Then and Now
What a difference a few months can make! We used to hug and give handshakes. We went to the gym without a second thought and planned a trip when we needed to get away. Now we don't leave home without hand sanitizer and masks and have to think and prepare a little more before going places and meeting with people. A lot has changed.
I have noticed that my approaches and views have also changed, in some respects. With the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders/quarantine/lockdown that began in early spring, I've had more time to sit down and give attention to certain aspects of my life. The situation prompted me to look more closely at where I'm spending my money, how I make certain decisions, and where I dedicate my time and energy. As a result, I have changed some of my ways:
-I’m looking for items made in the USA as much as possible. This started with dog toys and treats but I’ve decided to search for more American-made brands, much more than I did before. Sometimes its a matter of finding products that are made in the USA as a substitution for something I've been buying for years. I wish this way of narrowing decisions had become more important to me sooner, as I made a large purchase in March that I wish would have been driven more by buying USA-made. Next time!
-My fingernails and toes do not have to be perfectly polished (or polished at all) and shaped. My hair can go without highlights and a cut for longer than 8 weeks. We all got by with bare nails and grown-out hair for a long time. We made it work. Our nails and hair got a break. We got creative with headbands and hats. While I enjoy those pedicures and having my hair looking great, my schedule for visits to the salon has more flexibility than I once thought.
-There are ways to save money without looking too hard. Prior to COVID-19, I traveled frequently and didn't always have a lot of time to really focus on how I was spending money. When I had the time to sit down and look at credit card bills and subscriptions, I had more awareness and could make decisions. I finally cut the cord on cable. I unsubscribed to a monthly subscription box that I really didn't need. I discontinued my storage unit and decided it was time to deal with all of the contents. When I'm busy and on the go, its easy to give bills a quick look, pay them, and say I’ll look more closely later. Sometimes later is months or even years away. I created a calendar marker to prompt me to assess spending quarterly.
-I now take a good view of my pantry and refrigerator and can usually make a healthy, easy meal without having to go to the grocery store to get more groceries. I was not good at this previously, so I consider it a win to not be wasting food. There are almost always veggies that need to be used up, and they can work well in a variety of dishes that can be thrown together. Having lots of proteins, sauces and condiments, and vegetables around creates many options. All of this was an opportunity to be creative and it surprised me how many great meals I could put together using just what I had on hand.
-By cleaning one area a day, house cleaning really does get done. I had a monthly cleaning service prior to COVID-19 but I put this on hold, mainly because I didn't want the cleaners in my house, given the virus and how it was spreading. Instead of trying to block a large amount of time to clean the whole house, I take a very simple 7-day stickie note pad and schedule different areas per day - hard wood floors on Monday, kitchen on Tuesday (with lighter cleaning every day), bathrooms on Wednesday (wiping off the counter every night), vacuum upstairs on Thursday, etc. My goal is one major cleaning task per day and this has allowed me to keep up with it.
-I'm more aware of waste. I found subscriptions for apps and online subscriptions not being used, so I canceled those. I've been more careful with the free trials for apps and auto-renewals in general. They add up. I've learned to combine trips to the grocery store with other errands so special trips out were kept to a minimum. Another major decision - I'm using all of the Keurig coffee pods in the house before buying more! I don't care if I'm drinking pumpkin spice in June. I'm drinking it.
-This last one also relates to waste, as I started noticing how many small to large plastic baggies I use and then throw into the trash. Sustainability has become more important to me, so I started by investing in reusable products - Stashers - to replace plastic baggies. I LOVE them! They are so convenient and can be used for so many different things from storing a bell pepper to carrying cosmetics.
Have you noticed a shift in your awareness or views during your time at home? Have you made any changes that you plan to carry forward? I'd love to hear about them!