10 Tips to Pack and Unpack Only what you need when Relocating | In Order to Succeed

Learning how to declutter is an essential part of moving, as you don’t want to bring along things you don’t need. Whether you begin the decluttering process before you move or after you’ve already settled in your new home, tackling this challenge can help you prepare your new home for a more minimalistic lifestyle.

Whatever your style of organization, you could benefit from learning how to declutter your home and only keep the things you truly need.

What to Know When Packing

In some circumstances, you might be able to declutter your home before you pack to move into the next place you’ll live. You should keep an eye out for any items you can get rid of during this transitional process. The less you have to move, the better. If you’re hiring a moving service to help you transport your things, you might even pay less than expected if you have fewer things to move.

1. Pack Each Room Individually

You should aim to pack one room at a time. Rather than going through every room to find items at a different pace, focusing on one room will keep your head clear and give you an easy way to remember what you’ve already decluttered. As you go through each room, you can get rid of items that don’t serve you anymore.

2. Follow the KonMari Method

If you’d rather declutter by category, the KonMari method is an easy way to figure out what “sparks joy” in your life. If something makes you happy, then you should set it aside to keep. Items that don’t make you feel immensely happy when holding or being near them are things you should discard or give away. This method of decluttering has helped countless homes make space and find peace, and it can help you clear out yours, too.

3. Limit Your Boxes

You may not be able to control how many items you feel sentimental about, but you can control how much packing you do. Set a limit on the number of boxes you want to bring to your new home. Then, try to fit as much of your essential stuff into those boxes as you can.

You might be able to make exceptions for a few things, but the idea is that you’ll pack the priorities first. Everything else that comes after is just a want rather than a need.

4. Sift Through Seasonal Items

You should know how large your next place is before moving. Seasonal decorations can take up a lot of storage space, so it might be worth it to get rid of the ones you don’t need ahead of time. You’ll save a lot of packing space by not including them in your move.

5. Learn Why You Hold Onto Things

Some people hold onto things from past decades just because they have a nostalgic attachment, even if it’s something completely unnecessary, like a custom napkin from a grand event. Unless you can think of a better way to store these sentimental items, like in a shadowbox, it might be time to let them go.

You might not be able to keep every sentimental item you’ve collected over the years, but you can still have it as part of your life. Taking pictures of something sentimental can make it easier to throw something away or donate it. That way, you can always keep the items with you virtually.

How to Declutter After a Move

Sometimes a move comes quicker than you expect. You might not have time to go through all your belongings before packing up and moving away. In that case, you’ll have to declutter once you reach your new home.

You can set a goal to start decluttering the moment you move in. That way, you’ll focus on going through your belongings to get your home ready as quickly as possible.

1. Don’t Let the Clutter Inside

Your main priority should be going through your things and moving things you definitely want to keep indoors. When you don’t let the boxes inside except the one you’re currently working on, you’ll be focused on one thing at a time and won’t clutter your home while unpacking. Make sure to label your boxes appropriately so you can easily sift through them in an organized fashion.

If you have one, leave boxes in your garage to give you the space to sort through your belongings. Put necessary things in water-proof storage containers and label them accordingly so you can easily find them when needed. If you don’t have a garage, designate the boxes to an unused room in your home so they don’t take up all of your main floor space.

2. Look for Your Bad Habits

Identifying your bad habits will help you understand how clutter begins to accumulate in your home. Do you have a habit of dropping things on your kitchen table? Do you sometimes buy things even though you don’t have room for them? You should make a plan for how to deal with your bad habits to help you break them more effectively.

3. Find a Place for Everything

Once you designate a place for everything, you can create a plan for addressing clutter as soon as it inevitably comes into your home. Things like mail and bills can easily pile up, so if you have a designated spot for them, it’ll help your home look cleaner and neater. That way, you can have less stuff lying around and enjoy a more minimalist lifestyle.

4. Go Through Junk Drawers

One of the biggest enemies of minimalism is the clutter that no one knows what to do with. Junk drawers are often the drop-off points for clutter that doesn’t have a home. Going through your junk drawer, especially after you’ve been unpacking all your boxes, can help you find a home for things that would just be taking up space otherwise. It might also motivate you to finish unpacking.

5. Donate Books

Books are some of the greatest treasures you can have in your home. Still, they take up space, which isn’t ideal when downsizing. Since reading is an essential part of learning and can introduce people to new viewpoints, you can donate any books you haven’t read in a while or repurpose them as gifts to loved ones.

Organize Your Home to Your Standard

An organized home looks different to everyone, so don’t let someone else’s idea of minimalism pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do. You have a unique sense of style. If something looks busy yet nice to you, you can keep it. The concept of minimalism revolves around learning to do more with less — but you can follow your own rules for happiness.

Need organization assistance? We can help! We have professional organizers in NJ, NY, CT, MN, and FL. 

