My Tireless Retirement - Week 50

 

Hello lovelies!  How is everyone this fine day?  I'm feeling pretty good.  Rather accomplished, I might say.  I've managed to tick quite a few things off of my "to-do" list lately and that always makes me feel on top of the world.  Like I really have a handle on things.

 

I shopped my freezer and fridge to make my meal plan
Then I did some meal prepping and used up a bunch of odds & ends too

Last week I finished up a pretty big project to break down and consolidate all of the CDs and DVDs I had decided to keep after decluttering by removing them from all of the plastic cases they originally came in.  It was a monumental decision for me and turned out to be a much bigger project than I initially thought it would be, primarily because I had to wait for my organizing supplies to arrive.  I bought some of those zippered cases with the sleeves inside to hold CDs and DVDs in and I ended up needing to place two orders before all was said and done because as it turned out I had more stuff than I thought.  Amazon's shipping has been less than stellar of late so it took a fair bit of time for them to get here.

 

That is some serious consolidating of my CDs & DVDs

Once I was done I ended up hauling out two black trash bags full of packaging to my big wheelie bin.  That was a lot!  And it was heavy too, much more so than expected.  I am super happy with the final results and to have this done so I can work more on another BIG project I have going.  I just need the weather to be a little more cooperative.  Anyone else still getting snow?  At least it all melted off but we've also had quite a bit of rain.

 

Some of the empties from things I used up and are no longer in my home
What have you been using up lately?

Progress was also made with my goal this year to use things up that have worn out their welcome.  Little dabs of stuff left in containers as well as items I simply have too many of.  In the past few weeks I've been able to empty quite a few things and send the emptied containers to recycling.  I seem to have accumulated a plethora of hand soap dispensers and I'm pleased to have eliminated a few of those lately.

 

Three new shirts for $12

I ran to the grocery store for some more fresh produce and milk.  A tiny little haul to supplement what I already have on hand as I continue with my pantry challenge and only my second shopping trip for groceries so far this month.  On the way I stopped at JoAnn Fabrics and picked up three new T-shirts.  I really like the Gildan brand and they were on sale.  I only needed two to replace a couple I had purged because they had stains and were pretty worn out after all the projects I've been working on this past year, but it was less expensive to buy three shirts on sale for 3 for $12 than to buy two at $6.99 each.  An extra one isn't a bad idea.  I replaced a blue shirt, a gray shirt and added the fuschia one because I like that color.

 

My little grocery haul

For meals I prepped I pulled out ground beef, frozen veggies and the sausages I had in the refrigerator.  I spent a little more than half an hour to prepare five stuffed bell peppers with the ground beef and a tray bake with some of bell pepper, chopped onion, a couple of potatoes I cubed, a couple carrots I sliced and frozen green beans.  I sliced up the four smoked sausages and tossed it all with olive oil and some seasoning.  I baked it all together in the oven along with a strawberry rhubarb crisp to used up the frozen fruit I had in the freeze from last May and a little bit of oatmeal I had in the pantry to use up.

 

Several meals ready to go

I was able to efficiently use up frozen veggies, frozen rhubarb and frozen sliced strawberries as well as the marked down peppers I had purchased at the beginning of the month.  By the time I was done baking these dishes I had eight healthy meals prepared.  I had quite a few things I was working on around the house so it was perfect.  All I had to do was heat it and eat it.  They were pretty tasty too.

 

Plus a dessert!  Strawberry rhubarb crisp

Well, that is all I have to report.  How was your week?  Anything exciting happen?