THE KING OF COUNTER SU
Living It
Hey, A Guide to Downsizing WHAT TO KEEP, GIFT, DONATE, AND THROW OUT Many homeowners reach a point in their lives when they’re ready to move from the house they raised their families in to something smaller and more manageable. While finding the right place can be a challenge, the hardest part of downsizing is often sorting through a lifetime’s worth of possessions. This process, called contents downsizing, is much easier when you follow this four-step system. Start With the Junk Beginning your downsizing with the hardest items will only lead to frustration and inaction. Instead, start by tackling areas of the house that are full of documents, knickknacks, and boxes you haven’t touched in years. These will be the easiest to part with and will put you in the right downsizing mindset. Donate Unwanted Items The next category contains items that are no longer valuable to you or your family but may be useful to others. These items can be donated to one of many worthy organizations, such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or St. Vincent de Paul. Donations are a way to give back to the less fortunate instead of simply giving or throwing things away. Give Gifts to Loved Ones If you have children, they will undoubtedly want to keep a few cherished mementos and precious possessions. Deciding who will keep what can be a sensitive subject, so you’ll need to devise an equitable way to divvy up the goods. Some families engage in the process collaboratively, but there should always be some communication before anything is thrown out. Your kids may value certain items more than you ever realized. If you suspect a certain heirloom could be a source of contention, it’s best to hold on to it and make it part of your estate plan. Only Keep the Essentials After completing the first three steps, you should be left with only those items you actually use and those that have the most sentimental value to you. These are the objects worth bringing to your new home. Bonus Tip: Color Code Each Category Odds are that you’ll find junk and valuables stored right next to each other. If you don’t have time to physically separate them at the moment, use different colored Post-it notes to keep everything organized when it comes time to move.
This is Teton, Dr. Clark’s golden retriever. I don’t have much time to talk. I’m waiting for Dr. Clark to leave the kitchen. There’s some butter on the counter, and I want to get in on that. Oh, you thought a veterinarian would only have the best, most well-behaved dogs? If you’ve ever felt embarrassed to tell your veterinarian about your pet’s naughty behavior, trust me when I say that Dr. Clark has you beat. There’s a reason they call me the “king of counter surfing.” I may be 8 years old, but when there are cookies on the counter or birthday cake slices on the table, I can be very agile. I’ve eaten things most dogs should never eat — like a barbecue chicken, bones and all. But I’ve never become sick. You have to have an iron stomach to love food as much as I do! My greatest accomplishment was on a camping trip some years ago. My leash hadn’t been tied up one morning, and I smelled something great at the next campsite. When everyone else was distracted, I made my escape. Sure enough, there was a glorious breakfast set out on a picnic table
Salmon and Sweet Potato Cat Treats
Break out the silicone fish molds, we have a recipe for cat treats you’ll want to
make right away. Inspired by 12Tomatoes.com, this is a soft treat that’s great for all ages but is sure to be a favorite of older cats everywhere!
Ingredients
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●1 14 ounce can wild-caught salmon
●1 1/2 cups sweet potato, baked and mashed (no seasonings)
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●1 1/2 cups old- fashioned oats
●1/4 cup fresh parsley
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