Laundry Solutions

Laundry. I'm not sure I know anyone who truly enjoys doing laundry (maybe I need to expand my circle?), so I thought I would share some tips/methods that work for me.

Hangers

I'm guessing most of us have seen the different ways to hang clothes passing along the internet, (if not, here are a few, the last two are just pictures, but pretty self-explanatory: Hanging Bra Organizer, Tie Hanger turned Tank Top Hanger, and Shower Rings as Tank Top Hangers), but I'll be honest, I don't want to go find the materials/dedicate the time to such ventures (and I hate opening/closing shower curtain rings). My tank tops were, however, taking up a tremendous amount of room. So my solution? This:

you know those hangers you bring home from the store? Well, they have a little place at the bottom where another hanger can be placed through, so I did that to create this tank top holder. I have made several of these, as any longer and they'd be brushing the stuff I have hiding at the bottom of my closet, and use them for tank tops/spaghetti straps and bras, too. 

Stains

We don't have a tremendous amount of "stains" like lipstick, grass, or wine, but what we do[did] have is[was] deodorant build-up on our clothing. I don't know if it is the brand(s) of deodorant being used, the usage habits, something about our washing machine where it wouldn't take it out, or what, but the build-up would get to the point of making visible stains on the outside of the under-arms, especially on my husbands clothing. I needed to find a solution which did not require replacing my husband's wardrobe every few months. So I got on Jillee's blog to see if she had anything, and low and behold! Goodbye to Yellow Armpit Stains! While our stains/build-up was not yellow, it was certainly worth a try. I was a little nervous since the original post was about white shirts, but her update on color-safety and the idea that the shirt was unwearable anyways, so if it was discolored it wouldn't be any loss, gave me the confidence to try it. AND IT WORKED! So I've taken up the habit of turning all the shirts inside out and soaking them in the tub, then applying the dawn/baking soda/peroxide mixture with a toothbrush to help scrub the deodorant out, then letting them sit while another load runs through the wash, and finally placing them in a regular load in the washer. While this may sound like a lot of work, it really isn't, and it's definitely a lot less work than having to get new shirts all the time!

Washing

It's been in my head to try homemade laundry detergent, but I haven't done so yet.

I see a lot of people who say that doing one load of laundry every day keeps the stress out of doing laundry. I agree that is one way to do it, but it has naturally occurred that Sunday has become my unofficial laundry day. You see, on Sundays, we typically stay at home, relaxing, and then in the evening we prepare for the upcoming week. In doing the laundry on this day I don't have to worry about whether or not we wear the same thing twice in the same week, or that my husband won't have the clothes he prefers to wear to work. It also keeps me from being completely unproductive on a Sunday. Another thing, I do not like folding clothes and putting them away. While I hang everything that needs to straight out of the dryer, things like socks and pajamas can be thrown into one basket throughout the day, and at the end I have to only fold and put that away one time, instead of several throughout the week. This is the way it has just happened, and it works, so I'll keep doing it until somethings calls for a change. This is not to say I refuse to do laundry during the week, or that I don't, but the majority of it happens on this one day.

Revving up!

So, I am feeling pretty great!

My every-other-weekday workout routine, with the addition of a multivitamin (which my 2.5 year old helps remind me to take), has me feeling pretty great. Better than I have in a long time.

My Old Routine 

I have not had a regular workout routine since the days of eighth-grade athletics. Seriously.

In the fall/winter time I had band: pushing and pulling and lifting and maneuvering the marimba/vibes/timpani/other various instruments as we loaded up for marching competitions or football games or out to the practice field.

For a few years, while working in my former job, I was on my feet walking around and lifting/loading bulky items for 4 to 8 hours a day several days a week. A consistent routine though, has been neglected for a long while.

Since being able to stay home with our son, whatever energy the workout of work may have provided dropped off. I felt I never had energy anymore, and my anxieties really began to get at me (worse than they already had). It got to the point where I had to go to the doctor for pharmaceutical help, and since (neglecting the past week or so) I've had a handful of days where I felt "normal," which is amazing because I hadn't felt that way in many years. I know at the age of 25, that doesn't seem like a claim I should be able to make, but it is. Between my horrendous headaches (started in high school, but since have been a lot better after having the baby) and pain from my sciatica nerve, plus the emotional roller-coaster I seem to constantly ride, I wasn't sure I would ever feel normal again.

My New Routine

This "5-4-3-2-1 Workout," is great because I don't feel overwhelmed with the amount of "to-do" and now I can do almost the whole thing (15 minutes doesn't seem like much-but it is for me). Since I can almost do the whole thing, I'm planning on either adding or alternating something else, which I haven't located quite yet, for a little change in pace. I will likely keep it short, since I work out while my son attacks me with hugs or trying to climb up on me as I do the push-ups/dips and the like.

