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01:51:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/sheamoisture.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(115,1,'2011-01-10 20:20:10','2011-01-11 02:20:10','','jewelry and hair organizer','My Jewelry and Hair Accessory Organizer','inherit','open','open','','jewelry-and-hair-organizer','','','2011-01-10 20:20:10','2011-01-11 02:20:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/jewelry-and-hair-organizer.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(118,1,'2017-02-26 02:05:34','2017-02-26 02:05:34','','Testimonial','','publish','closed','closed','','testimonial','','','2017-02-26 02:05:34','2017-02-26 02:05:34','',0,'http://demo.themefreesia.com/excellent/?page_id=118',0,'page','',0),(120,1,'2017-02-26 02:06:45','2017-02-26 02:06:45','','Front Page Features','','publish','closed','closed','','front-page-features','','','2017-08-14 20:33:54','2017-08-14 20:33:54','',0,'http://demo.themefreesia.com/excellent/?page_id=120',0,'page','',0),(129,560,'2011-01-15 08:00:11','2011-01-15 14:00:11','<p class=\"mceTemp\">Think back to when you were a young\'un LOL.  If you are over the age of 30 you will remember when your mom used to make food that would seemingly feed the masses.  How did she do that?  Back then we probably didn\'t think about it too much or you thought she was just magic.  Well, the reality of the situation is that she probably made a lot of meals that were inexpensive and would stretch...Spaghetti (or really any type of pasta dish), Casseroles with rice at the base, Stew, Pot pies, etc.  In an attempt to cook more at home, my family has been adding more freezer meals, soups and casseroles to our meal lineup.  This will help us to not only save money, but to save time and meet some of our health goals as well.  Talk about life transitions!!!</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Identifying the Lies We Tell Ourselves</h1>\r\n<p class=\"mceTemp\">I remember when I first started doing this, I really had to sit back and be honest with myself as to why I wasn\'t cooking as much as I could.  At the time I was single, but I know you\'ve used those same excuses before, some may have used them more recently than they\'d like to admit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"mceTemp\">You know the excuses I\'m talking about...I\'m too busy to cook, it\'s cheaper for me to eat out or I\'m too tired, it\'s too hard to cook for one person...yeah yeah yadda yadda.  Lets just be honest with ourselves...we are just being L.A.Z.Y...yeah I can say it, because when I used to make those excuses I was being lazy.  Now, that\'s not to say we weren\'t busy, but we always find time for what we really want to do.</p>\r\nWell, I realize that you can\'t change a habit overnight, but I can definitely help you to change one small step at a time.  I have for years made this dish that is absolutely delicious and it doesn\'t take much at all.  I am going to post the recipe here (as I make it) and will link to the recipe.\r\n<h1><strong><a title=\"Full Recipe from Recipe.com\" href=\"http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/anniversary-chicken-i/Detail.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anniversary Chicken</a></strong> (my adapted recipe from allrecipe.com click the title for the full recipe)</h1>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"250\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/anniversary-chicken.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1148 \" title=\"Anniversary Chicken\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/anniversary-chicken.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" /></a> HtCasey\'s Photo from allrecipes.com[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"mceTemp\"><strong>Ingredients</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Chicken (however much you want)</li>\r\n 	<li>1/2 cup teriyaki basting sauce (low sodium)</li>\r\n 	<li>1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing</li>\r\n 	<li>Shredded Cheese (whichever kind you prefer)*</li>\r\n 	<li>Bacon bits (real or canned)*</li>\r\n 	<li>Rice (enough to serve number you are feeding)</li>\r\n 	<li>Water (enough to cover the rice)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).</li>\r\n 	<li>Place chicken in a baking dish, pour teriyaki sauce and then the ranch dressing over chicken evenly.</li>\r\n 	<li>Sprinkle rice in between the chicken pieces and pour water over rice (Don\'t add too much water at the beginning, you can add more later to thin sauce out if necessary).</li>\r\n 	<li>Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Baste chicken with sauce halfway through cooking time.</li>\r\n 	<li>*Optional - You can add bacon bits and cheese to the top of your chicken at the end of cooking until melted. Garnish and serve.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nTips:  The teriyaki sauce and ranch dressing and water create this delicious sauce that the chicken and rice cook in, so depending on your preference you can make the sauce thick or more liquid by adding more water.  I usually turn and baste the chicken (stirring and blending the sauce some) halfway through the cooking time.  Remember teriyaki sauce is sweet and can be high in sodium so I usually buy the low sodium sauce.  You can adjust your teriyaki to ranch dressing measurements based on your preference.\r\n\r\nThis meal is very inexpensive and can feed a ton of people based on how you make it.  It takes me maybe 5 mins to prepare and the magic happens all on its own.  You can omit the rice from the recipe and make it separately if you choose...I just like one pot cooking whenever possible and the sauce that is made is mixed with the rice which is delicious.  So, try this recipe and let me know how it works for you.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Returning to Casserole Basics with Surprise Chicken','','publish','open','open','','casserole-basics-surprise-chicken','','','2019-07-27 05:19:41','2019-07-27 05:19:41','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=129',0,'post','',0),(145,560,'2011-01-18 08:00:56','2011-01-18 08:00:56','Many of you probably didn\'t know but I was actually a customer service representative (CSR) for the Internal Revenue Service back in the day.  It was a great experience and made me realize the mistakes that people make on a regular basis as it relates to their personal income tax.  I decided it would be good for me to share some of the most common issues I used to and still do see (almost twenty years later), to help you avoid them.\r\n\r\nNow I know that many of you get anxious and itching to file your taxes in January, because that is like an instant payday to you.  I mean I totally get it, but seriously people CALM DOWN!!!!  I promise you taking a little time and ensuring you have crossed the T\'s and dotted the I\'s can save you not only time but money and frustration.\r\n\r\nOk now before I provide you with these tips I want to put out a disclaimer:  I am not a tax professional.  I am providing you information based on my own experiences as a CSR for those filing personal tax returns and want you to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should implement these tips in your own life.\r\n\r\nAlright, now that that\'s out of the way, lets get to it:\r\n<h2>1.  Don\'t File Too Fast</h2>\r\nMany of you only worked at one place, so you get your W2 and you want to go ahead and file.  I say, \"whoaaaaaa nelly\"!!!  Do you really have all the documents you need to file?  You need to really think about what assets and liabilities you have and ensure you properly account for them in all the places on your tax form.  You\'d hate to receive your refund and then have to pay back money or amend your return because you omitted something in error.  By law, all tax documents should be postmarked by Jan 31st...so at least wait until Feb 5th. to ensure you have what you need.\r\n<h2>2.  Avoid Anticipation Loans</h2>\r\nNow, I don\'t want any of these companies trying to sue me for telling the truth here.  The truth is that by going to these places you are essentially taking out a loan on your own money!  Did you know by filing electronically you can get your money in as quick as 7 days?!?!  Why pay someone to do the same thing that you can do for free?  Just go directly to the source, file your taxes electronically...provide them with an account number and they will deposit your money into it directly.  If you want to <a href=\"https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">get the status of your refund</a>, you can go to the IRS website directly.\r\n<h2>3.  Mind Who You Claim</h2>\r\nIf you have a person that may be claimable by someone else you need to ensure you can claim them before you put them on your taxes.  Just because they live with you during the year does not mean you can claim them.  It\'s based on five tests:  Relationship, age, residency, support and joint return and the answers aren\'t necessarily what you may think. Divorce decrees and/or written declarations can also change the rules. Chapter 3 of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IRS Publication 17</a> details this out.\r\n\r\nIf all else fails <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">call and ask</a> a CSR, but be honest in your responses so they can give you the real answer.  Claiming someone on your taxes that someone else should claim could delay your refund or cause you to owe money back.  This is also true if the actual person you are claiming files and claim\'s them self.\r\n<h2>4.  Get Help Preparing Your Taxes</h2>\r\nFor those who make $54,000 or less you can receive free help at a <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-you-by-volunteers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">VITA site</a>.  Those over the age of 60 can participate in the Tax Counseling for the elderly program and there are some things for a few other specific groups as well.  For everyone else don\'t be afraid to call 1-800-829-1040, the IRS help line, to get assistance (after the government shutdown ends).  Also, use <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IRS Publication 17 </a>to assist you in preparing your taxes.\r\n<h2>5.  Use Free Online Filing Options</h2>\r\nYou should use the <a title=\"E-File Through IRS\" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IRS Free File links</a> to identify all available offers.  Many \"other\" sites have tricky extras that end up costing you when using their links.  Make sure you read and understand (especially the fine print) before clicking the button of sites outside of the list the IRS provides and even read those too.\r\n<h2>6.  Appropriately Apply Deductions and Credits</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5751 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tax-filing-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Organize for Tax Filing - Common Mistakes\" width=\"306\" height=\"459\" />\r\n\r\nThere are many deductions and credits out there that people miss because they don\'t educate themselves.  The online filing sites ask questions that help determine whether you are or aren\'t eligible for specific deductions and credits.  If you are using a preparer and the deduction or credit seems too good to be true, always ask for a detailed explanation of how they came up with it or what makes you eligible.  Every deduction and credit has an <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/publications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IRS Publication</a> associated with it.  It doesn\'t take an extremely long time to review them...empower yourself!\r\n\r\nAdditionally, you can review the <a href=\"https://taxchanges.us/?source=ttk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">latest changes to the IRS regulations here</a> from the Taxpayer Advocates Office.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>7.  Get a Copy of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IRS Publication 17</a></h2>\r\nIt explains most of the scenarios you will need to have covered.  If when reading it refers to another publication, just get it or download it from the website, they are all there.  This is a great place to start when researching changes in the tax code each year too.\r\n<h2>8.  Keep Good Records</h2>\r\nYou always want to make sure you have records of anything you plan on claiming...or have a way of proving it if you are ever audited.  Most people have a general idea of what those things are so start keeping a running file of those items, be that electronic or physical.  If you know you will have a lot of receipts, have a way of categorizing them to make it easier come tax time.\r\n\r\nJust to note, everyone now files a Form 1040, (<a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">see recent changes</a>).  Additionally, with the new tax law changes the standard deduction will probably be more beneficial for most people, but you never know until you crunch the numbers...so plan for it until you identify what is best for you.\r\n<h2>9.  Know Tax Year Changes</h2>\r\nWe all experience life happenings, some of the biggest ones are caused by natural disasters, job loss, home loss and other national happenings.  Along with these changes comes changes to the tax rules, some good and some bad.  Please educate yourselves so you don\'t miss out or make a mistake when it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/Credits-&amp;-Deductions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">credits and deductions</a>. (i.e., If you claim the <a title=\"Earned Income Tax Credit\" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"4acaffc8-4b32-479f-af7c-6bc23902a13f\">Earned Income Tax Credit</a> or <a title=\"Does My Child/Dependent Qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for Other Dependents?  \" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"6b0e6fb6-274b-40df-963f-02bae20a5ede\">Additional Child Tax Credit</a>, the IRS cannot issue refunds before mid-February).\r\n\r\nDon\'t let this one scare you, you have the ability to do this on your own.  Again, most of the information you need to know is covered in Publication 17 or you can check out the <a href=\"https://taxchanges.us/?source=ttk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Taxpayer Advocate Office\'s list of changes here</a>.  One tip is to look for the green or red arrows to identify items you need to pay close attention to.\r\n\r\nThe key is for you to be aware so you can ensure there isn\'t a credit, deduction or additional tax that you didn\'t have to pay in years past (marriage/divorce, birth/death, new home, etc.) or new ones that you do.  Don\'t leave money on the table.\r\n<h2>10.  Don\'t Miss the Deadline</h2>\r\nWhatever you do, do not miss the April 15th deadline if you owe!  File an extension, but don\'t just try to ignore it as though it\'s going to go away because it is not.  In fact, all that\'s going to happen is interest and penalties will continue to add up (these are calculated daily!).   If it is just a matter of you don\'t have the money, it\'s okay!!!  Just call and tell them you want to make an arrangement to pay.  They will set you up on a payment plan that works for your budget...no matter the amount.  I actually had to do this myself shortly after college when I was categorized as an Independent Contractor and didn\'t realize I had to pay my own taxes (I was young).  The letter I received from the IRS stated that I owed $20,000 and I of course went into a mass panic.  The key to this story is that I was able to make arrangements and pay it off.  It took me a while, but I did it...and you can too.\r\n<h1>A Few Bonus Tax Tips</h1>\r\nOk, so after writing #10 above, I felt obligated to add a couple of bonus tips for you small business owners...\r\n<h2>Bonus 1:  Know Small Business Requirements</h2>\r\nMake sure you know what taxes you owe, both for your Federal and State taxes.  As a person who experienced the stress of owing the Government, you want to make sure you know and understand your requirements as a business owner, especially all of you who are independent contractors.  If you don\'t pay quarterly taxes you need to ensure you are taking the appropriate taxes out of the money you make from every sell.  If not, you risk getting shocked at the end of the year.\r\n<h2>Bonus 2:  Business Tax and Sale Log</h2>\r\nNow for some small businesses you haven\'t made enough sells to justify purchasing an accounting software for your business.  There are mixed feelings about this, but I say do what is best for your business.  If you are diligent about keeping track of what is going in and out of your business, you can do it by hand without a problem.  Of course the more successful you are, the more complicated your in-take and out-take procedures and processes are and the riskier and more difficult it becomes.\r\n<h2>Bonus 3:  Know What You Are Filing</h2>\r\nEven if you have your taxes prepared by someone else, you should always have a clear understanding and approve of what is being filed on your behalf.  You are ultimately responsible, whether someone else made the decision to do it or not.  By signing the last line on your physical and electronic return, you are certifying that you are taking the responsibility for everything on the document, so take it seriously.  Don\'t let someone rush you through the explanation of your taxes. If you are paying them, you are paying for their time...so use it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hope you found these tips helpful!  Please let me know if you do by sharing, liking and/or commenting on this post below, I\'d love your feedback.','10 Tax Filing Tips to Help Organize Your Filing Process with the IRS','','publish','open','open','','tax-filing-tips','','','2019-07-27 05:19:40','2019-07-27 05:19:40','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=145',0,'post','',0),(149,1,'2011-01-17 17:41:29','2011-01-17 23:41:29','','Straightened After 2 years','Straight after 2 years','inherit','open','open','','dana-flat-ironed','','','2011-01-17 17:41:29','2011-01-17 23:41:29','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dana-flat-ironed.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(150,1,'2011-01-17 17:49:20','2011-01-17 23:49:20','','Dana BC','My BC - April 4, 2009','inherit','open','open','','dana-bc','','','2011-01-17 17:49:20','2011-01-17 23:49:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dana-bc.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(171,1,'2011-01-24 13:57:00','2011-01-24 19:57:00','','organization','','inherit','open','open','','organization','','','2011-01-24 13:57:00','2011-01-24 19:57:00','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/organization.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(173,1,'2011-01-24 14:10:57','2011-01-24 20:10:57','','organization2','','inherit','open','open','','organization2-2','','','2011-01-24 14:10:57','2011-01-24 20:10:57','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/organization21.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(213,1,'2011-02-24 11:38:11','2011-02-24 17:38:11','','pinned up twist2','Pinned up twists (2)','inherit','open','open','','pinned-up-twist2','','','2011-02-24 11:38:11','2011-02-24 17:38:11','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/pinned-up-twist2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(214,1,'2011-02-24 11:38:14','2011-02-24 17:38:14','Please ignore the nape of my neck, yeah I need a line up lol','pinned up twist','Pinned up Twists','inherit','open','open','','pinned-up-twist','','','2011-02-24 11:38:14','2011-02-24 17:38:14','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/pinned-up-twist.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(223,560,'2011-03-01 12:00:06','2011-03-01 18:00:06','Ok lets take a poll, how many of you currently have a all of your life\'s important papers?  Okay let me be more specific...do you have a will in place? A living will???  What about life insurance?  I know this is a morbid topic but ignoring it doesn\'t make the need for it go away.  If you have anything of worth (a car, home, china, jewelry, furniture, etc.) you should have a will....definitely if you have a child you should have a Will.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5758 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Are-You-Ready-200x300.png\" alt=\"Are you Ready for Life\'s Unexpected\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nThis piece of paper makes things a lot easier for your loved ones in the event of your passing...and ensures things are handled the way you want.  As a military brat, it was common practice in our house to discuss the \"what if\'s\".  We never thought of death as a topic not to discuss because we talked about it all the time...yes so much so that my mom has practically planned her own funeral...I just have to make it happen.  I made sure that things are handled in the case of my passing...because I don\'t want to be a burden on my family...because I\'d like to think they\'d be so upset they couldn\'t think straight...(see how our humor is a little off??)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOk so on a serious note...how many of you know someone who was in a serious car accident or was affected by a hurricane, tornado or wildfire?  I can add many things to this list.  The point is, what if any of these devastating life events happened to you?  Would your family know your wishes?  Do they know whether you want your organs donated or not (and don\'t say its on the back of your license)? Do you want to leave it for someone else to decide whether you live or die...whether you are fed through a tube for the rest of your life or not?    What about your funeral expenses?  Do you want to burden your family with having to come up with $6,000 - $8,000 extra dollars to bury you?\r\n\r\nAs hard as it is to think about, it is vitally important that you handle these things while you can and that you have an honest and open conversation with your family about your wishes.  Think of it as your last act of kindness at your families biggest time of need.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5067895]\r\n\r\nI also recommend that you begin to gather all the vital records and important papers together to ensure you and your loved ones can find them when needed.  Preparing ahead in the case of an emergency goes beyond having random fire drills in your home, you have to think and plan for life\'s unexpected events.  You can\'t predict everything that is going to happen in your life and you certainly can\'t stop or dictate it.  The best you can do is prepare as much as possible and ease the pain of those around you when it does.\r\n\r\nIf you need help identifying those key records and information, <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">contact me</a> for a House In Order Discovery session.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Collect and Organize Life\'s most important papers','','publish','open','open','','lifes-most-important-papers','','','2019-07-27 05:19:40','2019-07-27 05:19:40','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=223',0,'post','',0),(276,560,'2011-06-13 10:33:22','2011-06-13 10:33:22','Ok for those of you wanting to save money I have discovered a way to get more bang for my buck using giftcard purchases.  It just requires a little preplanning…ok put your seatbelts on…here we go.\n\nBenefits:  Giftcards earn you double points for gas at Kroger (or its family of stores).  Occassionally (like now through 6/18) they sometimes run promotions so right now for fathers day you get 4x\'s the points!!!!  Ok there are restrictions on the promotions.  They don\'t count on kroger cards or on refill cards (those without denominations), but shoot stock up on your restaurant cards during this promotion…especially if you eat at a specific place a lot.  By using this method, you get the same items but get up to $1.00 off the price of the gallon at the tank (i.e., 1000 points = $1.00 off your price per gallon!).  \n\nCons:  You have to think ahead and you do use a lot of plastic (the cards are plastic, haven\'t tested if I just refill a card vs. repurchasing).  I haven\'t run into this but the website says it won\'t count Kroger giftcards towards your points, but I bought one yesterday and it did sooooo it may be dependant upon the store.  I would suggest doing a test and see.  Purchase one the next time you are going to buy grocery (prior to buying grocery) and see if you accumulate points.  Locate the Kroger locations with a gas station, it may be worth driving out of your way once a week.\n\nHere\'s how you do it:\n\n1.  Determine where you need to shop for the week and how much you THINK you will spend at each store\n2.  Go to Kroger\'s Giftcard center and find the giftcards you want to get (yeah I probably should have said go scout the cards first so you know which ones they carry and which ones they don\'t)\n3.  Make sure they scan your Kroger Plus Card (if you don\'t have one get it at the customer service window)\n4.  Purchase the cards in the proper denominations \n\nNow…the $.10, $.20, $.30 discount is only on 35 gallons of gas.  Once you cut the pump off the discount is gone.  So I suggest doing your purchases weekly so you don\'t waste the discount.  I have to fill up about four times a month so I try to spread mine out…but for example I have to purchase a flight on southwest soon.  Well they sell southwest cards so I will purchases a giftcard for $150 bucks (heck yeah that\'s 300 points!) and then buy my flight with the giftcard.  \n\nExample:\n\nDuring Promotion - get 1 $25 giftcard for Subway = $.10 off a gal for your next purchase. (Normally you would have to buy $50 worth of cards to get this).\nNormally - get 2 $25 giftcards (1 to Target and 1 to TJMaxx) = $.10 off a gal for your next purchase.\n\nI will be testing this at my home depot b/c I could purchase the card at Kroger, use the card at Home Depot (for the purchase) and earn Home Depot points towards gas there!  (UPDATE:  This definitely works!  I earn gas discounts on both homedepot AND at Kroger with the same purchase just thinking ahead)','Saving Money Using Giftcards','','publish','open','open','','saving-money-using-giftcards','','','2019-07-27 05:19:40','2019-07-27 05:19:40','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=276',0,'post','',0),(282,560,'2011-07-14 18:28:30','2011-07-14 23:28:30','In June of 2008, I made the decision to embark on my natural hair journey. At the time, I chose to do so due to hair breakage I was experiencing at the crown of my head and other reasons I won’t bore you with here. At the time my decision had nothing to do with my career, but as I began researching on how to “go natural” I kept coming across articles asking if natural hair was professional or not. Needless to say this discussion topic concerned me and made me question the entire decision on a deeper level. After much thought and analyzing I devised several points on the matter that I would like to share with you as well as to what I equate my successful journey:\n\n1. Natural Hair is actually the hair you were born with, it is not something that can determine your professionalism or unprofessionalism, anymore than the color of your skin can, so this argument on that basis alone doesn’t stand to reason.\n\n2. The choice to add permanents/relaxers/color or any other chemically altering product should be yours to make and not that of your employer.\n\n3. The professionalism question is more in relation to how you choose to style your hair, not the hair itself.\n\nSo based on the three points above, I decided to continue my journey by transitioning for 9 months and finally doing my Big Chop a.k.a “the BC” on April 4, 2009.\n\n<strong>Acclimating Co-workers and Family</strong>\nAs we all know the view of natural hair in our community is sometimes negative, add on the concern of what co-workers will think and you can imagine the stress one can feel. Here are the steps I took to avoid this situation. Note: this did not eliminate every question or rude comment, but it did help make my transition and journey successful and enjoyable:\n\nEducating: Yes this seems funny to some but the reality is the mindset surrounding natural hair all comes from a lack of education on the topic. Many people don’t even know that many minorities have naturally curly hair (this includes the minorities themselves). Most just think it is unruly, frizzy, and unmanageable hair, but when properly moisturized it becomes curly beautiful hair.\n\nMy means of education was by using facebook. For some this isn’t something you are comfortable with, but it allowed me to notify those in my life regarding what was going on, as well as to educate who would otherwise be scared to ask. People told me they felt like they were going on the journey with me. Individuals, who were also co-workers, were able to help answer questions from others who were too scared to ask me directly or who made uneducated comments out of my earshot. I had many people of all nationalities who joined in on discussions on facebook and in the office (even some from our HR Department). Most just wanted to thank me for sharing and educating them on a topic in a way which allowed them to see the transformation and appreciate the process. For those who wonder, I work in a corporate law office, so it is a pretty conservative organization.\n\nProper Styling: The key to the professionalism debate is all in the way you choose to style your hair. Hair is like clothing and any other accessory, there are work appropriate hairstyles and there are night and weekend hairstyles. You have to wear the one that fits your environment. The worst thing you can do is arrive at a meeting where the focus is on your hair or hairstyle and not your project. Youtube, blogs and websites give a plethora of styling ideas to have professional and even formal hair styles that are easy and very cute.\n\nUnderstanding: Many times we misconstrue curiosity and awe with rudeness or prejudice. When you make the decision to embark on this journey, you must too make the decision to be understanding with people. Remember your concerns, remember your questions and remember your preconceived notions before judging others. The fact that someone is staring at your hair doesn’t always mean they are disgusted, many times it means they are thinking or just in awe at the beauty of your mane and are at a loss for words. Maybe they are intimidated or too scared to ask you about it. Just practice smiling and wearing a face of openness (stop mean-mugging people!) you will be amazed at the compliments and questions you receive and the conversations that are sparked.\n\nFrom a professional standpoint, understanding and doing these things are what helped make my journey successful. It has been 3 years since I embarked on this natural journey and I am so happy I didn’t let the Professionalism debate stop me. Do your research, educate yourself first and then jump in…you will be glad you did.','Natural Hair and the Professionalism Debate','','publish','open','open','','natural-hair-and-the-professionalism-debate','','','2019-07-27 05:19:40','2019-07-27 05:19:40','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=282',0,'post','',2),(319,560,'2011-10-06 18:31:58','2011-10-06 23:31:58','As you all know at the beginning of this year I had a big tea challenge that I...well to be honest totally failed LOL. Yes, I can tell the truth! It\'s ok to fail...the key is to determine why you failed and come up with something else to try. So anyway, I did and now I am conquering this challenge thanks to one of my co-workers convincing me to give it a try. Now, this works not only at home but at work and when I go out to eat as well. So what did I do you ask (drum roll!!!!).... I order unsweet tea and use splenda to sweeten it and depending on the strength of the tea I add lemon juice. This helps me to eliminate the sugar but still enjoy sweet tea!!!! I have found that the strength of the tea determines whether I can taste the after-taste with the splenda or not so sometimes I need lemon and sometimes I don\'t.\nNow I know some of you are like yeah that is old news...but I say that was old news that I never tried lol. I\'m so excited. I\'ve been doing this now for two weeks and I can honestly say I have come over the sweet tea hill. Today I had the option of getting sweet or unsweet and I chose the unsweet route with splenda. It was just a choice I had to make that truly is becoming easier and easier. On top of this, I also started adding splenda to my food. I really never ate a lot of sugar in my food anyway, but when I do I try using splenda instead. I can\'t even tell the difference in food...interesting how food is different from beverages.\nSo, that is one goal down (I wonder if I can count that as two goals) and 500 more to go LOL...until next time happy goal conquering!','Sweet Tea Triumph!','','publish','open','open','','sweet-tea-triumph','','','2019-07-27 05:19:40','2019-07-27 05:19:40','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/sweet-tea-triumph/',0,'post','',0),(323,1,'2011-10-07 17:23:40','2011-10-07 22:23:40','','job2','','inherit','open','open','','job2','','','2011-10-07 17:23:40','2011-10-07 22:23:40','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/job2.jpg',2,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(324,1,'2011-10-07 17:30:23','2011-10-07 22:30:23','','Job List 1','','inherit','open','open','','job-list-1','','','2011-10-07 17:30:23','2011-10-07 22:30:23','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/job-list-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(326,1,'2011-10-07 17:33:55','2011-10-07 22:33:55','','Job List 2','','inherit','open','open','','job-list-2','','','2011-10-07 17:33:55','2011-10-07 22:33:55','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/job-list-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(376,1,'2011-11-10 13:18:24','2011-11-10 19:18:24','','CGMethod1','','inherit','open','open','','photo2','','','2011-11-10 13:18:24','2011-11-10 19:18:24','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/photo2-e1320952735982.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(377,1,'2011-11-10 13:18:26','2011-11-10 19:18:26','','CGMethod2','','inherit','open','open','','photo3','','','2011-11-10 13:18:26','2011-11-10 19:18:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/photo3-e1320952840261.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(378,1,'2011-11-10 13:18:28','2011-11-10 19:18:28','','CGMethod3','','inherit','open','open','','photo','','','2011-11-10 13:18:28','2011-11-10 19:18:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/photo-e1320953063180.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(400,560,'2011-11-14 23:25:44','2011-11-14 23:25:44','Stop and take a look around (hopefully you are reading this at home and not in someone else\'s house). Identify the key areas that could use some decluttering...come on I know you have some, we all do. Well, it\'s time to take back your space and get rid of the junk, the unnecessary, the clothes that you never or can\'t wear, that item that you don\'t know what it goes to or what it does...you get the point, why are you holding onto it?\r\n\r\nHere at the Happiness Bucket I have a moto and it is that we should...\r\n<blockquote>Let go of the things that no longer serve a purpose in your life today</blockquote>\r\n<h1>The Challenge Steps</h1>\r\nSo what is the challenge? The challenge is to begin working on one decluttering project a day or week...see not hard right? Rome wasn\'t built in a day and neither was your clutter.  It will take you some time to get everything back in order, and that time is now.  So, if you are up for the challenge, here is what you should do:\r\n<h2>Step 1: Identify the Area to be Decluttered</h2>\r\nBe specific as to what area it is for the day/week...you can confess that area in our Change <a href=\"https://facebook.com/groups/changeacademy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Academy Facebook Group</a> or here in the comments...that\'s up to you just pick one.  Now, if the area is large set some small obtainable goals to reach by the end of the week.  Remember avoidance is not an option.\r\n<h2>Step 2: Take a before photo</h2>\r\nYou don\'t have to share this image, but it is proven that sharing will help to hold you accountable. It\'s something about airing your \"dirty laundry\" that makes you want to succeed and show it in it\'s changed state.  I know accountability does wonders for me.\r\n<h2>Step 3:  Set a timer</h2>\r\nEvery day during the day/week set an alarm or timer to 30+ minutes and work on tackling the chosen area. You will be amazed at how dedicated segments of time will focus your attention to the task at hand.  Go ahead if you don\'t believe me...try it.\r\n<h2>Step 4:  Take an After Photo</h2>\r\nI believe that you should always celebrate your accomplishments no matter how big or small.  It takes commitment to set a goal and then work to reach it, no matter the size...so look at the before and after and see what you have done.\r\n<h2>Step 5:  Develop Your Maintenance Plan</h2>\r\nNow the most important part of all of this is determining how you are going to keep it looking that way.  Many times we put in all the work to get a place looking just right and then we omit the most important part which is to determine how to maintain it over time.\r\n<h1>Do Not Get Distracted</h1>\r\nDo not get sidetracked by trying to develop systems or to beautify, the goal is to declutter. Place like items together, rid yourself of the unnecessary. Once you get rid of the junk and unnecessary items, THEN you can organize it...but don\'t go buying a bunch of unnecessary organizational stuff just yet, it serves as a distraction.\r\n\r\nSo look at this example, of a drawer declutter.  Remember the job doesn\'t have to be a huge project. The photos below show both the before and after.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-231610.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-231610.jpg\" alt=\"20111114-231610.jpg\" />  </a><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-231706.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-231706.jpg\" alt=\"20111114-231706.jpg\" /></a></p>\r\nGood luck and keep me posted regarding your progress!','Take this Easy 5 Step Decluttering Challenge','','publish','open','open','','decluttering-challenge','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=400',0,'post','',0),(401,1,'2017-03-10 02:44:47','2017-03-10 02:44:47',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','401','','','2019-02-28 23:57:26','2019-02-28 23:57:26','',0,'http://demo.themefreesia.com/excellent/?p=401',1,'nav_menu_item','',0),(402,1,'2011-11-14 23:13:32','2011-11-15 05:13:32','','20111114-231330.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231330-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:13:32','2011-11-15 05:13:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231330.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(403,1,'2011-11-14 23:13:48','2011-11-15 05:13:48','','20111114-231347.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231347-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:13:48','2011-11-15 05:13:48','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231347.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(405,1,'2011-11-14 23:16:12','2011-11-15 05:16:12','','20111114-231610.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231610-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:16:12','2011-11-15 05:16:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231610.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(406,1,'2011-11-14 23:16:32','2011-11-15 05:16:32','','20111114-231631.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231631-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:16:32','2011-11-15 05:16:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231631.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(407,1,'2017-03-21 02:51:08','2017-03-21 02:51:08','/*\nYou can add your own CSS here.\n\nClick the help icon above to learn more.\n*/\n.site-info .copyright {\n	margin-top: 30px;}\n\n#site-title {\n  display: none;\n}\n.page-id-5195 .page-title {\n  display: none;\n}\n.page-id-5698 .page-title {\n  display: none;\n}\n.page-id-5606 .page-title {\n  display: none;\n}\n\n/*\n	CSS Migrated from Jetpack:\n*/\n\n/*\nWelcome to Custom CSS!\n\nTo learn how this works, see http://wp.me/PEmnE-Bt\n*/\n.hentry .meta-post {\n	display: none;\n}\n.cta-button { text-align: center; } .cta-button a { background: #e100b1; color: #ffcc00; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1.6px; text-transform: uppercase; text-decoration: none; padding: 10px; margin: 0 auto; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; } .cta-button a:hover { opacity: .9; }\n\n','excellent','','publish','closed','closed','','excellent','','','2018-03-14 16:14:55','2018-03-14 16:14:55','',0,'http://demo.themefreesia.com/excellent/2017/03/21/excellent/',0,'custom_css','',0),(408,1,'2011-11-14 23:17:06','2011-11-15 05:17:06','','20111114-231706.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231706-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:17:06','2011-11-15 05:17:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231706.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(409,1,'2011-11-14 23:18:10','2011-11-15 05:18:10','','20111114-231809.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231809-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:18:10','2011-11-15 05:18:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231809.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(410,1,'2011-11-14 23:18:27','2011-11-15 05:18:27','','20111114-231826.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-231826-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:18:27','2011-11-15 05:18:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-231826.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(414,1,'2011-11-14 23:40:32','2011-11-15 05:40:32','','20111114-234030.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-234030-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:40:32','2011-11-15 05:40:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-234030.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(415,1,'2011-11-14 23:40:39','2011-11-15 05:40:39','','20111114-234038.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111114-234038-jpg','','','2011-11-14 23:40:39','2011-11-15 05:40:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111114-234038.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(428,560,'2011-11-21 10:30:20','2011-11-21 16:30:20','November is for many Thanksgiving month, but it means different things to different people.  Traditionally for me, it is a time to focus on your life and to give thanks for it. Let me ask you, do you really ever stop and reflect, or is the month like any other, you are just rushing through it not blinking, not stopping to just inhale.  Are you just focused on making the turkey and prepping for the family to come?\r\n\r\nI love Thanksgiving and the entire month of November because it signified many things for me:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">CHANGE</span></strong> - the leaves are changing on the trees signifying that winter is coming, clocks change, we flip our wardrobes to account for the crazy dips and flips in the weather, especially here in Tennessee.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HOMECOMING</span></strong> - high schools and colleges have homecoming games where friends of old and new come back to reminisce about their time spent together, families and friends gather around the table (whether large or small) talking about family traditions and fun times.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>REFLECTION</strong></span> - I begin thinking about the things I did and didn\'t accomplish in the current year and determine what I want to work on in the new year.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>HAPPINESS</strong></span> - having all of the above plus of course the smells of delicious food and the endless sound of laughter...makes me so extremely happy...I just love what this time of year represents.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNow, I know Thanksgiving in the US has historical meaning and I don\'t want to minimize that, but even taking that into consideration it is a time when I really focus on the harvest in my life.\r\n\r\nI thank God for all the blessings He puts in my life during the year (both obvious and not so obvious...both requested and not requested...both wanted and not wanted) and during this time I also begin asking what else should I be doing... I tend to have a deeper conversation with myself and with God during the last two months of the year. It\'s like my annual reboot.\r\n\r\nDo you have a time of reflection or reboot in your life?  You don\'t have to wait until November to do this, but you should make sure you fit it into the year.  Reflection allows you to readjust the areas of your life that just aren\'t right.  It allows you to fix mistakes and build on successes.  It keeps you grounded in the important things and limits your focus on the superficial.\r\n\r\nSo for me November and Thanksgiving are not about Black Friday or the countdown to Christmas, it is much bigger than that. I am truly thankful for my unique life and for you the family at The Happiness Bucket.\r\n\r\nHave a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and I pray you begin your reboot process with a smile!','What is the Meaning of Thanksgiving?','','publish','open','open','','what-is-the-meaning-of-thanksgiving','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=428',0,'post','',0),(441,560,'2011-12-06 18:00:32','2011-12-07 00:00:32','Ha yeah we could all use Space, what did you think I was giving it away? lol...actually I am...the acronymn created by professional organizer, Julie Morgenstern S.P.A.C.E. Stands for Sort, Purge, Assign, Containerize and Equalize. Below are the steps in each:\r\n\r\n1. <strong>Sort</strong> things and group similar items: also known as batching\r\n2. <strong>Purge</strong> unessentials\r\n3. <strong>Assign</strong> a place for everything\r\n4. <strong>Containerize</strong> by using time maps to define the parameters of each meaningful activity or actual containers\r\n5. <strong>Equalize</strong>: periodically reassess the effectiveness of your system\r\n\r\nSo the following photos show me using the S.P.A.C.E method on an area of my room (don\'t judge) in just 15 minutes! No lie, 15 minutes. I was able to sort everything into four distinct piles of like items. At the time of this posting all of the piles except one has been completed and the table has been moved over against the wall. I\'m so happy and excited with the major difference...that only took me 15 minutes! To complete in totality it probably took me about an hour.\r\n\r\n[slideshow]\r\n\r\nTune in next week to see the decluttered closet reveal!','Could You Use S.P.A.C.E?','','draft','open','open','','decluttering-s-p-a-c-e','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=441',0,'post','',0),(445,1,'2011-11-20 09:52:07','2011-11-20 15:52:07','','20111120-095205.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111120-095205-jpg','','','2011-11-20 09:52:07','2011-11-20 15:52:07','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111120-095205.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(446,1,'2011-11-20 09:52:20','2011-11-20 15:52:20','','20111120-095218.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111120-095218-jpg','','','2011-11-20 09:52:20','2011-11-20 15:52:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111120-095218.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(447,1,'2011-11-20 09:52:26','2011-11-20 15:52:26','','20111120-095224.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111120-095224-jpg','','','2011-11-20 09:52:26','2011-11-20 15:52:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111120-095224.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(448,1,'2011-11-20 09:52:34','2011-11-20 15:52:34','','20111120-095232.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111120-095232-jpg','','','2011-11-20 09:52:34','2011-11-20 15:52:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111120-095232.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(452,560,'2011-12-20 12:00:42','2011-12-20 12:00:42','Now that you have started all of this decluttering and organizing, I hope that you have identified \"tons\" of stuff that you don\'t need...well, if you are anything like me, you don\'t want to just throw away non-trash items, because I\'m always thinking about paying it forward (who could use this stuff). Well, I have a couple of ideas for you to consider:\r\n<h1>Identify Similar Sized Friends (clothing)</h1>\r\nIdentify a couple of friends who are similar in size as you (both larger and smaller). These individuals can benefit from any clothes you have that are too large or too small. It helps keep them from having to go and purchase stuff, especially if they are on a journey just like you. Now this can be a delicate situation for some in that they don\'t want to offend. Just offer from your heart and your true friends won\'t mind you offering.  Just don\'t have any expectations of them taking it.  Remember you don\'t want anyone to take something they don\'t need.\r\n<h1>Adopt a few Non-Profit Organizations</h1>\r\nAdopt a couple of non-profit organizations and obtain their wish list. Most have them posted online or you can call and obtain the information and instructions for drop off.\r\n<h1>Locate your Local Recycle Center</h1>\r\nMost residential areas now have these and they have specific rules over what they will and won\'t take.  Familiarize yourself with their rules and schedules.\r\n\r\nI would start there and as you get your process down, your list will get more and more defined. Remember you are working in zones so you will have stuff that should leave your space at various stages of the game. My suggestion is not to wait until all spaces are decluttered to remove unnecessary items from your space, but to do it one zone at a time. This keeps you from getting the urge to sneak it back in.\r\n<h1>My Personal Donation List</h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Friends are big benefactors of stuff I really treasure and for which I want to find a good home.</li>\r\n 	<li>Co-workers are a great resource. We have what is know as classified ads, so if there is something strange (sewing filler) that I think someone may want I post it. We can give away or sell items. It\'s like a little online yard sale. Many times they can direct me to a group who could use the item(s) too.</li>\r\n 	<li>Nashville Rescue Mission: I spend a lot of my time volunteering here so I have a special connection and know the things they need. They also have a wishlist posted on their website that keeps me in tune with items they need. I give them clothing items mostly.</li>\r\n 	<li>Goodwill: I drop off a lot of items there because they are everywhere and have made it extremely convenient to drop off items with their drive through centers. I usually give them more household items.</li>\r\n 	<li>McKays Book Store: this is a used bookstore that takes videos, books, games, CDs and DVDs. They review them and offer you a price for the items. You can decide to get either cash or store credit...or you can just take your stuff. Sometimes your items aren\'t worth anything, but they have a free bin available too. Just don\'t take it back home!  You could also consider your local library.</li>\r\n 	<li>Grocery Stores: many recycle plastic bags you obtain from stores. I had an overabundance at one time and took them, but most of the time if I have any I use them as trash can liners. I don\'t get many anymore now that I take my own cloth bags. And many stores give you a discount for doing so.</li>\r\n 	<li>Overseas Bases: groups take expired coupons because soldiers can use for up to 6 mths after the expiration date. I just started this and I\'m still hunting for a group from Ft. Campbell to connect with overseas.</li>\r\n 	<li>Old cell phones/chargers etc: domestic violence shelters. Or the little plastic bags provided many times with your new purchase.</li>\r\n 	<li>Old computers: technical schools or recycle days offered by various agencies during the summer and spring (make sure to remove your hard drive and properly destroy it to protect your information).</li>\r\n 	<li>Local recycling centers: many cities now have recycled centers that you can go to and take care of everything at once. Goodwill/salvation army, trash, metal, plastic, cans, etc.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nYou can see a full list of suggestions for decluttering, organizing and business needs by visiting our <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/resources/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">resource library</a>.','Decluttering: Now What Do You Do With All That Stuff?','','publish','open','open','','what-to-do-with-this-stuff','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=452',0,'post','',0),(480,560,'2011-11-28 22:00:01','2011-11-29 04:00:01','So...when we left off last week, I was trying to decide which space I would tackle next in my decluttering challenge. Well people, I decided to jump right in to the jungle that is my closet! Yeah I\'m making that sound like it was a no brainer but actually, \"what had happened waaaaaaaaaas\" I was watching a youtube video that showed how to fold your shirts using a Japanese folding technique. Well, honestly I thought that it wouldn\'t work and said I\'m gonna try it just to see. So I went to my closet and got a t-shirt down...did it and it worked!! Not believing this I grabbed another shirt and tried it again...success for a second time! I realized not only does this technique work but it takes literally 2 - 3 seconds and my shirts look like a department store display! Needless to say this is all it took to get me started on that jungle and next thing I know I had six areas of my closet decluttered and organized!!!\r\n\r\nOk, honestly it did happen that way, but here are the specifics of what I did once I made the decision to organize/declutter this area of my closet. So first I started with the section that held my t-shirts. This area was split into three sections: T-shirts I wear around the house or to do dirty work, workout t-shirts/shirts and decent t-shirts I can wear out with Jeans. I set my timer to 15 mins and did the following:\r\n\r\n1. I removed the shirts from the area\r\n2. Sorted them based on keep, donate or in the wrong area\r\n3. Folded the shirt (Japanese Technique)\r\n4. Placed the shirts back in the proper location.\r\n\r\nOnce finished, I realized that there weren\'t enough clothes to really fill this space anymore, which excited me...so I moved on to another area of three drawers that held my shells, tank tops and turtlenecks. I followed the same technique as with the first section. I was able to move the day to day t-shirts into this area which freed one entire section for something else. I have come to the conclusion that based on the amount of shirts/lack of shirts, I probably need to move some stuff around but will wait until i get more of the closet decluttered and organized. I can also say I have an entire box of to donate items that either I didn\'t really wear to begin with, had too many of the same shirt or just didn\'t like.\r\n\r\nHere are some photos of what I have accomplished thus far! I\'m so excited...it looks so nice, especially compared to where I started.\r\n\r\n[slideshow]\r\n\r\nRemember, one step at a time...you can do it, don\'t get discouraged. Find your motivation even if it is a Youtube video on Japanese folding techniques.\r\n\r\nHappy folding!','Using the Japanese Technique - Week 3 Challenge Entry','','draft','open','open','','using-the-japanese-technique-week-3-challenge-entry','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=480',0,'post','',2),(482,1,'2011-11-28 20:18:38','2011-11-29 02:18:38','','20111128-201838.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-201838-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:18:38','2011-11-29 02:18:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-201838.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(483,1,'2011-11-28 20:19:09','2011-11-29 02:19:09','','20111128-201907.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-201907-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:19:09','2011-11-29 02:19:09','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-201907.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(484,1,'2011-11-28 20:19:32','2011-11-29 02:19:32','','20111128-201930.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-201930-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:19:32','2011-11-29 02:19:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-201930.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(485,1,'2011-11-28 20:19:53','2011-11-29 02:19:53','','20111128-201951.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-201951-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:19:53','2011-11-29 02:19:53','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-201951.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(486,1,'2011-11-28 20:20:20','2011-11-29 02:20:20','','20111128-202017.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-202017-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:20:20','2011-11-29 02:20:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-202017.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(487,1,'2011-11-28 20:20:30','2011-11-29 02:20:30','','20111128-202028.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-202028-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:20:30','2011-11-29 02:20:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-202028.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(488,1,'2011-11-28 20:20:41','2011-11-29 02:20:41','','20111128-202036.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111128-202036-jpg','','','2011-11-28 20:20:41','2011-11-29 02:20:41','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/20111128-202036.