I’m turning 30 tomorrow, and I’m not exactly thrilled. Everyone assures me my 30s will be great, but I’ve loved my 20s so much. They’re going to be really hard to top! It’s time for the birthday tradition that always cheers me up—a new annual bucket list. I rocked last year’s list and completed every goal except one—to read the entire Old Testament. It’s really long, you know? I made it a third of the way through, so I’m going to keep plugging away at it.
If you have an annual bucket list please share it below. I love reading other people’s lists! If you’ve never made one you have to try it at least once. For me it’s the best way to ensure that I make the most of each year. If you want to check out my old lists here’s my 28 by 29 list and 29 by 30 list.
And now, my official 30 by 31 list!
teach the dogs a new trick—done(ish)! (Oliver learned 2, Mabel not so much.)take a pottery class—done!get a new stamp in my passport—done!build a chicken coop—done!eat eggs fresh from my own chickens’ butts—done!install a subway tile backsplash in the kitchen—done!redesign the Wit & Whistle wholesale catalog—done!come up with a new tagline for wit & whistle—done!go back to blonde—done!do that 30 day squat challenge I keep seeing on Pinterest—done!update my address book & send some snail mail—done!clean out and organize our outdoor storage closet—done!learn how to knit—done!find a better solution for storing inventory in my studio—done!add a bunch of new notepads to the shop—done!get the fiddle leaf fig tree I’ve wanted foryears—done!make pickles—done!change the hardware on our kitchen cabinets—done!learn to consistently achieve a nice “smokey eye” look—done! (this)read 12 books—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12—done!give Mabel a lion haircut—done!make up a 15 day drawing challenge for myself and do it—done!make and give a handmade gift—done!keep my nails painted more often than not—done! (until the polish ruined them)designate one internet/tv-free day per month—12/12—done!make blackberry wine—done!quit being lazy and make a pie crust from scratch—done!find 10 easy, healthy(ish) dinner recipes we both like—done!grow an indoor herb garden—done!hand draw a world map—done!
loved your list. last year I attempted to do mine inspired by you and it helped my accomplished a lot of things I had wanted to do for year, such as a make up course (and it was amazing!!)
thank youu!
I’ve been doing these lists for the last couple of years too, and love them! So great for adding that little extra motivation to do the ‘maybe one day’ things. This year I changed my list to ’30 Before Marriage’ (I’m getting married in October) so it is a mix of tasks for my fiancee and I, both together and separately. Really like the idea of tying it to our anniversary in future too. :)
My list – http://andsoidontforget.typepad.com/and-so-i-dont-forget/2013/11/30-before-marriage-the-list.html
Great list Delanie! I might a steal a few of your ideas for next year. :)
happy birthday eve to you! i love this list idea, and that you have a lot of creative pursuits on it… i just turned 30 a few months ago and it is a little hard to swallow the fact, but i definitely think there is a lot of life to live yet and i’m definitely still learning how to live it to the fullest. going to go make myself my own list, thanks for the inspiration!
What a great list! I like that you have a nice mix of fun things and things that are more like tasks or chores you’ve maybe been putting off. Here’s my list for the year: http://www.yourstrulyjen.com/2013/09/24-before-24.html
Haha! “Go camping somewhere without a toilet” made me LOL.
Happy Birthday! I remember feeling the same way when I turned 30 – 4 years ago already. It took me sometime to adjust. Love your list, I wish I could stick to a list like this. I tried before and failed. Don’t get me wrong I am a list person for sure but I guess not a year long list person.
Thanks for sharing this! I love you rbucket list idea… my birthday isn’t until December but I may have to try this out! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday! great list, and don’t worry everything will be fine! you will always have the 20’s good times to remember and smile.
I love this list! such a great idea, thanks for sharing! http://www.handmadeintheheartland.com
The lion haircut and 30 day squat challenge are my favorite.
Happy birthday! I hope you get some chickens wearing birthday bows tomorrow.
Hah! The chickens aren’t coming until June, but I did get a box of peeps to represent them. ;)
I did no-tv-Tuesdays for month several years ago and I loved it. Getting rid of cable has been great. I watch a LOT less tv. Also on a totally different note, my husband LOVED the boob valentines day card. Hehehehe.
We got rid of cable, but I binge watch Netflix now which might be worse! I’m so glad your husband enjoyed the boobs card! :)
Wishing you the happiest birthday, girl!! :)
An annual bucket list sounds awesome! I just turned 27 so maybe I’ll make one for myself for this year! Great idea!
xo Andrea
Wonderful and Marvelous
I’ve started doing these lists every year too. Last year I asked everyone who came to my party to come up with something for me to put on the list, a sort of challenge or activity, on the condition they were prepared to do it as well. It was a great way of coming up with some fantastic ides of things to do with all of my favourite people :)
Oooo you are so brave to let your friends write your list! I don’t know if I have that kind of trust, hehe.
Happy Birthday!!! I did the 30 day squat challenge in the lead up to Christmas.. In the beginning, I wanted to rip my legs off and throw them across the ocean to whoever created that thing… But always play music that has a good rhythm you can squat to.. lol.. got me through it.. My ass looks great now, thanks for asking ;)
You are hilarious Chris! I’m glad to hear that it works. I’m planning on taking before and after photos when I do it (for personal use only of course haha).
