Latest news

By Julia Simak

Personally, I felt a deep sense of misery when the thought of cleaning out my closet slipped to the forefront of my mind. The laborious, debilitating mountain to climb was the pile of clothes on my floor, the stack of unworn shirts on my chair, and the untouched suitcase that I never bothered to unpack after my trip to Mexico… two months ago. The hill felt oh-so-high that the thought of touching a single piece of clothing triggered a deep pit of dread. So, how am I not living in a dump, you may ask?

It was a bright, sunny May midafternoon when the cherry tree outside my window simply did not match the piles of filth in my room. The light spring glow of the sunshine on my blanket was overtaken by the loads of mismatched socks in its periphery screaming at me to sort them. I had to do something. It was time, my socks said. The task was overwhelming, yes, but I knew that I could do it. I began by breaking down the process. What was I going to do with all the different types of clothes? Was I going to throw all of them in my closet? NO! That’s when my love for decluttering kicked in, and it kicked in hard.

I set a timer for 20 minutes, set up three corners in my room, and got to work. In the corner by my desk, I set aside room for clothes I no longer wore that I wanted to give to my younger cousin. In the corner by my closet, I made room for clothes that I wanted to donate to Goodwill. In the corner by my bed, I made room for the rest of the clothes that I was going to keep. My only mistake was estimating that this would take 20 minutes… it took three hours. How did I get through it? Facilitated by a 5-minute break timer every 20 minutes, cookies were eaten. Takeaway: no difficult task should be done without snacks. When embarking on a journey of this degree, one must make sure they are supported with their personal comforts. Mine happen to be cookies.

Although one might believe I had eaten more cookies than I should have (I don’t believe it), the process was not over yet. To my horror, I still had to do something with all the *sorted* clothes on my floor. I needed to acquire boxes. Never in my life had I figured out where people found boxes, so I rummaged through my house and found box-look-alikes. I used two plastic bins from my basement to pack away the “give to cousin” pile and the “donate to Goodwill” pile. These boxes were immediately shoved into the back of my car.

Finally, you guessed it. The most tedious, draining, and cumbersome task was left: hanging up the clothes I wanted to keep. Picture this: your back is hurting, it’s getting a bit darker outside, you’re starving, and you’re starting to feel dizzy from the sugar crash of eating eight cookies and nothing else. What could possibly motivate you to finish this task? A really good podcast. When embarking on a difficult journey, ALWAYS make sure it is paired with something that makes you feel good. It was one last stretch of the journey. I didn’t know if there were enough hangers or if I had too many. I didn’t know if I would come across an outfit that I changed my mind on. I didn’t know if I would have the energy to finish the pile, but I started it anyway. Before I knew it, the podcast was over, the mountain was climbed, and the feeling of accomplishment was enjoyed.

By Colette Hapi

We’ve all been there – looking at a task, big or small, and thinking, “I’m not ready for this.” So, we put it off, thinking we need more time or prep. But here’s the thing: waiting for the perfect moment doesn’t always get us anywhere. Sometimes, the best way to tackle something is simply to start – before you feel totally “ready.”

Overthinking is like trying to jump into a pool, but you keep worrying about how cold the water is. You hesitate, you doubt, and the moment to jump passes by. The same thing happens in life when we overthink tasks, especially when we’re aiming for perfection. For example, when I’m playing drums, I sometimes find myself stuck in my head, overthinking every little beat. I focus so much on hitting the “perfect” note that I forget to just enjoy the rhythm. And when I freeze up like that, it usually leads to mistakes I wouldn’t have made if I’d just kept playing! Overthinking can make things feel way harder than they need to be.

