Welcome to Iowa City and the University of Iowa!

Everyone has their reasons for moving here -- whether it’s the amazing academic programs, the opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, or an aversion to living near a beach, we are glad you’re here!

For me and my family, we moved here for a sandwich. Well, that’s mostly true. About three years ago now, I traveled to Iowa City to attend an equating workshop at the University (an enthralling story for another time). My hotel was in downtown Iowa City and every night I would walk the pedestrian mall and find a new place to eat. On my final night, I sat on the patio at the downtown restaurant Nodo, eating a ham and mango sandwich with sweet potato fries and garlic aeoli, when the lights all around me turned on and the downtown lit up into a magical, historical, cultural, masterpiece. I immediately called my husband and told him, “I’m no longer worried about applying to residencies. If there are other places like Iowa City in this country, I’m going to be so happy to end up there... also, you have got to try this sandwich”.

Two years later, we were accepted to the Family Medicine Residency at the University of Iowa, bought a house, and made our way here! My husband had never been to Iowa City, let alone the Midwest, and we had purchased our house sight unseen, so I felt a lot of pressure as we arrived. We knew the program and people involved were amazing, but would the city (and the sandwich!) live up to my memory? I am happy to report that a day later we were back sitting on that same patio outside of Nodo, eating a ham and mango sandwich, and giving each other the classic single nod that says “We did it. This is the place.”

That perfect moment was interrupted by my toddler throwing his sandwich on the ground to try to feed a bird, but it felt perfect, nonetheless.

As an outsider to Iowa and the Midwest in general, I want to share a few things that I have discovered and loved in the almost year since I’ve been here:

1. Iowa Medical Partners (IMP). Starting with a shoutout to IMP! We did not know a single person at the residency when we moved here. In fact, we did not know a single person in the state of Iowa. IMP has multiple activities every month ranging from playdates for kids to adult-only outings. Take advantage! We have met so many wonderful people and there was no better way to immediately feel like part of the community and learn about all the fun things to do in the area.
2. “Iowa Nice” is real! Yes, you’re still going to get tailgated, but you’re also going to have people in front of you in the grocery line ask if you’d like to set your stuff in their cart so you don’t have to hold it all while you wait in line. With the exception of the internet providers (because…internet providers…), even every phone call with a utility company has been so overly nice that I am taken aback at how genuine the people here are when I hang up.
3. The food is SO GOOD. Let me add the caveat that when you ask for “where” is good to eat, you also need to ask for “what” is good to eat. For example, you need the ham and mango sandwich at Nodo. You need the butternut squash ravioli at Basta. And although I have never recommended pancakes at a restaurant before, you need the pancakes at The Encounter Café.
4. There is so much to do! My go-to for finding activities has been Facebook Events. I can honestly say that between just looking for local activities and the IMP activities, we’ve had something to do nearly every weekend since we moved here. Here are a few of my favorite places:
   
   •  Wilson’s Orchard – a beautiful farm with a small shop, restaurant, and activities year-round ranging from strawberry picking, to cider tasting, to ice skating.
   • The Amana Colonies – unique German heritage colonies with incredible shopping and festivals and events year round. Even if you just go walk around, you won't be disappointed.
   •  Kalona – a city about 25 minutes from Iowa City with a large Amish population. Visit the Golden Delight Bakery, the Kalona Creamery, and then head to main street to hit up the chocolate shop, coffee shop, and amazing antique stores.
   • Iowa Children’s Museum – if you have kids, you can pay for a single day entry, and if you like it, apply it to the cost of an annual pass at the end of your stay. Our annual pass has paid for itself a hundred times over and we love to drop in and play!
   • Pedestrian Mall – there is always something to do at the pedestrian mall. Hit up the shops, get some ice cream or a boba, attend one of the many festivals, or just take in the history and art. When the weather is warm, it’s everyone’s favorite season – Patio Season! You’ll have plenty of options to eat outdoors and take in the city’s vibe.
   • Outdoor Galore – it’s hard for me to pick one place to mention here. There are parks, nature trails, playgrounds, splash pads, and so much more! Do a quick google search for what’s near you and start exploring!
5. The City of Literature – Iowa City was the third-ever UNESCO City of Literature and the first in the Americas. We (I now say “we” when talking about Iowa City – didn’t take long!) take our literature seriously and host the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop. You can follow the Literary Walk downtown and see pieces of history stamped into the sidewalk that recognize internationally recognized writers with ties to Iowa City. The public library system is also incredible and is another great place to look for events!

I’ll stop now before I hit the stage where I’m just ranting. We love it here and we hope you do to! If you ever want to get a coffee, have a playdate with me and my rambunctious toddler, or just get some recommendations, please feel free to reach out! I hope to see you at the next IMP event!

Best,
Brooke Dresden

I am so excited to do something more than hearing a couple fireworks shoot off in the far distance of my home this year for Fourth of July. Day dreaming of cook outs, fireworks, and everything that screams the 4th had me wondering what events are going on this year. Here is what I have found
 

1. 4thFest
   
   • When: July 3 – 4
     
   • Where: S.T. Morrison Park, Coralville
     
   • Highlights: 5k run/walk, food, free concert, parade, free family activities, fireworks
     
   • More info: https://www.coralville.org/310/4thFest​​
     
2. Bourbon & Blues 
   
   1. When: July 2-5
      
   2. Where: Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery, Swisher, IA
      
   3. Highlights: Free music, expanded stages to downtown Swisher
      
   4. More info: https://cedarridgewhiskey.com/1687-2/
3. Iowa City Jazz fest
   
   1. When: July 2-3
      
   2. Where: Downtown Iowa City
      
   3. Highlights: Live jazz performances, food
      
   4. More info: https://summerofthearts.org/sota-events/iowa-city-jazz-festival/
4. Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival
   
   1. When: June 14-July 4
      
   2. Where: Cedar Rapids
      
   3. Highlights: 70 events leading up to the largest fireworks show in Iowa.
      
   4. More info: https://www.freedomfestival.com/

 
If I missed any other events going on in the area please leave them in the comments!
 
Happy Fourth of July!

I know banking, investing, insurance, etc. is all very important stuff, but I have always struggled and had very little interest digging into the details. Bobby Scott, from Partner Wealth Planning, helped break down some of this during the IMP Financial Wellness session. Here are the top 3 takeaways I learned from his session.

1. Identify how you feel about your debt.
   1. Debt isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have, but if you are losing sleep over it you need to think about how carrying this debt affects your overall mindset. In that case, you may want to prioritize working to get that debt down rather than putting your money in other areas.
2. Refinancing loan considerations
   1. If you are like us, our medical school interest rate is higher than we’d like. We are considering refinancing, but one thing we need to consider before doing so is are we willing to have the risk with refinancing. When loans come from the government if something would happen to the person carrying that debt, the loan would be forgiven. If we would refinance with a private business for a smaller interest rate the partner would be held responsible for the debt. Food for thought in our consideration.
3. How to prioritize?
   1. Do I invest and chip away at debt at a slower pace or do I tackle my debt in an aggressive manner? One place to start is to look at the interest rate on your debt and your potential investment. Does one out weigh the other? That may be an easy starting point to help make those decisions. 
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BONUS: While in IMP, Reach out to Bobby Scott for your financial related topics for no charge. If you have any questions about these or other related topics, don't hesitate to reach out to Bobby. There is no charge for his services while in training, so we hope you take advantage of the offer! Bobby can be reached
 
I am very much a beginner when it comes to all this so these bite size facts were tangible things I felt like I could understand and actually have actionable items. Again, for any questions and advice contact Bobby Scott from Partner Wealth Planning.

