End Of Life Decluttering - What To Get Rid Of First

 

The thought of decluttering our homes can be daunting, but when we think about it as it pertains to the inevitable, when we leave this earth, it can be difficult to even know where to begin.  Here are some ideas to help you make a big impact in a short amount of time.

 

Remove & Dispose Of Anything Embarrassing 

If there is anything in your home you don’t want others to know about such as certain photos, a pornography collection, sex toys and paraphernalia, arrest records, divorce or litigation papers from your past, old love letters you don’t want your children to read, etc. it may be time to remove them from your home.  Be sure these items are disposed of properly to minimize risk of them getting into the wrong hands.

 

Old Paperwork & Sensitive Information 

If you are someone who sits on a mountain of paperwork, even if it is organized, labeled and filed away it is time to take a look at it with a set of realistic eyes.  We don’t have to keep everything.  Old tax returns, loan documents from paid off loans, old banking records, expired credit cards and insurance cards, old credit reports and applications, any expired warranty information, old insurance papers from prior years than are no longer applicable, I could go on and on.  In a nutshell, if it is no longer relevant to your current state in life, let it go.  Make sure you shred everything that contains personal sensitive information to protect your identity from fraud.

 

Expired & Old Food 

This is an easy one as you simply go through and bag up all the food that is freezer burnt, damaged, moldy, old, way past its best buy date or is anything you don’t like.  Get it out of the house and into the trash.  Don’t take the icky stuff to the food bank because they’ll just end up putting it in the trash for you.  It always amazes me how that kind of stuff ends up at the senior center on our FREE table.  No one wants food you aren’t willing to eat yourself.

 

Medication 

Safely dispose of any medications you no longer use on a regular basis by taking them to your pharmacy or any specified drop off point.  Our city offers drug disposal events where you can turn in all pharmaceuticals and over the counter medications you no longer need.

 

Clothes That Don’t Fit Or Are Worn Out 

At this age I have accepted that I am not likely to lose weight and fit into anything that doesn’t currently fit me now.  If you have clothes in your closet or drawers that you are saving for someday when you lose weight do yourself a favor and get rid of them.  Otherwise they just sit there and mock you.  Likewise, get rid of any faded, worn out, ripped and torn clothes or shoes you happen to be hanging onto as well.  You don’t need them and no one else does either.

 

Start with this short and basic list to get the ball rolling and hopefully you will be able to easily start your decluttering journey to thin down your belongings.  The best thing we can do for our loved ones is to not leave this kind of stuff for them to have to deal with.

 

I'm Just Too Great For Hate!

 

The world outside is looking pretty ugly these days with our nation in a constant uproar.  It hurts my heart to see all that is happening and it often feels like we are powerless to do anything about it.  How can one person like me make things better?  The mere idea that I can somehow affect a change seems overwhelming and impossible.  But, I really can do something.  I really can make a difference.

 

A couple weeks ago I told you how I am tightening my circle.  Ironically, right after I wrote that post and was still deciding whether or not I was actually going to publish it a friend of mine I have known for well over thirty years posted the most disgusting and hateful post on Facebook I have ever read.  It was a picture of Renee Goode and a very long diatribe of hateful, spiteful things about her and her lifestyle.  I thought my friend’s account must’ve been hacked so I called her only to find out that she had actually written it.  Why?  She didn’t know this person personally and the things she was saying were so far out there and not based on any facts.  It was just horrible.  My friend stated she was standing behind every word.  I was stunned.

 

I hung up and sat there for a while processing the conversation and then I quietly removed this person from my Friends list because I don’t want to read things like that in the future.  It made me feel like I never really knew her.  I feel really sorry for my friend to have so much hatred for someone she didn’t even know.  It was really bad.  Will I call this woman again?  Probably not.  Will I try to continue to have a relationship with her?  Not likely.  Will I ever feel comfortable being around her again?  No.  I won’t.

 

I haven’t heard from her since that day.  And, it’s okay.  Not okay about what she said, but okay not to accept her hatefulness into my life.  Sad to lose a friend, but even sadder that she was willing to choose her Facebook post over friendship.  I don’t feel bad about my decision to keep her outside of my circle.  I made the right decision.  I’m just too great for hate.  It’s simply not welcome in my life.