But this isn’t just about drumming; we’ve all done this in other areas of life. Whether it’s starting a new project at work, signing up for a new class, or even making a change in our personal lives, it’s easy to feel like we need everything to be perfectly lined up before we take the first step. The truth? Most of the time, we just need to start. Overthinking can trap us in a cycle of doubt and indecision, but taking action breaks that cycle. The reality is, nobody ever feels completely ready for everything. Even the best drummers started by messing up a few times. Starting, even if you’re not fully ready, gets the ball rolling and often leads to more momentum than waiting around for the perfect moment. Taking action is the first – and hardest – step! Here are some of the things that I do to get myself started:

Start Small
Instead of thinking, “I have to master this entire song,” I’ll focus on just a few bars. This makes things feel more manageable, and once I get into it, the rest feels like a breeze. Whether it’s a work project, a new habit, or a fitness goal, start with small tasks. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. That small step is enough to get you moving forward.

Let Go of Perfection
Who needs perfection? Not me! I remind myself that messing up on a beat doesn’t mean the whole performance is ruined; it’s part of the fun. Mistakes happen! The pressure to be perfect can hold us back, but remember that imperfection is normal. Whether it’s an awkward conversation, a DIY project, or learning a new skill, the journey is all about trying, learning, and growing.

Use the 5-Minute Rule
I set a timer for five minutes to play, no pressure. That’s usually enough to get me into the groove, and I end up playing much longer because I’ve loosened up. Try this with any task. Commit to five minutes of doing the thing you’ve been avoiding, whether it’s tackling that email, organizing your desk, or doing a quick workout. You’ll often find it easier to keep going once you start.

Play with Others
Jamming with a friend or playing in a group is a great way to stop overthinking. The focus shifts to the music, and I get to enjoy the experience without worrying if I’m hitting every note perfectly. Sometimes, sharing a task with someone else, whether it’s collaborating on a work project or learning something new together, can take the pressure off. Plus, it’s a lot more fun!

So, next time you feel like you’re not ready for something, remember: the best way to get started is to just dive in. Whether you’re drumming, working on a project, or tackling life, starting before you feel ready is often the key to making progress, having fun, and even enjoying the little mistakes along the way.

By Meredith Carver

I’m a busy person with lots of interests. The upside to this is that I’m “well-rounded,” but the downside is keeping track of the items that come along with these interests. You know that pile of stuff that you can feel glaring at you as you walk past it? Maybe it’s a once-clear and inviting work desk, a bookshelf, or a table; whatever it is, it somehow turns into a dumping ground for unfinished projects, papers, and materials until it eventually just becomes a part of the room landscape – a “stuff” mountain, if you will. At some point, it bothers you enough to do something about it so that it stops calling your name. So, my friends, this is a story of (finally) organizing my desk at home.

My self-awareness led me to notice that the “frustration pattern” motivating me to intervene was not being able to find what I needed. I know that in the process of looking for something for a project, I can lose momentum to continue working and whatever organizational method I had could fly right out the window. So, I needed to visualize an ideal space. I asked myself a bunch of questions, including what does it feel like to feel comfortable and productive in this space? What do I need to do to achieve this? What are the functions and needs of the space? My desk is a place that should, ideally, help me to focus and complete tasks, so a more minimalistic look could be useful.

Before jumping into cleaning, I made sure to plan in advance when I wanted to tackle my desk. Cleaning can take more time than you think it will, and it can be difficult to return after leaving the project in an “in-between” state. I set aside time on a weekend, and then I got to work. First, I surveyed the items on my desk and noticed that they were mostly a mix of art and office supplies. I then looked for patterning in these items. Like-items (e.g., pens/pencils) were then grouped together as I took inventory and let go of what wasn’t needed. I also relocated items not desired in the space/that needed to go to a different room or location. After that, I bought some bookshelves and rolling carts with clear drawers. I now feel like things have a designated place, so if I maintain the practice of putting things back where they go, this should be sustainable.