The anticipation to match day is a such an exciting, scary, anxiety educing experience. During a pandemic it’s a whole other story. I remember being so excited for all of the match day festivities. Then the world turned upside down right as Match was approaching last year. We came up with alternative ways to celebrate, so it was still very special. Although I know Match will not be celebrated as expected, I hope everyone participating has a very special experience.
 
The days after Match reality sets in and your mind may be racing through a thousand questions, and a never ending to-do-list begins. Do we rent or buy? What part of town should we live in? How do I make friends in a new city during a pandemic? How do I stay connected to the friends I’m leaving? What will my partners hours be? I had all these questions after my husband matched into the Otolaryngology program at UIHC. Luckily, my husband shared with me info he received about Iowa Medical Partners (IMP). Initially seemed like a potential way to meet some people but I didn’t realize the community that IMP really has created which helped alleviate some of these anxieties once we arrived and answer many of these questions.
 
If you just matched, you are probably wrestling with some of those questions I mentioned above, specifically on the city and neighborhoods. Here is some info from some fellow IMP members.
 
The Neighborhoods:

• West Iowa City
  • Living in University Heights or west Iowa City (especially those living east of Mormon Trek Blvd) will place you the closest to the hospital and the football stadium.  Many residents and fellows who live in this area walk or bike to work. The schools on the west side are great (we love Horn Elementary) and parks and trails like Willow Creek, Kiwanis and Clear Creek Trail are perfect for a run, a picnic or a play date. It's a quick drive from the west side to get out of town or to jump on the highway up to I-80. Traffic is light except on home football game days and Walmart and Aldi's are close while Hy-Vee and Trader Joe's are less than a 10 minute drive. – Allison Cascio
• East Iowa City
  • The East Side is between approximately two and four miles east of the hospital and about 15 minutes from the Coralville Mall and shopping area; 20 minutes from North Liberty. In this area, you tend to get a bit more house and yard for the price, with newer builds being more common than other neighborhoods, but we’re still very close to several parks and grocery store choices. We have two new University of Iowa clinic locations (Dodge Street and Scott Blvd) with some of IMP’s favorite providers. Some favorites in our area include Dodge Street Coffeehouse, Tot Time every weekday morning at Mercer Park gym, Music Together classes at Preucil, and the close proximity to the adorable towns of Solon and West Branch. Favorite restaurants over here include Blackstone, Wig and Pen East, 2 Dogs Pub, and Rapid Creek Cidery. Hopping down to the South Side of town is easy if you’re heading to Big Grove Iowa City, the new Starbucks, Hatchet Jack’s, and consignment shopping at Stuff Etc., Crowded Closet and Kidworks. – Molly Sherwood
• Coralville
  • Coralville is a great location in the middle of the creative corridor. You are only minutes from the mall, Costco, Target, consignment stores and many grocery store options. The Iowa River Landing is located in Coralville which includes Trader Joes, great dining and shopping, and the IRL UIHC Clinic. Additionally, going to downtown Iowa City or North Liberty is very convenient. Driving to UIHC is approximately 15 minutes (which is mostly due to the 25 mile per hour speed limits); however, you may be able to live along the Research Park Cambus route and avoid driving all together (free to all!). The Coralville Library is one of my favorite weekly spots for storytimes. I also love the walking trails in our city and the community events throughout the year. I feel safe and connected living here. – Megan Pai, President 
• North Liberty
  • Many medical families choose to live in North Liberty. There are wonderful schools and neighborhoods filled with friends, and it is very geared towards families. There are many parks like Centennial, Quail Ridge, Beaver Kreek, and Penn Meadows, some fun local restaurants, and the best ice cream around is from a North Liberty joint, Heyn’s. We also have a pumpkin patch in our town that we go to almost daily in the fall, and there are many trails and easy access to both I-80 and 380, which makes going anywhere in the greater Iowa City area a breeze. There are a lot of fun events too, from storytime at the library to the big Barbecue and Blues festival that are all held locally. We love the community here! - Shannon Squires

Although I have not been able to explore as much as I would have liked due to COVID, over the last year here are some of the favorite places.
 
My Favorite Restaurants so far…

• Big Grove Brewery
• Tribute
• Exotic India
• Sushiya
• Blue Elephant
• Java House
• Walker Homestead
• Bread Garden
• Saint Burch

 
Other Places…

• Coralville Lake
• Kent State Park
• Terry Trueblood
• Amana Colonies
• Cedar Rapids Czech Village & NewBo City Market
• Iowa City Library
• Pedestrian Mall

 
If you are looking for trusted recommendations? Our group’s sponsors can help you in finding and adjusting to your new home. Tundy Brady with Urban Acres can help you find your future home (even if you are unable to travel). Green State Credit Union can help you with local banking and securing a mortgage, including a Doc Loan. Bobby Scott with Partner Wealth is here to answer any questions related to your unique financial sitation. Nanci Kohl with State Farm can help you determine your insurance needs. 
 
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to IMP! You can join IMP here, and once you do, you can join our Facebook group. Congratulations on your Match! 

You may have already started this while you were purging, but what the heck, I wanted to keep the blog post strategy “organized” too. If you’re like me, you binged watched Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix. It was awesome, but not always super attainable for folks who can’t spend hundreds of dollars on clear plastic containers. Also, they didn’t emphasize the purge enough, in my opinion. Go back and read my post from Day 2 to make sure you’ve eliminated all that you can.

Your goal will be this: have a *place* for everything. Ideally, in a box or container of some sort. This makes it easier to consistently return items to their place and to seriously evaluate whether you have room for new items when the desire hits. You can use shoeboxes (lids too), moving boxes, old mismatched Tupperware or bins. As we discussed in the purging post, don’t go run out and buy new containers the day of your purge. If you think you do need containers because you don’t have enough at home, sit on this thought for a few days and ensure you really need them and can’t actually just purge a bit more or relocate some items. Some previously occupied bins may become freed up as you complete your purge, too.

Once you’ve determined you do indeed need a new container, and your budget allows, go for it. If you can afford to be picky, clear containers are always preferred so that you can see what you have. If your budget does not allow, join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook (mentioned in yesterday’s donation post) and make a post asking for boxes and containers. You will be surprised with how generous the community can be.

Common visible places that you may want to create:

• A small drop zone for keys, mail, wallet, and your spouse’s pager. Ideally, this is out of sight, but that is usually rare for most folks. Make sure it’s very close to your door or else it won’t be used.
• A pretty container for the items that live next to your sinks (in the bathroom, this may be soap, lotion, and a room spray; in the kitchen, this may be hand soap, dish soap, sponge, and your all-purpose cleaner if you use it daily for your countertops).
• Bins as-needed for children’s toys that you have elected to keep in sight (Melissa and Doug wooden crates are great for this). This is only for toys that genuinely need to be contained, like legos, not a pile of 20 vehicles. Display four or five current favorite vehicles, and put the rest out of “rotation” in storage or get rid of them.
  