Summer of 2020—the “Summer of the Unknown”- How to engage with family routines and rituals during COVID-19

Back in April, Denise Caron-Quinn, Founder and Director of In Order to Succeed, reached out to me to ask if I wanted to collaborate on writing a piece about how students could organize their workspaces during distance learning. I eagerly agreed…but then, as so often has happened these past few months, I just didn’t have enough gas in the tank to follow through. I’m a forty-year-old adult with a Master’s degree and a twenty-year career in Education, I consider myself to be a hard-working professional…and I was absolutely flattened.

A year—or even six months—ago, it would have been impossible for most of us to imagine living in our current moment. The realities of COVID-19, and the incredible, indelible impact it’s had on our daily routines, have completely changed the way we live. Although there is a profound sense of hopefulness that we’ll be able to return to “normal” when a vaccine can be mass-produced, not knowing when that will happen creates a sense of powerlessness and fear that is unsettling and anxiety producing. In an interview with Slate’s Charles Duhigg, Bruce Felier, author of The Secrets of Happy Families, notes that, during his year-long recovery from cancer, he and his family “found ourselves in a situation that everybody finds themselves in, in which the old rules no longer apply and the new rules have not been written.” The same could be said for Americans living through the spring of COVID. For parents, the past few months have undoubtedly presented moments of joy and of frustration. Many families have found that their quarantine time together, while certainly bringing them closer, has also led to an increase in arguments, disagreements, and a non-infrequent need to retreat to everyone’s own corner.

For children (particularly for members of the Class of 2020), the cancellation of school activities and the loss of the soothing balm of their daily routine has upended their lives. As a middle school teacher, I have seen their sadness first-hand, as yawning faces fill up my Zoom calls each day and as students, who have ostensibly reached out for video extra-help sessions, talk to me instead about how much they miss their friends and teachers.

Now, here we are. It’s June. Summer vacation is on the horizon for many students and has already begun for others. We are all looking forward to a few months’ worth of rest and relaxation; to some time to recharge before returning to whatever the 2020-2021 school year will bring. (Distance? In person? Hybrid? Who knows?!) But despite their excitement, many of our children find that layers of disappointment keep being added to their COVID cake. Beloved sleepaway camps are cancelled. Summertime soccer fields will sit vacant. That trip to visit relatives must be postponed. So many of the activities that make summer “summer” won’t happen this year. Yet again, tears and frustration seem to be the order of the moment.

When most people think of an “organization consultant,” they think of the work of organizing: clearing out detritus, finding solutions for walk-in closets, and helping to plan moves and other major life changes. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: while our professional work can often focus on the physical cataloging of “stuff,” our true obsession is with helping families build and develop new, healthy, and sustainable routines. While these routines are important for adults, they are also very necessary for children. In their discussion of a 50-year research review, the American Psychological Association notes that “family routines and rituals are powerful organizers of family life that offer stability during times of stress and transition.” So: as we head into the Summer of 2020—the “Summer of the Unknown”—how can we engage with family routines and rituals to make our children’s lives easier and our family life more stress-free?

5-Summer of 2020-How to engage with family routines and rituals during COVID-19-1Create your own summer routines and rituals: My brother, Joe, and his partner, Ashley, are raising four unbelievable kids up in Maine. They have engaged in some incredible routine-building over the course of the last few weeks. One of my favorites involves good ol’ backyard camping: they pitched a tent in a newly-cleared space, and the kids have been sleeping outside under the stars. The kids love it, the parents love it…and it’s such a simple way to switch things up.

While nobody is suggesting that you recreate a six-week sleepaway camp at home (especially after being burdened with recreating school at home!), it’s easy (and inexpensive) enough to transition your child’s distance-learning setup to a craft space. All you need are a few small plastic bins, some supplies (Amazon offers tons of ready-made craft sets for purchase and home delivery), and a consistent day each week (or time each day) to let your child build and create. Blocks and Legos work too…and so does software like SketchUp. YouTube is full of cool tutorials (origami, anyone?); I know that several of my students have been playing around with stop-motion animation. And we can’t forget fitness; from riding bikes around the neighborhood to the New York Times’ “How to Build Muscle in Nine Minutes” workout (kids and teens can do it, too!), there are so many resources for keeping in shape…and so much of a benefit to schedule a time each day to do so.

Whatever the activity, make sure that there’s a dedicated space and time for it to take place and remember: the mess is part of the learning (and the cleaning up presents so many wonderful opportunities to learn responsibility!).

Choice is key: We do better, and are more dialed in, when we can choose our own activities. The same is true for young people. Instead of generating your own family schedule this summer, sit down with your child and collaborate. (If you want a laugh, check out the manifesto that thirteen-year-old Leo Rainey wrote to his parents’ quarantine overscheduling, which his mom, Claire Campbell, recently published on
Slate.) Remember that not every second of every day must be packed with activities; although kids will complain about “being bored,” it is in those moments of boredom when our creative minds run wild.

