Category: Lifestyle

What I Ate Last Week as a Vegan | Holiday Weeks Make Meal Prep Easy

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

With Presidents’ Day this past week, I got to enjoy a three-day weekend. While I love having an extra day off from work, I also look forward to an easier meal prep that week. I typically do a big cooking marathon each Sunday to make enough food to last the week. Since I had an extra day off, I had more time to cook and less meals to prepare. I decided to make a few big recipes that would last me all week! If you get sick of eating the same thing every day, this method might not be for you. However, I don’t mind eating the same thing for a few days so long as it’s delicious!

This blog post is not designed to share how to eat a vegan diet. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional. Instead, it’s an example of how one vegan eats!

Breakfast

I began each day with homemade everything bagels. I use a recipe from Elephantastic Vegan that is surprisingly easy and absolutely delicious. Eating a hearty breakfast is a necessity for me. I usually top my bagels with peanut butter for some added protein in the morning, but you can learn more about vegan bagel toppings in this blog post.

Lunch

For lunches this week I made a simple veggie lo mein. All I did was cook whole wheat noodles, sauté a frozen vegetable mix, add in some chickpeas for added protein, and mix in some teriyaki sauce. This is a super easy meal, but it is delicious and can be customized to fit your tastes. It’s also very affordable! I got four lunches from this batch, and the total price was around $4.00.

Dinner

Lastly, I made one of my favorite meals for dinner this week, chickpea curry! I adapt a recipe from Say Yes that my sister-in-law shared with me. I don’t use ginger (simply because I don’t like it), and I add in one cup of coconut milk. I serve the curry over brown rice, and I add in some steamed broccoli to get some greens. This curry is so delicious and easy to make. I love the flavors, and that one batch lasts me about four meals. If you don’t like spicy food, this is a great curry to try.

That wraps up this past week’s meals! I would love to know in the comments if you are the type of person who can eat the same thing every day for a week, or if you need to change things up. Since last week was only a four-day work week for me, I decided to enjoy less time in the kitchen. I think you can tell keeping it simple is more important to me than cooking gourmet meals!

How I Use the Cash Envelope System for Monthly Spending

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

While I’m not a financial expert, I absolutely love budgeting. In fact, telling my money what to do brings me a great deal of joy. I’ve wanted to share my budget on the blog for a while now, but I have a bit of a convoluted system. I thought the easiest way I could share some of my money managing strategies would be in separate posts on the different aspects of my budget. Thus, today I will be sharing with you how I use the Cash Envelope System for my monthly spending. I first learned of this budgeting technique through a variety of online content creators. I know that this system was popularized by a well-known debt-free guru, but I do not follow or agree with his overall budgeting method. Instead, I put my own spin on the Cash Envelope System, and I’m excited to share how I’ve used it to my advantage over the past two years.

This post includes an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through that link I will earn a small commission. Thank you!

If you’ve never before heard of the Cash Envelope System, it is quite self-explanatory. Every month, I withdraw cash from the bank to use as my spending money. The idea behind this system is that it helps to hold you accountable for how much money you are spending. For example, if you budget $100.00 per month for groceries, you only get that $100.00, and once you run out of cash you’re done spending. As someone who used to rarely use cash and rely on debit or credit cards, I know first hand how easy it is to swipe that card without paying attention to how much I was spending. I knew the Cash Envelope System would force me to spend my money intentionally. This was especially important when I drafted a budget focused primarily on my savings goals, and less on spending.

As mentioned above, I’ve used the Cash Envelope System for my monthly spending for about two years now. I use cash for those categories where it makes sense for me to have money on-hand at all times. The categories I use for my cash envelopes are: Food, Household Expenses, Gifts and Christmas, Clothing, Charity, and Fun. I also withdraw money to pay my cell phone bill in cash every month, as I am on a family plan and pay the account holder directly. If you plan on using the Cash Envelope System, your categories do not have to match mine. Do you pay a babysitter regularly? Do you have pets for whom you are caring? Think about where you spend your money the most frequently, and pick the categories that make sense for you.

