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Tell us: What projects have you taken on? What advice can you share?

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Community Manager

Tell us: What projects have you taken on? What advice can you share?

What projects have you taken on? How have you accomplished tasks by being resourceful with what you have on hand? What advice do you have to help others through similar projects? Share your ideas here and earn 50 AARP Rewards points for participating in this weekly discussion. We also will choose one post as our weekly winning post for an additional prize: a $50 HelloFresh gift card.  Click here to see our Rules for participating. 

AARPTeri
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Going through photos and marking ones that we know who they are and disposing of ones that are just locations with no people in them. Especially duplicates

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I have been organizing pictures from my grandmother, mother, aunt and myself. I have put  pictures  that I know people would like to have. I have put them in envelopes and marked their  names on them so when I can go visit them I am all set to have a great visit and they will enjoy what I have to give to them. My next plan is to pain my bathroom which already has a new counter, sink and  big shower.

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I have been making masks for family, friends, neighbors and now local hospital staff.  For a break, I go outside to clean out flower beds, work the soil in the vegetable bed and plant lettuce, spinach and peas.

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I've replaced old railroad ties for new rubberized edging in the backyard flower gardens, planted bulbs and flowers, and have made a baby afghan from squares I had made a few years ago.  Next week I plan to paint our home office with the paint I bought three years ago!

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Well. let's see.  I have cleaned every corner of my 2-room apartment at least 7 or 8 times, including dusting the tops of lamps and shelves (who knew what lived up there?), cloroxing bathroom and kitchen tiles, polishing hardwood floors, toothbriushing fixtures (very satisfying) and vacuuming out the crevices in my pull out sofa.  My place is almost spotless, except for the dog hairs, but the apartment is so small if you open the windows, stand at the door and blow, they will be gone. I paid the rent and all the bills and negotiated a 20% decrease with just about everyone. Crying really works!  I thought my dog should help so I made my pup a mule pack.  She is very large and strong so she can carry laundry on her back either side.  After a few tries, she stopped going round in circles trying to bite it off.  I patch up painted all those annoying spots on the walls and floorboards you think you will get to one day.  A paintbrush works just fine.  You only need sand anything that is seriously cracked or has deeper holes and peels, like your kinda-sorta-boyfriend, and the windowsill where the plants have decimated three paint layers.  DO NOT paint a room where your dog and kinda-sorta-boyfriend watch the NBA Draft, until you are sure you have a full day of that room empty. Else you will find coffee streaks and milk bone crumbs in the corners and along the walls and they will appear in the kitchen, digging for food, yellow paint on their paws. For exercise, I bought a set of therabands and 1 to 5lb dumbbells.  Peleton has on demand streaming of 10 to 30 minutes classes for beginniners to advanced that are very rejuventaing and free for 30 days.  If you are stuck on Zoom Conferences, which can be deadly, I suggest you put aside the potato chips and buy a half bike you can pedal (no one will see) which fits under your desk or table.  Mine is a Yasuda and I love it, but so does my dog who keeps eating the little rubber feet that keep it in place.  I wrote to them and they were very nice when I cried and sent me more for free.  This is also a good time to do all those annoying, little, trite physical therapy exercises you thought were doing nothing for you and to find those doctors really do know what they are talking about.  Also, to teach your dog to dance with you.  One word of advice: dogs do not like percussion.  So no Latin music or zumba or they will run away or bowl you down.  They do like classical and can do a mean waltz and fox trot, though it is best if you call it a dog trot for obvious reasons.  They don't need to know.    

Paula C. Brancato
HBS MBA 1982
BrancatoNY@aol.com
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  While working on painting our outside trim, doors, doorsteps & etc. I noticed some limbs had fallen on the roof of my yard storage shed. This resulted in some leaks. Not critical for an old steel shed as I usually throw a cheap tarp over mowers, just for the dust. So, with ladders out, inspecting the roof is next step. Well, multiple dents, paint fade and corrosion from 30 years of exposure. Time to R&R. Being a 'tin' shed, it's put together with screws. Measured up it's 10' wide (5' on each side) by 9' deep. Checking local box stores....they only carry roofing tin in 8 or 12 ft panels???

  I'm 75. I just don't get that excited about cutting steel roofing panels with a grinder or sawzal, anymore! End result: One local store will special order cut to length panels. So, order is in for 3 10' panels cut into 5' lengths. Yea. Time to finish up the trim while the 'tin' is being shipped!

