justhanging
New Member
Posts: 6
Oct 23, 2020 4:09:10 GMT
|
Post by justhanging on Dec 10, 2021 17:26:10 GMT
I am retiring in mid January and need advice…I’ve always said scrapbooking was my retirement plan. I am being very selective on what I take on. How do you retired peas or others keep your scrapping time sacred? In the past when I set aside time to craft it always gets overtaken with other priorities. Any advice you have would be appreciated!
|
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Dec 10, 2021 18:32:20 GMT
not retired but a SAHM with an almost empty nest - DS30 has been moved out for years, DD21 moves out in 18 days, and DD15 is in school all day.
I give myself permission to scrap even if the chores aren't all done - because the reality is, there are always more chores.
When we have the crop weekends here - I let DH know that unless there's something else already planned, that weekend is for scrapping. Trying to do the same with the online crops but life has been busy lately and I haven't been managing those.
Adding those crop weekends and online crops to the calendar the same way I would a doctor's appointment or other plan...helps, I think. When I'm checking the calendar, that time is already set aside.
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement!
|
|
|
|
Post by jjpeapea on Dec 10, 2021 22:04:53 GMT
I put it on my “to do” list. Yep - fold towels, change fish water, work on album.
|
|
|
|
Post by grammadee on Dec 10, 2021 23:40:13 GMT
Depending on the time of year and other commitments, my scrappy time varies.
When nothing else is going on, I keep a LO on the go on my scrap counter most of the time. I will finish one LO and start the next. Some days I get several finished. Some days I just add a detail or two to the one on the go.
Being retired, I can also go see the kids, take on community projects if I like, grow and preserve veggies from my garden. The great thing is, that after a flurry of activity making memories, I can get into my scraproom during the days the whole next week if I like to scrap the photos!
If you need a schedule, set one. Let everyone know that those times are committed, and spend that time with your scrappy supplies. If it helps, make a commitment with other paper crafters. A group of ladies I know meet at a community hall first Tuesday of every month to play with paper). My dh knows that Sundays there is an on line crop here, so if the kids are not around he expects me to be cropping with the Peas.
If you need more structure--and coming away from a work schedule, you may feel that need--make a list of priorities and projects you want to work on. Include projects you feel you HAVE to do (family history? kids' school scrapbooks?) as well as those you WANT to do (that trip to France you have been wanting to relive? some new supplies or techniques you would like to play with?). If I decide to sort photos, I will also be making a list of titles for scrapbook pages. Some people also use that sorting time to make up page kits with the pic's and supplies, so that when you decide it is "time to make a page", you can pull out a kit and get going!
|
|
|
|
Post by don on Dec 11, 2021 4:42:38 GMT
When I retired I was no longer a working man, I was a guy with all that spare time to help out neighbors, various organizations, 8 grown children, and because I am married, a todo list.
Now we live a large distance from the kids, the todo list is a lot shorter, but The Queen is in pre-Alzheimer's/dementia. So now I have to check on her every half hour or so to see what she is doing. Mostly sleeping or looking out the window. I do manage to get away on occasion if she is having a "good day".
|
|
|
|
Post by mikklynn on Dec 11, 2021 12:52:29 GMT
I try to get my cleaning done in the morning, then have some scrapping time in the afternoon. That has gone out the window the last couple of months. DH hasn't been able to drive, so I am driving him to dialysis M/W/F, plus trying to get some extra projects down around the house. Add in the holiday preparation and I am down to an hour in the evening.
I need to take my own advice and get back to more "me" time.
|
|
|
|
Post by grammadee on Dec 11, 2021 17:30:59 GMT
When I retired I was no longer a working man, I was a guy with all that spare time to help out neighbors, various organizations, 8 grown children, and because I am married, a todo list. Now we live a large distance from the kids, the todo list is a lot shorter, but The Queen is in pre-Alzheimer's/dementia. So now I have to check on her every half hour or so to see what she is doing. Mostly sleeping or looking out the window. I do manage to get away on occasion if she is having a "good day". Oh, don. (((((HUGS))))) to you and The Queen. Here is hoping for many more "good days" in your future. |
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Dec 11, 2021 23:11:43 GMT
When I retired I was no longer a working man, I was a guy with all that spare time to help out neighbors, various organizations, 8 grown children, and because I am married, a todo list. Now we live a large distance from the kids, the todo list is a lot shorter, but The Queen is in pre-Alzheimer's/dementia. So now I have to check on her every half hour or so to see what she is doing. Mostly sleeping or looking out the window. I do manage to get away on occasion if she is having a "good day". ((((Hugs))) and prayers for you and The Queen. That has to be difficult. I hope there are lots of good days ahead |
|
|
|
Post by myboysnme on Dec 12, 2021 0:45:38 GMT
I have been retired for two years. I have basically done nothing I planned to do in retirement. When it comes to scrapbooking I go to crops, lots of them. Lately they are mostly CM crops but that's how I keep crop time. I accept invites to crops.
|
|
clio
Full Member
Posts: 117
Dec 3, 2017 13:07:05 GMT
|
Post by clio on Dec 12, 2021 14:50:01 GMT
We are both retired - DH always had a side project when he was working that involved reading historic newspapers now he treats it like a day job with a more loosely defined schedule and maintains an active blog. (It’s also easier because the materials are now available online). I retired more recently (2 years ago) and am less structured, but try to maintain time in my studio everyday and do something-no matter how small. I take classes because they force me to focus and spend more time being creative - crops might do the same. If there’s something you used at work to keep organized repurpose it - I still keep a day book with todo lists, but they’re very different. The hardest part is turning off the brain widget saying “do the laundry….sweep the kitchen….blah, blah” it will fill your day if you let it. We actually schedule an “Adventure” every week to be sure we get out and explore somewhere. Give yourself a little time to adjust, remember to have fun, and do things that make YOU happy. Congratulations on your retirement!
Sending warmest wishes to you & The Queen, Don. May you have more sunny days than not.
|
|
|
|
Post by lindamh on Dec 12, 2021 15:47:47 GMT
I'm a year and a half into retirement after 40 years of teaching. You've gotten lots of good ideas above, but I wanted to add what I've discovered as it may be true for you too. Retirement is NOT at all what I thought it would be! I figured after having all those summers off, retirement would be just like an endless summer. Not even close. For me, it's been a lot less about adjusting schedules and plans, and more about mental adjustment to a new life. Granted we built a new home, moved out of state, and completely uprooted every aspect of our lives immediately after I retired so that did have some effect on things!  Having said that, I really didn't start scrapping again until just recently. I thought that would be the first thing I got back to doing and it's taken a while for me to get my mojo back. I've also changed how I've scrapped. I'm much more into card making and home decor items. After years of semi-Project Life albums, I did nothing for 2021, despite all the changes and things that happened. I discovered that I was taking almost no pictures. I was much happier just experiencing everything we were going through and not worrying about documenting it. This is our first full month of December in our new home and I recently realized that I'm ready to take pictures of the Christmas festivites and I'm going to make a flipbook for this month. I'm not sure I'm ready to do a whole year album for 2022, but I'm okay with just taking things as they come. Retirement is a big step. Take your time adjusting to it, and don't expect it to all fall into place at once. Enjoy the process - wherever it leads you. Good thing about retirement is you've got plenty of time to regroup and try something else! |
|
