Quick Tip {How to Remove Permanent Marker From Plastic - The Easy Way}

Stopping by to share a quick tip with you today. :) You know I love to label things - help me keep my sanity!  However, sometimes the contents of a container change.  Actually, they often change. Permanent markers are a great way to label things, and what we use often.  Simple and permanent - right?? 

Well - what then do you do when the contents change and the container needs a new label? Put a sticker over it?  Scribble out the original label and write on a new one?  What if you want it to look better than that?  Well I have great news for you!!  A teacher friend of mine shared this with me one year, and when she told me I thought she was nuts - but it works!!

I was reminded of it this year when I was organizing our school supplies.  In the last few years I have been purchasing these new plastic folders for my kids, because they will last through the whole year - unlike the paper ones.  But, you know how it is - you send them to school, and the teachers have them label them with their name and subject.  The folders are great - they come home at the end of the year in just about the same condition they started.  No reason to throw them out!!  So here's my amazing tip {if you already know this - please just scroll through and act amazed :)} that works on anything plastic.

With a dry-erase marker, scribble over the top of the writing.

As you are scribbling, you will probably already see it happening - the permanent marker being "erased".

When you are finished, grab an eraser or a paper towel, rag, whatever, and wipe off the dry-erase, and the permanent marker with it.

And there you have it - good as new!!

I know folders aren't that expensive, but I'm just saying - every little bit matters, and this has saved me bundles over the years in plastic storage tubs and such!!

We are headed out east tomorrow to deliver my son to college.  I'm not lamenting over that today - ya'll have probably heard enough of that, and there will probably be more later.  When we get back I have a long list of DIY's to dive into, and I can't wait to share!! Until then...

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Getting The Kids Involved In Spring Cleaning {Family Friday}

We have been having a great spring break over here!!  Nothing too scheduled, but a good bit of work has been getting done, and some fun has been had!!  I will be sad to see it go on Monday. :(

Today I am going to share with you how I am getting my kids involved in some of the spring cleaning this year.  

There is a great debate out there among parents about money and kids.  Should kids get an allowance (money for nothing) or a commission (money only for work done) or should parents be human ATM machines??  We have bounced all over the place over our 18 years of parenting, and sadly have never settled on one thing or the other for very long.  We totally want our kids to understand the value of money, and we work very hard to make sure they get that.  And, for the most part, I think they do.  We also want them to know how to work and to work hard.  Which, for the most part, they do.  Then there is the whole thing about money and work going together.  In the adult world - you don't work and you don't get paid.  Thus the argument for commission.  

Honestly, our kids get an allowance.  They are expected to do whatever I ask, whenever I ask, without whining.  But, there really is no direct correlation between the work and the money.  We have tried in the past, but with the older ones - they have a hard time finding time to get their chores done because school comes first.  Good grades are more important to me then chores or jobs, sorry. We also believe that not everything needs to be paid for.  Sometimes kids need to pitch in and work because they are part of the family, and families should work together.

So, back to the subject at hand - spring cleaning. I made myself a very long and exhausting exhaustive list. While I didn't plan on getting all of it done in a week, I did want to get it done while it was still spring!! So I decided to include the kids and allow them to earn some extra money.  

Jobs for hire!!  My hubby and I came up with a list of jobs we thought the kids could do and put a dollar amount to them.  Our kids are older, (youngest being 10) so these jobs are not necessarily easy jobs.  But, if you have younger kids you could still do this - just create jobs they can do - but don't be afraid to make it a little challenging.  

I started with 8 jobs that I wanted done (there are more on the list, and I plan to replenish as these are done).  Each job got a job card with the description of the card and the $$ amount the job would pay, and an envelope attached with the cash already in it. Instant gratification is good for everyone :).

The basket is another Dollar Tree basket that I had, and the sign is an index card, attached with my polka-dot washi tape.  

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!  The basket is now living in my kitchen on a shelf, and the kids were all to excited to get to work!!  Yahoo!!  There were some jobs that were less desirable, but if they want the money, they will do those too.  

What I found through this are two things -1. make sure that you are paying them a fair amount. Just like we expect to be paid appropriately, they should too, if the pay is too low they won't want to do the work.  2. be prepared to teach them how to do things, which is great because these are things they need to learn sometime - right??

Wow, this turned into a really long post!!  If you made it this far, thanks!!  Hope this gives you lots of ideas!!

I have some fun things to share with you guys next week!!  Have a great weekend!!

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The Good Stuff {Family Friday}

After today my kids are on spring break!!  We are all very excited to have a week off from schedules and routine!!  So, instead of sharing words of encouragement from my own heart today, I thought I would share with you some "Good Stuff" that I have found out in the blogosphere.
Please if you choose to pin any of these - click on the link and pin from the original source.  Thanks!

First up Lisa-Jo Baker shares wonderful words of encouragement for all mommies on her blog all the time.  This lovely one is from this week.

Another one of my favorite encouragers in the faith is Ann Voskamp.  She shared this week about being overwhelmed as a mom, a wife, a woman.

 

I loved this guest post about Kids and Money. Melissa does a great job of explaining her thoughts on kids, money, allowance vs. commission.  

Another one of my favorite parenting encouragement bloggers is Kristen at We Are That Family (don't you just love that name?). This week she shared an easy way to share the Easter story with your kiddos using this book.

This one is fabulous, and has been all over, and I love it.  I think we could all benefit from less stuff.  :) (I know we've missed the start day, but I don't think it really matters when you start - more important is the concept!!)

I hope these will bless you as they have blessed me!!  Feel free to share with your friends :)  If you are on spring break like we are - have a great time!!