How to decide if something needs to go. . .Purging 101

I often get asked by clients how do they decide what to let go of as we are sorting through their stuff. I personally live by a couple of easy rules to follow.

The questions I ask myself are:

1. Is this something I love having and love looking at?

2. Is this something I use? (or have plans to use in the very near future)

If the answer isn't yes to one or both of those questions, then you can rest assured that item's shelf life is about to come to an end.

There may need to be a little more thought put into a particular item, and if so, I might delve a little further into my attachment:

1. I try to come up with another way I could use an item. I will search online boards like Pinterest to see if I can find some way to repurpose the item. However, I won't keep something for that undefined "someday I'll use it" scenario.

 

2. I think about how easy it would be to replace. If it’s relatively inexpensive and readily available, my decision will be a bit easier than if it’s a pricey heirloom or irreplaceable antique. However, I’m still completely fine with purging those “irreplaceable” items if I honestly don’t need, want, use, or love them.

 

3. I realistically evaluate how much space the item consumes. Large bulky items have less chance to survive around the house because I’m not willing to “waste” so much storage space. However, I’ll sometimes hold onto smaller items if I have a convenient storage space for them AND if I can honestly see myself using the items.

 

4. I ask my spouse's opinion. Usually he’s also in favor of purging, but there have been times when he wants to hold onto an item for a specific purpose I didn’t realize. So before I make any major purges, I usually let him peruse through my piles. This system has worked well for us, however if your spouse or other family members tend to keep everything, I might not be as eager to let them look through my piles 

That’s it — pretty simple, but unfortunately not very “black and white”.
Yes, there’s a small chance I might regret purging a specific item, and I might have a twinge of guilt as I sell or give the items away… but I always try to remind myself that someone else will be thrilled to find my cast-offs and I will enjoy all my extra space. Win-Win!

In my opinion (take it for what it’s worth) If you don’t LOVE it, and you don’t USE it, you should LOSE it! 

Over the last few months several updates, as well as a feature update, have rolled out to most Windows devices. Additionally, the introduction of Windows 11, which downloads and installs for free if you are running Windows 10, was released. Unfortunately, many users are experiencing printing issues on their devices after these updates.

This post discusses why you may have experienced recent printer issues on a Windows device, as well as the best way to fix the issue. Printing issues include existing printers suddenly not working in addition to color printers suddenly only printing in black and white.

Read more...

Written by Scentsy in Authentic Scentsy, Inspiration, Scentsy Spirit

It’s never a bad time to sit down and set goals for the future, but this week is a great starting point! The beginning of the year offers a fresh vantagepoint to plan new milestones and rekindle old dreams. In fact, Scentsy is celebrating Inspire the Soul week — featuring a look at what’s ahead for Scentsy, as well as advice on establishing your own goals! Here are some of our favorite tips for success:

Have a clear vision

It’s hard to get anywhere if you don’t know where you’re going! Taking the time to visualize your goals is a proven way to accomplish them — even professional athletes incorporate visualization into their training regimen to help develop recognition within the nervous system. Tools like vision boards and Pinterest pins can help you create and maintain a clear view of everything you want to achieve!

Get SMART

Having a vision of what you want to achieve is great, but if that vision is complex or far-reaching it’s going to seem impossible to make it a reality. That’s where the SMART method comes in: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound goals let you chart a clear path to success. After all, unspecific or unmeasurable goals often feel unachievable. Meanwhile, even the most specific goals won’t see much progress if they aren’t relevant to your life or have no deadlines. Checking all the boxes of the SMART method may seem difficult, but our next two tips make it a snap!

Write and re-write

A great way to check if a goal is SMART or not is to write it down. For example, “I will become a more versatile writer” isn’t the SMART-est way of wording what you want to achieve — it’s vague and immeasurable. “I will be less reliant on em dashes” is better, but there’s no endpoint or deadline to check if the goal is complete. “I will use no more than two em dashes for the rest of this blog post” is a SMART goal — provided expanding your writing abilities is relevant to your life. One more to go.

Find your “why”

All the tips and tools in the world won’t help you achieve your goals if they aren’t relevant to you. It’s important to stop and ask yourself why you want to do something in the first place. Introspection is hard, but personality tests and advice from the people who know you best can help. By finding out what makes you tick, you can set goals you’ll be motivated to complete, rather than ones that just feel like chores.

And there you have it! We hope these tips help set you up for success throughout the new year. Achieving your goals may still be challenging at times — you may even miss a few of them — but the most important thing is to stay positive! Sharing your goals with others can be a big help.

What will the Real Estate Market do in 2022

One of the big questions everyone asks about Real Estate is what will the market do this year. 

Last year we were faced with record low inventory combined with record low interest rates.  This led to a perfect storm where homes values rose at unprecedented double digit rates in much of the country.  Many people found the rate of inflation outpacing their ability to afford housing. 

So what will we see in 2022? 