 

 

My Pantry List

 

One of the things I try to do at the end of each year and the beginning of the next is to go through my pantry list and make sure that I have at least one of each item on that list in my pantry, freezer or refrigerator maintaining that throughout the year.  I know that as long as I have these items in my home I can pretty much prepare anything I want to eat.  It also reaffirms that my grocery shopping strategies are working.

 

Twenty years ago (it’s hard to believe it has been that long) I started using this pantry list, which I created in Excel, in order to give me a workable guide for more efficient grocery shopping.  Not having what I need to create a meal is not only frustrating, but also a huge waste of time and money.  By being better prepared I am able to save money by taking advantage of sales as well as time by not having to make unscheduled trips to the store to pick up what I need.  I am one who doesn’t like to waste my time and I sure don’t care to waste my money.

 

As time has gone along I’ve made changes and tweaked my list to suit the changes in my life and the improvements I’ve made to boost my health especially as I age.  Additionally, I’ve been able to trim down the number of items I shop for and the quantities of those items I stock now that I’m on my own.  This has made my grocery shopping even more efficient and affordable despite the consistent rise in prices we’ve been experiencing.

 

If you would like a copy of my workable Excel pantry list that you can modify and change up to fit your needs email me and I will be happy to share it with you.  I can tell you that this is one of the best tools I’ve ever had to keep myself well stocked with food and save a lot of money in the process.

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 202

 

Hello!  Happy Valentines Day!  It has been grey and rainy while rather busy around here lately.  I worked all week except for Wednesday covering for a co-worker who is out after knee surgery.  Getting things done at home reminded me of when I was working full time and made me even more grateful that I no longer need to do this all the time.

 

I had prepared well for my full work schedule and had pulled premade meals from the freezer for quick grab and go lunches and easy heat and eat suppers when I got home from work.  That made things super easy and delicious.  I was able to have quite a variety too.

 

It was a quiet weekend and I didn’t do a whole lot knowing I had a very full week ahead of me.  For the Super Bowl a friend and I headed to the neighborhood sports bar and enjoyed half priced happy hour appetizers while watching the game.  We had a great time and visited more than we watched the game, I think.  It definitely wasn’t a nail biter.  Go Seahawks!

 

On Wednesday I was able to get myself caught up on laundry and vacuumed the entire house in preparation of my Galentine’s Party I was throwing on Friday the 13^th.  Thursday I worked in the afternoon and then met a friend afterward for dinner.  Before I knew it my week was over!

 

I know this post does not reflect it, but my week was full, busy and I got a lot done.  I hope your week was good too.  Take care my friends.  Stay safe and have a fabulous weekend!

The Haves & The Have Nots

 

By definition I suppose I fit into the “Have Not” population, at least on paper anyway.  My income is low, really low, and I don’t complain about that.  When I file my taxes I fall into the poverty level and qualify for the Earned Income Credit.  This year I got a $21 credit – whoo hooo!  I get a refund every year, always have.  Despite that, I do not take advantage of any welfare programs.  I don’t use SNAP or seek food from pantries and food banks.  In fact, quite the opposite, I help those in need.

 

The majority of people in higher income brackets, the “Haves”, tend to carry a large amount of debt to sustain their standard of living.  They drive newer automobiles, live in larger homes in upscale neighborhoods with HOAs, they entertain and frequently go out to eat and their children are likely to be involved in everything.  Also, they typically aren’t great savers.  Emergencies and vacations are taken care of with credit and retirement savings is far off into the future.  On the whole, the money going out doesn’t match what is coming in.  Studies also show that the “Haves” tend to have more anxiety, for a variety of reasons, then the “Have Nots” hence the adage “money doesn’t buy happiness”.

 

To the contrary this “Have Not” feels like she has it all!  Everything I have I own outright.  I have plenty to eat and everything I need to live on a daily basis.  My utility bills get paid as soon as I receive them.  For the most part, if I want or need something I can just go out and get it.  I have savings and an emergency fund and I have retirement savings that I am able to invest and allow to grow.

 

While I don’t drive a new car with all the bells and whistles and I don’t live in a big house in an upscale neighborhood I do have a nice car and a nice little truck, a home that is perfect for me in a nice neighborhood and, most importantly, I am content and happy.  I don’t have those financial worries that plague so many.  I’ve always lived within my means, had something in savings and an emergency fund, taken advantage of my employer’s retirement programs (401k, PERSI and ESOP) and taken care of the things I own so they last a good long time.  As a single person who raised a family on her own without financial assistance and still managed to retire early I am rather proud of this.  I wouldn’t trade places with any of the “Haves” if you paid me!

