Let's all take a breath shall we. Like just about everyone else I know I'll be spending a lot of time in my home and garden. I made a list of productive things to do over the course of the next month or so and it looks something like this...
clean and organize linens
clean and organize wardrobe
clean, organize and take stock of pantry
clean and organize refrigerator and freezer
polish silver
dust things that rarely get dusted
clean out junk drawer
polish shoes
put together a spring wardrobe with existing clothes
wash down pillows and comforters
organize and clean out skincare and makeup collection
weather permitting get outside in the fresh air, garden or walk
We really can live without toilet paper you know.
It's time to make do and mend - pretty much how most of us reading this blog live anyway. Now is not the time for gluttony and hoarding. If I take too much off the supermarket shelves then someone else goes without. Let's be calm about this. xo
Hello Well, it's refreshing to hear that you are not hoarding toilet paper and other goods. It's so awful here where I live (NJ) trying to shop in stores where people are running around like crazy people and emptying the shelves. Yesterday I went to the supermarket to get some essentials I ran out of and alot of the shelves were completely empty! I'm sure it's like that all over the country. Thank you for being sane. Arlene from NJ
ReplyDeleteThank you for this message! We all need a little sanity. xo
ReplyDeleteThank you for this gentle reminder amidst the panic. The grocery store was a frenzy of activity yesterday with many shelves empty. No toilet paper at all. Like you I plan to tackle a few drawers and closets and get out into the garden. I have a few books and a knitting project. Spring cleaning will keep me busy too.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to take to heart the British slogan from WW2 - Keep Calm and Carry On. I cannot believe the panic buying that is occurring, and sadly, some are trying to profit by reselling on line for a ridiculous price. Yes, we can live without toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was an educated woman, but need to know exactly how to live without toilet paper since we have 4 toilets in this house and no bidet. Please tell me. Thanks.
DeleteHow nice, Janet, to read your "sea of calm" amidst this hysteria. I work for a large healthcare org. & thank goodness, we are prepared as best we can be for what may come but are keeping our heads about this. It was wonderful to see a new post from you - so happy you will continue with your lovely blog. I know you will have good & bad days ahead, but please know there are so many out here who love, care & support you. Sending a big hug & lots of love! Katie from Hunt. Beach
ReplyDeleteAmen, to your toilet paper comment. Crazy times!
ReplyDeleteLinda
I am in complete agreement Janet...toilet paper is nice, but I already have Plans B & C in place if I run out. I did not buy any extra, but picked up some things I run out of first...mostly fresh produce. Panic never, ever helps in any situation & the greed in some people is disturbing.
ReplyDeleteLike you I hope to get more done at home since I will be spending more time here. I already canceled a trip to see a friend in CT next weekend. It is time to be cautious & use common sense...and not running around saying the sky is falling.
...all is grace!
I knew you could be counted upon for some sanity! I am mystified by the hoarding...why do we need bottled water? Just a reminder to all that while we are staying at home and social distancing, local stores are hurting as everyone turns to Amazon to purchase things. I saw an idea online to go to local stores and purchase a gift card to use later...
ReplyDeleteJanet - so agree with you as always. I've bought nothing "extra". I don't have to have toilet paper. If I have a shortage of food - I need to lose 30lbs so there's that. I like being at home a lot: I love reading and organising. I will still walk. These insane people in this world gone mad could make me fearful and depressed so I'm trying not to look at social media reporting. The only thing I could do without right now is a stye on my lower eyelid. I've never had one before. The optician said it's a blocked tear duct and gave me some lubricating drops. Grateful for advice.
ReplyDeletePardon me for bringing this up but my curiosity and lack of imagination are spurring me on to ask: If one does not use toilet paper, what does one do?
DeleteAnonymous - Check out what goes into toilet paper: chlorine bleach, dioxins, BPA (particularly in recycled loo rolls) etc. Shouldn't be rubbing our nether regions with that stuff. I use a few cotton "flannel-type" squares for pee. They can be soaked in boiling water and washed at some point. I wish I had a bidet for "other" but I don't, so I use Natracare "Safe To Flush" moist tissues that are plastic-free and made from 100% paper and have been tested for toilet disposal by the UK Water Industry to not block the sewers. Package states that these are imported by USA, Australia and NZ. Hope you might be able to find them. I've read that using toilet paper is very unhygienic. I read a Huffpost article that said: If you got dog poop on your arm would you just wipe it off with a tissue? It really made me think!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping this might be the time I finally do all those jobs I always put off in busier times. I started today by shredding some old paperwork.