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(506,560,'2011-12-07 06:00:15','2011-12-07 06:00:15','My Office is having its annual Holiday party this Friday and I felt this blog post was so appropriate, not only to share with my co-workers but also to share with my friends in twitter, facebook and wordpress land who will be attending Office parties this month.','Office Holiday Party Etiquette','','publish','open','open','','office-holiday-party-etiquette','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/office-holiday-party-etiquette/',0,'post','',0),(518,1,'2011-12-12 23:59:40','2011-12-13 05:59:40','','20111212-235939.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111212-235939-jpg','','','2011-12-12 23:59:40','2011-12-13 05:59:40','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/20111212-235939.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(519,1,'2011-12-12 23:59:49','2011-12-13 05:59:49','','20111212-235948.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111212-235948-jpg','','','2011-12-12 23:59:49','2011-12-13 05:59:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/20111212-235948.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(520,1,'2011-12-12 23:59:57','2011-12-13 05:59:57','','20111212-235956.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111212-235956-jpg','','','2011-12-12 23:59:57','2011-12-13 05:59:57','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/20111212-235956.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(521,1,'2011-12-13 00:00:05','2011-12-13 06:00:05','','20111213-000004.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20111213-000004-jpg','','','2011-12-13 00:00:05','2011-12-13 06:00:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/20111213-000004.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(556,560,'2012-01-14 18:46:30','2012-01-15 00:46:30','Recently, a dear friend of mine experienced a heart-breaking and scary event in her life that found her in a place she never expected to be. Her daughter had been in a serious accident that required her to be life-flighted to a trauma center. Obviously, this is a scary situation and in dealing with everything that comes with that it lead me to think about how we plan our lives, how we handle tragedy and what we can do during unplanned moments.\r\n\r\nSo, let me begin with a funny but important lesson I learned. I have known for years that my dear friend is the ultimate planner. She is always the person with the tissue when you are crying, the water when you are thirsty, the needle when your hem comes undone or the aspirin when your head hurts...she\'s just that type of person. Well, we joked about the fact that even in the unplanned event of a car accident, she was still unknowingly prepared!\r\n\r\nSee she had a bag under her desk at work that (without giving away all the contents) basically was able to serve as an overnight bag for her on the night she had to stay in the hospital with her daughter. She had a mouth cleansing kit, deodorant, eye solution, tennis shoes, etc. Now understand the bag was originally intended for workouts and as backup clothes when she had to work late or when we went to feed the homeless at the mission. (Note, she later revealed to me that she also had a workout bag in her car...hummm)...\r\n\r\nUltimately, as I sat there watching her go through the items in the bag that we had brought to her, I realized...man we all could do a little pre-planning for the possible emergency event. When women are pregnant they pack a birthing bag in preparation for their new arrival...why wouldn\'t you do the same for a possible emergency (Be that tragic or otherwise). Think about some events that could possibly happen and what you think you would need. Traveling and car breaks down, at work and have to stay to address issue overnight, overnight hospital stay, a friend needs you urgently without notice, etc. With the plethora of travel size items, I would recommend you start building your various emergency bags. I would suggest there be one kept in your car, at home and at work. Below are a couple of items I would suggest you put in this bag:\r\n<h1>Emergency Bag List</h1>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Mouth cleansing items: toothbrush and toothpaste</li>\r\n 	<li>Change of underwear</li>\r\n 	<li>Deodorant</li>\r\n 	<li>Contact Solution and case</li>\r\n 	<li>Old pair of glasses or Extra Contact Lenses (if you have to spare)</li>\r\n 	<li>Socks</li>\r\n 	<li>Tennis Shoes (may not be able to keep three spare pair but keep an inexpensive pair of comfortable shoes in your trunk)</li>\r\n 	<li>Pants/Shirt - would suggest comfortable clothes, like gym pants and t-shirt</li>\r\n 	<li>Sweater/sweatshirt</li>\r\n 	<li>Chapstick</li>\r\n 	<li>Hair items to pull hair up or out of the way (comb, brush, scrunchie, hair tie/band, bandana, etc.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat other items can you think to add? I personally think the contents of the bag will depend on the location of the bag. The bag at home, will have more toiletries in it than anything because you have all the possible items you need right there. What you could do is make a list and put it in the bag of other items that should be grabbed and where they are located so anyone coming to get the bag will know how to fill it with the remaining contents.\r\n\r\nThe bag in the car should assume you either have to stay somewhere overnight without planning or you are stranded in a broken down car, etc. So you may add to this bag a bottle of water, flashlight, disposable camera, blanket (specifically for winter), jumper cables, white rag (to serve as a help me flag), sharpie marker (if you have to write something that is seen), emergency overnight items.\r\n\r\nThe bag at work would contain items that assume an unexpected overnight stay. Instead of shoes maybe you just add those socks that keep you from slipping with the rubber stuff on the bottom.\r\n\r\nThe key is to think ahead...oh and make sure you let some key people know where the items are...Your spouse, parents, children, co-worker, boss...\r\n\r\nSpecial note of consideration: You will periodically have to swap some items out due to expiration dates. Just put them in your day to day rotation and replace with another item. I\'d rather spend a couple of extra dollars than to be in need of something and not have it there.','Creating your Emergency Preparedness Bag','','publish','open','open','','l-e-p-series-preparing-for-the-unknown','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=556',0,'post','',0),(567,560,'2012-01-25 12:00:32','2012-01-25 18:00:32','Let me introduce myself to those who don’t know me and don’t know my story.  First of all…I do not diet! I don’t like to weigh myself! I can’t stand counting calories! I don’t like exercise and most of all I love comfort foods and I’m a picky eater.  This is important for you to know…so you can hopefully relate to some of my struggles and understand my triumphs.  My goal in sharing my health journey is to hopefully encourage others to make a change in their life.  I believe that small changes will slowly add up into big changes.  My small changes have added up.  I have gone from a size 20 (getting ready to go to a 22) to a size 16.  It took me approximately 2 ½ years but I was able to do it and maintain the weightloss.  My goal size is 10 (remember I don’t like to diet or to weigh myself).\n\nNow to explain, I don’t like dieting, weighing myself or counting calories for many reasons.  The main one being that I don’t want a quick fix and I feel dieting is just that.  I know people who go on a diet at the beginning of each year and by summer they are right back where they were when they started.  I am approaching this thing as a lifestyle change.  I want to be able to maintain the weight I lose and learn how to have what I enjoy and still live a healthier life.  I also don’t like to weigh myself because the last time I weighed, I weighed the exact same amount as I did at a size 22, but I had dropped several clothing sizes.  The key is I was changing fat into muscle but they weighed exactly the same.  If I just based my success on actual pounds lost I would be discouraged and would stop.  I take my measurements into account more than my weight.   Ultimately, living a healthier life is possible people.  \n\nHow should you get started?  First, you need to verbalize and visualize your goal(s).  If it is a big goal, break it down into attainable chunks.  For example, my goal is to get down to a size 10.  Well, when I was a size 20+ I didn’t feel that was very attainable, so my first big goal was to get into an 18 and then I set mini goals to work on making that happen.  As you achieve one layer of goals you can move to the next layer and before you know it you have achieved more than you ever thought possible.  So sit down and honestly evaluate your life.  Do you smoke, do you drink too much, do you eat out too much, do you eat too many sweets, do you have diabetes or other disease, does your back hurt, do your knees hurt, do you just sit in front of the tv all night etc. etc.  Think of small things you can do to help stop that bad habit or change the trajectory of your life.  Look up recipes that help decrease your sugar intake, park further away, stretch or take yoga, take leisurely strolls with your family at night, eat at the table, limit your smoking to only outside (in cold months) or only at certain times of the day.  \n\nThe next thing I would do is make a doctors appointment to get an annual physical.  A lot of companies include this as a benefit for you free of charge, but even if they don\'t you should make an effort to get one done so you know exactly where your problem areas are and can start working on them.  Don\'t wait until it is too late...ignoring the possible problems/issues won\'t change them...in fact in many cases it just makes them worse.  Think outside the box and you will be amazed at what you can do/accomplish.\n\nMy next entry will tell you about my journey to date…what changes I made and in what order.  Believe me I am still a work in progress...please feel free to share your thoughts and questions below.','A Day in My Eating Life: Getting Started','','publish','open','open','','a-day-in-my-eating-life-getting-started','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=567',0,'post','',0),(572,560,'2012-01-27 20:45:45','2012-01-28 02:45:45','My journey started in May/June of 2009 after I successfully did my big chop (I stopped putting relaxers in my hair and returned to naturally born hair texture) so I am no longer putting those chemicals in my body from the relaxers. Wait that’s another story for another day.  Ok back to the point, after achieving that goal I said, “hey I was able to do that...so now, what is next?”  Well, around this time I was watching an episode of the biggest loser, I get them mixed up but I think it was the one with Coach and his daughter Sunshine and the rest of that amazing Biggest Loser cast.  (Note, if i have the wrong cast, the point is the same).  It was the episode where they were running a ½ marathon and I got so inspired.  The individuals weren’t any smaller than I was at the time and they were able to do it so why couldn’t I?  So, I began training for the 1/2 marathon.  I am a person that does better when I know people know what I’m supposed to be doing, so I chose to journal about my training on facebook as I had my natural hair journey.  I know that is not for everyone, but it served my purpose.  Friends encouraged me and held me accountable by asking how I did, or whether I had run my miles because I hadn’t posted any updates, etc.  I listened to the free podcast \"couch to 5k\" to get started.  I found several of these on iTunes...granted I wasn’t as committed as I should have been at first, but after I paid for my entry fee in Dec. I was super dedicated because it wasn’t cheap and I wasn’t about to waste my money.  I joined the Tennessee in Training group here in Nashville (although they have various groups in Chattanooga and other cities) which helped keep me motivated and encouraged.  I was concerned because I was not small and couldn’t run, but they assured me that it was no problem.  They patiently waited for me after each run and by about mid training season, I was hanging in there with the group.   Sometimes I would even start the run early so I could end with everyone else.  Overall, it was just great knowing I wasn’t out there running by myself.  I also participated in a couple of 5k’s to just get me used to participating in events.  Needless to say, I ran/walked my first ½ marathon on April 24, 2010!  By the time I finished that I was wearing a size 18 and feeling pretty inspired.  [note:  My father (65 yrs old) was so inspired that he decided that day to participate the following year and began training by walking each day after that.  I walked my second ½ marathon the next year along side my dad (this was the best feeling in the world, although he almost left me lol).]  \n\nSo, if you are following me you know my first goal was to become natural, second was to participate in my first 1/2 marathon and so now enters my third goal and that was to learn how to salsa dance. I originally just wanted to learn because I thought it was sexy and cool...but after attending my first lesson, leaving feeling energized but sweating like I had NEVER sweated before, I realized what a great workout it was.  I started taking classes twice a week 1 - 2 hrs each and in less than a mth realized that I was dancing up to four days a week...2hrs a piece.  If you are doing the math that is about 8 hrs of exercise without picking up a weight or getting on a piece of equipment.  I am now considered an intermediate salsa dancer...I don\'t sweat like I used to because my tolerance is way up and I don\'t dance as much as I used to due to my schedule (a topic for another day), but my clothing size is now a 16, heading towards a 14. It\'s now time for my fourth goal, which I started in 2011 but didn\'t complete yet and that is to focus on my intake.  I have made small changes like drinking water with crystal light in it...instead of my customary sweet tea, Eating subway for lunch instead of Logan\'s or other high calorie/fat foods...and trying to eat more vegetables...but, I am a long way from achieving this goal.\n\nSo why am I telling you all this?  I am saying this to say…no more excuses!  Take an honest look at your life and lifestyle and just take small steps to make a change.  If my 65 year old father can do this you can too!  In 2012, he is participating in his second marathon with my younger brother and his girlfriend.  So another suggestion is to make this a family affair!  They may gripe and scream at first but they will soon embrace it and thank you for encouraging them to live healthier lives.  Make it a contest of who can do something the fastest (drop a clothing size or inches, drink 64 oz of water, run/walk a mile in x amt of time).  The opportunities are endless but the key is to encourage each other.\n\nI tackle things on a phased approach, I have never been a throw everything in the basket type of person, so what I am trying to do right now is to prepare meals at home more (yes I eat out ALL the time!!!) and drink more water (thanks for the advice Fred!) so I can go to the bathroom 6 – 8 times a day.  Learn what works for you...and focus on that...if what you thought would work doesn\'t, then switch it up and try something else until it does...just don\'t give up!\n\nSo what are your health goals for 2012?  Oh and note this is not about new years resolutions but a real deal lifestyle change.','A Day in My Eating Life: My Journey','','publish','open','open','','a-day-in-my-eating-life-looking-back-on-my-journey','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=572',0,'post','',1),(585,560,'2012-01-29 12:00:30','2012-01-29 18:00:30','Alright people, one thing you will learn to do on your journey is to celebrate the wins and not focus too much on the fails lol you experience.  Now don\'t go overboard and start having more fails than wins...you need to have a good balance.  I\'d say about 4 wins for every fail LOL ok who am I kidding...this won\'t happen overnight, but strive to get your win/fails in check.  So how do I deal with my fails...I just adjust and move on.  I choose not to focus or ponder on them too long as that can be kind of discouraging.  Don\'t beat yourself up...but acknowledge you need to do something that would qualify as a gold star activity to cancel out your fail.  \n\nSo, on to my Gold Star Report!  Well, to make a long story short...without way too many details:  I only ate out five times last week!  This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner!  Now some of you may be bawking at that number...but this is coming from someone who generally ate out 10 - 14 times a week.  Give me my freaking Gold Star!!!! \n\nI also tried something new this week.  For the past couple of weeks, me and my corazon have been talking about increasing my exercise regimine, eating better and instead of skipping meals or eating unhealthy snacks to try drinking a protein shake.  Well, I have to be honest...I was a little scared of protein shakes because I am a pretty picky eater and can\'t imagine it tastes any good.  Well, he brought me some protein powder to try last week and I actually tried it.  Well, I can\'t really pinpoint the taste of it for you, but it\'s like chocolate milk with a slight aftertaste.  I\'m not knocking people down to make another one...but it was \"alright\".  I will not give up on drinking them, but maybe this flavor/brand just isn\'t for me.  Maybe I need to get a good recipe for the shake.  I originally just put the protein in a cup with milk and blended it...but then I felt like it wasn\'t cold enough so I put it in the freezer and I ended up with a true \"protein milk shake\".  It helped a lot, but again...nothing to write home about.  I will not give up on it...but for now I want my freaking GOLD STAR!  \n\nNow this post wouldn\'t be complete without some of my fails...well one clear one to me is that I took my lunch one day and didn\'t eat it...instead I went to lunch with a co-worker.  I felt bad afterwards and the funny thing is that day my lunch wasn\'t right...probably the worst service I had had at that restaurant, which is a favorite of mine.  Karma I tell you Karma!  I also missed salsa this week which is currently my only form of exercise.  This makes week #3 that I\'ve missed so this has got to stop!  Because of that missed opportunity I decided to get up early on Saturday morning, turn on the ondemand exercise channel and get my in-house gym on!  I turned a fail into a non-fail, but it didn\'t earn a star...it just cancelled it out.  \n\nWell, that\'s my report for this week...wish me luck for next week.\n\nNow the floor/confessional is open for anyone who would like to share their Gold Stars/Fail\'s with the group...believe me it is theraputic and holds you accountable for the things you are/aren\'t doing.  Come step up...','A Day in My Health Journey: Gold Star Report!','','publish','open','open','','a-day-in-my-health-journey-gold-star-report','','','2019-07-27 05:19:39','2019-07-27 05:19:39','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=585',0,'post','',1),(596,1,'2012-02-12 17:49:59','2012-02-12 23:49:59','','20120212-174957.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-174957-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:49:59','2012-02-12 23:49:59','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-174957.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(597,1,'2012-02-12 17:50:25','2012-02-12 23:50:25','','20120212-175023.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175023-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:50:25','2012-02-12 23:50:25','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175023.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(598,1,'2012-02-12 17:50:51','2012-02-12 23:50:51','','20120212-175049.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175049-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:50:51','2012-02-12 23:50:51','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175049.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(599,1,'2012-02-12 17:51:02','2012-02-12 23:51:02','','20120212-175100.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175100-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:51:02','2012-02-12 23:51:02','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175100.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(600,1,'2012-02-12 17:51:32','2012-02-12 23:51:32','','20120212-175130.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175130-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:51:32','2012-02-12 23:51:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175130.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(601,1,'2012-02-12 17:51:42','2012-02-12 23:51:42','','20120212-175140.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175140-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:51:42','2012-02-12 23:51:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175140.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(602,1,'2012-02-12 17:51:52','2012-02-12 23:51:52','','20120212-175150.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175150-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:51:52','2012-02-12 23:51:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175150.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(605,1,'2012-02-12 17:55:00','2012-02-12 23:55:00','','20120212-175459.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175459-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:55:00','2012-02-12 23:55:00','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175459.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(606,1,'2012-02-12 17:55:08','2012-02-12 23:55:08','','Hooks for Bags.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175507-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:55:08','2012-02-12 23:55:08','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175507.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(607,1,'2012-02-12 17:55:20','2012-02-12 23:55:20','','20120212-175519.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175519-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:55:20','2012-02-12 23:55:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175519.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(608,1,'2012-02-12 17:55:29','2012-02-12 23:55:29','','20120212-175527.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175527-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:55:29','2012-02-12 23:55:29','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175527.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(609,1,'2012-02-12 17:55:37','2012-02-12 23:55:37','','20120212-175535.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120212-175535-jpg','','','2012-02-12 17:55:37','2012-02-12 23:55:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120212-175535.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(626,1,'2012-03-03 11:25:44','2012-03-03 17:25:44','','20120303-112542.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120303-112542-jpg','','','2012-03-03 11:25:44','2012-03-03 17:25:44','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120303-112542.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(634,560,'2012-03-05 19:30:53','2012-03-05 19:30:53','How many times have you used the phrases (excuses)...I would but I\'m just so busy...or I wish there was more time in a day...I\'m just so tired...well, I know I have used all of these and other variations of them.  As I look around and see all the unfinished projects and things I need to do I face a harsh reality...I have the time, I just CHOOSE not to do it.  \n\nThe main question we need to be asking ourselves is why don\'t we have the time?  I mean when I really want to do something I miraculously find the time to do it.  I shift my schedule so I can make the party or see that movie or make that special sale.  When I set the goal to do the 1/2 marathon I figured out a way to do the mileage every Sat morning for three+ hours for three months.  When I wanted to learn how to salsa dance I was taking classes every Tue, Wed, Thur and Sun nights for 1+ hours a night.  When I wanted to watch the grammy\'s I found four hours when I was free.  \n\nIn this Decluttering journey I have determined I make extremely too many excuses of why I don\'t have time to do something.  Setting clear goals (as with anything else) will help you achieve what you are trying to do.  I know I am a procrastinator at heart and I tend to work better under pressure...wait is that just another excuse or is there some truth to that?  Well for me...there is truth to it.  If I know I have 30 mins before I leave to get all the trash and clean the kitchen because I\'m having company right after work and I won\'t have time to do it when I get home...best believe I can work it in so it is done...and in many cases whatever I have to do is done much better than I would have done it otherwise.  When I have too much time and no clearly defined goals I get sidetracked and start multiple projects until I look and there is a bigger mess than when I started.  \n\n<br /><br /><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\" alt=\"20120305-192257.jpg\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" /></a>\n\nSo take a tip from my Decluttering steps, set small goals.  Those goals should be obtainable and should be able to fit into a certain amount of time.  Small chunks are better than big chunks that take lots of time. This can be applied to any goal you have in life...break it down into obtainable goals and next thing you know you will have a big O\' bucket of Happiness (get how I used the word bucket right there lol)! So today I will start a master list of small obtainable projects.  As I\'m working on something, if something new pops up it will just be added to the list...hopefully I won\'t end up with a 500 item list and no results lollllll let me get post this blog and get started before I get sidetracked lol.\n\nHave you filled your happiness bucket today?','Who Has The Time?!?!!!','','publish','open','open','','who-has-the-time','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=634',0,'post','',0),(636,1,'2012-03-05 19:22:58','2012-03-06 01:22:58','','20120305-192257.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120305-192257-jpg','','','2012-03-05 19:22:58','2012-03-06 01:22:58','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(644,560,'2012-03-09 07:30:07','2012-03-09 13:30:07','Over the years I have not been shy about sharing my dislike of scales.  They represent everything I detest about losing weight.  I can tell you I have been on a weight loss/life change journey for about two years or so...honestly I haven\'t been counting, but I can tell you I feel better than I have in years.  Now don\'t take this to mean my journey is over because it is not...but I\'ve noticed a change in my endurance, in my body composition and my eating habits.  What I have not seen is a change in the number on the scale...that freakin piece of metal!  It has given me the same stupid number for four years!!! In that time I have dropped from a size 20+ to a 16! I have lost all kinds of inches too! So whyyyy does it want to mess with me by being stubborn?  Thats alright cause I prevailed today!\n\nI was preparing a group of formal dresses for donation to DonateMyDress.org, which is a non-profit which helps provide girls in need with dresses for the prom, quincenera, sweet 16, and other special occasions. I was showing Luis the dresses, focusing specifically on one I had been talking about earlier in the night.  When I pulled it out I saw that it was a 16.  I was curious whether it would fit or not so I decided to try it on.  Well, I put it on over a pair of running pants I had on and low and behold it fit! I shouldn\'t have been so amazed...I mean it was a 16...well, the amazement for me came when I called my mother to inquire what the year was when I first wore that gown.  She informed me it was Aug of 2004! Yes people...7 1/2 years ago!  \n\nSo, you see why I don\'t pay that little mean metal scale any attention? I weigh the same 220 lbs I\'ve weighed for yearrrrrrs, but apparently it is more muscle than fat.  So the point of all of this is...don\'t allow yourself to focus on the unimportant factor of just weight, look at all the wins and total the column properly so you get a holistic view of what is really going on.\n\nI choose to use clothing as my scale and that works for me.  Some of you may want to measure yourself with a tape measure or get your bmi...the key is to not get discouraged and to use what works for you.  Once you reach one goal, move on to the next one see...this win just motivates me to keep going.  Luis had a wonderful suggestion regarding me keeping one of the dresses as a goal dress.  It was a favorite timeless dress I wore in college and it is a 14.  What a great idea! \n\nWish me luck! I know I can do it, I just have to remain diligent and strong!','Exciting Realization - To weigh or not to weigh...','','publish','open','open','','exciting-realization-to-weigh-or-not-to-weigh','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=644',0,'post','',3),(660,560,'2012-05-07 18:30:58','2012-05-07 23:30:58','As many of you know my Corazon is Hispanic and in my quest to learn more about his heritage and Mexican food I have been trying to find recipes that blend my picky pallet with the delicious flavors of Mexico.  One thing I can tell you is that Mexican food is very very flavorful and for those who didn’t know it is not just about tacos and salsa!  It has given me a new respect for the power of seasoning and marinating.  Now, all of the recipes I have found are not “Mexican” but they are Latin.  What does this mean?  Well, Hispanic/Latin people come from many different places…and so do many of the Latin recipes.  I will share with you my first solo Latin dish that I made along with the experience…the original recipe is very healthy, but you can tweak it to make it your own or to make it even healthier.\n\nI found this recipe on <a href=\"http://www.skinnytaste.com\">www.skinnytaste.com</a>, it is called <a href=\"http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/06/broiled-or-grilled-pollo-sabroso.html\">Pollo Sabroso</a>…which means delicious chicken and she never lied about that!  This woman is amazing with the things she creates that qualify for weight watcher points (although I am not on weight watchers).  Having been a previous weight watcher participant I know how precious those points are and I know that an item that says 4 pts is pretty healthy!  I won’t bore you by giving you the exact recipe…I will just share with you my experience in making the dish.\n\n<strong>The Shopping Trip</strong> - This recipe is simple in that majority of the ingredients I already had in the house, so I just had to pick-up  the chicken (pollo), the sazon (actually found a box at the house that my Corazon had purchased) and some adobo seasoning.  I conducted my shopping at Publix, but most stores have the seasoning in the International or Hispanic aisle of the store.  Now, the first hurdle I came to is knowing which sazon seasoning I was supposed to buy.  The recipe stated a specific brand but what it didn’t state was that there were all kinds of types/flavors to choose from.  I went with the one made for poultry lol go figure.  My co-workers asked what exactly sazon and adobo seasonings are and they are basically a seasoned salt blend...each is made up of different seasonings.  You can make your own at home but this being my first experience with Latin cooking I said uh nope I’m going with the store bought stuff.  Additionally, I although the recipe called for thighs it was less expensive for me to get quarters (7 in the pack), so my recipe was more than the 4 points…because I also left the skin on…oh man I’m bad huh!?!?  Hey I’m in healthy training cut me a little slack!\n\n<strong>Prepping</strong> - Alright so now I’m home and it’s time to start cooking…can I just sayyyyyyyyyyy this took all of 5 mins to prepare!  This is including all the strange looks and rereading of the recipe lol.  I was a little confused with how much adobo to put on the chicken but I decided to go with my gut and just do what felt right.  I didn’t measure it so I can’t tell you how much was enough, but each piece of chicken had seasoning on it…you could see it.  I used a big stew pot to mix my chicken because I decided to season all the chicken at once although I only cooked four of the quarters at a time.  I placed the entire pot in the refrigerator and let it marinate for about an hour and a half…but the recipe only calls for 20 mins.\n\nOk I need to take an intermission for a second to tell you how delicious my house smelled and I hadn’t even cooked anything!!!!  I was all excited because I was cooking my first solo latin dish and I could only imagine the shock on my Corazon’s face when he walked in the door…ok intermission is over lets get to cooking!\n\n<strong>Cooking</strong>- After the marinating time had passed I turned my oven on broil.  Now my rack was already in the middle of the oven…I would recommend moving yours to that location if it isn’t already.  I placed 4 of the quarters on a broiling plan (the ones with the slits in it and the pan underneath to catch the drippings) skin side down.  I let it cook for a while (I didn’t time it but I’d say 15 - 20 mins or until it starts to brown)…then I flipped the chicken over.  I let it continue to cook until the chicken was browned just enough.  Again, didn’t time this just watched the chicken to ensure it didn’t burn.  I took it out the oven and let it rest for at least 5 mins.  [I actually had to cover the first batch with foil because we weren’t ready to eat].\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_666\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/chickensabroso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-666\" title=\"chickensabroso\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/chickensabroso.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Pollo Sabroso[/caption]\n\nOk  can we just say I wanted to slap somebody!!! THIS CHICKEN WAS DELICIOUS!!!!  OMG OMG…the first batch (original 4) after having set under the foil the skin had become more like baked chicken but the flavor was so powerful and good.  The second batch (other 3 cooked the next day) were eaten five minutes after it was made so the skin was nice and crispy.  Both times the chicken was moist and juicy…that is why it is so important to let it rest for 5 mins so the juices settle into the meat.\n\nI was so pleased with my first solo Latin dish!  Let me just say I got a gold star for my first meal…some may get mad but I was happy when Corazon asked me if I bought it from somewhere…uh NO I made it man!  To me that is a compliment especially with it being my first time....on top of that he went back for seconds…that tells you it was good!\n\nPlease try the recipe and report back to let us know if it was Pollo Sabroso for you too!  Happy eating!','Discovering My Inner Latina in the Kitchen','','publish','open','open','','discovering-my-inner-latina-in-the-kitchen','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=660',0,'post','',1),(666,1,'2012-05-07 18:07:06','2012-05-07 23:07:06','Delicious Chicken...literally','chickensabroso','Pollo Sabroso','inherit','open','open','','chickensabroso','','','2012-05-07 18:07:06','2012-05-07 23:07:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/chickensabroso.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(673,1,'2012-05-22 22:13:42','2012-05-23 03:13:42','','Shed Shelves','','inherit','open','open','','shelves','','','2012-05-22 22:13:42','2012-05-23 03:13:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/shelves.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(685,1,'2012-06-10 21:41:33','2012-06-11 02:41:33','','no-touch-hand-soap-silver-system','','inherit','open','open','','no-touch-hand-soap-silver-system-md','','','2012-06-10 21:41:33','2012-06-11 02:41:33','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/no-touch-hand-soap-silver-system-md.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(696,1,'2012-06-11 21:01:35','2012-06-12 02:01:35','','20120611-210132.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120611-210132-jpg','','','2012-06-11 21:01:35','2012-06-12 02:01:35','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/20120611-210132.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(697,1,'2012-06-11 21:01:49','2012-06-12 02:01:49','','20120611-210148.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120611-210148-jpg','','','2012-06-11 21:01:49','2012-06-12 02:01:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/20120611-210148.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(698,1,'2012-06-11 21:02:01','2012-06-12 02:02:01','','20120611-210159.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120611-210159-jpg','','','2012-06-11 21:02:01','2012-06-12 02:02:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/20120611-210159.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(699,1,'2012-06-11 21:02:10','2012-06-12 02:02:10','','20120611-210208.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120611-210208-jpg','','','2012-06-11 21:02:10','2012-06-12 02:02:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/20120611-210208.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(700,1,'2012-06-11 21:02:17','2012-06-12 02:02:17','','20120611-210215.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120611-210215-jpg','','','2012-06-11 21:02:17','2012-06-12 02:02:17','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/20120611-210215.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(720,560,'2012-11-17 08:00:16','2012-11-17 08:00:16','Craigslist and Facebook.\n\nThe bed, cars, TV, mattresses, etc.','How To Sell Items You Know Have Worth','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=720',0,'post','',0),(727,560,'2018-02-18 14:00:20','2018-02-18 14:00:20','One of the biggest struggles working moms have is finding meals to make with easy recipes to feed their family after a long day of working.  You want to know about easy make ahead meals that taste great.  Well, I\'ve got your back and am about to share a meal with you that literally will take you five minutes to prep!  You guys know I am a true believer of freezer meals, casseroles, and crock-pot cooking because they all allow me to save time in the kitchen but still feed my family healthy and delicious meals.\r\n\r\nNow if you didn\'t know, I am a closet Julia Child\'s wanna be...I like to experiment when it comes to new recipes and challenging my limited flavor pallet every so often.  I also encourage those of you who don\'t know how to cook, or don\'t cook often to challenge yourselves with a new easy recipes every once in a while.  Well, I made roast beef in the crock-pot.\r\n\r\nAlthough this recipe isn\'t new to me, I am eating it in a new way, encouraged by a trip I took to California for a quinceanera.  One of the houses I visited had purchased some precooked roast beef and we had it on a tortilla...OMGGGGGG.\r\n\r\nSo, after I returned home, I immediately decided to try and recreate this delicious meal and it was just as good with my crock-pot roast beef.  Since that was such a success, I decided I\'d experiment putting it in one of my favorite types of bread, Bolillo! Check out what I did below...\r\n\r\nIf you aren\'t counting, I just gave you three possible meals out of one!!!!  Once you make this will you please return and tell me how it was and how you tweaked it to make it your own!\r\n\r\nTrust me it will be a total time saver for you and your family and your belly will thank me too!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/20120705-195331.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/20120705-195331.jpg\" alt=\"20120705-195331.jpg\" /></a>\r\n<h1>The Crock-Pot Roast Beef Recipe</h1>\r\nThis recipe is very simple that you can start in the morning before you begin working!  I also have been known to cook this on the weekend during a freezer meal cooking session.  I don\'t have images of the meat cooking, but trust it is so easy!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Crock-Pot Roast Beef\r\n</span>Pot Roast (your meat...can be whatever cut you prefer)\r\n2 cans of cream of mushroom soup\r\n1 can of water (just fill one of the emptied Cream of Mushroom cans)\r\n1 packet of Lipton onion soup mix\r\n\r\nMix all the ingredients together in a bowl and pour it over the meat. Some choose to brown off the meat first, but I\'ve stopped doing that now and just add salt and pepper to the meat prior to putting it in the crock-pot. Cook it on high for 4 hrs or low for 8 hrs or until it is the tenderness you like. I like for the meat to be firm, but easy to shred.\r\n<h1>Building Your Sandwich</h1>\r\nNow to make the sandwich, just added the meat to a Bolillo roll. Bolillo is a type of Mexican savory bread similar to a baguette. Now my sweetheart, Luis, added avocado, peppers, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and cheese to his (he may have added something else, I honestly can\'t remember)...me I just had mayonnaise and american cheese with the meat. When I tell you this sandwich was DELICIOUS!!!! I promise you I am not exaggerating. Try it for yourself and you will be so happy you did. You can find the bolillo (bo-lee-yo) bread in most Panderia\'s (Mexican Bakeries).  I have even found small versions in the Wal-mart bakery. This is what it looks like.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/bolillo-bread.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-764\" title=\"bolillo bread\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/bolillo-bread.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"186\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI hope you try out this easy recipe that I know will help out some of you busy moms!  I mean who doesn\'t want to fill their belly and their happiness bucket at the same time!?!?!\r\n\r\nHappy Eating!  My Happiness Bucket is definitely full, is yours?','Easy Recipes for Working Moms - Crock-pot Roast Beef on Bolillo Bread','','publish','open','open','','my-inner-latina-roast-beef-on-bolillo-bread','','','2019-07-27 05:16:00','2019-07-27 05:16:00','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=727',0,'post','',0),(751,1,'2012-07-03 00:24:56','2012-07-03 05:24:56','','20120703-002456.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120703-002456-jpg','','','2012-07-03 00:24:56','2012-07-03 05:24:56','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120703-002456.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(752,1,'2012-07-03 00:25:05','2012-07-03 05:25:05','','20120703-002506.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120703-002506-jpg','','','2012-07-03 00:25:05','2012-07-03 05:25:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120703-002506.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(753,1,'2012-07-03 00:25:11','2012-07-03 05:25:11','','20120703-002512.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120703-002512-jpg','','','2012-07-03 00:25:11','2012-07-03 05:25:11','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120703-002512.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(754,1,'2012-07-03 00:25:18','2012-07-03 05:25:18','','20120703-002519.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120703-002519-jpg','','','2012-07-03 00:25:18','2012-07-03 05:25:18','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120703-002519.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(759,560,'2012-07-05 19:30:46','2012-07-06 00:30:46','As you all know, I am addicted to Pinterest! It is one of the best technology creations I\'ve experienced in a while. So, in an effort to challenge myself and to put all these fabulous pins to work, I decided I was going to start incorporating my many pins into real life experiences.\r\n\r\nNow that I have so eloquently set this up for you...It is time to open the blinds on my DIY antics for the second time.  I figured this was ok since my first one <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/clutter-buster-recycling-candles-and-my-scentsy-warmer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Recycling Candles Using My Scentsy Warmer</a> was so successful.\r\n\r\nOk, so many months ago I found a pin that \"claimed\" to have the recipe for chick-fil-a nuggets. Supposedly the secret, believe it or not, is dill pickle juice and powdered sugar. When I read this I was immediately skeptical because that just didn\'t seem right, but I read the reviews at the bottom of the post and 99.9% of them were raving at how close these nuggets were to the real thing. Well, that\'s all I needed to read since I eat there so much I should have stock in the company...is it just me???  Yeah, I know it isn\'t...which is why I\'m sharing this with you!\r\n<h1>My Lucy Experience</h1>\r\nNow...let me just start this by saying my experience was a lot like the I Love Lucy episode when they switched roles...\r\n\r\n[embed]https://youtu.be/gvYZ3gpZMpY?t=1m31s[/embed]\r\n\r\nThe marinade bag fell over so there was an egg, milk, pickle juice mixture all on the cabinet...and THEN, the pan was too hot so as soon as I put the nuggets in the pan they started to brown!!! Needless to say, I was able to make the necessary adjustments and cooked all the nuggets without burning the house down (barely). The end result...FABULOUS!!! It was not exactly like Chick-fil-a\'s nuggets, but it was extremely close. My sweetheart even put his stamp of approval on them.\r\n<h1>Lessons Learned</h1>\r\nThe beauty is that even though I had a few mistakes, I learned from them as I went along.  I decided it would only be fair for me to go ahead and share these lessons learned with you so you can spare yourself the drama...although it was kind of funny:\r\n\r\n1. Start off with your temperature a little lower than what the recipe says because on my stove it was hotter than it needed to be.  You can always turn it up as you go.\r\n2. Get all your chicken out the marinade and into the flour mixture before you start cooking.  This just makes for a cleaner and smoother kitchen.  I mean do you really need pickle juice all over your cabinet?\r\n3. Double the flour mixture if cooking more than one cut up breast. I had two and almost ran out of the mixture.\r\n4. Oil amount seemed low but not extremely...this may have been due to the heat level I started with.\r\n\r\nSooooo I\'m sorry I ate all the nuggets before I even thought to take a pic, but it\'s ok you can look at the pic on the original blog post. Now all I need is the recipe for their BBQ sauce!\r\n\r\nHere is the full recipe from the original blog:  <a href=\"http://iowagirleats.com/2012/03/01/chick-fil-a-bites-with-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce/comment-page-1/#comment-1045866\">http://iowagirleats.com/2012/03/01/chick-fil-a-bites-with-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce/comment-page-1/#comment-1045866</a>\r\n\r\nI believe this one has filled my Happiness Bucket!','How to Make DIY Chick-fil-a Chicken Nuggets','','publish','open','open','','diy-chick-fil-a-nuggets','','\nhttp://iowagirleats.com/2012/03/01/chick-fil-a-bites-with-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce/comment-page-1/#comment-1045866','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=759',0,'post','',0),(764,1,'2012-07-05 19:48:22','2012-07-06 00:48:22','','bolillo bread','','inherit','open','open','','bolillo-bread','','','2012-07-05 19:48:22','2012-07-06 00:48:22','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/bolillo-bread.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(767,1,'2012-07-05 19:53:30','2012-07-06 00:53:30','','20120705-195331.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120705-195331-jpg','','','2012-07-05 19:53:30','2012-07-06 00:53:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120705-195331.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(775,1,'2012-07-10 16:22:30','2012-07-10 21:22:30','','decontainerizing','','inherit','open','open','','decontainerizing','','','2012-07-10 16:22:30','2012-07-10 21:22:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/decontainerizing.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(776,1,'2012-07-10 16:22:33','2012-07-10 21:22:33','','more containers','','inherit','open','open','','more-containers','','','2012-07-10 16:22:33','2012-07-10 21:22:33','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/more-containers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(777,1,'2012-07-10 16:22:36','2012-07-10 21:22:36','','containers3','','inherit','open','open','','containers3','','','2017-08-15 21:14:47','2017-08-15 21:14:47','',3752,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/containers3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(778,1,'2012-07-10 16:37:39','2012-07-10 21:37:39','','Courtesy of www.marthastewart.com','','inherit','open','open','','martha','','','2012-07-10 16:37:39','2012-07-10 21:37:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/martha.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(792,1,'2012-07-29 22:47:52','2012-07-30 03:47:52','','20120729-224751.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120729-224751-jpg','','','2012-07-29 22:47:52','2012-07-30 03:47:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120729-224751.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(793,1,'2012-07-29 22:48:03','2012-07-30 03:48:03','','20120729-224803.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120729-224803-jpg','','','2012-07-29 22:48:03','2012-07-30 03:48:03','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120729-224803.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(794,1,'2012-07-29 22:48:38','2012-07-30 03:48:38','','20120729-224838.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120729-224838-jpg','','','2012-07-29 22:48:38','2012-07-30 03:48:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120729-224838.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(795,1,'2012-07-29 22:48:54','2012-07-30 03:48:54','','20120729-224853.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120729-224853-jpg','','','2012-07-29 22:48:54','2012-07-30 03:48:54','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120729-224853.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(796,1,'2012-07-29 22:49:43','2012-07-30 03:49:43','','20120729-224942.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120729-224942-jpg','','','2012-07-29 22:49:43','2012-07-30 03:49:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20120729-224942.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(815,1,'2012-08-08 17:46:30','2012-08-08 22:46:30','','Linen Closet Before','','inherit','open','open','','0804121204','','','2012-08-08 17:46:30','2012-08-08 22:46:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/0804121204.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(816,1,'2012-08-08 17:46:31','2012-08-08 22:46:31','','Linen Closet After','','inherit','open','open','','0804121420','','','2012-08-08 17:46:31','2012-08-08 22:46:31','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/0804121420.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(821,560,'2012-08-13 07:00:05','2012-08-13 07:00:05','Today, I had a bit of a wakeup call about my problem...yes I have a problem and I bet you do too. What is my problem you ask??? I sometimes keep things that I don\'t need!!!! I have good intentions, but a lack of follow through. Come on, admit it...you have this same problem. Don\'t act like I\'m in this by myself.\n\nYou will find that in the process of decluttering, you will organize stuff that should be thrown away and you will make piles/stacks of things to review or handle later. Many times people forget about these projects and the stacks just get moved from place to place...or they get organized and forgotten...or you just don\'t have the \"time\" to work on them. Ok people, lets be realistic with ourselves about these mystery stacks and set some guidelines as to when they will be discarded, completed or cleaned out.\n\nOne way to combat this issue is to create a visitation log for the item/stack. This could be a label that you hang from the basket or clip to the stack. On the label you should have the following. (1) The start date which is the date you create the stack or pile, (2) Several lines for the access date(s) which will have the date that you work on the project or read the magazine, etc., and (3) an expiration date which is an allotted amount of time to have completed the project.\n\nDelivery Date: 8/13/12\nAccess Date: ___________\nAccess Date: ___________\nAccess Date: ___________\nExpiration Date: six months from the last date accessed\n\nBy creating this label it forces you to face reality. Now there are other organized areas that this process won\'t work for so you have to be honest with yourself and determine when you will regularly clean out those areas. For example, you have a basket that is the junk basket for a closet. Once a month or quarter you should planned to clean the basket out or review its contents. Set some rules for yourself. If you have something in there that you haven\'t used in over a year or two seasons (i.e., 2 winters in a row)...it\'s time to let it G.O. By doing the regular review, you eliminate the risk of forgetting that you own an item.\n\nNow that I have given you some suggested fixes let me tell you about a couple of my \"special places\":\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">The Candy Basket</span>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232142.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232142.jpg\" alt=\"20120812-232142.jpg\" /></a>\n\nNow don\'t judge! This basket used to be the stuffed animal basket, until I realized I have no kids and in reality what do I need stuffed animals for....so it became my basket where I threw hard candy and gum...and other little treats that don\'t need to be in the kitchen. Reality...well, that cookie in the box is from TWO YEARS AGO!!! Yes, my best friend got married and his bride sent these out to those who were in the wedding. It was the cutest thing ever, so I didn\'t want to eat it...but really, do I still need it in the house? I\'m sure if she is reading this, she is cringing at the fact that it wasn\'t eaten, but it was just too darn cute! This basket is getting an overhaul and will be repurposed into my stair travel basket. I will place it by the stairs and anything that needs to go up will be put in it and once it is upstairs, anything that needs to go downstairs will be placed in it. I really don\'t need that much candy and gum anyway!\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Basket of Magazines</span>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232214.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232214.jpg\" alt=\"20120812-232214.jpg\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232220.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232220.jpg\" alt=\"20120812-232220.jpg\" /></a>\n\nNow this basket is really pretty useful, but do I really need two of them??? And how often have I retrieved a magazine out of it? Ummmm we are being honest right?? Well the reality is I never retrieve the magazines out of it, so that tells me I need to get rid of them!!! I hate to do that because I\'m sure the magazines in them have great articles but they have been sitting there for over a year. It\'s time to just let them G.O! I have already stopped all my previous subscriptions, but that was probably two years ago (yeah just like the cookie). I\'m sure a teacher could use these for some kind of art project. So, I am going to set a three month expiration date on them. If they aren\'t reviewed by that date all of them will be donated.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Lesson Plans and Supporting Books</span>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120812-232227.jpg\" alt=\"20120812-232227.jpg\" /></a>\n\nAbout ummm Three years ago, I used to teach a class at one of the local colleges and they gave me copies of all the books for the lesson plans. Some of the books were for classes I didn\'t even teach, but I kept them because I wanted to review them and teach myself some stuff to help with work. Well, reality is I haven\'t cracked those books since they walked (like they have legs) into this house. They have just moved from place to place. I have decided they will be relocated to my office, at work and labeled using the method above. Since they are technology books a lot of the data may be obsolete, but I wanted to get some of the basic computing information that they provide.\n\nI\'m sure I have other areas of \"organized crap\" in the house, but those are the first three I will tackle. Do you have any \"organized crap\" around your home or office? Try the methods above and let me know how they work for you. You know what I\'m about to say...FILL THAT HAPPINESS BUCKET...lets get the crap out of your life!','Organized Crap...how much do you have?','','publish','open','open','','organized-crap-how-much-do-you-have','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=821',0,'post','',1),(824,1,'2012-08-12 23:21:43','2012-08-13 04:21:43','','20120812-232142.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120812-232142-jpg','','','2012-08-12 23:21:43','2012-08-13 04:21:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120812-232142.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(826,1,'2012-08-12 23:22:15','2012-08-13 04:22:15','','20120812-232214.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120812-232214-jpg','','','2012-08-12 23:22:15','2012-08-13 04:22:15','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120812-232214.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(827,1,'2012-08-12 23:22:20','2012-08-13 04:22:20','','20120812-232220.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120812-232220-jpg','','','2012-08-12 23:22:20','2012-08-13 04:22:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120812-232220.