The Grownups List | Reading, Cleaning and Being

A Collection of Wonderful Things | 4.9.17

Each week I post a list of things that I am currently enjoying. I hope that this list brings you joy too.

Laundry Detergent

I know this may seem silly, but as I am paring down the “stuff” in my life, I am learning to appreciate great smells so much more. I have tried many detergents over the years, but decided to make the switch to Persil after it was launched in the U.S. And I’ll never change again. The smell is amazing and it cleans really well. Throughout the day, my husband or I will randomly say, “this shirt smells SO good!” Hello Persil! Welcome to America!

App

I’m a voracious reader. I read 150 books last year and lowered my goal this year to 50 so that I could focus on decluttering and organizing. If you are a reader and use an e-reader, I can’t recommend the Overdrive app enough. With the exception of one or two books, every book that I read last year was via the Overdrive app (which connects to your local library) and was free. I grew so much and it is cost absolutely nothing. The Overdrive has, quite literally, changed my life.

Birds

I’m thankful to the birds who religiously wake me up each morning at 5:20. The sound of birds is wonderful because it means the days are longer and the weather is warmer. I have a special fondness for one robin, in particular. We moved into our home five years ago and she built a nest under our deck. We have never touched it and she comes back every year to make a home for her babies. About a week ago, we noticed her sitting on the railing of the deck keeping a lookout, as she always does. One day soon, we will have the special joy of watching a bunch of baby birds poking their beaks up to be fed. I love them.

Quote

“You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish. I have no responsibility to be like they expect me to be. It’s their mistake, not my failing.” – Richard Feynman

App

I use my phone too much. Much more than some people. Much less than others. I recently read a book that explained how we divide our time into three buckets per week, each consisting of 56 hours. One bucket is used for sleep. One bucket is used for work. That leaves us with 56 hours to spend however we like. The Moment app tracks how much you use your phone each day, the times you use it, and the apps you are using. It can also alert you every time you’ve reached another 15 minute chunk of time or when you have gone over your personal limit that you’ve set for the day. If used optimally, it can really provide some great information on where you are throwing away some of those 56 hours.

Photo by felipepelaquim on Unsplash