10 Resources that Made 2020 a Good Year

2020 has been a strange year. A pandemic and all its accoutrements plus forest fires and a vitriolic election campaign in the U.S. have kept many of us in constant fight/flight mode. However, some elements of the year have made 2020 a good year. More time at home meant more time to bring order to our homes, to read good books, and to spend time with family. Isolation caused us to realize how vital human interaction and touch is to our mental health. Any pause for reevaluation is healthy.

Personally, I found that the extra time to focus on my family and home has been helpful. The following 10 resources helped make 2020 a good year for me so far:

Online Resources

1. FlyLady
   My goal this year was to be more organized with my system of housecleaning. While I haven’t been following FlyLady’s system to the letter this year, I have found myself keeping a neater, cleaner house than ever. (Even with my husband being at home more of the time.) The iOS app with all its easy checklists “blesses” my checklist-loving soul. The app recently updated to a cleaner profile (losing all of my hard-earned points, of course!), although the website itself is still quite dated.
   I realize housecleaning is not a fun thing for most of us to do, but FlyLady actually does help you stay on top of everything without ever feeling overwhelmed. Anyone can do anything for fifteen minutes! (Try it for a month, or even a week–you’ll be surprised how easy housecleaning becomes.)
2. Alibris and ThriftBooks
   I wanted my son to have access to the world through books during his pre-K year. (We certainly couldn’t do much traveling, after all!) However, my budget was limited. I was excited to find most of the books we wanted for very affordable prices on these two websites. As usual, I compared with Amazon’s prices. (Some favorite children’s books this year: Jan Brett’s Animal Treasury; Eric Carle’s Animals, Animals (a poetry collection gifted us by a dear friend); Mattick’s Finding Winnie; a number of books by the award-winning informational picture-book writer Brian Floca, especially Moonshot; and some of the Usborne lift-the-flap books, such as Mi Cuerpo (ask a friend who sells Usborne), and Look Inside Our World.
   
3. Google Arts and Culture
   Virtual holidays are the way to go this year. 🙂 (Here are over 20 more virtual field trips.)
4. YouVersion Bible app – Bible Reading Challenge
   I have never recommended a particular reading plan in the YouVersion app before, as I’ve never found one that was particularly helpful. However, this fall I’ve greatly enjoyed doing the Bible Reading Challenge, associated with Christ Church of Moscow, ID. It is simply a fast-paced read-through-the-Bible plan that gives a space at the end to “talk it over.” I’ve been doing it with a friend who lives in the Middle East, and it’s been a great way to connect with her over the virtual pages of Scripture. You likely already have their Bible app downloaded on your phone; just search for the Bible Reading Challenge in “Plans.”
5. The Minimal Mom’s YouTube Channel
   Dawn’s likable personality makes her an easy, encouraging partner if you’re “minimizing” your home. Adding another child to our family upped our clutter enough that I could no longer handle the overflowing closets. So, with the help of Marie Kondo, the Minimalists (they have a very helpful podcast, ladies!), Joshua Becker (author of The Minimal Home), and Dawn, the Minimal Mom, I set out to greatly decrease the number of our possessions. I’ve stopped complaining about the size of our 1970’s shallow closets (accordion doors and all) and am now content with the space we have!
6. CopyMeThat (Recipe Manager)
   I tried many new recipes this year, as I know many of you did. Our favorite recipes needed to be saved, and CopyMeThat was the place to do that! My former favorite recipe manager, Pepperplate, began charging a monthly fee for usage, and I didn’t feel that it was working well enough at the time to begin paying for it. (Most websites were unsupported, leaving me copying and pasting each section of a recipe.) CopyMeThat is much simpler, although it doesn’t have the convenience of an offline app. One click, and my recipe is saved.

Books
(I will post my normal booklist at the end of the year, so these are just my top two selections!)

1. Valley of Vision 
   In a world of confusion, Valley of Vision’s collection of Puritan prayers has stabilized me. Each prayer brings conviction and comfort.
2. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
   My mother, a homeschooling veteran, taught four of my five siblings to read with this book, and I bought a copy early in the summer to begin with my then-three year old. His hands weren’t quite ready for the writing practice, so I didn’t push that. But I’m delighted with his progress in reading and recommend this book just for the pure simplicity of it. Literally anyone can teach his or her child to read without extensive education in reading instruction.

Local Resources

1. Walmart Grocery Pickup
   Yes, I’ve been using grocery pickup for some time. But getting to avoid seeing empty shelves during the shortages early on in the pandemic/avoiding wearing a mask now has made me a true fan. (FYI: If you’re one of the few people who hasn’t yet braved online grocery ordering, make sure that on your first order you get the $10 off that Walmart advertises, using this link or another friend’s.)
2. Local Library
   Interlibrary loan and access to my library’s ebook collection has given me access to books that have greatly enriched my life and challenged me during the past months. I realize not all states have interlibrary loan, but if yours does, you need to be taking advantage of it!

What resources helped turn 2020 into a good year for you?

If you have resources to share with me or other readers, please drop them in the comments below. I look forward to seeing what others share. The year isn’t over yet, friends! Keep fighting the good fight!

Share this post along with a list of your own resources to encourage your friends to look on the bright side!