Already this year is showing promising changes.  The number of listings has begun to increase.  We have seen the number of homes listed for sale increase to about 5% or more in many areas.  In addition, home values are expected to rise slower this year.  If interest rates increase as predicted by the experts,  fewer people will be competing for available homes.  This will ease the tight market allowing for less competition for buyers who are in the market for a hew home.  Right now, mortgage interest rates are still low, and buyers can afford higher priced homes. Buyers should lock in their rates early in the year, while they are still low. However, though the market has eased a bit for buyers, it still remains a seller’s market. 

One thing we are seeing in the market is growth of available starter homes.  These are homes between 900 and 1800 square feet.  This will help millennials looking to buy their first homes.  Existing home owners are starting to move up resulting in more homes on the market.  

Since this is still a seller’s market, you need to know what to do in order to be a successful home buyer.  Buyers need to approach the market with determination.  Get your pre-approval letter for a loan in hand, and be ready to search.  Though you may expect to find one perfect home to buy, more often than not, it doesn’t turn out that way.  You have to be open minded and be ready to make concessions.  Sometimes buyers  write several offers, before they get one accepted.  Find a Realtor who is as determined as you are and will work with you until you are successful.  You will be happy you did.  With determination you will succeed and find a home of your own in 2022!

Have you ever read articles about how people like Oprah or Tony Robbins start their day? They claim the practice of gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to change your life, and they are living proof. Keeping a gratitude journal is an excellent way to start noticing and counting your blessings. It’s simple, yet powerful.

But there’s no need to stop there!

There are many ways to add the practice of gratitude into your life so that you stay focused on appreciating all the amazing things you have in your life. Here are a few simple ways to add more feelings of gratitude in your life, starting now.

• ·        Compliment a stranger—how many times have you admired someone’s haircut or blouse, but not complimented them on it? Start today!
• ·        Let someone ahead of you in line—remember how it feels when you have one item, and all the people in front of you have a shopping cart full? Guess what? Everyone feels that way. The next time you get the opportunity, let that person go in front of you.
• ·        Avoid negative media—it’s tough to stay focused on all the goodness around you when you allow all the negative news in the world to play in front of you every day. Find positive TV, movies and other media to watch instead.
• ·        Cherish your friends—when was the last time you told your BFF how much you appreciate them being in your life? Not because of anything they’ve done, but just for loving and supporting you throughout your life’s journey.
• ·        Listen deeply—so often, when we listen to someone talk we are rehearsing what we want to say next. Notice how often you do that and practice listening intently to the person, even if they are telling you about something that doesn’t interest you.
• ·        Go outside and relish—most of us don’t get out into nature as much as we should. And that’s a shame because we miss out on so many wonders! Take time to go outside more. Go to the park and listen to the kids squeal with delight. Watch a hummingbird at your neighbor’s feeder. Enjoy the beauty of the natural world.
• ·        Practice not complaining—when you start to notice how often you complain, you’ll be amazed! One day a week, practice not complaining, but rather reframe everything to put a positive, grateful spin on it. And mean it!

Marilyn Barker is a Business Consultant, REBT Mindset Certified, Business and Motivational Coach.  Check out : www.MariilynBarker.com  and sign up for more free information. 

Everyone who has a cell phone has likely been the recipient of SPAM text messages which have recently become more common. These messages are being added to the already sometimes overwhelming number of SPAM emails and calls people deal with on a daily basis. Like SPAM calls and emails, there are things to look for to help determine when an incoming text message is really SPAM.

This post discusses a few things to help you identify when incoming text messages are actually SPAM that should be deleted.

How to Identify Text Messages that are Really SPAM

There are several different things you can look for when an incoming text message arrives to help determine if the message is likely to be SPAM. If you aren't sure, it is a good idea to err on the side of caution and delete the message. At the very least, do not click on any links included in the message.

Read More

Written by Scentsy in Authentic Scentsy, Inspiration, Tips & Tricks

It’s that time of year again, when social media is filled with fanciful fall pictures, boots, scarves, lattes and spooky Halloween snapshots. The right caption helps your posts stand out, and gives your followers a good chuckle. At Scentsy, we pride ourselves on our, ahem, scents of humor, so we took a trip to the “pun-kin” patch to bring you fall-tastic quips for your autumn pics!

