YMOYL FI - Step 1 !

[EarthSky]

I'm good with that date/goal! (April 24th, right?)

[reader99]

Requesting the SSA statement online:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/isss/main.html

2-4 weeks to recieve it

[HKPassey]

Hmmm.... this might be the kick start I need to actually start doing this. I'd like to see if two of my sons will join in, they should be back from out of state by then. Put me down as a definite maybe... lol. (I may be too busy packing for the foreclosure to actually write down an inventory, for instance. Sigh.)

And of course, you all know you can download the Financial Integrity (YMOYL) 9-Step guides as an additional help: http://financialintegrity.org/index....oadable_Guides,
perhaps finds some useful tools under http://financialintegrity.org/index....s_and_Examples and http://financialintegrity.org/index.php?title=Resources.

[Madsen]

Ok, so how many of us are on board with this? Just over 5 weeks 'til Easter!

[EarthSky]

I'm in

[sumarie]

Thanks, EarthSky, for the heads up about this thread. Yes, I will join you folks in working this first step of YMOYL. At the moment, I've begun tallying up my "assets", by discovering what's on the top shelf of my closet! (I posted another thread under the Organization section because I'm trying to keep up the work I started awhile back of downsizing unneeded/unloved/bothersome possessions). I don't have much in the way of tangible assets (1999 car, my computer, and a paper cutter being the most "valuable" -- monetarily, anyway), but I just wish for a better awareness of what "things" actually serve me, and which are zapping my space/energy, etc. I sense that a list will be instructive in many ways -- to see where my money went, to see what duplicates I probably don't need, etc., etc. So, how is everybody else working this step? As mentioned, I'm beginning in my closet, with clothes, but after that.....?

Thanks for the kick in the butt, everybody!

[reader99]

I just wish for a better awareness of what "things" actually serve me, and which are zapping my space/energy, etc. I sense that a list will be instructive in many ways -- to see where my money went, to see what duplicates I probably don't need, etc., etc. So, how is everybody else working this step? As mentioned, I'm beginning in my closet, with clothes, but after that.....?

Thanks for the kick in the butt, everybody!

I use an Excel spreadsheet. I have a section for each room or area of the condo and 3 for concepts (cleaning stuff, tools and jewelry). A person with lots of books, music and movies might have a section for each, or one section of media.
Bath
Kitchen
Closet
Living Area
Outside (porch and car)
Cleaning stuff
Jewelry
Tools

I went through each area and typed in the big obvious stuff like furniture and appliances. Then each time I worked on it I went into finer detail. Once when I let the laundry go a really long time, I had the chance while putting it all away to conveniently count how many of each category of clothing I had. I still occasionally find something I'm so used to seeing around the house that I overlooked putting it in the inventory.

I don't count consumables like food - it's a moving target and stays here for such a short time.

Some things can be either one thing or many, depending how you look at it. For instance my cosmetic case is one thing, but it contains 24 things. Another poster on these forums counts an object she can pick up in one hand as one thing, even if it contains many things. That makes sense to me. I have a small tackle box that contains small tools, nails, screws, household fixits. For ages I counted that as one thing. One day I got interested and sorted it all out, got rid of some things and counted the tools individually. Still counted a section full of nails as one thing though. So I added another column: Itemized

Here's a snip (unlike normal people I total columns at the top instead of the bottom):
[The Excel formatting didn't survive. The second number after each item may be larger if the item is a set, like the cosmetic case]
HOUSEHOLD INVENTORY
.................................................. ................Set... Itemized
.................................................. ................297... 549
BATH
Wicker hamper ..........................................1 ........1
Dehumidifier...................................... .........1 ........1
Square picture; multi-rectangle picture... 2........ 2
Wooden bowl with sand, plants, rocks ....1....... 8
Lighted magnifying make-up mirror .........1........ 1
Toothbrush holder, cup, jar, wastebasket, soap dish 5 5
Hairbrush, hair clip, toothbrush................ 3 .........3
Cosmetic case ..........................................1 .......24
Shower curtain; shower caddy .................2........ 2
Back brush, scrub gloves, nail brush .......3........ 3
Toilet brush, plunger.................................. 2....... 2
Bath and beach towels ..............................4 ......4
Electric clippers, scale............................... 2........ 2

[EarthSky]

Thanks for all the great suggestions and examples, reader99! I am now Psyched to start this process, as my youngest (and most likely to try to 'help' and resist purging) just left town for a few days w/her dad. I mention purging b/c I'm going to try to purge/consolidate/simplify as I'm taking inventory.
So, how many are on this quest, and how shall we offer support and hold each other accountable?? I think the following have committed (can you tell I'm an organizer? now if I can just apply that preference to this big task! -
- reader99
- EarthSky
- sumarie
- Madsen
- HKPossey
- Joyous_5 ?
Does that seem accurate??

PS LOVE the 'itemized' column idea. It's a great solution to counting/including all the little things!

[sumarie]

Yes thank you, Reader 99 -- those were great ideas and you've helped move me along. I did inventory my clothes, and then took your suggestion to start with large items in each room, and refine from there. I have the main bones I think...

EarthSky -- for purposes of Step 1, how can we divide up the task in smaller manageable bites? I, for one, pretty much know how much money I've made by looking at my Social Security forms, as well as monthly/yearly record-keeping that will tell me my cash-equivalent assets. I've turned my attention to inventorying Stuff, and plan to go about it methodically, I guess. Perhaps we could all report in on how we're tackling this task, and thus find ideas from others to keep us going?

[EarthSky]

Yes, sumarie, I was thinking primarily of the inventoring of 'stuff', as that seems to be one of the biggest hurdles for some of us!