It’s not surprising that the Cash Envelope System has both avid fans and harsh criticizers. As with any type of money management, we all have to do what works best for our unique situation. That’s why I take what I like most about the Cash Envelope System, and I make it work for me. I am pretty relaxed with what can often be a strict method. For example, I do not carry around a lot of cash with me. Many critics of the Cash Envelope System will mention how dangerous it is to carry around large amounts of cash. I agree, and I typically only have a small portion of my Food budget, my Fun budget, and my Household Expenses budget in my wallet at any given time. By keeping the rest of my cash in a secure location, I not only reduce spending temptations, but I feel more secure.

If I find myself out and about without the cash from a certain envelope, I’ll just use a card and pay myself back in cash later. For instance, if I end up buying a $20.00 gift for someone on my card, I’ll take $20.00 out of my Gifts and Christmas envelope, and put that in an envelope I mark Deposit to Checking. I will either deposit that money back into my bank account at the end of the month, or use it as a credit towards next month’s withdrawal. I am able to do this because I am one month ahead on my bills, and because I keep a small buffer in my checking account. If you are new to the Cash Envelope System, be extremely careful about doing this. While it can be confusing to keep track of the cash at first, I got used to it in time.

If you are concerned about the hassle of going to the bank regularly, I highly recommend adopting an extra envelope called Next Month’s Cash. This does require you to get one month ahead on your bills, but it means you only have to go to the bank once per month. When I first adapted the Cash Envelope System, I went to the bank every two weeks when I got paid. This got old really quickly for me, so I rearranged my budget in a way that allows me to withdraw all the cash I need for the next month in one transaction. That way I don’t have to worry about running to the bank on the first of the month. Instead, I go when it is convenient.

Moreover, I do want to acknowledge that the Cash Envelope System works really well for me because I am only budgeting for myself. If you are budgeting with a partner or for a larger family, this will be more complicated. Not only will you have more cash to manage, but you may need to discuss divvying up the cash with your partner. If your budget is for more than one person, you may consider the Digital Envelope System. I recommend this blog post from Pennies To Wealth for more information.

Furthermore, when it comes to supplies for the Cash Envelope System, I suggest keeping it very simple. Many bloggers will talk about the specialty wallets they purchased, or the fancy envelopes they print out each month. Since my goal is to reduce my spending, I don’t purchase any supplies. I’ve used the same set of plain white Mead Envelopes since I started this system, and my wallet is the same faux leather one I purchased at Forever 21 in 2015. I do think it’s helpful if your wallet has a few different sections to stash cash, but please don’t feel compelled to buy anything new unless it’s truly needed.

In the end, I hope you found this blog post on how I use the Cash Envelope System helpful. I personally love shopping with physical money every month. Holding the cash in my hands truly does help me budget smarter and spend wiser. If you are someone who struggles with overspending or purchasing items you don’t need, I think giving the Cash Envelope System a try can be very beneficial. If you already use this system, I would love to know your experience with it in the comments.

#AVeganAnswers: What Do Vegans Put on Bagels?

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I’m not sure what it is, but when someone finds out I’m vegan, they love asking me a lot of questions about my lifestyle: How do you get your protein? Do you eat fish? Do you eat gluten? How long have you been vegan? What DO you eat? Oftentimes, these questions are followed with a group of statements from the curious non-vegan, who wants to let me know how much they love meat, why they will never give up cheese, and how eating “rabbit food” could never suit them. While this can be annoying, I get it. Being vegan is still considered out of the ordinary, and I’m happy to answer questions so long as they are polite and coming from a place of genuine interest. I thought it would be fun to share with all of you some of the questions I get asked as a vegan in this new blog series called A Vegan Answers. Today we will be tackling a question I actually have been asked in real life: what do vegans put on bagels?

I’ll never forget the first time I got asked this question. A colleague was planning to bring in breakfast the next day at work, and she asked me what was something she could bring that was vegan. I mentioned an easy item would be bagels from Dunkin’ Donuts. I was not prepared, however, for her next question, which came after a moment of hesitation: “What can you put on a bagel?” In the moment, I almost laughed out loud, but then I realized she was serious. As it turns out, this is a question I’ve been asked by interested non-vegans a few times now. Thus, today I will answer this question, and share my favorite vegan bagel toppings!