Rearrange and reconfigure: A few weeks into quarantine, one of my advisees excitedly announced to our Zoom that she and her dad were redecorating the “room under the stairs.” It wasn’t a huge room, but they were going to make it into a small nook for playing and reading. They painted, collected some furniture from around the house, and voilà: a brand-new (actually, a newly-repurposed) space!

Believe me: I’m not talking feng shui or Kondo-ification here. Neither you nor I have the mental or emotional strength right now to do anything like that! But even something as simple as moving a bureau catty-corner to a wall can make a huge difference. And, again: let your child lead the way. Working out ideas to restructure and repurpose can be fun!

Let it go!: My next-door neighbors have had two of their adult children living in quarantine with them, so, like all thoughtful parents, they recently rented a dumpster and directed Casey and Kevin to “get rid of all this junk we don’t need.” Believe me: organizational consultants dream of this, and you can check out some of the posts on our IOTS blog for tips and tricks. For some reason, I’ve got a collection of boxes in my basement (what did I think I’d need this many boxes for?), so one of my activities next week is going to be to flatten those boxes and take them out to recycling. A little goes a long way…especially when you have help!

Finally: Leave school out of the equation and let your children be: I recently interviewed Judith Warner, author of And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School, for the Pequot Library here in Southport, Connecticut. During our conversation, Ms. Warner spoke about the challenges of the Summer of the Unknown. “The most important thing parents have to keep in mind,” she said, “is that their relationship with their children is more important than whatever activity they should be doing or achievement they should be acquiring…A lot of parents right now…are worried that their kids are going to be falling behind academically because of the way the school year ended, and want to pile on during the summer…That’s the biggest mistake they can make.” Ms. Warner suggests that encouraging children to read is, of course, important—but that trying to cram in academic work will be a losing proposition. As a teacher, I echo this advice: this summer, let your kids be kids—for their sake, and for your sake!

There’s no way around it: this summer will be tough for all of us. But sticking to a schedule, engaging in some fun new routines, letting your child choose, and forgetting about school for a bit are some great ways to make it as smooth as possible. (And please feel free to connect with me if you have any additional tips and tricks to add to this piece—we’d love to make as many resources as possible available!) Enjoy the long days of summer…and do everything you can to make them last!

Contact us today to learn more about our virtual or in-person assessments to promote a pathogen reduced environment for your home or office. Also, to learn more about how we can help you organize your life or manage your move please contact us here.

Ben Gott is an Education Specialist and Organizing Consultant at In Order To Succeed

10 Tips to Simplify Your Holiday

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Or is it?  Most of us look forward with anticipation to the excitement and time off that the holiday season brings.  In our minds we are capable of baking and decorating like Martha Stewart, selecting Oprah-inspired gifts for everyone on our lists and wrapping them like Mr. Bean in Love Actually.  Realistically, even if we possessed all those skills, none of us have the time to make it all happen while maintaining our sanity.  We need to simplify our season.  As most of these tasks fall on females, it is no surprise that according to a January 2006 survey, women (44 percent) are more likely than men (31 percent) to report an increase of stress during the holiday season, citing lack of time (69 percent versus 63 percent), lack of money (69 percent versus 55 percent), and pressure to give or get gifts (51 percent versus 42 percent) as primary stressors.

Why do we feel an acute shortage of time in this season?  According to research, it’s because people volunteer more during the holidays; spend less time socializing with friends; having increased family obligations and significantly increase the time and money spent shopping, decorating and sending greetings.  What we really value most during the holidays, as per Odyssey, is:

 

PLAN BB-10 tips

  1. Being with family.
  2. Cooking with loved ones.
  3. No school.
  4. Shopping for holiday gifts.
  5. Decorating the house.
  6. Presents.
  7. Holiday movies on television.
  8. Holiday desserts.
  9. Holiday drinks.
  10. Enjoying the Lights.
  11. Holiday music.
  12. Being in the holiday spirit.

So how do you get back to the joys of the list above?  Simplify your life and add more “fa” to your “la” by following our ten tips below.

1. Say “No”.

Saying no is easier than you think and will save you from long nights of doing things you don’t want to do or staying awake at night worrying because you forgot to do them.  Let’s practice.  Your friend: “Can you make a Maltesers Christmas pudding for my party?”  You: “No.”  Your husband: “Honey, can you pick up some gifts for my mom and a few colleagues?”  You: “No.”  Your son or daughter: “Mom, can you be the stage mom for my school’s Christmas play?”  You; “No.”  You get the idea.  Of course, you should say it nicely, with a smile and add an “I love you,” but the point is that there are so many things for which your time is obligated during this season that you need to prioritize and simplify your schedule.  Don’t stretch yourself thin and neglect spending time with those you love doing the things you really love.  No one remembers the expertly decorated tree or present.  They remember the laughs you have over a delicious dinner, the movie you snuggled up watching and the game you played all night.

