Category Archives: Guest Contributions

We, at A Spacious Place, accept guest contributions on the subjects of creativity and/or spirituality. We welcome diverse perspectives, with the single requirement that the contributions respect all persons, treating no one as “less than.”

If interested, submit your work to contact@aspaciousplace.com. A Spacious Place does not pay for guest contributions. Opinions/comments in the Guest contribution are the authors and not A Spacious Place‘s.

Making the Move: Essential Considerations for Seniors Downsizing Their Homes

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Image: Freepik

When the time comes for seniors to consider downsizing, it’s important to make informed decisions to ensure a smooth transition. This move often involves selling one’s current home, which can be a complex process influenced by various factors including the real estate market, personal financial planning, and the physical task of decluttering. In this article, we’ll explore key considerations that can guide you through this significant change. Whether it’s deciding the best time to sell, understanding tax implications, or choosing to keep the home within the family, each aspect requires careful thought.

Assessing the Market’s Pulse

Understanding the current real estate market is crucial in determining the right time to sell your home. It’s essential to consider whether the market is buyer-friendly or more favorable to sellers. Research recent trends in your area, such as the average time homes stay on the market and how current selling prices compare to previous years. Consulting with a real estate professional can provide insights into whether it’s wise to sell now or wait for a more advantageous market condition.

Planning for the Future

As you downsize, consider the impact on your estate. How will the sale of your home influence your financial legacy? It’s a good time to consult with an estate planner who can advise on the best strategies to accommodate your wishes, whether it’s maximizing inheritances or handling the property’s transfer in a tax-efficient manner. This planning ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and can significantly ease the transition for your heirs.

Decluttering with Expert Help

The process of downsizing often involves parting with many possessions that have accumulated over the years. Hiring a professional organizer can be beneficial. These experts can help sort through belongings, decide what to keep, sell, or donate, and organize the move to your new home. Their expertise often makes the process less overwhelming and more efficient, ensuring that your new space is both comfortable and functional.

Smart Repairs with a Home Maintenance App

When preparing your home for sale, addressing necessary repairs and maintenance can significantly increase its appeal and value to potential buyers. Considering the home repair options available, using a home maintenance and repair app can streamline this process remarkably. These apps connect you with trusted service professionals and offer features to easily schedule repairs, receive quotes, and monitor progress on your smartphone. This modern approach not only simplifies home maintenance but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of getting your home market-ready.

Tax Benefits of Downsizing

Downsizing can also offer financial perks in the form of tax deductions or exemptions. For instance, if you’ve owned and lived in your home for at least two of the last five years, you may qualify for a capital gains exclusion. It’s advisable to consult with a tax professional to uncover any potential tax advantages you could claim from the sale of your home. This could significantly reduce your tax burden and contribute to your financial stability in your new home.

Keeping It in the Family

Selling your home to a relative can keep the property within the family and may simplify the selling process. This approach often reduces the typical complexities of the market, such as listing, staging, and extensive negotiations. However, it’s important to consider the implications, including potential family tensions or financial disagreements. Ensuring that all agreements are legally documented and clearly understood by all parties can help maintain familial relationships.

As you downsize, a thoughtful approach to selling your home maximizes the benefits of this transition. Assess market conditions, consult financial and estate planning professionals, and declutter with help. Also, utilize digital tools like a home maintenance app to keep your property in top condition. With the right preparation and resources, you can ensure a smooth and profitable move to your new, smaller home.

Brad Krause

Soul & Solace: Wave Action

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By Debi Furlit-Kaplan

As a present, a very good friend gave me a piece of land in Ireland. A postage stamp size of land but nonetheless I now owned property in a foreign country. And with this ownership, came the title of Lady Deborah. Wow! My chest was puffing and my spirit raised in song.

Then my cancer took a turn for the worse and I no longer felt like a Lady. But living near the ocean, the constant hum of the waves made my soul curious.  I had been living on a surfboard of spirit. One minute soaring high on the crest of a wave, the next being pummeled by the ferocity of the sea.

How does one steer through life not knowing what each moment will bring? The waves of life continually batter our spirit, but with faith, spirit gives way to the soul and the soul becomes our fervent guide. Trusting that, Lady Deborah began to stand firm again on her property.

What are your experiences on the waves? Share your thoughts at contact@aspaciousplace.com.

Hobby to CEO: The Ultimate Guide to Launching and Scaling Your Dream Business

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Turning a hobby into a business is an exciting endeavor, but it can also be challenging. While it may seem like a natural progression to turn your passion into a career, there’s a lot more to it than just doing what you love. Here are some tips on what it takes to turn a hobby into a business.