I've also been trying to eat a bit better, as previously mentioned, and I'm certain that helps too. The hardest thing for me is drinking [enough] water.

So What has Changed?

My energy. I can now go through a whole day of classes, and come home and still have the ability to get up and cook dinner, wash the dishes, and be involved in the evening. Used to I would come home and become useless. I also feel up to doing things, even those I don't necessarily want to do but need to do, going places, and talking to people.

My outlook. I think this couples with my renewed energy. I feel markedly more optimistic and opportunistic than I did before, and things don't seem quite as bad as they used too (not that they're bad at all, really, but even the smallest things could seem like mountains).

My body. No, not visibly, but I can feel changes like wanting to run or stretch or be active. I feel stronger/more confident when trying to do physical things (although it could just be all in my head, too). Of course this, too, is intertwined with my energy/outlook changes.

What Now?

Like I said, I'm not sure yet. A purely cardio workout? Some core-building exercises? Another variation of the fifteen-minute workout? These are the things I'm considering, no doubt you will know about my decision before too long.

Journey on!
Julia

Changes

It's coincidence that the time I've decided to start exercising has fallen at the beginning of the new year (I think) but it seems as good a time as any to take a little more control in my life over myself.

Now I'm a small person, and weighing too much has never been an issue for me (quite the opposite, my problem has been weighing too little) so it isn't about weight loss, or the shape of my figure. After having Jackson, however, I have been left with an area around my stomach which displeases me, and I wish to be rid of it, although under my clothing it isn't noticeable, I see it in the mirror and every day I wish it was different, so now I'm working on it. Also, although I am a small person and don't ever expect myself to be crazy-strong, I do think it would be good if I improved my strength, especially my upper-body, in the event that I ever need to use that strength-because I have zero of it right now. I have a fifteen minute routine I'm working on (I still can't complete it, that's pretty sad, right?) and once I feel comfortable with that I will start looking to add to it and focus on certain areas I feel need work, but taking little steps at a time is the way to go for me, or I will become completely overwhelmed, fall into an anxious depression and give up.

I also know that exercise (and diet) can be great factors in emotional health, and I hate taking medicine to battle my anxiety, and think that maybe if I could get into a healthier routine I could leave prescription medicine in the past.

I have already (without struggle, actually, which is very surprising) removed drinking soda from my lifestyle, and caffeine is on it's way out from other sources including tea and coffee, which I have been consuming less and decaffeinated varieties of.

Trying to cook healthy is really a challenge in my opinion, at least in my household. I have a tendency to take in too much information and not know where to start with it all. I'm trying to work on it little by little instead, but it will take time and trial-and-error, and probably a little more time, too.

So here's to progress and hard work :)

Julia

Stash Acquired

I have been very fortunate in acquiring a HUGE stash of fabric and sewing notions.

My grandmother (lovingly called Memaw) used to sew SO much, but unfortunately over the last few years she has lost her ability to see, and can no longer sew (or drive, or read, or many of the other things she used to enjoy so much). She told me she had a lot of materials and patterns, but I had no idea just HOW much that would turn out to be (and it's likely there are still boxes of it mixed in with her other belongings). So, here's a picture of my loot as I brought it in from the house and stacked it in the hallway:

there are yards upon yards of materials, not to mention boxes of patterns and thread, spools of elastic, and who knows what else is hiding in that treasure trove. The fabrics range from silky soft apparel to thick canvas-y things and all sorts of stuff between. Being such a novice at sewing I'm not sure what some of it is, or if some of it is even worn in today's fashion, but that will be part of the fun of finding out just what I have and what I can do with it. I'm very grateful and lucky to have come in possession of these things, and I'm thinking I'll have to make at least one garment for Memaw as thanks :)

Julia

Peplum Pencil Skirt, Inspiration

Lately I have become a fan of shopping at The Limited, and a mailer they sent me featured this skirt (picture below) which I have fallen in love with!

Looking at the picture online I'm not sure how big of a fan I'll be of the actual color/material/fabric choice it is made of, but it has been a source of inspiration for me. I think I can replicate something similar to this by using the idea of a pencil skirt, and adding an extra layer to the top of it. I don't have it all exactly figured out (gives me something to think about while I'm trying to go to sleep) but I'll update with my progress. I just love the skirt!

The Scalloped Apron

Well, I have finished it, the scalloped apron from Paisley Pincushion I've been working on the past few days is complete. I'm very proud of it! I know it isn't perfect, but for a beginner I think I did fairly well, especially for my first time to follow an actual pattern. So here are some pictures of my finished work.

Now to cook something :) haha. Goodnight!

Julia