Pumpkin-flavored fun

From doorstep displays to our morning coffee, there’s no escaping these glorious orange globes. So next time you snap a pumpkin portrait, try posting it with one of these puns:

• Example: Give ’em pumpkin to talk about this fall season! 
• Gourd-geous
• Life is gourd
• Squash goals
• Pump-king
• Pumpkin spice things up

Halloween tricks and fall treats

When you’re ringing doorbells with trick-or-treaters or cozying up with a hot beverage, fall is filled with sweet moments. These captions pair perfectly with the highlights of the autumnal season:

• Example: I s-pies some amazing fall scents 
• Fa-boo-lous
• Spice-tacular
• Spook-tacular
• I only have pies for you
• We love these scents a latte
• Hay, there!
• A-maize-ing
• Skele-fun
• Ghostess with the mostest
• Grate-fall
• Fall-ing for …
• Have you chai’d this fragrance?
• Boo-tiful
• Eek-tastic
• Appley every after

Naturally autumn

Fall is a grand time to get in-touch with your inner nature photographer. Take some time to get outdoors and capture the natural beauty that is so abundant this time of year — then share that beauty with the world! Here are some fun and inspirational captions to pair with autumn’s majesty:

• Example: You really autumn know we love this time of year! 
• Unbe-leaf-able
• Do you be-leaf in the magic of autumn?
• Don’t leaf this behind
• Autumn leaves joy in your heart
• Be-leaf in yourself

Have fun with it!

Why is Journaling So Popular?

Journaling is one of the oldest self-help practices in the world. It dates to the 10^th century and has only grown in popularity over time. Today, millions of people use the practice to help improve their lives.

So, why is journaling so popular? Here, you’ll discover what is driving the journaling craze and the reasons you should consider taking it up yourself.

Journaling relieves stress.

Did you know that journaling is a great tool for relieving stress? Getting your thoughts and emotions down onto paper can help to clear them from the mind. This automatically leaves you feeling calmer and more relaxed.

Journaling can also be used to analyze your problems. When you can clearly work out solutions to the issues you are facing, it can help you to feel more in control. This in turn will help to reduce stress, helping you to feel happier and more relaxed.

It boosts mental health.

Journaling is scientifically proven to benefit mental health. It can be used to relieve the symptoms of depression, reduce anxiety, and improve overall wellbeing.

It’s easy to get lost inside your own head. We all have an inner critic, but for some it can prove to be overpowering. If you have trouble switching off your inner critic, journaling can help. You’ll be able to address negative thinking, helping to switch to a more positive mindset.

The longer you journal for, the more mental health benefits you’ll experience. After just a month of journaling, you’ll notice a drastic improvement in your mood.

Journaling provides surprising health benefits.

As well as helping to boost mental health, journaling can also be great for physical health too. There have been a lot of studies which have shown that journaling on a regular basis can:

• ·         Boost your immune system.
• ·         Improve your memory.
• ·         Help you recover from trauma.
• ·         Improve cardiovascular health.

The health benefits are largely down to an increase in stress and negativity. You might just be surprised how much a positive outlook can improve your physical health.

So, if you are looking to become healthier both mentally and physically, keeping a daily journal can help.

Helping to improve every aspect of your life.

With journaling, it can help to improve every aspect of your life. You can use it to better yourself in every possible way. Want to lose weight? A journal can help you to set goals and track your progress. It will also help you to identify what it is that is making you keep the weight on (such as poor eating habits or emotional eating).

You can use daily journaling to improve your relationships, get better sleep, become healthier and reduce stress. There really is no limit to what journaling can help you to achieve.

These are some of the main reasons why journaling is so popular. While it used to only consist of writing down your thoughts, these days there are lots of different types you can practice. Research the different types before choosing which one is right for you.

Marilyn Barker
Barker Business Services
Empowerment and Goal Coach

Take Control of Your Immune System

Your immune system is a miraculous gift. It began working before you were born, and if it is properly cared for, it will continue to work throughout a long, fulfilling life.

With education and the right decisions, there is a lot you can do to support and safeguard this essential system. The Wellness Company can  help you better understand your immune system and offer some simple steps and advice to help protect it and keep it functioning at peak efficiency.

Your Defense Systems: Thymus gland, Adenoids, Tonsils, Lymphatic System, Spleen and Bone Marrow.

Care and maintenance of your immune system is vast but simple.  Consider daily pre- and pro-biotics, soluble and insoluble fiber,  a boost of vitamins C and E plus Zinc,  daily multivitamins, eat healthy options, boost antioxidant consumption, no smoking or vaping, maintain a healthy weight, reduce inflammation, maintain lower stress levels, sleep well, exercise, consume minimal sugar/ carbs/alcohol, brush, floss and stay safe this winter.  Wash your hands frequently.  

If you’d like to learn more, I'm happy to provide information and resources.   15 minutes can make a difference. 

Most of the time the advice coming from those who work in technology or security will tell you not to ever share passwords, user accounts, or devices, as well as not to reuse credentials or use easy passwords. These are some of the basics of protecting your personal identity and data. However, there are a couple of situations where duplication of accounts can be extremely helpful while introducing very little risk.

These situations occur when having multiple accounts can be critical to accessibility if anything happens to the original account. This post discusses two accounts and one type of software where multiple versions are completely necessary for recovery if something happens to the original.

3 Tech Situations Where it is Dangerous Not to Have Multiple Accounts/Versions

Devices - multiple accounts

Anyone using a local user account on a Windows device who has forgotten their credentials knows it can be impossible to log back into that device without using forcible means.

Read more