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I am doing a very deep closet cleaning. Decided to make boxes for my children for the time when I am no longer around. You know all those things they made in school, special clothing, drawings etc. Rather than having everything in boxes all mixed up, I made separate boxes for each child. I filled each box with their individual treasures, picutres meant specifically for them and a letter from me. I made mention of each item, when it was obtained and how much it meant to me. This means no one has to figure out who made the ceramic dinosaur or drew the picture of mom with green hair. It may seem a long way off when they will be looking through their boxes but I think Covid 19 has taught us anything may happen. It makes me happy to think of them reading my letters while they go through treasures they forgot existed. 

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Using paint that I already had around the house, I have sanded and repainted two old dressers to use in a guest room that I am redoing. When I chose not to go out to the store to purchase new hardware, I realized I could sand off the finish on the drawer pulls, and actually made my own brushed stainless drawer pulls that way. The finished furniture looks great, and it only cost me $50 total for the two dressers. I also used the same paint to redo an old wicker chair for the room. I love the room now, and it is ready for guests when I am able to have friends and relatives come over and stay again!

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I have cleaned out 2 closets and storage in 2 bathrooms. Separated items into 2 categories...donation & trash.

Also cleaning out my thousands of emails...

Next challenge...kitchen cupboards.

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I'm using the extra time that I have at home to focus on simplifying life.  My goal is to do things that will make life easier and more relaxed when things go back to "normal".  I realized just how much I'm doing that I wish would take up less time so I could spend more of my time doing more creative activities while still handling all those daily responsibilities.  I'm cleaning out the house and organizing everything room by room.  I've designated a spot in the garage to collect all of the donations I'm going to make as soon as things open up.  In the future, I'll have less to organize and clean.  I'm cleaning out my finances by cancelling unnecessary membership, reviewing my budget and putting what remains on paperless / autopay.  I'm going paperlesss and collecting up all of my important documents in one location so it's easy to find when I need it.  I'm also spending more time catching up with friends and family to nurture those relationships.  All these things will hopefully make life a lot easier and less stressful rather than going back to the crazy hustle and bustle of our way too busy lives.  This is such a good time to take advantage this precious resource of time to hopefully keep giving us more freetime for the long run.

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Utilizing all the food in the freezer and refrigerator.

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I have been applying stensils to the walls in my apartment including sayings and florals.

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Lately I have been buying the little 4-pack of succulents at Liwes and Home Depot.  I am spending time nurturing them with water and love.

 

I pland to DIY snall cacti gardens and continue to pass them out to seniors.  I think it will hive them a chance to nurture something too.  

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Lately I have been buying the little 4-pack of succulents at Liwes and Home Depot.  I am spending time nurturing them with water and love.

 

I pland to DIY snall cacti gardens and continue to pass them out to seniors.  I think it will hive them a chance to nurture something too.  

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I am just trying to get everything in my house organized - room by room. But the weather was nice today, so I took the day "off" to take my yard waste to the local compost facility and then cleaned the inside of the car. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold, so I will get back to organizing! My only advice is to take your time and think about how you use things when you are organizing. If your organization doesn't work with how you use objects, it won't stay organized!

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Rehabbing the 25-year-old kitchen.  Praying the bankers won't foreclose and take my house.  Applied for a deferrement, but have not gotten any response.  All docs are in, but getting only crickets from bank.

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My house is just one series of projects, but I try to tackle a little job every day, old spices, out, clothes to pass on, out, magazines and newspapers I may or may not get to read, out! All the seeds I saved from last summer, in(the ground, that is)...know there are so many more frontiers I could cross, but considering our reality I am giving myself permission to read, watch movies, enjoy the dawn and sunsets, my friends and family...it is all good...

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My Mom passed in Nov '19 at which time I moved all her stuff into my home ans shed figuring I would have a yard sale come Mar or Apr....so much for that!  But 4 months was all I could stand with my OCD problems.  Add to that, having some inside construction (a wall down) with the resulting dust and I have gone on a cleaning, cleaning out, downsizing, donating and curb alert spree that is still going on 3 weeks later. Ok, at 70, it is taking me a lil longer than others but no piece of furniture or a knick knack has gone unturned. I have 2 rooms to go and then....I'll start on the yard.  Those Irises need thinning and...

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Organizing photos. Box for eah family member. Only save clear ones.

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We have been doing an extreme version of Spring Cleaning. Room by room, closets, cabinets and all. Best spring cleaning ever! Make it fun by repurposing, donating and other ideas to make it challenging! 

