Favorite Life Hack

[SnuggleBuggles]

I keep instant ice packs and insect sting relief in the car. They’ve come in handy!


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[twowhat?]

Great life hacks!


Which brands of pants and leggings do you recommend?


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I buy from Athleta mainly, when they run 20% off sale items. My pocket criteria is "one big enough to hold a phone" and a nice to have is "one secured (zip or other) pocket". I look for leggings that have at least 2 deep stash pockets that are positioned on the outside of the thigh lower down (NOT the hips - that makes for uncomfortable sitting and things also tend to get ejected from the pockets upon sitting).

Like this: https://athleta.gap.com/browse/produ...p-page-content
NOT this: https://athleta.gap.com/browse/produ...p-page-content

In fact, those Trekkie tights are one of my favorites.

For pants/shorts, I just look for 2 deep side pockets large enough for a phone, and bonus if there are back pockets, and triple bonus if at least one pocket is secured with a zip or snap. I also LOVE cargo pockets.

Like this: https://athleta.gap.com/browse/produ...p-page-content
And this: https://athleta.gap.com/browse/produ...p-page-content

I have become an errand minimalist...all I go out with for errands are my phone, car keys, and a card holder that only holds my drivers license, a credit card, and a $100 bill hidden in the middle in case credit cards don't work. That's it. Phone in one pocket, card holder in the secured pocket if available (back pocket if not - it's so small you can't tell it's in a back pocket), keys in the other side pocket, mask around my neck I don't carry insurance cards - I keep a photo of them on my phone instead. For longer things like day trips or outings, I usually have a small backpack because I want a water bottle, etc. with me.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Old Navy, Calia from Dick’s and Zella from Nordstrom are my go to for tights with pockets. My Athleta workout pants have disappointed me.


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[MrsZaz]

Can you share the pattern that you used for the mask? It looks a little different from the ones I have seen.

Thank you

[fauve01]

Well...my favorite current life hack is mask related, LOL! I figured out a way to incorporate ear loops AND a tie so that masks can be removed and hang around your neck when not in use, and then easy to slip it on back over your ears when needed. Ear loops adjust through the yellow plastic pony beads so they are easily tightened or loosened as needed, and the remaining tie goes loosely behind the neck. Works great with a shoelace as well. But in this picture I used t-shirt yarn which is super soft on the ears (cut 1-inch strips of old t-shirts, pull to curl edges in - lots of videos on youtube on how to do this). My kids wear this if they are outside walking with a friend on the sidewalk, and then once they are where they can distance, they can take off the mask and just let it hang. Maybe this will help someone out whose kids are going back to school in person with masks required. It does mean your mask has to have side channels in which to thread your tie of choice.

Attachment 5096

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PLEASE share your mask pattern. Would love to make some of those!

[fauve01]

Mine is a dedicated rack with hooks for all keys by the door.

[twowhat?]

PLEASE share your mask pattern. Would love to make some of those!

It's this pattern:
https://www.irisluckhaus.de/en/2020/diy-cloth-mask/

With these modification:
https://www.irisluckhaus.de/en/2020/...k/#comment-847

You can choose to skip tacking the nose pleat in place - I've done it both with and without tacking and if it works without tacking it, then great! I make the ties out of soft old cotton t-shirts (think old navy 100% cotton) and they are very soft on the ears. Cutting the t-shirt strips about 1 inch wide works well for threading through a pony bead to make adjustable ear loops - they hold strong enough but still slide easily enough to adjust. Shoelaces work great too - I have round Allbirds shoelaces that work awesome and I don't even need the pony beads - I just tie simple slip knots.

The pattern seems scary at first but just work through the original pattern once and all of a sudden it will become very clear and easy, and then the modifications will make sense. Let me know if you have questions

[KrisM]

I use a tray divider to hold laptops and tablets on the counter. I just bought another because we're gaining 3 Chromebooks for school. I bought this: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kit...uctId=10000707

And I had extra of check sized poly envelopes and they are great for holding masks. Now that I have them for each person, I'm buying enough so we each have 2 envelopes - one for storage at home and one for in the car or school bag. https://www.staples.com/Staples-1-Po...akamai-feo=off

I sometime buy the $1 containers of mini Oreos for trips. The container is a perfect fit into my van's cup holders to hold pens, pencils, etc.

I saw it mentioned, but I have a shoe organizer in the mudroom too. In the summer it has sunglasses, sunscreen, hats. In the winter it's hats and gloves. Someone here bought it for me and sent it. I think Nicci, but it was so long ago I'm not sure!

[ang79]

I use a tray divider to hold laptops and tablets on the counter. I just bought another because we're gaining 3 Chromebooks for school. I bought this: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kit...uctId=10000707

And I had extra of check sized poly envelopes and they are great for holding masks. Now that I have them for each person, I'm buying enough so we each have 2 envelopes - one for storage at home and one for in the car or school bag. https://www.staples.com/Staples-1-Po...akamai-feo=off

I sometime buy the $1 containers of mini Oreos for trips. The container is a perfect fit into my van's cup holders to hold pens, pencils, etc.

I saw it mentioned, but I have a shoe organizer in the mudroom too. In the summer it has sunglasses, sunscreen, hats. In the winter it's hats and gloves. Someone here bought it for me and sent it. I think Nicci, but it was so long ago I'm not sure!

Did you get the small or large size divider for chromebooks? I made a charging station out of a desk organizer which has space for the girls phones, tablets, and my chromebook. In the spring we just had the girls' chromebooks sitting on a book shelf to charge at night, but I'd like to get another type of organizer (I also have an old 15" laptop I use sometimes).

I'm trying to find large plastic baskets to put on a wire shelving unit in my pantry to hold snacks, box mixes, cans, etc. I looked at Dollar Tree yesterday but they were all smaller than I want. I'd prefer ones that are taller so it helps hides mess (I have a label maker to identify what category of food is in each basket). Any ideas where I can buy a bunch without breaking the bank?

[fauve01]

It's this pattern:
https://www.irisluckhaus.de/en/2020/diy-cloth-mask/

With these modification:
https://www.irisluckhaus.de/en/2020/...k/#comment-847

You can choose to skip tacking the nose pleat in place - I've done it both with and without tacking and if it works without tacking it, then great! I make the ties out of soft old cotton t-shirts (think old navy 100% cotton) and they are very soft on the ears. Cutting the t-shirt strips about 1 inch wide works well for threading through a pony bead to make adjustable ear loops - they hold strong enough but still slide easily enough to adjust. Shoelaces work great too - I have round Allbirds shoelaces that work awesome and I don't even need the pony beads - I just tie simple slip knots.

The pattern seems scary at first but just work through the original pattern once and all of a sudden it will become very clear and easy, and then the modifications will make sense. Let me know if you have questions

thanks! i will give it a try