This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase through those links, I will earn a small commission. Thank you!

First and foremost, vegans can put the same thing on bagels that non-vegans do! If you love to put the classic butter or cream cheese on your bagel, there are many non-dairy and vegan alternatives available today. My personal favorite butters are I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! It’s Vegan! and Country Crock Plant Butter. I haven’t personally tried vegan cream cheese, but I know Daiya Cream Cheeze Style Spread and Miyoko’s Vegan Cream Cheese are available at many grocery stores. There are new brands and varieties springing up all the time!

Moreover, my go-to bagel topping is peanut butter. In fact, I have a bagel with peanut butter for breakfast almost every day. I like to have a filling breakfast, and this definitely keeps me going until lunchtime. Of course, peanut butter has that added protein! You can also put your favorite jam or jelly onto your bagel. Or how about a peanut butter and jelly bagel? Yum! Want more of a sweet treat? Try Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolatey Dreams!

Another favorite of mine is the millennial option, avocado. I toast my bagel, mash up an avocado, and add some seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Avocado toast is so delicious on an everything bagel! If you enjoy savory snacks, add some hummus to your bagel. Or simply make a bagel sandwich filled with veggies, vegan mayonnaise, mock meats, etc. I personally love eating Chickpea Salad Sandwiches on a bagel. It’s a hearty lunch!

Take your bagel to dinner with a vegan pizza bagel! Simply top your bagel with tomato sauce, some Daiya Cheese Shreds, and some oregano and you’ve got a delicious treat. I bake mine in the oven at 425º for about 10 minutes. You can dress up your pizza with any toppings you like!

Overall, I’m sure you can see that there are a plethora of vegan bagel toppings. Whether you want a traditional breakfast spread, or a more unique option, enjoying a bagel as a vegan is quite delicious and easy. This blog post shares just a few of my favorite ways to eat a bagel, but the options are seemingly endless. Please share your favorite vegan bagel topping in the comments!

What I Ate Last Week as a Vegan | Easy Meals to Last the Week

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

The past few weeks have been tough for me, as I’ve been dealing with an upper respiratory virus that really knocked me off my feet. Thankfully, I was on the mend last week, and I was able to do some meal prep. I wanted to keep it easy, so I made two recipes that I knew would last me for the majority of my meals. If you are looking to cut down on your cooking time, choosing simple recipes that yield a lot of food is always a great idea!

This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase through those links I will earn a small commission. Thank you!

What’s better when you’re sick than soup?! I made a batch of my favorite lentil soup, which I enjoyed for three dinners. This recipe is from The Spruce, and I love it because it is super easy to make and also quite healthy. I ended up leaving the bay leaves in the soup while it sat in the fridge, and that added so much flavor! I think I will leave them in more often. I also had avocado toast on the side.

The other meal I cooked this week was Thanksgiving Bowls. I absolutely love the traditional side dishes served at Thanksgiving, namely stuffing, mashes potatoes, and vegetables. One of my favorite things to do is make a few sides and throw them together in one bowl for a complete meal. This time around I made cornbread stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, and sautéed spinach with cannellini beans. These bowls are so delicious, easy to whip together, and easily customizable. I also highly recommend the Country Crock Plant Butter for the stuffing and mashed potatoes! Because I’m making a full batch of each side, I got four meals from this recipe!

To fill in the gaps last week, I enjoyed the Progresso Lentil Soup, which is actually quite delicious and an easy-to-find vegan option. Plus, it was on sale for $1.00 at the grocery store. I also had some Nature’s Path Dark Chocolate Chip Waffles for breakfast. I think you can tell I just didn’t have my normal energy last week! I definitely relied on convenience foods a bit more than usual.

Overall, I hope this post helped you find some easy recipes that you can make if you need to cut down on your time in the kitchen. Maybe you’re dealing with getting over a sickness, or you are just having a bad week and need some simple options. Whatever the case, not every week will be filled with a lot of homemade recipes, and that’s okay.