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(828,1,'2012-08-12 23:22:28','2012-08-13 04:22:28','','20120812-232227.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120812-232227-jpg','','','2012-08-12 23:22:28','2012-08-13 04:22:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120812-232227.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(837,560,'2012-11-21 08:00:17','2012-11-21 08:00:17','You just got engaged and reality has now set in that you dream wedding cost more money than you have to spend.  Those invitations you have been eyeballing are $5.00 a piece and you are inviting 200 people to the wedding.  This just isn\'t feasible...so you decide you are going to embark on the DIY Journey.  I mean how hard can it be right? Well, I have a couple of suggestions for any and all DIYers out there.\n\n1.  Allotting enough time - this is so very important not just with wedding DIYs but with all DIYs.  We always think we have enough time and then we realize that easy project takes a lot more time when you are doing it more than once.  Additionally some DIYs can\'t be completed until something else is finished which cuts into your \"development time\". Account for this in your overall timeline of projects. \n\n2.  Be Realistic - some things you just can\'t do cheaper than buying it. So evaluate your projects and all the materials needed before you begin.  Do you already have the tools needed...how much material do you need to create your master piece, do you know what you are doing or will there be a learning curve.  Once you take this into consideration you will be able to realistically determine if you can completely the project yourself and if it makes sense to do so.\n\n3.  Find Resources - there are tons of sites/forums out there that can direct you to things you will need.  Some things I learned along the way is that brides often sale items after their wedding, so if you need vases for 24 tables buy them used...no one will know.  There are lots of projects out there that others have already tried. They share their successes and failures and also suggestions.  Make the time to do your research.\n\n4.  Be Willing To Compromise - sometimes we dream beyond our abilities, that\'s just reality.  Be willing to let some things go if you can\'t achieve them or can\'t afford them.  Your day is really about you and your Groom/Bride not the stuff.  Determine what are must haves first and then you can supplement with other things if you choose.\n\n5.  Day I\'d DIYers Sit Down - on the day of your wedding you should get someone you trust to handle day of coordination.  The Bride nor her Mother nor her Bridal party should be coordinating anything on that day.','Event Planning Series - Do It Yourself Projects','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=837',0,'post','',0),(840,560,'2012-11-28 08:00:26','2012-11-28 08:00:26','','Event Planning Series - Order Early/Plan Ahead','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=840',0,'post','',0),(844,560,'2012-08-15 07:30:14','2012-08-15 12:30:14','One of the most important parts of The Happiness Bucket is our focus on self development and for many of our members that translates into living a healthier lifestyle.  When most think of healthy lifestyles they think about weight loss and dieting.  Well today I want to give you a window into my healthy lifestyle journey.\r\n<h1>Determine What Works For You</h1>\r\nThe first thing I want to make clear to you is that I, like many, have my ups and downs when it comes to weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle.  I have finally found something that works, but that wasn\'t always the case and my way may not be your way.  So, I really want you to understand that you have to find what works for you and your life today.\r\n\r\nDon\'t try to be a marathon runner if that doesn\'t bring you joy or isn\'t something you feel is sustainable.  Now, I\'m not saying not to try new or hard things, so make sure you put this into perspective.  Challenge yourself but also be real with yourself too.  Identify things that you find interest in from a healthy lifestyle standpoint and cultivate that.\r\n<h1>Make Healthy Living Fun</h1>\r\nThe one thing I standby when it comes to having a healthy lifestyle, specifically exercising is it has to be fun for me.  If I enjoy it, I am more likely to keep it up.  Think about it, when your friends say come on and lets go play basketball, if you like to play basketball you are like cool lets go. If you detest basketball then you are going to come up with excuse after excuse of why you can\'t go or will drag your feet.\r\n\r\nWhen I was looking for something to get me started the one thing I found that I thoroughly enjoyed was dancing.  I mean think about it, back in the day you would go to the club and dance your booty off for hours.  You were just having fun, but you were getting your heart rate up and sweating up a storm...but you were having fun.  Well, I decided to take up salsa dancing and boy oh boy was it fun!  I learned a new skill, met lots of new people, got exercise AND met my dear husband in the process.\r\n<h1>Get Healthy With Workout DVDs</h1>\r\nOk, so for some of you dancing isn\'t your thing and you just want to do something at home, well I\'ve been there too.  I went through a period when I was wanting something I could do at home by myself.  I didn\'t want to have to buy a bunch of equipment either.  While I was on vacation, I saw an infomercial for both P90X and Insanity.  Both looked intriguing but I wasn\'t sure which was best.\r\n\r\nI began researching and asking around and a very fit friend of mine said he had done both videos and suggested I get insanity because it was more cardio based.  Well, I borrowed the Insanity CD from a friend and man!!!!\r\n\r\nNow to be fair, the DVD set came with two CDs.  Insanity CD 1 included a test that you are supposed to complete every other week (I think) and Insanity CD 2 was the cardio session. I watched these CDs and although inspired I immediate got scared. I was afraid I would get discouraged part of the way through because many of his background exercisers weren\'t smiling and having a great time as you see in most videos, 10 mins in many were bending over (in the middle of the exercise) as though they were about to throw up! On one they showed them throwing up!!! I though what the world, usually on videos they have the most fit people doing the exercises so if they are reacting that way I can only imagine how I will react!!!\r\n\r\nI figure for him to show that on the CD that it was reality and that this CD was no joke! That being said, the overall method Sean T uses seems to make a lot of sense...you give high intensity cardio for 3 mins and rest for 30 secs. (The normal method is you do moderate exercise for 3 mins and do high intensity for 30 secs). Each time you go back after the break/rest period the exercise changes. Although the exercises being performed aren\'t hard, it\'s the sheer intensity level that shocks your system.\r\n\r\nSooooo, needless to say, after watching these CDs and giving myself a reality check I decided to do another video that Sean T has called Hip Hop Abs.  I know that exercising requires motivation and drive and I am one that if discouraged won\'t do it...but if I do something that I can handle and it either begins getting too easy or I start seeing results I add more and more to it...so my hope was that I would work up to the insanity level of exercise.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-000504.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-000504.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-000504.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-000510.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-000510.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-000510.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI was really drawn to the Hip Hop Abs video because you don\'t have to get on the ground and you are still working your abdominal muscles. It has a lot of isolation using dance moves so it works other areas since you are standing up and doing cardio in the process. I can tell you it definitely affected some of my muscles since I felt pain the next day and all I did was the intro session, which was about 20 mins and about 10 mins of the cardio section, which is 45 mins. The part I did was fun and it wasn\'t too hard to follow.  I could definitely see how it could help my abs and my problem areas.  Now, some of the things Sean says on the CD was a little corny or dated, but who cares...the music was cool and he gave great instruction. [Note: this was back in 2017, so I am not sure how \"cool\" the music would be today.  The exercises would still work but it was dated then so I\'m sure it is really dated now]\r\n\r\nI have shifted to living a ketogenic lifestyle and it is working like gangbusters for me.  If you are interested in learning all my tips and tricks on how to begin your keto journey, join me and Walter in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/clubketo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Club Keto</a>.\r\n\r\nI would love to hear about your healthy journey.  What are you doing to stay healthy, get healthy or just get started?  No more excuses people!\r\n\r\nLets Move!!!!  Come on, fill your Healthy Bucket today!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Healthy Lifestyle - How to Start Your New Journey','','publish','open','open','','healthy-lifestyle','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=844',0,'post','',1),(848,1,'2012-08-13 00:05:06','2012-08-13 05:05:06','','20120813-000504.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-000504-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:05:06','2012-08-13 05:05:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-000504.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(849,1,'2012-08-13 00:05:12','2012-08-13 05:05:12','','20120813-000510.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-000510-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:05:12','2012-08-13 05:05:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-000510.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(854,560,'2012-08-18 08:15:37','2012-08-18 08:15:37','Many years ago I had \"organized\" my warranties and manuals into this old curtain or sham bag...you know the bags that the items come in when you first purchase them.  Well, I love to repurpose these bags because they are clear and contained.  So, I just loaded it down with any manual I could find. \n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-002023.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-002023.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-002023.jpg\" /></a>\n\n It actually worked for the most part because I knew exactly where to go.  The downside to this wonderful creation of mine is that each time I needed to find a manual, I\'d have to take everything out or at least flip through half the contents before I found what I needed.  Well, in flew Alejandra with her special organizing cape once again!  I was recently inspired by <a href=\"http://youtu.be/_sqrChfq5ck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alejandra\'s video on organizing manuals and warranties</a>.  After seeing how she organized her manuals I was in love! I had previously done exactly what she warned against in her video regarding the sleeve protectors- FAIL. But hearing her explain the difference with these pockets, I immediately started my quest to reorganize my manuals and warranties.\n\nFirst, I did exactly what she did, I sorted everything into categories that made since to me: electronics, furniture, gadgets, appliances.  All these categories are represented on the top row. The second row is trash (items I had donated or thrown away), items I wasn\'t sure I owned, and items I didn\'t think I owned but wanted to make sure.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-002046.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-002046.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-002046.jpg\" /></a>\n\nI then placed the four stacks on the top row in the pockets and included them in my binders.  Ok, first thing you should know if you go looking for these pockets is to ask someone in the store if at first glance you don\'t locate them. At the Staples I went to it was not with the other pockets but with the binder folders.  They also come in multiple colors and they have them in the box in alternating colors (red, blue, yellow, clear...red, blue... Etc.). I made the brave attempt to go on my pocket quest during tax free weekend...I will never be the same!\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-004629.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-004629.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-004629.jpg\" /></a>\n\nAnother issue or lesson learned is I got the wrong sized binders.  In the store the larger binders seemed so big...so I went with the 1in.  Needless to say I HAVE to sacrifice and go get two larger binders...but since it waaaas my fault I\'ll just keep the others and use them for something else.  (enter long pause and deep breath) now you guys know this is no sacrifice lol I LOOOOOVE these freaking binders! Ill get the larger ones, but I\'m not exchanging the others lol.  \n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-004638.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/20120813-004638.jpg\" alt=\"20120813-004638.jpg\" /></a>\n\nAnyway, I\'m extremely pleased with my binders and I\'m thankful to my organizing hero Alejandra for sharing her methods so graciously.  I still need to add my front and sleeve labels, but this was a success if I say so myself.\n\nMy HappinessBucket is filled, is yours?\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-887\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Organizing My Manuals and Warranties','','publish','open','open','','organizing-my-manuals-and-warranties','','','2019-07-27 05:19:16','2019-07-27 05:19:16','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=854',0,'post','',0),(856,1,'2012-08-13 00:20:25','2012-08-13 05:20:25','','20120813-002023.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-002023-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:20:25','2012-08-13 05:20:25','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-002023.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(857,1,'2012-08-13 00:20:34','2012-08-13 05:20:34','','20120813-002033.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-002033-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:20:34','2012-08-13 05:20:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-002033.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(858,1,'2012-08-13 00:20:39','2012-08-13 05:20:39','','20120813-002038.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-002038-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:20:39','2012-08-13 05:20:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-002038.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(859,1,'2012-08-13 00:20:48','2012-08-13 05:20:48','','20120813-002046.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-002046-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:20:48','2012-08-13 05:20:48','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-002046.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(861,1,'2012-08-13 00:46:30','2012-08-13 05:46:30','','20120813-004629.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-004629-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:46:30','2012-08-13 05:46:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-004629.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(862,1,'2012-08-13 00:46:39','2012-08-13 05:46:39','','20120813-004638.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-004638-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:46:39','2012-08-13 05:46:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-004638.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(864,1,'2012-08-13 00:47:28','2012-08-13 05:47:28','','20120813-004727.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-004727-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:47:28','2012-08-13 05:47:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-004727.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(865,1,'2012-08-13 00:47:34','2012-08-13 05:47:34','','20120813-004733.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120813-004733-jpg','','','2012-08-13 00:47:34','2012-08-13 05:47:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120813-004733.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(880,1,'2012-08-16 14:29:13','2012-08-16 19:29:13','','Target-Logo-target-2358262-120-27','','inherit','open','open','','target-logo-target-2358262-120-27','','','2012-08-16 14:29:13','2012-08-16 19:29:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/target-logo-target-2358262-120-27.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(918,1,'2012-08-20 15:26:14','2012-08-20 20:26:14','TheHappinessBucket Price Book','Empty Price Book','','inherit','open','open','','empty-price-book','','','2012-08-20 15:26:14','2012-08-20 20:26:14','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/empty-price-book.xlsx',0,'attachment','application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet',0),(922,1,'2012-08-20 15:50:05','2012-08-20 20:50:05','','TheHappinessBucket Price Book','','inherit','open','open','','thehappinessbucket-price-book','','','2012-08-20 15:50:05','2012-08-20 20:50:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/thehappinessbucket-price-book.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(941,560,'2012-08-24 07:30:20','2012-08-24 12:30:20','As many of you know I have been working on a lifestyle change for 2012 (well truth be told I think I set that same goal in 2010 and 2011 too lol, but I digress).  This year, my goals have been to try to eat more fruit and vegetables and to make small food related changes.  This was a little hard at first but with Luis\' help I think I am getting the hang of it...well some of it.  I have gotten into the habit of bringing fruit to work in the morning.  Now this isn\'t me bringing an apple to work or anything like that...it is a cup of sliced, diced and plucked fruit that is ready to eat.  My favorites have been orange slices, grapes and pineapple.  Additionally, watermelon is another favorite of mine.  So here is how I do it:\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Pre-prepare fruit</span> - I am one that dreads having to prepare something when I am hungry and tired.  This was one of the biggest issues and excuses I had for not preparing food at home and eating out instead.  After watching some vlogs and reading a few blogs on freezer meals and meal planning I discovered a common theme was to prepare the meals/items ahead of time.  This is a pretty easy yet fabulous idea.  My first attempt at this pre-preparing \"trick\" was to buy some grapes and wash and remove them from the vine as soon as I got home.  Now before you tell me that doing this reduces the products freshness I am going to tell you that one bag of grapes only lasts me three - four days using this method.  When I say it only lasts me that long it\'s because I EAT them LOL...so they don\'t have time to go bad...hummm novel idea huh.  Buy and actually eat the fruit...  [enter a blank stare and a moment of silence while that sinks in].  &#x263a;\n\nOk, so I used my fabulous green plastic ball containers...\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/ball-freezer-containers.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-988\" title=\"Ball Freezer Containers\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/ball-freezer-containers.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"115\" height=\"115\" /></a>\n\nyes these are originally meant for canning and I think I shared them once before, but for those who may have missed it...here is a photo of them.  I got mine from Wal-mart, but I know they carry them in various places.  The lid is a screw top which helps with freshness (in my opinion).  Anywho, so I washed and dried my grapes and plucked them from the vine.  I added them to my container.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/grapes2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-991\" title=\"Grapes Top Down\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/grapes2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"258\" height=\"195\" /></a>                       <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/grapes.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-990\" style=\"width:185px;height:233px;\" title=\"grapes\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/grapes.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"277\" /></a>\n\nThe first time I did this I chose to prepare my cup o\' grapes the night before so each night I had to wash and prep them, but that was because it was a trial to see if it worked for me.  In the morning I grabbed the cup and was able to eat the grapes on the way to work or while at work (if I forgot or didn\'t finish them).  It is usually enough grapes to eat during breakfast and a snack, but it depends on my hunger level at the time of consumption. &#x263a;  I am blessed because my sweetheart prepares cups of orange, pineapple and grapes pieces for me.  So I am able to just grab the cup on those days and go.\n\nBy doing this it has solved a few issues for me:  1.  I am actually eating breakfast on the go without thinking about it;  2.  I am craving the fruit in the morning;  3.  I\'m not starving at lunch time;  4.  I am adding more fruits to my diet.\n\nI have also chosen to prep my watermelon\'s this way too.  I got the idea for this from my parents who had a container of cubed watermelon in the fridge one day but told me to take it all because they weren\'t going to eat it.  I was throwin\' down on that watermelon during my 40 min drive home from their house...I didn\'t even need a fork.  So, that got me to thinking.  Soon there after I cubed up a watermelon we purchased and put it in a bowl.  That following Saturday while I was working around the house...I got hungry but didn\'t feel like doing any cooking so I grabbed the bowl and started smacking my lips...once again &#x263a;.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/watermelon.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-992\" title=\"watermelon\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/watermelon.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nYou can do this pre-preparing process on just about any snack in your home.  Conduct a search on pinterest using \"prepared snacks\" as the search term and a few will popup.  Just ignore the unhealthy options &#x263a;.\n\nI hope you gain a little inspiration from my experience and start making some healthy changes in your life as well.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent4.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-994\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent4.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','My Eating Life:  A Trick to Add Fruit to My Life','','publish','open','open','','my-eating-life-a-trick-to-add-fruit-to-my-life','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=941',0,'post','',1),(946,560,'2012-11-12 08:00:55','2012-11-12 08:00:55','filling another person\'s happiness bucket = pay it forward  Pick someone at least 5 years older and at least 5 years younger than you.  Of no relation.','Honoring Important People In Your Life','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=946',0,'post','',0),(948,560,'2012-11-01 07:00:23','2012-11-01 07:00:23','Take about 20 minutes to conduct a self evaluation by listing out what you see as being the good and the bad things about yourself. These are your own thoughts and beliefs, you don\'t have to take anyone else\'s opinions into account. This is a time to be honest with yourself and just free flow your thoughts. The purpose of this list is to be honest with yourself and to really find out how you feel about yourself.  We often want others to treat us a certain way, yet we don\'t do that ourselves.  In fact, we are often our own worst and hardest critic.\r\n<h1>The Review Process</h1>\r\nNow that you have your list, I want you to review it.  Identify how many good things you have an how many \"bad\" things you have.  Then place them in priority order.  Determine of those things how you can improve, change, or resolve them.  The important thing for you to realize during this exercise is that you can only fix or change yourself...no one else can.\r\n\r\nThis will help you see if you are truly happy.  Are you reaching your fullest potential? Are you stuck on things that are superficial or in the grand scheme of things don\'t really matter?\r\n<h1>Your Next Steps</h1>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6178\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Blog-Pinnable-Graphic-1-200x300.png\" alt=\"Self Evaluation - An Important Key to Your Happiness | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"211\" height=\"317\" />\r\n\r\nYou may come away from this exercise with some very defined goals that you can act upon. Some of you may come away with more questions than answers...that\'s ok, that\'s a part of self discovery. You can\'t change what you don\'t acknowledge.  If you need help, you know I\'m here for you.  If you have your list and are ready to cook with grease, lets make something spectacular!  I have a number of resources that can help you get started here on the site.  I encourage you to explore and see what sticks out to you.  Whether you are focused on <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/space-organization-getting-control-of-the-physical-stuff/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Space</a>, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/lifeorganization/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Life</a>, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizing-your-soul/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Soul</a> or <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/business-organization-2/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Business</a>, I can help you find yourself and your purpose.\r\n\r\nOn the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/about-the-happiness-bucket/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">about page</a> I mentioned how the concept of the happiness bucket came to be...the ladies in that story have all reached a different place in their lives that has made them happier more fulfilled individuals, but they first had to do a self evaluation. Now it\'s your turn...don\'t be scared, you can do it! Squeeze my virtual hand and take a leap of faith.','Self Evaluation - A Key to Happiness','','publish','open','open','','self-evaluation','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=948',0,'post','',0),(952,560,'2012-11-20 08:00:58','2012-11-20 08:00:58','One Sunday our Pastor said something that really just stuck with me.  He said that God told us to cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness.  I pondered on that for a few minutes and really just loved it.  What do we have going on in our lives that we need to cast into the sea of forgetfulness?  Past hurts?  Past disappointments?  Past mistakes?','The Sea of Forgetfulness','','draft','open','open','','the-sea-of-forgetfulness','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=952',0,'post','',0),(960,560,'2012-11-16 08:00:17','2012-11-16 08:00:17','Create an extra supply area where you keep unused supplies, boxes, tins, etc. that you may use later in your decluttering process.  BUT don\'t let this get out of hand and become just a place to store clutter you don\'t want to get rid of.','Finding Supplies in Your Home','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=960',0,'post','',0),(962,560,'2012-11-27 08:00:35','2012-11-27 08:00:35','','It Really Does Make a Difference (empty)','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=962',0,'post','',0),(965,560,'2012-11-15 08:00:07','2012-11-15 08:00:07','Learning to store like things together and labeling so you and everyone else who is looking for those items will know that that is where they should be.  Lightbulbs, extra glade plug ins, etc.','Does Everything Have a Home?','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=965',0,'post','',0),(968,560,'2012-11-11 08:00:32','2012-11-11 08:00:32','How many of you remember the old movie \"Pay It Forward?\".  Well, in this new millenium we have a new vision of what this means to each of us.  When was the last time you did something without expecting something in return?  The other week I was in line at Kroger waiting to check out and the cashier asked me if I had a Kroger Plus Card.  This baffled me because she was still checking the person ahead of me out.  In a perplexed voice','Happiness - Pay It Forward','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=968',0,'post','',0),(970,560,'2012-09-18 13:00:04','2012-09-18 18:00:04','<img title=\"Charitable couple offering food to a homeless man\" src=\"http://officeimg.vo.msecnd.net/en-us/images/MB900427741.jpg\" alt=\"Charitable couple offering food to a homeless man\" />The Happiness Bucket is a big supporter of Volunteering and giving back to your community, so we want to encourage you to get involved this Fall, don\'t wait for the Holiday season.  One easy way is for your to donate and volunteer in one of the United Way\'s day of actions.  This requires very little of your time and will help so many in your community.  For those who were in Nashville in May of 2010 you remember the \"Great Flood of Nashville\".  Many people who never imagined they would need help were lined up at United Way\'s Community Centers for assistance.  By taking time to volunteer now, you never know who you will be helping in their time of need.  Check your local papers and organizations to see if anyone in your area is holding any donation drives or opportunities to Volunteer.\r\n\r\nThere is a large need for basic needs items in the Nashville community, so to help fill this need, this fall the United Way of Metro Nashville is filling their trailer with items that are in high demand, as identified by their Family Resource Center directors.  The Fall Trailer Fill will be held on Sept. 28th and Oct. 5th at 250 Venture Circle, Nashville, TN 37228.\r\n\r\n<strong>Items Needed:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Standard School Attire (Solid Color Collared Shirts; Pants, Skirts or Shorts in Khaki, Navy or Black)</li>\r\n 	<li>Socks</li>\r\n 	<li>Underwear</li>\r\n 	<li>Detergent</li>\r\n 	<li>Soap</li>\r\n 	<li>Toothbrushes &amp; Toothpaste</li>\r\n 	<li>Toilet Tissue</li>\r\n 	<li>Cleaning Supplies: Sponges, Cleansers, Dish Detergent, Paper Towels</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThey are also holding several other activities during their <a title=\"Autumn in Action 2012\" href=\"http://www.unitedwaynashville.org/volunteer/day-of-action/autumn-in-action-2012/archive/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Autumn in Action 2012</a> event.  Check them out and see if something peaks our interest.  Not in the Nashville area?  that\'s ok, contact your local United Way, Food Bank or Homeless Shelter to see if they have any opportunities for you to Volunteer.\r\n\r\nLets Fill Someone\'s Happiness Bucket Today!<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Autumn in Action - When Was Your Last Time?','','draft','open','open','','autumn-in-action-when-was-your-last-time','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=970',0,'post','',0),(984,560,'2012-10-12 07:00:02','2012-10-12 07:00:02','Do you find that you are always busy, that you can\'t catch your breath, that there is always something that needs to be done? Well, if you do...congrats, welcome to the club of adulthood lol. I think most of us feel this way at some point in our lives, but the reality is you have the power to determine just how busy you really are.  Yes I know, but...  Ummmm but nothing you have the power.  See you were given the ability to choose, you are choosing to be in the state you are in at the moment.  If you really feel you are too busy do something about it.  First, learn to say no.  It may be hard the first time you hear the words come out of your mouth, and it may shock those who hear it from you the first time, but stick to your guns.  \n\nCome on practice saying it with me in a strong assertive voice...NO.  Secondly, determine what is really important...will someone die, literally, if you don\'t do it? Note, those declarations from your teenage children don\'t count as \"literal deaths\".  Will not doing some cause you legal problems or any health issues? Will not doing it or the alternative cause child protective services to come after you? I think in most cases if we hold those things that keep us busy up to this magnifying glass we will learn that the truth is we are busy because we aren\'t realistic when it comes to wants vs. needs.  \n\nI know it\'s a hard pill to swallow, but don\'t get mad at me because you can\'t handle the truth lol.  Just admit it and make a plan to change your outcomes.  You may find that this evaluation also positively impacts your finances too.  Come on give a try and let us know how it goes.','Lawwwwwwd Give Me Strength!','','publish','open','open','','taking-a-break','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=984',0,'post','',3),(988,1,'2012-08-23 14:45:01','2012-08-23 19:45:01','','Ball Freezer Containers','','inherit','open','open','','ball-freezer-containers','','','2012-08-23 14:45:01','2012-08-23 19:45:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ball-freezer-containers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(990,1,'2012-08-23 14:52:06','2012-08-23 19:52:06','','grapes','','inherit','open','open','','grapes','','','2012-08-23 14:52:06','2012-08-23 19:52:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/grapes.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(991,1,'2012-08-23 14:52:08','2012-08-23 19:52:08','','Grapes Top Down','','inherit','open','open','','grapes2','','','2012-08-23 14:52:08','2012-08-23 19:52:08','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/grapes2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(992,1,'2012-08-23 14:52:10','2012-08-23 19:52:10','','watermelon','','inherit','open','open','','watermelon','','','2012-08-23 14:52:10','2012-08-23 19:52:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/watermelon.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1004,1,'2012-08-28 15:54:49','2012-08-28 20:54:49','W','Joy','','inherit','open','open','','woman-with-arms-in-the-air','','','2012-08-28 15:54:49','2012-08-28 20:54:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mp900430526.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1024,1,'2012-08-29 14:12:42','2012-08-29 19:12:42','','1900024812809095_z8Ss6SKD_c','','inherit','open','open','','1900024812809095_z8ss6skd_c','','','2012-08-29 14:12:42','2012-08-29 19:12:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1900024812809095_z8ss6skd_c.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1120,1,'2012-09-20 14:56:23','2012-09-20 19:56:23','','The_Poor_and_The_Rich','','inherit','open','open','','the_poor_and_the_rich','','','2012-09-20 14:56:23','2012-09-20 19:56:23','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/the_poor_and_the_rich.pps',0,'attachment','application/vnd.ms-powerpoint',0),(1126,1,'2012-09-20 19:35:35','2012-09-21 00:35:35','','20120920-193535.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-193535-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:35:35','2012-09-21 00:35:35','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-193535.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1127,1,'2012-09-20 19:35:50','2012-09-21 00:35:50','','20120920-193551.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-193551-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:35:50','2012-09-21 00:35:50','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-193551.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1128,1,'2012-09-20 19:36:10','2012-09-21 00:36:10','','20120920-193610.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-193610-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:36:10','2012-09-21 00:36:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-193610.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1130,1,'2012-09-20 19:38:46','2012-09-21 00:38:46','','20120920-193847.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-193847-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:38:46','2012-09-21 00:38:46','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-193847.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1131,1,'2012-09-20 19:39:03','2012-09-21 00:39:03','','20120920-193904.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-193904-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:39:03','2012-09-21 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00:42:55','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-194256.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1141,1,'2012-09-20 19:43:26','2012-09-21 00:43:26','','20120920-194326.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120920-194326-jpg','','','2012-09-20 19:43:26','2012-09-21 00:43:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-194326.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1148,1,'2012-09-20 20:27:01','2012-09-21 01:27:01','','Anniversary Chicken','HtCasey\'s Photo from allrecipes.com','inherit','open','open','','anniversary-chicken','','','2012-09-20 20:27:01','2012-09-21 01:27:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/anniversary-chicken.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1156,1,'2012-09-25 13:16:47','2012-09-25 18:16:47','','the-booker-award1','','inherit','open','open','','the-booker-award1','','','2012-09-25 13:16:47','2012-09-25 18:16:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/the-booker-award1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1167,1,'2012-09-30 21:15:03','2012-10-01 02:15:03','','20120930-211501.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120930-211501-jpg','','','2012-09-30 21:15:03','2012-10-01 02:15:03','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120930-211501.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1173,1,'2012-09-30 22:12:33','2012-10-01 03:12:33','','20120930-221232.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20120930-221232-jpg','','','2012-09-30 22:12:33','2012-10-01 03:12:33','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120930-221232.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1183,1,'2012-10-02 22:34:18','2012-10-03 03:34:18','','Aloe Vera','en.wikipedia.org','inherit','open','open','','aloe','','','2012-10-02 22:34:18','2012-10-03 03:34:18','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/aloe.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1192,1,'2012-10-03 18:03:49','2012-10-03 23:03:49','','aloe','','inherit','open','open','','aloe-2','','','2012-10-03 18:03:49','2012-10-03 23:03:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/aloe1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1200,560,'2012-10-06 07:00:08','2012-10-06 12:00:08','When I was single I didn\'t cook a lot at home because I was only taught to cook with recipes for a family, so everything I had would easily feed four people.  I felt this was wasteful because I would get tired of eating it after having it for dinner and then again for left overs.  Fast forward to my \"couple\" life.  I now cook more often and I don\'t have the same issue with most meals, but there is one particular recipe that we absolutely love, but whenever I make it me and Luis almost kill ourselves trying to eat it all before it goes bad.  The lasagna recipe yields about 12 servings.  By the time we get to the end of the pan we don\'t want to see lasagna again for months.  Well, something I started doing is making the lasagna in mini servings.  Just make the recipe as it is written, but when it is time to build it, use the alumnium pans (usually you can get 5 or 6 for a dollar or so).  Layer the lasagna as you would in one big pan, just do it in the numerous little pans.  My recipe can yield five little pans of lasagna!!!  Each little pan is two and a half to four servings, if you aren\'t being greedy.  The beauty is that you can build each tray and then freeze them until you are ready to eat.  Take one out and bake as usual.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/lasagna.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1202\" title=\"lasagna\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/lasagna.png\" alt=\"Photo from Kraftrecipes.com\" width=\"137\" height=\"91\" /></a>\n\nYou can do this with many recipes that freeze well...just break them into smaller containers before you freeze them.  This is known as freezer meals.  I am soon going to branch out into freezer crockpot meals...so stay tuned for that, especially now that we have a 6 qt crockpot!\n\nGo ahead and explore your inner chef and stop making excuses as to why you can\'t cook (single people)...come on you can do it!  I don\'t want to discriminate, so those parents that just don\'t seem to have enough time to cook at home because there are so many family activities...make a couple of freezer meals and assign it to someone who comes home to pop it in the oven so that when you get home it can already be in the oven cooking.  For those newliweds/couples out there that just don\'t want to cook...come onnnnnnnnnnnn you can do it...try cooking together...or challenging each other to see who can make the best freezer meal.  You can eat the first servings and then freeze the rest...well unless someone doesn\'t do so well and then welllllll I don\'t know, that isn\'t my problem LOLLLLL j/k I\'m sure it will be fine.\n\nExplore something new...and have fun!  You can search for \"freezer meals\" and \"Crockpot meals\" to get some inspiration.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Quick Minute Tip of the Week: Split the Recipe Up!','','publish','open','open','','quick-minute-tip-of-the-week-split-the-recipe-up','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1200',0,'post','',3),(1202,1,'2012-10-04 23:50:22','2012-10-05 04:50:22','','lasagna','','inherit','open','open','','lasagna','','','2012-10-04 23:50:22','2012-10-05 04:50:22','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/lasagna.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1208,1,'2012-10-06 23:40:42','2012-10-07 04:40:42','','music','','inherit','open','open','','music','','','2012-10-06 23:40:42','2012-10-07 04:40:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/music.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1216,560,'2019-02-21 07:00:04','2019-02-21 07:00:04','Where oh where did this saying come from, \"Biting off more than you can chew\", well I don\'t really know but when talking about project overwhelm, I know how accurate it can be.\r\n\r\nThink about it, how many times have you lost track of time pinning new ideas on Pinterest, or signing up for that new masterclass or course thinking, this is going to help me XYZ!  Yet, you find yourself a month later with the same problems and a little less money or a lot of lost time?\r\n\r\nYou get excited when you think about a new project. You get a rush of excitement that this is going to be the one...the one thing that will solve my problem. Especially if it has to do with organizing or decluttering.\r\n\r\nFor most people, about 50% of the time \"projects\" are completed in a quick and easy way.  You get the idea, be that from your mind, a seed dropped by your favorite Youtuber, podcaster or Pinterest page and you make it happen. Other times you are not only embarking on a new project but a new method/technique of doing something.\r\n<h1>Are You Taking On Too Much?</h1>\r\nNow, when I say you are biting off more than you can chew, I\'m not referring to these projects in their singular sense. I\'m referring to the totality of your projects.  Starting with the easy and moving all the way to the difficult or hard projects.\r\n\r\nSee, most people don\'t generally start just one project at a time.  You have a couple of projects happening, all in different stages, at the same time.  When they all go without a hitch, there\'s no problem...but those occasional times when they don\'t......lawwwwwwd help you and anyone who is in the line of fire, clutter and disarray lol.\r\n\r\nSo, I want to caution you as a new declutterer, organizer or someone who is determined to get their business in order...pace yourself!\r\n\r\nBe realistic with what you can accomplish, how long it will take and how you plan to do it.\r\n<h1>Make a Coded Project List</h1>\r\nInstead of jumping into yet another project by the seat of your pants, make a project list. Literally, it can be a sheet of paper with a numbered list of project ideas that you have.  You can place an E (Easy), A (Average), and H (Hard) difficulty code by each project on your list.  You also want to place a priority code High, Medium Low on them as well.\r\n\r\nBy coding your projects, it gives you an idea of whether you should try to start it while another is going on.  If you are already working on a difficult project that is a medium to high priority maybe you don\'t need to take on anything else.  Maybe you need to focus all your attention on this one thing.\r\n<h1>Slow and Steady Wins the Race</h1>\r\nUltimately, what I am trying to say is don\'t create unnecessary havoc by trying to organize, declutter, implement or change too quickly.  By doing so, you will get overwhelmed and discouraged, wondering what went wrong and why it didn\'t work.  On top of that, your home and/or business will look a HOT mess in the process. Ultimately defeating the purpose of the whole thing.\r\n<h1>Avoid The Everyone Else Is Syndrome</h1>\r\nMarie Kondo\'s techniques are solid and help a lot of people. The one issue a lot of you are having with the concepts she teaches is that you are extremely busy and already overwhelmed, so to pull everything out at once is too much for you.  It creates heart palpitations because you only have a short amount of time to work on your projects between work and your family.  I get it!\r\n\r\nListen, you have to find a technique and process that works for you.  You have to adapt things to your lifestyle as necessary.  I, like Marie, feel you should assess things in like categories, but I don\'t always agree with pulling it all out at one time.  It depends on your particular situation, remember advice is to be used as a guide.  So, whether it is Marie Kondo, The Happiness Bucket or some other process or organizing guru, do what you find works for you.  Take the parts that work and drop those that don\'t.\r\n<h1>Enjoy Your Feeling of Accomplishment</h1>\r\nProcess development, decluttering and organizing should be a time of awakening.  It should be a freeing and energizing experience.  Don\'t lose that by overestimating or over committing what and how quickly you can do something.\r\n\r\nRemember, there are 365 days in a year, use them! Rome wasn\'t built in a day, so understand that your process may be a little slower, but you will be able to say it is done.  Just don\'t give up...and keep pushing ahead.\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Project Overwhelm - Biting Off More Than You Can Chew','','publish','open','open','','project-overwhelm','','','2019-07-27 05:15:25','2019-07-27 05:15:25','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1216',0,'post','',3),(1227,1,'2012-10-09 21:11:29','2012-10-10 02:11:29','','Laundry Room Before','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-room-1','','','2012-10-09 21:11:29','2012-10-10 02:11:29','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/laundry-room-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1228,1,'2012-10-09 21:11:31','2012-10-10 02:11:31','','laundry room Before','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-room-2','','','2012-10-09 21:11:31','2012-10-10 02:11:31','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/laundry-room-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1229,1,'2012-10-09 21:11:32','2012-10-10 02:11:32','','Laundry Space After #2','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-room-3','','','2012-10-09 21:11:32','2012-10-10 02:11:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/laundry-room-3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1230,1,'2012-10-09 21:11:32','2012-10-10 02:11:32','','Laundry Area After','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-room-4','','','2012-10-09 21:11:32','2012-10-10 02:11:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/laundry-room-4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1239,560,'2012-10-12 21:40:44','2012-10-13 02:40:44','This morning while enjoying a little quiet time, I read a Facebook post from a friend of mine who was making a statement regarding something she had recently read about living healthy.  She stated that the key way to begin was to get eight hours of sleep, drink eight glasses of water a day and walk eight miles a week.  She was mentioning how this was an obtainable goal.  I knowing this was a great bit of advice stated This is great - the triple 8! Well, that just popped out of my head into my fingers...who knew there was a revolution around it lol.  In enters Ada\'s Rules, a book, website, Facebook fan club as well as a twitter feed.  The book is fictional and about a preacher\'s wife who needs to lose 100 pounds and suspects her husband of cheating on her. I haven\'t read the book yet, but it stuck me as funny that I coined a phrase that had already been coined.  It also occurred to me just how important sharing our journey is in this day and age.  You never know how reading about your experience impacts/encourages others to give it a try.  Whether you are successful in your endeavor or you fail the point is you tried!   \n\nThis seemingly innocent post that was the thought and goal of one friend led me to think about the ease of setting such an obtainable goal for myself...which lead me to look up a book that was mentioned in the conversation, which lead me to share the info with you...which will lead to....(now it\'s your turn to fill in this blank__________).','Ada\'s Rules and the Triple Eight','','publish','open','open','','adas-rules-and-the-triple-eight','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1239',0,'post','',2),(1249,560,'2012-10-29 07:00:18','2012-10-29 12:00:18','Many years ago a friend of mine who is a \"mega\" traveller advised me to take the train from Seattle to Vancouver if I ever got the changes.  He said the scenery was absolutely unbelievable. Well, low and behold, I recently had the opportunity to do just that.  The 2012 Project Management Institute conference was in Vancouver this year and I decided when making my flight reservations that this would be the perfect opportunity to experience something new.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121026-210520.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full\" alt=\"Photo Taken From Train\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121026-210520.jpg\" height=\"226\" width=\"300\" /></a> Photo Taken on Train from Vancouver, BC to Seattle, WA[/caption]\n\nI must admit that I was a little scared, because I had never ridden a passenger train before. In my normal fashion, when I am scared I plan and plan and plan.  Well, in my scared planning stage I began asking locals where the train station was so I would know how far I had to travel.  They began asking me questions like...is it the super fast train or the other train...well I said fast, thinking well it has to be fast right...ok ummmm wrong, they were referring to the rail or what we like to call the subway or monorail.  Sometimes, I really have to ask myself what my problem is lol.\n\nWell one thing you should know prior to travelling is that they only have two trains that go between Vancouver and Seattle, one early crack of the freaking dawn train and one evening train.  If your main purpose for riding is to see the sites, you have to take the \"crack of freaking dawn train\", mine left at 6:40 am and they suggest you get there an hour early (enter big blinking eyes here...while it sinks in).  The process at the train station was harmless and smooth.  You get right on the train and get situated.  I was pleased that there was free wi-fi on the train, although it does cut in and out since we are travelling, but it was no a problem.\n\nI can honestly say that this was one of the most relaxing trips I have had in a very long time.  I have always loved riding subways and rails in cities when I visited...being from Nashville, we don\'t have that luxury (unless you count the Nashville Star which doesn\'t even come to my side of town). It is so nice to not have to fight traffic and to just sit and ride and to work or read at your leisure during the trip. Thinking of my experience at airports...you rush to get there to get through security to sit and wait...to then load the plane...to then not use electronics...to then be able to use electronics in a cramped seat where you really don\'t want to get up because the aisle is cramped and you may have to dodge the beverage cart or other passengers due to the aisle being so small...and then you get off to get on another plane and then and then and then...on the train I got on, sat down and waited for the other passengers...there was no waiting before you boarded and for four hours I was able to work, read, eat, and relax...and enjoy the scenery.\n\nI was a little saddened that there was no snow as I had seen in my friends photos, but the scenery (as you can see from the photo above) was gorgeous.  I would suggest if you leave from Vancouver to get a seat on the right side of the train (left side if you are leaving from Seattle).  That is the side that faces the water and all the goregous scenery, the other side is against the rocks/mountain side so you see some nice things but not as much as on the other.  I would also suggest a seat in the middle of the window so you have the whole scene and don\'t have to move curtains out of your way.  There wasn\'t a huge difference to me between business and coach, but if you are big on that pay the extra money.\n\nSo take it from me...explore and try new things.  Have yourself a new adventure...come on you know you want to!\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Experiencing New Things:  The Train','','publish','open','open','','experiencing-new-things-the-train','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1249',0,'post','',1),(1252,560,'2012-10-26 20:51:53','2012-10-27 01:51:53','I know many of you have been extremely distraught about my recent hiatus from posting.  Please dry your eyes because I’m back…I’m BAAAAAAACK!  I know it has been rough but I have been off gathering many exciting new blog topics!  I know you just can’t wait…you are about to pee on yourself because you just can’t wait.\n\nI will give you a little bit of a teaser…we have several posts about events and planning…weddings to be exact (big eyed look) and travel…throw in there, of course, are a few on organizing and decluttering.\n\nI have missed you and can’t wait to reconnect with each of you!\n\nSending you hearts in a bucket!\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','My Hiatus is OVER!','','publish','open','open','','my-hiatus-is-over','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1252',0,'post','',0),(1257,1,'2012-10-26 20:58:37','2012-10-27 01:58:37','','20121026-205836.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121026-205836-jpg','','','2012-10-26 20:58:37','2012-10-27 01:58:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121026-205836.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1262,1,'2012-10-26 21:05:22','2012-10-27 02:05:22','','20121026-210520.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121026-210520-jpg','','','2012-10-26 21:05:22','2012-10-27 02:05:22','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121026-210520.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1268,1,'2012-10-26 21:41:05','2012-10-27 02:41:05','','Full Pantry','','inherit','open','open','','0818121731a','','','2012-10-26 21:41:05','2012-10-27 02:41:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/0818121731a.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1269,1,'2012-10-26 21:41:05','2012-10-27 02:41:05','','Top Three Shelves','','inherit','open','open','','0818121828','','','2012-10-26 21:41:05','2012-10-27 02:41:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/0818121828.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1270,1,'2012-10-26 21:41:06','2012-10-27 02:41:06','','Full Pantry','','inherit','open','open','','1010122222a','','','2012-10-26 21:41:06','2012-10-27 02:41:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1010122222a.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1285,560,'2012-11-12 07:00:16','2012-11-12 07:00:16','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900438475.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1435\" title=\"MP900438475\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900438475.jpg?w=278\" height=\"300\" width=\"278\" /></a>During a recent conference, I attended a session about networking.  It is something I am very interested in perfecting for my personal life and my career.  The problem is that I am a pretty shy person.  Yes!!!  I am...seriously, not in all instances but in some pretty important ones I am.  The key times when this shyness seems to kick in is when I am in a room of people who know one another but they don\'t know me.  It\'s almost like you are the new kid on the block.  The same situation with people I don\'t know but I know they are there to learn what I know....oh forget about it...I\'m golden.  Those times the extrovert comes out and I shine!  The difference is in territory right?  I mean when you are on your territory and know what you are talking about you are comfortable and have no problems.  