1. Light a candle or use fragrance melts everyday. I love the way the house smells when I use either, so why not do it everyday. I have many candles and I also have a wax warmer and a lot of wax melts.
2. Bake something delicious every week. This is not limited to sweets or breads. There are tons of savory dishes that can be baked. This is a good time of the year to crank up the oven since the weather is colder and it does not create excess heat in the house, and can even warm my cold kitchen.
3. Inventory all kitchen appliances, gadgets, drawers, cabinets, baskets, pantries, fridges, freezers. Get rid of things I no longer need, use or want.
4. Look through and cull my cookbook collection. The ones I no longer use need a new home. If I am saving some of them and just use one or two recipes from them, those need to be copied, put in my personal collection of recipes book, and that particular book needs to find a new home.
6. Plan a joint activity with TheHub during the work week (since he is supposedly retired). It can be anything from something requiring tickets or reservations, to just headed out with no real event in mind. There are free things to do around town every single week. It just requires searching for them and making a decision to go.
7. Winter is a great time for some self pampering. This is a good time to get my feet prettied up for sandal weather, home facials, body buffs, and what not.
8. Learn something new every day. This is not hard for me since there is so much I don't know, and the older I get the more I realize the scope of what I could learn, if I actively pursue it.
9. Start germinating seed for spring planting. We have a long growing season and seeds needs to be started pretty early .
8. Rearrange things in the house. It does not have to be total furniture rearranging, but I can move artwork around, put occasional tables in different places, move lamps, change out lamp shades. I just need to shake things up a bit.
9. Go through winter wardrobe and give away any clothes I am not wearing, or am not likely to wear. The same goes for shoes.
10. Do a better job keeping up with the laundry. For some stupid reason I do not mind washing, drying or folding, but I detest the putting away part. Part of the reason is the lack of space to hold them* because I have too many things I no longer wear occupying valuable closet and drawer real estate.
11. Organize all bathrooms and linen closets. Frayed and worn out towels need to be donated to The Humane Society for bedding and replaced with new ones. The January white sales are a good time to do that buying.
12. Schedule a documentary to watch with TheHub weekly. We both like history, so this should be fairly easy if I will just do it.
13. Volunteer. I am a regular volunteer at Independence Place, but I need to find some additional place to serve.
14. Play the piano for at least 15 minutes 4 times a week. I would aim for daily but it probably wouldn't happen. 4 times a week is realistic.
15. Read a minimum of one book a week.
16. Have lunch with friends at least 6 times during the winter season.
17. Each month contact someone I have not spoken with in a long time. Out of sight, out of mind should not happen with people who have had meaning in my life.
18. Go to church regularly, both to services and some of the other offerings our church has.
19. Laugh as much as possible. Laughter is a gift I need to use everyday.
20. Maintain contact with my sons, DILs, and granddaughter.
21. Try to not be petty. I can be, and it is an unattractive trait.
22. Have a road trip or day trip a couple of times a month.
23. Go to an actual movie theater once a month just to get out of the house and be among the living.
24. Have coffee at a coffee shop a couple of times a month. I love coffee and there is something charming about sitting unhurried in a coffee shop with TheHub or a friend for some slowed down conversation time and people watching.
25. Enjoy every day, even if it is difficult.
26. Be more approachable, and willing to talk with people I have only spoken to before. There are a ton of people I only have a nodding acquaintance with that I am sure I would like to get to know beyond saying "hello".
27. Do something toward Christmas '26 each month
28. Use existing products before buying more. I have lotions, potions, cleaning products, and laundry items coming out my ears. TheHub and I both agree we need to empty whatever we have before adding to the accumulated hoard. I could shower twice a day for a year and still have body wash left over.
29. We both read almost exclusively digitally now. It is time to start getting rid of a lot of our books. At last count we had over 1K and they are just taking up space.
31. See above in relation to food we have stored that is not frozen. Using it first is important. I am a sucker for deals at the grocery store and need to clear (or at least minimize) my stash before buying more.
32. Go to sleep earlier. I have not been getting enough of it, so I need to start being in the bed by midnight instead of my usual 3 a.m. bedtime routine. It’s not like I do a lot that is productive in the wee hours anyway.
33. Try to find a new hobby. I think I might give crocheting a try. I’ve never done it and was totally uninterested when Mom was still here and could help me. Instead I am going to have to rely on YouTube tutorials.
34. Maintain a close relationship with My Beloved Sister, including her in as many things we do, as she is willing to be a part of. Phone calls daily go without saying.
I know there are other things I did not think of, but this is what I hope happens this winter. I am sure once we get through the middle of March and the weather changes, my aims for springtime will change a bit.
* I have a large walk-in bedroom closet that I share with TheHub AKA the clothes horse. He "owns" 2/3 of the closet and the entire dresser in the bedroom. That leaves me with 1/3 of the closet and the armoire. Even if I were truly fashionable, I don't have the space to be.