2. Ask for Help.

No woman or man is an island.  We all need help.  Ask your partner or kids to help with the decorating or baking.  It does not always have to fall on you just because it has in the past.  You might get some grunts, but who cares?  You’ve been cursing under your breath for the past five Christmases.  People simply do not offer to help anymore.  Our devices have made us somewhat oblivious to human cues.  Ask for help.  If you don’t, you won’t get it and you will resent the very people you want to enjoy.  You may not think this will simplify your season, but if you let go a little and ask, you will not only gain time, but you may have fun engaging in those tasks with your family.

3. Plan.

I like spontaneous decisions for travel and date nights, but not for family gatherings like Christmas and Hanukah.  Jot down or electronically transcribe a quick list of to dos and associate a timeframe with each.  Write down when you will get your tree, decorate outside and in, bake cookies, shop, and plan the special holiday meals.  For example, my family always gets our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and decorates it slowly for two days.  It eases us into Christmas.  Then over the next week and before December 1st, we decorate the house inside and out.  Next, we begin shopping for our children, because let’s admit, it’s pretty much all about them.  We affix a deadline for the end of shopping to make sure we have time wrap our gifts, which occurs the week before Christmas.  The cookie baking takes place a few days before Christmas and we plan our meals three days before (as we buy a lot of our sides to again simplify our lives and spare us some time).  You get the idea.  Have a plan and roughly stick to it.  That way, you won’t get that panicky, rushed feeling on your first day home from work.  You can enjoy each phase as it comes, knowing you have time in between to relax. Check out our other tips on Making Better Use of Your Time.

4. Calendar It.

Once you have a list worked out, calendar it.  For those of you who don’t use google calendars, get on it!  You can color code your entries for work, family and personal and share them with your loved ones.  This way you can include the activity, the address, the travel time, and any notes you may have in the margin.  Now, I am not saying that your significant other won’t still ask you where he’s supposed to pick up the catered food, because if he’s like mine, he will.  At least he or she will have the opportunity to see when and where (with a quick click to navigate him or her there) you would like him or her to help.  If the items are more nebulous, use the “all day” button and a range of days in which to complete the task.  It really helps you feel centered and in control of your days during the craziness of the season.

5. Pare Down.

Don’t you hate the feeling of cramming a bunch of new clothes or toys into closets and toy bins after the holidays?  As an organizer, I get sick thinking about it.  Take a slow Saturday (ha, I know) in the next few weeks and donate your older items that are outdated and those that are too small for your kids.  Go through the toy bins.  You know the toys that your kids love and those that have been overlooked since someone bought them for their birthday.  Give them away.  There are plenty of families in need during this season who would love them.  Use it as a learning experience for your younger kids to teach them that not everyone is so fortunate.  They will get excited about helping others and have their first philanthropic experience.

6. Out with the Old Decorations.

Christmas is a special time of year and we are all prone to overbuying trinkets and ornaments that make us happy.  BUT, there is no need to have a garage full of Christmas bins. I guarantee you do not even know what is in half of the bins since you take out only the top two winners every year.  You never use it and you aren’t going to.  You know where I’m going with this.  Clear out the stuff you do not and never will, put out.

Do you like it?  Will you ever use it?  Are you keeping it because of a guilt trip your mother-in-law may impose?   Give it to someone you know if it assuages guilt, or donate it.  Either way, simplify your life and let it go.  You will be so happy you did.

7. Volunteer.

Yes, I know I wrote that volunteering was a time suck in paragraph two, but not strategic generosity of time.  Pick your favorite charity and pledge 2-5 hours of your time on a given day.  (Add this to your plan above!) Nothing brings perspective like seeing the plight of those that are forgotten during the holidays.  Again, if it is appropriate, bring your children and show them that your family places value in helping the less fortunate.  Those moments imprint on them.  We can never forget that for those of us that have chosen to have children, our most important mission is raising good little humans.

 8. Skip Some Gifting.

I generally enjoyed shopping before I had children.  I still would if I could justify brick and mortar purchasing while paying a babysitter.  It’s fun to buy yourself things.  It’s even fun to buy for others, but not for everyone at once and in such a condensed timeframe.  If your family is on the large side (like my husband’s family with seven brothers and sisters), skip the gifts.  (Gasp!)  Of course, make sure everyone is ok with foregoing the present swap.  You may be surprised to find that other family members are relieved to cross some people off their lists as they are feeling the crush of holiday presents as well.  If it’s necessary to swap presents between kids, establish a maximum as you would at a Secret Santa party.  It takes a lot of the pressure off and simplifies the time spent with your family.  The focus becomes hanging out and not endlessly opening gifts!

9. Be a Thoughtful and Conservative Gift Giver.

Don’t you hate hauling giant coffee table books home in your suitcase?  So does everyone else!  Don’t give oversized gifts just to give. Think about the giftee and their interests.  Think about logistics.  Can they carry it home?  Will their children destroy it?  Here’s a good one:  Will they like it?  Simply put, put in more thought.