People are seeking for your wisdom and knowledge...but when you are on someone else\'s playing field or you are seeking their knowledge and wisdom the tide changes.  You all of a sudden don\'t know what to say...you start having mini conversations with yourself like this one:\n\n\"don\'t sound stupid, but what should I say, I don\'t know but they look like they like to talk, but listen to how that conversation is going...if you jump in will you sound stupid?  I\'m smart I can handle it...I don\'t know...are you sure.\"  and so on and so on.\n\nWell during this session the speaker suggested that you initiate conversations by literally sitting at the table.  Ok, here is an example:  You are an orderly who is interested in becoming a nurse (work with me b/c I don\'t know if these are the right positions).  You enter the cafeteria and see a nurse sitting and eating alone.  The speaker suggests that you go and ask to sit with that nurse and after the normal niceties you let him/her know of your interest and get them to suggest to you how you can move to the next level.  They may be willing to help you with your goal of becoming a nurse.  Now when you pass them in the hall at the hospital you are no longer a stranger.\n\nI felt this was a very interesting concept so I decided I was going to make a concerted effort to test it when I got home.  Stay tuned to see how my first test went.\n\nI tell you as somewhat of an introvert I wasn’t quite sure how I’d feel about testing this theory, but I knew I needed to try if I was going to conquer my “fears”.  So, the goal or lesson was to sit down at a table or near someone you didn’t know, on purpose, and strike up a conversation.  Now, first of all I am always cognizant of people and their annoyance level(s).  That is one of my pet peeves when someone comes and can’t see when I am in a “please don’t bother me” mode. So enter the experiment #1:  I was at the Seattle airport and had just gotten my lunch and needed a place to sit.  The area was crowded and all the tables were occupied, but I saw a young lady who was sitting at a four top by herself.  I thought maybe just maybe, she will be the one…so I asked her if I could sit down and she very nicely in her accent said yes.  Now she seemed very engaged in her mobile device as we all generally are, but I didn’t let that deter me.  I asked if she was from Seattle, assuming this was a safe question that could lead to more conversation…she was from the UK and was just flying through.  We had about a five min convo and then my phone rang, so although that severed our convo, I will call this a successful completion of round 1.  I got passed my fears and took the leap into the uncomfortable zone of initiating conversation with a stranger.  I’m hoping the more I do this the easier it will become.\n\nDo you do this?  Strike up conversations with strangers?  I mean I can talk to people I know or to people I have common interests with all day long, but a complete stranger?  Didn\'t your momma tell you not to talk to strangers?!?!?!?  I mean who is this person, do you really want to talk to them?  For me, it\'s more of initiating a conversation with someone and not knowing what to say.  Not wanting to look completely ignorant with the other person and appear to be wasting their time.  This experience was cool because we weren\'t there to learn anything new and we weren\'t there to judge one another...we were just eating lunch and waiting for our plane(s).  So the common denominator between us was that we were both young (smile), we were both eating lunch, we were both waiting on something and we were both alone.  My goal next time is to pick the person a little more carefully and hopefully make some sort of deeper connection with them and we can truly network/connect with one another.\n\nWhat are you tricks for connecting with people/strangers?\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Networking The New Way? - Part 1','','publish','open','open','','networking-the-new-way','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1285',0,'post','',2),(1287,560,'2012-10-30 07:00:58','2012-10-30 07:00:58','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/party1.jpg\"><img class=\" wp-image-1303 alignleft\" title=\"It\'s Time To Plan\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/party1.jpg?w=199\" height=\"300\" width=\"199\" /></a>How many times have you wanted to throw a party but said, I can’t afford it. How many times have you planned to have one event that ended up being something completely different without even knowing it. I believe it is important for you to evaluate your purpose and financial ability prior to having an event so you know what you are truly capable of doing without going into debt or completely missing the mark. It baffles me when I see parties for children that costs thousands of dollars. I don’t like waste and that to me is a waste. It not only spoils the child but it also wastes money unnecessarily.\n\nI’m going to give you a couple of suggestions for planning your event(s) in the future and hopefully, you won’t go overboard this holiday season. (1) What is the purpose of your event, what is it that you are trying to do and why? Are you just getting friends together because you miss them? Are you celebrating something…are you just not wanting to watch the game alone, whatever it is verbalize it, write it down. (2) Evaluate the budget for this event. Now the key is not to start preplanning at this point, just evaluate your finances and determine how much you believe you can realistically spare for this event. Note, this doesn’t mean you will spend all of this amount, it just means you are earmarking this as the amount you can work with, without having to take out a loan or mortgage your house. I mean seriously if you have to do that for an event there are bigger issues here. (3) Conduct a brainstorming session with yourself or others documenting your ideas, visions and dreams for the event. At this point, you can try to adjust to what you know from #1 and #2, or you can just free flow. I do suggest a little free flowing here because it is all adjustable later…and you want to make sure you really think about what it is you really want. (4) Prioritize - now really look at your list from #3 and prioritize them in the order of most important to least important. During this process you may even eliminate some things from your list, realizing it is really not important in the grand scheme of things. (5) Scope your event - now comes the “hard” part, you need to take everything you have done and determine what stays and what goes…you look at the purpose and say do the items I have on my priority list align with my purpose for the event…are the items on my list possible within the budget allotted?\n\nCongratulations, you should have a pretty solid foundation for your event planning process. You now know where to focus your planning juices and overall budget. You know where your money should go and where it shouldn’t…how many people to invite, how much decorating and what type you need to look for or create. You know what type of food/beverages you want to have. This doesn’t mean you have everything figured out, it just means you have your foundation and boundaries to work from and within.\n\nHappy planning and good luck on your event!\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Event Planning Series:  Beginning Your Planning Process','','publish','open','open','','event-planning-series-beginning-your-planning-process','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1287',0,'post','',0),(1289,560,'2012-12-02 07:00:59','2012-12-02 07:00:59','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mb9004074011.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1497 alignleft\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mb9004074011.jpg?w=192\" height=\"192\" width=\"192\" /></a>How many of you dreamed how your Christmas party, baby shower, wedding or surprise anniversary party was going to turn out? How many times did it go just as you had dreamed? How many of you remember more of what went wrong or what you couldn’t do versus what went well or what was done? In the planning period of any event, make sure to take the time to enjoy the experience. Also, make a point of separating your dream or vision for the event from the reality of your situation.<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mh900443764.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1498 alignright\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mh900443764.jpg?w=300\" height=\"300\" width=\"300\" /></a>\n\nPlease don’t misunderstand me, I think everyone can have an elegant and beautiful event if they want to, no matter the budget, and they can dream up the foundation or vision for the event…but it should be just that, a foundation to build on or pull from. Our dreams tend to be in high definition and in techno color with the fairy and pixy dust. However, those dreams don’t always translate into financial ability or the actual possibility of our situations. Make sure to evaluate your financial ability and then base your actual event on the pieces of your dream that you can afford. Pull the elements that are the most important to you and incorporate them into your event. Many times it will exceed your expectations when you give it a chance to live….be creative. I’ve seen people kill themselves trying to live out a dream that isn’t based on reality and they have a miserable time during the planning process and by the time the event comes they just want it to be over. That is not the way you want to experience an event, especially an event as special as a wedding, anniversary, birthday or surprise party.\n\nCome on live your dream, but in realities color.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-white1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-894\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-white1.jpg?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Event Planning Series - Living the Dream','','publish','open','open','','event-planning-series-living-the-dream','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1289',0,'post','',0),(1291,560,'2012-11-11 07:00:18','2012-11-11 07:00:18','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900442435.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1448\" title=\"Red rope barrier detail on red carpet\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900442435.jpg?w=300\" height=\"200\" width=\"300\" /></a>I’m sure many of you have seen the reality shows on popular networks like Bravo and Style related to weddings and wedding dresses…bridezilla’s and momzilla’s, well I am here to tell you that those things really do happen, but they don’t have to nor do they need to.  A wedding is about the joining of two lives, two families, and two hearts.  Most girls dream about their “perfect” wedding day, mom’s dream about their daughter in poofy Cinderella-like dresses meeting their Prince charming and being whisked away to make them grandmothers LOL…and dad’s well, some dream of walking their daughter down the aisle others are saying how much is this gonna cost me!  Well, I am here to tell you…from my own experience and those of others…don’t let your dream overshadow your reality.  You don’t want to look back on what should have been a day of a lifetime to not remember what happened or to only remember the negative parts or everything that “went wrong”.  The reality is that something always goes wrong…or not as planned with any event.  It is inevitable that someone will forget or break something or someone will get lost, but that is so not important.  Keep your focus on what is important and you will be able to enjoy your day.  I remember having a conversation with my mother after she told me she just wanted everything to be perfect.  I realized that she just wanted me to have a wonderful day and the love for me kept her moving towards that world of perfection…I mean what mother doesn’t want that for her daughter?  Although I knew that was the case I calmly told her that no wedding is perfect.  No matter how much you plan or how strict you are about every detail, no wedding is perfect.  All you can do is prepare yourself to address those things that go wrong, which in turn can make it appear to be perfect.  For example, at my wedding I realized on the day before that I forgot to print two sets of the food name cards.  This was important as we had two buffet lines.  What happened?  One buffet had menu cards and one didn’t.  Who knew this was the case?  Me and the group I had helping me coordinate the day.  Who cared?  No one LOL.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900442439.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-1447\" title=\"Celebratory drink\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900442439.jpg?w=300\" height=\"200\" width=\"300\" /></a>Just focus on the purpose of the day and relax.  There is no point in obsessing over all the small details that no one will notice anyway.  Yeah...it\'s great if you all have your nails painted the same color, but if for some reason that can\'t happen...no one will notice.  Don\'t worry if the extra cake for Bobby\'s 2nd birthday split down the middle.  You have the one for photos and you start by cutting the second one in the back or on the side as though you had planned to offer up precut slices.  It still tastes good and believe me Bobby won\'t know or care.  The bigger question is why do you have two cakes for a 2 year old\'s party. lol\n\nHopefully you get the point.  I\'m not saying don\'t plan these special extras.  I\'m not saying not to consider things to be important...I\'m just saying that you should put things into perspective and have plans B and C for your events.  Know why you are having the event and don\'t lose focus of that.  Learn when to let things go and when to be adament about them, but know you can\'t be adament about everything.  And most of all ENJOY the celebration be it a wedding, birthday, anniversary, graduation, etc.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Event Planning Series - Event Mongers','','publish','open','open','','event-planning-series-event-mongers','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1291',0,'post','',0),(1303,1,'2012-10-28 22:34:54','2012-10-29 03:34:54','','It\'s Time To Plan','','inherit','open','open','','party1','','','2012-10-28 22:34:54','2012-10-29 03:34:54','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/party1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1309,1,'2012-10-28 22:59:31','2012-10-29 03:59:31','','multitask','','inherit','open','open','','multitask','','','2012-10-28 22:59:31','2012-10-29 03:59:31','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/multitask.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1317,1,'2012-10-28 23:51:15','2012-10-29 04:51:15','','20121028-235114.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235114-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:51:15','2012-10-29 04:51:15','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235114.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1318,1,'2012-10-28 23:51:31','2012-10-29 04:51:31','','20121028-235130.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235130-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:51:31','2012-10-29 04:51:31','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235130.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1320,1,'2012-10-28 23:54:34','2012-10-29 04:54:34','','20121028-235432.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235432-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:54:34','2012-10-29 04:54:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235432.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1321,1,'2012-10-28 23:54:47','2012-10-29 04:54:47','','20121028-235446.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235446-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:54:47','2012-10-29 04:54:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235446.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1322,560,'2012-11-10 07:00:32','2012-11-10 07:00:32','<br /><br /><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235432.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235432.jpg\" alt=\"20121028-235432.jpg\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" /></a><br /><br /><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235446.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235446.jpg\" alt=\"20121028-235446.jpg\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" /></a>','Stockpile Storage','','draft','open','open','','stockpile-storage','','','2019-07-27 05:19:14','2019-07-27 05:19:14','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1322',0,'post','',0),(1325,1,'2012-10-28 23:58:46','2012-10-29 04:58:46','','20121028-235844.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235844-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:58:46','2012-10-29 04:58:46','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235844.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1329,1,'2012-10-28 23:59:27','2012-10-29 04:59:27','','20121028-235926.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235926-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:59:27','2012-10-29 04:59:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235926.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1330,1,'2012-10-28 23:59:33','2012-10-29 04:59:33','','20121028-235932.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235932-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:59:33','2012-10-29 04:59:33','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235932.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1331,1,'2012-10-28 23:59:38','2012-10-29 04:59:38','','20121028-235937.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235937-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:59:38','2012-10-29 04:59:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235937.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1332,1,'2012-10-28 23:59:43','2012-10-29 04:59:43','','20121028-235942.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235942-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:59:43','2012-10-29 04:59:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235942.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1333,1,'2012-10-28 23:59:52','2012-10-29 04:59:52','','20121028-235950.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121028-235950-jpg','','','2012-10-28 23:59:52','2012-10-29 04:59:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20121028-235950.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1334,560,'2012-11-10 08:00:01','2012-11-10 08:00:01','As you know by now I recently went on a trip to Vancouver, BC where the weather was expected to be rainy and between 45 and 55.  Needless to say, leaving 70 - 80 degree weather required me to make some changes fairly quickly.  Here is what I determined needed to go with me on the trip:\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235926.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full \" title=\"All of the Items\" alt=\"20121028-235926.jpg\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235926.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"300\" /></a>\n\n1 pair Rain boots\n1 pair Tennis shoes\n1 pair Dress Shoes\n1 pair Black Tennis Shoes\n1 pair warm PJs\n1 pair Jogging pants\n1 \"house\" t-shirt\n6 pairs socks/footies\n6 pairs underwear\n5 pairs of pants (3 jeans &amp; 2 dress pants)\n3 turtleneck thin shirts\n1 snuggledud shirt\n2 button down shirts\n4 sweaters\n2 blouse/cardigan sets\ntolietries and hair products\n\nLayering is a must!!!\n\nI recently watched a video on youtube (via pinterest) that showed how to pack a bag and I thought this was as good a time as any to put it to the test [Sorry I can\'t find the video, but if I locate it again I will be sure to post it].   I didn\'t want to take a lot of luggage and I definitely didn\'t want to take my huge \"cruise\" suitcase.  I was determined to make it work.  Well the first thing I did was put all my shoes in the bottom and then I roll up any items that don\'t wrinkle easily - Traveller shirts, underwear, tshirts, socks, etc.  You place these in and between your shoes as shown below.  Now, this photo is from the return trip.  On the trip to Canada I actually wore my tennis shoes because they are bulkier and had my rainboots in my laptop bag, but coming back I was going to warm weather so I opted to wear a different shoe, which in hindsight I should have put on my tennis shoes or my rainboots, but anywho...this is the way it looks. after the first layer.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235950.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" alt=\"20121028-235950.jpg\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235950.jpg\" /></a>\n\nThe second layer consists of your shirts (that can wrinkle).  You can choose to add plastic bags like you get at the laundry inbetween your layers but I opted not to do that.  The third layer is your pants.\n\nTo fold your pants hold them up in front of you by the waist band like you are about to step into them.  Fold them in half, leg over leg.  Then fold in half at the knee.  In the suitcase, lay them the length of the bag as though there is a hanger at either end.  Alternate the side that has the waist to either side of the bag, so the bulk of the waste isn\'t on the same side.  I wish I had taken a photo of this but sorry I forgot.\n\nThe fourth layer should consist of your bulkier sweaters and your toiletries.    In this photo below you see my PJs are on top, but again these photos were taken on the return trip and I chose to pack the night before and put the items I wore to bed on top in the morning.  You can definitely switch layers two and three if you so choose but I found this layering method worked best to stabalize and use nooks and crannies the best.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235937.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full \" alt=\"20121028-235937.jpg\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235937.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"300\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235942.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" alt=\"20121028-235942.jpg\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20121028-235942.jpg\" /></a> Bag after everything is in it.[/caption]\n\nSo that is it...I got it all in and for good measure I just added my silk scarf to the top since I didn\'t need it.  I just like how neat it makes it look.\n\nI can honestly say I wore everything I took with me.  I could have taken one less pair of shoes but I did wear all of them...even my rainboots.  I think I wore those most of all!  So on your next trip try to minimize and pack in an efficient way so you only have one bag.  Depending on the airline you could save a lot of money that way.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','The Canadian Series:  The Art of Packing Efficiently','','publish','open','open','','the-canadian-series-the-art-of-packing-efficiently','','','2019-07-27 05:19:14','2019-07-27 05:19:14','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1334',0,'post','',0),(1378,560,'2012-11-02 07:00:28','2012-11-02 12:00:28','&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you recently read my Life Deposits post The Curse of Squirrel Organizing you know that this Chicken Tortilla Soup Pinterest recipe almost derailed my plans for the day.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161448.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full alignleft\" title=\"Pollo con tortilla sopa\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161448.jpg\" alt=\"20121101-161448.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nYou see like many of you I peruse Pinterest for new and interesting recipes like the rest of you. Well, this is one of the first recipes from Pinterest I made because I was trying at the time to impress my boyfriend at the time (hubby now). Ha guess it was just that good!\r\n\r\nCredit goes to <a title=\"Miller Musings - Chicken Tortilla Soup\" href=\"http://jonandjenmiller.blogspot.com/2010/09/crockpot-chicken-tortilla-soup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Miller Musings </a>for posting such a fabulous recipe which subsequently was posted numerous times on Pinterest. As with all my adventures, I will share what I actually did which was just a tad bit different from the recipe Jen posted. I would advise you to read my version and also hers and then read all the comments underneath and adapt it to your lifestyle. See how you get to choose?!?!?\r\n\r\nI will say that this recipe received two thumbs up from Luis and I know it was true because he ate it three days in a row! It yields A LOT of soup, so have some <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/freezer-cooking-tips/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">freezer containers or bags</a> available if you aren\'t feeding a lot of people. Also, as with all soups, it\'s even better the next day. Don\'t be concerned with the amount of liquid in it on the first day...it gets soaked up the more days go by.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Soup Ingredients:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n2 boneless skinless chicken breasts\r\n2 - 10oz cans of Ro-Tel Lime and Cilantro\r\n2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained\r\n3/4 pkg of frozen corn (Kroger had a 10/10 sale)\r\n1/2 pkg of frozen chopped onion (Kroger had a 10/10 sale)\r\n29 oz\'s of low sodium chicken broth\r\n2 cups water\r\n1 Tbsp chile powder*\r\n1 Tbsp garlic powder\r\n1 Tbsp ground cumin\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Topper Ingredients:</strong></span>\r\n\r\nTortilla Chips\r\nSour Cream (low fat)\r\nMexican Blend Shredded Cheddar (low fat)\r\n\r\n<strong>Cooking Process:</strong>\r\nDump soup ingredients (except for chicken) into a crockpot and stir. Lay chicken on top of mixture so that it is partially submerged. Place the lid on and set it for 6 hrs. Walk away with a smile on your face. 5 or 6 hrs later take the lid off and use a spoon to break up the chicken breasts. It will fall apart. Make sure all pieces are the thin shredded pieces.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161413.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full \" title=\"After 6 Hrs and Chicken Shredded\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161413.jpg\" alt=\"20121101-161413.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161421.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161421.jpg\" alt=\"20121101-161421.jpg\" /></a> Soup after chicken has been broken up/shredded in soup.[/caption]\r\n\r\nI prepped mine the day before so I actually left it out (covered) because it was too hot to put in the refrigerator. Placed it in the refrigerator in the morning.\r\n\r\n<em><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Preparation Notes</span>:</strong> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>I used frozen corn and onion. I wasn\'t sure what the equivalent measurement was to Jen\'s recipe so I just eyeballed adding about half a bag. Next time I made it I added a full bag of corn. Also, note I used 2 cans of black beans because I don\'t care for kidney beans. I did put the tablespoon of chile powder but my mouth was tingling and my nose was running, so if you are sensitive to hot things you might make that 1/2 - 3/4 a TBSP. Of course, it didn\'t even affect mi Esposo, he put additional green hot sauce in his (blank stare on my face). </em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Eating Process:  </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen ready to eat place soup in the bowl and warm if not fresh out of the crockpot. Add your topper ingredients (if you choose) and get to eating!  Happy Eating!!!\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161440.jpg\"><img class=\" aligncenter\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121101-161440.jpg\" alt=\"20121101-161440.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></p>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent3.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-928\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent3.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Exploring the Pinterest Kitchen:  Chicken Tortilla Soup (Pollo Con Tortilla Sopa)','','publish','open','open','','chicken-tortilla-soup','','','2019-07-27 05:19:15','2019-07-27 05:19:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1378',0,'post','',3),(1384,1,'2012-11-01 16:14:15','2012-11-01 21:14:15','','20121101-161413.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121101-161413-jpg','','','2012-11-01 16:14:15','2012-11-01 21:14:15','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121101-161413.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1385,1,'2012-11-01 16:14:23','2012-11-01 21:14:23','','20121101-161421.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121101-161421-jpg','','','2012-11-01 16:14:23','2012-11-01 21:14:23','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121101-161421.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1386,1,'2012-11-01 16:14:42','2012-11-01 21:14:42','','20121101-161440.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121101-161440-jpg','','','2012-11-01 16:14:42','2012-11-01 21:14:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121101-161440.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1387,1,'2012-11-01 16:14:50','2012-11-01 21:14:50','','20121101-161448.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121101-161448-jpg','','','2012-11-01 16:14:50','2012-11-01 21:14:50','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121101-161448.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1411,1,'2012-11-04 23:25:45','2012-11-05 05:25:45','','20121104-232543.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121104-232543-jpg','','','2012-11-04 23:25:45','2012-11-05 05:25:45','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121104-232543.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1412,560,'2012-11-09 07:00:18','2012-11-09 07:00:18','I think many of you can relate to me when I say that during October, life got away from me. I was so extremely busy that I didn\'t complete very many projects around the house. Well, I\'m back in the grind now. Things are getting back to normal and all those things I neglected are now back in my sights. Clutter and unorganized spaces beware!\r\n\r\nI started my re-entry into my Decluttering world by collecting all my receipts from various projects and day to day activities. In doing some research on the best method/process for storing receipts until I am ready to deal with them, I ran across a post by <a title=\"Organized Receipts\" href=\"http://www.simplyorganized.me/2012/10/organized-receipts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Simply Organized</a> who created a receipt box.  I also ran across another blogger who used a small expandable file to collect all her receipts (can\'t remember her name but will add later if I do).  Both of these ladies separated their receipts by store or purpose... How perfect is that? I often need to find a specific receipt and in my previous system I\'d have to hunt through them all to find the one I needed which was inevitably at the back.\r\n\r\nI lucked up because I had an old expandable in the house that wasn\'t being used. The velcro was a little skewed but since it is probably 10 - 15 years old I won\'t complain lol. Talk about recycling an item!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121104-232543.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121104-232543.jpg\" alt=\"20121104-232543.jpg\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI sorted the receipts I had readily available to determine what categories I needed. I then created categories for the items represented and also for some of the most common stores I frequent and a few projects I have. I ended up filling every slot.\r\n\r\nMy life of receipts is so organized now! The good thing is I can add the store items to my price book easily as time permits and I have them all readily available. Woo hoo order is restored....well for one thing that is.... But hey we conquer clutter one thing at a time.\r\n\r\nOn to the next clutter corner...my to do box.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1025\" title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" /></a>','Restoring Order by Battling Paper Clutter','','publish','open','open','','restoring-order-by-battling-paper-clutter','','','2019-07-27 05:19:14','2019-07-27 05:19:14','',0,'https://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1412',0,'post','',0),(1415,1,'2012-11-09 08:37:37','2012-11-09 14:37:37','','Big Bus Philadelphia','Credit: By R. Kennedy for GPTMC','inherit','open','open','','bigbus','','','2012-11-09 08:37:37','2012-11-09 14:37:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/bigbus.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1424,560,'2012-11-19 07:00:48','2012-11-19 07:00:48','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900422763.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1433\" title=\"Business Executives Sitting in the Airport\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mp900422763.jpg?w=300\" height=\"300\" width=\"300\" /></a>In a part 1 of Networking the New Way I shared with you a plan on how you can begin to network with complete strangers...or people you didn\'t really know.  I tell you as somewhat of an introvert I wasn’t quite sure how I’d feel about testing this theory, but I knew I needed to try if I was going to conquer my “fears”.  So, experient #1 was to sit down at a table or near someone you didn’t know, on purpose, and strike up a conversation.  Now, you must know that I am always cognizant of people and their annoyance level(s).  It always bothers me when someone comes to me and starts talking and can’t see that I am preoccupied or in a “please don’t bother me” mode.  It\'s not a mean look or mode but one that an observant person should be able to pick up on.  So as I began to attempt this experient, my radar was on high alert for \"dont\' bother me\" body language.\n\nI was at the Seattle airport and had just gotten my lunch and needed a place to sit.  The area was crowded and all the tables were occupied, but I saw a young lady who was sitting at a four top by herself.  I thought maybe just maybe, she will be the one…so I asked her if I could sit down and she very nicely in her accent said yes.  Now she seemed very engaged in her mobile device as we all generally are, but I didn’t let that deter me.  I asked if she was from Seattle, assuming this was a safe question that could lead to more conversation…she was from the UK and was just flying through the city.  We had about a five min convo about how pretty the space we were in was and then...of course...my phone rang.  I had to take it, so that severed our convo.  Although, we didn\'t get to get into any deep conversation, I will call this a successful completion of round 1.  Why???  well, I got passed my fears and took the leap into the uncomfortable zone of initiating conversation with a stranger.  I’m hoping the more I do this the easier it will become and the deeper the conversations will get, but you have to start somewhere.\n\nDo you do this?  Strike up conversations with strangers?  I mean I can talk to people I know or to people I have common interests with all day long, but a complete stranger?  Didn\'t your momma tell you not to talk to strangers?!?!?!?  I mean who is this person, do you really want to talk to them?  For me, it\'s more of initiating a conversation with someone and not knowing what to say.  Not wanting to look completely ignorant with the other person and appear to be wasting their time.  This experience was cool because we weren\'t there to learn anything new and we weren\'t there to judge one another...we were just eating lunch and waiting for our plane(s).  So the common denominator between us was that we were both young (smile), we were both eating lunch, we were both waiting on something and we were both alone.  My goal next time is to pick the person a little more carefully and hopefully make some sort of deeper connection with them and we can truly network/connect with one another.\n\nWhat are your tricks for connecting with people/strangers?\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png\"><img title=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent7.png?w=300\" height=\"125\" width=\"300\" /></a>','Networking the New Way - Part 2','','publish','open','open','','networking-the-new-way-part-2','','','2019-07-27 05:18:48','2019-07-27 05:18:48','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=1424',0,'post','',0),(1432,1,'2012-11-09 09:32:39','2012-11-09 15:32:39','','MP900439345','','inherit','open','open','','mp900439345','','','2012-11-09 09:32:39','2012-11-09 15:32:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mp900439345.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1433,1,'2012-11-09 09:34:27','2012-11-09 15:34:27','','Business Executives Sitting in the Airport','','inherit','open','open','','business-executives-sitting-in-the-airport','','','2012-11-09 09:34:27','2012-11-09 15:34:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mp900422763.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1435,1,'2012-11-09 09:35:54','2012-11-09 15:35:54','','MP900438475','','inherit','open','open','','mp900438475','','','2012-11-09 09:35:54','2012-11-09 15:35:54','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mp900438475.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1447,1,'2012-11-09 10:00:10','2012-11-09 16:00:10','Celebration. Hands holding the glasses of champagne and wine making a toast.','Celebratory drink','','inherit','open','open','','celebratory-drink','','','2012-11-09 10:00:10','2012-11-09 16:00:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mp900442439.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1448,1,'2012-11-09 10:07:39','2012-11-09 16:07:39','Red security rope by red carpet, close-up , shallow DOF.','Red rope barrier detail on red carpet','','inherit','open','open','','red-rope-barrier-detail-on-red-carpet','','','2012-11-09 10:07:39','2012-11-09 16:07:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mp900442435.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1469,1,'2012-11-12 23:27:53','2012-11-13 05:27:53','','20121112-232751.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121112-232751-jpg','','','2012-11-12 23:27:53','2012-11-13 05:27:53','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121112-232751.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1470,1,'2012-11-12 23:28:04','2012-11-13 05:28:04','','20121112-232803.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121112-232803-jpg','','','2012-11-12 23:28:04','2012-11-13 05:28:04','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121112-232803.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1474,1,'2012-11-13 11:06:36','2012-11-13 17:06:36','','The Before Photo','','inherit','open','open','','0818121757','','','2012-11-13 11:06:36','2012-11-13 17:06:36','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/0818121757.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1475,1,'2012-11-13 11:06:37','2012-11-13 17:06:37','','The First After','','inherit','open','open','','0818121808','','','2012-11-13 11:06:37','2012-11-13 17:06:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/0818121808.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1492,1,'2012-11-23 09:39:30','2012-11-23 15:39:30','','20121123-093928.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121123-093928-jpg','','','2012-11-23 09:39:30','2012-11-23 15:39:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121123-093928.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1497,1,'2012-11-29 15:25:47','2012-11-29 21:25:47','','MB900407401[1]','','inherit','open','open','','mb9004074011','','','2012-11-29 15:25:47','2012-11-29 21:25:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mb9004074011.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1498,1,'2012-11-29 15:28:53','2012-11-29 21:28:53','','Planning','','inherit','open','open','','mh900443764','','','2012-11-29 15:28:53','2012-11-29 21:28:53','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mh900443764.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1502,1,'2012-11-29 16:44:02','2012-11-29 22:44:02','','','','inherit','open','open','','mh900390572','','','2012-11-29 16:44:02','2012-11-29 22:44:02','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mh900390572.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1504,1,'2012-11-29 16:46:25','2012-11-29 22:46:25','','MH900414039','','inherit','open','open','','mh900414039','','','2012-11-29 16:46:25','2012-11-29 22:46:25','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mh900414039.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1510,1,'2012-12-02 18:32:17','2012-12-03 00:32:17','','20121202-183215.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121202-183215-jpg','','','2012-12-02 18:32:17','2012-12-03 00:32:17','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121202-183215.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1514,1,'2012-12-02 18:34:42','2012-12-03 00:34:42','','20121202-183441.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121202-183441-jpg','','','2012-12-02 18:34:42','2012-12-03 00:34:42','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121202-183441.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1520,560,'2012-12-06 07:00:10','2012-12-06 13:00:10','So, today I was organizing some information I have (I won\'t bore you with the details) and I started thinking, you know they should make all \"legal pads\" three hole punched!  It just makes more sense incase you want to tear out a sheet and put it in a notebook.  I mean I know I do that and I\'m sure EVERYONE else in the world does it too right?!?!?!  And who wants to pay more just to have a notepad with holes in it?!?!?!  LOL during this conversation with myself my smart brain cell decided to contribute to the conversation and said...why don\'t you just try to hole punch a regular notepad yourself.  WHAT?!?!?!  Now that will be too much like right!  I mean I\'m SURE the pad of paper is too big for the hole punch to handle and that just won\'t work!\r\n\r\nUmmmm people, do you hear the angels singing, the birds chirping and do you have to put on your sunglasses because of the gleam from my pearly whites?!?!?!  YES, it did work and I am ohhhhh so happy!  It wasn\'t hard, I didn\'t even have to put any effort into the \"hole punching\" lol it just cut the paper and board like butter.  No problamo!  Man, this just proves sometimes it\'s the little things that make such a profound difference in your day.\r\n\r\nOne more level in my bucket was filled today. What happiness!!!!  Hey don\'t laugh!  You can smile though &#x263a;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Organizing - It\'s The Small Stuff','','draft','open','open','','organizing-its-the-small-stuff','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=1520',0,'post','',0),(1525,1,'2012-12-08 07:55:39','2012-12-08 13:55:39','','20121208-075538.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121208-075538-jpg','','','2012-12-08 07:55:39','2012-12-08 13:55:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121208-075538.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1532,1,'2012-12-19 17:16:49','2012-12-19 23:16:49','','20121219-171648.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121219-171648-jpg','','','2012-12-19 17:16:49','2012-12-19 23:16:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121219-171648.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1533,1,'2012-12-19 17:17:00','2012-12-19 23:17:00','','20121219-171659.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121219-171659-jpg','','','2012-12-19 17:17:00','2012-12-19 23:17:00','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121219-171659.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1534,1,'2012-12-19 17:17:08','2012-12-19 23:17:08','','20121219-171707.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20121219-171707-jpg','','','2012-12-19 17:17:08','2012-12-19 23:17:08','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/20121219-171707.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1551,560,'2013-01-08 11:30:51','2013-01-08 11:30:51','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\" alt=\"20120305-192257.jpg\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-636\" /></a>\nToday I came to the honest realization (as I continue working on my first quarter plans) that there are things that should already be done that I am still working on.  Now this isn\'t abnormal and is one of the main reasons we create quarterly versus yearly plans.  That being said, this sometimes bothers me because I really try to do the things I say I am going to do and also do the things that really need to be done.  Sometimes I succeed with flying colors and other times…well procrastination gets the best of us...but that is the whole purpose of this thing.  So…in developing my first quarter 2013 plan, I know I need to put these things at the top of my first quarter goal list so they are done during this first month of January.  Yes, there are other things I want to accomplish during this quarter, but we have to prioritize them in a way that we aren\'t continuing to procrastinate on things and just pushing them further and further into the year.\n\nWe all tend to make time for things we enjoy doing and let those things that aren’t so enjoyable fly by the waist-side.  Which honestly just creates a vicious cycle of nothingness…of laziness…of crap sitting around not getting done.  Yes, it’s a hard truth but we have to face it at some point and what better point than right now.  Let’s stop making the excuses and “Get’er done”.   Most things will not take as long as we anticipate anyway…we just have to make a plan and commit to it.  \n\nI have also come to realize that my weekends aren\'t really mine.  There is always something I need to do for the house or somewhere I need to go and the list of \"things\" I had planned for that day are some how not accomplished which are just left on the list or skipped all together.  See how the cycle just continues?  I am saying this to say...don\'t pack your quarter full of things that aren\'t realistic or accomplishable.  Know that life happens and you aren\'t necessarily going to be able to do everything on the weekends.  Know that you may have to work some stuff into your week instead.  When planning the wedding, I ran lots of errands during my lunch time instead of going to eat with my co-workers because I could get the things done easily and check some things off my list.  My time was precious and we had a lot to accomplish in a short period of time.  If you know you have a big weekend with the family or with friends coming up, why try to cram everything into that Friday night or Saturday morning?  This will just drive you crazy...at least it tends to do that to me.  Break your tasks out over the week and see how much more sane you feel.  Now, for those who are stay at home moms, students or housewives...the same holds true for you.  Don\'t think you don\'t have stuff to do during your day and the weekends.  You need to plan just as much if not more to ensure you meet all the needs you have throughout your day/month.  So, when developing your plans make sure you take life into consideration, but don\'t use it as an excuse to not do something.  Look at the reality of things and see where you can make it work...where you can realistically fit it in...where you can shift some stuff around.  Are you going out every weekend and not setting a day to do some of your goals?  If you look and things aren\'t balanced make an adjustment so you have a good work/life/fun balance.\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent5.png\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/the-happiness-bucket-transparent5.png?w=300\" alt=\"The-Happiness-Bucket transparent\" width=\"300\" height=\"125\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1006\" /></a>','How Do You Prioritize What Comes First?','','draft','open','open','','how-do-you-prioritize-what-comes-first','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=1551',0,'post','',0),(2310,1,'2013-03-26 12:03:21','2013-03-26 17:03:21','','Bedroom Before','','inherit','open','open','','0202131043b','','','2013-03-26 12:03:21','2013-03-26 17:03:21','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/0202131043b.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2311,1,'2013-03-26 12:03:24','2013-03-26 17:03:24','','Living Room Before','','inherit','open','open','','0202131143','','','2013-03-26 12:03:24','2013-03-26 17:03:24','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/0202131143.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2312,1,'2013-03-26 12:03:27','2013-03-26 17:03:27','','Bedroom After','','inherit','open','open','','0202131520','','','2013-03-26 12:03:27','2013-03-26 17:03:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/0202131520.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2313,1,'2013-03-26 12:03:29','2013-03-26 17:03:29','','LivingRm After','','inherit','open','open','','0202131523','','','2013-03-26 12:03:29','2013-03-26 17:03:29','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/0202131523.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2316,560,'2013-04-03 07:30:29','2013-04-03 12:30:29','I have been on a mission to declutter and prep Natalia\'s room for her arrival in late July. I have to admit this task has been a little daunting because we are also preparing to put our house on the market at the same time...so needless to say my decluttering calendar has been moved up. I really had to ask myself what was needed on a regular basis, what was really just clutter and what did I need for her when she arrived - to assist with determining what needed to be put into storage and what needed to just vacate our lives lol.\r\n\r\nSo, this past Friday night I decided to tackle the massive amounts of office supplies I had in the room. See, 13 - 14 years ago I had embarked on starting a consulting business in another city. After determining I really wanted to move back to Nashville, I packed all that stuff up and moved it with me. Four moves later and the stuff is still in this house and still primarily boxed up. I decided to go through each of the boxes and realistically determine if I was going to use the items or not. I found so many supplies that I didn\'t know I had it was unreal. I even found some colored stickers for my moving boxes that I was about to go and purchase! I tell you the truth!!!\r\n\r\nSo, I decided to take everything whether slightly used or not and make a decision - Keep, Donate or Trash. I am proud of myself in that I didn\'t really keep very much. I then decided to have a little contest on facebook for the box of donated items to select a person to receive the donated items for free. I was so happy, I found a wonderful home for the supplies and feel better about how they will be used going forward.\r\n\r\nDuring this supply dump I also determined that I had a ridiculous collection of pens. I\'m not quite sure where all these pens came from, but I knew it was wayyyy more than I could ever use. I embarked on what I like to call Pengate LOLLLLLLLL yes I am special!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3764\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/best.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-3764 size-medium\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/best.png?w=300\" alt=\"THB Pengate\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Wave one of THB Pengate[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo, I again developed my three categories, donate, keep and trash. The process although it appeared daunting went very quickly. Here is what I ended up with during wave one of pengate. Initially, the pink vase was completely filled with writing utencils. Yes, I had a problem.\r\n\r\nSo after completing wave one I then moved on to wave two. Wave two consisted of another blue box (really about the same amount of pens as wave one).\r\n\r\nAll in all, I can now say that I have a manageable amount of pens in the house and I feel good in that I was able to donate useable pens to a friend starting his own business and to the winner of my impromptu teacher contest. Although pengate was a seemingly small task it cleared two spaces in my room and allowed me to get rid of unnecessary clutter.\r\n\r\nOverall, I went through majority of the supplies in the room and was able to declutter many of those items I would never use. This process was a little overwhelming at times because I had to think...what will happen if I need this after I get rid of it. Really??? and then I had to be honest with myself...if I haven\'t used it in 14 years I don\'t think I need it now and if I do I can always go purchase a new one...yes I would be spending money but in reality what is more important in our life today? To hold on to supplies I MAY use in 5 more years...or to clear the space I know we will use tomorrow?\r\n\r\nDecluttering is about being honest with yourself...come on and join me on this journey to Happiness!\r\n\r\nDid you like the information we shared with you in this post?  If so, please signup to receive our posts via email or join one of our social media sites.  We would love for you to be a part of our THB family.','How to Remove Years of Clutter in Hours','','publish','open','open','','how-i-removed-14-years-of-clutter-in-three-hours','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2316',0,'post','',0),(2319,1,'2013-03-26 12:43:02','2013-03-26 17:43:02','','20130326-124301.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20130326-124301-jpg','','','2013-03-26 12:43:02','2013-03-26 17:43:02','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/20130326-124301.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2320,1,'2013-03-26 12:43:10','2013-03-26 17:43:10','','20130326-124309.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20130326-124309-jpg','','','2013-03-26 12:43:10','2013-03-26 17:43:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/20130326-124309.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2321,1,'2013-03-26 12:43:18','2013-03-26 17:43:18','','20130326-124316.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20130326-124316-jpg','','','2013-03-26 12:43:18','2013-03-26 17:43:18','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/20130326-124316.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2389,1,'2013-04-15 15:53:30','2013-04-15 20:53:30','','bluebox','Remaining Files','inherit','open','open','','bluebox','','','2013-04-15 15:53:30','2013-04-15 20:53:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/bluebox.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2391,1,'2013-04-15 15:55:04','2013-04-15 20:55:04','','Before','Where Alice Started','inherit','open','open','','before','','','2013-04-15 15:55:04','2013-04-15 20:55:04','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/before.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2392,1,'2013-04-15 15:55:06','2013-04-15 20:55:06','','Shredding','bye bye unnecessary paper','inherit','open','open','','shredding','','','2013-04-15 15:55:06','2013-04-15 20:55:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/shredding.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2406,560,'2013-05-25 11:45:39','2013-05-25 11:45:39','','Operation Putting House On Market:  Storing Your Items in a Storage Facility','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2406',0,'post','',0),(2408,560,'2013-05-25 11:47:14','2013-05-25 16:47:14','Ok you know by now that we are on a mission to do a master declutter/cleanse in preparation of listing our home on the market. So I have set the next few days as master cleansing days. I expect to have guests staying with me for my brother\'s wedding on May 3rd, so that is a built in timelimit that I have given myself to get all this stuff done or at least most of it. My mother has graciously offered to come over this weekend to help after seeing how much we had left to do LOL. In knowing this I decided to create decluttering zones in our living room. See the weekend before, we took a lot of extra furniture to our storage facility, so our living room has the bare necessities in it and has the most open space right now. I decided to move all items that need to be packed to this area so we can just set up a packing area. We also have a section for goodwill and a section for storage. This way, everything is being moved downstairs so it can be prepped to leave the house.\r\n\r\nSo, I am starting in our sweet little Osa\'s (Bear) room since we are also trying to get it ready for her arrival. We will then work strategically through the top floor and down to the living room. My hope is by Sunday I will only have the downstairs area to finish.\r\n\r\nWhat I find is that it is extremely easy to get distracted and start projects in one room and move to another room without even realizing it. You end up with an entire house that looks like a tornado went through it. You begin to feel overwhelmed with the stuff that is left to do and ultimately get frustrated and just stop. By strategically moving through the house and developing work zones it will help give you guidance. Now, everyone may not choose to have a downstairs prep area when you have two levels, but it helps me when I am spending family time downstairs to have everything down there so me and my mom can just focus on that area when she comes and we can easily get it out of the house. It also allows us to really see a space without all the empty boxes and stuff to leave in the way. You need to truly be able to see a room when you are decluttering/staging to make sure it appears the way you envision it. I will TRY to document the process as I go because up to this point I haven\'t done a good job of capturing before and after photos so unfortunately some of my postings will be pictureless, but hopefully you will be able to visualize on your own.