But let’s be honest – when it’s a promise only between you and yourself to keep things organized, it’s hard to stick to the goal and see it through. My desk might be clean now, but who knows what will happen tomorrow. To prevent myself from sliding backwards, I sought accountability. I actually found a sense of accountability from writing this very blog! Now the whole world will know that I cleaned my desk, and if someone asks how the upkeep is going, I want to be able to proudly say that things are still organized. After all, it’s always worth it in the end. Once you finally clean and organize, it seems to quell a form of chaos in your environment and in your mind. You may find more motivation to use the space, as it’s now more inviting and has a sense of novelty.

Sticking to the system over time is the real challenge; maintenance is the real trial. I keep reminding myself that if I stick with this, there are tons of benefits. I can find art materials when I need them! No more digging around and losing steam! We don’t always realize the impact of changing a physical space until it’s made, and it’s always worth the investment of time and energy; make your future self proud and put in the work!

Now on to tackle a closet!

By Kristin Backert

Readers, I have somehow (somehow) picked up yet another hobby. Recently, one of my friends introduced me to the Digimon trading card game. The first time that I went through some cards, I felt incredibly overwhelmed. What was the difference between “on play” and “your turn”? Why did creatures with the same name have different effects when played? How did people keep track of everything?!

Soon after, I went to my friend’s house to get a crash course in playing. He was very patient with me (I stared at cards for ages as I tried to figure out what to do) and answered all of my questions as I hesitantly put down cards. I actually won a game, but it felt like a massive fluke because I played cards that I maaaaaybe semi-understood and probably won with dumb luck. When I went home that night, I considered my options. I could toss the cards out the window and give up. That would be pretty easy and possibly fun in its own littering way. Or I could study how the game worked and memorize what the cards said so that I could make quicker calls about what to play. That would involve a lot of perseverance, bloodshed (maybe), and frustration, so that didn’t sound too great.

In the end, I opted to study the game and memorize the cards. To make things easier for myself, I chose the rookie cards to learn first, as there were only four of them. I read a card, said its effects out loud, and then moved to the next card. I repeated those steps and then returned to the first card to see what I could recall. From there, I’d go back to the second card. If I successfully recalled the info on both cards, I then added a third card. This is actually the same type of memorization strategy that I share with my students. Trying to memorize 30 Spanish words or 45 History terms at once can be daunting and unrealistic. Breaking them up into smaller chunks makes things a lot easier on your brain, and that constant repetition can make it easier to remember material.

As I worked to memorize the cards, I also focused on little visual cues to help me recall differences between the cards. In Digimon, the same creature can appear on different cards with different effects. For example, I had three different Terriermons in my deck with different effects, so I designated them in my head as Cheeseburger Terriermon, Terriermon Assistant (already his name!), and Waving Terriermon. As I continued to add cards to my hand to memorize, I kept adding visual cues when necessary.

But straight-up memorization can only take you so far. Memorization can get the info in your head, but you need to grasp the bigger picture if you want to be able to talk about it with confidence. So while memorizing info on my cards, I realized that there were some wordings that confused me and that I didn’t actually understand what an effect did. Whenever that happened, I sent a picture of the card to my friend with my interpretation of it to see if I was correct. And most importantly, I practiced playing. Yes, I knew the info, but until I actually sat down and played, I didn’t fully understand what I was doing. Pairing the words that I had memorized with the actions necessary to play the cards helped to bridge a lot of gaps in my understanding.

Am I a Digimon champ now? Ahahaha…no. And that’s okay! I’m still learning in the way that makes sense to me, and it’ll take some time. One big thing that this card experience has reminded me of is that you can memorize a math formula, but you need to practice solving problems to really see how well you understand it. You can memorize a bunch of Spanish vocab terms, but you need to practice writing or speaking to see how they’re meant to be used. Memorization is a great and useful tool, and it’s made even more powerful when you combine it with other tools. Stay tuned to see what hobby I pick up next!