Likewise, save the flashy gifts for your significant others.  People are embarrassed when you bestow lavish gifts on them and they don’t return the favor.  Of course, later you will receive a gift of greater or equal value as the need for comity sets in.  People really do appreciate thoughtful gifts that show that you actually considered who they are before you bought them.  You don’t have to spend a lot.

10. Pace Yourself.

If you’re hanging lights and your shoulders are burning, take a break.  If you can’t imagine baking one more batch of cookies, put the spatula down and put the dough in the refrigerator.  Don’t think of it as giving up.  Everything in life is better in moderation.  Many of us grew up thinking we should not put off for tomorrow what we can do today, but sometimes you are a much nicer person tomorrow if you put off today.  Don’t stress your mind or body by giving yourself artificial deadlines.  This also means you can’t wait until the last second to do something that has to get done by a certain date (See “Plan”).

No matter what annoying occurrence befalls you holiday, above all, try to shrug it off.  A wise confidante of mine has a little sigh sound that he makes when something goes wrong to tell his brain it’s going to be ok.  It’s a high-pitched “hhhmph” with a shrug of the shoulders.  This season is so fleeting and won’t be here again for another year.  Simplify it, but enjoy it.  When you feel stressed, shrug, and say “hhhmph” and get back to watching Ralphie beat the crap out of that mean red-headed kid.

Let The Monkey Inspire You

Chances are you’ve heard that it’s the start of the Chinese New Year and if you, like many of us, have slacked on your New Year’s resolutions, consider this the perfect chance to set new goals for the Chinese year.

The Year of The Monkey

The Chinese calendar rotates through a series of 12 animals that go through a 12-year cycle as opposed to the zodiac calendar many of us are familiar with that rotates by month. This year is the year of the monkey. It is believed that people born It is believed that people born in this year are intelligent, witty, curious and playful. Talk about the perfect framework for self-improvement and goals for the year!

Be Inspired By The Traits Of The Year’s Animal

Rather than go with traditional, boring resolutions, use the year’s animal to create goals for yourself and your life by taking time to think about how each quality could enhance your life. Here are some ideas for how the monkey can get off your back, improve your life and encourage you.

Intelligence

In our fast-paced world we have to think on our feet. A lot. And many of us are taking in a tremendous amount of information very quickly, with multiple distractions, and making decisions on the spot. When we don’t know something we can Google on our phones. But we have lost a deeper knowledge that comes from immersion. The monkey can guide you in a quest to improve your knowledge:

  • Get a library card. They still make them! Kindles and audiobooks are great but cruising the stacks at your local library will often lead you to books not seen on Amazon’s front page. Used bookstores and antique dealers are another excellent place to find great books. Be inspired by the titles and set a goal to read 12 books a year if you’re not currently a reader.
  • Familiarize yourself with The Sundance Institute. Sundance is known for putting forth some of the most brilliant documentaries at its annual festival in Park City, Utah. Check out their streaming service to dive into the world of documentaries like Meru and Finder’s Keepers.
  • See a speaker or take a class. Whether at the 92nd Street Y or your local Williams Sonoma go to a talk, attend a cooking class, check out evening programs at a museum. There are many opportunities to expand your knowledge and expose yourself to new people and thinking.

Wit

Wit is something we all appreciate. From that quick quip that perfectly sums up a moment to clever marketing—smart humor and word usage lights up a part of our brain. While wit can be difficult to learn, you can focus on improving yourself by looking at what’s at the heart of it: words. Words have power. Think about the moments in your life that have stuck with you, chances are many of them involve a word—praise that you received, a word used to describe you. During the year of the monkey, focus on words to develop the richness of your path.

  • Pick a word of the year. Find a positive word that embodies something you love about people and experiences and make it your word of the year—guiding your decisions and acting as a touchstone in your communications and motivations. Perhaps it’s “kindness”, maybe it’s “momentum.” Scribbling on a napkin, list words that speak to your being and see if you can find one that can help you in your journey. Nouns, verbs, adjectives—they can all guide you from “heart” to “create” to “engaged.”
  • Learn new words. Set a goal to learn new words. From lists of the 100 most important words to word a day calendars, the simple act of learning a new word can expand your way of thinking and communicating.

Curiosity

It’s not just for cats and children, curiosity can enrich all lives. The act of wondering is sometimes lost — chided as “daydreaming” (why is that a bad thing?) or a waste of time, many of us jump to wanting to know the answer. But remember the days of just being curious and wondering? This is how ideas spring forth: by allowing the mind to ponder and not shutting down ideas. Consider being more curious for the next year, even only in some areas of your life, to see if a slower path of thinking brings ideas and inspiration, that have been covered by efficiency and access, to the forefront.

