You may have heard the acronym K.I.S.S. which stands for Keep It Super Simple (or is it Keep It Simple Stupid?). Simplifying, decluttering, downsizing, uncomplicating (is that a word!?!) are all referring to great advice, in my opinion, to clarify the situation and make life less complicated, less overwhelming and often easier on yourself.

And that goes for whatever subject you are thinking about… simplifying paperwork, your household, a recipe file, a large project, or your finances.

Simply Rewarding

Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method, for example, has really taken off in popularity as a method to declutter rooms, closets, kitchen areas, etc. There is something rewarding about “tidying up”! And that rewarding aspect rings true when it comes to your finances for you now as well as down the road when someone else has to deal with them.

Make a List

So, just like anything, where do you start? I am a big proponent of starting with a list and in this case, that means an asset list, a net worth statement, a personal financial statement, whatever you want to call it.

A list of what you own, and what you owe helps you see clearly what you have in place. Think of it as your financial inventory. In fact, I think it is so important that I created a downloadable Net Worth Summaryfor people to use (AND I offer it free in my monthly free workshop).

Just the process of compiling a list of accounts, real property, policies, etc. can be eye-opening. Take bank accounts for example. You may find that you have more accounts than you realize when you list them all in one place. Maybe you opened an account at a Credit Union when they were running a special. Or you started a Christmas account when those were in vogue.

Maybe you moved a couple of times along life’s journey and you still have some old accounts that were necessary for local or employment purposes. Or you have several small balance accounts that could be closed or consolidated.

It’s Time to Consolidate!

Consolidating accounts, whether they are at the bank, old employer plans, or old IRAs that you started at various institutions is a best practice that we often don’t hassle with. Yet when it comes time to withdraw money for income to cover expenses, income in retirement, or to take Required Minimum Distributions from retirement accounts, having a zillion accounts can be a nightmare! And if you are in a blended family relationship, that usually doubles the “mess.”

When consolidating accounts, you need to pay special attention to the type of account and be sure you are transferring a like account to a like account (IRA to IRA, taxable account to taxable account, etc.). In-kind transfers vs liquidating holdings in a taxable account will prevent a tax impact.

Rollovers vs transfers of IRAs have different rules. It is a paperwork process and needs to be monitored. So the bottom line is that working with someone experienced with the consolidation process is imperative.

Take Care of Stocks

One other common issue I still see quite often is paper stock certificates. If you or your heirs ever want to sell them, they must be in an account in order to be sold. You could physically send them in to a Transfer Agent, like Computershare, where they would then be held in “book entry” form (electronic record of your shares instead of paper copies).

Or you could send them into a brokerage account that you already have or open at a custodian like E-trade, Schwab, etc. Call first for special shipping instructions for both situations. Either way, once in the account, you would be able to sell them when you want. Taking care of that well in advance of ever wanting to sell the shares is a wise idea.

Plan for Someday, Now

Aside from organizing your financial files so everything is labeled, findable, and reflects all of your assets/liabilities (electronically or in paper file form), consolidating is the main K.I.S.S. step to decluttering your finances. Think of each account, contract, policy as a set of paperwork that someone, someday, will need to submit in order to access or disperse the holdings.

Would you rather deal with 3 IRAs, 4 taxable accounts, 2 old employer plans, and 6 bank accounts at 3 banks OR 1 IRA, 1 taxable account, and 3 accounts at 1 bank? Your answer is likely the same whether you are alive or your heirs are the ones dealing with things.

K.I.S.S. is a short but powerful chapter in my checklist book, but it can mean the difference between a headache and smooth sailing!

Have you started your consolidation journey? What motivated you to take action? Have you seen family situations where decluttering finances would have been helpful? Let’s have a discussion!

I have a confession to makeup. I use a lot of Lady Gaga’s beauty brand, Haus Laboratories, because I like the formulas and the shade options and the unexpected offerings. But I don’t love the packaging. It works fine but it doesn’t feel as luxe as the products actually are. Enter Haus Laboratories’ Casa Gaga collection. Now this limited-edition line feels up to par with a star like Gaga. Even the formulas are more luxe.

Casa Gaga Italian Glam Capsule Collection features seven new products inspired by the “lifestyle of Italy.” The brand has never done a seasonal collection like this before. The ivory and gold metal packaging is so chic, I wish the brand would actually go in this direction permanently. There’s even a Saffiano Vegan Leather double-zipper train case adorned with the Casa Gaga label inside to house all your new products. It’s all inspired by Gaga’s love of Italy, especially her experiences filming the upcoming House of Gucci film.

“There’s glam, then there’s Italian Glam,” Lady Gaga said in a statement. “Benvenuto a Casa Gaga, my collection of high-performance formulas and a love letter to Italy inspired by the beauty and wonder of all things Italian. I wanted to share the feeling of growing up in my house and seeing moments of glamour beaming from my mother and grandmother. I wanted to share a piece of my heart with you.”

The collection is available on the Haus Labs website now and launches on Amazon on November 25. You can pre-order the products now on Amazon since there’s a good chance they’ll sell out!

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Haus Labs.

Tutti Gel-Powder Highlighter

This new gel-powder, made-in-Italy highlighter promises a lit-from-within, multi-dimensional glow on all skin tones. Use it with the Italian Glam Highlighter Brush, a cruelty-free, vegan version of Japan’s famous Blue Squirrel brushes.

Haus Labs.

Tutti Gel-Powder All Over Rouge

There are four versatile cheek-and-lip shades formulated in Italy with plant-derived squalane.

Haus Labs.

Liquid Eye-Lie-Ner in La Vita Punk

Haus Labs’ best-selling liquid eyeliner now comes in an even blacker, matter hue in gold packaging.

