CLEANING UP WELL WITH THE BIG DOWNSIZE

If you haven’t done your spring cleaning yet especially during these difficult times and you do not know where to start then maybe you need some inspiration to get that ball rolling.  Jane Veldhoven can provide that when she brings her second season of The Big Downsize on Vision TV on April 27th, 2020 at 9PM EST.  A Certified Professional Organizer and Certified Interior Decorator, Jane Veldhoven brings her 15 years of experience to the table on how to declutter, minimize and organize your home so you will be able to maximize and enjoy your living space.  Jane has helped many to let go of all the things that hoard your cupboards, pantries, closets, garages, basements and storages that you simply don’t need especially when you are moving into a smaller place.  Easier said than done right?  Well in this season of The Big Downsize, Jane helps out her clients who must make decisions on items, big and small, in a step by step process that will make their lives easier in the long run.  If you want more breathing room and fewer dust collectors now in your homes, then let Jane show you how.  FERNTV spoke with Jane Veldhoven about her exciting upcoming season of The Big Downsize.

Our thoughts and prayers also go out to the victims and their families and the province of Nova Scotia where Jane is from in which they are experiencing difficult times after a heartbreaking shooting.

FERNTV:  Congratulations on your second season of The Big Downsize on Vision TV.  Tell us here on FERNTV why people do not feel or think that objects or things can bring us down or not let us move ahead in life just like people do?

Jane:  Thank you. We are very excited to share this new season with viewers.  This year the show is light-hearted and fun while still giving views some tips and techniques for downsizing.

I think your possessions can keep you stuck especially if you have more than you can manage, your items that are seldom or never used, and you have difficulty controlling the number of belongings that you purchase. It is only when my clients begin to let go that they understand how downsizing and decluttering can help you enjoy more freedom and feel in control of your environment and your life.

FERNTV:  Why has there been a growth in your industry and influencers such as Marie Kondo becoming prominent?  

Jane:  Our industry has grown exponentially since I started 17 years ago.  Baby boomers, in particular, are burdened with a huge amount of possessions right now.  Some of this is because we are a society of consumers and much of it is also because we are inheriting our parents’ and grandparents’ belongings which they have collected for many years to pass it along to us. In the case of Marie Kondo, I think people are craving a simple solution to their clutter and disorganization and her use of the term “spark joy” really resonated with everyone.  After all, who doesn’t want a little more joy in their life?

FERNTV:  What are some of the differences that you may have noticed between genders when it comes to decluttering?

Jane:  Approximately 95 percent of my clients are women which is so interesting.  In general, women are still responsible for looking after the home environment which is part of the reason. I have also found that men simply don’t notice clutter and disorganization nearly as much.  It simply doesn’t bother them.  Whereas, because women are multi-taskers, they notice disorganization and have difficulty concentrating and getting things done in a cluttered environment.

FERNTV:  Do you see that hand-me-downs, such as the china that was discussed with Anne, will be a thing of the past in the not so distant future?

Jane:  I would guess that hand-me-downs will continue to be passed through the generations for another ten years or more.  Children in their twenties are the ones who are beginning to say “no” to all of those items. They simply don’t want them.

Anne, Jane, Patti and Faye in The Big Downsize Season 2

FERNTV:  Do you think technology has minimized house space and do you think that this will keep on growing?

Jane:  I am not sure that technology has much to do with people living in a smaller space.  I think we are simply craving a life of greater simplicity and one way to accomplish that is to downsize.  The other factor that is driving small space living is the lack of land and affordable housing in major cities across the country.

FERNTV:  Shouldn’t spring cleaning be something that should be continually done throughout the year?

Jane:  Organizing and decluttering is something that should be done regularly.  There is one magic rule that I follow which is every time a new object comes into my home, a new one must leave.  And every single time you take something out and use it, put it away as soon as you are done.  If you have minimized what you own and you have a designated home for absolutely everything, you can easily keep things organized. The easiest way to achieve a life of greater freedom and to have more time to spend on activities that are fulfilling is to own as few possessions as possible.

FERNTV:  What was something that you realized about this season of The Big Downsize that you didn’t discover in your first?

Jane:  I was able to develop my understanding of how important specific objects are to people based on their connection to family. Entertaining and having family come home and enjoy their time there is so important to Anne, therefore, items like china and Christmas decorations are things that mean a lot to her and I tried to be sensitive to that.  Patti and Faye had a wonderful art collection that was tied to their love of family and life in Newfoundland so it was extremely important that we honoured the need to keep many of those items.  As a minimalist, I don’t have emotional attachments to physical objects, so I have to be careful to remember that other people do!

FERNTV:  In these difficult times of COVID-19, why should it be so important to start decluttering your space?

Jane:  Decluttering can give you a sense of control when everything else feels out of control.  It is also my hope that everyone will have a new attitude toward purchasing once this pandemic is behind us.  I know that I for one will consider why I am buying something, where it came from and how far it had to travel to get to me, and how I will dispose of it when it is no longer useful to me before I make the purchase. I hope we will all be making every effort to support local businesses and the Canadian economy so we an all recover together.

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