  • Figure it out. The next time you hear a word you’re uncertain of the meaning of, don’t run to the Internet or a dictionary. Instead, see if you can break it down. Does it have a root you’re familiar with? What clues can you get from the words around it? Maybe you speak another language and see a connection to a word there? Use those SAT skills and think about it—you’ll remember it better and use it more than if you simply look it up.
  • Engage with others. We’re taught to avoid strangers but what about taking a new stance? That a stranger is a friend you haven’t yet made? That’s what Cara Thomas did and it’s brought adventure, new meaning and experiences to her life and the lives of others. Thomas decided to take some time to reevaluate her life by taking a 90-day time out to travel Southeast Asia. Before leaving she came up with an idea. She would say YES. To everything. Invitations, offers…if it were safe, she was doing it. Before leaving on her trip she reached out to friends and asked them to email another friend of hers a challenge. Her friend made these into beautiful, handmade cards tucked into envelopes. Each day, Cara started out by opening an envelope and then, at some point in the day, had to complete whatever was on it. From finding the oldest, happiest couple in the room and asking them their secret, to asking a stranger for a mantra Cara was put in situations many of us wouldn’t be brave enough to try, but she let her curiosity run free and ended up revolutionizing her life. She’s transformed this experience into a deck of cards everyone can use, at any time, to add curiosity and expansion to her own lives. Readers of the In Order To Succeed blog can order their own deck at 10% off by using the code: MONKEYDO

Playfulness

Mr. Rogers said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” We lose the time, ability and imagination to play as we grow but there are ways in which adult play can enhance our lives.

  • Golf, tennis, hiking—incorporate movement into your year. From the benefits of exercise and the outdoors to the connection with others and pride of improving your physical abilities, this type of play is healthy on many levels.
  • Make a joke, enjoy time with friends, be light. Laughter is an undervalued part of life that brings joy to you and those around you. Being serious is important and there are certainly times when humor doesn’t work, but it’s also good to see the humor in everyday situations—especially when something inconvenient happens. Laugh about it now if you’re going to laugh about it later.
  • Scratch your brain. While many people have games on their smartphones and tablets, consider games that challenge your brain. Play for adults should help with mental acuity, problem solving, memory and speed. Brain training apps like Lumosity, games that incorporate math, word games — these will both give you a break and allow for your brain to stay sharp rather than games based on luck and chance.

The monkey is here and we could all learn a few lessons from him. Consider what he can bring to your year, be it one thing or many, and allow yourself to be inspired by his intelligence, wit, curiosity and playfulness.

Friction Over Finances? The Marriage & Money Strategy You’ll Both Like

Couples who disagree about money at least once a week are 30 percent more likely to divorce than couples who only disagree just a few times a month, according to a study from Utah State University. But if the wedding bells have stopped and all you hear is the bickering over the bills, it doesn’t mean you’re on the road to Splitsville. We have a financial plan you both can live with.

Make a Budget

It’s hard to find financial bliss when you have no idea what you’re spending each month. Dig out two or three month’s worth of bills and figure out what you spend on your rent or mortgage, groceries, utilities and other fixed expenses like student loans and car maintenance. Factor in an emergency fund for unforeseeable events like an accident, home repair or layoff.

An app like Check (formerly Pageonce) keeps everything you’re spending in one place, shows you where your money is going and even lets you pay bills right from the app. Other apps like Spendee gives you activity alerts of what you’re spending and graphs to see where your money is going and how much you’re earning.

Divide and Conquer

There are a few ways you can decide how to fund your budget. If you have one joint account, simply allot the appropriate amount toward your bills and savings, and use anything left for recreation or extra savings. An app like Splitwise can help you split expenses with your partner.

But if you’re not quite ready to go all in with your partner in one account, keep two separate accounts and one joint account. The joint account can be funded in two ways:

  • With an equal dollar amount from each spouse
  • Or, if there’s a discrepancy between your salaries, figure out what percentage of your pay each of you needs to contribute to cover your bills. Let’s say you make $80,000, but your partner makes $40,000. Consider contributing 30 percent of your incomes and putting it into your joint account to cover the bills. It’s not a bad idea to give the lower-earning partner a little break—30 percent of $40,000 is going to feel more drastic than it would for the person earning $80,000.

Get a Joint Credit Card

Get a joint credit card with a cash-back rewards program, and use it exclusively to fund your recreation and evenings out. Divide the bill evenly or use a percentage of your income to go toward the card. This way, no one can debate who paid for what last time you went to the movies. The money is all accounted for in one place and the cash rewards can be put toward savings.

Discuss an Emergency Plan

Hopefully you set up an emergency fund when you made your budget. But what happens during a true emergency? Discuss who will take over the bills if someone gets sick or laid off. Figure out ways you’ll stay afloat, such as taking in a renter to getting rid of the cars and taking the bus. For more great financial planning resources, check out the J.G. Wentworth page on FaceBook. You’ll get tips on everything from budgeting to selling annuities and more.