\r\n\r\nwe aren\'t expecting many guests or people in our home in the next week so we decided to really try to get a lot done during this time.','Operation Putting House On Market:  Creating Decluttering Zones','','publish','open','open','','operation-putting-house-on-market-creating-decluttering-zones','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2408',0,'post','',0),(2410,560,'2013-05-25 11:58:57','2013-05-25 11:58:57','I struggled with this choice and went to google and pinterest for direction on how to do this properly.  I left my research with no clear answer LOL so I had to make a choice and hope for the best.  Now I can say that hope to only have the stuff in storage in general through August or September.  Regardless of the status of our home at that time, we will begin to need our winter items around September/October so we will have to swap some things out either way.  So we are talking about 5 - 6 months of storage.  \n\nI decided to go with a 30 gallon plastic bin that I found at wal-mart for $7.97.  You can choose whichever you want, and honestly you could probably catch them on sale if you go after Christmas or around the time when they put those on sale but I didn\'t have that option due to our timeline.  I chose this particular bin mainly because of its size and price.  I wasn\'t trying to go broke buying bins and I knew it was going to the storage facility so it didn\'t need to be \"pretty\".  I also purchased some cedar disks to place in the bins to help preserve the items inside and finally I purchased a package of tissue paper.  Now this made me a little sad because I was hoping my stash at the house would be enough but all of that tissue paper was colored and I didn\'t want to risk it bleeding onto our clothes.\n\nWe commenced to packing our clothes.  Each of us got a bin for our clothes.  I packed all my \"pre-pregnancy\" clothes in one since I know I won\'t need them until mid-August.  I then used another bin to pack winter clothes.  My husband packed jeans in one (yes he has a LOT of jeans) and then his winter stuff in another.  I have to admit I ended up using the remaining space in his jean bean to pack my suit coats.  So we ended up with five bins of clothes in storage.  Can you believe it!!!!!   And before you ask, yes we decluttered items we could no longer wear or that we no longer wanted to give to goodwill.  It is just amazing how much we had crammed into our two closets and dresser drawers.  Unfortunately, I didn\'t take a before picture of the closets but here is an after view of them.  \n\nThe sad thing is they still aren\'t all that empty!!!  But these are the items we feel we still will need to wear in the coming months.  Understanding we are in the middle of two seasons and at the end of that time we will be in the mid of another season so we have a few warm things mixed in with our summer items.\n\nWhat did I do with the tissue paper you ask?  Well, in the bins where I packed dresses, dress pants and suit coats, I placed tissue paper in between the items to help not wrinkle them and just because one of the blogs I read suggested it.  It\'s just like when you pack clothes for stores, they always place paper in with the clothes.  I also added a piece on top of each bin and placed the cedar disks on the paper so they weren\'t directly placed on clothing.\n\nFinally, I placed a label on the side of the bin to identify what type of clothes was in each bin.  This will prevent us from having to open each one to find something.  One trick I learned was to adhere a shipping label envelope (plastic sleeves used by UPS/Fedex) big side only (not the label side) and that way you can insert a sheet of paper that tells you what is in each bin and if for some reason the contents changes you can easily swap out the paper without having to remove a label.  I have to give a lady at work props for sharing that tip with me.  She was packing some items at our office for storage and I saw her doing this...I was wondering what she was doing and when I saw the end result I was of course in awe LOL.\n\nHappy Decluttering!!!!\n\n','Operation Putting House On Market:  How To Store Your Clothes','','publish','open','open','','operation-putting-house-on-market-how-to-store-your-clothes','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2410',0,'post','',0),(2419,560,'2014-02-03 08:00:29','2014-02-03 08:00:29','Not only did we get a lot of extra space, we got a lot more responsibility.  See before we lived in a two bedroom townhome...so that meant no maintaining the lawn, not having to worry about bugs in the bushes or spraying for mosquitos, trash pickup or an irrigation system.  So needless to say we have a lot of change in store for us. ','Organizing A New Home - Vendors and More','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:15','2019-07-27 05:18:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2419',0,'post','',0),(2425,1,'2014-01-13 10:14:52','2014-01-13 16:14:52','','cabinets','','inherit','open','open','','cabinets','','','2014-01-13 10:14:52','2014-01-13 16:14:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/cabinets.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2429,1,'2014-01-13 17:49:13','2014-01-13 23:49:13','','photo 2','','inherit','open','open','','photo-2','','','2014-01-13 17:49:13','2014-01-13 23:49:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/photo-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2430,1,'2014-01-13 17:49:14','2014-01-13 23:49:14','','photo 3','','inherit','open','open','','photo-3','','','2014-01-13 17:49:14','2014-01-13 23:49:14','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/photo-3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2431,1,'2014-01-13 17:49:41','2014-01-13 23:49:41','','photo 1','','inherit','open','open','','photo-1','','','2014-01-13 17:49:41','2014-01-13 23:49:41','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/photo-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2436,560,'2014-01-20 08:00:16','2014-01-20 14:00:16','I was working with a Client recently who was having a really difficult time with letting go of control from her team. The one piece of advise that I gave her and that I am going to give you too is that we have to learn to accept the things we can\'t control.\r\n\r\nA few years ago I started using the phrase, \"It is what it is.\" This truly allowed me to accept the reality of my situation, no matter how dire it seemed to be at the time.  I honestly have no idea where I got the phrase from, but it is and has been my personal life changing motto.\r\n<h1>The Wedding Things We Can\'t Control</h1>\r\nI remember when I was planning my wedding and my mom was focusing on every little detail. I would tell, \"Mom, it is what it is...it\'s not going to be perfect\". She HATED that saying and it would frustrate her whenever I would use it. I recall us having a conversation one day and she asked me in frustration, \"why do you always say that!!!\" I explained, \"well mom the reality is I can\'t change it. To stress over it isn\'t going to help, it is still going to be what it is. Sooooo it is what it is...I just choose not to stress about it.\"\r\n\r\nI went on to explain that no wedding was ever perfect and I refused to focus so much on the details that I missed the overall purpose of the day. The reality is if I had focused on every little thing that went wrong I would have lost my mind. The day wouldn\'t be and wasn\'t any less beautiful because of the issues.\r\n\r\nI only had food labels on one buffet and not the other. Some family members wouldn\'t sit where I assigned them.  My dress wasn\'t on properly, and none of that changed that it was one of the happiest days of my life...in fact those things added to my story.\r\n<h1>Converting The Unbeliever</h1>\r\nWell, fast forward two years later and guess who has come over to the dark side? Yep you guessed it, my wonderful mother. I remember the first time I heard her say it, I was so shocked but it gave me so much joy.  I realized she had finally let go and learned how to stop worrying about everything.\r\n\r\nI used the situation of my wedding and this motto to show you that we are all faced with situations that are not of our liking.  They have the potential to define who and what we are.  You just have to decide if you are going to let it control your life.\r\n<h1>Life Things We Can\'t Control</h1>\r\nHow many times have you been faced with a situation that was or could have been life changing? How did you handle it? I won\'t say I\'ve always handled it perfectly. I mean come on I have panic moments and freakouts like the best of them.  That being said, I regularly try to bring myself back to think about what is really important.  What is God trying to tell me with this situation?\r\n\r\nIt isn\'t always easy BELIEVE ME!!!! but it is comforting to just sit back and focus on that discussion with God. More times than not He does give me an answer pretty quickly to my question. It may not be the same day but if I\'m patient and open to Him, I do get an answer.\r\n\r\nSo, recently I received a link to a video and I just had to share it because we all struggle with the question of why didn\'t this happen or why did this happen. I encourage you to not focus so much on that...but realize, it is what it is and you have a choice to determine if you are going to let it define who you are or are you going to determine who you are. It\'s your choice...what are you going to do?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/c62Aqdlzvqk\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Learning to Accept The Things We Can\'t Control','','publish','open','open','','things-we-cant-control','','','2019-07-27 05:18:47','2019-07-27 05:18:47','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2436',0,'post','',1),(2438,560,'2014-01-29 12:34:31','2014-01-29 18:34:31','Recently, I was watching tv when a commercial came on about a movie/documentary called \"Fat Sick and Nearly Dead\".  It was online so I decided to watch it.  It is a story about a man named Joe who decided to change his life by entering the world of Juicing.  I won\'t give the documentary away but I will say it had me thinking twice about going on a fruit and vegetable juice fast.  I can\'t say I am trying to lose baby weight, but I can say I am trying to lose some baby bumps LOL.  See I only gained 15 lbs with my pregnancy and had lost all of that plus ten additional pounds six weeks after giving birth so it isn\'t that weight I\'m trying to lose now it\'s the extra roll I inherited from that and well to be honest the additional weight from the post pregnancy cookies I keep eating LOL.  Yes I know I know...so anyway I digress.  I watched this movie and it is so different than most weightloss stories or infomercials in that it didn\'t just show a beginning and ending photo it took you on the journey with four different people and explained a lot along the way.  It was amazing to see the results in just going on a juice fast.  And maybe juicing isn\'t your think...well they talk about why this works and it is more about the plant based diet than the \"juice\".  Anyway, I thought I would share this with you and see what you think about it.  \n\n<a href=\"http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/watch-fat-sick-and-nearly-dead/\">Fat Sick and Nearly Dead</a>\n\n\n\n','Inspirational Moment - Reboot with Joe','','publish','open','open','','inspirational-moment-reboot-with-joe','','','2019-07-27 05:18:16','2019-07-27 05:18:16','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2438',0,'post','',0),(2441,560,'2016-01-07 21:20:00','2016-01-07 21:20:00','Similar to the National Do Not Call Registry, there is a list for people who don\'t want pre-approved credit applications or insurance offers. Started in December of 2004 and run jointly by credit reporting companies Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion, the service is free and allows you to opt out either permanently or for five years. Visit: www.optoutprescreen.com or call (888) 5-OPTOUT or (888) 567-8688.','Are You Opting Out?','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:17:31','2019-07-27 05:17:31','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2441',0,'post','',0),(2449,560,'2014-04-30 08:00:39','2014-04-30 13:00:39','Ok recyclers please don\'t get mad at me with this pin, but I loved the idea of this pin!!!! The idea is that you don\'t have to buy expensive boxes to take your hanging clothes to your new location, you just buy a box of trash bags and you tear a hole in the bottom of it. Slip that over the hangers and tie the bottom.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2689\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/hanging-clothes.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2689\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/hanging-clothes.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084518369/\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084518369/[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>The Good</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were able to move all our hanging clothes using this method which was great. I did not use a rubberband around the hangers and I would suggest if you don\'t have one vehicle to designate as the clothing vehicle that you should use rubber bands too so they don\'t slip and slide everywhere. We also got the cheapest bags we could find and we tore the hole in the top versus cutting a hole or making it all nice and neat.\r\n<ul>The Bad</ul>\r\nOur trashbags didn\'t cover the bottom of the clothes as this photo implies. So we had clothes hanging out but overall it didn\'t really make that big of a deal. For the recyclers out there you may be concerned with the use of plastic bags.\r\n<ul>The Decision</ul>\r\nThis is good for those going short distances and who can control how the clothes are transported. If they are going in a moving truck is there a flat surface that they can lay on without flip flopping around. If not, you will have a clothing mess on your hands when you get to your location (unless your bags cover your clothes and can be tied at the bottom). If, however, you have a car or separate vehicle that can be designated to transport clothes or you have a rack in your moving truck, then you are good to go.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/happiness-bucket_logo-e1395435278247.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2554\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/happiness-bucket_logo-e1395435278247.png?w=300\" alt=\"Happiness bucket_logo\" width=\"300\" height=\"164\" /></a>','Pinterest by Trial and Error Challenge – (4) Easily Moving Hanging Clothes','','publish','open','open','','pinterest-by-trial-and-error-challenge-5','','','2019-07-27 05:18:13','2019-07-27 05:18:13','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2449',0,'post','',0),(2459,1,'2014-02-10 10:28:34','2014-02-10 16:28:34','','Yellowmix','','inherit','open','open','','yellowmix','','','2014-02-10 10:28:34','2014-02-10 16:28:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/yellowmix.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2460,1,'2014-02-10 10:28:35','2014-02-10 16:28:35','','Yellow cake','','inherit','open','open','','yellow-cake','','','2014-02-10 10:28:35','2014-02-10 16:28:35','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/yellow-cake.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2475,1,'2014-02-27 15:10:46','2014-02-27 21:10:46','On the left 1/23/14\nOn the right 6/29/13\n','Brit','On the left 1/23/14\nOn the right 6/29/13\n','inherit','open','open','','brit','','','2014-02-27 15:10:46','2014-02-27 21:10:46','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/brit.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2479,1,'2014-02-27 16:59:46','2014-02-27 22:59:46','','','','inherit','open','open','','2479','','','2014-02-27 16:59:46','2014-02-27 22:59:46','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/030413_0323_kanbanforch1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2485,1,'2014-02-27 18:16:20','2014-02-28 00:16:20','','Brit2','','inherit','open','open','','brit2','','','2014-02-27 18:16:20','2014-02-28 00:16:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/brit2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2500,560,'2014-03-07 08:00:46','2014-03-07 14:00:46','<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mh900390572.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1502\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mh900390572.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>Have you ever been working on a specific task and no matter what you do you constantly get sidetracked? Well, I am working on a massive project to declutter my electronic world. I know it will take some time but as I dive into it I keep getting overwhelmed and I know exactly why…I’m trying to do too many things at once related to the project and also continue working at the same time.\r\n\r\nMy electronic world is humongous and there is no way to do it all in one day or even at the same time so today I set the task of emptying my work inbox. You see I do not like to have more than 50 emails in my inbox…and even that to me is too many. In my perfect world I’d have just the emails from today in my inbox and by the end of the day they would all be gone or are only actionable items. Yeah well, I’m still working on getting to that reality. I’m not going to say it isn’t possible but I have to find that perfect system to make it happen.\r\n\r\nOn top of this, I am testing out a new methodology, personal Kanban, that I learned about recently. I shared a post a week or so ago <a title=\"Kanban for Chores\" href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/kanban-for-chores/\"> Kanban for Chores </a>about it and every since I started reading about it I have been intrigued and feel it truly matches the way I work. See even the most organized person has to step back and reevaluate their systems.\r\n\r\nSo today, my goal was to get through the over 400 emails in my inbox. Many I know are just junk or items I can just delete. I know there are some action items that really need to get done and some items that I emailed to myself just so I wouldn’t lose them (blogs or articles to read, notes I had taken and hadn’t saved, to do lists, etc.). I am determined to go through each one and create a card on my new electronic Kanban board (www.leankit.com) that detailed what needed to be done and delete the email out of my inbox. See my method used to be to leave it in my inbox if it needed action, but I found that as the day(s) went on those to do’s got lost and several items were flagged and I didn’t know which was a top priority. So, in going through this process I began clearing out and getting the items that needed action on my kanban board…and then it happened…I hit that to do that I said ohhh let me read this or let me go ahead and do this…thirty minutes later I remember oh yeah I’m not supposed to be working on these today I’m supposed to just be identifying the to do items.\r\n\r\nSo my lesson for today is not to get distracted/sidetracked by the little things you should have been doing before when you are going through and sorting your clutter. Remember your initial task is to sort and remove trash. It will go faster if you just focus on doing that and don’t allow yourself to get distracted by the shiny thing in the room. Focus…keep repeating to yourself Sort/Trash, Sort/Trash, Sort/Trash. If you have a big task like mine and know you can\'t do it all at once. Dedicate a specific amount of time to it.\r\n\r\nNow, back to the sorting...I know I can I know I can....','Decluttering - Eliminating the Distraction Monsters','','publish','open','open','','decluttering-eliminating-the-distraction-monsters','','','2019-07-27 05:18:14','2019-07-27 05:18:14','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2500',0,'post','',0),(2507,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:07','2014-03-07 23:44:07','','finished all','','inherit','open','open','','finished-all','','','2014-03-07 17:44:07','2014-03-07 23:44:07','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/finished-all.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2508,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:08','2014-03-07 23:44:08','','drying','','inherit','open','open','','drying','','','2014-03-07 17:44:08','2014-03-07 23:44:08','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/drying.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2509,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:09','2014-03-07 23:44:09','','all','','inherit','open','open','','all','','','2014-03-07 17:44:09','2014-03-07 23:44:09','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/all.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2510,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:09','2014-03-07 23:44:09','','labels','','inherit','open','open','','labels','','','2014-03-07 17:44:09','2014-03-07 23:44:09','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/labels.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2511,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:10','2014-03-07 23:44:10','','wip11','','inherit','open','open','','wip11','','','2014-03-07 17:44:10','2014-03-07 23:44:10','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wip11.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2512,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:11','2014-03-07 23:44:11','','wip10','','inherit','open','open','','wip10','','','2014-03-07 17:44:11','2014-03-07 23:44:11','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wip10.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2513,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:12','2014-03-07 23:44:12','','wip9','','inherit','open','open','','wip9','','','2014-03-07 17:44:12','2014-03-07 23:44:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wip9.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2514,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:12','2014-03-07 23:44:12','','wip8','','inherit','open','open','','wip8','','','2014-03-07 17:44:12','2014-03-07 23:44:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wip8.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2515,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:13','2014-03-07 23:44:13','','wip7','','inherit','open','open','','wip7','','','2014-03-07 17:44:13','2014-03-07 23:44:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wip7.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2516,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:14','2014-03-07 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17:44:19','2014-03-07 23:44:19','','dividers','','inherit','open','open','','dividers','','','2014-03-07 17:44:19','2014-03-07 23:44:19','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dividers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2524,1,'2014-03-07 17:44:20','2014-03-07 23:44:20','','trashbox','','inherit','open','open','','trashbox','','','2014-03-07 17:44:20','2014-03-07 23:44:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/trashbox.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2532,1,'2014-03-21 14:32:13','2014-03-21 19:32:13','','Dana Morales','Dana Morales, MPA, PMP\nOwner','inherit','open','open','','wilson-260892','','','2014-03-21 14:32:13','2014-03-21 19:32:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wilson-260892-e1395430421352.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2563,1,'2014-03-21 16:39:37','2014-03-21 21:39:37','','Under Construction','','inherit','open','open','','under-construction','','','2014-03-21 16:39:37','2014-03-21 21:39:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/under-construction.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2566,1,'2014-06-04 18:11:56','2014-06-04 18:11:56','Here are a few before and after photos from various THB Clients. Trust that you have the power to make the change you wish to see. Let me show you how!\r\n<h1><strong>Bonus Room</strong></h1>\r\nMs P. wanted to change her bonus room into an art studio.  She hired THB to project manage this job while she continued to travel to visit her family.  I really enjoyed sending her progress photos periodically to tease her until she returned.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5315\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5315\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ms.-P-BA-300x300.png\" alt=\"Before of Ms. P\'s Bonus Room\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> Bonus Room Starting Point[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4434\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4434\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/www.thehappinessbucket.com_-300x300.png\" alt=\"Final of Ms. P\'s Reno\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> Final of Ms. P\'s Reno[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Ms. P reported that before her renovation she barely went into this room.  After the Reno, she is extremely motivated and has tons of creative juices flowing.  Shortly after we completed this reno, Ms. P scored a pretty lucrative job creating the graphics for a children\'s book!  We love it!!!!</p>\r\n\r\n<h1><strong>Laundry Room</strong></h1>\r\nOur Client was a fabulous artist and stored many of her belongings in this laundry room which sits off her kitchen. When asked what her vision was for the space she said she wanted it to function as a laundry room.  She wanted to keep the floor clear, store cleaning supplies, and for it to be clean. She also wanted to add an accent wall where she could hang her art, but she didn\'t want a lot of \"other stuff\" hung from the wall.  Enjoy these fabulous before and after photos of her laundry room:\r\n<h2>The Before Photos</h2>\r\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway10.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2711\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway10.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Laundry1\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> <a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway9.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2710\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway9.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Laundry2\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> <a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway8.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2709\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/janaway8.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Laundry3\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<h2>The After Photos</h2>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/thbjanaway3-e1401922860962.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2714\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/thbjanaway3-e1401922860962.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"LaundryAfter1\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/thbjanaway2-e1401922880146.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2713\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/thbjanaway2-e1401922880146.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"LaundryAfter2\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<h3>Ms. P\'s Testimonial:</h3>\r\nThank you so much for staying within my budget! I especially appreciate the sale items you found! And seeing everything in order in the laundry room looks as if each and every item were meant for their spaces. The under the bed drawer containers was brilliant! So easy for me to access with no having to lift anything over my head to get to items. I love the room\'s functionality as well...as if looking into the future where mobility could become a serious issue.\r\n\r\nSee the <a title=\"THB Big Reveal – Ms. P’s Laundry Room Project\" href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/thb-big-reveal-ms-ps-bonus-room-to-art-studio-project/\">details</a> on this project\r\n<h1><strong>Master Bedroom Closet</strong></h1>\r\nDoes your space look like this?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/masterclosetbefore2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2946\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/masterclosetbefore2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"MasterClosetBefore2\" width=\"300\" height=\"172\" /></a> <a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/masterclosetbefore.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2947\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/masterclosetbefore.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"MasterClosetBefore1\" width=\"300\" height=\"161\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWell, these before and after photos are of our closet for the first year and a half that we lived in our new home.  Yes, this is another episode of confessions of a professional organizer.  Now, the reason our closet looked like this is because we wanted it to speak to us.  We wanted to take our time and really evaluate the space and determine what we wanted from it.  So, we decided to \"move in\" to the rest of the house to develop those organizational systems first, since more people see those, and then revisit our closet at the end.\r\n\r\nThe specifics of the closet:  The closet is a very nice size, but there was a lot of wasted space.  The ceilings are 10 - 11 feet tall, but the wire shelving was hung at about 8 feet.  To add additional complications there was a window in the middle of the L shaped space. So, despite the fact that we didn\'t/don\'t have a lot of closet clutter, the inadequate space made it appear that way, which is typically the problem in a lot of homes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3177\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3177\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5833-0-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /> Shoe Rack (rack under window leaving space)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3176\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3176\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5835-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Closet Wall from Reno\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /> Final Wall of Closet Reno[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3178\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3178\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5838-300x256.jpg\" alt=\"After of Closet Reno\" width=\"300\" height=\"256\" /> Almost Finished with Closet Reno[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Now lets revisit my closet from a few years ago.  Again proof that even the most organized person needs to maintain and sometimes re-evaluate their organizational system(s).  </em>Although the before and after video quality was not perfect, this is the transformation from my master closet in my condo.  This closet was \"built\" over time (lesson learned in video), but I loved it still the same.  This organizational system worked for both my single life (one person\'s clothing) and our married life (clothing of two people).  I hope you are inspired by the transformation, despite the video quality.\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IMq723Tc8U\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BU9a0a1FIM\r\n<h1>The Bathroom Cabinets</h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"237\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-234030.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-234030.jpg\" alt=\"Before Under Cabinet Declutter\" width=\"237\" height=\"178\" /></a> Before under the sink in condo[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"240\"]<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-234038.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-234038.jpg\" alt=\"After Under the Cabinet Declutter\" width=\"240\" height=\"180\" /></a> After declutter under sink in condo[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111114-234030.jpg\"> </a>\r\n<h1><strong>Coaching Sessions</strong></h1>\r\nCoaching with Mrs. Alice - These before and after photos are from a coaching session with Mrs. Alice. She planned to do the work herself, but was interested in us giving her recommendations on how to maximize the space in her home.  She made some good progress, and will probably see much more success as we continue our coaching sessions and she conducts some maintenance sessions.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/0804121204.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2792\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/0804121204.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Alice linen Before\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> <a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/0804121420.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2793\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/0804121420.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Alice Linen After\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131143.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2311\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131143.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Living Room Before\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131523.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2313\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131523.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"LivingRm After\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131043b.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2310\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131043b.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Bedroom Before\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131520.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2312\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/0202131520.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"Bedroom After\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Before and After Photos','','publish','open','closed','','before-after-photos','','','2018-03-19 16:19:29','2018-03-19 16:19:29','',120,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=2566',3,'page','',0),(2572,1,'2014-03-21 17:28:54','2014-03-21 22:28:54','','mqdefaultCAI9GR4S','','inherit','open','open','','mqdefaultcai9gr4s','','','2014-03-21 17:28:54','2014-03-21 22:28:54','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mqdefaultcai9gr4s.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2580,560,'2014-03-24 16:12:45','2014-03-24 21:12:45','I promised you a surprise and here it is!!!!  The reveal of <a href=\"http://www.bendure-arch.com/index_20140324.htm\">Baby Alice\'s Nursery!</a> This has been an absolutely fun project and I am so happy I was a part of it.\r\n\r\nI will add to her dad\'s rendition to give you the declutter/organizational side of this endeavor.  This room was previously a bedroom/office/storage space in their home.  As with many people when a new baby arrives you have to change things around to plan for their arrival.  Alice started this process by clearing out the closet.  She used the bed as the dumping ground to get everything out so she could see it.  She then went through it to determine which category it belonged in:  (1) Move to another space, (2) Toss, (3) donate or (4) keep in room.  Needless to say when she finished the closet was empty.\r\n\r\nShe then went on to plan out where and how she was going to store all the baby items she was soon to receive.  Lucky for her we had just had a baby of our own so we could offer our words of wisdom to her process.  After obtaining her husband\'s fabulous nursery...architectural design (I snicker here), she knew they must set out to find a dresser and crib for the designated space.','The Reveal of Baby Alice\'s Nursery','','draft','open','open','','the-reveal-of-baby-alices-nursery','','','2019-07-27 05:18:14','2019-07-27 05:18:14','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2580',0,'post','',0),(2610,1,'2014-03-25 17:32:45','2014-03-25 22:32:45','','sarah','','inherit','open','open','','sarah','','','2014-03-25 17:32:45','2014-03-25 22:32:45','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sarah.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2611,1,'2014-03-25 17:35:15','2014-03-25 22:35:15','Sarah Wilson','Sarah','Sarah Wilson, Organizer','inherit','open','open','','sarah-2','','','2014-03-25 17:35:15','2014-03-25 22:35:15','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/sarah.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2619,560,'2019-02-28 07:00:19','2019-02-28 07:00:19','What do you do when a process improvement or organizing tip doesn\'t work for you? Do you try to force it, find another or adapt the one you have?\r\n\r\nI find so many people trying to force systems and processes into their environment that don\'t work for their lifestyle because \"everyone is doing it\" or this guru or that one said you had to do it.  Listen, people, it isn\'t a good system for you if it doesn\'t work for you!\r\n<h1>One Tip That Doesn\'t Work For Me</h1>\r\nSo here\'s an example of an organizing tip that just doesn\'t work for me. For years and years, I have heard the advice of using the reverse hanger tip to aid in decluttering.  Now, this is not to discount any other organizers in the world who have suggested this, but here at THB we are about real life inspiration and discovery and in my personal world I discovered long ago that the reversed hanger tip does not work for me.\r\n\r\nThe premise, for those of you that don’t know, is that you turn all the clothes in your closet backward (hanger hook facing out instead of in) at the beginning of a season. As you wear your clothes you will hang them facing the normal way. At the end of the season, you are supposed to evaluate and remove any items that are still facing the original backward direction. The thought is if you didn’t wear it all season you don’t need it.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/hangers.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2682\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/hangers.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"hangers\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" /></a>\r\n\r\nNow, in theory, this is a great idea, however, in my world, it goes a little something like this.\r\n\r\nI enter my closet to determine what I want to wear for the day. I pick one thing…it doesn’t work…it sometimes gets hung on the door and other times it gets thrown into a pile. Very rarely does it get hung instantly back on the rod and when it does I am usually in such a hurry that it goes in facing the normal way.\r\n<h1>Be Honest With Yourself</h1>\r\nHey, I’m being honest and that is what it is all about, being honest with yourself. If an organizing or process development tip doesn’t work for you, don’t use it or adapt it for your lifestyle. Find something that does work for you and your family and make it happen.\r\n\r\nFor me, I would rather just pick a day or two each season to go through my closet using my homegrown process that <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/resources/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">you can check out here</a>.\r\n\r\nFor those who have the discipline to follow the backward hanger tip, by all means, use it. It is an easy way to evaluate your use or non-use of an item, but if it doesn\'t find something else that does.\r\n<h1>Allowing Fear to Stop You</h1>\r\nNow that you understand all process and organizing tips aren\'t for you, I want to address fear.  The fear of trying something new.  Many of us have the, what if it doesn\'t work syndrome.  We are afraid to try out of fear we will fail.  Listen, what is the worst that can happen?  You implement a new process and the result isn\'t what you had hoped for.  Ok review and adapt.  Figure out what worked and what didn\'t, adapt it and try again.\r\n\r\nEach time you review your processes you will have less frustration because you will continue to identify and adapt processes that work.\r\n\r\nFor those of you who don\'t have a process or regularly find that what you are trying isn\'t working.  I recommend you start your journey with my <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/courses/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">organizational roadmap</a> because it will guide you through the proper order of process and organizational implementation.  Most people implement processes and organize out of order, which is why things aren\'t working.  They don\'t account for life transitions either, which have a huge impact on the success and failure rates of any system.\r\n\r\nI hope this help to reassure you that you aren\'t alone and encouraged you to find a system that works for you and your lifestyle.  Now, what other tips have you received/heard about that just didn’t work for you, your business or your family and why?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','When Organizing Tips Don\'t Work','','publish','open','open','','organizing-tips-dont-work','','','2019-07-27 05:15:25','2019-07-27 05:15:25','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2619',0,'post','',0),(2625,1,'2014-03-26 13:02:26','2014-03-26 18:02:26','http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084316783/','fabric 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13:18:58','2014-03-26 18:18:58','','20140326-131858.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','20140326-131858-jpg','','','2014-03-26 13:18:58','2014-03-26 18:18:58','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140326-131858.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2658,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:02','2014-04-10 22:24:02','','Labels','','inherit','open','open','','label1','','','2014-04-10 17:24:02','2014-04-10 22:24:02','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/label1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2659,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:04','2014-04-10 22:24:04','','Labels','Hanging from baskets','inherit','open','open','','labels2','','','2014-04-10 17:24:04','2014-04-10 22:24:04','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels2-e1397170607147.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2660,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:05','2014-04-10 22:24:05','','labels3','','inherit','open','open','','labels3','','','2017-08-10 21:20:09','2017-08-10 21:20:09','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2661,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:06','2014-04-10 22:24:06','','labels4','','inherit','open','open','','labels4','','','2014-04-10 17:24:06','2014-04-10 22:24:06','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2662,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:08','2014-04-10 22:24:08','','labels5','','inherit','open','open','','labels5','','','2014-04-10 17:24:08','2014-04-10 22:24:08','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels5.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2663,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:09','2014-04-10 22:24:09','','labels6','','inherit','open','open','','labels6','','','2014-04-10 17:24:09','2014-04-10 22:24:09','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels6.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2664,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:11','2014-04-10 22:24:11','','labels7','','inherit','open','open','','labels7','','','2014-04-10 17:24:11','2014-04-10 22:24:11','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels7.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2665,1,'2014-04-10 17:24:12','2014-04-10 22:24:12','','labels8','','inherit','open','open','','labels8','','','2014-04-10 17:24:12','2014-04-10 22:24:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/labels8.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2682,1,'2014-04-11 14:18:27','2014-04-11 19:18:27','','hangers','','inherit','open','open','','hangers','','','2014-04-11 14:18:27','2014-04-11 19:18:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/hangers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2686,1,'2014-04-11 14:42:51','2014-04-11 19:42:51','','moving','','inherit','open','open','','moving','','','2014-04-11 14:42:51','2014-04-11 19:42:51','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/moving.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2689,1,'2014-04-11 14:54:38','2014-04-11 19:54:38','','hanging clothes','http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084518369/','inherit','open','open','','hanging-clothes','','','2014-04-11 14:54:38','2014-04-11 19:54:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/hanging-clothes.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2695,560,'2015-03-21 06:30:19','2015-03-21 06:30:19','<strong>[Disclaimer:  This post is a year late, ha I wrote it last year and never posted it...but guess what, the content is still relevant!]</strong>\n\nRecently, I went to the dollar tree to get a card holder for my purse that I had seen on someone\'s youtube video. While in there, I decided I wanted to get my baby girl some plastic Easter eggs. The colors are so bright and she likes taking things apart and putting them back together. While in the store, I remembered I was supposed to pick up some birthday cards for my Grandmother. I had been in Dollar Tree many times and never had I paid any attention to their selection of greeting cards. Well, this day I was pleasantly surprised because not only were they a decent quality but the sentiments in the cards were really nice. Needless to say I was able to get all the cards I needed that day...and the kicker is they are 2 for $1.00!!! Well, a week later, still in search for the card holder, I went to another dollar tree on another side of town. Well this one was bigger than the original one I had visited and man did I hit the jackpot in their card section. Check out these beautiful cards. Now these are plain on the inside, but look at the packaging and the card itself.\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3122\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/img_2967.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"IMG_2967\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" />\n\nThe purple is my favorite of the two but I love them both. When you do the math you see that each card and envelope is approximately $.11 including tax!!!! Seriously?!?!!? So there you have it, my money saving tip for the month (ha because who knows when the next one will come). You can get greeting cards and all purpose cards from the dollar store (Dollar Tree to be exact). Considering I decided at the beginning of the year I wanted to do a better job of sending cards to family members on their birthday\'s and anniversary\'s, I have hit a Savings jackpot!\n\nSo the next time you are in the dollar store, take a second to just browse around. Some things are definitely worth the $1.00 and others...well you need to think about carefully. We hope you found this money saving tip helpful!','Saving Money in the strangest places','','publish','open','open','','saving-money-in-the-strangest-places','','','2019-07-27 05:18:08','2019-07-27 05:18:08','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2695',0,'post','',0),(2697,560,'2015-08-04 06:30:49','2015-08-04 06:30:49','Yes, you knew it was coming, the world of baby tips...well people need tips on baby stuff too! Several of the THB readers have recently had babies, so I thought it would be a good time to talk about homemade baby food. It may seem a little intimidating to you, but I encourage you to try it before you count it out. Now I must put a disclaimer on this post because I have not physically done this myself. WHATTTTT???? yes I must admit, my wonderful husband is the food preparer in our home, but I tell you it is something I am very glad that we are doing and it has saved us a lot of money. I am a big believer in co-parenting...no this is not just a term for divorced parents...I believe this is a term for all parents because it is not just one person\'s responsibility to care for a baby. Daddy\'s and Mommy\'s both have to pitch in and do what needs to be done to help care for the baby.\n\nSee in our situation we both work full-time jobs outside the home. We decided early on that we wanted to make her baby food for a few reasons, 1. We know what she is getting - I am not knocking baby food in jars, but I know that there are preservatives in jarred food, I also don\'t know what else is in those jars, so I wanted to be 100% sure. 2. We felt it would be less expensive to make our own food - now I honestly don\'t know if this is true, but it seems to be true. I\'ll have to do the math and see one day. I know we purchase items when they are on sale and make big batches that last approximately two or three weeks. It probably costs $10.00 - $20.00 a batch (this is honestly a guess). We also decided early on that I would handle the first 4 - 6 months because I was breastfeeding and hubby would handle the rest of the months until she graduated to regular food. Our system has worked for us. Her dad really enjoyed the process of making the food and it gave him the joy of knowing he was doing something special for his baby girl. As corny or strange as this may sound for those guys out there that want to be more connected with their child this is a great way because you know your contribution is important. Her dad also was the bath giver (we will talk about that in a future post).','#THBCHANGE:  Homemade Baby Food','','draft','open','open','','money-saving-tip-homemade-baby-food','','','2019-07-27 05:17:33','2019-07-27 05:17:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2697',0,'post','',0),(2699,560,'2015-03-07 07:30:15','2015-03-07 07:30:15','Over the past few weeks I have had a few conversations that have the same theme...\"I need to declutter and organize but my space is such a mess I don\'t know where to begin.\"\n\nI believe that many people have a case of the grandiose idea syndrome with a touch of burnout brought on by overwhelming-ness lol (can you tell I\'ve been watching Doc McStuffins a little too much?). Now if this is your diagnosis don\'t feel bad it is treatable and is very common. What typically happens is we are inspired by something...someone else\'s space, a picture or a pin on Pinterest. Whatever the motivation we go in with guns a blazin and try to tackle everything without a plan. We start pulling everything out of the space, or go out and purchase a multitude of organizational tools, but we haven\'t started with the basic step...planning.  So I want to breakdown the steps in order to reduce your chances of being diagnosed with this illness again.<!--more-->\n\n<strong>Step one - Lets Dream a Little</strong>\n\nTake your inspiration and evaluate it. Identify the things about the inspiration you like...why does it inspire you? Compare it to your space, but don\'t focus on the stuff or the clutter but bones to bones...size, layout, use, etc.  This is your time to dream a little.  Determine how much time you can dedicate to this project.  Don\'t worry if it is only 30 mins a day or one day for two hours, it is a commitment you are making to yourself/your family.  I encourage you to schedule it on your calendar and make sure your friends/family know that on this day at this time you will be (fill in the blank)...or better yet the family will be (fill in the blank).  This step will help you determine your overall goal of how you will use the space.  Think about what is currently working and what isn\'t?  How will changing the space effect your day to day life?  You have visualized the possibilities of the space and that is the first step.  Now, I don\'t want you to get lost on this step, just spend a day or two, not a month.\n\n<strong>Step two - What Do We Have Here?</strong>\n\nThis is the step when you start sorting your space.  Now one issue that many of us have is we start trying to decorate right away.  We focus on the details of the inspiration - the paint color and the storage bins...you know, the fun stuff and not the goal of the space.  We start at the end of the project instead of the beginning.  By sorting as a second step you have started the race...you are making things happen by doing something.  It\'s no longer an idea, but you have taken action.  Secondly, this is a step you can do without picking up tools or spending money.  Sorting your belongings is free.  Grab a couple of empty paper boxes (free at most business offices) and start sorting items into them or in your designated sorting space(s).  I like using boxes because you can put the lid on them and stack them out of the way if you have a small allotment of time and don\'t finish this step all at one time.  Once everything is sorted you will feel a sense of accomplishment because your project space will be empty, a blank slate...so the dream is slowing becoming reality.\n\n<strong>Step three:</strong>  <strong>Evaluate and Minimize</strong>\n\nNow that you have all your items sorted, take a real look at them and compare them to your overall goal for your space.   Do you need everything that is there and is the intention to put it all back in the space?  In most cases, this is when you need to honestly go through and weed out the junk, trash, items that are no longer needed, items with too many multiples and items that belong in another space.  Get the items down to the bare bones of what is to return to the space...then revisit your original goal.  Can you see it...can you see that you are one step closer to that goal?  This is another step that doesn\'t cost you any money.\n\nFollowing these three basic steps allows you to pace yourself so you aren\'t overwhelmed. Once you have completed these steps you will be able to really focus on the space and making it what you really want it to be.  Your view isn\'t clouded with all the unnecessary stuff that was there before.  You are now really focused on the space and defining your systems.  If you move faster than your original plan great!  If you move slower it is ok, re-evaluate your timeline and see if you can make some adjustments.\n\nHappy Organizing!','3 Steps to an Organized Space','','publish','open','open','','one-step-at-a-time-or-maybe-30-mins-june','','','2019-07-27 05:18:09','2019-07-27 05:18:09','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.wordpress.com/?p=2699',0,'post','',0),(2702,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:24','2014-06-04 23:00:24','','Ms. P','','inherit','open','open','','janaway1','','','2014-06-04 18:00:24','2014-06-04 23:00:24','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2703,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:25','2014-06-04 23:00:25','','Janaway2','','inherit','open','open','','janaway2','','','2014-06-04 18:00:25','2014-06-04 23:00:25','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2704,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:26','2014-06-04 23:00:26','','Janaway3','','inherit','open','open','','janaway3','','','2014-06-04 18:00:26','2014-06-04 23:00:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway3.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2705,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:26','2014-06-04 23:00:26','','Janaway4','','inherit','open','open','','janaway4','','','2014-06-04 18:00:26','2014-06-04 23:00:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2706,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:27','2014-06-04 23:00:27','','Janaway5','','inherit','open','open','','janaway5','','','2014-06-04 18:00:27','2014-06-04 23:00:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway5.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2707,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:28','2014-06-04 23:00:28','','Janaway6','','inherit','open','open','','janaway6','','','2014-06-04 18:00:28','2014-06-04 23:00:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway6.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2708,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:28','2014-06-04 23:00:28','','Janaway7','','inherit','open','open','','janaway7','','','2014-06-04 18:00:28','2014-06-04 23:00:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway7.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2709,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:29','2014-06-04 23:00:29','','Laundry3','','inherit','open','open','','janaway8','','','2014-06-04 18:00:29','2014-06-04 23:00:29','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway8.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2710,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:30','2014-06-04 23:00:30','','Laundry2','','inherit','open','open','','janaway9','','','2017-02-10 23:23:54','2017-02-10 23:23:54','',3238,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway9.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2711,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:30','2014-06-04 23:00:30','','Laundry1','','inherit','open','open','','janaway10','','','2014-06-04 18:00:30','2014-06-04 23:00:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/janaway10.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2713,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:32','2014-06-04 23:00:32','','LaundryAfter2','','inherit','open','open','','thbjanaway2','','','2014-06-04 18:00:32','2014-06-04 23:00:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/thbjanaway2-e1401922880146.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2714,1,'2014-06-04 18:00:32','2014-06-04 23:00:32','','LaundryAfter1','','inherit','open','open','','thbjanaway3','','','2017-02-10 23:23:54','2017-02-10 23:23:54','',3238,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/thbjanaway3-e1401922860962.