ReplyDeleteNot surprising people have gone bonkers with the hoarding. Just mention snowstorm. Which is crazy because we have excellent services so it’s rarely an issue for more than a day. They act like it’s the 1800s and we’ll be snowed in for months. I have to admit I always have toilet paper and a few essentials delivered already on a schedule. Maybe if people had a routine they wouldn’t feel the need to freak out? There’s always tons of chores I can do to fill my day.
ReplyDeleteI did make a run to the library and stocked up. I knew they would probably have to close. A few hours later they did. So I’m a very happy little homebody.
I do feel bad for the graduations and weddings I know of that have been postponed. The most important thing is we be considerate and stay healthy.
Peace to you Janet.
Best
Kathy
Hi Janet- love your calm home and "voice." I went to the market today for my usual weekly shopping and 75% of the store is gone. Will just make do with what is already in my freezer and pantry. I'm just going to stay out of everyone's way and enjoy my home and garden. You have taught me over the years to live simply (yet beautifully) and now seems like a great time for continuing to do so. So happy to see a post from you- it is always like a breath of fresh air!
ReplyDeleteAlways so good to have a post from .you,Janet. Sending love and peace to you and your family and all our virtual friends.xo
ReplyDeleteamen. hoarding has never been good about anything or anytime or anywhere!
ReplyDelete'keep calm and carry on'
the words that are always so comforting. to me at least! xoxo
Thank you for posting this today. I love the idea of using this time to be productive. We are also reading, spending time outside, and watching documentaries from the library.
ReplyDeleteWe used cloth diapers with our children, so I have some lovely cloth baby wipes to use if we run out of toilet paper.;) They can be washed in the machine. Someone I know recently sent me an e-mail about avoiding the toilet paper at Costco because of the environmental impact.
Stay well.
AGREE!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, your comment made me happy. I can't understand the people that are so out of control. I read this morning that someone got tasered by another person in an attempt to stop them from getting the last package of TP. I later heard by a doctor on TV that there's no diarrhea attached to the Corona virus. Let's be kind to one another and reasonable in our outlook of this most certain temporary problem.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Exactement! I have sewing and knitting on my list. Lovely photo.
ReplyDeleteAustralia is no different at the moment...people are going insane and we are not even into the thick of this thing yet. I find the media have to have a huge amount of responsability for this in the way they report...just take a breath....peace to all and we will come out of this. Lovely to see your post x
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see your post. I thought of you the other day and wondered how you are doing. I too have plenty to do, cleaned under my bathroom sink today. Got two shopping bags of things, expired, will never use, etc! Unbelievable, I had no idea! Feels better and looks better! I will get this pile of books read too!
ReplyDeleteTake care, glad to read you today!
Thank you for posting a reminder in this crazy time. We do have to live in the larger world but let us have a calming influence! Thank you for your calmness.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Janet. Once again I thank you for your calm voice. So many happenings of daily living get blown up by our own thoughts into overwhelming events. This virus is not imaginary and we take it seriously, but the perceived need to stock up for an extremely extended uncertain future is what makes the uncertainty so difficult to manage. I'm so pleased to find myself in your calm space this morning. Thank you so much for showing up today and speaking peace over troubled waters. I went to the library too and got an armload of books to read and am ready with my usual stock of supplies to face what's next. I loved the comment, "If I run out of food, I need to lose 30 pounds.... so there's that," And thanks for the history of toilet paper. (That's a funny sentence!). All is well and all manner of things shall be well. I love you, Janet. Stay strong and well. xo karen
ReplyDeleteSweet Janet,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the calming words. As we are in full lockdown here in Italy, you are a comfort. Our hearts go out to all in these troubled times. Compassion is key.
XXo Robin
Dear Janet - ever the voice of reason and calm, thank you for your wise example as we all attempt to do the right thing for ourselves, family members, neighbors, fellow citizens at a time unlike any other we have known. Now I shall write my own list of productive things to do (really like the positivity of that). Good health to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteLinda
I'm happy to self quarantine, get my to do list done and read my stack of books.
ReplyDeleteJanet, I would love some recipes and housekeeping tips while we're all staying home. 😷
Hi Janet, I tried to comment earlier on Chrome but the message disappeared twice. I'm on Firefox now and it seems to be going through.
ReplyDeleteI was at the grocery store on Friday and it was completely nuts! People were definitely in panic mode but other shoppers I spoke to thought the whole was ridiculous.
There was an article online about some guy who bought up all the hand sanitizer he could get. He was going to sell for a decent profit on Amazon until they halted the sales of sanitizer. Now he is stuck with over 17,000 bottles of it. Just think of all the people he took from. Shameful.
