Spring Into Opportunity

Spring 2025 is almost here, bringing with it the busiest season for real estate, events, and home improvement projects across Canada and the United States. With buyer activity picking up — thanks to stabilized interest rates in Canada and improving affordability in the U.S. — homeowners are turning to home stagers and professional organizers to help their properties stand out.

Staged and organized homes continue to sell faster and for higher prices, as buyers value clean, functional spaces that feel move-in ready. But organizing isn’t just about physical spaces anymore. As digital clutter becomes just as overwhelming, more professional organizers are helping clients manage their inboxes, files, and online accounts — a service that’s in growing demand.

This month, we’re also celebrating some inspiring graduate success stories, highlighting how Ultimate Academy® alumni are turning their certifications into thriving careers.

And if you’re ready to expand your skills this spring, be sure to check out our March savings special — it’s the perfect time to invest in your future.

The Power of Combining Staging and Organizing

More home stagers and professional organizers are recognizing the value of working together to prepare homes for sale.

With both the Canadian and U.S. real estate markets expected to see increased spring listings and growing buyer activity in 2025, homeowners are seeking comprehensive services to help them stand out in a competitive market.

Preparing Homes for Listing

Before staging begins, professional organizers help clients:

Declutter and remove excess items
Sort and categorize belongings
Pack personal items to create a clean slate

This streamlines the staging process and allows home stagers to work with a blank canvas, ensuring the home feels spacious, organized, and appealing to potential buyers.

Post-Move Services

This collaboration doesn’t end when the home sells. Many professional organizers now offer:

Unpacking services to help clients settle into their new homes
Customized organization systems for kitchens, closets, and home offices

This full-service approach — from pre-listing decluttering to post-move organization — is increasingly popular, particularly among busy families and professionals.

A Growing Opportunity

For home stagers and professional organizers, this trend offers a great opportunity to:

Expand your service offerings
Forge partnerships with complementary businesses
Provide seamless support to clients before and after a move

As the spring 2025 real estate season brings increased listings and heightened competition, these collaborative services are becoming a valuable differentiator for both homeowners and real estate professionals.

Digital Decluttering: Helping Clients Manage Digital Clutter

In 2025, organizing isn’t just about physical spaces — digital organization is just as essential. With remote work, hybrid schedules, and digital-first lifestyles firmly established, many people are overwhelmed by digital clutter — and they’re turning to professional organizers for help.

What is Digital Decluttering?

Digital decluttering involves sorting, categorizing, and optimizing the way clients manage their digital files, emails, and online accounts. Many feel stressed by thousands of unread emails, disorganized files across multiple devices, and forgotten accounts or unused subscriptions.

Common Areas Where Clients Need Help

Email inboxes: Creating clear folder structures, developing systems for managing incoming messages, and reducing inbox overload.
Cloud storage and local files: Sorting and categorizing digital documents, photos, and work files.
Subscription and app management: Reviewing paid subscriptions, canceling unused services, and simplifying app libraries.
Password management: Helping clients set up secure, centralized password systems.
Digital calendars and workflows: Setting up systems to manage personal and professional commitments efficiently.

Why Digital Organization Matters

For many clients, digital clutter contributes to stress just like physical clutter does. A cluttered desktop, overloaded inbox, or chaotic file system can make it harder to focus, stay productive, and feel in control.

By offering digital decluttering as a standalone service or as part of a whole-home organization package, professional organizers can expand their services to meet the needs of today’s clients — many of whom live and work in a fully digital world.

This service is especially valuable for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and busy families, all of whom rely heavily on digital tools to manage their personal and professional lives.

What Our Graduates Are Achieving: Student Success Stories

At Ultimate Academy®, we are proud to see our graduates turning their passions into thriving businesses and rewarding careers.

Whether they are transforming homes through staging and redesign, helping families declutter and organize their lives, or building businesses that combine design, organization, and creativity, our graduates are making a real impact across North America.

Here are just a few of their inspiring success stories:

Lori Butler – UpStaged Home Staging & ReDesign

After graduating from Ultimate Academy®’s USC™ Home Staging Certification Program, Lori took a bold leap — launching her own staging and redesign business in her fifties.

Today, Lori’s business, UpStaged Home Staging & ReDesign, is thriving, and she’s even brought her daughter into the business, confident that the Ultimate Academy® training has set them both up for success. Lori’s story proves that it’s never too late to follow your passion and build something truly rewarding.

Tamara Hyland – Orderly DIGS

With her UCPO™ Professional Organizer Certification, Tamara combined her eye for design with her love of organization, creating Orderly DIGS, a business that offers home organizing solutions with a design-forward approach.

Tamara’s services go beyond just decluttering — she helps clients develop tailored, beautifully designed organizing systems that blend function and style.

Justysia Sandoval – Justysia Staging + ReDesign

What started as a part-time passion for Justysia has grown into a full-time staging business with a team of four and a busy schedule of up to 10 homes per month.

With the USC™ Certification and the ongoing support of Ultimate Academy®, Justysia proves that with confidence, support, and a strong foundation, success is always within reach.

(We’ll feature more inspiring stories in future newsletters!)

March is the Beginning of Tax Season!

As March arrives, so does the beginning of tax season — time to start preparing and organizing everything for your accountant.

Have questions? Not sure where to start? Reach out to us today—we are here to help!

Upcoming Industry Events – March 2025

Here are some exciting design and trade shows happening in March 2025 in the U.S. and Canada:

United States:

The Inspired Home Show
March 2–4, 2025 – McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
North America’s largest housewares trade show connecting buyers and sellers in the home and housewares industry.
Philadelphia Flower Show
March 1–9, 2025 – Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA
The nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event, featuring premier floral and landscape designers.
Kansas City Fashion Week
March 8–16, 2025 – Various venues, Kansas City, MO
A celebration of emerging and established designers through runway shows and exclusive events.

Canada:

National Home Show
March 7–16, 2025 – Toronto, ON
One of Canada’s largest home and garden events, showcasing home design, renovation, and decor trends.
BC Home & Garden Show
March 13–16, 2025 – Vancouver, BC
A must-attend event for home improvement enthusiasts, highlighting the latest products and services.
Cottage Life Show
March 20–23, 2025 – Mississauga, ON
An event tailored to cottagers and outdoor enthusiasts, featuring exhibitors focused on cottage living.

March Savings: Buy 1 Course, Get 1 Course Free!

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your skills or expanding your business into new areas, this is the perfect time to do it.

For a limited time, when you enroll in one Ultimate Academy® certification course, you’ll receive a second certification course for free. This allows you to build expertise in multiple fields, positioning yourself for greater flexibility and more opportunities in the home services and event industries.

This offer can help you gain the credentials and confidence to take your career to the next level, whether you’re looking to enrol in:

Learn more about this limited-time offer for Canadian students and U.S. students.

Spring is a season of renewal, fresh starts, and new opportunities — both for homeowners and for professionals in the home staging, decorating, organizing, and event planning industries.

At Ultimate Academy®, we are committed to helping you stay ahead of the trends, expand your services, and thrive in your chosen field. Whether you’re launching a business, partnering with complementary professionals, or simply refining your skills, we are here to support you every step of the way.

We look forward to seeing what you will achieve this spring.

With graduates in 33 US States and 10 Provinces, we are North America’s small business experts.