Give your investment portfolio a spring cleaning

Ryan Waters

Updated: Apr 6, 2016, 4:06 AM

Published: Apr 6, 2016, 4:13 AM

Now that spring has officially sprung, you might look around your home and decide it’s time for some sprucing up. But you don’t have to confine your efforts to your house and yard — you can also engage in a little “spring cleaning” in your investment portfolio.

Here are a few suggestions for doing just that:

• “Dust off” your investment strategy. Dusting is a big part of spring cleaning. Light fixtures, shelves, windowsills – they can all acquire layers of dust and grime that need to be whisked away. And if you’ve left your investment strategy unexamined for a long period, it too may need to be “dusted off” and re-evaluated. Over time, your financial goals, family situation and even risk tolerance can change, so it’s a good idea to review your overall strategy to make sure it’s still appropriate for your needs.

• Get rid of “clutter.” Once you start tidying up your house, you might be surprised at all the “duplicates” you find — a broom in a bedroom, another broom in the laundry room, a third in the garage, and so on. Just as you probably don’t need multiple brooms, so you may find that you have many versions of the same type of investment in your portfolio. If you own too many of the same investment, and a market downturn affects that particular asset, your portfolio could take a big hit. You may be better off by selling some of the too-similar investments and using the proceeds to diversify your holdings. (However, while diversification can reduce the impact of volatility on your portfolio, it can’t guarantee profits or protect against loss.)

• Remove “stains” on your portfolio. As you clean your carpets and furniture, you might notice some stains that should be removed. And when you look through your portfolio, you might find some “stains” in the form of chronically underperforming investments. Instead of holding on to these vehicles with the hope that they will eventually turn around, you might consider selling them and using the proceeds to purchase new investments, which can help fill any gaps you may have in your holdings.

• Consolidate your accounts. Have you ever discovered a stapler in one drawer, a roll of tape in the linen closet and a bunch of marking pens on your desk? All these items may be useful, but for the sake of efficiency (and to cut down on frustrating searches), you might want to consolidate them in one place. And you could do something similar with your investments. Specifically, if you have some stocks here, a couple of certificates of deposits there, and some IRAs at still another place, you might consider consolidating them with one financial services provider. With all your investments in one place, you could possibly reduce the fees and paperwork associated with maintaining your accounts. And when you eventually start taking withdrawals from your IRA and 401(k), you may find it easier to calculate these required distributions if they’re coming from just one place. But just as importantly, when you consolidate your investments with one provider, you may find it easier to follow a single, unified investment strategy.

So, there you have them — some spring-cleaning ideas to help you update and energize your investment portfolio. And you won’t even need a dustpan.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial advisor.

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Effingham ECCA Students Build Electric Car with Hyundai

From wiring to problem-solving, Effingham juniors Rowand Smart, left, and Dexter Bohlman tackle the challenges of building an electric car alongside engineering director Aaron Parker. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)

ECCA electric car — From wiring to problem-solving, Effingham juniors Rowand Smart, left, and Dexter Bohlman tackle the challenges of building an electric car alongside engineering director Aaron Parker. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)

Mya Taylor

Updated: Sep 23, 2025, 1:44 PM

Published: Sep 23, 2025, 1:47 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — For five months, 10 engineering students at Effingham College and Career Academy spent afternoons with wrenches, wires and instruction manuals, turning boxes of parts into something extraordinary — a working electric car.

The build was part of a partnership between ECCA’s engineering lab and the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in nearby Ellabell. Funded through $150,000 in state grants and supported by Hyundai’s donation of tools, the project gave students hands-on experience in electric vehicle technology while tying classroom learning to one of the region’s most significant new industries.

Finding their place in the project

Junior Dexter Bohlman hadn’t expected to be part of the build. A scheduling error placed him in a higher-level engineering class, and before long he was wiring railings, connecting a key fob and shaping the steering panel.

Much of the work he did alone. The wiring — 250 to 450 terminals in all — was especially tricky.

“You have to figure out how to manage the wires to make it so that they’re less complicated,” Bohlman said. “On the top rail it’s a little bit of a mess, but down there we managed to get it a little more concise.”

For Bohlman, the project became more than an assignment. It gave him experience to add to his aerospace résumé and a sense of ownership in something bigger than himself.

Classmate Rowand Smart also joined by accident, after his schedule shifted. At first, he said, his enthusiasm for engineering was fading. The project changed that.

“It turned into something that I was actually interested in because it’s kind of a hobby working on my truck and seeing the less mechanical and more electrical part of it,” Smart said. “The wiring, the programming, all of that was really interesting.”

Smart’s father and grandfather were both mechanics, and he said their influence helped guide him through the toughest parts of the build.

Learning by doing

Students worked four days a week on the car, often troubleshooting unexpected problems.

“We had to figure out what we were going to do, find the parts, read the instructions before we put it together, and make sure we had the right equipment,” Smart said.

Together they learned not only how to wire circuits and measure voltage but also how to rely on one another.

Engineering Director Aaron Parker said the students’ persistence reflected what he calls the “four C’s” — creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration.

A proud moment

By May, the car was ready for its first test run. Getting it out of the lab was almost as hard as building it — four adults and 10 students had to tilt and lift the vehicle through a doorway.

Once outside, the students each took turns driving. For Bohlman and Smart, it was the highlight of months of effort.

“It was probably one of my proudest moments of students, especially upon completion,” Parker said.

The car later went on display at Stemposium, a community event where STEM students showcase their work. Families and staff stopped to admire what the team had built.

Looking forward

Bohlman said he dreams of an affordable electric rally car, while Smart imagines a Mustang with electric power. Both said the project changed how they see engineering.

HMGMA Chief Administrative Officer Brent Stubbs shared his gratitude for the partnership with ECCA.

“HMGMA is thrilled to sponsor the EV lab at Effingham College and Career Academy. ECCA is teaching young students about electric vehicles and giving them an opportunity to get hands-on experience, so when we learned about their need, we jumped at the opportunity to help. We are proud to be a long-term partner in educating future generations of EV and automobile enthusiasts. We hope one day some of them will become Meta Pros at HMGMA,” Stubbs said.

As for the car itself, Parker said it will soon get finishing touches — a light and dash cover — before being used to promote the program. Another frame, bright red and untouched, waits for the next group of students to take on.

“At the end of the day we want to set these kids up to be successful adults so that they can be independent when they get out in the real world,” Parker said.