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2742,1,'2014-06-10 14:15:47','2014-06-10 19:15:47','','Laundry After 2','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-after-2','','','2014-06-10 14:15:47','2014-06-10 19:15:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/laundry-after-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2743,1,'2014-06-10 14:15:49','2014-06-10 19:15:49','','Laundry After','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-after','','','2014-06-10 14:15:49','2014-06-10 19:15:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/laundry-after.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2745,1,'2014-06-10 14:15:50','2014-06-10 19:15:50','','Laundry Before 2','','inherit','open','open','','laundry-before-2','','','2014-06-10 14:15:50','2014-06-10 19:15:50','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/laundry-before-2-e1402427783754.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2746,1,'2014-06-10 14:15:52','2014-06-10 19:15:52','','LaundryBefore','','inherit','open','open','','laundrybefore','','','2014-06-10 14:15:52','2014-06-10 19:15:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/laundrybefore-e1402427765951.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2749,560,'2014-09-10 15:23:39','2014-09-10 15:23:39','The Before Photos...\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore-e1402431850155.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore-e1402431850155.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"BabyClosetBefore\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2767\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore2-e1402431864646.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore2-e1402431864646.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"BabyClosetBefore2\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2768\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore3-e1402431880708.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/babyclosetbefore3-e1402431880708.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"BabyClosetBefore3\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2769\" /></a>\n\nThe After Photos\n\n','Baby Room Declutter - Too Little Clothes (June)','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:12','2019-07-27 05:18:12','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2749',0,'post','',0),(2750,1,'2014-06-10 14:29:27','2014-06-10 19:29:27','','MsP Empty','','inherit','open','open','','img_3075','','','2014-06-10 14:29:27','2014-06-10 19:29:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/img_3075.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2751,1,'2014-06-10 14:29:30','2014-06-10 19:29:30','','Ms P Empty2','','inherit','open','open','','img_3073','','','2014-06-10 14:29:30','2014-06-10 19:29:30','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/img_3073.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2752,1,'2014-06-10 14:29:32','2014-06-10 19:29:32','','Ms. P Empty2','','inherit','open','open','','img_3074','','','2014-06-10 14:29:32','2014-06-10 19:29:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/img_3074.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2755,560,'2014-11-10 15:18:30','2014-11-10 15:18:30','<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"GarageBefore\" width=\"300\" height=\"113\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2756\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore2.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore2.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"GarageBefore2\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2757\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore3-e1402431571678.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/garagebefore3-e1402431571678.jpg?w=225\" alt=\"GarageBefore3\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2758\" /></a>','THB The Great Garage Declutter/Organization Project','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:18:11','2019-07-27 05:18:11','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2755',0,'post','',0),(2756,1,'2014-06-10 15:19:09','2014-06-10 20:19:09','','GarageBefore','','inherit','open','open','','garagebefore','','','2014-06-10 15:19:09','2014-06-10 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20:31:55','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/msp-process5.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2781,1,'2014-06-10 15:31:58','2014-06-10 20:31:58','','MsP Process6','','inherit','open','open','','msp-process6','','','2014-06-10 15:31:58','2014-06-10 20:31:58','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/msp-process6.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2782,1,'2014-06-10 15:32:01','2014-06-10 20:32:01','','MsP Process7','','inherit','open','open','','msp-process7','','','2014-06-10 15:32:01','2014-06-10 20:32:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/msp-process7.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2792,1,'2014-06-13 13:51:43','2014-06-13 18:51:43','','Alice linen Before','','inherit','open','open','','0804121204-2','','','2014-06-13 13:51:43','2014-06-13 18:51:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/0804121204.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2793,1,'2014-06-13 13:51:44','2014-06-13 18:51:44','','Alice Linen After','','inherit','open','open','','0804121420-2','','','2014-06-13 13:51:44','2014-06-13 18:51:44','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/0804121420.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2826,560,'2014-07-03 07:30:40','2014-07-03 12:30:40','The THB is happy to introduce one our most inspiring guest bloggers, Miss. CiCi who has worked hard at transforming herself and her body over the past few years.  She is such an inspiration to all of our readers and to us at THB.  She is here to give some much needed help right before we hit our July 4th cookouts!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2829\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/miss-cici.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/miss-cici.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Miss CiCi&#039;s before and after!\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2829\" /></a> Miss CiCi\'s before and after![/caption]\n*****************************************************************************************\n\nThe Fourth of July.  Ahhh...It’s a wonderful day filled with freedom, fun, fireworks, food and of course, FAT.  Unfortunately, while we make plans to scarf down, ribs, pulled pork, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, bread(wipes away drool) etc. we must realize that these delicious things can come with a heavy price; for me it’s right usually around the thighs. “What can we do about this?”   you ask?  The \"Bobs and Jillian’s” of our world would tell you avoid these things at all cost.  Here, I disagree.  I think that as these holidays come around only once a year, it is difficult to resist.   In compromise I’ve come up with some figure friendly tips to help you enjoy and still be successful.\n\n1.)  Don’t skip the work out - Hopefully you have made a 30 minute workout a part of your weekly (preferably daily) agenda.  If so, do not skip this.  In fact, take this opportunity to push harder, run faster crunch more (…abs not chips.)\n\n2.)  Stick to one plate - KISS…Keep It Simple Shrinkers.  Remember your eyes are always bigger than your stomach.  So go ahead; fix your plate and eat.  If you feel tempted to have more, try drinking a glass of water first.  If you still feel hungry, by all means have a bit more.  \n\n3.)  Go for the leaner meat - I am a Memphis girl so BBQ is in my blood.  I always want ribs.  However, one of my favorite BBQ treats is Chicken.  If you’re not feelin’ that, go for a turkey burger, turkey dog or even lamb.  \n\n4.)  Load up on fruits and veggies - We are often so busy piling on the BBQ that we forget about the veggies.  Don’t miss out on roasted corn, watermelon and green beans.  These are all low cal but also help with digestion, provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support, and are high fiber, respectively.  These healthy options should fill at least half your plate but won’t demolish your waistline. \n\nBasically, what I want you to remember is one thing.  This day doesn’t have to ruin your progress or be something you dread because you can’t indulge.  Do yourself a favor and go hard in the morning so you can enjoy yourself for lunch/dinner. If you’re like me and you still feel guilty afterwards just drag your family outside for a 30 minute run/walk. Happy fourth and Happy shrinking!  \n\n\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/courtni1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/courtni1.jpg\" alt=\"Miss CiCi\" width=\"209\" height=\"173\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2848\" /></a>\n\nCiCi\nFollow me @kixs4u on twitter \n#teamshrinking\n','Buenas Shrinkers!/Hello Shrinkers!','','publish','open','open','','buenas-shrinkershello-shrinkers','','','2019-07-27 05:18:13','2019-07-27 05:18:13','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2826',0,'post','',0),(2829,1,'2014-07-02 15:26:05','2014-07-02 20:26:05','','Miss CiCi','Miss CiCi\'s before and after!','inherit','open','open','','miss-cici','','','2014-07-02 15:26:05','2014-07-02 20:26:05','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/miss-cici.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2847,1,'2014-07-03 16:11:16','2014-07-03 21:11:16','','Courtni','','inherit','open','open','','courtni','','','2014-07-03 16:11:16','2014-07-03 21:11:16','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/courtni.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2848,1,'2014-07-03 16:13:57','2014-07-03 21:13:57','','Miss CiCi','','inherit','open','open','','courtni-2','','','2014-07-03 16:13:57','2014-07-03 21:13:57','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/courtni1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2853,1,'2014-07-17 13:28:40','2014-07-17 18:28:40','','Ribbon Vase','','inherit','open','open','','img_3745','','','2014-07-17 13:28:40','2014-07-17 18:28:40','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/img_3745.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2860,1,'2014-08-01 17:03:48','2014-08-01 22:03:48','','The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','open','','marketing-bubbles','','','2014-08-01 17:03:48','2014-08-01 22:03:48','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/marketing-bubbles.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2873,1,'2014-10-08 14:46:47','2014-10-08 19:46:47','','Pinterest Tablescape Recreation','','inherit','open','open','','pinterest-tablescape-recreation','','','2014-10-08 14:46:47','2014-10-08 19:46:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/pinterest-tablescape-recreation-e1412797712462.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2875,1,'2014-10-08 14:49:22','2014-10-08 19:49:22','','Pinterest Tablescape Recreation','','inherit','open','open','','pinterest-tablescape-recreation-2','','','2014-10-08 14:49:22','2014-10-08 19:49:22','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/pinterest-tablescape-recreation1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2877,560,'2014-10-16 07:30:09','2014-10-16 07:30:09','<p style=\"text-align:center;\">I am not a florist I just play one in my home.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/arrangement.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2883\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/arrangement.png\" alt=\"Arrangement\" width=\"529\" height=\"371\" /></a></p>\nAs you all know, THB is all about having nice things and making things look pretty without spending an arm and a leg and that is exactly what led us down the path to create these lovely flower arrangements.\n\nI encourage you to practice with fresh flowers from the store and encourage your spouse to do the same. I know back in February my husband and I had a conversation after seeing a commercial for roses on the television. I made it clear to him that yes I am a woman and yes I like flowers, but if he EVER spends $70 on an arrangement of roses that are going to die in a week or two I will kill him! Ok, that was a little overly dramatic, but I did make it abundantly clear that I felt that was a waste of money and I would prefer he be a little more creative and frugal, like purchase me flowers on a day other than a major holiday, purchase a plant,  plant me flowers so he can make my arrangement himself or do what he normally does and get me fresh flowers from the store…you know plan ahead lol.\n\nSo anyway, I am not only a pinterest-er, but I am also a youtuber, especially when there is something I want to know how to do. Therefore, when I needed to create flower arrangements I decided that I would search youtube for a few videos to teach myself how to do it. I had watched a florist friend create the arrangements for my wedding and it didn’t seem that difficult…it just required a little patience.  After watching the videos on YouTube, I really felt I could do this...so I did.  Now I will apologize now because I didn’t think to take step by step photos at the time, but I have written the steps I took to create them below.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Gather your materials</span>\n<ul>\n	<li>Vase/Container - I used a scalloped vase as my base, but you can use just about anything that can hold water;</li>\n	<li>Scissors;</li>\n	<li>Tape (can be floral but I used good old scotch);</li>\n	<li>Newspaper/bag - to catch your mess;</li>\n	<li>Flowers - yeah pretty obvious, but you can get your flowers from a number of places. I got mine from a local wholesale flower place but you can go to your yard or local grocery store;</li>\n	<li>Greenery - This is something you will definitely need…but if for some reason you forget, you can always use greens from your trees outside;</li>\n	<li>Cool or cold water;</li>\n	<li>Ice Cubes (Optional);</li>\n	<li>Florist powder (don’t know it’s real name but the florist will give it to you in a little packet).</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">What to do</span>\n<ol>\n	<li>Wash, dry and line up your containers/vases;</li>\n	<li>Fill them halfway with cool water, the florist powder and ice cubes (see below for explanation);</li>\n	<li>Take your tape and make a tic tac toe grid on the top of your container. You may have to cut your tape if it is too wide. This is why a thin florist tape may be better;</li>\n	<li>Add a little greenery around the outside of your grid as a base. I also added some inside the vase as filler;</li>\n	<li>Take your flowers and cut the ends at an angle and begin placing them in your container using the grid as a guide. You want the middle of your arrangement to be taller than the sides…but you should make sure it is uniform. If you cut it too tall, take it back out and make it shorter. Alternate the flowers used based on your inspiration/goal;</li>\n	<li>Fill in the arrangement with greenery/flowers as needed;</li>\n	<li>Store your arrangement in a cool place.</li>\n</ol>\nThat’s it, it was just that easy to create my own arrangement!\n\n<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/babyshower-arrangement.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-2882 aligncenter\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/babyshower-arrangement.jpg\" alt=\"Babyshower Arrangement\" width=\"529\" height=\"315\" /></a>\n\nYou of course can fill it in with embellishments and make the arrangement(s) your own. Remember, just grab an inspirational photo from our <a href=\"http://www.pinterest.com/happinessbucket/partyevent-decor-ideas/\">Party/Event - Décor Ideas Pinterest Board</a> and start playing…you will never know what you can do unless you try.','Pinterest by Trial and Error Challenge – (6) DIY Flower Arrangements','','publish','open','open','','pinterest-by-trial-and-error-challenge-6-diy-flower-arrangements','','','2019-07-27 05:18:12','2019-07-27 05:18:12','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2877',0,'post','',0),(2882,1,'2014-10-08 16:46:31','2014-10-08 21:46:31','','Babyshower Arrangement','','inherit','open','open','','babyshower-arrangement','','','2014-10-08 16:46:31','2014-10-08 21:46:31','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/babyshower-arrangement.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2883,1,'2014-10-08 17:18:32','2014-10-08 22:18:32','','Arrangement','','inherit','open','open','','arrangement','','','2014-10-08 17:18:32','2014-10-08 22:18:32','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/arrangement.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2896,1,'2014-11-04 17:37:34','2014-11-04 23:37:34','','Pinterest Tablescape Recreationwatermark','','inherit','open','open','','pinterest-tablescape-recreationwatermark','','','2014-11-04 17:37:34','2014-11-04 23:37:34','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/pinterest-tablescape-recreationwatermark.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2909,560,'2014-12-01 07:30:20','2014-12-01 07:30:20','This is The Happiness Bucket’s (THB) favorite time of the year! People get a little bit nicer, foods get a little richer and people genuinely think of others. This is also the time of the year when THB starts their first major declutter of the year. Yes, we know it is the end of 2014 and not the beginning of 2015, but this is when we start. It makes sense because the fall is when you start swapping out your household décor, switching your clothes due to the changing seasons and prepping for household guests…not to mention those fabulous end of the season sales (we will discuss these in a separate post) and preparing your home for the new season. So we decided we would share with you THB’s process for September through January the best five months to organize, declutter and decorate.\n\nNow, before we go any further there is something each of you should know about THB. We believe that pinterest is there for inspiration and education. We also don’t feel it is necessary to spend an arm and a leg decluttering, organizing and decorating your home…you can and should do so within your means, lifestyle and taste level. As we all know, sometimes that means a zero budget and sometimes it means a much larger budget. That being said, we do feel seeing things organized and in like containers is very pleasing to the eye, but that container may be a decorated paper box or a set of bins. It doesn’t have to be the top of the line storage containers. So, as we share with you our method for decluttering, organizing and decorating please know this is meant to be educational and inspirational. We are very open to questions, so please feel free to ask if you have some.\n\nSo to start, In this post, I am going to share some of our key tips to this time of the year:\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Shop for décor items at the end of each season</strong>. It has always been a family tradition to decorate our homes, specifically during these months, but we very rarely pay regular price for any of the items. This is the time when you can score most holiday items for 70 – 90% off. To do this, you have to shop during the end of the season. Yes we know…that item is just so dang cute…but wouldn’t it be much cuter at a discounted price?PSA - I, personally believe that if something is meant for you, it will be there when YOU need it to be. Stop thinking…oh it may be gone when I finally get the money for it. Ultimately, if it’s gone you don’t need it.\nSo the ideal time to shop for discounted décor is the day after the holiday, but if you can’t make it that day, go the week of or after the holiday.</li>\n	<li><strong>Store everything in a uniform fashion</strong>. Now, I choose to store everything in colored bins that match the seasons (orange – fall/Halloween and red/green – Christmas). Please know that colored bins are not necessary. If you can’t afford it, please do not run out and buy them today. If you can’t find the one you are looking for, switch to something else and use colored labels or tape to signify what is in the container. In my case, I regularly use cardboard boxes to store items until I find the proper bins during the after season sale. I can then stock up on what I need. The containers will be considerably cheaper and it also allows you time to go through your décor and declutter items that are broken or have lived their lives at your home. (No I’m not referring to your children)One thing to note, sometimes the bins are not marked, so make sure to scan them to see. If they are discounted, especially if it is a specific color like orange, red or green.</li>\n	<li><strong>Group like things together and based on how you will unload them</strong>. This always helps when you are trying to find something. For example, last season I had all the fall and Halloween items in one orange bin…it was tight, but everything fit. All the fall items were on top, because they are retrieved first and then the Halloween items were on the bottom. This year, I was on the hunt for another orange container (and because I forgot I actually still am) because I obtained additional Halloween items at the end of the season sale and they all won’t fit in one container any more. Until then, I will use a paper box for the Fall items and put the Halloween items in the bin I already own. I won’t give up just yet, because I always have the New Years Sales (see our later post on End of the Season Sales.</li>\n	<li><strong>Give your items a home.</strong> This sounds funny but this is always important. No matter what you are organizing, give the item a home. It makes it more likely that things will be put back where they belong and it also makes it easier to retrieve. If your blankets are always on the second shelf of the hall closet, then that is where you should put it when it is not in use. I think I amazed my husband when we first got married when he would ask me where something was and I would just rattle off its location without a second thought. He thought I was just amazing I’m sure lol. The reality was that I just had a specific home for the item and I knew where that was without having to guess. This helps your guests and the members of your household as well as yourself, because you don’t always have to be the one retrieving everything all the time. My husband, soon learned after a couple of times where to find the item and the only time he needed to ask is if the item was “out of stock” or for some reason wasn’t at home (ok that made me laugh).So you should be asking yourself, what is this items address? I would encourage you to include the others in your household in determining where the items address should be. This will make it more likely that the item will be returned to the proper location…which in turn will keep you from fussing that the items are returned or they were put in the wrong place. I will also warn you that it may take a couple of times before everyone gets the items address. Try not to blow a gasket, just work with them to get it right and use labels when necessary.</li>\n	<li> <strong>Label Label Label</strong> - This is the mantra of any good organizer. This actually goes hand and hand with giving your items a home. Now, I wouldn’t suggest labelling EVERYTHING, but I would say to label things that make sense for you and your household. This makes it easy for those who aren’t familiar with the system to retrieve or return something. In the scenario of my Holiday boxes, I previously knew that the one orange bin held Fall/Halloween items, so it was not labelled. Now that I am splitting these items I will need to label the bins, because although I know what is in each one, my husband does not…yet.</li>\n	<li> <strong>Set décor limits</strong> – Now this is very subjective, but you should base your limit on the size of your home, storage, budget and individual taste. Don’t cram your storage area or home with STUFF when you barely have room for your clothes. I am not one to say don’t have décor items, but be mindful that the “stuff” needs a home and if you don’t have a home to give it, maybe you shouldn’t have it. Hard reality, but it is a real truth. Additionally, you don’t want to have so much stuff that your home looks like Dillard’s or Macy’s threw up in your house. I find this happens because people hold on to old décor much longer than they should. We have items that I received from my mom when I first moved out. As the years went on I picked up additional items so my décor for each season grew a little, but I always reviewed what I had and let go of items that were end of life in my home. This is the hard one for some and where simple décor becomes clutter.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n\nSo that completes our list of tips for this season and in our next post we will dive deeper into what the THB does during these glorious five months. Now, we understand we are a little late in posting these tips, but the year isn’t over and we believe this will help you take an honest look at your situation, without mimicking ours. So your homework is to think about and document what you typically do during the months of September, October and November. Since these months have past, you can also pull out the décor from those times and make sure they are still needed and that they are stored properly and in the most efficient manner. Yes people, I know Thanksgiving has past, but I also know you are more than likely about to pull out all your holiday décor. What better time to say enough is enough and to jump right in with both feet. Plus, you have probably pulled out everything to get to your Christmas decorations anyway. If not now, you can definitely plan to do it in January, but that will give you a LOT to do.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHappy Decluttering and Happy Holiday’s!','THBOrganize:  The Ultimate Holiday Planning Guide (Part 1)','','publish','open','open','','holiday-planning-guide-pt1','','','2019-07-27 05:18:11','2019-07-27 05:18:11','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2909',0,'post','',1),(2916,560,'2016-02-26 23:49:56','2016-02-26 23:49:56','So in our last At Home with The Happiness Bucket, we talked about our keys for decluttering, organizing and decorating. Today, we would like to share with you how we decorate for the various months, to minimize on the amount of décor that is needed in the home…and how we declutter along the way. We will TRY to do this in a systematic way…going month by month…so let’s get started!\n\nSeptember - This is the month that signifies serious football and the start of us switching our house over to a much cozier mood. The weather gets cooler, so you want more blankets available around the house and you inevitably will need to pull a few coats out of storage. Now, we hope that you would have gone through the coats at the end of the season last year, but if you are anything like me, you may have thought oh I can wear that one more season…but then the new season comes and you face the facts of…nope I need to let this go. You also may want to get your coats and blankets washted/cleaned since they have not been used in a while. We also start considering pulling out the flannel sheets…now in most cases this is too early, but who wants to wait until it is supposed to freeze to pull out and wash the flannel sheets??? Remember plan ahead.\n\nWhat about the time…it also changes so it makes sense to change batteries, clocks and timers in the house to coincide with the time and it getting darker earlier. You want to make sure to check your fire extinguisher levels and your fire alarm to ensure the batteries are up to date. Close the vents to the basement/crawl space of your home and also winterize your irrigation system and pipes.\n\nMost pumpkin patches start around this time and the trees begin to change so that helps guide our decorating. We add decorations that bring out more of the autumn colors - reds, oranges, greens and browns. To decorate we use many inexpensive items…fake leaves and potpourri, pumpkins and scarecrows. We put out our fall tablescape as well, which includes changing the placemats and napkins (scored during the Dillard’s New Year’s Day sale). In our home, we really didn’t have to take down any of our day to day decorations because we don’t really decorate for the other seasons of the year. We might shift statues or photos around, but all in all it is just about adding items.\n\nOctober - I will preference this by saying I don’t like having ghoulish items such as witches and vampires in our home. I do however want to embrace my husband’s culture and educate our daughter regarding the day of the dead celebration __________. So, I decided we would begin collecting pumpkins and happy scarecrows to put out as well as sugar skulls and photos that remind us of people who have passed on. These items are just added to the décor I put out in September.\n\nNovember is when we remove the items added in October and add more of the cornucopia’s and turkeys.\n\nDecember of course (really The weekend after Thanksgiving) we remove all the fall items and add the Holiday items.\n\nI wanted to take a minute and suggest a 30 minute declutter…ok this one may take a little longer but it is the perfect time to start the process. See Holiday decluttering is one that we don’t do often enough…these are the items that hold the most memories in them…this is where Clutter tends to come to stay and it is ok because they represent memories of your life…right?!?!? Well…really that is a big ol’ cop out that we need to stop…\n\nMy family loves the holidays…we have big traditions around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have now also started my collection of pumpkins for the Fall decorations which go up in September. We don’t really celebrate halloweeen, but I do acknowledge it but with pumpkins and not with ghoulish characters. My husband is also from Mexico, so we will begin a celebration of dia des maurtos for my daughter so she will understand her culture and the meaning of the day in the right way.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>End of the Season Sales</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSo in the first post of this series (enter link here) we mentioned that we would discuss End of the Season Sales in more detail.','The Ultimate Guide to Tackling the Holidays Series - 2','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:16:34','2019-07-27 05:16:34','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2916',0,'post','',0),(2920,560,'2014-12-03 17:00:13','2014-12-03 17:00:13','[caption id=\"attachment_2921\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/army-holiday.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2921\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/army-holiday.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Photo Compliments of  www.army.mil \" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a> Photo Compliments of www.army.mil[/caption]\n\nAs we enter this holiday season I want to encourage everyone to hold onto their joy. With all the hustle and bustle, stress levels tend to get higher than normal and by mid-month as you have gone to one too many holiday parties and the stress of purchasing that perfect gift starts to weigh on you…things can get out of control really quickly. I recently was on the receiving end of one such loss of joy and I tell ya your immediate desire is to just react, but I’m so happy that I didn\'t.\n\nYou see...on Monday, my mother and I decided to have a mother daughter shopping day. All had been going really well, until a lady who had let her joy fade lashed out at us in a parking lot with onslaught of cuss words.  In that moment, we had the choice of returning the favor and lashing back out at her, or to continue enjoying our day as though it never happened. My reaction was to ask my mom not to respond and then I busied myself in the car for a minute (looking for coupons) and said a few prayers in my head asking for peace and for God to control my response if we ran into the lady again in the store. We chose not to let that lady hijack our joy, but many people don’t. The truth is you never know why someone reacts to you the way they do and you can’t control it.  All you can do is control your behavior, so please remember this during this giving season - Give a smile instead of a frown, respond in love and not in anger, keep your Christmas joy and remember the reason for the season no matter how stressed you may become.  Just imagine how stressed/irritated God gets with us sometimes, what if he reacted by lashing out at us.  Just food for thought during this fabulous holiday season.\n\nHappy Holidays!\n\nPS: For all those serving in the military or who have served and their families, Thank you for your sacrifice!','Do You Let Others Hijack Your Joy?','','publish','open','open','','do-you-let-others-hijack-your-joy','','','2019-07-27 05:18:10','2019-07-27 05:18:10','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2920',0,'post','',0),(2921,1,'2014-12-03 15:28:19','2014-12-03 21:28:19','https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode','Army Holiday','Photo Compliments of  www.army.mil ','inherit','open','open','','army-holiday','','','2014-12-03 15:28:19','2014-12-03 21:28:19','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/army-holiday.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2927,560,'2014-12-06 07:00:28','2014-12-06 07:00:28','So in our last At Home with The Happiness Bucket, we talked about our keys for decluttering, organizing and decorating.  Today, we would like to share with you how we decorate for the various months, to minimize on the amount of décor that is needed in the home and how we prep our home for the winter.  We will TRY to do this in a systematic way…going month by month…so let’s get started!\n\nSeptember - In our home, this is the month that signifies serious football and the start of us switching our house over to a much cozier mood.  The weather gets cooler, so I want more blankets available around the house and we inevitably will need to pull a few coats out of storage as well.  Now, I hope that you would have gone through the coats at the end of the season last year, but if you are anything like me, you may have thought oh I can wear that one more season…but then the new season comes and you face the facts of…nope I need to let this go.  You also may want to get your coats and blankets washed/cleaned since they have not been used in a while.  This is also the time that I start considering pulling out the flannel sheets, but if you live in the South you know that in most cases this is too early, but who wants to wait until it is supposed to freeze to pull out and wash the flannel sheets???  Remember plan ahead.\n\nWhat about the time…it also changes so it makes sense to change batteries, clocks and timers in the house to coincide with the time and it getting darker earlier.  You want to make sure to check your fire extinguisher levels and your fire alarm to ensure the batteries are up to date.  Close the vents to the basement/crawl space of your home and also winterize your irrigation system and pipes.\n\nMost pumpkin patches start around this time and the trees begin to change so that helps guide our decorating.  We add decorations that bring out more of the autumn colors - reds, oranges, greens and browns.  To decorate we use many inexpensive items…fake leaves and potpourri, pumpkins and scarecrows.  We put out our fall tablescape as well, which includes changing the placemats and napkins (scored during the Dillard’s New Year’s Day sale).   In our home, we really didn’t have to take down any of our day to day decorations because we don’t really decorate for the other seasons of the year.  We might shift things around, but all in all it is just about adding items.\n\nOctober - I will preference this by saying I don’t like having ghoulish items such as witches and vampires in our home.  I do however want to embrace my husband’s culture and educate our daughter regarding the day of the dead celebration.  So, I decided we would begin collecting pumpkins and happy scarecrows to put out as well as sugar skulls and photos that remind us of people who have passed on.  These items are just added to the décor I put out in September.\n\nNovember is when we remove the items added in October and if available will add more of the cornucopia’s and giving thanks type of items. We use this time to declutter our October décor items that we no longer want and pack away the items we used during the season or purchased during the end of season sales.\n\nDecember of course (really Thanksgiving night or the weekend after Thanksgiving) we begin removing all the fall items and add the Christmas items.  This of course is the longest decorating process we have because this is my favorite time of the year. I grew up in a home that was a Christmas wonderland and that is part of our family tradition and I want my daughter to experience the same feeling of joy. This like in November is the time when we declutter the fall/Thanksgiving items to ensure they should stay, we make note of any additional items we would like to obtain for the next season and we pack away the items in a way that they fall in the proper month order.\n\nJanuary, well…this is the time when we really focus on decluttering and organizing our décor items. Although we tackled some of the décor items in earlier months, if something was obtained after the fact, we forget to pack something up or we just don’t have a lot of time to go through the items due to life happenings, we pick this time to do it all. As I mentioned in our last post, we have containers that we use for each season, but if you don’t have any that’s ok…grab used boxes from work or a big box store and pack away your items. Make sure to protect them properly with packing paper if necessary and label the containers so you know what is in each box.\n\nAs you put items away, take a little longer look at each item. Did you use it this year? Do you like it? Is it broken or damaged in anyway. See Holiday decluttering is one that we don’t do often enough…these are the items that hold the most memories in them…this is where Clutter tends to come to stay and it is ok because they represent memories of your life…right?!?!?  Well…really that is a big ol’ cop out that we need to stop…it’s hard, but you can do it. Think, can someone else benefit from this item that you keep boxed up each year? Or is your house overflowing with stuff you put out for the holidays…to the point where people don’t have a place to sit? A perfect example, I have this motorized Mrs. Clause Doll that I have put out every year since I got it twelve years ago. In the past three or four years, family members have told me it creeps them out. It now has become a joke in our family and this year I really didn’t want to put it out. I decided, that I should get rid of it because I don’t care for it anymore and apparently neither does my extended family lol. Since it seems to creep out adults, I’d hate to traumatize my daughter by putting it out and scaring her. These are the types of decisions you need to make during this month. Let the items go…\n\nI know you can do it, so don’t fret…get in there and tackle that clutter! Organize those decorations and start your year off knowing that next September will be that much easier because of what you have already accomplished.\n\nIn an upcoming post, we discuss end of the season sales…how to prep for them and how to be successful.','THBOrganize:  The Ultimate Holiday Planning Guide (Part 2)','','publish','open','open','','holiday-planning-guide-pt2','','','2019-07-27 05:18:09','2019-07-27 05:18:09','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2927',0,'post','',0),(2939,1,'2014-12-23 12:59:20','2014-12-23 18:59:20','','Door Monkey','Door Monkey','inherit','open','open','','door-monkey','','','2014-12-23 12:59:20','2014-12-23 18:59:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/door-monkey.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2946,1,'2014-12-23 17:05:55','2014-12-23 23:05:55','','MasterClosetBefore2','','inherit','open','open','','masterclosetbefore2','','','2014-12-23 17:05:55','2014-12-23 23:05:55','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/masterclosetbefore2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2947,1,'2014-12-23 17:05:58','2014-12-23 23:05:58','','MasterClosetBefore1','','inherit','open','open','','masterclosetbefore','','','2014-12-23 17:05:58','2014-12-23 23:05:58','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/masterclosetbefore.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2982,560,'2018-02-17 07:30:55','2018-02-17 07:30:55','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In honor of National Move month, we are going to take a trip back in time to March/April of 2013.  This is when my husband and I were anticipating the arrival of our daughter.  It was also the time when we decided it was time to move into a stand-alone home.  My goal when I began the process of planning our move, was that I wanted to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box in case I was not able to be there. I knew that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted because I was carrying this extra load (my daughter) and I also couldn\'t be at the condo, new house and storage shelter all at the same time. So knowing the goal I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\" wp-image-636 alignleft\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\" alt=\"20120305-192257.jpg\" width=\"138\" height=\"138\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I want to share with you some key tips on how to plan a move, and don\'t worry...being pregnant isn\'t a prerequisite:</p>\r\n\r\n<h1 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;\">Create a Move Binder</span></h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is the master binder that will help keep you sane.  You will have one place to reference everything related to your move.  Check out my post <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/move-binder/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder</a> for more detailed information.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Establish Responsibilities</h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you and your spouse/helper are available on move day, delegate move day responsibilities. In our scenario, my hubby was responsible for getting the truck loaded/moving the heavy stuff and I was responsible for the little things, last minute packing and new space coordination.  This helped eliminate the need for everyone to contact me for every decision. If delegation isn\'t possible, you definitely want the next three items.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Create a Floor Plan Map</h1>\r\nThis is invaluable in helping to plan out where everything needs to go in your new space.  I learned this trick from our many many office moves at the law firm.  It was standard practice that you would draw out how you want your office set up with your desk, filing cabinets, computer, etc.  That way the people moving you would know where to place your items and wouldn\'t need you there to show them.  You tape the floor plan on the wall outside the space and/or place it in the space so the movers can see where to place your large items.  Check out <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map</a> for more information.\r\n<h1>Create a Kitchen Map</h1>\r\nThis is also an invaluable tool if you are able to create one.  In a future blog post I will detail the specifics of how you create one.  The kitchen is usually the first one you organize and the one that you can easily delegate to someone else to arrange if you have a map.  It is also the one area (other than setting up your bed(s) and cleaning your bathroom) that you want to make sure is up and running so you can eat and make coffee during your first week in your new home.\r\n<h1>Have a Move Meeting</h1>\r\nYes, a meeting...one with everyone involved in the move.  When you have four or more people involved moving and packing items it can get chaotic really quickly.  It is helpful to have everyone in one space so you can ensure they are all on the same page.  Use this time to explain the space colors, floor plan maps, responsibility delegation, timing, break or eating schedule and any other instructions that are needed.\r\n<h1>Declutter</h1>\r\nNow you knew this one was going to be on here!  Just think about it, moving is costly so why would you want to waste time and money moving items you don\'t need or want?  For those with short notice, it may be more difficult, but you can still do it.  If you pick up an item to pack, and you think to yourself - what is this or why do I still have this?  Then don\'t pack it, put it in a predetermined giveaway/throwaway box or bag.  Think about the space/home you are going to and whether or not the item(s) are needed in your new situation.\r\n<h1>Pack Based on your New Space</h1>\r\nI think this is one of the most important tips (other than the one above) that I can give you.  Think about your new space and how it will be arranged.  Pack your boxes based on the new space not the old.  This will definitely come in handy if you are used to keeping non-room related items in a space just because you didn\'t have a dedicated space for it.  For us, we were moving from a 1355 sq ft home to a 3000 sq ft home.  My guest room, guest bathroom, overflow closet, baby room and office didn\'t have to share space any longer.  If I had packed all the items together as they were in the old space, I would have had to travel up and down the stairs just to put items away.<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-6763 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/14-Organizing-and-Planning-A-Move-Tips-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Organizing and Planning A Move | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"305\" height=\"458\" />\r\n<h1>Color Code your Rooms</h1>\r\nThis will be helpful for you and for your movers.  We will get more into this in a future post, but you want to assign a dot color to each room.  We got our dots at an office supply store, but most big box stores have them in the office supply section.  We used one package that had all the primary colors and one that had pastel colors.\r\n<h1>Create a Box Inventory</h1>\r\nFor those going on long moves across the country, this can be extremely important to prove you had an item in case of loss or damage.  This is also helpful when you are trying to find something, in your new space, before you get completely unpacked.\r\n<h1>Pack a bag...or Two</h1>\r\nReally, each person in your home should probably pack as though they were going on a week or weekend-long trip.  You are going to be exhausted when you finish moving everything and all you will want to see is your bed and MAYBE a shower before you go to sleep.  So when you wake, you will need to be able to locate your toiletries and a change of clothes.  Now, devils advocate, what are you going to spend the day doing on day two?  Are you going to unpack everything?  Well, okay in my case, yes...but it was very helpful to not HAVE to do this.  Make sure to put your valuables in this bag as well or include it with the next suggestion.\r\n<h1>Pack a Box...OR Two</h1>\r\nUsing the same premise above,  you need to be able to quickly find your sheets, coffee, snacks, hand-towel/towels, etc.  Yes, some of this you could pack in your suitcases, but I would suggest you have a separate box for the more bulkier items and that you carry them in your vehicle to ensure it arrives safely and you know where it is.  The thought is to pack items in this box that you will need right away...again think a week-long trip where you have to bring everything, what would you need?\r\n<h1>Cleaning Supplies</h1>\r\nThis is another set of items you want to have set aside for easy access.  You will need to clean your old space once everything is out and clean your new space before you put everything in.  If nothing else make sure these items are the last thing loaded on your moving truck, unless you are moving cross country then you may consider putting them in your vehicle as you may arrive before your stuff.\r\n<h1>Schedule Utility Start and End Times</h1>\r\nYou need to ensure you have your utilities (water, electric and gas) turned on at your new location as well as shut off at the old space.  It will be hard to clean your new home if you don\'t have water or electricity.  You also want to verify how they will calculate your new and old bill, so you don\'t get overcharged.\r\n<h1>Eat a Healthy Breakfast</h1>\r\nThis seems so simple, but so many people forget about this step.  You will be really active on move day and you don\'t want to run out of energy or worse have a medical issue due to your blood sugar dropping.  Eat something substantial, but leave cracker barrel for another day.  You don\'t want to be so satisfied that you are sluggish most of the day.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Happy Moving!!!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move','','publish','open','open','','organizing-and-planning-a-move','','','2019-07-27 05:16:00','2019-07-27 05:16:00','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2982',0,'post','',0),(2984,560,'2014-02-20 15:18:40','2014-02-20 21:18:40','So this pin was something I actually did but didn\'t really get to use. The idea is to pre-plan your move by determining where everything will go before your actual move in day. You could do this on a large or small scale...it just depends on you. Just to give full disclosure, I expanded on the idea in this post and took some ideas from my office moves as well. See we were going through a major renovation at work which required people to be moved from one floor temporarily to a \"swing\" space and then back post renovation...and anyone who has experienced this knows it can be a huge undertaking in a 400 Employee company.\r\n\r\nSo to start, I took photos of the house we had planned to purchase (I got these from the real estate posting by right clicking and saving them down. Some won\'t allow this save function so you may have to use the print screen option of shift + print screen button and then shift + insert button into a clean document). If your house doesn\'t have photos available take your own. Once I had all the photos I went through and numbered all the cabinets and closets. I also added letters for where furniture would be placed in each room.\r\n\r\nThen, you want to assign each of those letters a piece of furniture (pretty much all your heavy furniture) and your numbers, which are pretty much in the kitchens, bathroom and possibly closets, you want to assign items [i.e., 1. drink pitchers, 2. pots and pans 3. Silverware, etc.]. I did this in powerpoint so I could layer the numbers/letters on top of the photo and so I could use the notes section to write the letter/number and their assignment.\r\n\r\nNow, for those who are wondering, my main reason for doing this is because at the time we anticipated moving while I was in the last weeks of my pregnancy so I couldn\'t help lift anything, may have been at the old space and not the new, might have been in one room and not available in another or (as probably would have been the case) my husband and I would be at the hospital having a baby lol. I wanted to put my brain on paper because I know my family and they would have attempted to help by handling the move and unpacking some items so I wouldn\'t have to. So, by doing this I was covered no matter what happened and I could stop stressing about it...blame it on the project manager and nesting mother in me, I wanted to have plan A, B and C in my pocket lol.\r\n\r\nWell, we ended up not needing this plan after all because the deal on our house at the time fell through (can we say stress for a pregnant woman!!!!) and we ultimately chose another house...which was too fast for me to redo the plan with the new house...I also ended up having the baby before we moved and lastly we had to move everything into the garage of the new home due to issues with the closing. Again can we say stress???? The one saving grace is the way we packed (teaser to another T&amp;E challenge.\r\n\r\nSo as you can see, I was not able to see this pin all the way through, but I will say that I know it can work. For anyone planning to do this I would suggest that you tape or pin the floor plan (numbered/lettered photo) on the frame of the door and that way as your movers are bringing in the large pieces of furniture they can see where to put it. This negates the normal process which is for them to call your name over and over until you come exhasberated because you were in another room doing the same thing...or they just put the furniture down in the middle of the floor and you have to either get them to come and move it or you put your back out trying to move it yourself (am I being a little dramatic here...ummmm I don\'t know lol). You should also have a \"move meeting\" before they start taking things off trucks and out of cars so everyone is on the same page.\r\n\r\nSo what is the verdict? I still believe this is a keeper, although some may look at you as obsessive deep down inside they are just amazed that you are that organized!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084510934/\">Where Does it Go?</a>','Pinterest Trial and Error - (10) Move Room Plans','','draft','open','open','','pinterest-trial-and-error-10-move-room-plans','','','2019-07-27 05:18:15','2019-07-27 05:18:15','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=2984',0,'post','',0),(2997,1,'2015-01-02 12:52:47','2015-01-02 18:52:47','','Potato Chips','','inherit','open','open','','potato-chips','','','2015-01-02 12:52:47','2015-01-02 18:52:47','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/potato-chips.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2999,1,'2015-01-02 12:53:39','2015-01-02 18:53:39','','Charles Chips Can','','inherit','open','open','','charles-chips-can','','','2015-01-02 12:53:39','2015-01-02 18:53:39','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/charles-chips-can.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3005,1,'2015-01-07 18:06:41','2015-01-08 00:06:41','','New year','','inherit','open','open','','new-year','','','2015-01-07 18:06:41','2015-01-08 00:06:41','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/new-year.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3008,1,'2015-01-15 09:20:35','2015-01-15 15:20:35','','Jewelsathome.com','Jewels at Home\'s Beautiful DIY Charging Station','inherit','open','open','','jewelsathome','','','2015-01-15 09:20:35','2015-01-15 15:20:35','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/jewelsathome.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3012,1,'2015-01-15 12:36:52','2015-01-15 18:36:52','','Reclaim Your Kitchen Cabinet','3 collections you can throw away by sandpaperandglue.com','inherit','open','open','','purge-your-kitchen-cabinets','','','2015-01-15 12:36:52','2015-01-15 18:36:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/purge-your-kitchen-cabinets.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3019,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:48','2015-01-30 00:58:48','','THB: Jennifer\'s Pantry 2','','inherit','open','open','','image5','','','2015-01-29 18:58:48','2015-01-30 00:58:48','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image5.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3020,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:48','2015-01-30 00:58:48','','THB: Jennifer\'s Pantry 1','','inherit','open','open','','image4','','','2015-01-29 18:58:48','2015-01-30 00:58:48','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image4.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3021,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:49','2015-01-30 00:58:49','','THB - Jennifer\'s Closet (1)','www.thehappinessbuckeet.com:  Inspiration -Jennifer\'s Closet (1)','inherit','open','open','','image2','','','2015-01-29 18:58:49','2015-01-30 00:58:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image2.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3022,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:50','2015-01-30 00:58:50','','THB - Jennifer\'s Closet (2)','www.thehappinessbuckeet.com:  Inspiration -Jennifer\'s Closet (2)','inherit','open','open','','image1','','','2015-01-29 18:58:50','2015-01-30 00:58:50','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image1.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3023,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:50','2015-01-30 00:58:50','','THB - Jennifer\'s Closet (3)','www.thehappinessbuckeet.com:  Inspiration -Jennifer\'s Closet (3)','inherit','open','open','','image3','','','2015-01-29 18:58:50','2015-01-30 00:58:50','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image3.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3024,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:51','2015-01-30 00:58:51','','THB: Jennifer\'s Craftroom (2)','','inherit','open','open','','image6','','','2015-01-29 18:58:51','2015-01-30 00:58:51','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image6.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3025,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:52','2015-01-30 00:58:52','','THB: Jennifer\'s Craftroom (1)','','inherit','open','open','','image8','','','2015-01-29 18:58:52','2015-01-30 00:58:52','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image8.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3026,1,'2015-01-29 18:58:53','2015-01-30 00:58:53','','THB:  Jennifer\'s Baseballs','','inherit','open','open','','image9','','','2015-01-29 18:58:53','2015-01-30 00:58:53','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image9.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3060,1,'2015-02-05 10:20:49','2015-02-05 16:20:49','','Clean Eating on a Budget','THB Reblog Wednesday - www.foodlovefitlife.com','inherit','open','open','','fruits-and-vegetables','','','2015-02-05 10:20:49','2015-02-05 16:20:49','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/fruits-and-vegetables.