Change? Who, Me?

 Many of you know that my husband and I have packed up our home in OR, and moved to CA. With that move came many changes.     

We left the climate of the Pacific north west for the much hotter and arid weather of northern CA. We left the high desert 3,500 ft above sea level, cold winters and couple feet of snow, and not many trees. Only to put down our roots in Paradise, 2,200 ft above sea level (no snow, or a dusting) and plenty of Cedars, pines, and hardwood trees. 

We left a city of 130,000 people to a city rebuilding after the devastating Camp fire 3 yrs ago and right now it only has a population of 1,200 people. Well, now 1,202! We love that. No more sitting in traffic trying to get across town. No more rush hour traffic! No more crowded restaurants or stores. And the traffic lights are all new and change with in 15 seconds!

People are friendly, kind and smile. Many lost their homes to the Camp fire, and are rebuilding in Paradise or have put in modulars and moved back.  And they welcome us as new residents. We are doing our part to help the town come back. We shop local as much as we can, even if we have to pay a little more.

I must add how this move has changed me! I've come to the conclusion I have collected an obscene amount of clothes and stuff over 40 years that I no longer need or wear. True some are old favorites but totally not in style any more. When I go to a book signing I want to look my best. Dress for success! Put my best look on, a current look that will say "Hey, I'm a professional and I care how I look."

I have changed in that I am no longer going to be attached to my old clothes. If I haven't worn it in 2 years, off it goes!

I'm going to be a minimalist. If I do decide to buy something new, then something in the closet has to go!

The same goes for all those knick-knacks and dust collectors. I mean do I need 18 different candle holders, when I use the same two or three all the time? I'm cutting back and donating. I no longer want clutter in my life, not physical or emotional.

When we were done packing the house we had 300 black crates with yellow lids, a very small part was from the garage. It was a quick move and we did not get to weed out at the time but threw everything in crates. 

Books are the hardest to weed out. I'm not talking about my one shelf of keepers, the books I'm sure I'll read again someday. I'm talking about books I've inherited or collected. I've a whole bookcase of those. I've never opened up one of them in all the years I've had them. Yikes!!! Do I really need all those, or is it an emotional attachment because of who gave them to me?

What things to you collect or become so attached to you don't think you'll ever part with it?

Giving Is Caring...But Do It Wisely by Kristin Wallace

This month’s theme is focusing on our favorite charities. Giving back to your community or helping a cause you support can be as rewarding for you as it is for those who receive the help. There are so many worthy organizations that it can sometimes be hard to know which ones are legitimate. Even the legitimate ones don’t always end up dispersing funds the way they should. Many spend more money on “administrative” costs than they do the people they’re supposed to be helping. They might spend so much time fundraising that the true cause becomes obscured. Recently, Wounded Warriors came under fire for the way the organization spent money. That was a big, well-known charity, which can make people wary of giving.

So how can you know which charities are spending money the right way?

Tips:

1. Do some investigation - One good place to check is Charity Navigator.  This entity looks at IRS forms to see how much of the donations are going to executive compensation, as well as other program costs. The site also gives ratings based on transparency when it comes to spending.

2. Try to find organizations that spend 75% or more of donations on their stated mission.

3. Look at local charities in your community. Sometimes you can see the results of your giving in an immediate way, such as when you donate to a local food bank. You might also choose to sit on the board or volunteer in some other way.

Here are some other articles that might give you insight before you donate.

Money Smart - How To Find Charities That Spend Money Wisely

Love to Know - What Percentage of Donations Go to Charity

Consumer Reports - Best and Worst Charities For Your Donations

I hope this gives you some good tips on how to choose the organization for your charitable giving.

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest release is COMING HOME TO PARADISE…

About the book:

Thirty years ago, desperation drove Elizabeth McCarthy to do the unthinkable when she abandoned her infant daughter, Layla, to the care of her mother. Now, after years of trying to outrun the memories and the guilt, Beth has come home to Shellwater Key to make amends. She has survived deadbeat relationships, becoming a single mother, and cancer, but now faces the most difficult battle of her life…finding a way to connect with the legendary mother she was never able to please…and earning the forgiveness of the daughter who has every reason to hate her. She might even have a chance to find the missing piece of her heart when Layla’s father arrives in town looking for answers.

Coming Home To Paradise is a powerful story of a woman who never felt like she was enough, despite being physically beautiful. It’s the story of a woman who has been broken by life, and by illness, and who now only wants to make things right. A story about discovering that it’s never too late to find true love…or more accurately…find the true love that slipped away.

For info visit Kristin’s website at: Kristin Wallace Author