Happy Birthday, Amanda! I was inspired by your 29 by 30 bucket list and made my own last year – http://www.verapavlovaphotography.com/27-before-28-bucket-list/ Still have to cross a lot of things out of that list and I only got 4 months left!
Awesome list Vera! I had never heard of “free lensing”—the photos look great!
Ahhh, almost happy birthday to you! I’m turning 30 next week and I’m NOT looking forward to it, I think I rather stay 29 for the next 10 years ;) I wish I started a list like you, what a great idea! Maybe I should start with a 30 before 31?
Happy birthday dear mermaid (a Pisces like me!)
Do not worry at all about turning 30! Just have a party!
My 93 year old grandmother used to say ‘I used to do this when I was young…’, and she meant when she was 65…
Aww your grandmother sounds amazing. :)
Happy Birthday!!
Really enjoy your blog; art, animals, nature; lots of interesting things.
I’m in Va Beach; there’s a labradoodle groomed to look like a lion here in Norfolk, haha. Pretty cute.
Thanks Dia! I’m glad you like my blog! :)
I turn 30 in just over a month and am really looking forward to it actually. I have loved my 20s and they have been amazing but I figure it can only get better – right? When I turned 29 I did a guest series on my blog asking for advice on how to enjoy the last of my 20s and it was great advice that I think I can carry into my 30s too. Hope you have a lovely birthday and good luck with your list. It looks great.
I am turning 29 this year…I find these lists super inspirational. I may just have to make one for myself!
Such a great list and Happy Birthday! I just finished and shared my list. Here it is: http://thelittlesloth.blogspot.com/2014/02/22-before-23.html
Love it! Definitely do Rock & Shop—I think they are accepting applications now!
Happy birthday! I turn 30 tomorrow, but I made a 2014 list of goals at the beginning of the year. I like your idea of going by age–gives you something else to look forward to and to feel accomplished on your birthday. I’ve heard 30s are great, too, but I’m still quite the skeptic. ;)
OMG!!!! I can’t wait to see a pic of Mabel with a lion haircut!!! Happy Birthday!
Love reading these amanda! I’m going to try reeeeally hard to get myself to do one this year!! I have 2 more months to start :) I’ve tried the old testament thing in the past too…soooo long…and confusing sometimes haha. My church is doing a series right now talking about the old testament in light of the new testament. its been so neat to listen to and have the old testament make so much more sense in some ways. here’s a link if you ever get a chance to listen :) Hope you’re doing well!
http://www.odfchurch.org/messages/?enmse=1&enmse_mid=249
Thanks for the link Coley! I’ll definitely give it a listen. Anything to make the old testament less confusing! 2 months is plenty of time to get your list ready to go—do it! :)
I always love reading your # by #+1 lists! I wanted to thank you because you had inspired me to make mine last August, and I love looking back through it and seeing how many I’ve so far accomplished!
Hey! I just found this blog for the first time (thanks Pinterest!). I really love your creativity! I’ve made a list like this a couple of times now. You’ve given me some ideas for next year :) here’s mine: http://lindiv.blogspot.ca/2014/01/14-of-14.html
Wonderful list Lindi!
Happy Belated Birthday! What a great list – I am a big fan of this idea and have my own list here: http://1paperplane.blogspot.com/2013/12/23-by-24.html
One of the things on my list is to read through the bible in a year and I have found the app “YouVersion” to be incredibly helpful. Since I typically pick up my phone first thing in the morning anyway, this gives it more of a purpose and has countless reading plans that suite your personal needs.
Good luck with this years goals =D
Love the list—especially the coo-coo clock and geocache! I’ll have to check out that app—it sounds perfect, thanks!
Thank you all for the birthday wishes! You guys are the best!
Love your bucket lists for each year! I definitely agree with the ’10 simply, healthy dinner recipes’ item! That’s something I need to do as well!Have a great birthday :) and btw I’m turning 30 this year and when I started worrying about it, all my workmates, most of whom are far older than I am, told me to shut up because the 30s turned out to be the best years of their lives!
That is so reassuring! :)
I must ask you, how is it that you are able to keep up with your list? Do you put it on your refrigerator? Or do you simply leave it on your desk and remember to do it?
I make personal goals list too and I get things done, but I could be a lot more effective if I just remembered to … check the list! :)
Thanks!
I just keep referring back to my list blog post throughout the year. A lot of the things on there I plan to blog about when I do them, so usually at the beginning of each week when I’m figuring out what to post I’ll check the list to see what I can accomplish. A few months before my list deadline I spread the last things out on my calendar to make sure I get them done.
Love it! This is inspiring me to actually start making a bucket list of all those ideas I have rattling around in my brain. I like that there is a deadline for reaching the goals and that you included a mix of easy/not-as-easy activities. Best of luck!
#31-learn about chicken anatomy
:-P
Are you implying that eggs don’t come out of chicken’s butts? Because they only have one hole down there! ;)
A-I love chocolate more than almost anything too!
B-I turn 30 in a week-EEK! And I’m glad I found your lists. A lot of my things unfortunately are all up in the air since we’ll probably move within the year, but you’ve definitely inspired some. I’ll keep looking for your lists. I love the idea of a new one every year!
Happy 30th! My lists really help ease the birthday pain, but it still feels weird to say I’m 30. ;)