  

Common hidden places that you may want to create:

• A small drop zone for mail and bills to be handled (visit the purge post section on papers when considering this).
• A box of stationery (thank you notes and birthday/baby/wedding cards that you stock up on from Home Goods or Trader Joe’s… or is that just me)
• Storage bins for Tupperware, snacks, spices, nuts/dried fruits, etc if you think you can keep up with it
• Medicine/first aid bins
• Bins for your regularly used toiletries under your sink
• Low-sided containers for makeup and jewelry (there are some awesome stackable jewelry kits at The Container Store if you’re ready for a splurge).
• Cleaning product bins (I recommend one for under the sink, one for above the washing machine, and one for the garage).
• Backstock boxes (if you truly need a backstock area). This may include one for guest and travel toiletries, cleaning supplies, food, paper towels and toilet paper. However, there is no need to create these spaces if you don’t truly need them.
• Shoe storage. Ugh. I hate dealing with shoe storage, but it’s a necessary evil. We keep our in-season shoes in the coat closet, and out-of-season shoes in bedroom closets. I have made an exception and put one basket out and visible for my kids’ shoes (two pairs for each kid) so they are more likely to put them away by themselves.
• Large storage bins for your basement storage. In my basement, we have the following storage bins:
  • One for each family member’s sentimentals
  • Three bins of kids clothes in soon-to-be-used sizes
  • One bin of baby items (bottles, swaddles, toys, etc.)
  • Three bins of Christmas décor
  • One bin of non-Christmas holiday décor
  • One bin for currently unused home décor that I 100% intend to use in our next home
  • One bin for summer toys to live in the winter
  • Smaller bin for pictures
  • Smaller bin for party supplies
  • Smaller bins (4) for craft supplies (I’m a crafter; you may not need this at all)
• A box that lives in the corner of your closet for you to dump future items that you decide to purge.

A few of my favorite tips

In no particular order, for your consideration:

• Organizing items in rainbow order (like The Home Edit does) is surprisingly pleasing. I think it is most useful in two spaces: in your closet, and for children’s books. Once making this change in your closet, it is easy to maintain because you see easily where a recently used/washed item fits back in. I was worried when I hung my husband’s navy hoodie next to his navy polo instead of with his other hoodies and sweatshirts, but it actually has helped him really assess his whole wardrobe and he wears a much bigger variety of his clothes now. In terms of the children’s book suggestion, I think it helps them more easily find books they like and return them during clean-up time.
• Aim to hang as many clothing items in your closet as possible. This lets you see what you have most readily, and depending on your closet size and quantity of clothes, you may be able to get rid of your dresser entirely (in this case, you'll need a couple shelves and sets of containers in your closet for items that can't be hung).
• It is your choice whether you choose to display all seasons of clothes in your closets/drawers. I made a goal to purge enough that I could comfortably display all seasons, but I could see how that would be annoying to some people to have a bunch of things in their closet that they won’t be wearing for six months. Choose what works for you, but if you do choose to keep your out of season items out of sight, don’t let it become an excuse for keeping more than you need.
• If you have to have paper towels and toilet paper in a visible spot (I do, because my laundry room is also my main floor bathroom), display them unwrapped. It’s surprisingly pretty.
• Beautiful pantry pictures are super trendy right now, but consider how active you will truly be in moving items out of their bags, etc, and into a new bin. You may totally embrace this and do it when you get home from the store every time, and you might not. Again, make sure you choose something that fits in to your lifestyle. I suggest starting out small by getting two or three bins for your pantry to hold your bags of fruits/nuts, small snacks, etc. Also consider choosing some produce savers to keep in your fridge, if you think you’ll be good about washing and moving your produce into them when you come home from the store (otherwise, you never will). I did really enjoy moving some of my lesser used dry items (beans, grains, pasta) into large mason jars. They can be super cheap at garage sales, and I scored a ton for 50 cents each at the Crowded Closet thrift shop in Iowa City.

Fun items to consider 
Remember, this is only for when you’ve taken some time to confirm you need them and/or they will bring you joy, and for when your budget allows:
​

• Clear organizers for craft products
• Small lazy susans for your spices and baking products
• Separators for your pans and bakeware (you can place them vertically or horizontally depending on your space)
• Jewelry organizers (preferably the little velvety ones with a square spot for every piece)
• Mesh toy bags to hold sets of toys rather than having to keep boxes for everything
• Paper towel holder
• Glass spray bottle for your most frequently used all-purpose product (this may be worth storing in sight, on the counter)
• Specialized holiday storage bins like those for wreaths, lights, ornaments, and wrapping paper
• For when you’re really all-in and you know you’ll keep up with it, you can do the full kitchen splurge and get clear containers for everything. If you want to start smaller, begin with mason jars from thrift stores (I prefer wide mouth mason jars), move to just a couple clear bins, and then to produce keepers before going all-out.

 
Sign up for a time to have some donations brought to the Shelter House if you so choose. Please sign up before Oct 23rd. We will come get them from your door Oct 25th and 26th. The link also has a list of eligible items, as does yesterday’s blog post and our FB event. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0444A4AD2FA2FF2-shelter
 
Tomorrow, we’re on to cleaning!

Now that you have tons of boxes in your garage of things to get rid of, get rid of them quickly before you or a family member dig back into them and second guess yourself. I’m going to cover our philanthropy event to donate items to The Shelter House, and then walk through some local sale, consignment and donation options.

The Shelter House IMP Event Pickup
I ask that you first consider which of those items might be suitable for donation to The Shelter House in Iowa City and sign up for a time slot to have them picked up from your front porch. You can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0444A4AD2FA2FF2-shelter

We also have an IMP Facebook event and Evite floating around where you can find the above link, and post about how your process is going!

The items that The Shelter House has requested most recently include:

CLOTHING

• Jackets
• Rain jackets
• Gloves
• Hoodies and sweatshirts
• Men’s/Women’s sweatpants
• Leggings
• T-shirts
• Flannel shirts
• Tennis shoes
• Jeans sizes 30-38
• White socks
• Boxers and underwear (new only)
  
  

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Umbrellas
• Adult backpacks
• Wash cloths
• Towels
• Body wash
• Shaving cream/razors
• Travel size shampoo/conditioner
• Twin size sheets/blankets
• Pillows
• Chapstick
• Cleaning supplies
• Toilet paper
• Can openers

Selling 

Nothing novel here. Craigslist or Facebook marketplace if you want to sell items. Consider resale items that require shipping (like Ebay or various clothing shops) only if you are tech savvy enough to actually follow through with it. Be selective about how many items you try to sell, as it’s a lot of logistics to field inquiries, set up pickup times, mail things, etc. You don’t want to burn out and have random stuff sitting in your garage that still needs to be sold.

Consignment

I love Stuff Etc. They have locations in Iowa City and Coralville. You can walk in and open a consignment account whenever you’d like (though they do not accept consignment on Sundays). Note that both locations have a separate consignor area with its own entrance doors, so don’t go to their regular checkout. Currently (October 2020), they allow you to consign one tub of items a day, and up to five large items that don’t fit in the tub. The tub is theirs – you move your stuff into their tubs and head out. Because of the influx of business they’re getting, they will look through your items quickly with you as you or they fill up your tub.

Every time I have gone lately, both locations have had a wait for an empty tub to be available. In the Iowa City location, the wait tends to be around 15-20 mins, and they let you wander the store and call you over the speaker when it’s your turn. The Coralville location is much busier; the wait tends to be more like 30-60 mins, and you can’t leave your spot in line, so prepare accordingly. 

At Stuff, your account makes money when your item is sold. You can check your account balance online once you open an account. This is also true for KidWorks, a kids consignment shop on the south side. KidWorks also has a partner shop right behind it, HouseWorks (for home items). I have not consigned with them yet, but it could be worth a stop if you have too much to dump at Stuff. The Second Act is over near the KidWorks, HouseWorks, and Iowa City Stuff location, and is an adult clothing consignment shop. I am not familiar with their consigning process, but it could be worth a stop while you are in the direction (all on the south side, near Terry Trueblood, Big Grove, and the Waterfront Hy-Vee).

Once Upon A Child (children's clothing and toys) and Plato's Closet (adult/juniors clothing), both in Coralville, though they are more selective in the items they choose.

Please comment on this blog post if you know of any more consignment options that I have missed.

