Most of this posting was written in 2010, but I’m adding to it with some new insights.

In 2010, I explained that I had believed it would be wise to have items at both our Michigan and our Florida homes, but we’re finding that we aren’t using things fast enough. Stuff “expires.”

This is quoted from my 2010 post:

We have purchased batteries of different sizes for both locations. Seems that most of the time, the unused batteries die before we use them for the purpose intended.

The other day John wanted some baking soda and baking power. They were “dead.”

Even items like suntan lotion sprays get old before we use up our supply.

My shampoo and cream rinse were “thicker” in the bottom of the bottle and hard to get out when we arrived from Michigan (we leave the A/C down here set at 80 over the summer).

Vitamins and even ink cartridges for my computer’s printer have expiration dates.

We freeze lots of food for our return, but much of it ultimately “goes down the disposal.” (John’s grinding up some frozen bacon right now.)

We don’t have a solution for our problem. We can’t haul everything back and forth and with only two of us, we wouldn’t go through items very quickly even if we stayed put. We usually buy large (more economic) sizes to save on cost by the ounce, but it often ends up being wasted.

I opened a “packaged” inkjet cartridge when we got down here, one which I’d purchased last spring and left here. It wouldn’t work. I called Lexmark and they sent me another, but I was informed that the normal warranty is six months from the purchase date. Tough. I am not going to haul that printer back to Michigan just so I can use up my supply of cartridges faster.

Expiration dates are hard on snowbirds.

End of 2010 Post===

2011 addition: I should explain that we no longer set our thermostat at 80. Instead we have a humidistat and it keeps our humidity at an acceptable level, but the temperatures are higher. Nevertheless, our place was in good shape when we arrived.

But this year I found a few more things that are problematic when I leave them here in our condo:

Perfume: I love my regular scent and I buy a bottle or two of it every year. Last year I left two partially used spray bottles (about 1/4 full) only to find that, when we returned a couple of weeks ago, the color of them had deepened and the scent had changed. (Now it stinks.)

Detergent (both granular and liquid) changes when the temperatures are high. I wanted to use our dishwasher detergent but it was a solid block instead of a granular. Our clothes washing detergent was so thick I had a hard time getting it out of the container. Our scouring powder aka cleanser had solidified. My deodorant was all dried up. Six months here is not the same as six months in the north where it’s cooler. Here the summer heat really takes a toll.

When we arrived this year, we’d lost some plants that we loved: Our huge three year old poinsettia had died (it was hit last December by the freeze we experienced so that may have weakened it). Our newly planted bird of paradise didn’t make it, but out green and yellow foundation plantings had grown, and in fact they’d spread out unattractively. We have a three-year-old palm which we’ve watched and moved repeatedly depending on the season, but this past summer was hard on it. We won’t move it again until it is healthier.

The lawns look nice, the trees are healthy. Our split leaf philadendron had overtaken the sidewalk.

Some plants and items do well without us. Others need our gentle touch.

Perfume apparently needs more attention.