Today is going to be a new year’s edition of ToL! I don’t know if I’d say have resolutions, but I do have goals to work on throughout 2018.
- Take control of my health again: I used to be very active – half marathons, Tough Mudder and other obstacle races, and regular gym visits were all big parts of my life. I really miss socializing with running and gym friends, but more than anything I miss feeling healthy and strong. I took quite a bit of pride in lifting heavier than a lot of the guys at the gym! 😉 Having neglected my health for the past two years has had a huge negative impact on my energy, stress levels, health, productivity, and overall feelings of well being so it is a big priority for me to get it back under control.
- Start composting: My goals this year are to have an outdoor composting bin and an indoor vermiculture set up. This will help support our extensive gardening we’ve planned for this year with nutrient rich soil, as well as re-purpose a lot of our food waste.
- Reduce waste in general: I thought we were doing okay with our trash output – not great, but not awful – until the holidays came and went and we had two weeks in a row of limited trash and recycling pick up. Actually seeing the amount of trash and recycling materials accumulate put in perspective exactly how much we’re still throwing away. Much of our grocery shopping is already done in bulk, reducing some packaging, but there’s still so much more we can do in terms of paper product usage and packaging for other purchases.
- Which leads me to the final item – putting planning and careful consideration into purchases: For the sake of making better financial choices, choosing more environmentally friendly materials, and supporting companies that I share my values, I want to put more time into planning ahead for as many purchases as I can. There will always be some last minute need that pops up, but I’d like to greatly reduce those this year.
Otherwise, I’m just looking forward to enjoying 2018, spending time with my family, working on projects around the house, and seeing what comes our way! 🙂 I started the new year off with a cleaning binge on our holiday break from work and school, as usual (though the adorable little furball below was more “helping” than helping with it came to laundry!). I sorted through tons of clothing to either be donated or set aside to make braided rugs out of. I love our hardwood floors but they get awfully chilly in the winter! The braided rugs touch on a few goals – spending less, recycling more, and of course…crafty time! There’s just something so satisfying, though, to wake up on New Year’s Day to a fresh, clean house and a new chapter of time!
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