Value: It's not just about the money

This dictionary defines value as the regard that something is held to deserve...the importance or preciousness of something. So, who's defining what is precious to you and what you deserve? This is a good reminder of the results that often come when you follow someone else's criteria for what they find valuable. The big house you had to have has rooms you never use and required furniture you couldn't afford...Despite the resistance to spend $3 on a cup of coffee everyday, you're able to get more work done in the cozy coffee shop on the corner than you do at the office. The only one who knows what works for you, is you. Following someone else's checklist just might leave you empty.

Four Tips for Adding Value through Redesign

Marianne Cusato wrote the book on Getting Your House Right (literally!) She's also an expert on obtaining value through design. REdesign asked her how to get the most value from home improvement:

1. Connect to the outdoors

Very often we live in homes that are isolated from the outdoors. Consider adding side windows for cross ventilation and/or French doors to encourage more access to your garden or patio. Connecting to the outdoors will make you house live larger.

2. Define outdoor rooms

Add landscaping, porches or pergolas that will create outdoor rooms. Give yourself places to go outside that are private as well as open. Connecting defined outdoor spaces into your house will add value to your home.

3. Use the space you have

Whether it's a newly defined garden (see #2), or your closets - use the space you have. Build shelves into closets to maximize the air space above hang rods. Use two-in-one ovens under the range, rather than wall ovens that take up twice the space. Prevent messy piles of clothes, towels, bags and toys by adding hooks on the backs of and behind doors.

4. Put your budget where you can touch and feel it

Replace hollow core doors with solid doors. Replace cheap door knobs with nicer nickel finish or chrome. Replace vinyl siding with James Hardie fiber-cement siding - it will feel more solid to the touch. Value does not come from the added gables or cathedral ceilings that you only look at. It comes from the elements that you can directly engage with - the elements you can touch and feel.

To learn more about building better, order your FREE copy of Marianne Cusato's book, "The Value of Design and its effect on our lives and communities."

What is your "enough"? Financial freedom may be closer than you think.

Whether financial planning is your forte or not, taking the time to consider how much you need to enable the life you really want—not the one you think you should have—can offer valuable insight and guidance when prioritizing and planning your financial goals.

The most important concept here is that "enough" will be different for everyone and every family. Imagine how different life would be if we consumed and experienced only the things that enriched our lives instead of struggling to keep up with whomever we feel we need to keep up with...exhausting.

Chris Guillebeau, author and entrepreneur, connects finance with self-awareness in this insightful article on Sufficiency. Here are a few highlights:

Sufficiency simply means enough. It means having everything you need and not lacking for anything. It's important to think about sufficiency because if you don't know what it looks like for you, you can easily fall into scarcity. The thing with scarcity is that you operate under the principle that resources are limited and that we can never truly have enough. We'd better work as hard as we can to ensure that we don't lose out to someone else. This is the default mode of operation for most of us. The challenge is to be self-aware and rise above it."

How much money do you really need to a) meet your basic obligations, and b) do the things you want to do? Once you have that amount, you can start to focus on building a life more than building a bank account. You learn to value experiences (things you do) more than possessions (things you own)."

One of the best feelings in the world comes from the awareness that everything will be okay. If you have that feeling, you know exactly what I mean. If you don't have it, it's not that difficult to get to it. It just involves a shift in thinking, a desire for change, and the courage to be different. Like a lot of unconventional choices, not everyone will relate. Some people won't get it at all, others will get it but be unable to let go of deeply-held beliefs about scarcity, and a few will embrace sufficiency and experience a life of purposeful adventure."

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