Donate

For items that don’t seem suitable for The Shelter House, consider donating at one of several Goodwill locations, or the Crowded Closet thrift shop right next to the Iowa City Stuff Etc location. Some things are better off in your trash, and that’s ok, too. Better to get them out of your house than hang on to the guilt of not being able to repurpose absolutely everything.
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Iowa City also has a great Buy Nothing group presence on Facebook. There are various groups for each neighborhood, so join one and enjoy! Someone literally gave away a gallon of milk on my Buy Nothing group yesterday. There are sometimes hidden gems in there too, like nice furniture or a Kitchen Aid stand mixer (that I didn't dibs fast enough... ugh). 
 
Tomorrow we’re back to some fun stuff… organizing! Get all your empty bins and boxes out and ready! 

I’m excited about this one because this is the newest home maintenance component that I’ve jumped into. Our dear friend Kelsey Sprowell told me to follow @gocleanco on Instagram, and I spent hours watching her videos and audibly gasping alone in bed. Go do that right now.

Let me add, I’m not really a clean freak. I’ve always said I can tidy all day but I hate to clean. Still, though, my eye notices tiny spots and corners that aren’t clean, and then I think about them and they make me frustrated. So, I needed to get better about cleaning. And I really didn’t know how to start. My mother was not really a clean-as-you-go person. She would clean in fits and spurts, so there were days where it was far from orderly. She also had the habit, as many of us do, of avoiding a cleaning task once it got too dirty and gross, which only made it worse (this is where gloves come to the rescue). One time, mushrooms grew the bathroom tile next to the bathtub. Legit mushrooms. Two of them. I have a picture. Another trait she handed down to me is the tendency to focus on a “project”, like organizing some bizarre out-of-sight storage shelf in the garage, and neglecting to do the regular upkeep like put my dishes in the dishwasher. I’m still working on that.

I feel very proud of my space and relaxed when my home is truly clean. I want to achieve this regularly. Let’s do it together.

I drafted this post largely based on my recent learnings from gocleanco, and also had a few friends review who I think are innately better at cleaning than I am, to make sure we cover all the bases.

Let’s start with recommended cleaning items. Don’t throw away everything you have that isn’t these items, but maybe consider moving in this direction as you use up what you have. Streamline the number of cleaning products you have, again, in favor of simplicity and tidiness. I have some Amazon links here so you can see what I'm talking about, but check the grocery store or Wal-Mart/Target first because some of these items are pricey on Amazon right now.
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Solid materials

• Brooms (one for in your home, one for outside)
• Vacuum with a brush attachment (here is the recommended list from gocleanco)
• Mop (This is what gocleanco recommends, and I plan to get it eventually, but honestly, I like to just use a rag and make my way through on hands and knees. Swiffers are popular and certainly a viable option, but I don’t love how expensive their replacement cleaner is, and I honestly don’t love their floor cleaners because they leave a residue. Steam mops are wonderful but not ok for wood floors.)
• Duster (I grew up with a reusable one where you just tap the dust off outside, but many people love the disposable Swiffer one)
• Gloves (I prefer medical gloves, but cleaning gloves from the store are fine too)
• Scrubbing brushes (a small one, and a larger one. In my new deep cleaning journey I realized that toothbrushes do not do the job, because the bristles don’t stick out beyond the plastic head so you can never quite get in to a corner)
• Toilet brush
• Pail for your cleaning concoctions, if your mop doesn’t come with one
• Optional: Squeegee for your windows
• Optional: Small dust buster for little messes, or to vacuum your sweeping pile
  
  

Textiles

• Paper towels
• Microfiber cloths, or if you’re like me and you hate how they feel on your fingers, rags are fine
• Optional: Coffee filters for wiping windows and mirrors – they don’t leave little fuzzies like paper towels do (a trick I learned working in food service)
  
  

Cleaning products

• A non-toxic all-purpose cleaner you enjoy for countertops and simple messes. My favorite is Mrs. Meyers basil scent. A homemade combination of water, white vinegar, and a citrus essential oil or blend such as thieves oil is also a great choice.
• Bar Keepers Friend (liquid preferred over powder because its less of a hassle; for sinks, tubs, and even wall scuffs)
• Easy-Off (for ovens and stovetop)
• Weimans stainless steel products (for stainless steel appliances)
• Mr Clean (for cutting greasy areas; I prefer their “Clean Freak” spray product)
• Bona (for hardwoods – I’m obsessed)
• Dawn Dish Soap (the classic blue one. They also have a fun spray type now)
• Windex (for windows, mirrors, screens)
• Liquid bleach (they make splashless options that are a little thicker, which I prefer)
• Tide powdered laundry detergent (this will make your laundry machine way less grimy than a liquid detergent, and it’s recommended as a main cleaning agent for nearly all of gocleanco’s recipes. Tide+hot water and you’re good to go. It is also the ONLY product that is safe to mix with bleach if needed).
• White vinegar
• Optional: Magic Erasers (white cast iron and wall scuffs)
• Optional: Dreft stain remover spray
• Optional: Toilet tablets
  
  

On to your major cleaning spaces. I’ll do a quick recap of the stuff you are probably already cleaning and should keep cleaning, and the gross stuff you haven’t been paying attention to. Some true clean freaks may criticize the infrequency at which I have some of these tasks, but I'm trying to make this attainable for even us dirty savages.

For your “regular upkeep” items, I recommend setting a timer and going to town, at least until you get yourself into the habit. For my home, 15 minutes covers the upstairs (bedrooms and bathrooms), 20 for the main level (kitchen, living room, play room), and 10 for the basement (play room). Most days, it’s less than this, especially if I’m keeping up regularly. 

For your “every one to two weeks” items, try to think of a time when you are generally available, like Sunday afternoons while you’re having lazy family time. If you have kids, I firmly believe in letting them see you clean so that they don’t associate it with something cumbersome and mysterious. It’s a part of the day like everything else.

For your “every one to two months” items, try to block off special time for yourself to accomplish this. Put on a playlist, clean with your sneakers on (my mom always said that having shoes on keeps you motivated), and go to town. If you have kids, this is a job for naptime or screentime, or you can ask your partner to take them to the park if they are home.


General Home
Regular upkeep

• Tidy all of your newly purged and organized items
• Fluff pillows, folding and draping throw blankets
• Make beds
• Sweep floors and wipe small messes
• Light a candle daily for all the feels
• Water houseplants as they require

Every 1-2 weeks

• Floors (I prefer Bona, but gocleanco says you can use the Tide+hot water mixture of 1/2 tsp tide with 4 cups of hot water)
• Vacuum carpets, sprinkle baking soda before vacuuming to freshen up if desired
• Light fixtures with Windex
• Windows, TV screen, mirrors with Windex
• Wash linens including bed sheets, throw blankets, hand towels

Every 1-2 months

• Door tracks with Mr. Clean
• Walls and light switches with Tide powder and hot water (1/2 tsp tide with 4 cups of hot water); liquid Barkeepers Friend or Magic Eraser for big scuffs
• Baseboards, window sills, doors, door frames and handrails with above Tide mixture
• Wipe down toys with above Tide mixture
• Blinds (dust and wipe with above Tide mixture)
• Trash cans (bleach)
• Throw pillows (remove cover if possible) and bed pillows by soaking in your tub with Tide. Many of these are surprisingly machine washable on the gentle setting, so take a look at your tags
• Remove couch cushions and vacuum furniture
  
  

Kitchen/Dining
Regular upkeep

• Keeping up with dishes
• Countertops and tables
• Transferring purchased food into containers if appropriate

Every 1-2 weeks

• Stovetop with Bar Keepers Friend first; then Easy Off for anything still stuck on
• Inside microwave (1c water +2tbsp white vinegar in a bowl. Microwave 3 to 5 mins. Wipe out.)
• Bar Keepers Friend for your sink and drain; throw a few slices of frozen lemons in your disposal and grind away. A splash of bleach down the disposal isn’t a bad idea, either, if you’re noticing a smell.
• Stainless steel appliances including your range hood with Weimans stainless steel products (after getting any grime off)