Keep calm everyone!
Linda
xo
Linda
Oops I meant "whole thing"
DeleteNo hoarding and staying calm here. We just got back from a vacation in CA (hello!) and do realize that since we were in airports and on planes with thousands of people in close proximity, that we could easily be carriers. So we are mostly self-quarantining...my husband has no choice but to go back to work tomorrow because he's in the emergency services field. I am not going to my yoga classes and I cancelled a dinner I was supposed to attend. We are healthy in general, get enough sleep, exercise (in fact, we're going out walking in the fresh air and sunshine in a few minutes), eat "clean", and take the needed supplements. xoxo
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteonce again you said it: Amen
I have a similar list. I teach sewing and knitting, so my group classes are canceled. I am looking at this time as a gift to get new classes developed, do some gardening and home improvements. I will stay in touch with my student. My income will be way down, but I will be a good steward of both my money and my time. Today I am feeling at peace with this gift of time.
ReplyDeleteHere, in an upscale community in Southern California, we are almost out of toilet paper (of all things to be out of right now...) and just ran out of milk. We shop for fresh veggies once a week, which we just about need too. So, my cousin went to the market this morning, you know, the one that promised to be there and keep open for everyone during this crisis, anyway he got there just before it opened and he was number 50 in line. He got in and there was no fresh fruit or vegetables, no milk, the canned foods were mostly cleaned out, as were the dry staples like flour, sugar, beans and rice AND the frozen vegetables. Happily, there was some toilet paper! And there were a couple of cans of evaporated milk, so he will be able to drink his coffee and tea. Lucky for me I drink my tea black... I'm not in panic mode, I'm just irritated. We haven't been planting the vegetable garden the last few years due to health reasons. We're doing better now, so I think it's time to start planting again. I hope I can find some seeds in stock. (And yes, the plan is to share the abundance with the neighbors.) Best wishes to you all.
ReplyDeleteGarden Goddess
When I was at Target early this morning, there was not a single loaf of bread or any bread product in that aisle. Also, no yeast. I did buy some lentils and frozen veggies and blueberries. We are laying low. I have a really big project I can begin to attack--staining my cedar picket fence that encloses our city property, but first I must pull weeds and prune landscaping plants. Working outside will be so meditative and enjoyable. My husband might be furloughed from his hospital (non-medical) job, but I actually hope he will be. We are not young anymore and this respite would be good. I hope you find peace and renewal in your spring tasks.
ReplyDeleteIsabella
It is good to remain calm in these uncertain times. For the folks who have never had to go without t.p., use a warm soapy washcloth and rinse in hot bleachy water. Wash in hot water in your washing machine(again using bleach and two rinse cycles)
ReplyDeleteI hope we can all stay calm and thoughtful toward our neighbors during these trying times. Over on thedailyconnoisseur.com there is a video she put up that talks about alternatives to paper products. Hopefully some will find it helpful while looking for alternatives to toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteHey Janet,
ReplyDeleteThis is my third attempt on my tablet to post here. My husband's 80 and 90 year old aunts told us they used the pages from the Sears and Roebuck catalog, corn cobs and leaves for toilet paper before toilet paper existed. My father(RIP) said his family used the Sears and Roebuck catalog and corn cobs,too.
Sin-
Debra of SENC
I must say the toilet paper issue has been baffling me. Most women know, because of our other issues, that a quick wash in the tub under running water with soap takes care of things. After drying off with a towel (designated if you want) it’s a very fresh feeling.
ReplyDeleteMy husband listened intently and admited he had never thought of that.
The least of our worries.
I must say the toilet paper issue has been baffling me. Most women know, because of our other issues, that a quick wash in the tub under running water with soap takes care of things. After drying off with a towel (designated if you want) it’s a very fresh feeling.
ReplyDeleteMy husband listened intently and admited he had never thought of that.
The least of our worries.
Hi Janet and this dear community. All of your comments here are so helpful! Janet, your postings over the years with simple delicious vegetarian meals will be helpful to me in the coming weeks. Im planning lots f meals with dried beans and rice, oatmeal. And morning oats or grits. I love the gentle caring community you've built here, Janet. Thank you for your reminders of peace and calm.
ReplyDeleteJanet your voice of calm is just what is needed now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post and all of your excellent domestic ideas, I love it!
I hope that you are well, take care xox
The hoarding is crazy. Like calm down people! We stopped at the Walmart yesterday to get kitty litter. NONE! I guess it's the cats version of toilet paper. Tee hee
ReplyDelete