Honestly, silver linings feel hard to come by around here these days. I’m grateful to be healthy, to have a job that can pivot to online delivery, and to escape into nature. I’ve been next level adulting with some quick win household stuff, like, you know, shaving my sweaters.
No more weekly travel means I’ve also tried to take advantage of time saved to make some small household changes – for the better. This is a little off-topic, but I’m proud of myself for making these things happen. They are teeny tiny, but still count towards greater efficiency and environmental good.
Eliminating paper towels from our house (mostly). We are longtime paper towel over-users, so I purchased six of these Swedish dish towels that can go in the washing machine, dishwasher, and microwave. Three months in and I’m very pleased with the change in our Bounty bottom line.
Professionally sharpening our knives. This has been on my Later List for. . . I don’t know. . . a decade. After slicing off the tip of my finger last summer and living to tell, I finally hit up a locally owned hardware store and got all six of my knives sharpened. Slicing apples has never brought me more joy. Or safety!
Starting composting—FINALLY! This has been a New Year’s resolution for about five years, and I finally bought one of these for my kitchen counter. My neighbors have been kind enough to let me put my compostable bags in their composter, and soon I will get my own. Now my kids are trying to convince me to get CHICKENS. Hmmmmm. . . .
Replacing stuff. After a MAJOR iced coffee spill in my fridge that dripped in every possible place and literally required two hours of clean up, I decided it was time to get more fridge door shelves to replace the broken ones. I got a tape measure and took a wild guess on Amazon, and THEY FIT. And voila! Now I can open my 15-year-old fridge without things falling on my head! #smallwins
Maia’s refrigerator with new shelves!
Expanding my flock. After reading this article about play, I realized I’m a whimsy gal – which explains why, at the beginning of the pandemic, I decided to decorate my yard with flamingos. And then a neighbor anonymously left BABY flamingos on my front step because she said my yard brought her joy on her nightly walks. So, while my children are now embarrassed to live at The Flamingo House, I am confidently thriving in my element and loving it. PS Plus lawn signs.
Subscribing to TouchNotes. I’m a long-time lover of gratitude who nearly cried when a dear friend sent me one of these in the mail, but it is always hard to make time to write handwritten notes. But I love sending postcards. This app allows you to take a photo and mail it to someone with a message. I sent one to my sis-in-law in Berkeley with pictures from family holidays in Vegas, and another to a dear friend with a fun photo of our 20th college reunion (see below!). I’m working hard to bring small moments of joy to others, and this seems like a great way to do it!
Sending post-cards to my besties via TouchNote!
What are YOUR silver linings?