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3065,560,'2015-03-14 06:30:41','2015-03-14 06:30:41','Do you get distracted easily?  Find yourself working on several different organizational/decluttering projects at one time?  Does this overwhelm you?  As a project manager it is my nature to troubleshoot the schedule and work in a parallel universe.  If I hit one roadblock here I just move on down the schedule and work on things I can work on at the time.  When I am able to work on item #1 again, I do.  This keeps me from losing too much working time waiting.  The problem is that I am trained to do this, but most people aren’t.  Do you get seventy-five to eighty percent complete with a project and have a hard time completing that last twenty to twenty-five percent?  It’s ok to admit it, if you do.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe reason this is important for you to recognize is because in essence those five projects with remaining twenty-five percents contributes to your clutter, especially if you don’t have a system.  How many of those projects are taking up space in your home?  Do you have a “project” area - a specific place to put your projects until they are done?  Yeah, kind of hard when it is your dresser or your pantry or laundry room space.\r\n\r\nPicture this…you start working early on a Saturday morning on your pantry with the intentions of cleaning, decluttering and organizing it.  You look up at one point and realize you have food items all over the kitchen and you are late for the outing with your mother-in-law.  (Insert your project and a distraction here).  Well what do you do?  Some would shove everything back in the pantry…others would live with the kitchen in disarray for days until they make it back to working on the pantry.\r\n\r\nTo avoid this type of scenario it is important for you to think about your project in phases before you start.  If it is a project that you anticipate will take a number of days determine what you want to complete on the first day/time allotment and shoot to reach that goal.  Another key is to make sure you obtain all your supplies before you begin.  There is nothing like getting deep in a project and realizing you forgot to get shelf liner or the drill has to be charged.  At the end of that day/time allotment pack up your items or move them to the side and determine when you are going to come back to tackle it again.\r\n\r\nWhen we work with Clients a lot of times the process takes many days and depending on our Client’s schedule we may have days or weeks between sessions.  We would never leave a Client’s home in disarray for this amount of time.  So we have to get them to a good stopping point so they can function until we are able to complete the job.\r\n\r\n<strong>THB Quick Tip: </strong> Paper boxes are free and great organizational resources that you can use to help sort and/or maintain your project(s).  I regularly use these as temporary storage/sorting mechanisms.  The beauty of using these is that you can get them from just about any business for free (minus the reams of paper of course).  You can fill them with your project specific items and put the lid on.  They are also stackable so they take up little real estate in your space.\r\n\r\nWe hope this is helpful as you embark on your decluttering journey!','Cutting out the Distractions of Procrastination in your Home','','publish','open','open','','cutting-out-the-distractions-of-procrastination','','','2019-07-27 05:18:08','2019-07-27 05:18:08','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3065',0,'post','',0),(3075,560,'2015-04-11 07:30:41','2015-04-11 07:30:41','When working with Clients I find decluttering is the hardest area for most to wrap their heads around.  It is the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\">organizational stage</a> that takes the longest and is the most emotional for people. I have identified that people make at least one decluttering mistake that is listed below when they embark on their organizational journey.  Lets see if you have done (or still do) any of these, so we can stop the cycle now:\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake #1 - Fearing the Unknown</h1>\r\nThere are many stories of people starting the decluttering process and finding long lost documents or even money/gift cards they had forgotten.  That is one reason I am not a fan of just picking a box up and throwing it away.  I know it many times can open an even bigger can of worms, but it can also be very eye opening and therapeutic for you to see what you have been lugging around for years or to see that item that you had all along but because you couldn’t find it, you had to rush order another one and so you ultimately spent $50 unnecessarily (i.e., lost birth certificate or passport).  It forces you to face the reality of your life head on.\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake #2 - Losing Sight of the Big Picture</h1>\r\nMany people see an inspiration photo on a blog or on pinterest and they immediately want to replicate this in their own space worrying about where they got the container or that set of curtains, instead of focusing on the need to go through their belongings and evaluating their system to see if that would work in their world/space.  I get inspiration from pinterest and blogs too and many times use them in my work with clients, but adaption is key...adapting to your reality, your life and to your space is important if you want to develop successful systems.\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake #3 - Getting Overwhelmed by Unimportant Details</h1>\r\nI like to encourage Clients to just start by sorting what they currently have.  Don’t focus on what you are getting rid of or what you can’t bear to part with, focus on putting like things together.  Sometimes just seeing the amount of items you have in a specific category will make it easier for you to rid yourself of the clutter.\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake #4 - Ignoring the Logical or Organic for the Popular</h1>\r\nWhere do you logically place things, where do you organically look for something when you need it…you know...that first place you go.  If you always go to the kitchen when you first come in the house, maybe that is the most logical place to create a landing pad for you to dump your pockets.  Maybe designate a cabinet or a basket where these items will go.  If you always charge your phone by your bed…create a charging station there for all your electronics.  What is typically in your pockets when you empty them and where do you usually do the emptying?  Create a pocket emptying station in this location be that the laundry room, where you place your keys or in your bedroom.  It may not make sense to others, but what matters is that it makes sense to you...and that will increase the likelihood of success.\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake #5 - Getting Stuck on One Item</h1>\r\nIn many situations there is that one item that the mere mention of getting rid of it creates tears and palpitations. Instead of trying to force the issue at the time, you have one of two choices…and read these carefully.  (1) place the item(s) in a box/container and seal it.  On the container put a big note that says if this seal hasn’t been broken as of (enter a date 6 mths - a year in the future) then discard it unopened.  This gives the person the mourning time with their belongings.  Sometimes it is just overwhelming for them to get rid of items all at one time, especially when they have an emotional tie to it.  (2) Give the item prominence in the home.  Take a photo of it and/or frame it.  Many times the idea of framing an item will put the reality into perspective.  Ask yourself, \"If I don’t want to display it or give it to someone then why am I keeping it?\"  (3) you could put a note on it that says until space is needed.  That way you know you either get rid of it or get rid of something else.  As much as I don’t like clutter, if you have room for the items and have that big of an attachment to it…don’t harp on it.  Press pause and come back to it at the end.  Celebrate the wins.  You never know by the time you get to the end, you may be ready to let it go.\r\n<h1>Decluttering Mistake # 6 - Getting Rid of Someone Else\'s Belongings</h1>\r\nThis is a big pet peeve of mine when I see the conversations on forums and groups.  Lets ignore the fact that this is unbelievably rude and focus on the fact that there is no way for you to know the status/purpose of everything that person is keeping.  Put yourself in that situation and think about how that would make you feel.  It wouldn\'t be nice at all.  It may drive you crazy that your spouse/teen won\'t get rid of their \"junk\", instead of making the decision for them, offer to work with them to help organize and or declutter it.  One recommendation I have is that you should start decluttering/organizing other areas of the space/home until there is nothing left.  Many times when a person starts seeing how it makes them feel to live in an organized space they will decide to do it on their own.  In some cases this won\'t happen and you may have to bring in an expert or determine if this is a battle worth fighting.  If it is an area that only they frequent, then let it be and move on.  Now, the only time I will abandon this rule is when you have children under the age of understanding.  I purposely didn\'t add an age here because each child has a different developmental calendar.  As early as possible, I would include them in regular declutter sessions so they get used to understanding what it is to get rid of things they no longer use or need.  Set up systems for them as well so they can easily make those decisions.  One way to help children of all ages is to give them limits.  Here are some that I have used in the past:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Oh you got five new toys so lets get rid of five;</li>\r\n 	<li>Your Birthday/Christmas is coming so lets see what you have outgrown (toys and clothes); or</li>\r\n 	<li>You used this when you were a baby, but you are my big girl/boy now!  Why don\'t we give it to [enter person or donation spot here] because they don\'t have anything like this...or you can use this space to put your [enter their favorite toy here].</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNow that you know the 6 things to avoid, pick an area and jump in there.  Remember to take a before and after photo and share it with the THB family in our Facebook Group!  I would love to hear your story...and who knows you may get featured on our blog.\r\n\r\nIf you found this information helpful, please comment and let me know.  Make sure to join our Newsletter, so you don\'t miss our next post.  Until then, have a happy day!','6 Common Mistakes When Decluttering','','publish','open','open','','6-common-mistakes-when-decluttering','','','2019-07-27 05:18:07','2019-07-27 05:18:07','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3075',0,'post','',0),(3086,560,'2015-04-04 07:30:08','2015-04-04 07:30:08','Do you find that your inbox gets more junk than mail? Well today we are going to cover three tips you can use to declutter your email inbox.  I call these emails noise in your inbox because you can\'t really focus on the important things coming into your box for all the \"noise\" around it.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAs always let me provide a disclaimer here and say that these tips won\'t work for everyone.  You have to base which tips you use on your lifestyle and needs.  If these don\'t meet your needs feel free to <a href=\"mailto:dana@thehappinessbucket.com\">contact me</a> so we can discuss what types of things could assist you.\r\n\r\nNow, onto the tips:\r\n<h1><strong>Blog or Vendor Emails and Newsletters</strong></h1>\r\nThese are the emails you get after you subscribe to a blog or you purchase a product from a company.  The main purpose of these emails is to provide information of what is going on with that company or blog.  Now here is what typically happens with these types of emails.  You typically have a handful that you actual read and the rest just add noise to your mailbox.\r\n\r\nThe method you use will depend on whether you like living in your inbox or if you would prefer to live outside your inbox on social media or on a platform like feedly.  There are pros and cons of both methods, but for now I am going to speak specifically to the person who wants to keep the emails in their inbox.\r\n<h2><strong>Determine If A Viable Resource</strong></h2>\r\nThe first thing I\'d recommend is that you determine if you actually like the company and the content they send out.  If the answer is yes, then move on to the Setup a Resource Folder section.  If the answer is no, scroll to the bottom of that particular email and click on the unsubscribe link.  If for some reason they don\'t have one or it\'s not working, right click on the email and mark it as junk.  Then sort your inbox by the sender and delete all of the emails associated with the sender.  You can always resubscribe later if your situation changes.\r\n<h2>Setup A Resource Folder</h2>\r\nIf you are interested in continuing to receive the content, I\'d recommend you set up a folder for that company or blog.  For example, you should have a folder titled THB or The Happiness Bucket. The purpose of this folder is so you can move all items received from THB into a folder and when you have time to review the content or need to find the content you can click on the folder and immediately get to the information you need.\r\n\r\nThis enables you to move the emails out of your inbox and batch review them ultimately turning down the volume of the noise in your inbox.\r\n\r\nI would recommend that you hold your declutter or review process for those you think you are interested in until after you have sorted (batched) all the emails into the folder.  It makes the review process easier  You may find with this new found order that you actually see the emails and start reading them more often.\r\n<h1>Mixed Bag of Tricks</h1>\r\nSome companies (especially companies selling physical products) mix in their advertisements for sales with their blog posts and other information with no differentiation between the email address that it comes from. You may just be interested in the blog posts and not all the other promotional materials.\r\n\r\nCheck the bottom of the email to see if they have a link that allows you to unsubscribe from just that type of email.  If not, click on the unsubscribe button and see if they have an option to unsubscribe from certain parts of their mailings.\r\n\r\nLarger companies or those that have many different publications tend to have this option, if not again you have to decide what is more important to you - getting the info you are waiting for or the junk.  If you do want the information, see if there is specific wording for those emails that you don’t like and create a rule that automatically deletes it upon arrival.\r\n\r\nConsider the main purpose of the email vs. what you signed up for.  For blog content, my rule of thumb is I allow promotional content from those who offer value first.  If all you do is sell to me I\'m not interested.  Physical products are a little different, so you should take this into consideration too.\r\n<h1><strong>Social Media and Vendor Alerts</strong></h1>\r\nSocial Media alert emails are some of the biggest noise creators out there.  Do you really use these alerts?  Many social media sites have a number of options for notifying or alerting you of activity on your account.  I recommend you evaluate the ones you actually look at and eliminate all the extra noise from your email box.  You can usually find these options under settings on those social media platforms.\r\n<h1><strong>Add-On Store Deals</strong></h1>\r\nThere are some companies that sell your contact information to other companies and/or they have so many subsidiaries that when you subscribe to one list all the others get it (it’s in the fine print). Just unsubscribe from those “extra” lists and remember next time to read the fine print.\r\n\r\nIt is also ok to tell the store no when they ask you for an email address, they usually suggest you subscribe for an additional discount or to receive information about sales...which adds you to all their mailing lists.  Well, I suggest you connect with their text, twitter, facebook or google+ feeds for that information instead.\r\n\r\nOne thing I did years ago is I set up a promotional only email account so when companies ask me for that information I give that email address instead.  I also set up an automatic filter to delete anything older than two weeks.  This helps me have one place to go to search for current deals and it\'s not junking up my normal inbox.\r\n\r\nSo in summary, your inbox doesn\'t have to be like the wild wild west, you can corral these emails (why did I just go all western on you?!?!).  Remember folders are your friends, unsubscribe from emails you aren\'t reading and don\'t want, read the fine print and check boxes before you signup and don\'t be afraid to think outside the box.\r\n\r\nI hope you found this information helpful.  If you are interested in setting up a consultation session to have me work with you <a href=\"Mailto:dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">click here</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','3 Tips to Help You Declutter Your Email Inbox','Do you find that an email address you own gets more junk than mail and you really didn’t plan it that way?  Start tackling it one day at a time.  Starting today, take action on at least 5 of the items that come into your email box. Your email system should mimic that of your snail mail system…wait what you don’t have a snail mail system?  Well that’s a discussion for another day &#x263a;.  Today, I am talking specifically about those items that come into your email box that fall into the trash category.  You know the items you typically skip over or just delete.  Here are a few steps you can take to tackle the extra noise of your email box:','publish','open','open','','declutter-your-email','','','2019-07-27 05:18:07','2019-07-27 05:18:07','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3086',0,'post','',0),(3114,1,'2015-03-30 15:31:43','2015-03-30 20:31:43','','NAPOMember Color - Web','','inherit','open','open','','napomember-color-web','','','2015-03-30 15:31:43','2015-03-30 20:31:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/napomember-color-web-e1428153041217.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(3122,1,'2015-04-01 23:09:13','2015-04-02 04:09:13','','IMG_2967','','inherit','open','open','','img_2967','','','2015-04-01 23:09:13','2015-04-02 04:09:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_2967.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3123,1,'2015-04-01 23:09:17','2015-04-02 04:09:17','','IMG_2968','','inherit','open','open','','img_2968','','','2015-04-01 23:09:17','2015-04-02 04:09:17','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_2968.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3124,1,'2015-04-01 23:09:20','2015-04-02 04:09:20','','IMG_2969','','inherit','open','open','','img_2969','','','2015-04-01 23:09:20','2015-04-02 04:09:20','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_2969.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3174,1,'2015-04-02 16:35:38','2015-04-02 21:35:38','','IMG_5833','','inherit','open','open','','img_5833','','','2015-04-02 16:35:38','2015-04-02 21:35:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5833.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3175,1,'2015-04-02 16:35:38','2015-04-02 21:35:38','','IMG_5831','','inherit','open','open','','img_5831','','','2015-04-02 16:35:38','2015-04-02 21:35:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5831-e1435294954431.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3176,1,'2015-04-02 16:35:38','2015-04-02 21:35:38','','IMG_5835','Final Wall of Closet Reno','inherit','open','open','','img_5835','','','2017-08-10 20:11:13','2017-08-10 20:11:13','',2566,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5835.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3177,1,'2015-04-02 16:36:29','2015-04-02 21:36:29','','IMG_5833-0','Shoe Rack (rack under window leaving space)','inherit','open','open','','img_5833-0','','','2017-08-10 20:11:13','2017-08-10 20:11:13','',2566,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5833-0.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3178,1,'2015-04-02 16:36:29','2015-04-02 21:36:29','','IMG_5838','Almost Finished with Closet Reno','inherit','open','open','','img_5838','','','2017-08-10 20:11:13','2017-08-10 20:11:13','',2566,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5838.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3227,1,'2015-04-03 18:01:56','2015-04-03 23:01:56','','BANDAlaundry','','inherit','open','open','','bandalaundry','','','2015-04-03 18:01:56','2015-04-03 23:01:56','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/bandalaundry.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3238,1,'2015-04-03 18:13:20','2015-04-03 23:13:20','<div id=\"pl-3238\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-3238-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\"  data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-3238-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-3238-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-3238-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>You are a holistic being and I believe that everything in your life is interconnected.  It is not uncommon for me to begin working with you on one issue and end up working on many others that you didn\'t even know existed.  The reason this happens is because clutter serves as a block in your mind.  It keeps you from being creative and productive in all areas.  Once you clear that block, you are more productive and ultimately happier because you can be creative, produce and live again.  </p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-3238-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>Your starting point is to setup your discovery session with me so we can evaluate where you are and where you would like to be.  Take a few minutes to schedule your session and answer a few intake questions.  This will enable me to come to the session with some potential solutions in mind. I look forward to helping you achieve your goals.</p>\n</div>\n</div></div></div></div></div><div id=\"pg-3238-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"  data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;,&quot;cell_alignment&quot;:&quot;flex-start&quot;}\" ><div id=\"pgc-3238-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-3238-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_custom_html panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" >[siteorigin_widget class=\"WP_Widget_Custom_HTML\"]<input type=\"hidden\" value=\"{&quot;instance&quot;:{&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&lt;iframe src=\\&quot;https:\\/\\/app.acuityscheduling.com\\/schedule.php?owner=17298481&amp;appointmentType=9318857\\&quot; width=\\&quot;100%\\&quot; height=\\&quot;800\\&quot; frameBorder=\\&quot;0\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\/iframe&gt;\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t\\t  &lt;script src=\\&quot;https:\\/\\/d3gxy7nm8y4yjr.cloudfront.net\\/js\\/embed.js\\&quot; type=\\&quot;text\\/javascript\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\/script&gt;\\n\\t\\t\\t&quot;},&quot;args&quot;:{&quot;before_widget&quot;:&quot;&lt;div id=\\&quot;panel-3238-1-0-0\\&quot; class=\\&quot;so-panel widget widget_custom_html panel-first-child panel-last-child\\&quot; data-index=\\&quot;2\\&quot; data-style=\\&quot;{&amp;quot;background_image_attachment&amp;quot;:false,&amp;quot;background_display&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;tile&amp;quot;}\\&quot; &gt;&quot;,&quot;after_widget&quot;:&quot;&lt;\\/div&gt;&quot;,&quot;before_title&quot;:&quot;&lt;h3 class=\\&quot;widget-title\\&quot;&gt;&quot;,&quot;after_title&quot;:&quot;&lt;\\/h3&gt;&quot;,&quot;widget_id&quot;:&quot;widget-1-0-0&quot;}}\" />[/siteorigin_widget]</div></div></div></div>','Let\'s Get Started Clearing the Clutter and Getting Organized','','publish','closed','closed','','getstarted','','','2019-03-05 22:35:00','2019-03-05 22:35:00','',120,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3238',0,'page','',0),(3283,1,'2015-04-03 23:40:54','2015-04-04 04:40:54','','LaundryB and A','','inherit','open','open','','laundryb-and-a','','','2017-02-10 23:25:18','2017-02-10 23:25:18','',3238,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/laundryb-and-a.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3294,1,'2015-04-04 07:33:37','2015-04-04 12:33:37','','Proj.Mgmt Website Image','','inherit','open','open','','proj-mgmt-website-image','','','2015-04-04 07:33:37','2015-04-04 12:33:37','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/proj-mgmt-website-image.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3295,1,'2015-04-04 07:39:01','2015-04-04 12:39:01','','Coaching stock image for website','','inherit','open','open','','coaching-stock-image-for-website','','','2015-04-04 07:39:01','2015-04-04 12:39:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/coaching-stock-image-for-website.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3334,1,'2015-04-09 13:55:38','2015-04-09 18:55:38','','Copyright Image 88x31','','inherit','open','open','','copyright-image-88x31','','','2015-04-09 13:55:38','2015-04-09 18:55:38','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/copyright-image-88x31.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3357,1,'2015-04-24 15:18:25','2015-04-24 20:18:25','','Roundabout - en.wikipedia.org','','inherit','open','open','','roundabout-wikapedia','','','2015-04-24 15:18:25','2015-04-24 20:18:25','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/roundabout-wikapedia.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3376,560,'2015-05-29 08:15:08','2015-05-29 13:15:08','In 2013, when I began the process of packing up our then 1355 sq ft condo, my goal was to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box, in case I was not able to be there.  You see, I would be 7 months pregnant by the time we listed our house on the market. I knew there was a possibility that I wouldn\'t be able to help with the move and if I was there that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted carrying the extra load that was my daughter.  I also knew that I couldn\'t be everywhere at one time (at the condo, at the new house and at the storage shelter all at the same time). So knowing the goal, I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help. Enter the creation of my Move Binder.\r\n<h1>Purpose of the Move Binder</h1>\r\nAs I mentioned earlier, the reason I created the move binder was to provide instructions and guidance to anyone filling in for me if I wasn\'t available.  I recommend everyone create a move binder, whether they are available or not as a way to have everything they need in one place.  It enables you to quickly and efficiently manage the in\'s and out\'s of the move.  As you could see in my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a> post, there are a lot of things you need to do and keep track of when you are moving.  A move binder just enables you to track things a little easier.  Consider it your move book of knowledge that you refer to for all things move related.\r\n<h1>How I Started My Move Binder</h1>\r\nIt was just what I needed! I had an old binder lying around and was able to begin the process. I based my room categories on what I had in my house that we were looking for in our new home. You see we hadn\'t yet bought the home...at the time the binder was created we were just decluttering and packing up extra stuff to prep to put the house on the market. I had to use my wanted rooms instead of my actual rooms. The categories I had were:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bedroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Baby\'s Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Office</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Kitchen</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Dining Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Decor/Misc.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Living Room</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1>Color-Coding Your Rooms in Your Move Binder</h1>\r\nThe next step was to color-code my rooms, so I could easily identify what boxes/items went in which space.  I used the small circular dots you get from office supply stores.  Luckily, I had found a package of prime color dots during one of my decluttering moments in my office and since that wasn\'t enough of a color variety (based on my room list) I went and picked up some pastel colors as well. I Then assigned each room a color.  I don\'t remember all of the color assignments, but I do remember the Kitchen was red and my daughter\'s room was pink.\r\n<h1>Developing Your Move Inventory Sheets</h1>\r\nYour move inventory sheets are a running list of all your boxes per room and a high level and secondary level of what is in them.  You don\'t have to write anything for the secondary level, but I found that some high-level categories needed more than one box (i.e., books).  If I was looking for a specific author or book type, I could refer to the secondary level in the inventory.  I could identify the room color and the box number based on the contents.  You will find that the high-level description was helpful when looking at items when you didn\'t have the inventory sheet handy, but the inventory sheet was helpful when you were looking for that one specific item.\r\n\r\nThe sheet also was helpful in determining how many boxes you had for one particular room.  This would allow you to take a count to ensure all boxes were loaded and all boxes were delivered.\r\n<h1>The Kitchen Map</h1>\r\n<ul>The kitchen map is something I absolutely fell in love with.  You can\'t always do this step, but if you can it will be so very helpful for you or anyone else who is helping you unpack.</ul>\r\n<ul>To create this map you have to have photos of the kitchen.  You can take these yourself during a walkthrough or you can create them from the online photos of the house.  You want to number all of the cabinets and drawers.  I actually created my map electronically by importing the photo into powerpoint and overlaying the numbers on each drawer/cabinet (you can also do this in word or another app or by hand).  In the notes section or on another sheet of paper, I listed the number and beside it what would be going in it.  For example, Drawer 1: Everyday Silverware; Drawer 2: Dish Towels; Drawer 3: Tupperware, etc.</ul>\r\n<ul>This process is not only fun, but it allows you to dream a little and plan ahead too.  You could also use your inventory to help you ensure you have identified a place for everything.  When you get in the space you may change your mind, but having an idea of how it should go and having a plan so someone else can pitch in and help is beyond amazing!  Needless to say, my kitchen was the easiest space to unpack and organize.</ul>\r\n<h1>Room Floor Plan Maps</h1>\r\nRoom <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\">floor plans maps</a> are similar to your kitchen map, except most rooms are empty.  Instead of numbering the drawers and cabinets you draw the walls of the room and then draw the pieces of furniture where you want them to go.  The floor plans should also have a corresponding colored dot to that of the boxes that go into them.  This way the movers aren\'t calling you asking you were or how the furniture should go...or worse yet they won\'t just sit the furniture haphazardly in the room. By having things clearly drawn out, at the end of move day most of your heavy furniture is where it belongs and boxes are stacked in the proper rooms out of the way.  Click here to<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\"> learn more about creating and using the floor plan maps</a> .\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;\">The Pros of Using a Move Binder</span>\r\n\r\nWould I do this again? Heck yeah!!!! This system allowed me to know that I had X number of boxes for the living room. X number for the kitchen etc. I also knew at a glance which box number to look for if we were hunting for something specific. The storage facility not only looked heavenly but made it easy to locate things if we needed them. My mother even commented on how great it looked and how we were able to use every single inch. When we did finally get to the house and were beginning to unpack, the system was great because we knew to look for all the red dots when we were washing and putting up all the dishes. When I got ready to do the baby\'s room I knew to look for all the pink dots. It made those processes a lot easier.\r\n<h1><strong>The Possible Cons of Using a Move Binder</strong></h1>\r\nIn our case, the bad was the craziness of our move (not the normal situation) so we had to just go for what we knew vs the organized way I imagined/planned the move to be.  Our house closing was delayed, and since we closed on our condo on the same day we had to be out of the house.  We ended up having to move our house items before the storage unit items and all of the last minute items that remained in our condo unpacked.  As with any space that hasn\'t been completely packed, the contents seemed to multiply, so there was no time to label and properly inventory those items and needless to say some items were lost because in a rush I don\'t know how they were removed from the house...my gut says they accidentally got mixed up with our last Goodwill run.\r\n<h1><strong>The Lessons Learned</strong></h1>\r\nDue to the closing debacle, it was unfortunate that we had to move our items into the garage of the house vs into the house itself.  This caused stuff to just be stacked on top of one another in a limited amount of space. When we were finally able to move into the house, it did help because we just grabbed the stuff closest to the door and put it where it belonged based on the color-coded tags. We were able to quickly assess where things went if it had a label on the box, but those random last minute things were all over the place. In a perfect world, you can move from one place to another all at once or in a slow controlled fashion.  I would also highly recommend that you have EVERYTHING packed.  If that isn\'t possible, plan to move those unpacked things last or have them all grouped together.  A gradual move over two or more days is ideal, but not always possible, so you should plan a large enough workforce so you can take all the items to the rooms where they belong instead of putting them in a staging area (unless that\'s what you want). You could also put up your room labels with colors on them, which would be helpful for those who don\'t know which rooms are what or if you aren\'t there to help unload. The first load that we unloaded, I was there to supervise and the guys began stacking the items by room/color in the garage, but as time slipped away, I was needed elsewhere and the garage got too full.  The guys abandoned the color coding idea and they started piling it in...however it would fit.  In the flurry of activity, I also forgot to check off boxes as we loaded and unpacked them, so in hindsight it would be better to assign that task to someone else, maybe someone who isn\'t in high demand.\r\n\r\nThe good thing about the move binder is that even though we had a few hiccups during move day it still came in very handy.  I was able to keep up with all the important dates, contracts, vendors, etc.  I was able to use the inventory as we unpacked the boxes.  The color coding was absolutely fabulous and helpful and the room diagrams were super helpful too.  Also, you can use this binder method even if you didn\'t have the amount of time we did to move it to storage first. It actually may work better for you since all the boxes would be in one place in your home and therefore would already be altogether based on room.  In that case, I would definitely encourage you to have everything packed and ready to go the night before move day.\r\n<ul>The Bottom Line - The move binder is a win win pin and a definite keeper. Here are a few other posts that may help you with your move:</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map</a>','Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder','','publish','open','open','','move-binder','','','2019-07-27 05:18:06','2019-07-27 05:18:06','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3376',0,'post','',0),(3390,1,'2015-05-13 10:08:43','2015-05-13 15:08:43','','Hampton Inn & Suites','','inherit','open','open','','hampton-inn-suites','','','2017-04-13 19:32:12','2017-04-13 19:32:12','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/hampton-inn-suites.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3401,560,'2015-05-15 08:15:35','2015-05-15 08:15:35','<p style=\"text-align:justify;\"><a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/img_6089.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/img_6089.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_6089.JPG\" width=\"229\" height=\"229\" /></a>It\'s that time of year when temperatures are regulating and you know the cold weather is gone for good.  Soon, you will begin to put your winter clothes away and bringing your summer clothes out.  While making this transition take it as an opportunity to go through your clothes pulling out any you haven\'t worn or didn\'t like wearing during the season.  You see your closet should be reserved for clothes that make you happy.  Your I look good clothes, not the my body sucks clothes.  We wear about 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. Don\'t believe it? Well, I received confirmation this past winter when I gained so much weight that none of my clothes fit. I survived wearing 5 different pairs of pants.  Although I had a number of shirts/blouses and jackets that fit, I pretty much wore the same 10 or so shirts.  Don\'t be afraid to get rid of those items that you don\'t really like...I promise you will be so much happier with the items you know look good on you.  You then can make a list of items you feel are missing from your wardrobe to purchase at a later date.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">How to do slim your closet down:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">My process for slimming my closet went like this, I took each item in my winter section and reviewed them based on the criteria above.  If they made the cut they were added to the back of the closet. I then went through the spring/summer items with the same eye and added the keep clothes to the front of my closet.  I went through each article of clothing asking myself if I really liked it.  I removed any that I knew the answer was really no...and prepared them for donation. The key to remember is it will be so much easier to get dressed when you have a closet of happy clothes.  So, go now and slim your closet.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">If you liked this article, please share it with a friend and make sure to join our email list to receive our regular postings regarding decluttering, organization and becoming the happiest you possible.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">Don\'t forget to let us know below how your declutter session went.</p>\n&nbsp;','#THBOrganize: Discover the Way to Slim Your Closet in 10 Minutes','','publish','open','open','','thborganize-discover-the-way-to-slim-your-closet-in-10-minutes','','','2019-07-27 05:18:06','2019-07-27 05:18:06','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3401',0,'post','',0),(3402,560,'2018-02-16 08:30:35','2018-02-16 08:30:35','Recently, I posted an article titled, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move</a>.  In it, I mentioned an invaluable tool called a floor map.  This is a rough sketch of how you want the room setup.  Now, this map can be as detailed or as basic as you wish, the main purpose of it is to help those who will be helping you move know where things should go without your assistance.\r\n\r\nOn most move maps you want to focus on the big furniture items and any large electrical items that may need to be connected.  There is nothing like having a ton of help on move day to only realize after everyone is gone that things aren\'t quite where they need to be.  It is so much easier to get the heavy items placed right the first time.\r\n<h1>How to Draw Your Floor Plan</h1>\r\nNow, first things first...most of the time I create floor maps with a good ol pencil/pen and a piece of paper.  Again, this doesn\'t have to be to scale or overly complicated.  You just want to give a general idea of where things should go.  On your sketch, you should make it clear where the windows and doors are so those looking at it clearly understand the directions.  Think about the heaviest items in the room and how you ideally want it placed.  Draw or write on the map where these go.  (i.e., a square with the word bed in the middle of it).  Also designated where you\'d like for them to stack the boxes that go with that room.  Ideally again they will be placed against a wall in the space (that doesn\'t require other items).  No need in having to go through a maze to try and find your bed after a long day of moving.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6767\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Move-Floor-Plan-200x300.png\" alt=\"Move Floor Plan | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nI would also recommend that you measure your space prior to making your map to ensure your layout will actually work.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Other Considerations for your Floor Plan</h1>\r\nOnce you finish drawing your floor map, you should make sure your room color is clearly notated on the page.  We use the color dots you get from office supply stores to label not only the move map but also the boxes that belong in the designated space.\r\n\r\nYou will find that most dots are in primary colors, but if you are moving into a larger home you may need to get the pastels too so each room can have a distinct color.  This makes it easy for movers to know where the boxes go and it also makes it easier for you to identify the items in a box from across the room.\r\n<h1>Developing Your Master Move Legend</h1>\r\nI recommend you develop a few master move legends that just have the room color, name and location (upstairs or downstairs, left or right arrows) so movers can know with a quick glance where they need to go.  You know boxes and large furniture are pretty heavy, so no need in prolonging the processes with indecisiveness.  Tape your room maps on the door frame of each room and make sure to strategically place the master maps at key direction points throughout the house.\r\n\r\nAnother place where you want to put the move legend is in your storage shelter (if applicable).  It will allow you to identify items quickly at a glance.\r\n\r\nI hope you have found this moving tip helpful.  If you have, please let us know by commenting below and make sure to signup to regularly receive our organizational tips.\r\n\r\nI wish you a successful and easy move!','How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map ','','publish','open','open','','organize-move-floor-plan-map','','','2019-07-27 05:16:00','2019-07-27 05:16:00','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3402',0,'post','',0),(3424,1,'2015-05-14 17:03:04','2015-05-14 22:03:04','','Paypal Order Cancel','','inherit','open','open','','paypal-order-cancel','','','2015-05-14 17:03:04','2015-05-14 22:03:04','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/paypal-order-cancel.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3426,1,'2015-05-14 17:24:39','2015-05-14 22:24:39','I am so happy that you have taken the first step in living your happier life, and that you are entrusting me with walking you through those steps.  In preparation for our session, I\'d like for you to do a couple of things...I promise they won\'t be difficult.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Take a deep breath and smile...we are going to conquer your space, so no need to even worry anymore.</li>\r\n 	<li>Think about the space(s) in your home that you would like us to start with and what your ultimate dream is for the space.</li>\r\n 	<li>I will be contacting you soon to schedule our session and I will be asking you some specific questions to help determine how we need to approach your project.  I have included many of the questions in the following link so please take some time to read them and think about your answers carefully.</li>\r\n 	<li>At The Happiness Bucket, I am serious about my commitment to you and I follow the Professional Organizer and Project Management Codes of Ethics.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Finally, you may want to review the list of frequently asked questions, if you haven\'t already.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/pre-session/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-3428 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/website-buttons_page_1-150x150.png\" alt=\"Website Buttons_Page_1\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>      <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/proforgfaq/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-3429 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/website-buttons_page_2.png?w=150\" alt=\"Website Buttons_Page_2\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Welcome to the THB Family!','','publish','closed','closed','','thankyou','','','2018-03-19 15:46:44','2018-03-19 15:46:44','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3426',0,'page','',0),(3428,1,'2015-05-14 17:37:27','2015-05-14 22:37:27','','Website Buttons_Page_1','','inherit','open','open','','website-buttons_page_1','','','2015-05-14 17:37:27','2015-05-14 22:37:27','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/website-buttons_page_1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3429,1,'2015-05-14 17:37:35','2015-05-14 22:37:35','','Website Buttons_Page_2','','inherit','open','open','','website-buttons_page_2','','','2015-05-14 17:37:35','2015-05-14 22:37:35','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/website-buttons_page_2.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3430,1,'2015-05-14 17:37:43','2015-05-14 22:37:43','','Website Buttons_Page_3','','inherit','open','open','','website-buttons_page_3','','','2015-05-14 17:37:43','2015-05-14 22:37:43','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/website-buttons_page_3.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3441,1,'2015-05-14 18:49:19','2015-05-14 23:49:19','<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">DO I HAVE TO SCHEDULE FOR A 3 HOUR SESSION?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our in-person organizing sessions are scheduled in 3 hours increments because most small sessions require at least that.  If you feel your session wouldn\'t take that long, it is more economical for you to physically handle the organization process yourself with coaching from us.  In this instance, we recommend using our <a title=\"Project Management Services\" href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/project-management-services/\">1 hour virtual session(s)</a>.</p>\r\n\r\n<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHEN DO WE PAY YOU AND WHAT TYPE OF PAYMENTS DO YOU TAKE?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Payments are due at the end of each session.  You can purchase hours in advance or as gifts <a title=\"Project Management Services\" href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/project-management-services/\">here</a>.  We invoice and use PayPal for payment processing accepting all major credit cards and cash.  Checks are accepted, but they must clear the bank prior to your scheduled session.</p>\r\n\r\n<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">HOW ARE EXPENSES HANDLED?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You are responsible for your own expenses, including supplies.  Shopping services are available at our normal Professional Organizing rate of $45 an hour and we will add the purchased items (unless paid for in advance) to your bill at cost.  If subcontractors are needed, you are responsible for paying their bill directly unless otherwise arranged in advance.  We do offer our Project Management services at a rate of $60 an hour, these are services that are needed to coordinate and manage subcontractors or space improvements that fall outside of organizing (i.e, painting, repair, furniture assembly, etc.).  We also offer furniture assembly for a rate of $30 an hour.</p>\r\n\r\n<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">HOW FAR DO YOU GO FOR IN-PERSON SESSIONS?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We go within a 40 mile radius of Smyrna, TN at no additional charge.  We charge our hourly rate for all mileage outside of that radius, unless otherwise negotiated in advance.</p>\r\n\r\n<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We understand the need to reschedule or cancel a session, however due to the demand of our time a 50% fee will be charged for cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice and a 10% fee for sessions that have been rescheduled more than one time, unless the session has been paid for in advance.  There is no charge for cancelled consultation appointments.</p>\r\n\r\n<h6 style=\"text-align: justify;\">DO YOU PROVIDE CLEANING SERVICES?</h6>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although we will perform very high level cleaning (sweep and wipe down pantry prior to putting items back) we do not offer cleaning services.  Please have someone available to handle any heavy cleaning that may be needed.  If a deep clean is needed, many times we will work in distinctive phases to allow you time to get that done prior to restocking/organizing your space.</p>','Professional Organizing Frequently Asked Questions','','publish','closed','closed','','proforgfaq','','','2018-03-15 18:57:31','2018-03-15 18:57:31','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3441',0,'page','',0),(3443,1,'2015-05-15 06:19:34','2015-05-15 11:19:34','<h3>Pre-Consultation Questions and Things to Do</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The consultation is the time we use to get to know each other and to verify working together is a good fit. It is preferred that the consultation be done in the space so I can determine the overall state of your space and can begin devising a plan of action to move forward.  I am always as straightforward with you as I can be because I know your time and money is important, so this will enable us to determine if I am right for the job.  Below are a few questions that I will be asking during our consultation so you can have time to think about your answers:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">What is your future goal for the space we are about to tackle? What is your dream for the space? This helps me set expectations and defines guidelines for the sessions.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you have an overall budget you are trying to stay within? Think about the entire budget the hourly cost of THB as well as your organizing tools.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since I focus on educating my Clients to organize, I recommend that you be involved in the sessions - are there any restrictions or concerns you have with this recommendation?</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Will any friends or family be available during your sessions to assist?</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you notified your family that you are enlisting the help of an Organizer?  Do you have any reservations about doing this...if so, what are they?</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Who are the decision makers for each space? It is our recommendation that all family members that are affected by the particular space be involved (i.e., daughters room - daughter and parent should be involved, Kitchen - anyone who cooks, shops or puts up dishes should be involved).  This enables us to determine the most effective systems for your space.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you have a specific cause, agency or place where you want to donate certain items (i.e., public library, animal shelter, homeless mission, etc.)?  Having a list identified as we go through your items is helpful.  Please visit the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/donation-and-recycle-resources/\">donation and recycle resource</a> page for helpful information on this topic.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Are there any items/things that are completely off limits when it comes to tackling your space? This is important to know so we can eliminate those things at the beginning of our session and can include/exclude them in a final design of the space.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is not necessary to clean or tidy your space, I have seen it all and anticipate we will be addressing it together.  Seeing the real state of your space helps me determine how best to assist you.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Things to do Pre-Session</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Once we determine the fit works, I work with you to schedule your first three-hour session or group workshop.  There are a few things I have learned that make the process more efficient.  I have listed them below:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Try not to think of this session as what you need to get rid of, ask yourself, \"What do I really need to keep?\"</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Please secure all private and dangerous items and pets.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Get a good nights rest, decluttering/organizing can be a very detailed and sometimes stressful job. I hope to remove as much of that from your experience as possible, but it always helps to come in fresh.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">I advise that you eliminate as many distractions as possible.  Fill a water bottle and ensure you have a decent meal prior to our arrival.  You are free to take as many breaks as you need, but I try not to take breaks during your session because your time and money are valuable.  Once I start, our clock starts and doesn\'t stop until your three-hour session or workshop ends, unless I am pulled away for a non-session related purpose.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is helpful to have a place identified that we can use for sorting/laying items out during your session.  If you don\'t have this type of location it is okay I just have to know in advance so I can bring a table to use for that purpose.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Friends/Family that are ready to assist are always helpful in that we can accomplish more in a shorter period of time.  This is your personal choice and I am fine with whatever you decide, I can handle the job with you or with the additional help. We would suggest you limit this group to three (unless they are part of your immediate family or a workshop).  The more people we have the more decision trees there will be.</li>\r\n</ul>','','','publish','closed','closed','','pre-session','','','2018-03-05 22:03:05','2018-03-05 22:03:05','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3443',0,'page','',0),(3451,1,'2015-05-15 05:47:25','2015-05-15 10:47:25','<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3452 size-full\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/paypal-order-thank-you.png\" alt=\"Paypal Order Thank You\" width=\"1667\" height=\"1667\" />','','','publish','closed','closed','','thankyou-2','','','2015-05-15 05:47:25','2015-05-15 10:47:25','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3451',0,'page','',0),(3452,1,'2015-05-15 05:46:44','2015-05-15 10:46:44','','Paypal Order Thank You','','inherit','open','open','','paypal-order-thank-you','','','2015-05-15 05:46:44','2015-05-15 10:46:44','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/paypal-order-thank-you.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3463,1,'2015-05-15 07:15:23','2015-05-15 12:15:23','','IMG_6089','','inherit','open','open','','img_6089','','','2015-05-15 07:15:23','2015-05-15 12:15:23','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/img_6089.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3487,1,'2015-05-29 17:53:49','2015-05-29 22:53:49','<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"></h3>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7154 size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Happiness-Deposits-Thank-You-Page.png\" alt=\"Happiness Deposits Thank You Page | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" /></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nI am so excited you are joining me and the rest of the THB family on this journey to live a happier life!  You are almost there, I just need you to do two more things to ensure you receive all the  emails and support you need.\r\n<strong>1.  Whitelist @thehappinessbucket.com to your allowed email addresses and confirm your email address by clicking the link that is in the email I</strong><strong> just sent you.</strong>\r\n<div><strong>2.  Join our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/changeacademy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/THBNoMoreDebt/\">facebook group</a> so you can share your success with the THB Community and be encouraged by the journeys of others.  </strong>This is support central for all things happiness that you may need.  We have discussions here that aren\'t shared on our blog, so I want to make sure you get all the advantages of our Community.