What was your favorite meal last week?

Everything I Bought in January | #LivingWithLess

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

A couple years ago I saw a post from my friend Jill over at @a.little.less.waste on Instagram that really inspired me. In her photo, Jill shares a list of all her purchases for the month of January, and she notes it is her goal to record all non-consumable purchases for the year. I absolutely loved this idea, and it’s been something I’ve thought about ever since. This year, I hope to record all of my non-consumable purchases as well, and I thought it would be fun to share them on the blog. In this post, I will share why I want to keep track of the things I buy, as well as everything I purchased in the month of January.

This post includes affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase using those links. Thank you!

As this is my first post in this series, I thought it would be helpful to let you know the three main reasons I have for recording my purchases. First, I would like to be more aware of how I am spending my money. While I do have a detailed budget, I have found that it can be extremely useful to keep track of exactly what I’m buying so that I can have a better idea of not only how much I am spending, but how much I should set aside for future purchases. For example, last year I made two purchases at Who Gives a Crap, and this year I’ve set aside money for those two orders in my Annual Expenses savings account.

Moreover, I also want to record my purchases so I can be aware of the physical items I am bringing into my space. I’ve talked many times about how much I love the KonMari method. Now that I am living with a lot less physical possessions, I would like to keep it that way. I truly have come to learn that tangible things do not equal happiness and fulfillment. That is especially true with shopping and instant gratification. I hope that by documenting what I buy, I can look back at the end of the year and see if I regret any of my purchases.

Finally, I also want to make sure I am buying things with the environment in mind. This means shopping secondhand whenever possible, being conscious of the materials I’m purchasing, and thinking about the life each item has before it gets deposited into a landfill. I also hope to increase my reusables over the course of this year!

My January Purchases

Stock images are courtesy of lordandtaylor.com

With all of that said, let’s jump into the things I did buy in January. In 2019, all of the clothing purchases I made, with the exception of shoes, were from the thrift store. I try really hard not to buy new clothes, but I struggle when it comes to my work wardrobe and with winter items. Thus, I did go to Lord & Taylor in January to purchase a few pieces.

I ended up with a warm sweater from Jessica Simpson, a beautiful blouse from Jones New York, and a pair of black pants from En Thread. I’ve already worn all three items a couple times, and I’m really happy with them. If you have to buy fast fashion pieces, I think it’s helpful to focus on items that you will wear often and that will stand the test of time. I choose to buy from Lord & Taylor because the brands this store carries are great quality. I have many pieces that have lasted me several years. I also hit up the clearance sales for extra savings. I spent a total of $72.29 on all three pieces.

The only other item I purchased in January was a bar of LUSH Aromaco Deodorant. While I was at the mall buying the clothes, I decided to hop on over to LUSH and stock up on deodorant since I am running low. This bar cost me $5.73, and it will last me a whole lot longer than a traditional stick deodorant in a plastic tube. If you’d like to read my full thoughts on this product, you can read my review. If I planned better for this purchase, I would have brought my deodorant container to the store so I didn’t need the paper wrapper. That being said, this is still a great, plastic free option!

Overall, I am happy with my purchases in January. While I would prefer to not shop fast fashion at all, I know that I’ve looked for black work pants for over a year at thrift stores without much luck. It comes down to reducing what I buy new, and I’ve definitely done that over the past few years. I am actually amazed with myself that I only purchased four non-consumable items last month. I’m sure there will be some months where I buy many more things. My goal here isn’t to have any sort of minimalist contest with myself or anyone else, but to be more conscious of what I buy. It will be interesting to see the journey!

January Reading Wrap Up | My Disappointing and Vampiric Start to 2020

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

January is typically a great reading month for me, but that was certainly not the case this year. Unfortunately, my reading is off to a bad start in 2020. I only completed two books last month, mainly due to me getting sick for the last week and a half of January. Nonetheless, I wanted to share what I did read with you so that I can chronicle my reading as part of the #MyYearofRereading Project. While I may not have read much, I absolutely adore the two books I was able to complete.

