I can’t believe the first month of 2024 is in the books already. January was a strange month. In some ways it flew by, but the dreary foggy weather made it feel long at the same time. Let’s hope we see the sun a little more in February.

Read on for my monthly goals update, and terrific posts on kitchen scrap gardening, being a responsible steward when visiting nature reserves, and Canned Food Month.

Happy reading!

Cool things I read in January

Since publishing my first monthly roundup at the end of 2020, it has been an honour to introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers. I started the roundup to say thank you to the blogging community and bring attention to talented writers who create funny, inspiring, and informative content.

Here are three pieces that caught my eye last month.

Kitchen scrap gardening – A beginner’s guide to gardening from kitchen scraps – Lisa’s Notebook

Lisa’s informative post teaches you how you can grow fresh vegetables from kitchen scraps. Brilliant!

Also known as non-waste kitchen gardening, this is a technique for re-growing plants from food scrap that you’d normally put out for compost or food waste. Yes, it’s entirely possible to regrow vegetables from scraps in water, and fruits and herbs too.

Lisa’s Notebook, Kitchen scrap gardening – A beginner’s guide to gardening from kitchen scraps

9 ways to be responsible when visiting nature reserves – Enviroline Blog

In this terrific post, Caroline reminds us of the importance of being a good steward while enjoying the outdoors. A good reminder as spring approaches.

It is vital to remember that this is nature’s home, not ours. Treat it like you would want others to treat your home.

Enviroline Blog, 9 ways to be responsible when visiting nature reserves

Participate in Canned Food Month this February – A Sustainably Simple Life

Did you know February is canned food month? This informative post looks at the history and benefits of canned food.

Also, as we strive to make conscious choices for the well-being of our planet, consider canned food as a delicious and eco-friendly option that not only enhances our meals but also contributes to a more sustainable future.

A Sustainably Simple Life, Participate in Canned Food Month this February

What I wrote in January

In case you missed any of these, here are the new posts I published in January here on Boomer Eco Crusader.

• A year of weekly sustainable living goals
• Resolve to choose sustainable gift wrap this year
• The Sunday Spark – Welcome to my year of reinvention!
• The Sunday Spark – It’s never too late to rethink your goals
• Tiny Forests – Guest post for Happy Eco News
• The Sunday Spark – Are we allowing too much immigration?
• 60 before 60 progress update #2
• The Sunday Spark – Am I ready to be an empty nester?
• It’s cold outside – The difference between weather and climate

And here are the posts I wrote in January for Wise & Shine.

• Coping with empty nest syndrome
• How essentialism can help you get more out of life
• 8 remedies for the winter blahs
• Say good-bye to FOMO and hello to JOMO
• A blank page – Write your best chapter in 2024!

Plus, as I revisit my 52-Weeks of Decluttering Challenge, I refreshed and republished these posts.

• Decluttering challenge 1 – Under the kitchen sink – Free printable
• Decluttering challenge – Week 2 – Kitchen drawers
• Decluttering challenge – Week 3 – Kitchen cupboards
• Decluttering challenge – Week 4 – Kitchen counters

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January goals – How did I do?

As I started my year of reinvention, my January goals all aligned with that theme. So far 2024 is off to a good start.

Fitness

After getting back on track with my workouts in December, I kept the same goal for January—180 minutes of exercise each week, including 2 strength training workouts. I exceeded that goal with an average of 205 minutes of exercise every week, and 2 weekly strength training workouts.

Reading

I met my goal of reading 2 books. Here’s what I read:

• Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
• Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich

Health

Will 2024 be the year I tame the candy beast? I set a goal of no candy during the workday. I didn’t do too bad, managing this on 23 of the 31 days in January.

Blogging

January was a busy month on the blogging and writing front. I finished my guest post for Happy Eco News in the first week of January. Plus, I wrote 9 new posts on Boomer Eco Crusader and 5 new posts on Wise & Shine.

Reinvention/Second Life

Determined to complete the Certified Professional Retirement Coach designation this year, I set a goal to complete 3 to 5 hours of practice coaching in January. I fell a bit short with just 2 hours of practice coaching. Even so, I’m calling this one a win because I also developed the content for my pilot retirement workshop which will enable me to get the rest of my coaching hours.

Decluttering

As I prepared to reboot the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge this year, I set a goal to declutter 50 items in January. I was really on a roll, and managed to declutter 96 items in total.  

My February goals

January was a good start to the year, so I’m hoping to keep up the momentum. Here are my goals for February:

• Fitness goals: Once again, I’m working toward 180 minutes of exercise a week, including 2 strength training sessions. I’ve been falling behind with my step count, so I’m adding a new goal to average 10,000 steps a day.
• Reading: Read 2 books.
• Health: Give up alcohol for Dry Feb and meet my fundraising goal.
• Reinvention/Second Life: Complete 5 hours of practice coaching toward my retirement coaching designation.
• Decluttering: Declutter 50 items.

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Thanks for dropping by to check out my January 2024 roundup. I hope your year is off to a great start.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of the posts I’ve shared. Tell me what you think below.