The April 2015 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance has a great article on how to simplify your life and put money in your pocket by taking inventory of your possessions and eliminating the things you no longer need or use. The article gives some tips on how to deal with the emotions involved in parting with items of sentimental value. Four steps are to: 1) Compose a mission statement, 2) Enlist help (Merry Welcome is here to help!) 3) Scope out your new place, if moving,

While visiting a friend over the Christmas holiday I was entranced by a child's picnic table she had found. It was a bit battered so she had an artist friend paint it. Well, it turned into such a gorgeous piece of furniture, the picnic table that was destined for the outdoors instead become a visual piece of art in her family room. Around this same time, my sister and I were going to jazz up my mom's master bath for a Christmas gift. I knew exactly what we needed to do. My