Every 1-2 months

• Oven interior with Easy-Off; racks can soak in your tub overnight in hot water and a few dishwasher tabs, then a bit of scrubbing the next day
• Fridge and pantry interior using powdered Tide and hot water (1/2 tsp tide with 4 cups of hot water; 4 tsp bleach if you’d like as well)
• Cabinet surfaces, tops, and handles using the above Tide mixture
• Chairs and chair legs, table legs using above Tide mixture
• Range hood vent (yes, this comes out, look it up)
• Dishwasher (you have a filter in there, take it out and rinse it. Then, pour ½ c bleach in the bottom of your dishwasher and run a hot cycle. No foaming cleaning products or else you will have suds halfway down your hall. Speaking from experience.)
• Backsplash, first with Mr. Clean to cut grease, then Windex for shine

 
Bathrooms
Regular upkeep

• Wipe toothpaste drips and rogue hairs
• Hang/replace towels as-needed
• Declutter countertop

Every 1-2 weeks

• Toilet with Bar Keepers Friend (after you’ve used your toilet brush, you can let it sit over the toilet to drip/air dry and use the seat to hold it down; this prevents buildup of mold on your brush)
• Bath with Bar Keepers Friend
• Counters with powdered Tide and hot water (1/2 tsp tide with 4 cups of hot water; 4 tsp bleach if you’d like as well – recommended in bathrooms)
• Add toothbrush holder to your next dishwasher load
• Tiles and shower doors by spraying vinegar and a drop of Dawn dish soap; let sit; squeegee. Polish with Windex.

Every 1-2 months

• Replace toilet tablets in the toilet basin (be mindful to choose a product that is nontoxic if you have dogs or children who may touch the water)
• Polish towel racks and toilet paper holder with Windex
• Vacuum ceiling fan cover
• Cabinet surfaces, tops, and handles using above Tide mixture
• Showerhead by filling a Ziploc with vinegar and water in a plastic bag and using a rubber band to tie it on, let sit
• Tile grout with Tide and hot water as above, slightly increasing the quantity of bleach if needed. Use your little scrubber brush.
  
  

Laundry Room
I recommend aiming to have one “laundry day” a week. It is exhausting to constantly have various loads in rotation and have clothes to fold every day. I realize I sound gross saying this – but resist the urge to throw everything straight into the dirty clothes pile. Unless it’s dirty, smelly, or overly stretched out, give it another wear or two. This will greatly reduce your laundry burden. Also, simply reducing your total number of clothes as you did in the purge phase reduces the load (pun intended). If you stick to this plan, there is no “regular upkeep” section, other than spot cleaning any big clothing stains that pop up (by the way, I love Dreft stain remover spray for all clothing stains, not just baby clothes).

Every 1-2 weeks

• Laundry weekly with powdered Tide (Free & Clear if you or your family has sensitive skin)
• Windex exterior of washer and dryer
• It gets dustier in here than in other rooms; consider a quick once-over with your vacuum hose while you’re doing your carpets
  
  

Every 1-2 months

• Vacuum lint trap of dryer
• Clean sink with Barkeepers Friend (if you have one)
• In washing machines, most of the spots to dump in your liquid bleach, fabric softener, and detergent can be removed. If it’s super nasty, let it soak in hot water with a generous glug of bleach in it. Otherwise, use your scrubber brush w/ bleach to scrub the area.
• Front loading machines: that rubber seal is NASTY and it always has standing water in it. Dump in straight bleach and scrub with a scrub brush. From now on, leave the door open at all times to air out.
• Front loading machines; You also have a filter somewhere down lower on your machine. Wear gloves or you will never have the guts to accomplish this. Remove the cover and you will see a little black hose. Remove the cap and empty the water into a bowl. It will smell. Then twist off the filter cap, wipe it out, and bleach that thing. Re-seal the hose and filter tightly. Gocleanco has a great tutorial on this in Instagram stories.
• Top loading machines: you may not have a rubber seal. If not, just wipe it all down, and thank your lucky stars. If there’s a cap in the middle for fabric softener, dislodge it and let it sit in super hot water with a bit of bleach to loosen it up, then scrub clean with a scrub brush and return
  
  

Special emphasis goes to a few areas that I totally neglected until recently. That includes window tracks, blinds, wall vents (vacuum those), filters for washing machines, dishwashers, and oven hood vents. My backsplash is dark and therefore very easy to neglect. Baseboards are also underattended. Some of these may be true for you, and if they are, you should look up some satisfying before-and-after tutorials.

As I mentioned earlier in this series, I truly believe that once your home contains only items you need and love, cleaning can be simple and even joyful. I hope you find the same thing.

I also wanted to make space in these posts to account for a concern that I had in the beginning of this process, and you may have as well. I was concerned that I would lose the warmth in my home by emptying it too much, and that I wouldn’t be able to “decorate” like I like and switch out different pieces of décor… basically… I wouldn’t be able to buy stuff, which I like to do, TBH. Let’s be real here.

Here are three remedies that have completely changed my perspective on this.

1. Candles. I am slowly working through all the candles I already had, and then when they’re gone, I’ll enjoy grabbing a new one at the store as I need it. Plus, I’m really loving using a candle daily to make my home feel warm. (My favorite splurge: Voluspa)
2. Greens and flowers. I am taking better care of my houseplants and have added a couple more to the mix (folks on my Buy Nothing group on Facebook give away little plants all the time). I also buy some at Trader Joe’s every now and then. I will cut greens from around my house and neighborhood to beef up the Trader Joe’s arrangements and make them look super big and glamorous! (My favorite splurges: flowers from Willow and Stock on the Northside, a bouquet delivery from Farmgirl Flowers, or a dried arrangement from Roxanne's Dried Flowers)
3. Create a swap-out décor spot. For me, this is a rectangular wire basket that I hang vertically on my wall (kind of like this, but all wire; I've seen some cute bamboo ones, too). It is always there, and I can swap out décor and plop it on the basket for display as often as I’d like without ever getting out a hammer. I rotate several different décor pieces through here based on the season, and it gives me the freedom to mix things up without cluttering my space or busting out the toolbox.
   
   

This is the last day of our blog post series. I hope you enjoyed this process, and that you will revisit it in the future when you start to feel restless in your home, as will inevitably happen to all of us even after a successful home cleanse. Please send along ideas for more posts, if you felt that something was left unsaid.

Let’s actively discuss our projects and progress with each other in the Facebook event page. Don’t forget to sign up for a time to have any donations to the Shelter House picked up from your porch On Oct 25th or Oct 26th. Please sign up by Oct 23rd. The link has a list of eligible items. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0444A4AD2FA2FF2-shelter
 
Thank you for joining me!

This year, spending more time at home, especially with winter approaching, necessitates creating a space that brings you peace and comfort. Cue the PROJECTS! This doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can be gratifying and freeing. Here’s the plan for this blog post series. Check in every day for a new guide to spur your progress, and then sign up for a time slot for some of your no-longer-needed items to be picked up from your porch and donated to The Shelter House.

1. Motivate – I’m going to make you want to do this. Starting TODAY.
2. Purge – Tips for processing your items.
3. Donate – Ideas for locally selling, consigning, and donating through IMP’s Shelter House pickup and elsewhere.
4. Organize – A place for everything and everything in its place.
5. Clean – The stuff you know you need to do, and the stuff you didn’t know you need to do.

​After making many attempts over the years to clear out the clutter, I never felt like I quite got there. Thanks to pregnancy nesting, (aka the only good thing about pregnancy), I’ve fully embraced a complete home purge in the past couple weeks, and only had to stop when my husband put his foot down and said I need to stop selling furniture that we still use. 

