Lifestyle

Marie Kondo Organizing Paper

January 24, 2019 By Joni Kinney Leave a Comment

Are you a super organized person? I can’t say that anyone would say I’m super organized. I am good at time management, but cleaning or organization not so much. Marie Kondo paper

I recently started watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo where she talks about the Konmari cleaning method. The third step of this process is organizing paper.

Konmari Cleaning Method

There are five steps in the KonMari cleaning method

Clothing
Books
Papers
Komono
Sentimental items

Marie Kondo Paper Tips

Have a designated area in the house to deal with paper. This could be a desk, a box, or a drawer.
First deal with pending documents. These are things that are waiting for you to do something such as letters and bills. When you are ready to tidy up your paper, then you should pay your bills and respond or file messages. Have a plan in place and stick to a schedule.
Second is essential documents such as things you need to keep permanently like insurance and tax items. You should set up a filing system or have a permanent location to put them.
Miscellaneous documents you have like cut-outs of magazines or things you want to go back and read should have their separate box or place. This allows you easy access and keeps them organized.

Marie Kondo Books

January 21, 2019 By Joni Kinney Leave a Comment

The Konmari cleaning method is explained in detail in our post titled Marie Kondo Cleaning Tips. Start with that post, so you don’t skip any steps. In this article, we are discussing the second step of the Marie Kondo cleaning method by talking about books.

There are five steps in the KonMari cleaning method

Clothing
Books
Papers
Komono
Sentimental items

How to start dealing with books

The first step of the Marie Kondo books category is to take all of your books and put them into a big pile. Next, you will take every book into your hands and see if it sparks joy for you. With books, you also want to ask yourself if having that book will be beneficial for your life going forward.

Will you use the book again?
Are you going to Reference the book in the future?
In the future will you reread the book?

Books should give you some sort of emotional reaction. If they don’t then you should show gratitude towards them and let them go.

Other Marie Kondo Books tips

You should try to limit your book collection to 20-30 books at any given time.
If books have been stored for a long time you need to wake them up.
Don’t confuse joy with guilt for letting something go.

Marie Kondo Cleaning Tips

January 19, 2019 By Joni Kinney 4 Comments

Lately, I started to hear about the Marie Kondo Cleaning phenomenon and decided I needed to watch this show on Netflix for myself. So I settled in for a comfy Saturday on the couch and thought to myself “I sure hope I can learn some Marie Kondo tips to help me.”

If you know me at all, you would realize I HATE cleaning. I don’t just dislike it; I full out hate it. Now I know it needs to be done, but it’s never been an enjoyable thing for me. Maybe learning some new cleaning tips will help energize me to finally tackle some of those unpacked boxes we have lying around the house.

Marie Kondo Tips

Clean in Categories

The very first of the Marie Kondo tips is to clean by category, not by location. Cleaning by category helps to establish a start and end to tidying. She believes you need to clean by this category order:

Clothing
Books
Paper
Komono – Kitchen, Bathroom, Garage, and Miscellaneous
Sentimental Items

Tips for Tidying

Hold each item to see if it brings you joy. If you hold each thing and it doesn’t bring you joy then you should let it go or get rid of it. I have heard of something similar before by looking at something and deciding if it falls into one of three categories.

Do you need it to make money?
Do you need it because you use it every day?
Or do you need it because you genuinely love it?

If an item doesn’t fall into one of these categories, then you get rid of it. Marie Kondo believes that if you concentrate on the subject, you will decide if you need it and if you don’t you can then get rid of it.

Other Marie Kondo Tips

While watching several episodes of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix here are some cleaning tips I have picked up.

Keep like sized items together
Use tiny boxes to keep things organized
Fold clothes into small squares
Store things so you can see what you have
When you have a lot of something put it in a big pile so you can see everything you have and make a better decision on if you need it all.
Store decorations in boxes not in plastic bags.

Marie Kondo Folding Method

January 19, 2019 By Joni Kinney Leave a Comment

While watching Tidying UP with Marie Kondo, I learned a new method of dealing with clothes. Read this article for more information about the full Marie Kondo method. In this article, we will look at the Marie Kondo Folding method for dealing with your clothing.

Folding clothes isn’t something I love, but it’s not my least favorite household chore either. However, I can honestly say that this method of folding items makes them much neater. As a bonus, if you store them correct, you can then easily see what you have. Folding clothes using the Marie Kondo folding method makes storage so much simpler.

Deciding on Wardrobe

Before we can get to folding your clothes you have to deal with all the excess you have. Put all your clothing into one big pile. Hold each item individually and decide if it sparks joy. If it does not, gently discard the item. If it does, you get to keep it.

Marie Kondo Folding Shirts

The first step to folding clothes using the Marie Koldo folding method is to lay your clothing item out flat. For this example, we will assume you are folding a shirt. The second step is to fold the sleeves of your shirt to form a long rectangle. The third step is to fold your item in half. The final step is to fold it into thirds. When clothing items are folded in this method, they should stand on their own.

Here is a video you can watch where Marie Kondo goes over this method.

Folding Fitted Sheets

Many people make folding fitted sheets complicated. They don’t need to be. Fold the elastic to the inside, while maintaining the rectangle shape. Then you fold in half. Depending on where you are going to store those sheets will depend on if you then roll it, fold it in thirds or leave it folded in half.

Here is a quick video to help you.

Folding Neckties

Use the same method as a shirt to start by folding them in half. However, instead of folding the ties into thirds you roll them. This will allow you to then store them in a small box to place in a drawer. Making it easy to see which ones you want to wear and offers an easy storage solution.