By Gaby McLish

In January 2024, I set out to read 40 books throughout the year. Was this a lofty goal? I didn’t think so, but it turns out it was much more difficult than I had imagined. In 2023, I read 24 books. As I reflected on the year and looked ahead to 2024, I knew I wanted to set a larger goal. I thought to myself, “I read 24 books without even trying, so how hard could it be to read 16 more?” The answer: HARD. Despite my best efforts, I didn’t read 40 books. While it’s difficult to set a goal and not reach it, I’ve found it to be a great learning experience as I reflect on how this happened. Below is a list of reasons (okay, so maybe some of them are excuses) on why I didn’t reach my goal.

 Choosing a Goal
I somewhat arbitrarily picked the number 40. If I had stopped to think about how much I was increasing my goal by, I probably would have picked 30. Why? When we choose goals, we need to make sure they’re attainable. Think SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) is what they teach us in graduate school. Adding 16 more books is not a smart, attainable, next step. That’s like saying, “I ran a marathon, so now there’s no question I can run an ultramarathon.” However, most people who run marathons don’t make it to the ultramarathon mark. Why? Sixteen more miles is a lot more to add at once. When choosing a goal, we need to remember to think about where we are and the attainable next step.

Distractions
When trying to reach a goal, there are always persistent distractions. It’s easy to say you’ll find time to read after work or on the weekends, but those hours often get consumed by other things. I wasn’t scheduling my time, and as a result, I wasn’t reading as often as I thought I would. I should have realized that in order to make room for something, you have to prioritize it. Scheduling specific reading times might have made a huge difference, but instead, I thought I could simply fit reading into whatever free time I had, and that didn’t work. I always hoped that I would be a reading-before-bed person, but I should’ve realized that I have more free time in the morning and scheduled it as such.

The “I’ll start tomorrow” Trap
I fell into a cycle of procrastination. “I’ll read more tomorrow,” I’d tell myself, only to fall into the same pattern again and again. It’s the classic trap of thinking that tomorrow will be different, but the reality is that small actions today add up over time. I didn’t need to read 50 pages a day to hit my goal, but I often found myself putting off reading because I felt like I needed to do it all at once. But the truth is, 10 minutes here and there adds up. Even if I’d only read a few pages a day, I would’ve been much closer to my goal. This applies to any type of goal, and in fact, I talk about it constantly; micro goals or chunking are the keys to success when it comes to working toward a goal.

Making a Plan
Finally, I have to admit that while I set the goal to read 40 books, I didn’t really create a plan to achieve it. It wasn’t enough to say, “I’ll read 40 books this year.” That’s like saying, “I’ll run a marathon one day” without ever lacing up your sneakers. Goals need actionable steps, and I forgot to break down the big goal into manageable chunks. If I had created a reading schedule or even set a monthly reading target, I might have been more successful.

So, what did I learn?
While I didn’t reach 40 books in 2024, I’ve learned more about goal-setting, about myself, and about how I manage my time than I could have imagined. I talk about goal-setting and chunking every day, but this was a great reminder that everyone can benefit from checking in on their goals and making sure they know how to achieve them. I learned that you can’t force enjoyment out of a book, and sometimes it’s okay to abandon something that isn’t working. I learned that distractions are inevitable, but it’s up to me to prioritize what matters.

So, while 2024 was not my year to read 40 books, it was certainly a year of learning and growth. Happy reading (and goal-setting) in 2025!

By Madeline Albertine

I’m gearing up to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip – to the Philippines! While I couldn’t be more excited about this two-week adventure, the weeks leading up to it put my executive functioning knowledge to the test. Planning a trip can be exhilarating, but one of the most stressful parts is often figuring out what to pack. For this vacation, I had to keep in mind packing for an 18-hour layover in Istanbul and gathering gear for the camping portion of the trip. Even though I stayed up too late packing the night before leaving, this packing took weeks of prep. Here are some steps I took to ease the process and (I hope) successfully pack everything I need:

Start with the Essentials
Before diving into packing clothes, shoes, and accessories, make sure you have your trip essentials in order.