</div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>','Thank You for Joining!','','publish','closed','closed','','thanks','','','2018-04-13 19:06:19','2018-04-13 19:06:19','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3487',0,'page','',0),(3507,560,'2015-06-10 08:00:16','2015-06-10 08:00:16','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We have all encountered the awkward situation when a family member offers you something that you really don\'t want or need, but to prevent hurt feelings you begrudgingly accept it into your home or worse yet get a storage facility to house said belongings, when what you really want to do is get rid of it.  <!--more-->I have done it myself and later was upset for accepting something I knew I didn\'t want. Yes, I know what some of you are saying...you\'d rather sacrifice your space than hurt your family member\'s feelings.  I definitely understand that thought process, but I also think honesty is best for everyone.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Begin the \"get rid of it\" Conversation</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I truly believe that there is a way to begin the conversation with your loved one(s) so you don\'t intentionally hurt their feelings. I also encourage you to start the conversation as early as possible, this gives them time to process what you are saying.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My parents and I have regularly discussed death in our family, but we are a military family so this is par for the course.  You are prepared to know things may change in the blink of an eye, although you pray it doesn\'t.  Well, once my father retired we continued these discussions and also began discussing how to handle their belongings upon their death.  I used it as an opportunity to ask what they wanted us to do with their stuff...making sure to mention specific pieces so we could open the discussion.  One such item was the china cabinet that my parents had, which was older than me.  It <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5569\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/dining-room-740231_640-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Dining Cabinet\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />was beautiful, but I didn\'t feel it suited my decor and I also didn\'t have space for it in my home. After determining that no one wanted it, she decided to try and sell it so she could get something that better suited their current needs. [stay tuned for the final results of my parent\'s new dining room]</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Use the Conversation Flip Technique</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Using the conversation flip is a great tactic to use when your loved ones are trying to give or save something for you that you don\'t want.  Ask the question, \"Why are you getting rid of it?\", then use some of the same words they use to explain why you can\'t use it either.  For example your mom says, \"I\'m moving into a one bedroom nursing facility so I can\'t take it with me, I want you to take it.\" Your response could be, \"You know mom I definitely understand that, and as beautiful as I feel it is I just don\'t feel like we have the room in our home either.  Why don\'t you see if there is a nursing facility or other organization that could use it and appreciate it as much as we do?\" Then talk about the memories you have of the item.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>How to Avoid Hurt Feelings</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5570 alignright\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Getting-Rid-200x300.png\" alt=\"Getting Rid of Your Parent\'s Stuff\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The key is to start the conversation before it is necessary. Mention it in passing so when the time  comes it isn\'t a shock to your loved one. Over time, you will find a diplomatic way to not accept other people\'s stuff into your space (those things you don\'t want nor need) and no one will be left  with a broken heart. I think many times we are assuming that is how the other person would feel, when honestly they just want it out of their house. Now, there are some situations where you would be completely correct and the individual\'s feelings would be hurt...and I get it. So, if you have gotten suckered...I mean agree to take something you know you don\'t want or need, I suggest you set a time limit as to how long it will remain in your home or space out of guilt.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>After Loved Ones Are Gone</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, for those who had the unfortunate experience of inheriting a loved one\'s possessions after they have passed away I can only imagine how difficult this may be for you.  I would suggest trying to select a few key pieces that mean the most to you and letting go of the rest, once you have mourned. To bring a house full of furniture to a home that is already packed to the hilt, or to get a storage facility to store it forever (because that is usually what happens) is not giving the items any more honor than if you sold them or donated them to a charity that could really use them.  Stop and really look at the items and determine why you want to keep them. If it is for memory sake only, I encourage you to work towards giving them to a place or a person who could really use them...THIS will be honoring your loved one in the best way possible. Identify an organization or cause that was important to your loved one and donate items to them.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All in all, I believe the key is starting the conversation before you need it. This will help set the mindset (Stage 1 of my <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/courses/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Organizational Roadmap</a>), so when the time comes you are ready and willing to let go of those items that no longer serve a purpose in your life or the life of your loved one.</p>','How to Get Rid of Our Parent\'s Stuff and Not Add to Our Clutter','','publish','open','open','','get-rid-of-parents-stuff','','','2019-07-27 05:17:34','2019-07-27 05:17:34','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3507',0,'post','',1),(3519,560,'2015-09-11 13:06:22','2015-09-11 13:06:22','&nbsp;\n\nOkay Stats\n\n&nbsp;\n\nStarting Weight 260\n\nLowest weight - 155 ( Oct 2014 - during healthy wage challenge )\n\nCurrent weight- 167\n\nGoal weight- 140- (Still recovering from the Honeymoon)\n\nBMI 27 it says I\'m overweight\n\n(honestly I am cause I have too much fat still on my body)\n\nBody goals- slimmer thighs, COMPLETELY flat stomach, no love handles\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSo basically its the old sayings - Eat right and exercise but that is easier said than done\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>you have to do it for yourself- if its about anyone else you aint gone stick with it</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>Set <strong><u>realistic</u></strong> goals and milestones for you so you\'re not just out here hoping for your goal weight and nothing else- My first goal was to look good in my clothes ( not a number of lbs ) Here’s the rest from 2009-Present</li>\n</ul>\n-get under two hundred\n\n- stay under two hundred\n\n- look good in a swimsuit\n\n- Get small enough for Justin to pick me up\n\n- look good in my wedding dress\n\n-look good in a two piece. (I can send you a pic but cannot share it - Thanks Johnson &amp; Johnson)\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li><strong><u>Get a scale and weigh  yourself every two weeks</u></strong></li>\n</ul>\n(that sounds like a lot but you should weigh more than once a month)\n\nThere will be times when you see minimal changes in numbers and get disgruntled( I am obsessed and i weigh myself 2-3 times a days but that\'s Me.  DO NOT DO THIS!!!!   I would suggest <strong><u>not</u></strong> to do it every week but at Max 1 time per week.  Also if you do weigh in try it on a Monday.  Then you will see the effects of what you did on the weekend.  A lot of ppl do well during the work week but struggle on the weekend. Ps make a chart and right things down- note your weight, measure your chest, waist and hips.  Either do it yourself each month or have the same person do it for you.  Even when you weight seems to plateau you may be losing inches!\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li><strong><u>Nutrition nutrition nutrition</u></strong>- It is hand in hand with Exercise.  You CANNOT eat badly and still get where you want to be! Have a plan for meals.  Ex.  If you are going to a party plan your meals throughout the day better (lighter so if you eat at th party you will be able to maintain.  Do not eat out as much.  That saves money AND Calories meals ( many more details just ask)</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li><strong><u>Work it out-</u></strong> this is often the hard part but you gotta do it. My secret is two fold</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li>Find something you like (I love kickboxing )</li>\n	<li>Find something that pushes you ( Running)</li>\n</ol>\nI have always since a kid been obsessed with kickboxing.  So I love that I have since discovered spin class which is an excellent calorie burn and total body work out.\n\nThen there is running.  This is scary to some ppl but don’t be afraid.  Start out Walking! Yes!! You will have to go twice as long but you can still burn those calories and also it great for cardiovascular health.  I started out running in batches.  I like running out side.  So I pick a point and go.  Then I started trying to run a few minutes.  Like 5 then  10 then I got up to a mile.  After I discovered I could run a mile I just kept going.  I push myself to do as much as I can to run until I can’t anymore.  Most days my goal is always to make it back to the house without stopping.  Sometimes I run 1.5 and sometimes I push it to my best with was 4.2.  Either way do you and just try.  Don’t get intimidated its just your will.  Get it done\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li><strong><u>Don’t quit-</u></strong> it takes at minimum 18 days to turn something into a habit so don’t give up.  You need to keep it going .  at first I suggest don’t cheat be strict but keep up with your plan and you will be rewarded</li>\n</ul>\nWhen its all said and done you have to WANt it.  You have to do this for you.  If you don’t want it it won’t happen.  Don’t get caught up in having a workout buddy cause they won’t always be there.  Don’t get me wrong it is great to have a close circle of friends to hold you accountable (trust me I have mine #teamshrinking)  but they will not be with you through ever meal, every crunch, every mile so suck it up get out there and get healthy for you\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li><strong><u>Don’t’ forget about God-</u></strong> I would not have been able to do this without him.  When I’ve been exhausted, sad hurt, mad whatever he’s there.  I have prayed that he help me lose weight and it happened.  I pray that he gives me strength and he does.  When I am dedicated(working on it countdown to daily morning run is 5/3 when the sun is up at 6 am again) I take Wed morning off and instead of running with a great play list I run and think about God.  I pray and talk to him.  It’s a great meditation time.  But I always start each run off with a little pray just thanking God for waking me up and blessing me.  Try it .  Prayer works yall.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\nI began this journey in the summer of 2007 after I broke up with my long time College boyfriend.  He had cheated on me and I kept asking why.  To myself.  Why wasn’t I good enough what did I do wrong, was she prettier than me was she nicer than me etc.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI knew one thing form looking at the myspace page(where my college besties found his dirt ) that she was in fact skinnier than me.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThat was a wake up call\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAt first I put him down.  He was a jerk but I thought to myself he wasn’tthta attractive and had acne and was a band geek anyway but so what.  I wasn’t perfect either and I did love him.  So then I re evaluated myself anfd thought ok.  So you’ve been a couple for two years and now you’re on your own.  What now.  iI tried dating around for a while and going out to the club but at the end of the day the night life was never my thing and I have always been a one guy kind of woman so I said cool.  Let me take his opportunity to work on me.  My weight at my largest was 260.  I am not 100 % sure I ws that heavy at this time but I know I was close.  So I began to put in work.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDuring my entire college process besides some of my best friends from home there was someone who was always there for me.  My cousin.  She was an inspiration as she was intelligent and pretty and had her master degree.  She also owned her own home and lived on her own.  These were all things I wanted to have! She was independent and was very smart, real and positive.  I loved hanging with her and all of my family since we were kids but during colleg we really became much tighter.  I took the time to spend many weekends visiting her and my second home Nashville.  In the past my “home” was at my aunt and uncle’s house(her parents) but as I struck out on my own I began to always stop in and visit them and just stay with her.  She lived on the other side of the city so we always got to share a Friday night meal with my favorite Aunt and uncle and then she and I would hang out, watch random shows on Tivo and just talk.  Over the years this happened so often I would be put off if we went out and got too tired to stay up lol.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBut theses talks were more than just a catch up session or short bonding experience.  They were times for me to share who I was who I was becoming and to seek her advise for m varying situations.  Wheteher it was family business or dating life she lways gave me a fresh perspective and a real talk answer that helped me wheteher I liked it or not.  She would give me perspective on how to handle relationship issues, compromise love struggles and eventually was instrumental in helping me find myself.  I knew that she was strong and so when I found myself alone (romatically) he helped me to understand that life was n’t over.  It’s cliché but I was better off.  Even having known him because after talking to her I relized these were experiences I needed to have.  He taught me things about respect, and honesty and dependability and especially trust. By not having those things he helped me to know exactly what I wanted ot have in a relationship.  He helped me grow form a naïve little girl to an more knowledgable and realistic woman.  She helped me to take these lesssons analize them and use them for my good.  She had been there, we all have and regardless of your situation often times there is something that someone older than you can either relate to or provide some different type of perspective on.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI cherish the times we spent together and a while sitting here thinking I am wishing for another weekend to go visit.  Of course I can do this at any time but now we are both married so Hubbies must tag along lol\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe has been one of my rocks an unmoving supportive force that has only grown stronger through the years.  It’s funny because she gets to experience most of life’s normal journeys before me and share with me the deets .  lol.  She was married and I got to share with her and Primo and sing at their wedding.  She became a mother and I got to come to her shower and support her and meet and love on my sweet little cousin who was the flower girl in my wedding.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI haven’t taken that last hurdle but I know when I do when sill be there waiting just to encourage me and enlighten me\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nNow she is encouraging me to take my time in the nesting process to set clear goals and to encourage my hubby to do his part ot help out as well.  Its strange to be at the ppoint in my life talking about my husband is a normal thing but that’s were I am.  I am glad that she has gone through so many things because since I have know her she has always been a source of good sound advise, encouragement and increasingly in the last few years a spiritual example and  guide.  She is one of the most positive people I know (ie the Happness bucket)\n\nAnd it is just so wonderful to know her.  I look forward to driving up the road ( a couple of hours lol ) soon to see my favorite Prima and her/ our family.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBut prior to that','#THBLYT:  Lifestyle Change Transformation','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:17:32','2019-07-27 05:17:32','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3519',0,'post','',0),(3524,560,'2015-06-24 08:00:27','2015-06-24 08:00:27','Downsizing Seniors is often a difficult task, because many times they have lived in one space a long time and have accumulated years and years of personal belongings.  We encourage you, whether you or your parents are of a senior age, to begin the process early.  We typically know when there will be a need for living arrangement shifts or changes within the next few years.  I like to say don\'t anticipate the worst, but plan for the future.  It is never a good idea to wait until tragedy strikes or an ailment forces living arrangement changes and you have to deal not only with the incident, but also the clutter at the same time.\r\n\r\nHere are six great tips given by Mary Kay Buysse, executive director for the National Association of Senior Move Managers in an article I recently ran across by <em>Marni Jameson </em>on www.nola.com:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Bring in an outsider:</strong> Parents, no matter how old, will always see their children as children. When the adult child takes control, that upsets the equilibrium. \"It can get messy,\" Buysse said. Couples often resort to blaming each other for the excess. Having an unrelated objective party helps a lot.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>It gets easier:</strong> Start with the easiest places, Buysse said. Clear out the basement, the garage, and the kids\' bedrooms. Over time, you get desensitized to the downsizing process, so it gets easier.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Attitude is everything:</strong> Moves to downsize are easier when seniors choose to move..., rather than when the move chooses them, which happens when they become too frail, have an accident, lose a spouse who made independent living possible or start having cognitive issues.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Find the silver lining:</strong> \"At first glance, moving into a smaller home or into assisted living may seem to seniors like their independence is shrinking, but it\'s actually expanding,\" Buysse said. \"Going to the right level of care can expand independence and quality of life and extend life.\"</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>For a fee:</strong> Most senior move managers charge between $25 and $60 per hour, according to an NASMM survey; most (82 percent) spend between 17 and 33 hours total per client.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Allow time:</strong> It took 40 years to build a home. You don\'t have to dispose of it all in two weekends. Give the process the dignity it deserves. But do keep moving.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHopefully these tips and insights will give you the courage you need to start on your decluttering journey.  You will thank yourself later.  Please use the following link if you would like to read the entire article <a href=\"http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2015/03/how_to_help_a_senior_downsize.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Help A Senior Downsize</a> on www.nola.com\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Tips for Downsizing Seniors','','publish','open','open','','tips-to-downsizing-seniors','','','2019-07-27 05:17:33','2019-07-27 05:17:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3524',0,'post','',0),(3529,560,'2015-06-15 08:00:31','2015-06-15 08:00:31','<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">Have you ever just stopped to watch your child play?  Just stopped and really watched their thought process and the joy with which they approach everything they do?  Well, being the mother of a toddler I have and I can tell you they have such a sweet yet intense spirit.  They don\'t really know fear, they are full of love, they have tons of determination, they are extremely curious and the smallest little things excite them.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">Just think about your life, can you say the same?  Do you let fear hold you back from your dreams?  From trying new things that could be rewarding?  Do you limit who you love based on society or what your \"friends or family\" may think...and lets not just talk about love love...lets talk about love thy neighbor love...the Jesus love.  Oh and the determination of a child to do something they have set their minds out to do!  Let me tell ya, they are serious about try and try again...now, they may cry from frustration from time to time...but they don\'t stop do they.  They just keep trying and trying.  Man what a lesson we could learn from the babies.  Now, lets not forget their heightened level of curiosity because everywhere they turn there is something new to learn.  We all know you never stop learning, but where did our curiosity for new things go? When did we stop wanting to know about new and different things?  Finally, that brings me to their excitement for life.  Oh they love the small things in life...squirts from a water bottle, the arrival of mom or dad, finding a penny, getting to water the flowers, helping to mix the cake, having imaginary tea, and so much more.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">I challenge you to approach this next week with a child\'s view...try to let go of the small stuff and just enjoy your life.  Go to work with the desire to learn and discover new things.  As you encounter other people, put on a child\'s compassion and love and see if your day doesn\'t look a little different.  Sometimes we get so caught up in living our lives that we don\'t realize we have acquired such a huge shield that it is not only heavy but burdensome.  Let the shield go people and know that you don\'t need it, because if we had...God would have given it to us when we were born.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">I hope you have found these words helpful and that you will begin making the necessary changes in your life so you can be the happiest you possible.  If you haven\'t already, make sure you join our facebook group <a title=\"The C.H.A.N.G.E Center Community\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/THBNoMoreDebt/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The C.H.A.N.G.E Center Community</a> and subscribe to our blog to ensure you are the first to receive all of our posts.</p>','#THBChange: Viewing Life with a Child\'s Lense','','publish','open','open','','thbchange-viewing-life-with-a-childs-lense','','','2019-07-27 05:17:34','2019-07-27 05:17:34','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3529',0,'post','',0),(3541,1,'2015-06-17 21:38:59','2015-06-18 02:38:59','<strong>June 25, 2015 - 6:30 p.m. cst  (Recorded)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Don\'t Go Chasing Waterfalls - A practical project management approach using an hybrid agile and waterfall method for non-development projects</strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Please note:  There were a few technical/audio issues at the beginning of the recording, but they fade away once the teaching begins.</span></strong></p>\r\n[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM9Tpm8Gm_w[/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This event was in conjunction with Global Sisters in Project Management (\"GSPM\"), a small group of black women project managers which was started in 2006.  The Mission of GSPM is to build a network of minority women in the field of project management.  To become a primary resource for the advancement of its members by enhancing their knowledge base through educational opportunities, mentoring and creating alliances with other professional organizations.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For additional information about GSPM, please send an email to gspmmeetings@gmail.com.</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Hybrid Agile and Waterfall Project Methodology','','publish','open','closed','','hybrid-agile-waterfall','','','2018-03-19 15:36:58','2018-03-19 15:36:58','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?page_id=3541',0,'page','',0),(3547,560,'2015-06-19 08:00:32','2015-06-19 08:00:32','How many times have you moved or avoided clutter in your space...and I\'m not referring to your family either?  Do you do this because you truly don\'t need it at the time or just because it was in your way?  Well, here are my thoughts on how you can begin to change this behavior and tackle the clutter.  <!--more-->\r\n<h1>Clutter Facts</h1>\r\n1.  Collectively, it takes you more time to perform the procrastinating NON-actions listed above then it will take to resolve the issue.  Avoidance doesn\'t make the problem go away.\r\n\r\n2.  Every item/item type in your home should have an address.  Think of it like your favorite restaurant...you know where it is because it has an address.  You can always find it and direct people to it and after a while you don\'t even think about how to get there it is just second nature, your belongings are the same way.\r\n\r\nThe reason things are constantly getting moved or avoided is because they either don\'t have permanent addresses in the neighborhood of your home...they are homeless (need a home) or they are just lost and really belong in a different neighborhood (the clutter that needs to leave your home).\r\n<h1>How to Conquer Clutter</h1>\r\nSo the way to conquer this clutter and the organization in your home is to first eliminate the things you regularly avoid or move.  Anything that remains should have an address within your home.\r\n\r\nOver the next week, anything you move or find yourself normally avoiding...stop and think about why. If you answer with any of these:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>What is this anyway?</li>\r\n 	<li>We don\'t need this.</li>\r\n 	<li>I haven\'t used this in years.</li>\r\n 	<li>This is broken.</li>\r\n 	<li>I hate this!</li>\r\n 	<li>This isn\'t ours.</li>\r\n 	<li>This doesn\'t fit.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThen that is a sign you should let it go.  Put it in a box or bag and get it out of your home.  Don\'t over think the process, just \"let go and let [it] flow\"...right on out your house.  As the week goes on you will find it gets easier and easier to eliminate the clutter.  Now, realistically you may not finish your space in a week, but you will have tackled/found the key to eliminate the clutter.','How To Tackle Clutter in 1 Week','','publish','open','open','','thborganize-how-to-tackle-clutter-in-1-week','','','2019-07-27 05:17:34','2019-07-27 05:17:34','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3547',0,'post','',1),(3555,1,'2015-06-21 01:06:05','2015-06-21 06:06:05','','Dana no background','Dana Morales, MPA, PMP\nOwner','inherit','open','open','','dana-no-background','','','2016-02-12 23:52:07','2016-02-12 23:52:07','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/dana-no-background.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3557,560,'2015-06-22 08:00:45','2015-06-22 08:00:45','People often mention how happy I am and how my life seems perfect and I am always quick to tell them that I and my life are both far from perfect, I just choose to focus on the good in life. There are times when this is beyond hard, but the one thing that gets me through is my faith in God. I prefer to let my light shine instead of my pain. &nbsp;You see we all have a choice in life to learn the lesson from our trials and move forward or to stay stuck in the roundabout of life circling and circling in the pain, sorrow of our situation. I try to remember when I am upset or hurt that I am blessed beyond measure and to look for the lesson in the situation. &nbsp;Pray for guidance and patience to get through it, because we weren\'t promised to have no struggles, but we were promised eternal life with our Heavenly Father.&nbsp;\n\nI know there have been a number of incidents in the news lately, and I try to pray about them instead of commenting on them. &nbsp;So instead of commenting I will share this with you. &nbsp; Don\'t put your trust and faith in man, because you will always be heartbroken and disappointed, instead...put your trust in God and your whole view of this sad cold world will change. &nbsp;You see Jesus is the center of my joy and no matter what comes my way, I will do my best to praise Him anyway, despite of. &nbsp;So I encourage you, no matter what you are going through to turn it over to the Lord...know if He lead you to it, He will lead you through it. &nbsp;You can conquer whatever you are struggling with...you can achieve those goals you are setting as long as you keep your eyes and mind on the right thing...our Heavenly Father. He will give you all the help you need.&nbsp;\n\nI pray something you have read today on this site has blessed your soul, because we strive to help you holistically in dealing with the clutter in your life. Please consider subscribing to our blog to get updates regarding our regular postings. We also encourage you to join our Facebook group, \"THB C.H.A.N.G.E Center Community\" &nbsp;where we offer a supportive community to help you through your projects and goals.&nbsp;','What is at the Center of your Joy?','','publish','open','open','','thbchange','','','2019-07-27 05:17:34','2019-07-27 05:17:34','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3557',0,'post','',0),(3576,1,'2015-06-22 17:44:01','2015-06-22 22:44:01','','Bonus Rm Before','Bonus Rm Before the great transformation.','inherit','open','open','','img_0130','','','2015-06-22 17:44:01','2015-06-22 22:44:01','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/img_0130.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3593,560,'2015-06-26 08:00:20','2015-06-26 08:00:20','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">How many times have you looked into your full closet and said, \"I have nothing to wear\"?  It is a mantra that is repeated all over the world on a regular basis.  It is a common issue because a number of us have excess weight that we are trying to let go of.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'m not just talking about the actual excess weight you may be carrying.  I\'m talking about all those unused clothes taking up space in your closet that need to be removed.  It is a well known fact that you wear 20% of your clothing 80% of the time.  So, why have all those unused clothes in there?</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>My Unintentional Experiment</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I recently proved the 80/20 rule to myself because of my excess weight issue.  None of my clothes were fitting properly and I refused to purchase new ones.  I knew I needed to buckle down and lose the weight and decided I\'d \"suffer\" until I did.</p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>Want to learn my secrets to losing 4 dress sizes and almost 40 pounds the healthy way with no exercise?  <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/weight-loss-journey/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Check out my weight loss journey</a>.</blockquote>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What actually happened is I made it through the entire winter wearing the same five pairs of pants and a few dresses.  It was amazing that it really didn\'t cause me any problems other than making sure the pants were washed and dried before I needed to wear them.  I began to really think about this and decided that enough was enough.  It was time for my closet to shed its excess weight.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3175\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"306\"]<img class=\"wp-image-3175\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/img_5831-e1435294954431.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5831\" width=\"306\" height=\"278\" /> Organized Clutter[/caption]\r\n<h2>Shedding the Excess Weight</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You see many of us go through the process of decluttering and organizing our home and that is great...it looks orderly and everything is in its place, but when you really look at what is there, you realize you don\'t use any of it.  That it is orderly junk...orderly waste...orderly clutter.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I admit it, I had clothes in my closet that fit my body, but I didn\'t like.  So what would happen?  I\'d go to my closet push clothes around on the rod skipping over those detested items and gravitate to the same 20%.  Well, one day I got a bee in my bonnet and I said enough is enough.  I removed all those items that I didn\'t really like...those items I regularly skipped over.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I put all of those items in a box and immediately took them to the local shelter.  Ask me if I miss any of those items and the answer is NO!  What I did discover were the remaining clothes!  They all of a sudden had a new life...I began to see color I had never seen before.  I started experimenting with new combinations of tops and bottoms, with scarves.  It honestly was like I was going into a new closet.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Getting Clarity in Your Closet</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The other thing this did for me is that now I know exactly what I need to \"complete\" my wardrobe. No more thinking I have something I could use.  I got rid of anything that I didn\'t like as well as anything that was worn or had tears or discoloration.  It didn\'t matter if I wore it or not...you have to draw a line somewhere.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I encourage you, to take a sweep through your closet.  Don\'t think about it, just go through it and pull out anything that isn\'t high on your list of things you WANT to wear.  You may be tempted to keep it due to how much it cost or who gave it to you, but the reality is you haven\'t been wearing so why keep it in your closet?</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Take the plunge, rid yourself and your closet of the excess baggage and let me know how it feels to be free.  Also, if you are worried about not having enough clothes to wear, just remember you wear the same 20% anyway...so letting go of the stuff you avoid isn\'t going to hurt you...it\'s going to free you.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I hope you have found these words helpful and that you will begin making the necessary changes in your life so you can be the happiest you possible.</p>','How to Get Rid of Excess Weight','','publish','open','open','','how-to-get-rid-of-excess-weight','','','2019-07-27 05:17:33','2019-07-27 05:17:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3593',0,'post','',2),(3613,560,'2015-07-03 08:00:04','2015-07-03 08:00:04','<h1>Bringing Order To Your Mobile Life</h1>\r\nToday, we are going to talk about the area that all of us have to address at some point or another...your car! Yes, the space most of us spend at least 20% of our time in, if not more.  This is a space that can easily get out of hand  if we don\'t create a system that works. I want to tell you how I am able to keep a clean car even with a child in tow.\r\n\r\nWell, for the past couple of months I have really been focusing on this space, because it was driving me nuts!  You see before I had my daughter I had an organized and clean car. Now, don\'t get me wrong...it was never spotless, there were always the random runaway fries under my seat or dust on the dashboard, but <img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4923\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/refuel-2157211_640-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Refuel Gas\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" />the car itself was organized and clean.  .\r\n\r\nWell, fast forward to almost a year and a half later and I was about to lose my mind...I felt like I\'d never see a clean car again.  It was always a mess.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://ctt.ec/5aw53\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/bg-twitter.png\" alt=\"Tweet: I\'m not going to use the \" /></a><strong>Well, I decided enough was enough and I wasn\'t going to use that \"I\'m a mom, you wouldn\'t understand\" excuse to justify my lack of order any more. </strong>\r\n<h2>My Clean Car Plan</h2>\r\nSo, I created a plan...I decided every time I stopped for gas I would do a clean sweep of the car. This entailed throwing out any trash I could see -receipts, cups, napkins, etc. I had purchased a collapsible trunk organizer that had two compartments and several mesh pockets along with Velcro strips on the bottom. I put anything that didn\'t have an immediate need, was a return or needed to go into the house in one of the two compartments.\r\n\r\nI also cleaned out the door pockets and inner console and designated what went in each...again assigning an address to my belongings. So...once all this was determined the key question is did my plan work?\r\n<h2>A Small Window of Time</h2>\r\nYes, I kept with it, and I once again have a clean car (most of the time)!  It has been great!\r\n\r\nBy using the gas filling time to maintenance the inside of my car I knew I would do it at least once a week. It gave me a small window of time to knock it out and I always knew where everything was in my car. Now, this still didn\'t address the runaway fries, which now had multiplied because there were mine and my daughters in there, but we can only tackle one thing at a time!\r\n\r\nI can say that as of the writing of this post all runaway fries and other things lint and dirt that sneak under your seat, have found their way to the inside of a vacuum.  Apparently I got a bee in my bonnet about seeing all that stuff.\r\n\r\nOne other thing I do is I now keep a few grocery bags in the pocket of my backseat. This is really helpful when you are stuck in traffic to gather trash or to go through your glove compartment.  You can also use them when corralling toys or other things to take in the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hope you found this content helpful.  If so, join our community to ensure you receive all the organizational content we have to share with you.\r\n\r\nUntil next time, happy organizing!','How You Can Keep Your Car Clean','','publish','open','open','','clean-car','','','2019-07-27 05:17:33','2019-07-27 05:17:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3613',0,'post','',0),(3619,560,'2018-01-13 08:00:46','2018-01-13 08:00:46','How many times have you looked around and realized you had notes written on every type of surface.  Sticky notes, pads of paper, on the back of an envelope, on something you shouldn\'t have...\r\n\r\nThe day I discovered Evernote is the day that really changed the game for me and my family.  It is a program that truly understands the mobile person/family and keeping them organized.  So let me share 5 ways that Evernote can change your personal, family or business dynamic too.<!--more-->\r\n<h1>Use Evernote for Grocery and Stockpile Lists</h1>\r\nHow many times have you been at the store and thought, how much of XYZ do we have and you pick one up just in case to get home and see you have three.  Okay well what about when your spouse is going by the grocery store and he/she calls you at work and says, honey do we have XYZ at home?  You are thinking, I have no idea?!?!?  Well, my husband and I now use Evernote to keep track of both our grocery and stockpile list.  It is great!  At any time we are at the store we can pull it up on our mobile device and add it.  It is also great for those moments when you are out and remember you need this or that...you can just open it and add it right there.  This has changed the game!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Use Evernote for Home Management</h1>\r\nSo I am a big proponent of the home management binder, but the one problem I always had was trying to keep the info updated in the binder...and everyone having the info handy when it was needed.  Well low and behold Evernote resolved that issue for us.  We now have it electronic\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-3294 alignleft\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/proj-mgmt-website-image.png?w=300\" alt=\"Pen and Journal\" width=\"268\" height=\"151\" />\r\n\r\nin this system.  I have a \"note\" that lists all of our information from light bulb brands/sizes to the air conditioner man\'s number and rates.  Again, it is all there and can be shared with the necessary people.  Just yesterday my husband called to ask me the sizes of our filters.  Unfortunately, it wasn\'t in Evernote, but it is now!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Use Evernote for Email To Do\'s</h1>\r\nA feature of Evernote I love is the Outlook email capture feature.  Now, I\'m not sure if this is a feature in all email or even email on your mobile device, but I have this plugin on my work computer.  So, as I work, if I get an email with an action item attached to it I can either just add it to an Action - To Call list I have set up or I can capture that email, removing the info I don\'t need from it and just save the action that way.  This has allowed me to reduce my email box size as well as millions of trees.  Now yes, you could do this in your mail system, but if you choose to do that make sure your notes/tasks are available offline when you aren\'t on your computer.  As you guys know I like to batch my work, so knowing I\'m working on a project to knock out XYZ and can just tunnel vision into that makes me very happy and Evernote allows me to do just that.\r\n<h1>Use Evernote\'s Website Capture Feature</h1>\r\nThis is another great feature that allows you to take pieces of a webpage and save it as well.  This is helpful for those projects you work on where you need the website visual so you know what to do or to reference for a short period and then you can get rid of it.  You really don\'t want to save it in your favorites but you don\'t want to lose it either.\r\n<h1>Use Evernote to keep track of Random Lists</h1>\r\nI maintain a number of lists with this system as well.  Book reading order list, list of vendors I like to use for my business, list of items I need to research, Sizes of my In-Law\'s, etc.  The other great things is that you can set reminders for your \"notes\" too.  There is a checklist bullet that allows you to check things off as you complete them as well.\r\n\r\nAs you can see, the ability to create notes and lists on the fly and sync them through all of your devices is something that has changed our world.  Something I didn\'t even mention is the fact that you can tag your notes for easy retrieval, but it also has a great generic search and the fact that you can share your notes with others or just print them.  I encourage you to give it a try, it is free so what will you lose.  Make sure to share what you think about it and if you have used it for other purposes I\'d love to hear that too.\r\n\r\nUntil next time, happy organizing!\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I hope you found some useful information in this post. If you did, please consider letting me know.</p>','5 Ways that Evernote Organized My Life','','publish','open','open','','organizing-with-evernote','','','2019-07-27 05:16:32','2019-07-27 05:16:32','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3619',0,'post','',0),(3636,1,'2015-07-23 21:47:11','2015-07-24 02:47:11','','Freezer Inventory','','inherit','open','open','','freezer-inventory','','','2015-07-23 21:47:11','2015-07-24 02:47:11','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/freezer-inventory.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3638,1,'2015-07-23 22:12:13','2015-07-24 03:12:13','','IMG_6413','','inherit','open','open','','img_6413','','','2015-07-23 22:12:13','2015-07-24 03:12:13','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/img_6413.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3639,1,'2015-07-23 22:12:14','2015-07-24 03:12:14','','IMG_6415','','inherit','open','open','','img_6415','','','2015-07-23 22:12:14','2015-07-24 03:12:14','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/img_6415.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3640,1,'2015-07-23 22:12:14','2015-07-24 03:12:14','','IMG_6414','','inherit','open','open','','img_6414','','','2015-07-23 22:12:14','2015-07-24 03:12:14','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/img_6414.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3642,1,'2015-07-23 22:13:26','2015-07-24 03:13:26','','IMG_0005','','inherit','open','open','','img_0005','','','2015-07-23 22:13:26','2015-07-24 03:13:26','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/img_0005.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3649,560,'2015-08-10 18:30:48','2015-08-10 18:30:48','<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/mp900430526.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-1004 alignleft\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/mp900430526.jpg?w=220\" alt=\"Joy\" width=\"112\" height=\"153\" /></a>Where in the world has THB gone?  Well people I tell you July was a heck of a month, but I am not complaining…well anymore ha!  Even the happiest people have days when they need support and a shoulder to lean on and I am no exception.  Last month was packed full of shingles, lost, found and delivered surprise furniture, birthdays, 2 wisdom teeth, a physical that yielded some questionable results, and a dear friend who is adjusting to life being paralyzed.  Yes!!!! It has been a little rough, but even through the storm we must remember that we are still blessed and God has a plan for our lives.  So, although it has been a pretty painful month…I can honestly say there were still great moments and I am grateful for all of them.\r\n\r\nI will take this time to say that each and every one of you reading this post should get your phone out and schedule your physical for the year.  I have not always done that, but since I am all about living our truth…I decided enough was enough that I needed to get a new doctor (didn’t really care for my last one and used that as an excuse) and get a physical.  I took the shingle and wisdom tooth/teeth episode as a sign that I should take much better care of myself…so needless to say I spent the remainder of last month and beginning of this month going to doctor appointments.  I can honestly say everything is fine and my doctor and I have a plan of action in place for the next six months, so I guess that means it\'s time to get back on track with my weight loss journey!\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>Alright so enough about my healthy...now for some really exciting news!  </strong></span></p>\r\nDespite all the happenings last month, I was able to begin working on the highly requested new decluttering challenge and I hope you are just as excited as we are!','When Reality Hits You In the Face','','draft','open','open','','facing-reality','','','2019-07-27 05:17:33','2019-07-27 05:17:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3649',0,'post','',0),(3666,1,'2015-07-26 20:45:28','2015-07-27 01:45:28','','Sarah No Background','','inherit','open','open','','sarah-no-background','','','2015-07-26 20:45:28','2015-07-27 01:45:28','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/sarah-no-background.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3692,1,'2015-07-30 16:11:56','2015-07-30 21:11:56','','Website feature image','','inherit','open','open','','website-feature-image','','','2015-07-30 16:11:56','2015-07-30 21:11:56','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/website-feature-image.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3699,560,'2018-02-24 08:00:00','2018-02-24 08:00:00','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Let’s talk electronic bill pay.  This is something that has been around since the mid 90s, but I know many of you still don’t take advantage of it.  I honestly can’t tell you when I swapped from writing checks to paying electronically through my bank, but I can tell you I now pay all but one thing via electronic bill pay and that is our tithes to the church…although I could do that electronically, I just like having something to physically put in the collection plate each Sunday.</p>\r\nThe reason I am broaching this subject is because bills and the papers produced by them create a mountain of unnecessary paper in your home.  Add to that paper checks, boxes of checks, bank statements, etc. and you have a ton of paper and processes that can easily be eliminated.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setup Your Payee Accounts</span></h1>\r\nI set up all of the companies/Individuals I pay as payee accounts in my online bank account.  All you need is the bill or payee information in front of you to do this.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3700\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"364\"]<a href=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/boa.jpg\"><img class=\" wp-image-3700\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/boa.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Bank of America Manage Pay to Accounts area (Note: Your bank\'s area may look different)\" width=\"364\" height=\"147\" /></a> Bank of America Manage Pay to Accounts area (Note: Your bank\'s area may look different)[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou can actually stop here in the process and decide that every time you need to pay a bill you will just go online and “schedule a payment”.  If you choose to do this, just open your bill get the amount, go to your bill pay area of your bank website and enter the amount and date to pay.  Most banks have a two day processing time, so make sure to keep that in mind when scheduling the payment.\r\n<h1 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setup Reoccurring Payments</span></h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I choose to set all of my bills as reoccurring payments unless it isn’t something that comes regularly or the change in amount is too drastic (i.e., credit card - we don’t ever have a set amount because we try to pay it off each month).  Now, for those things that often change, but the change isn\'t drastic like our electric, gas and water bills, I put in an average amount as the reoccurring payment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Note:  The two steps above theoretically only have to be done once, unless you are adding a new payee account or changing your reoccurring payment.</em></p>\r\n\r\n<h1 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Review Your Account </span></h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the bill comes in each month, I look at the amount of the bill and the amount in my bill pay area, if they are different I update it with the correct amount for that payment.  This step literally takes me 5 - 10 mins, if that, twice a month (my routine is to go into my account twice a month to schedule payments, but sometimes I’m feeling froggy and I schedule them as soon as I get the bill. It usually depends on if I\'m at the computer/phone or not at the time I open the bill, whether electronic or hard-copy)  You can set your own schedule based on your <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">monthly budget</a>.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Benefits of Electronic Bill Pay</h1>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are a number of benefits to using electronic bill pay.  Here are just a few that I have noted over time:</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>I never miss a due date.  Life happens and sometimes you just get busy and a bill accidentally gets misplaced between the mailbox and your hands.  The way I have guesstimated my utilities they are more often on the high side, so I get a small credit on the next bill if I don\'t go in and change it in time;</li>\r\n 	<li>It is much easier than pulling out the checkbook and/or going to the location to pay in person;</li>\r\n 	<li>It eliminates the need to have a bill pay center in your home;</li>\r\n 	<li>It eliminates the need for postage;</li>\r\n 	<li>It eliminates or reduces the need for physical bill files - for utility type accounts or other monthly accounts that you pay in full, I only have one file.  I keep one month of each bill.  As soon as I get the next bill that shows the amount was paid in full, I discard the previous month, which eliminates the need to keep a separate file for each bill;</li>\r\n 	<li>Historical information is kept online, so no need to keep the physical paper and if you absolutely must have the information you can download and save the electronic copy of your payment history and/or bank statement;</li>\r\n 	<li>You get discounts when you receive your bank statement online and/or for some banks you get a perk when you activate online bill pay; and</li>\r\n 	<li>The information feeds into most personal/business accounting software systems like Mint</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1>Lets Discuss Your Concerns</h1>\r\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>What if I\'m barely making ends meet?</strong></span></h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So let\'s evaluate this for a minute because it is a valid concern.  If you are living paycheck to paycheck, I would suggest scheduling all the \"have to pay\" items, I discussed in the <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">budgeting course</a>, through your bank so you ensure they are paid on time and you don\'t incur late fees.  In my example, I get paid twice a month - the last day of the month and the 15th.  All of our bills are scheduled to come out around those two dates.  Even if the bill is due on the 25th I pay it on the 16th.  That way I know once those are paid how much money is left for the rest of that two week period.  If your due date is in the middle of that time frame, see if you can get it changed and/or pay it early.  There are a number of factors that need to be considered in this situation, but the first step is completing your budget so you know when and how you need to pay your bills.  This will allow you to compare when bills are due versus when the money will be in the account.  If you still need help after completing the <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free budgeting course</a>, I recommend, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/lifeorganization/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">scheduling a coaching session</a> with me to discuss your individual needs.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>What about direct debit?</strong></span></h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Well, I much prefer electronic bill pay through your bank over the direct debit system.  There is just something about companies having access to my checking account that I don\'t like.  I\'d rather an issue be on my end than on a computer or another person\'s end.  I\'ve had a situation where the person entered the information erroneously and debited my account twice in one month.  I understand mistakes, but if I had been struggling or living pay check to pay check that would have caused a ton of problems.  That being said, I do have a few of those set up because there was no other option offered (insurance/student loans).</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>What about security?</strong></span></h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With all of the system hacks companies are experiencing these days I can understand why you may be concerned with banking online.  I can tell you that they adhere to a pretty stringent security standard and I have never felt compromised when it came to online banking.  Also, banks are FDIC insured so your money is protected (up to $250,000).   I would say if you are concerned to contact your bank and discuss how they protect your online data and your account.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All in all, you can decide what method of online payment you want to test out, scheduled payments or reoccurring payments.  It is just one more way you can eliminate clutter in your home, streamline and better manage the bill paying process and set up a system to better control and organize your life.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you like this post, please make sure to signup for our mailing list so you know when more like it are posted.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>','How Electronic Bill Pay Helps You Declutter','','publish','open','open','','electronic-bill-pay','','','2019-07-27 05:16:00','2019-07-27 05:16:00','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=3699',0,'post','',1),(3700,1,'2015-07-31 11:31:03','2015-07-31 16:31:03','','BOA','Bank of America Manage Pay to Accounts area (Note: Your bank\'s area may look different)','inherit','open','open','','boa','','','2015-07-31 11:31:03','2015-07-31 16:31:03','',0,'http://ecbiz182.inmotionhosting.com/~thehap27/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/boa.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),