Research the Market Demand

Before you start a business, it’s important to research the market demand for the product or service you want to offer. You don’t want to invest time and money into something that isn’t in demand. Start by doing a simple search and look for competitors offering similar products or services. Check out online forums to see what people are talking about in your niche. You can also use tools to see how interest in your hobby has changed over time.

Write a Realistic Business Plan

Once you’ve determined that there is a demand for your product or service, it’s time to develop a realistic business plan. Your business plan should include a detailed description of your product or service, target audience, marketing strategy, financial projections, and growth plan. It’s important to keep your business plan flexible because things will inevitably change along the way.

Conduct a Financial Analysis

Before you start a hobby business, you need to determine whether it would be financially viable. Conducting a financial analysis will help you determine whether your hobby business would be profitable. You need to think about the cost of materials, production, and marketing. Consider how much you would need to charge for your product or service to make a profit. If the numbers don’t add up, you may need to adjust your business plan or look for other ways to make your hobby profitable.

Get to Know Your Target Audience

Knowing everything about your target audience is essential when starting a hobby business. You need to understand their needs, wants, and preferences. Consider creating buyer personas that outline your ideal customer. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people.

Color Your Branding Strategy

Choosing the right colors for your branding is a key to success in building a successful hobby business. The colors you choose can evoke emotions and influence buying decisions of your target audience. By selecting colors that reflect your brand’s personality and values, you can establish a strong connection with your customers and create a lasting impression.

Stay on Top of Current Trends in Your Niche

Staying up-to-date with current trends in your niche is crucial when starting a hobby business. You need to know what’s popular and what’s not. This will help you create products or services that are in demand. Subscribe to industry newsletters, attend trade shows, and follow influencers in your niche to stay on top of the latest trends.

Expand Your Network

Networking is an essential part of growing any business. Attend industry events and conferences to meet other professionals in your niche. Join online groups and forums to connect with others who share your passion. These connections can lead to new business opportunities and partnerships.

Increase Your Business Knowledge

If you’re serious about starting a hobby business, consider going back to school to get a business degree. A business degree can teach you valuable skills such as financial analysis, marketing, and management. Click for more information on how a business degree can benefit your hobby business and provide you with a network of professionals who can help you grow your business.

In conclusion, turning a hobby into a business demands more than just passion and skill. It requires thorough research, meticulous planning, and a comprehensive understanding of your target audience and industry trends. Armed with these crucial insights, you can transform your hobby into a thriving and lucrative business venture.

Image via Pexels

Brad Krause

How to Coach Your Child Toward Financial Literacy

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A Spacious Place is dedicated to helping vulnerable populations by nurturing the soul through creativity. Visit us online to learn more!

Image via Pexels

If you’re like most other parents, your top priority is for your children to be safe and secure. You want them to have a firm foundation they can build upon when they leave your home — a foundation that helps them do well in life.

There’s no getting around the fact that finances will play a major role in any adult’s life. You may not care if your child becomes the wealthiest person in the world, but you want to help them avoid money management issues in adulthood. These tips are a great place to start!

Spark Their Entrepreneurial Interest   

One of the most fundamental principles of any sound financial management plan is to earn money. And these days, there are more opportunities than ever for young people who want to start their own businesses. If your child seems to have an entrepreneurial spirit, why not introduce them to the fundamentals of building credit and starting a company? To run a successful business, you must know how to manage money, and studying the steps required to launch a company will naturally teach your child about healthy finances.

Depending on your child’s age and your financial situation, it may be a good idea to refinance your mortgage and include your child in the process. It can be a great opportunity to introduce concepts like credit, interest rates, and mortgages. If you have your own questions about the process, you have the chance to find answers together.

If your child has a lot of creative aptitude, use that to get them interested in business. They may be interested in creating logos and graphics for a new company. Alternatively, they may be excited by the idea of creating a business to sell their artistic works.

Host a Family Game Night

Children can learn more in less time when they are having fun. Establishing a weekly game night with your family can provide an excellent opportunity for bonding, as well as an opportunity to discuss things such as your family’s values and to impart important life lessons. And if you include financial-based games, you can guide your child toward financial literacy!

Here are a few games to consider that can teach your kid money management essentials:

  • The Game of Life
  • Monopoly
  • Act Your Wage!
  • CASHFLOW
  • Catan
  • The Budget Game

Take Them Shopping

As adults, we tend to overlook some of the valuable opportunities for teaching as we go about daily life. For example, each time we shop, we must make many little decisions that impact our families. Next time you go shopping for groceries, bring your child along with you and include them in the decision-making process.