• Passport/ID: If you’re traveling internationally, a passport is a must.
• Travel Documents: Flight tickets, hotel reservations, car rental confirmations, or event tickets should be in one easily-accessible spot. I must confess that my brilliant friend put this all into a downloadable PowerPoint for us, and it’s a game-changer!
• Credit Cards/Cash: A mix of credit cards and debit cards to take out cash for spending is needed wherever you go.
• Phone & Charger: Don’t forget to buy adapters and bring your charging devices.

 Plan Your Outfits Carefully
As a chronic over-packer (who had to keep taking items out to meet my luggage weight goals), when it comes to packing clothes, it’s easy to go overboard and end up with way more than you need.

• Versatility: Choose clothing that can be worn in multiple ways or be useful on more than one day.
• Limit Shoes: Don’t be like me and think you need a specific pair of tennis shoes for just the layover. Spoiler alert – you don’t. Those were the first items to be cut when my bag was overweight.
• Pack for the Climate: Check the weather forecast before you leave and pack accordingly! Even though I’m packing for warm/humid weather, I’m glad I checked that Istanbul has a high of 45 degrees during the day I’m there.

 Pack Smart with the Right Gear
The right travel gear can make a world of difference. Consider the following:

• Packing Cubes: These small, zippered cubes help organize your clothing and accessories, keeping everything neat and easy to find. Plus, they can help compress your clothes, saving space in your suitcase. This was my first time using them, and it was a lifesaver.
• Laundry Bag: Save your dirty laundry from mingling with clean clothes by packing a small laundry bag. It’s a simple but effective way to keep your bag organized.

Pack Light, Travel Light
The more you pack, the more you’ll carry. And let’s be honest, no one wants to be dragging heavy luggage around an unfamiliar city or struggling with an overpacked bag at the airport. So when in doubt, take it out. Think carefully about whether you’ll actually use something and whether you can get by without it.

I know myself, and I will be shopping while away. This makes it crucial that I don’t overpack now, so I can bring home all the souvenirs!

By Robyn Clanton

We don’t usually equate the upcoming holiday season with sleep hygiene, but maybe we need to change that norm! As a society, we’re headed into the busiest time of the year: the mad dash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, with a host of holiday celebrations in between. This is the time of year when there are too many parties to attend, too many school events to keep track of, and, oftentimes, too many assignments to keep straight. In addition to the flurry of activities, this is also the time of year when the days get increasingly shorter and, here in the Northern Hemisphere, we get less and less of the rejuvenating sunshine.

It’s easy to get fatigued just thinking about it! People often joke this time of year that they just want to curl up in a turkey or holiday sweets-induced coma and take a long nap. That said, one of the best things that we can do for ourselves during this time of year is something that actually benefits us year-round: healthy sleep habits. As end-of-semester tests approach, work deadlines loom, and busy holiday events cluster each week, our sleep habits tend to be the first to be sacrificed. This inevitably and negatively impacts almost every area of our lives and days. Setting some specific goals and boundaries around our sleep can help combat this. Here are a few tips:

• Prioritizing sleep. This is probably the most important tip of all. Try as much as possible to keep a consistent sleep schedule and one that allows for enough sleep! The CDC recommends that teenagers need between 8-10 hours/night, with adults needing a similar amount. It is recommended that children ages 6-12 get 9-12 hours/night.
• Continue or create healthy nighttime habits. Think limiting screen time in the evening or eating dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime to allow food to digest. If your mind has a hard time shutting down, try using a meditation app, like Calm or Headspace.
• Try to get sunlight during the daytime to help with our circadian rhythms. Go for a short walk at lunch or after school/work. If that isn’t possible, just opening the shades and letting sunlight into the room can make a big difference.
• Create a cozy – and clean – bedroom. The use of soft lighting in the bedroom can help calm our bodies and minds.

The key is to remember that sacrificing sleep for the party or study session may seem like a logical idea at the time, but it’s not a good solution. Your body and mind need the time to rest each night, so do yourself a favor and go to bed! ?