This post includes affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. Thank you!

The two books I read in the month of January are The Eternity Cure and The Forever Song, both by Julie Kagawa. These are the second and third books in the Blood of Eden trilogy. I first read this series back in 2014, and I was due for a reread. If you enjoy young adult dystopian novels, I highly recommend this series. Julie Kagawa puts a spin on the typical dystopian plot by adding vampires to the mix. Our protagonist is Allie, a poor teenager who grew up in the Fringe of a vampire city. One night, Allie is attacked by a group of Rabids. A vampire named Kanin happens to be nearby, and he gives her a choice: either die by the Rabids or become a vampire herself. Even though Allie has always hated vampires, she decides to become one herself. What follows is an epic adventure filled with everything from a sweet romance to bloody scenes right out of a horror movie.

I’m so glad I finally made the time to reread this series. I will say that I wasn’t in love with the writing style this second time around. It did feel a bit young to me, and a bit cheesy as well. That being said, I love the Blood of Eden trilogy because of the characters and the adventure aspect. Kagawa is able to cover so much ground in three books. It’s amazing to see how much each of the characters develop over time, and I especially love the evolution of my favorite villain, Jackal. His snarky comments and bad boy attitude are hilarious!

In the end, while I am disappointed I did not read more in January, I’m happy that I got to reread a favorite series of mine. I was able to read two books for the #MyYearofRereading Project to kickstart the year, and I haven’t added any new books to my collection. I hope that in February I can read a bit more, and try to catch up on my Goodreads goal.

What did you read in January? Share in the comments!

Why I Stopped Planning | The Unofficial End of #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Almost five years ago, I discovered the online world of planners through the YouTuber Elle Fowler. Elle made videos about her Erin Condren LifePlanner, and I quickly fell in love with the idea of creating fun planner spreads that were not only functional, but that allowed me to use stickers, washi tape, and other crafting supplies to organize my life. After months of deliberation, I splurged on a LifePlanner of my very own, and I began documenting the entire planning process on this blog and my YouTube channel. With my planner in hand, I quickly dove into the planner community online. For a few years, I hauled stickers, decorated my planner, and interacted with other planner lovers. It was a lot of fun, but I slowly found that I wasn’t enjoying my planner any longer, thus making my YouTube videos obsolete. Today I want to share with you some of the reasons I stopped planning, and thank you for the support you showed me while I shared this hobby with you.

Why I Stopped Planning | The Unofficial End of #PlanWithPolishland

Please note that I do discuss money and the environment in this blog post. It is not my intention to pass judgment on others, and I only bring up these topics in reference to myself.

The quick answer to why I stopped planning is simply because I didn’t enjoy it anymore. When I first got my planner, I was in my most hectic season of life so far – studying for the bar exam! I needed a lot of structure, and since I was under a lot of stress, decorating a planner was a great way to plan out my day while also having a bit of “me time.” Yet once I took (and passed!) my exam, I began searching for jobs, spending more time at home, and not doing anything that really required extensive to-do lists. When I started working, I really didn’t need my planner. My days were fully structured and any spare time was dedicated to errands, chores, and relaxing. I just didn’t need my Erin Condren like I used to, and I felt no desire to return to it. I tried to figure out if other methods of planning would work for me. I spend a few months in a traveler’s notebook system, another few in a monthly planner, but in the end I decided to put the planner down and just go forth without one.

Moreover, my planning habit also died due to changes I made in my personal budget. In the few years I was using my Erin Condren, I spent hundreds of dollars on my planner and all of the supplies that came with it. Planning can be a very expensive hobby, and although I liked to tell myself I was keeping it affordable, I really wasn’t. Yes, I bought things on sale, used coupons, and even received a lot of stickers for free from brands, but I was still overspending. While it is absolutely possible to be a planner on a budget, it can be difficult to look around the community and see coveted “No White Space” weekly kits be priced at nearly $30.00 from the popular shops. As my love for planning fell by the wayside, and my desire to save money became a priority, I quickly realized how unsustainable this hobby was for me.