Give your child a budget and explain your priorities for the shopping trip. Then, show them how to compare products and determine which items they should purchase to stay within the budget while getting your family what you need. While you’re at it, show them how discounts and coupons work.

Work With Spreadsheets 

Financial illiteracy is far more prevalent today than it used to be. It seems that kids and adults alike are simply overwhelmed by the prospect of budgeting and money management. However, as long as your kid knows how to use two columns on a spreadsheet, they can quickly learn the basics of budgeting income and expenses.

Download a free printable spreadsheet online designed to help children learn how to budget. Then, walk your child through listing each expense and income source while making room for saving. Once your child has the basics down, you can move on to real-life budgeting scenarios and decisions, which will take time and work.

Openly Discuss Financial Matters

Lastly, discuss money freely with your kids. If you and your spouse talk about the budget, invite your child to listen to the conversation. If you decide whether or not to make a major purchase, involve your child and ask their opinion.

Even if you are dealing with financial issues, don’t feel like you need to hide every detail from your child. Even hearing some of the language and how money management works in real life can become ingrained in your child and help them later in life. No matter what your child chooses to do with their life, money will probably play a central role in how successful and happy they become as an adult. Consider the tips above for teaching your child the ropes of financial literacy. And keep researching other ways that you can help them develop a basic understanding of how to manage their money effectively.

Making Yourself Discoverable as a Creative

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Making Yourself Discoverable as a Creative

Your success as a creative—an artist, designer, craft maker, tarot reader, or similar—depends more on your ability to find an audience than it does on how good you are. Essentially, unless you practice a unique art or craft, there are countless other equally talented people doing what you do. Your ideal audience or customer base is likely spoiled for choice. To stand out, you’ll need to make yourself discoverable—which requires serious marketing chops.

A Spacious Place offers a creating connectivity course to take your creative business to new heights. Learn critical skills that help you shine, from interpersonal relationship management to out-of-the-box thinking to create better. In this mini-guide, we offer expert suggestions on how you can make yourself findable as a creative:

Get serious by—constantly—putting yourself out there

First and foremost, persistently put yourself out there. Share your creations, don’t be shy, and just focus on tooting your own horn a little, even if you aren’t feeling as confident as you could be. If you create music or art, you could share song snippets or pictures that you’re proud of. If you sell a service, share a video of a session in action. Set up profiles on leading social media channels. Have a website, blog, or podcast. Focus on communicating who you are. Keep doing it long-term, until you build up a solid repository that will act as a portfolio cum audience magnet for years to come. 

Create a brand identity

A brand identity is more than a logo or product, says bynder—it’s the general impression you leave on your consumers and what differentiates you from the competition. All the most successful creatives on the planet, from singers like Taylor Swift to artists like Takashi Murakami, focus on their branding. It’s what makes them memorable and enables them to form an emotional bond with their followers. As a creative, figure out what’s at the heart of your offering. Then turn it into your identity and let it accompany you everywhere. 

Have a website or a blog

Your website or blog can be an enormously useful asset. Not only does it allow people to get to know you, but it can help you establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Depending on your line of work, you could even sell your creations directly on your site. Lastly, your site could automatically attract customers from search engines. Make sure your website looks beautiful, and follow SEO best practices to increase your search rankings.

Use high-quality images or videos

Human brains are wired to be responsive to images, reports Canva. A high-quality picture or video gives customers an in-depth look at what you do, heightens the user experience, and makes you seem more professional and reliable. Your online promotional content should always be accompanied by a high-quality snap.  

Cross-promote

Cross-promotion is having another creative promote you in exchange for you promoting them. This can be a highly beneficial strategy. You get access to a ready-made user base. Furthermore, the association with a respected creative can be good for your reputation. For the best results, make sure you pick a creative in a complementary but non-competing niche.  

Be practical and set up your own business

If you’re serious about making money from your creative skills, you would do well to set up a lifestyle business or similar. It’s only when you treat what you do like a business will you make money from it. Start by making a business plan, which is a document covering all the practicalities of doing business and being profitable. It will allow you to figure out essential specifics on becoming commercially viable, from market research and product development to sales and customer engagement.

Use an invoicing software to stay in control of your finances

Invoicing software is an essential accompaniment for your business. It will allow you to keep accurate books, figure out your profit margin, and make it simpler for customers to pay you. Always choose software for invoicing with online payment support, notifications for customer invoice views and payments, and the ability to schedule invoicing for recurring payments.

