13 Goals for 2013
8. Purge stuff: This one also makes the
list every. single. year. I could easily be a hoarder. I also love thirfting! In
the following months, I need to finish unpacking boxes in Louisville and I have a
basement and garage full of stuff at my other home. My hope is that I can let
go. I also hope to revamp the Etsy shop and start eBay selling. Either way, I
need to lose some stuff. It would be extremely unrealistic for me to say I’m
going to stop thrifting. It’s not going to happen, however, I can go through
old books and clothes and items impulsively bought that I have no need for and
purge some of the excess clutter. My
direct goal: Remove one item for every item I bring home in 2013 by selling,
donating, gifting, purging or recycling.
9. Consume Less: This one goes
hand-in-hand with #8. I therapy thrift. I shop without plans. I am disorganized
and impulsive when I buy. I really need to write a list of wanted items and stick
to it with the occasional ‘surprise’. No more going grocery shopping without a
list or plan. No more eating out because I am too lazy to cook something. No
more making more food than I or my family can reasonably consume. I need to
think about every item that makes it into my basket prior to purchase. I need
to practice a “no buy” policy from time to time. My direct goal: For 2013, Shop
with a list and a budget.
10. Hike more: I was once a child of
nature. Back in the day, I would disappear for hours into the woods. Sometimes
I just sat under a tree reading. Sometimes I looked under rocks for beautiful
creatures to study. I was happy there. As I have aged, I find I have no time
for the woods. Kentucky and Indiana both offer so many trails and exploring
paths for the public. I have a lot of bogus excuses like coldness and tiredness
and timeliness, but I have no valid excuse. Last year, I hiked a park in KY in
the dead of January winter. Another winter day, the boys and I walked the Ohio
and picked up river glass. These are some of my best memories of last year.
Bottom line, I need to get back outside.
My direct goal: Hike once a month for 2013.
11. Pay Debts: Another annual favorite for
the ol’ New Year goal list. I know I can do it. Last year, once decided, in just
six months I saved enough by proverbially eating rice and beans to outright buy
my fixer-upper in KY with cash. I need to pay attention to where the money
flows in my financial life. I covered this slightly under #9, but I need to
explore what makes the red (and hopefully soon the black) and fix some stupid
money crap. I have a bad habit of becoming complacent (i.e. budgeting gets to
be a drag or once I get what I want go back to bad habits). I plan to go back
to a cash system and my thrifting budget will be finite. My food budget the
same. No more randomly shopping Target and Amazon. If I eat out and find my
money short, so be it-I eat rice and beans. Of course, my diet focus will help
since I actually do plan to eat rice and beans as part of my regular diet! My
direct goal: Budget and Plan for debt payoff and purchases in 2013.
12. Sew Something: I actually have
something specific in mind, but I hope to branch out and take a class possibly.
I own three sewing machines (one a Xmas gift from years ago and two thrifted).
I also own tubs and tubs of vintage fabric. I want to make my favorite blanket:
a quilt. I’d also like to alter some thrifted clothing like shorten a dress or
change out buttons. Easy, right? I could have just as easily called this one
‘use what I already have…”! My direct goal: Piece together a quilt from my
saved fabrics by Nov. 2013.
13. Play more: This one actually comes from
my enlightenment due to the tragic events in Connecticut and is probably the
most abstract goal on the list. I have two elementary school age sons, one of
which is the same age as those beautiful children. I rarely talk about them
here because I believe in keeping their lives somewhat private; however, I also
tend to be a bit of an introverted parent. I am busy with a career and an
irregular schedule and lifestyle and find myself too rushed to just play at
times. I need to spend more time with these boys. Hike with them, sew with
them, teach them about budgets and healthy diets, bake them more cakes and
cookies, play with the dog with them, photograph them, play dollhouse with them
and encourage them in learning new things about house construction, money,
crafts and art. Practice archery with them (all three of us just happen to be
getting bows under the tree in 2012). Above all, open myself up to love more
for life is not only unpredictable, but rather scary at times. Time is
fleeting. My direct goal: Be a more playful parent in 2013 (and hopefully
beyond).
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