Amy Slenker-Smith, Life and Business Coach

I help professional organizers attract clients and grow their business.

Amy Slenker-Smith

5 Minimalist Habits To Achieve Financial Freedom

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According to WalletHub, the average credit card balance per household is $11,507. When it comes to decluttering and organizing, it’s impossible to ignore the financial benefits. For my family, financial freedom was the single greatest gift we experienced when we chose to own less.  Our path to minimalism began when our son was young. Over time, we’ve sought to set an example by teaching the importance of debt-free living, owning less, and being intentional with our resources, especially money. These are character traits he embodies as a young adult from our example. Debt-Free Living The process began with a personal finance class that my husband and I took together. I was motivated to declutter anything that wasn’t nailed down in our house and never buy anything ever again. Meanwhile, he was motivated to accelerate our retirement savings and reduce our spending. We realized that step one was to eliminate every penny of consumer debt we had. We cut up our credit cards, …

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5 Things To Stop Buying And Save Money Every Month

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Our path to financial freedom began with embracing minimalism, getting rid of all the excess stuff in our home, and changing our spending habits. Over time, I’ve found there are things I no longer buy, which helps save money each month. Books I love books. They are easy to order online or pick up at the airport to take on vacation. But if you’re pursuing financial freedom and working to get out of debt, this is an item to stop buying. Books are free at the library. The library has every kind of book, including paperback, hardcover, e-books, and audiobooks. I love my small, highly curated book collection and my Kindle that holds multiple books with ease. Additionally, if you’re searching for specific books, you can belong to multiple library systems, even the Library of Congress. Most libraries take book requests to add to their collection. I have 15 books on hold at the library right now, many are new releases, and I’m never without something exciting to read. Years ago, I got rid …

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A Minimalist’s Guide to Dorm Room Essentials

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A few years ago, my son and I went to Target to buy items for his dorm room. Ironically, my minimalist epiphany occurred in the Target parking lot when he was a baby. But this trip was very different. We had a list of dorm room essentials and were intentional about every single purchase. We ask questions like: Are we sure we need something new? Can we repurpose an item we already own? Is this purchase absolutely essential on Day 1, or could you experiment without it for a few weeks? Will this item add value, and do you have space for it in a small dorm room? Can you live without this item and thus make it easier to keep your room clutter-free and neat?  Over the summer, we talked about what items to buy and, more importantly, what NOT to buy. I have seen obscenely long lists of alleged dorm room essentials. And I challenge many of these items. My dear friend sent me sales alerts about things to buy. And we've had some fun conversations about what each of us was …

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5 Minimalist Gift Ideas for a Clutter-Free Valentine’s Day

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Did you know that the Valentine’s Day tradition of giving candy started in the 1840s by Richard Cadbury, a descendant of a British chocolate manufacturing family? With a new chocolate-making technique, Cadbury seized the opportunity to sell chocolates as part of the beloved holiday.  And so began the love holiday celebrated with chocolates, flowers, and oversized teddy bears. But I must remind you that $16 billion is wasted on unwanted gifts every year. So, before you click add to cart or order over-priced flowers, let's consider some clutter-free and inexpensive options that won't ruin your budget. Make Dinner At Home During college, I waited tables at a local restaurant, as did my future husband. That's where we met, and we could tell you a tale or two! As a result, we do NOT recommend eating out on Valentine's Day. Service is not at its best, food quality suffers, and restaurants are overcrowded to get you in and out fast. Don't do it. Also, Valentine's Day is …

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How to Romjul – Guide to the Week between Christmas and New Years

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Every year, we look forward to winter break, especially the week after Christmas (a.k.a. Romjul). We often spend it at the beach with friends. After nearly 20 years, they are the kind of people who feel like family. And together, we have raised our kids. On one of those trips, we stumbled over the term, Romjul. Romjul accurately describes our experience between Christmas and New Year's Day. And now, we have a word for it. Romjul is a Norwegian holiday that refers to the week as a tranquil time to spend at home with friends and family undisturbed by the outside world. And a great time to rest, recharge and reset for the new year. The British equivalent is Boxing Week and I love the Danish term, "Yule Vacation." According to several articles, Romjul is more than a week on the calendar, it’s a mindset, a time to cozy up with loved ones, take long restorative walks, slow down and reflect on the past year. It gives us a reason to snuggle up on the couch and watch Hallmark. Awesome! …

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Not yet…Not Christmas Day

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The week before Christmas is my favorite week of the holiday season.  The kids are out of school, work projects wind down, school activities are over, and everyone is in the holiday spirit. In my corporate days, there was an unwritten rule that after a certain date, work literally stopped. Any long-term or difficult assignments were met with the phrase, "let's circle back after the holidays." Email out-of-office replies started popping up, indicating no response until January.  It's the time of year when you turn off the alarm and maybe even skip the gym. Shhh! Don’t tell Santa. You ease into the day with a Hallmark movie, coffee, and a blanket. I love to turn on the tree lights first thing in the morning.  It’s always evident we’re ready for a break. Time to rest and recharge. As a kid, I remember how much I looked forward to winter break. On the last day of school, my mom let me open a special present.  By the time I came home for Christmas break, our house …

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