Newsletter April 2016 – Spring into Affairs
There are many different types of rituals we engage in to recover from winter, when our energy often dips.
One is spring cleaning, which can include anything from small items such as your wallet or jewelry box, a closet or your car, to major undertakings such as your entire home, office or long overlooked “affairs.” In this context affairs means insurance policies, investment accounts and other critical documents.
If you are one of those that has avoided cleaning the house, has clutter is your life, accumulated mounds of papers or done your best to avoid your affairs, here are some tips to bring that boost of spring energy into your project that will save time and energy.
Smart & Easy Cleaning
- Wash walls or windows from the bottom to the top
- Use a pillowcase to clean ceiling fans
- Baking soda combined with a little water cleans your floors (especially the grout between tiles). It isn’t harsh, is odorless and safe around children.
- Disinfect your reusable shopping bags And while you’re there, think about color coding them: red for meat, green for produce, blue for canned or frozen items, white or yellow for personal and general household.
- The bottom of the fridge catches drips and is the first area for mold, so disinfect at least once a year.
Cut the Clutter
- Set limits. Ask yourself, how many magazines do you REALLY need strewn around the house? Use the One In, One Out rule to help eliminate excess.
- Place pantry items in clear containers. If you need recipes or nutritional information, place a clear pouch on the back of the container to hold that information.
- Label all storage containers.
- If you have a metal medicine cabinet, use magnetized containers on the door to hold everyday items commonly found either on the shelves or on the counter top.
- Anything can be stored in a tackle box. Use them for sorting extra batteries, jewelry or small household items.
Paperwork
- Reevaluate what you really need. Invest in a scanner and save items electronically and/or in the cloud.
- If you save receipts remove them from your wallet and place in one of the manila folders you have labeled: expenses, returns, rebates, reimbursements.
- Try using an app for coupons to save clutter in your wallet or purse.
Affairs
- Create, gather and let people know about the following:
- Personal, financial, legal and medical information
- Power of Attorney, Living Will; HIPAA directive
- Instructions for funeral services
- Will and Testament
For additional information about the subjects above, click the link in the boxes below.
Remember that old adage, “Everything in moderation?”
That also applies to spring cleaning.
Perfection can be a huge deterrent. My home used to have a place for everything and everything was in its place. A new friend asked, “Do you do anything for fun?” Nowadays, I recall the words of a dear longtime friend, who would say, “Dust is a protective covering on my furniture” as I stand at the threshold of fun.
Next month: How to prepare for a move!