My Volunteer School Box (My Favorite Things or Hints #4)

I love to volunteer at my children's school! I have done lots of fun things but usually find that the parent work room is always out of supplies that I need for the project I am working on. So you know me..... I made my own Volunteer School Box to hold all of my supplies!!!

So here is what I keep stashed away in my box:

Scissors, glue stick, permanent marker, highlighter, red/black/blue pens, extra staples, paper clips, rubber thimble, brads, calculator, staple remover, large paper clips, rubber bands, large eraser, measuring tape, hole punch, crayons (for little siblings to color with), stapler, ruler, masking tape, clear tape, and a post it note pad.

I love having everything I need all in one box. It makes it so easy to find and finish my projects quickly!!!

What else would you put in your box?

CCG

Bathroom Box (Travel and Emergency Preparedness)

 This is a staple item for anyone who travels long distances and has kiddos. (Or not even kiddos I love having this for myself). We lovingly refer to this as our "Bathroom Box". We take this with us wherever we go.

Here are the contents:

Container-use one that fits well in your vehicle and can also fit everything you need.

Toilet Paper- I am not able to use a new roll as it is too big so I get one out of the bathroom that has had a few uses so it will fit.

Soap/Plastic Container-I tried using a zipper baggie for this but it did not last long and looked gross.

Knee High Stocking-When camping we use this to hang the soap from a five-gallon water jug next to the privy for hand washing. Super convenient.

Hand Towel/Wash Rag- We use these when camping or for those "uh-oo" moments in the car when a drink or something spills.

Hand Sanitizer-I am a huge soap and water girl and only use alcohol sanitizer when I do not have a water source. That being said germs still need to get killed so it is nice to have this as a back up.



These items fit nicely into my container and it is placed in a convenient place where we remember to grab it when we leave. Other items we take with it include; a small spade shovel, the "Scotty Potty" (if we are traveling in the truck, it is more stable than a three legged potty) (click on the link for information on the "Scotty Potty") and the privy tent if we are camping.

Other items we have included:

Brown Paper Bags-these are nice for discretely discarding feminine hygiene products.

Plastic Diaper Disposal Bags/Grocery Bags-for diapers/feminine hygiene products when you are not near a trash can.

This little gem has come in handy so many times, including those times when you are at the rest stop/restaurant/gas station and they have run out of one of these items :)

Happy summer travels everyone!

CCG

My Favorite Repurpose Tech Item ............. (My Favorite Things or Hints #2)

   I am always on the look out to repurpose items, especially when I can get them for free!

 Here is one of my favorites.

 

 When I am packing for a vacation or business trip I am always trying to find a small bag for my cell phone charger, USB cable, ear phones etc. I wanted a small bag that would hold everything and that I could throw in my purse or back pack for easy access.  My answer came when I was helping my mother-in-law clean out a closet and I found 2 or 3 of these glucometer bags that she was not using.







I took them home and found that the mesh pockets were just the right size for my USB cable and ear phones. The charger fit nicely in the middle and it zipped up perfectly!!!!!

 

I keep this little gem in my dresser drawer and can grab it when ever it need it. Plus, Mr. Crafty Camper set me up with a fabulous charger that plugs into the car, the wall and will charge two devices at once! And as a bonus, the circle charging indicator light makes a great night light when I am sleeping in unfamiliar places!

 

What is your favorite repurposed item?

 

(P.S. The Anniversary Geocache is almost finished!!!)

CCG

Fun Sewing Tip

I saw this idea on the Internet and thought it was so great. I am always trying to find ways to store my bobbins so that they are not unraveling all over the place. Well the web site was selling Bobbin Cozies. They looked just like the little girls fabric hair ties to me so while I was shopping this morning I picked up a big package for $2.

It works perfectly! I tried to color match the pony tail holder to the color of the bobbin thread to make it easier to tell what color thread was on the bobbin. It works soooo great and I got some new hair accessories for my little girl too!! I love a multi tasking product!!!!!

Sunday Activities

Sunday is one of my favorite days for many reasons.

#1 I usually get a fabulous nap with my husband!
#2 We have Family Planning & Family Journaling

So what is Family Planning & Family Journaling you ask? Well we set aside about 20 minuets on Sunday afternoon (we have a.m. church right now) and go over the entire families schedule for the week. This includes Mom, Dad, and all the kids. This way we know who will be where and who needs to get picked up or dropped off etc. This is also extremely helpful when you have parents and kids in school at the same time! This has really saved our bacon a few times. We like to do this activity after church so that we can get the announcements from church to make sure that we have all the church activities listed. You can have a big calendar posted in a place that everyone goes (like the kitchen or family room) where all of the scheduling is listed. Then as things come up during the week that change you can note them on the calender.
This can be adapted for little kids as well. For instance, I have a 3 year-old who has ballet school on Mondays. You can place a sticker on that day so she will know what day her school is. This can really be a fun family project and it keeps the whole family informed.

The last part of the 20 minuets is Family Journaling, where we write down what happened during the week, and funny things the kids said. Right now I write all of these things down in a separate calender so that I can use it later for scrap booking, and writing in my kids journals. But for older children this can be their time to write in their own journals. I love having this calender because I can easily recall when I took at picture. I usually circle the date that I took a picture and write a cute note of why I took the picture. It is also a great way to document extended family vacations. ( I know this seems OCD but each night before I go to bed I try to write a little something about what happened during the day in that calendar so I don't forget it)