Similarly, I also began to have concerns about the environmental impact of my planning. Since I liked to decorate my planner, I went through a lot of sticker sheets that most likely could not be recycled. If I was putting all my stickers to use, I didn’t feel as guilty. But oftentimes I didn’t like all of the stickers included with a kit, and found myself with stacks of sticker scraps I didn’t want. While I did giveaways and shared these stickers with others, I still realized that planning can be a very wasteful hobby. In fact, almost every planner supply I’ve come across is in disposable plastic packaging. As I began to learn more about the environment, I couldn’t enjoy planning as much.

In the end, I’m truly grateful for the time I spent in the planner community. Not only was planning a great source of joy for me, but I was able to connect with so many people online through this hobby. I really appreciate those of you who watched my YouTube videos, followed my planner Instagram account, and shared my few #PlanWithPolishland blog posts. At this point in my life, I have no desire to return to planner decorating, but, of course, that may change, which is why I am calling this the “unofficial” end of #PlanWithPolishland. Thank you so much for following this planning journey of mine!

What I Ate Last Week as a Vegan | Easy Recipes and How I Modify Them

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

One goal I have for this blog, and my online content in general, is to share more about the food I make regularly as someone who eats a vegan diet. Now that I’ve been vegan for over three years, what I eat is normal to me. That being said, I know my diet can be quite different than the average American’s. I hope that by sharing an overview of what I eat, I can help to encourage others to try more plant-based foods. I started off 2020 with a pretty healthy week. It was my first full work week since before Christmas, and I attempted to slow down with the holiday treats. Here is a quick look at what I ate last week, the recipes I made, and how I modified them to fit my tastes.

What I Ate Last Week as a Vegan | Easy Recipes and How I Modify Them

Before I jump right into some of my meals from last week, I want to quickly point out that I am not a nutritionist or medical professional, and this blog post is not a guide to vegan nutrition. Instead, it’s an example of how a vegan person eats. You will not see every single meal, snack, dessert, or supplement I take in these blog posts. That being said, if you have any questions about vegan food, please leave me a comment and I will try to answer it! I am also using affiliate links to share some of my favorite food products with you, and will earn a small commission if you shop using those links. Thank you!

Breakfast

What I Ate Last Week | Breakfast

I typically keep my breakfasts quick and easy. Lately, I’ve been on a huge oatmeal kick. I use quick oats and mix about one cup with Silk Soy Milk Original (my favorite is the red carton). I cook it for two minutes in the microwave, and top with 100% Pure Maple Syrup and cinnamon. It might not look appealing, but it’s delicious and keeps me full until lunchtime!

Lunch

What I Ate Last Week | Southwestern Edamame Salad

I aim to make at least four lunches each week for Monday through Thursday that I can easily transport to work. One of my favorite options is this Southwestern Edamame Salad from the blog Yummy Healthy Easy. My mom actually discovered this recipe a few years ago and shared it with me. I modify it by using half a bag of frozen edamame instead of a full bag, and by leaving out both the black beans and scallions. The result is a refreshing and delicious salad. The recipe is about two lunches for me, with each one containing about 32g of protein. I love how easy and quick this salad is to make!

What I Ate Last Week | Mediterranean Lentil Salad

My other lunch option last week was the Mediterranean Lentil Salad from Yummy Mummy Kitchen. I’ve made this salad a few times, and it is a newer favorite of mine. I tend to use a regular cucumber instead of a Persian cucumber, a white onion instead of a red onion, and I leave out the feta cheese. This past week I even used Goya Canned Lentils, which saved me about 20 minutes of cooking time. What makes this salad so delicious is the homemade dressing, and I look forward to the next time I make it!

Dinner

What I Ate Last Week | Homemade Pizza

When it comes to dinners, I also try to make 1-2 recipes per week. One budget-friendly recipe that is extremely delicious is “homemade” pizza. I put homemade in quotations because I use a store-bought pizza crust and tomato sauce. I definitely want to try making my own dough to cut down on plastic packaging, but if you’re in a pinch this can be a great option. I top my pizza with Daiya Mozzarella Shreds, and with any veggies I have on hand. Last week, I added some baby spinach and Roma tomatoes. I can make one pizza for under $5.00, which is a huge discount from nearby pizza shops.

