Category: Organization

If there’s something I do a lot of, it’s laundry. And I’m sure that’s true for you, too!

The other day, as I was going through my laundry routine, I was noticing all the little things I do (without thinking about it) to keep my clothes looking good and lasting longer.

Today I’m sharing my 7 tips with you!

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

1) Don’t overload the washer

If you want your clothes to get clean, overloading your washer will defeat the purpose. Overloading is a normal temptation because it equals less loads, but if you keep the load on the lighter side, your clothes (and your machine) will thank you.

2) Use a stain spray

It’s inevitable that clothing will get stained. I do my best to treat these stains as soon as possible. I have tried a number of stain sprays over the years. Shout happens to be my favorite. I find that it gets out most of the stains we have on the first try.

3) Use the delicate cycle

I use the delicate cycle for every load except for my bath towels. I enjoyed reading this article from mamaslaundrytalk.com about the difference between washing cycles and how to choose your washing cycle.

4) Turn your clothes inside out

This does require a second step, but I have found it to be beneficial. I don’t turn everything inside out, but I almost always doing this to jeans, graphic tees, and clothing with extra embellishments (like sequins or sparkles).

5) Hang your clothes to dry

I don’t hang all my clothes to dry because we don’t have an outside line. I do, though, hang many of my shirts and other delicate items on hangers and allow them to air dry.

6) Dry on low heat

I dry almost all my items on low heat. I have found this to be a gentler option for my clothes.

7) Use a garment bag

I shared this tip in a previous quick tips post. I really do love my garment bags. You can purchase them in a wide variety of sizes, so even larger clothing items can easily be washed in these bags.

That’s it!

Those are my 7 simple tips that have really helped to keep my clothes looking good and lasting longer! There will always be laundry, so we might as well do it as best we can!

What about you? What are your best laundry tips? Drop a comment below!!

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “7 Laundry Tips to Keep Your Clothes Looking Good & Lasting Longer”

If you have school age children, then you have school papers. In fact, you have lots and lots of school papers.

It can be overwhelming to figure out what to do with all that comes home in the backpack each day. I have 3 children (1 in middle school & 2 in elementary), so that’s 3 backpacks with plenty of papers and various projects. Thankfully, I have found an organizational system that works for our family, and I am sharing it with you today!

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

Sort the Papers As Soon as Possible

The kids and I go through the papers almost immediately after coming home from school. We deal with that stack of papers right then and there. In our home, school papers generally go to 1 of 3 different places:

“To be Saved” Basket

Papers that have the potential to make it into the child’s memory box (more about that later) are placed in a basket that we keep right in our dining room hutch. These tend to be special projects, unique writing pieces, or even a high scoring quiz or test.

The items in this basket are not necessarily going to end up in the memory box, but they do have that potential. The basket is sifted through now and again as the year progresses and as more work comes home.

“Important Papers” Binder

There are plenty of papers that come home for each of my children that need to be saved for most (if not all) of the year. These papers include things like: master calendars, class schedules, classroom rules, login information, etc. Our binder is divided into three sections, one for each child. If a child comes home with an important paper then we 3-hole punch it, and stick it in their section of the binder.

Field trip forms and other timely information are not kept in the binder. These forms are dealt with as soon as possible. I sign the form and return it to the back pack. We write important dates on our calendar and discard the paper.

Recycling Bag

I know. It can be really hard to get rid of work your child has completed. If we keep everything, well, we might have a hard time finding the kitchen table in a few months. If the paper is not going in the basket (and then possibly the memory box) or the binder, then it gets recycled. We still take the time to acknowledge the work. We ask about the assignment or have them read a part of it to us. But yes, it quickly makes its way to the recycling bin. And yes, this is something our children know happens.

Sometimes we hang items on the fridge or a door to display the work for a period of time. Sometimes these items make it to the memory box, and sometimes they don’t. It’s nice for the kids to see their work around the house.

Keep the Special Work in a Memory Box

The memory box is the final stop. Work that has remained in the basket is now considered as material for the memory box. By the end of the year, we have a small stack of papers in the basket, and we look through that to choose the work that will make it to the box.

Each child has a memory box with a section for each grade they have completed. The section includes a school photo for the year and (about) 8-12 papers or small projects from the year. It’s a great way to remember the child at that time in their life!

School papers are inevitable, but keeping them all is impossible. A simple organizational system seems to be the best way to tackle the paper problem. I hope you found a little inspiration from our system!

What about you? How do you organize school papers?  I would love to hear your ideas, so drop them in the comments below!

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “How I Organize My Kids’ School Papers”

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Have you ever left your house, been a few minutes down the road, and realized you forgot to put on deodorant?

Have you ever left your house, arrived at your destination, and realized you never brushed your teeth?

No? Oh, right, neither have I.

Okay, not true. I have forgotten to do many important things, and I often realize it when it’s too late. Because in the midst of getting 3 kids out the door and trying to put myself together, I sometimes forget things.

It was because of these various “Oh, no!” moments that I chose to create a little “emergency kit” of sorts for the glove box of my car.

I could keep these emergency items in my purse, but right now I am enjoying my medium-sized crossbody bag. I don’t want to add more bulk to my purse or buy a larger one at this point. Having a cosmetic bag that remains in the glove box of my van seems like the perfect solution for the time being.

The Contents

*scissors

*hair tie

*bobby pin

*Wisp (mini-toothbrushes)

*deodorant

*cotton swabs

I picked up the super cute bag that contains all these items at the Dollar Tree. (I know you’re surprised.)

What I Want to Add to My Bag

*Tide to Go Stain Pen

*tweezers

A Few Other Tips

Don’t try to prepare for every possible situation. Remember this is a small bag you are trying to fill with emergency items. If you start playing out every scenario, you’ll be filling your glove box and car with too much extra clutter.

Clean out and restock the bag periodically. Your items will be used and need replacing. Some items might get old and need a refresh. Check your bag periodically, so you’re not caught off guard the next time you need an item unexpectedly.

Consider a bag for each car. If you have more than one car, consider making two of these kits. They’re not that expensive, but they do come in handy, so while assembling one bag, you might as well put together another.

What about you? Do you keep anything stocked in your glove box? What item do you always wish you had in your car? Leave your ideas below! I would love to hear from you!

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “What I Keep in the Cosmetic Bag in My Glove Box”