 

Digital Decluttering

 

When it comes to my digital clutter on both my phone and my laptop I am what I like to call a “habitual deleter”.  I don’t like to have too many texts or emails stacking up on my devices and I routinely clear my phone log, because to me, it equals clutter.  I like to keep it clean.

 

I find that by routinely going through my laptop, backing up my files onto a jump drive and deleting what I no longer need not only makes me feel better, but it also helps my laptop work better by freeing up that space.  This habit has been very helpful in getting more mileage out of my devices as they get older because they aren’t bogged down with old data.  In fact, my last laptop was ten years old before I retired it.

 

My phones are, on average, five years old or older before I replace them as well and it is usually because the battery won’t hold a charge anymore rather than the phone’s function.  Sadly, it is often less expensive to replace the phone than the battery which feels wasteful and less efficient, but that is how technology works, it seems.  Last time I checked into replacing my phone batter I found out that, due to obsolescence, I couldn’t get a replacement battery.

 

Along with prolonging the life of my devices digital decluttering also gives me peace of mind because I only keep the important stuff and the rest is simply gone and no longer requires my thought or attention.  I also know that by backing up my important files and photos onto a separate storage device I don’t have that worry if my laptop is stolen, gets damaged, dies or crashes.  Digital decluttering not only safeguards my data, but it helps me to clear my mind.  I don’t have those things in the background quietly telling me to deal with them.  That makes the process all the more worth it.

 

Fats

 

In the past ten years I have been eliminating unhealthy hydrogenated fats and oils, including those in processed and ultra processed food products, from my daily diet.  In this time I have been researching healthier fats and the truth behind why we should choose these over alternatives like vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean and seed oils, shortenings, etc.  For me this made a lot of sense because when I think of vegetables I don’t think of them as being particularly oily so for them to be able to make fats they must be dramatically altered.  I know that sticking closer to what nature provides is much more optimal to a healthy lifestyle.

 

By sticking closer to natural whole foods I have found it to be quite transformative.  I’ve enjoyed better health, especially with regard to frequent migraines that I had been plagued with since I was fourteen years old.  I have recovered remarkably well from some health issues I had five years ago and now I am considered healthy once again.  My weight is stable, my digestion functions properly, my activity and energy level is optimal and I feel better overall.  I am also able to eat quite well, a variety of healthy foods, on a very low grocery budget which allows me to hang onto my hard earned cash without overspending to feed myself.

 

As part of my healthy diet I am interested this year in making wise use of all of the food I purchase in order to minimize food waste and get the most bang for my buck.  In the past few years, especially this last year, I have seen how expensive fats have become, especially the healthier options, so I’ve been doing what I can to make the most of the fats I currently have.  Part of that is to make wise use of the fats I render.  Bacon fat is one of those fats I have rendered and saved all my adult life to reuse in the cooking of other meals.  I’ve also saved rendered chicken fat, also known as schmaltz, as well as beef fat which I skim, strain and save as tallow.  Rendered pork fat is also something I save to reuse as well.

Instead of reaching for my pantry oils like avocado, olive or coconut first I will decide if I can use one of my rendered fats instead to cook my meals, which is usually the case.  This saves me substantially as it means my pantry oils last much longer.  Instead, I use these oils for making salad dressings, condiments and for baking.  I also use lard or butter in recipes in place of shortening and I can tell you my biscuits and pie crusts are amazing!  The biscuits are light and fluffy with layers and my pie crusts are lighter and flakier.  Neither of which are greasy at all.  They are much tastier too.

 

Many might argue that animal fats are not healthy, but my research and education on fats leads me to believe otherwise.  By design, our bodies actually need good fats in order to be healthy and function properly.  I am firmly planted in the camp that oils and fats made from altered and GMO food products are far less healthy for us.  Of course, as with anything, you need to enjoy them in moderation.  Healthy fats help to make foods more satiating too so we tend to not overeat as much.  The added savings to my grocery bill further affirms that the closer I eat to REAL Foods, the less money I need to spend to feed myself delicious, high quality and nutritious meals.