Along the way I donated and sold MANY items that are perfectly useful to other families. Isn’t it convenient that we can turn this into a philanthropy event! I’m going to make you want to purge, accomplish the purge, DONATE the most useful items (without leaving your home, because you’ll sign up for a time and we’ll come get it from your porch – more on that later), and then organize, clean, and maintain.

I want to emphasize that though I give occasional examples related to children’s toys and clothes, this is in no way targeted exclusively to families with children. I have tried to keep discussion of toys and kids clothes fairly separate so you can skip on by if it doesn’t apply to you. Now, let's get on with it. 

Do you ever “finish” cleaning up and take a look around only to feel that your house still looks cluttered? Me too. There are multiple reasons for this. First of all, YOU HAVE TOO MANY THINGS. I don’t know you and I don’t know your house but I am sure you have too many things. Secondly, you have too many things you don’t care about, which retracts from your motivation to care for them. This seems to be especially common in medical families like us, where, during the many moves and living within the margins of a training salary, we have accepted cheap items or hand-me-downs from family that we don’t truly love. Thirdly, you haven’t had time to optimize your space, but with enough motivation, you will want to make time.

Here are some concepts that I have mulled over and feel are important to accept. Accepting these principles has helped me get rid of things and also choose not to buy more things that I didn’t need. Am I an expert on this? No. But I did read a lot of Marie Kondo, The Home Edit, and endless minimalist and housekeeping blogs, and I write ~ScIeNce~ for a living so I know how to be REALLY entertaining and not dry at all (just kidding, science is not entertaining, except to me and probably your spouse). In no particular order:

• Release yourself of any obligation to keep an item you don’t love and need. This is a derivative of Marie Kondo’s “thank it and let it go”. You can be thankful for a gift you received at the time and still say goodbye to it. The giver felt the joy of giving it to you, you felt the love of receiving a gift, and now let’s move the heck on. Better to say goodbye than to think about how you don’t love the item and you “should” keep it every time you see it. Same for items that you bought fairly recently but realistically don't use. It's bringing guilt into your life, and guilt is a burdensome feeling. It is also completely self-inflicted. The guilt is a "you" problem. I give you permission to let it go.
  
  
• Too many of ANY item is unnecessary. You do not live in a third world country where there is true scarcity and things cannot be replaced. For clothes, think about the circumstance under which you would wear an item. It’s time to pick a sweater – are you always choosing sweater A over sweater B, even if you like sweater B “just fine” and you bought it recently and… and… and…? Yes? Then goodbye, sweater B. For toiletries, do you always reach for one lotion over another? Out it goes. There really is no reason for more than one sheet set per bed, but two is allowable. More than that… not necessary. This concept even applies to sentimentals. I had a box of sentimental Christmas items that my mom used to display and she ended up giving them to me (cue guilt, see above). I kept two or three of them because they give me good feels when I see them. The rest? Out. The. Door. Same for your own (and dare I say… your children’s) childhood pictures and schoolwork – keep a few report cards, pictures, and writing samples to bring up those good feels. Fifty variations of them taking up space? No thanks.
  
  
• When sorting through items, take them all out of their space, and only put back in what you are keeping. Do not leave them in their space and only take out what you are eliminating. It is much more impactful to see all your crap in a pile, and selectively re-introduce only what you truly need and like.
  
  
• Evaluate an item’s worth in many ways. Firstly, of course, its monetary cost to you (assuming it is an item you either need or are likely to need to replace shortly after discarding it). Also, though, the cost to your storage space, the cost in your time to clean and maintain it, and honestly, the space it occupies in your brain. I had five bins of baby clothes. Even though I have another on the way and they would probably use some, the amount of space they took up, the weight on my shoulders of holding on to a ton of crap, and the inexpensive cost to replace them helped me ditch more than half of them. Let’s be real, children’s clothes on consignment aren’t that expensive, and you’re always going to be gifted new clothes and make a few new clothing purchases for a new baby.
  
  
• Realize how valuable your time is. That pile of toy cars your kids dump out every day just for the sake of dumping out adds one minute to your cleaning schedule that you could use doing something else. Your time is valuable. Save your time. Also apply this logic to the time investments you make in your purging/organizing/cleaning. If a four-hour closet purge reduces your overall laundry burden, saves you time shopping for things you didn’t need, and creates more breathing room (which translates to joy, which translates to energy, which translates to making time for things you love), those four hours are time well spent.
  
  

Tomorrow, I’ll post concrete suggestions for working through it all, section by section. If you can’t wait and you’re feeling the itch NOW, don’t wait. Capitalize on your motivation. You may go through this full cycle several times before really feeling satisfied. Once you are satisfied, though, your house will be much easier to keep up and actually a pleasure to tidy and clean.

I am crossing my fingers that this project will spur lots of chatter on our blog, Facebook invite page, and everywhere else. Please liberally comment with updates and suggestions! 

If you already know you’re “in”, sign up to have some of your items donated to The Shelter House. We will pick up your donations from your doorstep. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0444A4AD2FA2FF2-shelter

While you anxiously await tomorrow's post, why don't you visit some favorite inspirational folks on their blogs and Instagram? 

The Home Edit BLOG and INSTAGRAM 
Marie Kondo BLOG and INSTAGRAM 
Real Simple SITE and INSTAGRAM
Go Clean Co INSTAGRAM 
Julie Blanner BLOG and INSTAGRAM
​Allie Casazza BLOG and INSTAGRAM

As new members will find out, IMP offers many fun events and provides a support system for partners/spouses of very busy residents/fellows. We are able to provide so many opportunities while keeping membership dues low thanks to the partnerships we have created with our amazing sponsors. Typically our sponsors would have the chance to introduce themselves at the welcome brunch. Due to the change in logistics this year, I wanted to still provide them an opportunity to introduce themselves. All of our sponsors are willing to offer advice or a helping hand to any IMP member. Do not hesitate to reach out to them! 

First, a welcome message from Tundi Brady with Urban Acres: 

Additionally a welcome letter from Tundi is attached below. If you have any questions about renting, buying or selling a home, decorating your home, advice for local services, etc. - Tundi is a wealth of knowledge about the local community! Even if you did not use her as a realtor when moving to the area, do not be shy to reach out. When my heater went out on the coldest day of the year last winter, Tundi got me a list of amazing options to fix our heater ASAP! She is even a former member of IMP herself! Tundi can be reached at [email protected]. 

Next, a welcome message from Bobby Scott with Partner Wealth: 

Additionally a welcome letter from Bobby is attached below. If you have any questions about obtaining a new mortgage to buy a home, student loan repayment, physician-specific disability insurance, employer benefit enrollment, ROTH IRA's... basically anything regarding your financial situation, Bobby can help you out! Bobby has helped multiple IMP members with finding appropriate life and disability insurance policies, including myself! There is no charge for his services while in training, so do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Bobby can be reached at [email protected].

Finally, Nanci Kohl with State Farm is here to give you advice regarding insurance. When I decided to add an umbrella policy to my auto insurance, I worked with Nanci to get new policies for my home and automobiles. She has been incredibly helpful and responsive whenever I have a question about my policies. Nanci would love to give any IMP members advice as you are deciding what you need for your insurance policies. Nanci can be reached at [email protected]. A welcome letter from Nanci is attached below. 

There is never any pressure to use our sponsors. Nonetheless, they all come highly recommended by our officers and members that have used their services. I cannot emphasize it enough, they are here to be resources for you and would be happy to provide any advice no matter how big or small your questions might be. 

