Home Organizing

Making Room For Inspiration

16, Jun 2011

The stereotypical image of a creative person is often one who is surrounded by tools and art supplies – paper, paints, canvases, bits of wood and metal, and all sorts of half-finished inventions. However, over time, clutter may inhibit creativity and innovation. Remember that old saying, “Let’s start with a… Read more

How to Give Purpose to a Multi-Purpose Space

31, Mar 2011

Alison Appelbe, a freelance writer, interviewed Linda Chu of Out of Chaos. The article is entitled “How to Give Purpose to a Multi-Purpose Space.” Many of our homes harbour a “catch-all” room where literally anything goes. It’s a kind of black hole of accumulated goods and clutter. In what we… Read more

How to Clean House in Ten Minutes or Less

19, Dec 2010

Cathie Kryczka of Today’s Parent magazine interviews Linda Chu, founder of Out of Chaos, about fail-proof tips for faking a clean house in ten minutes or less. Why? It’s that time of year when the phone rings and guests announce they will stop by for a visit in 10 minutes…. Read more

Cash, Consign, Craigslist, or Charity

24, Nov 2010

Recently, I encountered a challenging situation with a homeowner. She was forced to sell her 3200 square foot house and move into a 1900 square foot condo. She was so overwhelmed to be forced out of her home of 35 years that she had no idea where to start or… Read more

Sweatering the Memories

29, Sep 2010

After a live call-in show on CBC’s BC Almanac with Susan McNamee, a listener called in with a dilemma — her husband’s sweaters. We talked about “Sweatering the Memories” – a play on the phrase “sweating the small stuff.” To be exact, the listener was concerned about the sweaters that… Read more

Organizing Small Spaces

29, Jan 2010

My friends in Vancouver have been talking non-stop about the latest real-estate innovation to hit our expensive city: micro lofts. They are only 270 square feet of compact urban living – roughly the size of two parking spaces. In a city with some of the most expensive real estate in… Read more

Value Comes in Two Forms: Functional and Emotional

23, Nov 2009

I’m often asked, “As a professional organizer, is it easier for you to let things go? You must not have any junk or knick-knacks because you’re the expert in getting rid of clutter.” That’s mostly true, but not the whole story. Value comes in two forms: functional and emotional. We… Read more

The Declutter Factor

28, Oct 2009

The Declutter Factor was written by Nori Sinclair and originally published in Western Living Condo magazine, Fall/Winter 2009 edition. Download the full article (PDF). Great containers are only half the battle. Linda Chu of Vancouver’s Out of Chaos offers these tips. Divide and Conquer Split your clothes into two seasons,… Read more

Front Hall Fixes

01, Apr 2009

Front Hall Fixes was written by Alison Wood and was originally published on HGTV Canada. The front hallway is the entry to your home, a place of welcoming. But this often-cramped space can be anything but. Without organization, shoes, coats, mail and accessories can take over, making arriving or departing… Read more

Don’t Shut Your Eyes to a Restful Escape

28, Mar 2009

I was happy to do this interview with Toronto Star entitled, Don’t Shut Your Eyes to a Restful Escape. We talked about how important a calm, serene bedroom can improve sleep. “If there is clutter in the room, that’s not very restful,” says Linda Chu. “When you’re sleeping that’s the… Read more