By Julia Simak

You check the calendar, and it’s somehow already October. The last 12 months flew by, and you’re back to the month of pumpkins, costumes, and sugar-crazed children. The 31st can go one of two ways: the nice way or the frazzled, panicked, last-minute, Party-City-nightmare way. Will your kids have the costumes they want, or will they be kicking and screaming five minutes before the neighbors show up with their kids? Believe it or not, it’s up to you!

Step 1: Make a plan.
What are you going to do on Halloween? Are you taking your youngsters out trick-or-treating and then hopping into bed by 9, or are you throwing a party with the whole neighborhood on your driveway until midnight? Whatever it may be, it requires a plan. Despite which type of celebration you go with, kids will be knocking on your door expecting an assortment of candy, so plan on taking a trip to the store.

Step 2: Acquire the goods.
Halloween comes alive at Target in the beginning of September, so make sure you go as early as possible. While you’re there, grab some decor for the front porch. They’ve got skeletons, pumpkins, and a plethora of choices in the dollar section. You know which one I’m talking about… we’ve all been there! They also have costumes, which brings us to our next step.

Step 3: Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!
The costume options are endless, so it can be overwhelming for your kiddo to choose what to parade in around your neighborhood. That’s why it’s essential that they come with you to the store. Not only will they be able to pick out their costume then and there, but they can try it on, too. This will prevent you from having to return a costume that your kid doesn’t like or won’t fit in.

Step 4: It’s the night of Halloween.
You’ve got a scary movie playing, hot apple cider is warming up on the stove, and there are several children in your house, all of whom you cannot identify because two of them are wearing ghost costumes and the other three are matching root vegetables. Now that everything has been planned, acquired, and bought, take a big exhale and enjoy the spooky night.

By Colette Hapi

In our fast-paced world, the idea of slowing down to get ahead might sound a little crazy. But guess what? That’s exactly what I learned from playing the drums! When I first started drumming, I wanted to jam out as fast as possible, but I quickly discovered that the real magic happened when I slowed down. By practicing each beat carefully, I built the skills I needed to rock out at full speed later. It turns out, the same trick works for life’s challenges, like organizing your day or staying on top of schoolwork.

A lot of students feel the need to race through their to-do lists, thinking that speed is the name of the game. But just like drumming, slowing down can actually help you crush it! Encourage your children to take their time with each task, break things down into bite-sized pieces, and focus on doing things right, not just quickly. This not only makes life less stressful but also boosts their confidence and makes learning way more fun.

As the school year kicks off, nudge your kids to find their groove! Here are some ideas to help them set up a routine and focus on quality over speed:

• Create a Relaxed Morning Routine: Start the day with a sense of calm rather than chaos. Consider waking up a little earlier to avoid the morning rush. Share a quiet breakfast together, maybe with some relaxing background music. This sets a peaceful tone for the day and gives your children time to mentally prepare for what’s ahead.
• Set Up an After-School Wind-Down Period: After a long day at school, jumping straight into homework might feel overwhelming. Encourage your children to take 15-30 minutes to unwind – whether that’s through some light exercise, reading, or even just chatting about their day. This break can help clear their minds and get them ready to focus on their tasks with a fresh perspective.
• Break Tasks into Manageable Steps: Help your children break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. For instance, if they have a big project due, work together to create a step-by-step plan that spreads out the workload over several days. This approach prevents them from feeling overwhelmed and shows them the power of steady, consistent progress.
• Celebrate the Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate the completion of each small step along the way. Whether it’s a high five, a favorite snack, or just some words of praise, these little celebrations reinforce the idea that every bit of progress counts. It teaches kids that success isn’t just about the big milestones but also about the little victories that build up over time.
• Model the Behavior: Children often learn best by watching their parents. Show them how you slow down and focus on quality in your own tasks. Whether it’s cooking a meal, working on a project, or even how you handle your daily routine, your actions can be a powerful example of how to manage time and stress effectively.
• Encourage Reflection: At the end of the week, take a moment with your children to reflect on what they accomplished. Ask them how it felt to take things slow and steady, and discuss any areas where they felt more relaxed or successful. This reflection not only reinforces the benefits of the approach but also helps them internalize the importance of pacing themselves.

