Welcome to one of my favorite and most challenging times of the year, SPRING!! We're a week shy of the official start, but I love this season. Favorite because the temperature is just shy of outdoor perfection. Things are coming alive, starting to bloom, and it's the start of all things girly for me. Spring is cocktails, brunch, and pretty dresses. But Spring is also allergies. Ugh, and sinus issues keep me trapped inside the house, super stuffy and runny nose, or drowsy because allergy meds do a number on me. The other thing that Spring reminds me of is to make sure the essentials of my life are in order. That is the purpose of this post today. On this beautiful, pre-Spring, Sunday afternoon. Let's take a moment to think about what we need to clean, declutter and organize as we jump into the fullness of the year—my top three reminders for Spring. Here we go with the happy bulleted lists.
Where the money resides - This is the perfect time to look at financial goals and stashes for the remainder of the year. C19 made it abundantly clear that you should definitely do it. Especially if you can save extra cash, or stop spending altogether. How many of us have a subscription service we do not use or pay for upgrades that no longer meet our needs? Can you pull in unnecessary expenses? How about your bank? Can you adjust the type of banking products you are using for something more beneficial? We recently changed our primary bill-pay account from one bank to another. The thing is, I know I should have done it a while ago, but it's such a hassle to move your accounts, especially when you have your payments set up already. The exercise was great because it forced me to look at my online footprint and clean up my account information from store sites and other stupid, irresponsible things I had done in the past. The goal is to make sure you are pulling in any wasteful or negligent spending. Get and keep all your coins girl!!
Password Health - Google sends reminders to clean up old passwords, and recently Netflix has decided that if your password is floating around, you should clean that up because they are cracking down on account sharing. But beyond that, making sure you have good strong passwords is necessary, and it's always a good idea to refresh them. Protect yourself and your accounts. Complicated passwords are a must-have (trust me, I work in Cybersecurity). Just make sure you have a handy password vault, in case you forget what those complicated things are, lol.
Check for critters - I live near the woods. It's beautiful, but it does come with its fair share of wild things. I love nature. Deer, birds, rabbits. Cute stuff. I hate infestations. Spiders, mice, snakes, and creepy crawly buzzing things. Those are the things that congregate over entryways and under porches, leaving unsuspecting kids and adults vulnerable to stings and bites. If you have allergies to insects, make sure you use the Spring to fertilize and protect your outdoor space as much as possible. I'm not opposed to chemicals, but I also believe that natural products work well too. I plan to include Rosemary, Lavender, and Mint potted plants on my back patio. Mosquitoes and spiders don't like the smells, and they are multipurpose herb plants, so you can use them in food and add to your space's overall ambiance.
Spring is such a great time to get things done and jump-start your year. Take time to notice all the beauty that exists around you. If you have other Spring routines, drop me a comment and share those details. Happy Spring!!
These are absolutely my thoughts,
~ratedpg