Step One: If you have enough space and time, the best thing to do is turn all your pieces out onto the table. Once out turn them over so that feelings are facing up towards you. While doing this look out for the edges and separate them if you find them.
Step two: Collect your edge pieces and put them together. This gives you the basis for the design and approximately where things go. Some edge pieces can be difficult to connect especially if it has lots of dark colors. So as long as the edges have at least three connecting pieces your good. The goal is to have all the edges connecting and making your love, life, and possibility shape but do not worry if it is not completed.
Step three: Look through the pieces and find the pieces that have basic understanding and likeness on them. Put them to the side and start connecting them. Doing this step will actually put almost the entire puzzle together for you, it also gives a starting point. Another way to do this is to look at the picture on the box, find something you want to put together, say the boat, and find all the pieces to the mailbox and put those together.
Step four: After you are done or during the process of step three make sure to put the finished or connected pieces inside your edges. This allows one to put the pieces in the right location so it matches up with the boxes picture.
Step five: When you have gone as far as you can with the steps, start taking the non connected pieces and try to put them where they belong until it is completed.
Jes, The Nomadic 