TIME TO MAKE PLANS FOR 2025

 Now that I am retired...my 'what to do' during the winter months and New Year's Resolutions, tend to be about finishing unfinished projects first, before I start new ones...sometimes it happens...most of the time it does not...

There is always a special excitement about starting something new...planning, shopping and then arriving home with all of the new stuff.  So, you begin but maybe don't finish because of many factors/excuses...and so, it becomes another item added to the list of unfinished projects.   

I do wake up each day with new energy, vowing to finish an ongoing project...and, I usually make some progress on the decided unfinished project, before wandering off to do something else.  

If I have deadlines...I will finish.  When I worked, owned businesses and after retiring, sold crafts that I made to sell at several stores and on Etsy...I got it done.  But now that I have no real deadlines...I just kind of work at it. Not sure yet which way I enjoy the most.  Working on a project 'under fire' and then receiving a paycheck or money...does have its rewards.  I'm kind of waiting for the 'good feelings' of finishing a project with no big paycheck or cash coming my way...just praise from my hubby or friends or family members.  I love that. But it's different...going to have to take some getting used to. Not the same feeling of accomplishment....yet. 

It is all probably a part of retiring...and it's not bad...just different...I've got all day. So, what's the big hurry.  

New Incentive....One day I was looking around our big old Victorian house thinking...what are our kids going to think when they find all of these unfinished projects?  It won't be a complete surprise to them...we've always been collectors and project people and, we have always been able to get the necessities at our various homes, 'up and running'...maybe not totally completed.  But, enough to serve their purpose, but promising to get back to them...one day...In our defense, we have purchased and remodeled about 20 homes/buildings, while also working our full-time jobs for the last 30+ years.   Some minor remodels...but mostly crazy major (large) renovations that probably 'no one else would do' type renovations.  One of our largest was an old lumberyard from the 1800's in Mineral Point, WI...with 11 buildings...big old lumber sheds and various other buildings.  We loved working on the buildings - they were structurally sound..but just big and open. We opened several businesses in them, rented some of them out...added more buildings (restaurant/bakery/storage units) and then sold when we decided to move out to 40 acres in the country...to renovate an old four square farmhouse that had not been lived in for years.  We gathered many (anyone that needed a home) animals to love and enjoy. 

We have successfully fully renovated and successfully sold all of the homes/buildings that we have purchased...we've lived in them while renovating...when finished, we would sell and move onto the next.   Some of them were never homes and we made them into apts. or a large home...many were in Historic districts.  I believe (but, you never know with us) we are currently living in our 'forever'...not going to sell - house...and so, the motivation is different. Not a constant every morning check list rolling through our heads.  ...yeah...that sounds like a good excuse for not getting at those projects everyday...I'm going with that... 

Usually having friends or family over will motivate me to finish up (or hide) some projects...BUT, my new motivation will be...how I want my kids to remember us. Their final walk through of their parents' house....They know us, but when the day comes that they have to go through all of our stuff...and, we have a lot, we are definitely collectors...what will they think?

I mentioned to my son the other day that he really should look through our stuff before disposing or donating...we have quite a few older collections from our childhoods that are worth something these days...that, he could make some money by selling on Ebay or somewhere online.  He said, why don't you sell it and make the money now.  I guess I could...But, I've been saving some of these things...from my childhood, from my mom, grandma, etc. for so long...I forgot and/or haven't really thought about selling them...but, maybe I should...Definitely keep the really personal items that have real meaning to me, that hopefully our children will cherish and keep...but a lot of the collectable items...they really could go to an interested collector, and I wouldn't mind.  Afterall...most of this stuff is sitting in storage containers...I know it's there...but I'm not doing anything with it...storing...  

I wonder, if now, as retirees and, we are not so under the gun...so to speak, to constantly hit deadlines and finish every project...to get paid and to keep our career reputation in great standing we start relaxing the whole 'stuff to get done' program. My husband was a contractor for his entire career. And I worked in various Social Service fields and also worked in Human Resources for many years.  Always, other people/customers counting on you to do their job and successfully complete. But now that we can relax the whole project with no real negative feedback - cause we're the only ones that know that it's not finished...we just take it at a different pace...

Whatever the reason...I'm going with...I want to make my home as organized and finished as possible...for my kids...I would do anything for them...so...my plan for 2025...and probably 2026....etc. We have a lot of stuff...good stuff. But a lot less with every move (wish I still had some of the stuff...I just threw out, but anyway) ...we definitely have more than the average collector....

So, I'm going with...for the kids...to hopefully leave them with the last, best impression of their parents...and to do them a favor and have our things in order so that it's not such a big job for them...