10 Valentines Day Date Ideas that are Simple and Easy

January 10, 2019 By Joni Kinney Leave a Comment

Valentines Day is right around the corner, and while my husband and I enjoy each others company, we’ve never been big fans of over the top holiday celebrations. That is why we thought others could benefit from some simple and easy Valentines Day Date ideas.

1. Recreate a date from the past

Pick your favorite past date and recreate it. Whether this is a walk in the park or an ice skating night or maybe a little cozy time together on the couch, it’s sure to be a hit for a Valentines Day Date.

2. Cook a meal at home you both enjoy

Every Valentines Day Date I’ve been on has involved food. Now I don’t think food has to be involved, but you are going to need to eat that day anyway. Why not kill two birds with one stone so to speak and make a nice meal you enjoy.

3. Go away together for the weekend

This doesn’t have to be fancy. Get a hotel in your town even, get away together. Visit a nearby city you’ve been meaning to explore or find a way to go camping together for the weekend. Whatever you do, do it together.

4. Get dressed up and watch a movie

No one said you had to spend a ton of money to have a lovely Valentines Day Date together. Pick out a theme or dress in nice clothes and stay home and watch a movie together.

5. Turn off the phones and play board games

This idea might be hard just because I am asking you to give up your phone for a night. You can do anything but be committed to whatever you are doing. For us, this is usually some board game night.

6. Do a Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts can be fun, but sometimes we make them too complicated. Make it easy on yourself by using a pre-made list and using some theme. Since we are talking about Valentines Day Date ideas a love or heart theme would be cute.

7. Write down Memories of favorite moments and then read them

This is an especially fun date night idea if you have to keep the kids around. Everyone can participate by writing down their favorite memories over the past year. Once everyone has completed this task as part of your Valentines Day Date, read them all out loud so everyone can remember those moments.

8. Make some homemade products for pampering

There are so many great DIY recipes you can make on Pinterest. Try making bath salts or fizzes for a spa-like feel. Plus once you are done making them you get to use them! It’s like a spa night at the house!

9. Go to a movie

This is a very traditional idea. However, there is a reason traditional options are a tried and true favorite. A good movie is soothing to the soul. Plus sneaking in a romance now and then is fun too!

10. Find a fancy restaurant and go out to eat

Going out to eat at a nice place in town is a sure hit for your Valentines Day Date. Don’t hold back and find that place you’ve meant to visit. Make sure if the area is super popular you are making reservations.

No matter what you do this Valentines Day, I hope you do it with love and laughter. Enjoy the times you get to spend with family and friends.

Be Successful with 12 Ways to Make Budgeting Easy

December 26, 2018 By Joni Kinney Leave a Comment

To many people just saying the word Budget makes them cringe. It’s like Budget is like an offensive word, and it reminds me of cleaning. You know you need to do it, you probably have a general sense of even how to do it, yet you don’t want to. In this article, we are going to break down how you can make budgeting easy.

There are many advantages to budgeting. If you want to learn more about some of those pros check out our article 5 budget advantages to make you successful. To try and help make things easier for you we’ve created some FREE resources just for you! We really hope you enjoy our Free Budget and Expense Tracking printables.

How to make budgeting easy

Consistency – This is probably the most important tip I can give you. However, being consistent will help you stick to your budget. As soon as you start to make excuses, you will give up on yourself. Don’t do that!
Use an App – We put together an article about five apps that you can download to help you with your budget. Which one do you think would help you the most?
Track Categories – I found that if I tracked every dollar I spent, I drove myself crazy. So instead I gave myself a category for misc items such as that random candy bar I needed at work. This way I could put money into that category without having to write down every cent used. However, some categories you need to track every line item. Use what works for you!
Forgive yourself – You are going to make mistakes. Additionally, you are going to forget to write down something. However, don’t beat yourself up, correct it and move on.
Be accountable – Some people will not follow through if they are the only ones who know what they are doing. Tell someone, make them ask you how you are doing. It’s harder to quit if someone is asking you about your progress.
Understand your goal – If you haven’t picked out a reason for budgeting, you should do that now. If you take our Monthly Budget Blastoff course, you will get some great tips on how to set financial goals.
Do what works for you – Just because a plan works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Read and research, but ultimately you have to determine how to make your budget yours.
Gets others on board – Parents, kids, significant others can dramatically impact your success. However, those who can influence you should be on board with your plan, or at least supportive of what you are doing.
Reward yourself – As you achieve success with your budget find a small reward you can enjoy. In other words, your reward might be an afternoon alone. It’s way more motivating to work towards something that has some reward. Ask yourself, what is rewarding to you? How can you make that fit into your budget goals?
Do NOT give up – We all get frustrated. We all want to give up. We are all cheering for you to not be like those who fail. Start and finish your budget each month, celebrate milestones, and don’t give up.
Schedule Time – Everyday you need to schedule a time to update your budget. Either pay bills, update what you spent or plan out our next budget. No matter what you do, get in the habit of investing some time each day to your budget.
Be Productive – Being busy and being productive are not the same. Above all, don’t over think things. Don’t get wrapped up in making your spreadsheet pretty or your budget perfect looking. Just get it down on paper so you can adjust, learn and fulfill your goals.

Monthly Budget Blastoff

As mentioned earlier in the article we have a course we call our Monthly Budget Blastoff that can help you with your budget needs. This course is great for helping you determine how to make budgeting easy, helping you set goals, and you can then figure out the basics of budgets. Additionally, you get a free budget spreadsheet! Check it out now!

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