Conclusion

Don’t forget to believe in yourself. Inject enthusiasm and confidence in everything you do. Self-belief can be a very attractive quality to have and will shine through your creations. If you value your offerings and take pride in your work, your creations are bound to fly off the shelves.

How Art Helps Kids With Learning Challenges

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Children, like everyone, have a range of talents and abilities. One child is great with numbers; another has a knack for words and language. All kids learn differently and at different rates. Still, children with learning challenges often face more frustration in their regular classrooms. But there is one subject that most kids enjoy being on the same playing field as their peers. It’s art! Painting, drawing, sculpting, dance, music, and crafts benefit all children, including those with learning challenges — the following article presented by A Spacious Place explains the hows and whys.

A Boost in Self-Esteem

No one’s art has to be just like anyone else’s. Art teachers emphasize the point that “it’s your art, and it can be whatever you want it to be.” This statement is powerful and resonates with kids who have learning challenges. These children often feel a lower sense of self-worth or even like they are less intelligent than their classmates. But, with art, the pressure to perform like everyone else is off, allowing creativity to flow and boosting their self-esteem. 

Expressing Thoughts Is Easier

Children who learn differently sometimes struggle with communication. Art allows kids to express themselves in a way that is comfortable for them. Children who learn differently often deal with strong emotions that are difficult to explain or control. Art gives them an outlet for these feelings.

Improves Concentration and Reduces Stress

When doing art, the brain is stimulated as more dopamine is produced. For children with ADHD, increased dopamine results in improved concentration. As a result, art is enjoyable, and serotonin levels increase too. This feel-good hormone, produced when being creative, reduces stress levels. 

Physical Benefits

Dexterity and fine motor skills improve when kids paint, draw, mold clay, use scissors, or play an instrument. In addition, large muscle groups get an excellent workout when practicing a dance routine. 

A Dedicated Space for Creativity

Art is sometimes messy, music is sometimes loud, and space is needed for dancing. So think about utilizing an unused room or area of your home as a “creativity” space. A spare bedroom or unfinished basement converted into a dance, art, music classroom, or studio has many advantages.

Spontaneity

Setting up a table, gathering supplies, and asking permission each time a child wants to do a craft or practice dancing stifles creativity. An area designated for artistry means supplies are readily available and easily accessible when the mood hits. In addition, a dedicated space means unfinished projects stay on the table or easel. There’s no need to rush to complete a masterpiece.

Living Areas Remain Tidy 

Paint, glue, and glitter get everywhere. A room containing all supplies, instruments, and even a dance bar leaves the rest of the house paint- and glitter-free. Music noise is greatly decreased and kids have a space to practice dance without interfering with the activities of other family members. 

Increase the Value of Your Home

Converting an unfinished space into a finished space increases the usable square footage of your home. This could help boost the appraisal value of your property should you decide to sell in the future or if you need to leverage the equity in your home to finance remodeling or college costs. 

Share Your Teaching With Others

After teaching art to your child, you’ve seen the benefits it brings them, and you’ve enjoyed teaching too. Consider reaching out to other parents with kids who have learning disabilities. Turn your passion into a business and offer art classes in your home’s art room or studio. 

Teaching platforms provide teachers, tutors, and performers a place to list online and in-person classes and activities in Washington, DC, and around the country, and owning and operating a small business from your home has many benefits. Flexibility and convenience rank at the top. Further, being your own boss means you make all the decisions and your creativity has no limits.

Benefits of Art for Learning Disabilities

Children with learning disabilities benefit from doing art. Improved concentration, decreased stress levels, and a judgment-free outlet to express themselves are just a few. Working together with parents and educators, children who learn differently are better served.

~ Brad Krause

Turn Your Art Into a Profitable Side Gig: 4 Tips For Success

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(Photo via Pexels)

Have you tossed around the idea of selling your art? The connectedness of our world — and the widespread availability of various technologies — has made it easier than ever before to turn your work into a side gig. In fact, some artists have been able to generate thousands of dollars by using various marketplaces and platforms to promote and sell their paintings, pottery, handmade jewelry, and other creations.

If you are finally ready to begin selling your artwork professionally, yet still need time to create new art and work at your day job, use these helpful tips.

Learn how to legally start and run a business

Although you may be able to get away with it, selling your artwork without the proper permits and licenses can result in harsh penalties. On top of fines, some states arrest individuals who are selling products (even homemade goods) “under the table.” Rather than risk everything you’ve worked so hard to earn, commit to running your business legally.