Haus Labs.

Tanti Baci Extreme Cream Mini Lipstick Set

This perfect-for-gifting set includes five luxe cream lipsticks in a Saffiano vegan leather lipstick pouch. Shade names celebrate famous Italian icons. Lady Gaga even wore Elsa (a plum berry shade) in the House of Gucci film posters!

Haus Labs.

La Luce Lip Glaze

Wear one of three high-shine shimmer glosses alone or as toppers over lipstick.

Haus Labs.

Limited Edition Casa Gaga La Collezione

Get the entire collection (a $260 value!) packaged in a chic Saffiano vegan leather train case.

Last week, Meghan Markle (and that guy Prince Harry) made their first red-carpet appearance in more than a year at the Annual Salute To Freedom Gala in New York City’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. No doubt, gasps were heard as the duo looked stunning head to toe. Markle’s eye makeup stood out as it was a bit of a departure from her usual natural glam. Of course, she still looked naturally beautiful but makeup artist Daniel Martin got creative with her eyeliner color and it looks incredible.

Martin told Allure he was excited to introduce The Dutchess to new BIPOC-, women-, and LGBTQ+-owned brands. Of course, since he’s the Global Director of Artistry & Education at Tatcha, he prepped her face with the brand’s skincare. But you came here for that purple eyeliner color, right? “I’ve always loved purple and red together — that combination to me is beautiful, so I wanted to play on that but still give you that shaping without it being too deep,” Martin told the magazine.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

AP Images.

To get that purple shade, he used the Danessa Myricks Lightwork Palette Volume III palette ($125 at Sephora) with a wet detail brush. Danessa Myricks is a Black self-taught makeup artist who worked in product development for brands such as Kiss and Benefit Cosmetics. Her Danessa Myricks Beauty features high-performing (and fun!) products for all skin tones, genders and ages. You’re going to want to keep an eye on it.

Martin finished Markle’s eyes with Byredo Waterproof Mascara ($45 at Nordstrom). And that perfect pink lip? It’s Olivia Palermo Beauty Matte Lipstick in Rosebud ($38 at Net-a-Porter). Gorgeous.

I’ve written before about my recurring dreams. From the proverbial math test that you haven’t studied for – to the play you’re in where you don’t know your lines – I regularly experience some of the most common dreams in adulthood.

My dreams are incredibly vivid, and frequently disturbing. For a while, I was having recurring dreams about being at large gatherings where everyone else was having fun, but I wasn’t. 

For the last few months, however, I’ve been dreaming a lot about animals. Which is odd, given that – umm – I hate pets. So I googled “animal dreams.” Turns out, lots of people dream about animals and there’s no shortage of interpretations out there.

Of the many narratives out there about animal dreams, I chose this set of interpretations from Learning Mind – largely because it rung true:

Domestic Animal Dreams

According to Learning Mind, domesticated animals suggest you are aware of your responsibilities, but find them overwhelming at times.

Oh yes. Ever since I came home from my month off in August, I’ve been in non-stop work mode. It’s been hard for me to relax – except at the hair salon! – but I think something else might be going on here. I think I seek out responsibilities for which I don’t need to take responsibility.

I once did a 360-annual performance review at one of my jobs. This is where you get feedback not just from your boss, but from your peers. It’s meant to be anonymous. But afterwards, one of my peers – who was also a friend – told me that I said “Yes” too often and stepped in to solve other people’s problems. “Don’t over-compensate for their mistakes,“ she advised.

She was 100% correct. I’m a fixer. When someone presents me with a problem, I tend to want to go in and figure out how to solve it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But when you start taking over other people’s work because they are either unwilling or unable, you will quickly find yourself feeling overwhelmed.

(Needless to say, said boss, who liked it when I over-compensated for all of *her* problems, told me that she didn’t want me to stop fixing things around the office. So I carried on doing it for a few more years. Sigh.)

Wild Animal Dreams

Sometimes the animals in my dreams are wild. Wild animals are allegedly an expression of your more ‘wild’, uncivilized self, one that may be at odds with an inner critic who demands conformity. So to have a wild animal appear in your dream may be a desire for liberation, sexual or otherwise.

In my case, I read these dreams as a desire to cut loose a bit more in my writing and to be painfully honest, even where that may hurt others. I’ve been working on a very personal piece of writing for the last year or so about my family. It’s coming along, bit by bit, but lately I’ve been feeling the need to delve in more deeply. To say things on the page that I’ve never said out loud.

It’s been a difficult process. But also a cathartic one. Among other things, I’ve come to believe that if I don’t liberate myself of these thoughts and feelings through my writing, they will continue to gnaw away at me from the inside.

Animals Attacking You

And speaking of gnawing, I’ve also been dreaming that I’m being attacked by animals. In one recent dream, for example, I was walking through a farm with a friend. She was absolutely fine, enjoying the outdoors, but the pigs and goats and cows were chasing me, trying to bite me.

Dreams about being attacked by animals can suggest that you’ve been forcing your emotions down and they are now suddenly erupting out of nowhere. Earlier this year, I “broke up” with a close friend because I felt that the relationship had become toxic for me. I needed to set some boundaries and prioritize self-care.

But lately, I’ve started feeling like I may need to re-open that door and see what’s on the other side. It may be time to let down my guard a bit and confront that particular sadness.

As I look over this list, I wonder if these aren’t all possibly the same dream. There’s an elephant in the room – no pun intended! – for which I feel responsible. I’m writing about my feelings, but not dealing with them in real life. And that elephant will keep on chasing me until I confront it.

What about you? Do you dream about animals and what do you think it means? Is there an elephant in the room of your mind and are you afraid to face it?