My post on yesterday’s co-op made me think a lot about this journey, this growth, this change. I have so much further to go on my quest, I have leaps to make in terms of where I’d like to be, but I have come to accept things take time, resources, trial and error and a whole lot of grace.
The post yesterday made me think of baby steps I can make this year, so I had a look at my master plan (which is very flexible!) and decided upon the top little goals I can begin working towards now.
My in 2010 my “I will accomplish list” is:
- Switch to using cloth feminine products
- Begin making my own shampoo
- Read the Bible cover to cover
- Start taking a one day a week total media fast – no tv, no computer
- Begin violin lessons again
- Grow my own herbs
- Crochet, knit or sew a blanket – trying to increase the chance of success!
- Make a list of food needed for a 3 month emergency preparedness plan
- Make a list of food needed to stock a pantry
- Switch to cast iron pots & pans
- Switch to glass food containers instead of using any plastic
- Read a book on raising goats and a book on raising chickens!
- Get a total blog make-over!
And there you have it, pretty simple, none too demanding baby steps.
What would you like to do this year? What skills would you like to learn? Do you have a plan for how you’ll acheive them?
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I too should be doing your first step of converting to cloth feminine products… but oh the sewing…
I know, thankfully I don’t sew, so for me it is about saving up….!
Hello thanks for stopping by!
I’ll go with you on the crocheting, I’m determined to get a blanket done. But at the moment, goodness knows how it’s going to happen! I had another meltdown last night when my friends were trying to show me how to do a circle. I’m determined though!
Definitely like the idea of media fast and I’ve been saying I need a blog makeover since I started my blog – but that’s going to require a lot of internet searching – I have no skills!
It is great you are so determined!!! I am pathetic at all such things!
I’ve been using washable cloths for over two years now, and would never go back. There are quite a few patterns on the internet if you want to make them yourself, I bought half of mine and made the others out of old flat nappies and some ‘value’ brand face cloths
I also have a mooncup that I use (Somethimes I prefer to use this over the pads). Either of these are excellent both environmental and financial – I have already saved much more than they cost!
oooh Lisa, thanks for sharing your experience! I can’t sew but oh so need to learn!!!
Great list FT!!! I’m with you on the cloth products, but the thought of it turns my stomach! I hope you do a blog post about it as it might actually make me switch!!
I think it probably just takes a few months to get used to, but it’s all natural, right?
I definitely encourage you to make the switch to glass! I got rif of all my plastic containers last year in favor of glass and simply love it. Their durable, can be microwaved, and are easier to see through so I have much less food wasted.
Cloth diapering is going to be a big learning curve for me later this year.
Well done you for doing it and for the upcoming cloth diapering!!!
Get a LadyCup. I have the purple one. It’s fantastic!
not sure about those, dare I admit I prefer external coverage! lol
Really great post, some good food for thought. I’d like to learn to cook properly. Must try more of your wonderful ideas.
Switching to cloth was one of the best things I ever did. We switched over to cast iron a couple of years ago and I love it. I am in the process of trying to stock food, etc. for emergencies, problem is our house is so small it’s hard to find room for them. Also, I am going to try to do a bigger garden than we did last year, it was so nice to be able to go pick tomatoes and bring them in for a meal. Great list of things for you to do.
Thanks Jennifer, so nice to “meet” another cloth user! lol
My biggest goal for this year is to pay off as much of our debt as possible and continue to get a few more things for “setting up home” so that when my hub gets out of the military we’ll be doing alright.
I’d also like for us to get a worm bin so we can do some composting, since we’re not allowed to have a compost pile outside.
And then I’d like to continue to be physically active on a fairly routine basis in order to maintain my current size.
Nothing super huge I suppose but other things arise along the way. Your goals sound fabulous!
That’s a great goal and what I did in 2008! Oooh a worm bin, plan to do that when I have a home!
hmm, not sure i could stomach the idea of reusable cloth. but i have wanted to switch to glass storage, i just feel bad getting rid of my plastic that has already been produced just to require more production of glass products. what do you think?
i do have a goal this year of cooking with more fresh ingredients.
Can you recycle your plastic? give away to someone in need or a charity shop?
I’ve been switching to glass also. I really like it.
It just feels right!
I wanted to suggest a few books that you may find beneficial.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
By Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp
~ This was most interesting about a family who decides to buy only local foods and grow/raise as much of their own as possible. I learned a lot from this book.
This next one I have out on loan from my library. It’s so packed with information it’s amazing! I think I will be purchasing a copy of this one:
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition (Hardcover) by Abigail R. Gehring.
I also enjoyed:
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables (Paperback)
by Mike Bubel (Author)
I really want to raise my own chickens….
I haven’t had a lot of success with herbs. Do let us know if you find a way to keep them alive.
Oooh Melanie, thank you! I have Animal, Vegetable, Miracle next to me although I’ve not looked at it in a while – I think at the time I started (I got a couple of chapters in) it just seemed to far away, my soul is stronger now so I’ll begin again!
Thanks for the other ones recs too!!
What a great list!!! Good luck on your journey!!
I also agree that Animal, Vegetable, Miracle would be a great book for you to read (if you haven’t already).
Thanks nduff!
Here are a few of my “to dos”….travel to Toronto to visit an older relative, help my mom find a new place to live, save to travel to Kenya, learn to knit, read more books, get books from library instead of buying, do more “book swaps”, finish my bit declutter project, implement more systemic bible study and prayer time, keep in touch with friends, invite more people for dinner, learn some new recipes & maybe learn a little Swahili.
Those sound like wonderful wonderful goals!
what a great list! having goals is so important! xo
that it is!!
Animal Vegetable Miracle is fantastic. I cannot recommend it enough.
reading this week :0)
I’d love to have your recipe for homemade shampoo!
Here’s a book about raising goats you might enjoy. I haven’t read it yet but can’t wait to-had to refrain from buying it when I saw it in a bookstore recently:
Amazon.com: Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese (9781416560999): Brad Kessler: Books
Will share when I find the right one.
Oooh thanks for the book recommendation Jen!
oh I must get around to a list! Friends who do these things recommend the moon cup very highly.
I like the idea of switching to cast iron pots and glass containers too.
I am gradually wanting to not have plastic in the house too. Part of the wooden coat hangers thing.
good luck!
love the “part of the wooden coat hangers thing” phrase! LOL
Ooh I like the one day a week media fast, I might build up to that, starting with cutting back in the evenings.
I hope to really improve my jewelry making skills this year, and get back into knitting and embroidery, I think I really will have to set mini goals for this.
I am about half way through switching my plastic containers to glass, I love it. My big tupperwares that I use to transport baked goods to work etc might have to stay, but all our daily work lunches are in glass. I’m not sure what to do with my plastic cereal containers, I have a while to think about it though as I won’t throw them out while they are still good.
Those are great goals for you!!
Sorry, no advice to offer. Just would be very interested to hear about the cloth napkins and shampoo making!
Will forward the cloth info.
ALSO re shampoo will share as soon as I can!
i love it!
i need to think some more…a lot of my “big goals” are farly immediate anyway, or reliant on things outside my control (e.g. “get married”…bit hard to do until you meet someone!
i love lists and planning though…seriously nothing makes me happier htan a big ol’ goal/to-do list! xx
Yes, only things you can control is my motto
Ah, such a fun list! Like your “learn to make my own shampoo” item, those are the kinds of things on my list. Things like making my own face wash, a good homemade bread recipe, my own bagels–even if they’re not successful, I’d at least like to *try*. There’s just some satisfaction in being able to say, “Yep, I made that!”
AMEN!!!