cupboard sorted!

If you're short of time but would like a quick organising win, hall cupboards are usually a good place to start.
This one only took an hour to do. As they're generally not very big it shouldn't take too long to:
⭐️ Take everything out
⭐️ Let go of anything you no longer use or need
⭐️ Put anything that should be kept elsewhere away in its proper place
⭐️ Put what's left back in!

⭐️ Extra shoe racks if you have the space keep the floor clear of shoes
⭐️ Baskets or boxes are great for scarves, gloves etc.

It'll make your life easier when trying to rush out of the house in the morning, and will give you a boost when you open the door and see it looking tidy!

If you're struggling for time, or have a bigger cupboard to sort and would like to wave a magic wand and have someone to do it for you then get in touch! We're happy to help 💙

02/05/2024

Good post on working with a professional organiser.

It was watching The Home Edit that encouraged us to turn our passion into a business!

So happy we did, it's a great feeling when we can help people to get their homes back on track 💙

We are thrilled to announce that we can officially call Palo Alto and Greenwich home. Yes, it’s true! The Home Edit now has local organizing teams in both cities. This is a major milestone for us, because we now get to say that we’re in seven (yes, seven!) cities nationwide. If you are wondering...

24/04/2024

This little phrase can have a big impact on clutter!

When we don't put things back in their proper place, or they don't have a designated home to begin with, clutter can easily build up and can become increasingly difficult to manage.

I first heard this phase when doing my decluttering and organising course, and I now use it all the time! It only takes a minute to put something away rather than putting it down on the kitchen counter or dining room table and saves so much time later. You will also know where to find it!

Of course, if you don't have homes for everything, you know who can help! 💙

[email protected]

11/03/2024

On Saturday we had the pleasure of working with a client to reclaim her dining room.

As well as lots of kids crafts and lego to declutter and organise, she had temporarily put some boxes of sentimental items there to sort through. That is always a hard thing to tackle but she should be very proud of what she achieved.

Two large boxes of donations to charity, items of furniture to sell, and two bags of recycling later, our client has her dining room restored to its proper purpose, along with some treasured items displayed around the house or stored for easy access.

A big thank you to her for letting us share the photos and for trusting us to help her with it all. 🧡

25/02/2024

Our client was moving from a flat to a house. We took over from arrival, giving her a head start. Happy client ready to enjoy her new abode / Sat. pm well spent. (Before pics 2nd)

20/02/2024

Who's watching 'Sort Your Life Out' tonight?
Series 4, BBC1, 9pm

If you need people like Stacey and Dilly to sort your life out, then we're your dream team!!

19/02/2024

Do you want to banish the clutter and turn chaos to calm?

Don't know where to start?

Whether you need a big clear out, or just some organisation and finishing touches, we're here to help with any area of your home.

[email protected]

16/02/2024

Having fun playing around with some shelves today!

It's amazing how moving things around the house a bit and grouping different items together can give a whole new look.

Did you know that we also offer home styling?
We can advise you on soft furnishings, accessories and small pieces of furniture, as well as help you to display your favourite items and pictures, creating the look you want and a space that reflects your personality.

This can be a stand alone service, or as a finishing touch to decluttering and organising - the full Simplify and Style treatment!

All our services are tailored to your individual home, requirements and budget.

If you'd like to find out more please drop us an email at [email protected]

28/01/2024

We were both working on a client's busy family kitchen yesterday.

Cupboards and drawers were decluttered and organised, and space was created, making the kitchen easier to cook in and keep tidy day to day. 🧡

21/01/2024

There is no right or wrong way to do this. It is simply about having the strength to get rid of the things we really do not need . My challenge also began in Jamuary but not in the same way - Elaine M and I have very different approaches which is probably why we work so well together! I have been doing it in bursts - but the end goal is the same - making the best use of your space and feeling happier in your sanctuary. This week was my wardrobe, Having grown up with very little and mostly hand me downs (maybe where my love of charity shops comes from), I really do find it hard to get rid! Never wear it... but I love it, doesn't fit me...but I might loose a few pounds - I think we can all relate. However, I'm quite proud of myself. Here's the photos of proof! I promise I got rid of a couple of scarfs too - but I do love my scarves!

21/01/2024

We've reached day 21 of the declutter challenge!

We're hanging on in there and hope you are too if you're giving it a try!
It is admittedly getting harder as the month goes on, but it definitely helps to focus on one area at a time - the kitchen junk drawer, your handbag, the car, the magazine rack - it's amazing how much stuff accumulates.
My daughter also helped by going through her hair clips and bobbles! My next category to focus on is clothes.

Taking a picture every day has really helped to keep me motivated, that's why it's good to do this with a friend or family member as it adds a bit of incentive!

I have cleared 210 items from my home already - if my arithmetic is correct - and there's nothing I will miss.

If you didn't give it a go this month I would recommend trying it another month - it's a great way to look afresh at what's taking up space in your house that you neither need nor want.

"It's not necessarily about having less, but about making room for more - more time, more contentment, more freedom. Clearing the clutter helps us to make that room." (Joshua Fields Millburn)

12/01/2024

A fun day finishing off some sorting and organising with Lorraine Taylor Arts at her studio. 💙

05/01/2024

Happy New Year to you all!

It's day 5 of our decluttering challenge and Elaine M's charity bag is beginning to fill up - 15 items so far 🙂

If you want to play the game but didn't start on the 1st, you can start at any time, items will soon mount up.

You might have already taken down your Christmas tree, but if you're doing it today or tomorrow that could be a great opportunity to let go of a few things - anything broken, faulty or decorations that you just don't like any more.

A good tip for putting away fairy lights to stop them tangling up is to use a kitchen roll tube - make a slit at each end, slide the end of the cable into the slot at the top of the tube and wind the lights around the tube down to the bottom. Slide the cable into the bottom slot and wind back up to the top, depending on the length of the lights.

Always good to reuse something!