-Megan Pai
Iowa Medical Partners, President 

​Last week our financial advisor sponsor, Bobby Scott, hosted a virtual event highlighting financial issues relevant to doctors in training. If you were unable to attend, but curious about what was discussed, this blog post is for you! I wrote up a summary of the topics he addressed along with some of the advice he offered. 
 
The most important issue to tackle is your financial habits. The habits you have now will follow you after training. What you do with $100 is the same as what you will do with $1000 from a percentage standpoint. While it might be hard to imagine how your lifestyle on a resident’s salary will transition to one on a practicing physician’s salary, the fact of the matter is the choices you make now are a good predictor of how you will handle your finances in the future. Consider what works best for you when making financial decisions. Do you need a strict budget to follow? Would it work better to ‘pay yourself first’ and have more flexibility? Furthermore, as evident in this moment in time, income is not always guaranteed.  What does your reserve of emergency cash look like? How can you work on building this amount to ensure you have something to live on if it was needed?
 
Next, plan to manage your risk. Our employer provides some life insurance, but you might want to consider if you need an additional plan. Specialty-specific disability insurance is especially important for the nature of our spouses’ jobs. If you need help finding the best fit, Bobby is able to offer advice from a conflict-free point-of-view as he does not get paid a commission by any outside companies for products, such as insurance. Additionally, as a physician family, consider a liability umbrella policy through your auto insurance. 
 
Debt management is an especially important factor for doctors in training considering the number of years that go into their education and training. High interest debt should always be knocked out first. It is worth considering if equity from your home should be used. Also, consider how to manage your federal and private student loans. You might qualify for public service loan forgiveness if you have federal loans. Finally, consider refinancing your loans as you should always be asking if your interest rate can be less. 
 
When you are coming to the end of your training, understanding the terms of your contract with your future employer will be very important. There is a very high chance you will change jobs within the first two years of employment. Even if it seems you have found your dream job, until you begin working it is hard to know if you have found the right fit for you and your family. Non-compete clauses and non-solicitation clauses will be especially important to consider. Additionally the termination clause and responsibility of tail coverage can result in a very expensive liability depending on the contract. Finally, considering how to structure a signing bonus is an important factor as it could impact your future tax bracket. 
 
The last topic discussed was how to invest your money. First focus on maxing out qualified plans. A ROTH IRA is a retirement savings account that residents should consider opening up and saving in now. You will lose this option after becoming a high income earner. Currently, you and your spouse can each contribute up to $6,000 annually into a ROTH IRA. If you have additional questions about investing, a third party advisor might help you make decisions to get the highest expected return for the lowest risk. 
 
Ultimately, the biggest return on investment is you and your spouse and focusing on your career(s). At the end of the day, no investments can make up for a life style that is not within your means. If you have any questions about these topics, or something that was not addressed, do not hesitate to reach out to Bobby ([email protected] or 319-512-3925)! There are no charges for his services while in training, so ask him advice get on track to meet your financial goals!

We sent out a survey to learn about you and what’s been keeping you going. This is the first of a blog
post series presenting our results.
Stay tuned for most posts about residency life. For now, enjoy a nice scroll through our IMP member-
suggested shows and books.

What should I be binge watching?
Sorted by IMDB rating (out of 10). IMDB description provided.

Stranger Things (8.8) When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief and his friends must
confront terrifying supernatural forces in order to get him back.
The West Wing (8.8) Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
Marvelous Ms. Maisel (2 votes) (8.7) A housewife in the 1960s decides to become a stand-up comic.
WestWorld (8.7) Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, explore a world in
which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.
Outlander (8.4) An English combat nurse from 1945 is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743.
Poldark (8.3) Ross Poldark returns home after American Revolutionary War and rebuilds his life with a
new business venture, making new enemies and finding a new love where he least expects it.
Schitt’s Creek (3 votes) (8.3) When rich video-store magnate Johnny Rose and his family suddenly find
themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup in Schitt's Creek.
The Witcher (8.3) Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where
people often prove more wicked than beasts.
Cheer (8.2) Follows the cheerleaders of Navarro College as they prepare for the biggest moment of their
lives.
The Walking Dead (8.2) Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins,
and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.
Altered Carbon (8.1) Set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life
in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom.
Gilmore Girls (8.1) A dramedy centering around the relationship between a thirty something single
mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
You (7.8) A dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert
himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by.
New Girl (7.7) After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with
three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her - most of the time.
Gray’s Anatomy (7.6) A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns
and their supervisors.
Madam Secretary (7.6) A political drama which looks into the life of the Secretary of State as she tries to
balance work with family.
The Masked Singer (6.3) A singing competition guessing game based on Korean format King of Mask
Singer. 12 celebrity performers wear costumes to conceal identities. One singer is eliminated each week
and unmasked. Small hints are given for the viewer guess along.
Love is Blind (6.0) Singles who want to be loved for who they are, rather than what they look like, have
signed up for a less conventional approach to modern dating.
Every Real Housewives franchise (4.8) A reality series that follows some of the most affluent women in
the country as they enjoy the lavish lifestyle that only Beverly Hills can provide. (Synopsis and rating
from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills)

What should I be binge reading?
Sorted by GoodReads rating (out of 5). Google Books description provided.

Harry Potter (series) (4.74) Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with
a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Just Mercy (4.63) Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a
legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly
condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system.
One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a
notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political
machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a
moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in
the pursuit of true justice.
The Nightingale (2 votes) (4.57) The Nightingale is a novel, written by Kristin Hannah and published in
2015. It tells the story of two sisters in France during World War II, and their struggle to survive and
resist the German occupation of France.
Becoming (4.56) In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama
invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on
the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work,
to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she
describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has
lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply
personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose
story inspires us to do the same.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (series) (4.52) Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother
gave her. One for every boy she ever loved. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and
say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day
her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Where the Crawdads Sing (4.49) For years, rumors of the Marsh Girl have haunted Barkley Cove, a
quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead,
the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say.
Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding
friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and
loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a
new life--until the unthinkable happens. Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the
natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens
reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the
beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
Born a Crime: Stories from South African Childhood (4.46) Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid
South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a
white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years
in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years
of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a
government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s
tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and
embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (4.38) One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her
Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the
quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and
khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be
anything but. As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients; lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood
producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her
life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the
wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing
to Wendell. With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and
patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope
between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and
change.
Scythe (series) (4.36) Scythe is a 2016 young-adult novel by Neal Shusterman and is the first in the Arc of
a Scythe series. It is set in the far future, where death by natural causes has been virtually eliminated
thanks to advances in technology, and an advanced computer system known as the "Thunderhead&quote
controls society.
Small Great Things (4.34) Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with
more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only
to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white
supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies
with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the
nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene? Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a
result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but
gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning
strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her
family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward,
Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their
whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.
Shelter in Place (4.24) It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine. Three teenage friends
waited for the movie to start. A boy flirted with the girl selling sunglasses. Mothers and children
shopped together, and the manager at video game store tended to customers. Then the shooters
arrived. The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for
those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. In the years that followed, one would
dedicate himself to a law enforcement career. Another would close herself off, trying to bury the
memory of huddling in a ladies room, helplessly clutching her cell phone--until she finally found a way
to pour her emotions into her art. But one person wasn't satisfied with the shockingly high death toll at
the DownEast Mall. And as the survivors slowly heal, find shelter, and rebuild, they will discover that
another conspirator is lying in wait--and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.
Katherine (4.19) Katherine is an epic novel of a love affair that changed history that of Katherine
Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in
the vibrant fourteenth century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in
battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets Edward III, the Black Prince, and
Richard II who rule despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance,
John of Gaunt, the king s son, falls passionately in love with the already-married Katherine. Their affair
persists through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption. Anya Seton's vivid
rendering of the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Lancaster makes Katherine an unmistakable classic.
My Lady Jane (4.09) Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger and caught up in
an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that's the least of Jane's problems.
She's about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
Silent Patient (4.08) Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-
demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of
London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion
shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia’s refusal
to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery
that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and
she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic
unit in North London. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the
opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she
shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that
threatens to consume him....
What Alice Forgot (4.08) Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first
child. So imagine Alice's surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym)
and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over--she's getting
divorced, she has three kids, and she's actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost
decade, and find out whether it's possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out
why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she's become one of those super skinny moms with
really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and
whether it's possible to start over...
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (4.07) As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust
people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight. Struggling to
raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with
the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house, until one
night her star gazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual
friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold. By the time
Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and
debauchery. When tragedy rips Wavys family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful
to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world. A powerful novel you won’t soon forget,
Bryn Greenwoods All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about love.
Middlesex (4.00) Spanning eight decades and chronicling the wild ride of a Greek-American family
through the vicissitudes of the twentieth century, Jeffrey Eugenides’ witty, exuberant novel on one level
tells a traditional story about three generations of a fantastic, absurd, lovable immigrant family --
blessed and cursed with generous doses of tragedy and high comedy. But there’s a provocative twist.
Cal, the narrator -- also Callie -- is a hermaphrodite. And the explanation for this takes us spooling back
in time, through a breathtaking review of the twentieth century, to 1922, when the Turks sacked Smyrna
and Callie’s grandparents fled for their lives. Back to a tiny village in Asia Minor where two lovers, and
one rare genetic mutation, set our narrator’s life in motion.
Three Women (3.70) In suburban Indiana we meet Lina, a homemaker and mother of two whose
marriage, after a decade, has lost its passion. Starved for affection, Lina battles daily panic attacks and,
after reconnecting with an old flame through social media, embarks on an affair that quickly becomes
all-consuming. In North Dakota we meet Maggie, a seventeen-year-old high school student who
allegedly has a clandestine physical relationship with her handsome, married English teacher; the
ensuing criminal trial will turn their quiet community upside down. Finally, in an exclusive enclave of the
Northeast, we meet Sloane—a gorgeous, successful, and refined restaurant owner—who is happily
married to a man who likes to watch her have sex with other men and women.