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We started on our near future and have worked on the garden. One doesn't know if the food is going to last when we go in the store and they have so many empty shelves. With that came working on the yard the new bulbs coming up needed mulching. A long waiting project I did was the weeds and prickly bushes that grew where our bulb garden is . So that is done!! Extended our screened in porch and got it ready for guests. For our security we are working on the main door and door knob and lock, all need replacement. I will get back to the garden soon but I mulched all the leaves in  the yard with the mower.  I will start a new compost for the future. In between all these projects will be the dogs bath and cleaning up in the house. We stay busy!! We don't even notice we are shut in and need to limit people and places but the mail is picked up once a week. Please every one stay safe and wear masks and scrub  those hands! You will not want to contaminate your wife child or mother and dad or your best bud!!

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There is no putting it off any longer... It's one closet at a time.  Remove everything, clean, try on items of clothing, get one pile ready to donate and another to toss.  Storage closets and pantry are next on the list.

Break time is outside for raking the lawn, which I consider exercise.

For added fun, I try to keep up with 20 minute "work-ins" on my computer provided by my gym.

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     I have decided to take on several projects.  First, I cleaned out all of my closets.  The clothes that I was not wearing, or I could not fit, I plan to give some of them away and have a rummage sale with a few, when things get back to normal.

 

     Secondly, I wanted to spruce up my front yard with some flowers, so I have planted some flower seeds. I can wait until they are large enough for me to plant outside.  Sprucing up my yard is a project that I decided to do!

 

     Thirdly, I am throwing away files that I will no longer use; as well as organizing my photo albums. I thought that this is a great time to organize my albums!

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I wrote my first book, Immersed in West Africa, which is a travelogue and an adventure story. So l have been working away at my desk every day getting reviews,which are posted on Amazon, and promoting the book on my two Facebook pages. So this is a good way to stop any chance of going nuts sitting home doing nothing! 

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I've been working on a few things.  Spring cleaning - even removing everything from the cabinets and chucking what needs getting rid of, vacuuming and wiping down everything, and then putting everything back.  Did that with the fridge and freezer, too.  And closets.  Once that was done, I ordered some cushions in bright colors, a new area rug, a  new painting and some new drapes (saved tons of money at Wayfair!) to freshen everything up.  Now I'm thinking about painting.  And I've been clearing out things from the basement that haven't been used in years.  Some will be donated, most has been tossed.  Once that's done, the garage has to be done.  Since we will be home until the beginning of June, I've got time.  And I should be able to start working in the yard soon.  That is all in addition to my volunteer work (phoning shut-in seniors for a group I volunteer with) and working with another group to feed the most vulnerable in our area.  Some of my friends and I get together for Zoom lunches and happy hours weekly.  And when I have time I read.  I'm trying to keep busy so I don't feel sorry for myself.  But to be honest, with the exception of being able to do my volunteer work in person and see my friends daily in person, this really hasn't been too much of a stretch for this single person who lives alone.  

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Oh my, so much to finish!  Of the most gnawing unfinished projects, the paramount for me, has been the cross stitch gifts I began a few years back.

Loving nephew Chris was about to be married to his precious Lindsay. I quickly began a cross stitch sampler of 1 Corinthians..."Love is Kind..."

Push came to shove, and the day of wedded bliss arrived. No finished sampler.

With the arrival of COVID, I am tackling those unfinished projects. To celebrate Chris and Lindsay's 5th anniversary, they will receive this precious keepsake! 

Next project, finishing the birth announcement sampler for Sweet Isabella, my 6-year old grandaughter! Late, yes! Meaningful, yes! Filled with love, Yes, yes, and yes!

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Re purposing and recycling.Re purposing and recycling.

Giving raised beds a new meaning. The system was first used in Lake County for a research project on fish in the lake. Then a farmer used system for farming for many years. Then our Hunger Task Force inherited the system (these are only two of the many) and grew vegetables for the community for over 20 years. The Hunger Task Force transitioned to community gardens. I inherited two of the systems, just cut and put the hoops in to hold the anti-bird covering. I'm so excited. Amazing gardening with such history... I am honoring those who used it before.
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I'm knitting a shopping bag to use once the ban on plastic bags in NY goes back into effect.

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I am cleaning up areas that I've left, such as breaking down boxes from Internet purchases.  I've also been binge watching Prime TV .

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My husband has been painting the trim in our house.  Our doors and baseboards are stained wood and we are painting them a soft white (we have received advice from real estate agents and decorators that this is the right thing to do to make our house more saleable).  The quotes we got from professionals were pretty high.  So far, my husband husbands work is looking very good but it is painstaking work.  I am growing seeds for our garden.  There is still danger of late snow storms in Colorado, so the little plants are inside right now.  Also, I have been sewing masks and depleting my store of old fat quarters for family and the hospital that my daughter works at.  I have been bagging up things to give away once the 2nd hand stores open.  Nice to see how productive everyone else has been, too!

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