What I Ate Last Week | Minestrone Soup

My other dinner option last week was the 1-Pot Vegan Minestrone from Minimalist Baker. This soup is beyond delicious, hearty, and healthy. I use whole wheat pasta instead of the gluten free one listed in the recipe, but I otherwise follow the ingredients exactly. I get about four dinners out of one batch of this soup. I’ve also discovered that this soup is very freezer friendly, even though it contains pasta! I love having this soup in my recipe rotation, and have made a double batch before to have freezer meals on hand.

I hope you enjoyed this first installment in the What I Ate Last Week blog series! I hope to share my food with you 1-2 times per month. I am still trying to expand on the recipes I use regularly, so please share one of your favorites in the comments! If you would like to see what I eat on a more regular basis, please follow me on Instagram.

My 2020 Reading Plans | The #MyYearofRereading Project

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

As 2020 began today, I did not expect to find myself creating a list of reading resolutions or goals for this new year. Yet as I was resting on this holiday off from work, I spent some time looking at my bookshelves and realized I do, in fact, have some exciting reading plans as the year gets underway. I recently shared with you the #MyYearofRereading Project that I created in my last blog post. I will absolutely be continuing on with that project, but I also have a few other goals that I would like to share with you.

First and foremost is the Goodreads Reading Challenge that I participate in every year. This challenge is purely about quantity – how many books do you want to read this year? I decided to do some math and figure out a goal that is challenging yet still based on reality. Since I mainly read on my commute now, I created a formula based on how many hours of time I spend commuting a year, how many pages I read in an hour, and how long the average book I read is. The result was about 58 books, and I decided to round that up to 60 for a bit of a stretch goal. You can follow me on Goodreads here to see how I am getting along with this challenge throughout the year.

My next goal is to empty my physical TBR (To-Be-Read) bookshelf by the end of the year. Notice I did not say that I want to read my entire TBR shelf. That is because I may end up decluttering some books that I decide I no longer have the desire to read. I fine-tuned this shelf a lot during 2019, and I now have 31 books that I consider on my TBR. This does not include my Stephen King collection, my Rick Riordan collection, and my Puffin Classics, as these are all books I plan to read and own over the course of my lifetime. That being said, I believe I can empty out my entire TBR shelf in 2020 by either reading or decluttering all 31 of those books!

Speaking of Stephen King, I would like to continue on with my journey in reading his entire bibliography in publishing order. In 2019, I reread both Carrie and ‘Salem’s Lot, and I look forward to picking up The Shining sometime this year. Ideally, I will read at least two Stephen King books in 2020, but I would love to read more! His books are often quite long, and I am sometimes intimidated by the time commitment each book requires. I’ve heard that The Shining is a fast read despite its length, though, so I am excited to get to it soon.

Lastly, I hope that 2020 is the year I finally get my book buying in check. I did a great job in 2019, and this was 100% thanks to the #MyYearofRereading Project. Since I was focused on rereading books, I did not spend a lot of time acquiring new books. My main concern is not with spending money on books, but on buying books in large quantities. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve lost interest in books on my TBR shelf before making an effort to read them. Instead, I plan to use my library to read new-to-me books. If I love a book I read from the library, I can always purchase it for my bookshelves later!

I hope you enjoyed hearing some of my reading goals for 2020. Please share any of your reading resolutions for the new year with me in the comments. I love hearing from other readers! I hope you will also join me over on my bookish Instagram account, @PolishlandReads! I regularly update my story with my current reads, and I post mini-reviews and wrap-ups somewhat regularly. Here’s to a great reading year in 2020!