That is a wonderful list of ideas and intentions. There are quite a few of your items on my personal list too. I have a binder filled with all of my favorite recipes, some typed, some handwritten. I found having them in plastic sleeves has worked well to keep them in good shape. Maybe you could try that too. I know technology is great, but I love my big chunky binder so much.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what I am going to do about my recipes. I do like having a hard copy, but right now I am considering printing all of them and putting them in a 5x7 binder. Most of them are ingredients only with no cooking directions.
DeleteWow. That's a long list, but all things that I'd like to do, too. Do you have a plan of what gets top priority?
ReplyDeleteThis is really not a to do list as much as it is more of a winter life guide. Nothing on it takes priority over anything else.
DeleteI don't make resolutions at all...I am glad that we got rid of lots of books a couple of years ago and about 1000 booklets last summer. I can't wait to see what you are going to bake :-))
ReplyDeleteThe baking part will just be whatever I am inspired to bake weekly. I am sure I will surprise myself.
DeleteWow, that is a great list. I certainly need to do a lot of those. I hope you are able to work on that list this year. I have to declutter every room in the house. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI hate housework so I intentionally left off the decluttering part, except for the kitchen. I not only need to do, but I have to do major decluttering in the entire house..
DeleteYou have a great list. I find I learn a lot from watching documentaries, and, of course, from reading. I like to embroider when I watch TV. That way I'm doing something while I'm enjoying/learning from a show.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I used to embroider but I don't anymore. I thought crochet might be doable if I can learn how to do it.
DeleteMother crocheted and tried to show me once. I didn't understand, but she also was not a good teacher. One of my sisters learned from her, though, so maybe it was me.
DeleteI like your list of things you'd like to happen. I've a few of them on the list I'm making too, such as an earlier bedtime and self pampering. My focus this year is going to be on well-being - physical, emotional, and spiritual.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I declared this the year of me! :-)
DeleteGood thing for both you, Bless, and you ,Lorraine, to focus on!
Deletei don't bother with resolutions :) I just do my best to do my best ... Wishing you a splendid 2026!
ReplyDeletesherry
I hope for the best, but don't always succeed there! Happy New Year to you also.
DeleteThat is an impressive list! I also liked HP’s detailed list. I read Katy at The NonConsumer Advocate blog and she posted her goal for the year was to do slightly better. I am going to do slightly better and ramp up my exercise routine. I usually walk thirty minutes a day, or try to, and I am going to add mild stretching and light weights a couple of times a week. I wanted to do three times a week but I know with my work schedule that many times won’t happen so slightly better twice a week is my goal. I also could do a better job of listening and not being so jaded. My keeping my head on swivel has kept me alive all these years but really, I could tone down my bluntness and distrust of people, or not let it show so much. Despite having lost half my possessions a year ago, I still have too much stuff in this small house and I could do better at decluttering. I have a load of books, my weakness, in the car destined for the thrift store and I am having a hard time giving them up! I also am determined to reduce my dried beans collection, and I have a pot soaking right now overnight. I also need to use my canned food collection and intend to use at least a couple of cans a week. At this point, my dried beans and canned foods are a collection bc I am not using them near enough!! So I need to do slightly better there also. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteWhile I was looking for dried black eyed peas for New Year's Day. I found a huge container of Navy beans. I am one of those who transfer any bagged or boxed item into containers, and when I saw how large this hidden container was I sat it on the counter to start using it. I have a big bowl soaking and feel bean and collard soup happening either tonight or tomorrow. (I cooked too many collards NYD, and can't let them go to waste)
DeleteI do like Lori and keep my favourite recipes in plastic sheaths. I thought about typing them up but actually didn't like the idea of it - made it feel less authentic, if that makes sense. I like your list too, especially the one about going to bed earlier. I'm generally in bed around midnight but have a bad habit of listening to something on my phone after that and I'm sure you're not supposed to use electronic devices if you want a good night's sleep!
ReplyDeleteLast night I was prone by 12:15. I do not listen to anything at night, but unfortunately I read. I put the IPad down at 2 which kind of defeats the purpose of me going to bed at 12:15.
DeleteLove this list.
ReplyDeletersrue.blogspot.com
Thanks, Regine
DeleteThat is quite the list! I agree with using your candles/melts since you enjoy it. I do too but when I was prepping the house for sale I ended up donating most of mine breath had far too msnyy.
ReplyDeleteNo lists here, I'm just hoping 2026 will be a better year.
My melts and candles probably rival what you had, and I have no idea why I have been saving them instead of using them regularly.
DeleteGreat list! While I hear several calling, these are the only ones I can see myself actually doing: 4/5 and 15. How I wish there was a SIT-DOWN coffee shop near me.
ReplyDeleteI doubt I will do everything on the list, but it is my aim for winter.
DeleteHave a beautiful day my friend. Hugs.
ReplyDeletersrue.blogspot.com