How to Wash Your Snack Bag

The most common question I get about my sandwich bags and wraps is how to care for them. People are really only going to reuse something if it's easy to do so. So here's my mini-tutorial on How To Wash Your Snack Bags.

What you need:
Hamburke's Sandwich bag or wrap
lingerie bag
washing machine
laundry soap (so you can use any that you like but my house has sensitive skin so we don't use detergent)
Sponge/paper towels
Dish soap
water
clothes pins

Everyday Care: When my kids some home from school Monday through Thursday, they put their lunch boxes on the counter and get a snack. While they're eating, I empty their lunch boxes and sponge off their snack bags. I then turn them inside out and set them in the dish drying rack.

Weekly Care: On Fridays when the kids come home from school, instead of sponging off my kids' sandwich bags and wraps, I get them ready for the laundry.

First, I empty the bags and wraps and for the bags, set the Velcro askew so that the bag will stay open like this.

Second, I toss them into my lingerie bag so that the velcro doesn't stick to anything else in the laundry and zip up the bag.

Third, I wash them in hot water with the rest of my laundry - sometimes towels and sheets, sometimes white clothes without bleach.

Lastly, I hang them to dry on Mr. IKEA Octopus making sure that the Velcro is pointed away from the spendy transition toe dance tights that were washed in a separate lingerie bag.

And here's one of each for sale now:

Camping...in December

I think my husband is crazy - like absolutely insane - for many reasons, most recently, while drinking more beer than usual and texting, he agreed to go camping with his friend in December. So this past weekend, he camped along the Appalachian Trail in some primitive cabin (it's just a shelter, no amenities - too primitive for me. I require a toilet - it doesn't have to flush or be attached to the shelter but it needs to have some walls and a seat). It turned out not too cold (40/day 20/night) but I was a little worried when there was snow in the forecast last week.

Camping in cold weather isn't too much different than camping in mild weather - but it takes a bit more prep. He did a lot of research - really, it occupied a vast amount of our conversation over the last 2 months. His take: It's really easy to go from cold weather camping research in the blogsphere to apocalypse prepper blogs.
cold weather camping --> good post on extreme camping --> detailed further advice on...OMG this is a prepper blog!!

New Christmas present idea proposed: a BOB for everyone, you know, in case there's a natural disaster on the East Coast.

Anyway, I think he was well prepared for his trip, except for being physically prepared to carry all the stuff. His pack list was nearly as long as our pack list for vacation...
hiking pack
day pack
"mummy" sleeping bag (borrowed)
sleeping pad
pillow
lantern/extra batteries
headlamp/extra batteries
multi-tool
knife
polycord (survival macrame bracelet is non-girly colors - yes, everyone in our house can make them but I haven't found a good supplier for the clips)
2 ways to start a fire & dryer lint (tender)
clothes/sleeping clothes (one extra outfit and something warm to sleep in)
extra socks
layering elements - long underwear, fleece, vest, warm jacket
rain suit
snow pants
mess kit
aluminum foil (heavy duty)
food (they split the menu but hubby now owns a 6-egg travel carrier and a hip flask)
1 gallon/day/person water (I think this is where the real weight comes into play)
TP
washcloth
toothpaste and toothbrush
biodegradable AIO soap (wish I'd ordered some from my favorite soap people, Soap for Your Soul, but he wanted liquid)
did I mention that he grew a beard?

He got home mid-afternoon today and I immediately put him to work bagging leaves until dark because, you know, he's already grimy and I spent the day with the kids getting the leaves in piles!

Donated to the Silent Auction for the PTA:

New in my shop this week is a few ponytail holders: