Organizing Shoes & "Ignorant bliss" works...until it doesn't.

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​March/April 2026

Spring is in the air air. This is a great time to clean up and clean out and get organized. Shoes take up a lot of space in our closets. Here are some tips on how to get them organized.

Organizing Shoes

• Look at every pair of shoes you have.
  • Get rid of uncomfortable shoes.
  • Get rid of shoes that you don’t like anymore.
  • Get rid of shoes that you don’t wear.
• How do you want to store your shoes?
  • Seasonal
  • Keep everything together
  • Work / Garden shoes or kept in the garage
• What type of shoes do you own?
  • Boots
  • Hiking
  • Flip Flops
• Look for shoe organizers that fit the type of shoes you have.
  • Look online at Wayfair, Amazon, The Container Store, Ikea, Target, Etsy, etcetera for inspiration.
  • Measure the space where the container is going
  • Organize by style & color or however you prefer!

Adele Tusson-Gross

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Shoe Organizer available at Wayfair.

"Ignorant bliss" works...until it doesn't.

What would happen if you died today?

Would your spouse, partner, or the person responsible for settling your estate know how to access your financial information? Would they know where to start?
It’s a difficult question, but one that every household should ask.

In many relationships, one person naturally takes the lead in managing the day-to-day finances. That may include:

• Paying the bills and knowing which accounts they are paid from
• Negotiating service bills
• Scheduling home maintenance and managing vendors
• Organizing paperwork and digital files
• Maintaining passwords and online account access

This arrangement can work very well—until something unexpected happens.

“Ignorant bliss” works… until it doesn’t.
Over the years, I have seen significant stress and hardship for spouses who were left behind without access to important financial information. The issue has nothing to do with intelligence. Many of my clients are extremely smart people. The problem is simply a lack of shared knowledge and planning ahead for the unknown.

Real Client Experiences

A Husband Left in the Dark
Simple Solution Organizing was contacted by the son of a man who had lost his wife of 50 years. She had handled all of the household finances.
When I began working with him, he did not know where she kept the financial files—either paper or digital. During one of our sessions we discovered that his automobile insurance had lapsed. He had unknowingly been driving for months without coverage because he didn’t know it had lapsed. He also did not know which company they used.
Again, this was not a matter of intelligence. It was a matter of information that had never been shared.

Locked Out of Accounts
In another case, a nephew hired us to help his aunt after the death of her husband. Her husband had managed everything. She did not have access to his passwords, phone, or laptop.
She had been in crisis mode for years.
The couple owned multiple properties, which only complicated matters. It took considerable time to identify service providers for each property and re-establish access to online accounts.

Memory Loss Changes the Equation
I worked with a lovely couple for many years. The husband managed all the finances, and his wife preferred it that way.
However, when his memory began to decline, critical information that should have been shared was lost. During our sessions we uncovered several financial accounts set to paperless statements—including brokerage and college savings accounts the couple had forgotten existed.

We discovered them only by carefully reviewing his email. When both spouses are experiencing memory challenges, even something that sounds simple—like scanning emails—can become extremely difficult.

A Hidden Long-Term Care Policy
In another situation, I was referred by a Geriatric Care Case Manager at the Athens Community Council on Aging to help a client manage her bills and daily finances. Her nephew, who was her Power of Attorney, hired me.
During our work together we discovered a long-term care insurance policy that no one knew existed.
That single discovery saved the client’s estate approximately $200,000.

The Lesson
It’s perfectly normal for one spouse to be more comfortable managing the finances. Many couples prefer it that way. The other spouse may be happy to focus on other aspects of life without the stress of financial management.
But the non-financial spouse still needs basic awareness of the full financial picture.

Every household should maintain and periodically review:

• A list of vital records
• A summary of financial accounts
• A “Money Map” outlining bills and how they are paid
• Locations of important documents (paper and digital)
• Password access procedures
• Names of financial professionals and service providers
• 
  

This information should be reviewed and updated at least once a year.

I am not suggesting that spouses switch roles or divide the work equally. But everyone involved needs to know enough to step in if necessary.
Because life can change quickly.
And when it does, the last thing a grieving spouse needs is a financial mystery to solve. 💙

We can help you with this very important project. Reach out today! 

Adele Tusson-Gross
706-714-1314
[email protected]