Why I Reread 50 Books in 2019 | The #MyYearofRereading Project

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

As an avid reader and book collector who also happens to be a strong proponent of the KonMari method, my bookshelves are replete with books that sparked so much joy for me upon the first reading that I held onto them for future reference. Yet despite my good intentions over the years, rereading books did not happen very often. With so many new releases and an unending supply of backlist options, I maybe reread a favorite title a few times a year. Eventually, I came to the same conclusion that many readers do at some point: I will never be able to read all the books. I just can’t! Life is too short to consume every work that interests me. If I wanted to reread my favorite books, there was no better time than the present. Thus, the #MyYearofRereading Project was born as 2019 began, and I’m so happy to report that I successfully reread 50 books from my collection, and plan to continue this project into the new decade.

I began the #MyYearofRereading Project by creating some rules for myself. My main goal with this project is to reread the books I own in physical form on my bookshelves. The three guidelines I gave myself are as follows:

  1. If I read the book in 2018, I don’t need to reread it in 2019. However, I can if I choose to do so.
  2. If I don’t feel any desire to reread a book, I will declutter that book. Why was I holding onto it in the first place?
  3. I am not limited to rereading. If I want to read a new-to-me book during the year, I can do so. This will be especially useful when I am attempting to finish a series I’ve already started.

These three rules worked quite effectively for me. As it turns out, the only book from 2018 that I reread in 2019 was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. In terms of decluttering my bookshelves, I only let go of a handful of books. For instance, I finally came to terms with the fact that I am not going to continue on with the Game of Thrones series, and there were a few other titles I chucked when I realized if I truly wanted to read them again, I could just check them out from the library.

The #MyYearofRereading Project in Numbers

Let’s take a closer look at my reading in 2019. In total, I read 68 books, which is the most I’ve ever read in one year, at least in my adult life. Part of that has to do with a lengthened commute, but I do think rereading attributed to the quantity as well.

I am excited to report that over 75% of my reading in 2019 was rereading. Exactly 50 books were rereads from my physical bookshelf, but I also reread two Ebooks, which don’t officially count for the #MyYearofRereading Project since I do not own them in physical form.

One of my biggest takeaways from the #MyYearofRereading Project comes from my reading of new-to-me books. Of the 16 books that I read for the first time in 2019, only seven of them were from my own personal collection, otherwise called my “TBR” or To Be Read Pile. Funnily enough, six of the seven books I read from my TBR were part of a series in some way (either a direct sequel or a spin-off novel). This shows me that, when it comes to reading new-to-me books, I should be utilizing my library more. It seems I am more interested in reading books I don’t own than the ones sitting unread at home!

Since one of my rules mentioned finishing book series, I wanted to take a look at that category as well. Interestingly enough, I only completed two series that I had previously started. However, I ended up rereading three series from start to finish. One of my ongoing struggles as a reader is completing series, and I do find that I am most successful when I read the books back-to-back. Rereading can help me complete a series, but I am a bit more likely to return to a favorite series, than complete a new one. If you have any tips on completing book series, please share in the comments!

The #MyYearofRereading Project Results

As 2019 draws to a close, I am so happy that I gave myself the excuse to reread all year long. I know many readers who find rereading to be a waste of time. The argument is often that there is nothing more to gain from a story if it has already been consumed once. You will not be surprised to find that I wholeheartedly disagree. I learn something new every single time I reread a book, even if I’ve read it several times. For example, one of my most reread books is If I Were a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block. I first read this book as a child, and each time I pick it up I am amazed at how much I previously missed. This is due to maturity, and learning more about the world around me. But, it is also due to getting to know the characters more with each reading. Additionally, each reread provides me with the opportunity to look at the plot from a new angle. Thus, I find rereading to be quite valuable and enjoyable at the same time.

My Reading Plans for 2020

When I began the #MyYearofRereading Project, I intended for it to only last for 2019. I hoped the project would encourage me to reread on a more consistent basis, but I fully expected I would walk into 2020 with the goal of clearing out my TBR shelf, and only rereading once in a while. However, I loved this project so much that I plan on continuing the #MyYearofRereading Project for the foreseeable future! I do want to read more new-to-me books in 2020, but I will be continuing my journey in rereading. There are still dozens of books on my shelves that I have yet to reread, and I look forward to the day where my personal book collection contains only those books that I have read at least twice.

Follow the #MyYearofRereading Project on Instagram for reviews and reading updates: @PolishlandReads