Financial planning for spouses

Friction Over Finances? The Marriage & Money Strategy You’ll Both Like

Couples who disagree about money at least once a week are 30 percent more likely to divorce than couples who only disagree just a few times a month, according to a study from Utah State University. But if the wedding bells have stopped and all you hear is the bickering over the bills, it doesn’t mean you’re on the road to Splitsville. We can help with financial planning for spouses that you both can live with.

Make a Budget

It’s hard to find financial bliss when you have no idea what you’re spending each month. Dig out two or three month’s worth of bills and figure out what you spend on your rent or mortgage, groceries, utilities and other fixed expenses like student loans and car maintenance. Factor in an emergency fund for unforeseeable events like an accident, home repair or layoff.

An app like Check (formerly Pageonce) keeps everything you’re spending in one place, shows you where your money is going and even lets you pay bills right from the app. Other apps like Spendee gives you activity alerts of what you’re spending and graphs to see where your money is going and how much you’re earning.

Divide and Conquer

There are a few ways you can decide how to fund your budget. If you have one joint account, simply allot the appropriate amount toward your bills and savings, and use anything left for recreation or extra savings. An app like Splitwise can help you split expenses with your partner.

But if you’re not quite ready to go all in with your partner in one account, keep two separate accounts and one joint account. The joint account can be funded in two ways:

  • With an equal dollar amount from each spouse
  • Or, if there’s a discrepancy between your salaries, figure out what percentage of your pay each of you needs to contribute to cover your bills. Let’s say you make $80,000, but your partner makes $40,000. Consider contributing 30 percent of your incomes and putting it into your joint account to cover the bills. It’s not a bad idea to give the lower-earning partner a little break—30 percent of $40,000 is going to feel more drastic than it would for the person earning $80,000.

Get a Joint Credit Card

Get a joint credit card with a cash-back rewards program, and use it exclusively to fund your recreation and evenings out. Divide the bill evenly or use a percentage of your income to go toward the card. This way, no one can debate who paid for what last time you went to the movies. The money is all accounted for in one place and the cash rewards can be put toward savings.

Discuss an Emergency Plan

Hopefully you set up an emergency fund when you made your budget. But what happens during a true emergency? Discuss who will take over the bills if someone gets sick or laid off. Figure out ways you’ll stay afloat, such as taking in a renter to getting rid of the cars and taking the bus. For more great financial planning resources, check out the J.G. Wentworth page on FaceBook. You’ll get tips on everything from budgeting to selling annuities and more.

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Five Ways To Reduce Home Clutter

Are there too many unused things in the vital living space of your home? Can’t think of a way to clear some of that much needed space? Do you think it would be too much hassle to even start?

Here are a five simple ways of clearing space in your home, whether it’s a few unused CD’s or a room full of unwanted bulky furniture items, there is always a suitable and practical solution.

Having to make decisions in life and business can be difficult, especially if you’re constantly distracted by domestic issues, such as a cluttered household. Get to work with one of these five methods and free your mind for more important tasks!

Donate Unwanted Items To Charity

Not only will this clear some vital space it will also benefit charities and their causes. Charity shops are always looking for items, and in some cases you can even receive a small amount of money in return for your good deed. Every charity shop is different in what they will accept, but the majority will accept clothes and other essential items, and most non-bulky items as long as they are boxed or bagged. Some will accept bulky items, but it’s always worth checking first to save time carrying things back-and-forth.

This is the method to use if you are not worried about making a large profit, and want to do a good deed.

Use A Clearance Company

If you have a large quantity of awkward or heavy items then think about using a clearance company. There may be a fee to pay, usually given as a quote beforehand, for their efficient service and labor hours. However, these companies are very useful if you have just refurbished rooms in your home and have large quantities of unwanted furniture and domestic waste to clear. This method is an efficient and foolproof way of clearing clutter. Reading customer testimonials from individual clearance company sites suggest just how effective this method can be.

This is a good idea if you want a fast and practical solution to clearing a large amount of heavy items or domestic waste.

Using Online Auction Websites

Websites such as Ebay, Amazon, and many others will allow you to sell items you no longer require and wish to make money on. You can select a start bidding price, a buy now price, and even put a reserve price on your items to prevent people buying your items on the cheap. However, you will need some patience as you will be waiting for independent buyers to bid on your items, in some cases you could be waiting months on end to receive some money for your goods and there is no guarantee of a sale at all. You will also have to sort and post your own items, which can be time consuming. To add to this you will have to set up an account on which ever website you chose and log in most days to track bids, and your online reputation.

This is the method to use if you definitely want to make money on your items, and don’t mind biding your time.

Donating to Relatives

It is always worth asking around family and friends to see if they require any of the items you’re looking to throw out. Granted you usually won’t receive any money, but you know the person you are donating to, and will be able to part with your items relatively quickly and efficiently. The only real issue that arises with this method is trying to transport bulky items, even over short distances, without professional help. This method can work particularly well if you know of relatives who are moving into a new house, and are requiring particular household items.

