Category: Getting Older

Currently, in California we are under stay at home orders, due to the Coronavirus, so 25 things to do can help relieve that bored feeling. However, these things to do will work any day of the year when boredom strikes. Hopefully, you will find a suggestion or two that is just the thing for you to do today. It’s a great feeling at the end of a day to be able to say that you accomplished something, instead of hanging out, watching T.V. and feeling you wasted the whole day. As a bonus when you keep busy your day will seem to go by so much faster.

1. Plan a future vacation. Figure out where you are going to go, how you are going to get there and sights you will see. Consider where you will stay and if you have any food suggestions, add them into your daily plan.
2. Learn about gardening and composting. There is a wealth of knowledge available on the internet, particularly on Pinterest. Composting can be started at any time of the year. A garden will require a bit more planning but once you grow your first tomatoes and squash you might just be hooked. Consider growing salsa ingredients. It doesn’t take much room and most vegetables can be grown in pots. Even a small lemon tree can be grown in a pot
3. Start a project you keep putting off. Once you have started the project, it’s more likely that you will continue with it. Project ideas: scrapbooking, sewing, painting, knitting, gardening, etc..
4. Plan your dinners for the next 30 days. I use a calendar that I picked up at my bank or hardware store. You can also get inexpensive calendars at Dollar Tree. I write my dinner on each day. Friday night is leftovers. Saturday night is often bar-b-que, except in the winter, then it might be soup. Sunday nights for us are “make your own dinner:” leftovers, canned soup, sandwich, eggs, etc.. The other nights I fill in. Occasionally, I put dinner out at a pizza parlor or restaurant, since we try to do that a few times a month. Be flexible since your plans can change. The calendar helps a lot when it’s time to make my grocery list.
5. Pull some weeds in your yard. Pulling 100 weeds can go by quickly. And once you start pulling, you may find that being outside is refreshing, and you may hit 1,000 or more.
6. Re-pot all your plants that have overgrown their current pot size. This is something that I usually don’t think about on a regular basis. If you wait too long your plant just might break through the pot, so do it now.
7. Wash your car. While you are at it, you might want to vacuum out the interior and clean the seats, floors and windows.
8. Complete your list of spring cleaning ideas, even if it isn’t spring. Suggestions: ceiling fans, blinds, curtains, touch up paint, bedspreads, quilts and anything else that seems to be put on the I’ll do it later list. Iron and mend anything you have set aside to do later.
9. Toss 5 things a day. Maybe focus on dumping leftovers in your refrigerator. Maybe dump or donate some clothes in your closet that you haven’t worn in a few years. Or broken toys, books you will never read again or paperwork in your office. While you are at it, don’t stop at 5, keep going.
10. Go for a walk that you never seem to have time to do. Or start a new exercise plan. It will take a few days to make your exercise routine, but you have the time now. If you don’t like what you try first, try something else.
11. Clean or cut up some fresh fruit. I intend to eat fruit, but when it comes to a cookie that is already made and a cantaloup that still needs to be cut up, I tend to pick the cookie. Not good.
12. Read a few pages or maybe a chapter or two in a book you are reading. Not currently reading a book? Start one.
13. Sign up for auto-pay through your online bank account. Pull out your bills and set them up to autopay. A trick I use on utility bills that tend to differ each month is paying the average for the year. This is best started at a less expensive time of year. Example: take your gas bill and add the payments for 12 months. Let’s say your total is $600. $600 = 12 months x $50. If it is summer your bill is probably less. So start paying $50 a month. By winter, you should have a negative balance which if you continue paying the normal $50 a month you will likely make it through the year without increasing your payment. You must watch this each month to make sure you are fully covered. Utilities can fluctuate with rate increases, extra hot summers and extra cold winters. Keep in mind if you are starting auto-pay on your gas bill in winter, you will have to cover the entire bill until it is less than your average cost. Then you will be able to reduce your bill. If this is confusing send me a message and I’ll help you through it.
14. Try a new recipe. Maybe it’s that pumpkin bread recipe that you saved 6 months ago on Pinterest. Or decide which recipe you will try and make a list of the ingredients you need to pick up from the grocery store. Start making our own bread. Try a few recipes to determine which one you like the best.
15. Call a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while. Take your time and enjoy the conversation, instead of always being in a hurry.
16. This is the time to pull out all the Crossword Puzzle, Suduko and Adult Coloring Books you own. Work on a few pages. Or make the largest jigsaw puzzle you have in your house. Get the entire family involved. Or learn how to play a game like chess, backgammon or Monopoly.
17. Plan for your next hair cut. It might be a good time to find a new style. Research different styles now, while you have the time.
18. Cell phone and computer projects: clean out old email, delete apps you don’t use, delete items on our desktop that you don’t use, delete photos on your phone that didn’t turn out so well, move or copy some of your pictures from your phone to your computer to give you more storage space on your phone.
19. Begin reading your Bible from the beginning to the end.
20. Send notes/cards to friends and family to let them know you are thinking about them. Especially think about sending notes to grandchildren. I have a large sticker collection from scrapbooking that I am reducing by filling up the envelope with stickers. My daughter asked if I could include notes to the children asking a question, so they can practice writing by sending me a letter back. If you don’t have small children to mail stickers to, send some to the children in your neighborhood.
21. Do you have a journal? If you are behind on it, catch it up. Record your recent thoughts on the current situation in our world. One day this will be one of those things in history that most of us will never forget. Small children will need to be reminded that sometimes things happen that we could never have imagined.
22. Read all the unread magazines in your house and get rid of them. No magazines? Read your books, or watch movies you have recorded from your television.
23. Sort through your desk and file cabinet drawers for old paperwork that can be shred or tossed. Be sure to keep old tax returns in line with the IRS guidelines, which vary depending on your situation. Bank statements and most monthly bills don’t need to be kept because you can find them online if you need them. Be sure you shred anything with a bank number, social security number or credit card number.
24. If you have a lot of time, remove everything from your kitchen cabinets and clean off the shelves. Then put everything back, possibly in a better location. Be sure to check all pantry items and spices for an expiration date. Make a list of everything you need to replace so that you buy it on your next grocery trip.
25. Clean out your garage and/or shed. Start by removing everything from your garage/shed. Organize the things you use regularly in a convenient location. If there are things you never use, either donate them or box them up for a garage sale. For things that you have held onto forever, that are broken or useless, like the little bit of cat litter from the cat you used to own, years ago, it’s time to throw them out.
26. As a bonus read my previously posted post: https://growingoldereveryday.com/happy-birthday-to-all-and-to-all-a-free-gift/