When Ranka Burzan is helping someone de-clutter their home, she cites stats that show the average house has 350,000 items, most of which are not used.
鈥淲e only use 20 per cent of our stuff,鈥� the 91原创 resident says.
鈥淓ighty per cent, we are saving for someone else.鈥�
Burzan has been helping people get organized for 15 years.
She says she was working with special needs children and feeling a little burnt out when she saw a business card for 鈥減rofessional organizer.鈥�
鈥淎nd I thought, that鈥檚 me.鈥�
She describes herself as a 鈥渕inimalist鈥� who developed a dislike of clutter and disorganization because she came from a 鈥渄ysfunctional and chaotic home鈥� and she was legally blind for most of her life.
Following corrective surgery 25 years ago, she said her eyesight 鈥渋sn鈥檛 perfect鈥� but it is far better than it used to be.
And while she has less trouble navigating around clutter, she still doesn鈥檛 like it.
鈥淲hatever is not working, whatever is broken in your home, you have to let it go,鈥� she tells people.
鈥淏roken appliances, broken TVs, why are you keeping them?鈥�
She gets clients to assess their situation by going through their homes with a clipboard, listing all the things they don鈥檛 need.
Burzan runs (S.O.S.) which offers organization services.
She is the author of two e-books called, 鈥淜ick the Clutter, Get Organized鈥� and 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the Price of YOUR Procrastination鈥� as well as dozens of articles on organizing, downsizing and how to live a more productive and happy life.
Burzan estimates she鈥檚 held 150 seminars.
On her website, she says disorganization often results from loss; loss of finances, loss of loved ones and more.
To be freed from clutter, she teaches clients 鈥渢o get rid of all the things you don鈥檛 need, don鈥檛 want and don鈥檛 use (which frees) time and energy for things you want to do.鈥�
Burzan will present 鈥淜ick the Clutter: Get Organized鈥� on Wednesday, May 16, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Muriel Arnason Library
The announcement of the free seminar says it show attendees to 鈥渓earn where and how to start, as well as three practical steps to downsize and organize any space.鈥�
To register for this free program, please call 604-532-3590 or visit the Muriel Arnason Library at 130 - 20338 65 Ave.
dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
Like us on and follow us on