This is the method to use if you want to do a good deed, and are looking to offload household items quickly with relatively little trouble.

Recycle for Another Purpose

This method is for the creatives amongst us, old or unwanted items can be refurbished, or even be used for a completely different purpose. Very rewarding if you invest in your projects, and many people will find enjoyment in doing so. However, this method is time consuming and no money will be made, unless you endeavor to sell these refurbished items. If you require a less time-consuming form of recycling you can take your items to a recycling plant where you can dispose of your items quickly and hassle free.

This is the method to use if you want to refurbish items and are not worried by time consumption or making money.

You’ll probably be attracted to at least one of the methods above. Whatever you do choose to do – make sure you give it a real try. If you don’t succeed then you’ll only be left with the same problem you had to start with – a cluttered home.

About the Author: Robert Duckers works with A1 Clearances, a company providing house clearances and related services to local customers in the UK. A1 are used to handling a variety of clearance items from small pieces of furniture to boats and beyond!

How To Declutter Your Home

Are there too many unused things in the vital living space of your home? Can’t think of a way to clear some of that much needed space? Do you think it would be too much hassle to even start?

Here are a five simple ways of clearing space in your home, whether it’s a few unused CD’s or a room full of unwanted bulky furniture items, there is always a suitable and practical solution.

Having to make decisions in life and business can be difficult, especially if you’re constantly distracted by domestic issues, such as a cluttered household. Discover how to declutter your home with one of these five methods and free your mind for more important tasks!

Donate Unwanted Items To Charity

Not only will this clear some vital space it will also benefit charities and their causes. Charity shops are always looking for items, and in some cases you can even receive a small amount of money in return for your good deed. Every charity shop is different in what they will accept, but the majority will accept clothes and other essential items, and most non-bulky items as long as they are boxed or bagged. Some will accept bulky items, but it’s always worth checking first to save time carrying things back-and-forth.

This is the method to use if you are not worried about making a large profit, and want to do a good deed.

Use A Clearance Company

If you have a large quantity of awkward or heavy items then think about using a clearance company. There may be a fee to pay, usually given as a quote beforehand, for their efficient service and labor hours. However, these companies are very useful if you have just refurbished rooms in your home and have large quantities of unwanted furniture and domestic waste to clear. This method is an efficient and foolproof way of clearing clutter. Reading customer testimonials from individual clearance company sites suggest just how effective this method can be.

This is a good idea if you want a fast and practical solution to clearing a large amount of heavy items or domestic waste.

Using Online Auction Websites

Websites such as Ebay, Amazon, and many others will allow you to sell items you no longer require and wish to make money on. You can select a start bidding price, a buy now price, and even put a reserve price on your items to prevent people buying your items on the cheap. However, you will need some patience as you will be waiting for independent buyers to bid on your items, in some cases you could be waiting months on end to receive some money for your goods and there is no guarantee of a sale at all. You will also have to sort and post your own items, which can be time consuming. To add to this you will have to set up an account on which ever website you chose and log in most days to track bids, and your online reputation.

This is the method to use if you definitely want to make money on your items, and don’t mind biding your time.

Donating to Relatives

It is always worth asking around family and friends to see if they require any of the items you’re looking to throw out. Granted you usually won’t receive any money, but you know the person you are donating to, and will be able to part with your items relatively quickly and efficiently. The only real issue that arises with this method is trying to transport bulky items, even over short distances, without professional help. This method can work particularly well if you know of relatives who are moving into a new house, and are requiring particular household items.

This is the method to use if you want to do a good deed, and are looking to offload household items quickly with relatively little trouble.

Recycle for Another Purpose

This method is for the creatives amongst us, old or unwanted items can be refurbished, or even be used for a completely different purpose. Very rewarding if you invest in your projects, and many people will find enjoyment in doing so. However, this method is time consuming and no money will be made, unless you endeavor to sell these refurbished items. If you require a less time-consuming form of recycling you can take your items to a recycling plant where you can dispose of your items quickly and hassle free.

This is the method to use if you want to refurbish items and are not worried by time consumption or making money.

You’ll probably be attracted to at least one of the methods above. Whatever you do choose to do – make sure you give it a real try. If you don’t succeed then you’ll only be left with the same problem you had to start with – a cluttered home.

About the Author: Robert Duckers works with A1 Clearances, a company providing house clearances and related services to local customers in the UK. A1 are used to handling a variety of clearance items from small pieces of furniture to boats and beyond!

Organizing Yourself For Vacation

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:

Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.

To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.

Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.

 Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com – Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meagan_Farrell

For more tips visit In Order to Succeed on the web and follow In Order to Succeed  on Facebook and on Twitter.

Getting Organized for Vacation

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make getting organized for a vacation go more smoothly:

Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.

To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask a neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.

Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.

 Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!

Meagan Farrell, a professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com – Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meagan_Farrell

For more tips visit In Order to Succeed on the web and follow In Order to Succeed on Facebook and on Twitter.