Ah, free time. That elusive creature we all crave but rarely capture. Whether you’re enjoying a lazy weekend or have a few extra hours in the evening, why not make the most of it? From organizing your digital life to planning for your future, we’ve got some great home projects that will maximize your free time and enrich your life.
Our Home Project Suggestions
Organizing Files and Photos
If you’re like most people, paperwork and photos pile up on a desk, table, or cabinet to be dealt with “later.” But, unfortunately, later never seems to happen. The same may be true with your digital files.
Now is the perfect time to get all your files and photos back in order. Check out these tips and tricks to get started!
Organizing Your Digital Space
Focus on your computer desktop, digital photos, and schedule with this post. When you look at your computer desktop, is it cluttered? If you said yes, check this out. Also, take a look here.
If you’re constantly struggling to manage your email inbox, this post is for you! Consider changing your email management strategy to prevent future difficulties.
Have lots of photos on your phone or computer? Then, we’ve got you covered!
While you’re working on organizing your digital space, take the time to change or update your passwords.
It’s also a great time to protect your online identity and ensure only those who need them have your passwords and other personal information. Fill your Vault with commonly used sites, login credentials, and traveler documentation to ensure you can access what you need when and wherever you may be.
Tips for Setting Up and Using LastPass:
- Set your emergency contact: Life happens. In case of an emergency, have an Emergency Access user assigned. This can be any LastPass user of your choice.
- Securely share access: Through the LastPass sharing feature, you can be sure those who need access have it, even if you’re out of the area or don’t have access.
- Ensure all your devices are ready to go: Like most people, you need to work between mobile, tablet, and desktop seamlessly. So be sure you’re connected to all your devices by installing the LastPass Browser Extension and App.
- Double-check security: Account breaches are most likely to occur when accessing your data on a new network. Check the security of all your logins by running the Security Challenge. Address weak credentials ASAP to keep your digital information safe.
Implement other identity theft protection measures as well.
Organizing Paper Files and Photos
How does your home office space look? We have some great tips to help you organize and declutter that space. As you decide what paperwork to keep and what to remove, be sure you know how long you have to keep things.
Maybe you’ve got boxes of old photos stashed in a closet somewhere. Read through this post, pull them out, and get them organized!
Notice a ton of junk mail while you’re tidying up? Put a stop to it today with these tips.
Organizing Your Closets
Organizing closets is a big job, so this may be a weekend project. In most of my client’s homes, closets become the place where things are shoved, stored, and, except for clothes, often never get looked at again. Sound familiar?
Start with your clothes and shoes. Then, use these same principles of bins and baskets to organize everything else in your closets.
You can also see some of our favorite organizational tools right here.
Get a Jump on Your Spring Cleaning
It doesn’t have to be spring to deep clean. It may not entirely feel that way yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get started on your spring cleaning efforts.
While cleaning, you can also set yourself up to stay organized all year long. Here’s how.
That may sound stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Check our best tips for spring cleaning without stress.
And don’t forget the dust mites! They hide in bedding and can cause allergy issues. You might even be blaming those allergies on something else!
While cleaning and organizing your home, be sure you know what to keep.
Plan for Your Future
Financial and estate planning often take a back seat when life is busy. Set aside some time to plan for your future.
Financial Planning
If you’re not working with a financial planner, now is an excellent time to look for one. Not sure how to choose a financial planner? This guide from Forbes discusses fee-only and commission-based advisors. Read more about financial planners here.
Either way, you’re likely to have financial paperwork of some kind – bank statements, insurance info, etc. Get it all organized with our pro tips.
If you’ve never had a financial plan, this is a great time to make one. We’ve got all the basics listed for you.
Also, create a monthly financial to-do list to keep yourself on track all year.
Long-Term Care and Estate Planning
While not always a comfortable topic, long-term care and estate planning are essential to ensure your wishes are followed.
We’ve got some tips for you about long-term care planning, and we highly recommend you include your digital estate in any plans you make.
Do Something Good for Yourself
Take time to do some much-needed self-care. Read those books you’ve been putting off, take that online class, and learn something new. Do something good for yourself. We’d love to hear how you spend your free time. Let us know in the comments below!
