Good Deeds to Ring in the New Year (Good Deeds #50-52)

Use a cold frame to grow spinach and lettuce during the winter months

At the end of 2012, my new year’s resolution was to accomplish 52 good deeds during 2013. And I’m happy to say I have reached my goal! I finished this last year with my final three good deeds, which are also resolutions for this new year.

1. Use a DIY cold frame to grow greens in the winter

I have made the first step toward growing my own greens year-round. We go through a lot of spinach and lettuce, but I hate buying it in those huge plastic containers. I have been reusing the containers as much as possible – mostly my son uses them to collect bugs and plants. But they are still going to end up in a landfill eventually.

So I have committed to ditching the plastic lettuce containers. Instead, I am going to grow my own greens during the colder times of the year. My Christmas present from my husband is my very own cold frame like this one. My son and I are going to plant spinach and lettuce in pots and use my new cold frame to keep them alive all winter long (that’s the plan anyway).

2. Buy secondhand clothing

I am committing to buying secondhand clothing and goods whenever possible. There are several great consignment shops near me that have brand name clothes.

Of course, not everyone has a great consignment shop near their home. Online sites are another great option. Ebay is the obvious place but there are other great sites out there for buying and selling gently used clothes, including SwapStyle and Dresm.

3. Pay it forward all year long

I am going to commit to practicing good deeds throughout 2014. This past year has taught me that, whether it’s letting someone get in front of me in line or picking up trash at a local park, it’s easy to pay it forward in small ways.

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