Match Day is a time of celebration! Being the family of a doctor-in-training is not easy, but matching to residency is a great milestone which merits space for joy and anticipation. Due to the developments surrounding the COVID-19 virus, Match Days around the USA will not receive the celebrations they deserve. Even with social distancing, you deserve to recognize this moment and celebrate your next steps as a family. With all this uncertainty, I would like to offer as much help as possible as you transition to your new home in Iowa.  
 
Being a born and raised Texan, Iowa was never on my list of states I expected for my future. The match process is unlike securing a first job for most professions, and it can lead to unique twists in life. While I didn’t know it at the time, I am so grateful we matched to the UIHC. If you are not sure where to find Iowa City on a map, you are in for a surprise. Iowa City is a hidden gem for families! 
 
The Iowa City area is the type of town where I am sure to run into someone I know everywhere I go. There is a great scene of local shops and cafes to explore. Throughout the summer and fall, countless festivals and community events fill up the calendar. Even the holiday season is sprinkled with magic to help ease us into the long Iowa winters (but even these are relatively mild). The school districts provide a great education, regardless of the elementary school to which you are zoned. The libraries in the area are unparalleled. The housing market is hot and provides options that are affordable. 
 
Furthermore, you have the opportunity to join a community of other families enduring medical education. Iowa Medical Partners (IMP) is a group of the partners and spouses of medical and dental students, residents and fellows. We are an active group that provides many events each month including play groups, a children’s activity, an adults only event, a family event, a book club, and philanthropic events. Additionally, we have a private facebook group and an instagram account that provides a platform for members to connect. Whether you are looking for baby sitter recommendations, for date night suggestions, or for friends with whom to commiserate when your spouse is a captive of the hospital, IMP is here to help you thrive in your new home. 
 
So you matched to UIHC… now what? Here is a little input about the surrounding neighboorhoods that you might decide to claim as home:
 
West Iowa City: Living in University Heights or west Iowa City (especially those living east of Mormon Trek Blvd) will place you the closest to the hospital and the football stadium.  Many residents and fellows who live in this area walk or bike to work.  The schools on the west side are great (we love Horn Elementary) and parks and trails like Willow Creek, Kiwanis and Clear Creek Trail are perfect for a run, a picnic or a play date. It's a quick drive from the west side to get out of town or to jump on the highway up to I-80. Traffic is light except on home football game days and Walmart and Aldi's are close while Hy-Vee and Trader Joe's are less than a 10 minute drive. – Allison Cascio, Entertainment Club Chair
 
East Iowa City: The East Side is between approximately two and four miles east of the hospital and about 15 minutes from the Coralville Mall and shopping area; 20 minutes from North Liberty. In this area, you tend to get a bit more house and yard for the price, with newer builds being more common than other neighborhoods, but we’re still very close to several parks and grocery store choices. We have two new University of Iowa clinic locations (Dodge Street and Scott Blvd) with some of IMP’s favorite providers. Some favorites in our area include Dodge Street Coffeehouse, Tot Time every weekday morning at Mercer Park gym, Music Together classes at Preucil, and the close proximity to the adorable towns of Solon and West Branch. Favorite restaurants over here include Blackstone, Wig and Pen East, 2 Dogs Pub, and Rapid Creek Cidery. Hopping down to the South Side of town is easy if you’re heading to Big Grove Iowa City, the new Starbucks, Hatchet Jack’s, and consignment shopping at Stuff Etc., Crowded Closet and Kidworks. – Molly Sherwood, Philanthropy Chair 
 
Coralville: Coralville is a great location in the middle of the creative corridor. You are only minutes from the mall, Costco, Target, consignment stores and many grocery store options. The Iowa River Landing is located in Coralville which includes Trader Joes, great dining and shopping, and the IRL UIHC Clinic. Additionally, going to downtown Iowa City or North Liberty is very convenient. Driving to UIHC is approximately 15 minutes (which is mostly due to the 25 mile per hour speed limits); however, you may be able to live along the Research Park Cambus route and avoid driving all together (free to all!). The Coralville Library is one of my favorite weekly spots for storytimes. I also love the walking trails in our city and the community events throughout the year. I feel safe and connected living here. – Megan Pai, President 
 
North Liberty: Many medical families choose to live in North Liberty. There are wonderful schools and neighborhoods filled with friends, and it is very geared towards families. There are many parks like Centennial, Quail Ridge, Beaver Kreek, and Penn Meadows, some fun local restaurants, and the best ice cream around is from a North Liberty joint, Heyn’s. We also have a pumpkin patch in our town that we go to almost daily in the fall, and there are many trails and easy access to both I-80 and 380, which makes going anywhere in the greater Iowa City area a breeze. There are a lot of fun events too, from storytime at the library to the big Barbecue and Blues festival that are all held locally. We love the community here! - Shannon Squires, Secretary 
 
 
Looking for trusted recommendations? Our group’s sponsors can help you in finding and adjusting to your new home. Tundy Brady with Urban Acres can help you find your future home (even if you are unable to travel). Green State Credit Union can help you with local banking and securing a mortgage, including a Doc Loan. Bobby Scott with Partner Wealth is here to answer any questions related to your unique financial sitation. Nanci Kohl with State Farm can help you determine your insurance needs. 
 
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to IMP! You can join IMP here, and once you do, you can join our facebook group. Congratulations on your match! 
 
-Megan Pai
IMP President 

While I don’t sell insurance, please reach out to me ([email protected]) and I’ll connect you to a local independent agent who will put your interests ahead of their own! ​