By showing your children that slowing down can lead to success, you’re giving them the tools to rock out in school and beyond. After all, life’s just like a good drum solo – it’s all about finding your rhythm and enjoying the beat.

By Jessica Bauman

In April, my husband and I became first-time homeowners, and in May, we moved into our new house. We’re already quite experienced with moving, so the executive functioning demands of packing, moving, unpacking, and settling in were pretty routine. Additionally, many of our friends bought houses before we did, so we were used to the idea that homeownership comes with seemingly never-ending projects. If you’re a new or even a seasoned homeowner, the topic of this blog is no doubt a familiar one, and I hope you find both some new ideas to make home maintenance more organized and efficient, and reassurance that you’re not alone! If you are yet to become a homeowner, I hope you’ll learn some helpful ideas for your future self and that you can share them with friends and family who might find them helpful.

Challenges

Time management

• Scheduling routine maintenance: Regular check-ups and services for HVAC, plumbing, landscaping, and more. We haven’t lived here long enough to have this high on our radar, but we’re planning for it.
• Managing long-term projects: Renovations, upgrades, improvements, etc. My personal experience so far is that the backyard suffered from decades of neglect. There’s a steep hill that needs stairs and erosion management, and the plant life is currently exclusively invasive vegetation. This is going to be FUN, and it’s going to be a BIG project!

Problem-solving

• Unexpected repairs: I think we can revise the old saying about death and taxes being the two certainties in life and add a third: unexpected repairs in your house. Before we moved in, we realized the house wasn’t wired for internet! And within a week of moving in, the main bathroom showerhead fell off of the wall!

Attention to Detail

• Record-keeping: Keeping records of repairs, improvements, and finances. As with scheduling routine maintenance, we’re in the early stages of this, but planning has begun.
• Budgeting: Planning for expenses in the context of the overall household budget; seeking cost-effective contractors for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades; and selecting energy-efficient options. We’ve encountered wildly varying prices from equally well-regarded landscaping contractors for solving our backyard issues.

Solutions

• Create a home management folder/binder: Have one place where important documents live. Important papers include those produced by others such as warranties, receipts, and manuals, but also include those that you produce, such as:
  • a budgeting spreadsheet
  • a dedicated calendar to track and plan routine maintenance
  • contact information for trusted professionals

This can be either paper or digital, depending on your preference. We use digital for portability and ease of collaboration.

• Use technology to work smarter, not harder: One app I’m so grateful to have randomly stumbled upon is Thumbtack. This app lets you easily communicate simultaneously with multiple professionals about routine and unexpected work you need done at your property, allowing you to compare reviews, costs, availability, and other important considerations. Furthermore, it automatically generates a suggested schedule of routine maintenance tasks that can be easy to forget, such as inspecting the attic, flushing the gutters, clearing the dryer vent, and more!
• Seek support: Knowing your neighbors is a good thing! Connecting with your community through e-mail listservs, social media platforms, and in-person events allows you to get valuable information on how to handle processes and find trusted service providers. We recently learned that our neighbors’ yard was in a similar state to ours when they moved in – before we were born! It is GORGEOUS now, and I’m sure it has been for a long time. We look forward to continued socializing to pick their brains about their experience. Your network that doesn’t live right near you can be helpful as well, as many professionals serve a broad area. In addition to loving my work at Thinking Organized, I’m grateful to a colleague there for connecting me to an excellent exterminator company for the carpenter ants in the yard that are too close for comfort to the house!

Owning a house comes with all sorts of challenges, but by planning ahead, I know that this will be the home of our dreams.