To launch a business that earns you passive income from your art, research what is needed to operate both online and in-person. Most individuals start this process by applying for all of the essentials, including a business license, sales tax permit, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Even if you never plan on hiring employees, having an EIN (which is also referred to as a Tax ID Number or TIN) helps identify your business more easily. This number is often required for filing your taxes, applying for a sales tax permit, and opening a business bank account.

Promote your work on social media

Once you’ve officially launched your business, develop a social media strategy for promoting your art. Generating excitement around your brand is super helpful when looking to attract attendees for your upcoming events, workshops, and gallery unveilings. It can also help connect you with people who want to purchase your work online and locally.

Rather than simply posting pictures and descriptions of your work, get creative with how you market yourself. Use videos, Instagram Reels, and TikTok posts to give your fans a behind-the-scenes look at your process. Make all of your posts fun and engaging for the best results. 

Approach area galleries, cafes, and event organizers to sell your work

As you begin to promote yourself and your work, begin approaching local organizations that can help you sell your work. This is key when looking to earn a passive income. Approach boutiques, local cafes, art galleries, and the like to see if they’d be interested in carrying your items. Oftentimes, there is an application process involved with arrangements like this.

Additionally, you should begin signing up for local farmers markets and vendor fairs. These are excellent places to display and sell your art. On top of sales, getting exposure within your area is also a valuable investment of your time. Unlike applying to have your work featured and sold at a cafe, gallery, or boutique, being accepted by vendor fairs and markets is much easier. However, keep in mind that selling your art at these kinds of events is a substantial time commitment.

Set up an online store and work space

Another essential component in having a successful side gig is making your art available online. Whether you sell paintings, earrings, or sculptures, this is critical for boosting your sales. It is also helpful for those who love your work, but cannot buy it on the spot at a vendor market or farmers market. Having an online store also makes it easier for individuals to recommend your work to others.

If you create much of your art from home, eventually, you may require more space to work. You can easily find apartments for rent in the Austin area by searching online and filtering for price, neighborhoods, and amenities. Currently, suburban apartments start as low as $600 per month, while centrally located downtown residences start at $1,500 per month.

Thanks to the latest ecommerce platforms, you can have a store up and running within an afternoon. Those with minimal tech experience can effortlessly upload pictures, write product descriptions, and select payment options.

Starting a side business to sell your work is a thrilling decision. Rather than wait for the “right” time, begin pursuing your dreams today.

A Spacious Place is dedicated to helping individuals with special needs create art in their communities. Learn how you can make a difference today!

~Amy Collett acollett@bizwell.org

Setting Up a Nonprofit: A Resource Guide for Beginners

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If you’re a creative person, you know just how rewarding artistic hobbies can be. From music to painting, these pursuits allow people to tap into their emotions and find new ways to express themselves. A Spacious Place is a nonprofit that provides underserved communities with the resources they need to get creative. Interested in starting a charitable organization with a similarly creative slant? The below resource guide is here to help.

Select a Business Model and Set Up the Basic Structure

If you want to benefit from the tax breaks awarded to charitable organizations, you must register your company as an official nonprofit business entity.

  • Conduct a needs assessment to determine what unmet need your creative nonprofit can serve in your community.
  • Figure out what kind of legal entity to register your nonprofit as. Generally, the process is the same as starting a business in Texas.
  • Write out a nonprofit business plan to clarify how your nonprofit will be organized.
  • Research your nonprofit tax requirements with the IRS.

Figure Out How to Fund Your Nonprofit

Nonprofits need financial resources to maintain operations.

  • Determine your nonprofit startup costs.
  • Look into charitable grants to help pay for your nonprofit’s foundation.
  • Calculate your ongoing overhead expenses to see how much money you’ll have to fundraise to maintain operations moving forward.
  • Look into diverse ways to raise money for your nonprofit.

Ensure Transparent and Streamlined Nonprofit Operations

Efficient daily operations will help you make the most of your nonprofit’s resources going forward.

  • Map out a management structure for your nonprofit detailing the duties and obligations of managers, staff, and volunteers.
  • Simplify your daily operations with cutting-edge tools like email marketing technology and accounting software.
  • Broaden your network by connecting with other creatively oriented nonprofits.

Starting a nonprofit can be a deeply rewarding way to give back to your community while also pursuing your passion. By giving other people the tools and resources they need to tap into their inner creativity, you can help them live a more rewarding life.

~Amy Collett acollett@bizwell.org