During the past 6 years of full-time, in home caregiving, I've to keep myself occupied and productive in the blank spaces when I'm not too worn out and bored sooo, here's my list of projects over the past few years.
Year 1 Digitize all my records. I hate paper.
Sorted, organized, scanned to pdf files and shredded most of my old records - old bills, insurance claims, tax returns, and important papers such a birth and death certificates, property records, wills, POAs. Once they were digitized, organized the directories and files and backed them all up on an external hard drive (kept in a fireproof lockbox) and a USB flash drive. Subscribed to edelivery of almost all statements and bills. Now at the beginning of each new year, I download relevant files and archive for the current tax year along with my tax returns. Never efile, not secure, but scan returns each year after they are signed and mailed).
Year 2 - Make a Family Book
I scanned all my old photos to my computer and downloaded a bookmaking software (Booksmart) and created a book with all the photos. After the book was "published" (privately of course). I shredded all the old photos, of course they are backed up on the computer. That project took about 8 months.
Year 3 Lose the Weight
Started exercising, ever so slowly, and changed my eating habits. Over 8 months lost about 40 pounds and 4 sizes. That's the year I spent most of my time trying to find clothes 3 times to accommodate my new sizes. But oh it felt so good to loose the weight. I still exercise and have maintained my weight but it does get harder as you get older and your body protests.
Year 5 - Renovate Exterior of House and Barn
Almost 100% of this work was hired out but there was always plenty to do to keep the ball rolling. Finally got a screened in back porch. During spring, summer and fall, it's a refuge from the monotony of what has become our new normal.
In the meantime, I have decluttered, organized, decluttered, downsized, decluttered, organized and decluttered. I tell my friends if I ever leave my house I want all my belongings to fit in the trunk of my car.
So I'm now working on year 6 / 7. I've almost run out of projects. What are some projects that you've done to fill in any blank spots to keep yourself from losing it completely?
Floppies, oh my gosh, do you remember the 5.25 floppies? I do, I remember using them on a Lanier word processor back around 1977. Things sure have changed.