Weekender #131

🧴 Skincare: Use ChatGPT to build your skincare routine.

💇🏽‍♀️ Hair: How to get hair with no frizz and no fuss.

🤑 Finances: 10 side hustle ideas to try after being laid-off.

🛠️ Home: The secret to installing peel & stick backsplash successfully

🗓️ Reminder: Admin Professionals Day is coming up this Wednesday. (Check out our employee appreciation gifting guide for ideas.)

In a world of fast fashion, learning to care for your clothing properly can not only extend the life of your garments but also significantly reduce your environmental footprint.

Here’s a guide that can help you on your next laundry day:

Understanding Fabric Types

Fabrics can generally be categorized into natural fibers (like cotton, linen, wool, and silk) and synthetic fibers (such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic).

Natural fibers often require gentler care, avoiding high temperatures that can cause shrinking or damage.

Silk, with its delicate nature, may require hand washing or a dry cleaning service to maintain its integrity.

Synthetic fabrics are typically more durable and less prone to wrinkles and shrinking.

Navigating Washer and Dryer Settings

Modern washers and dryers come with a variety of settings tailored to different fabrics and washing needs.

For instance:

• Delicate/Gentle Cycle: Ideal for silk, lace, and items that specify “gentle wash” on the label. This setting uses a slow spin to prevent damage.
• Permanent Press: A setting designed for synthetic fabrics, preventing wrinkles with a cool down at the end of the cycle.
• Heavy Duty: Best for durable items like towels and bedding, using a high-speed spin for thorough cleaning.

Grouping your laundry can prevent damage and improve cleaning efficiency:

• Color Coordination: Separate lights and darks to avoid color bleeding. Consider a separate wash for very bright colors or new items that might bleed.
• Fabric Type: Wash similar fabrics together to ensure a uniform cleaning process. Delicate items should be washed separately from heavy, zipped, or buttoned garments that could snag them.
• Soil Level: Heavily soiled clothing (like workout gear) should be washed separately from lightly worn items to prevent dirt transfer and ensure thorough cleaning. Pre-soaking in a mix of detergent and water can loosen dirt and minimize odors before the main wash cycle.

Other tips and tricks:

• Spot Cleaning: Treat stains immediately with appropriate solutions before washing. For instance, baking soda and water can work wonders on oil stains, while white vinegar is effective for deodorant and sweat stains.
• Inside Out Washing: Turn clothes inside out before washing to protect colors and surface textures from fading and abrasion.
• Cold Water Usage: Opt for cold water washes when possible to preserve fibers and colors while saving energy.
• Mesh Bags: Use mesh laundry bags for small items like undergarments and socks, or to protect delicate fabrics from snagging and tangling.
• Air-Drying: Whenever possible, air-dry clothing to reduce energy usage and prevent heat damage from dryers.
• Vinegar as a Fabric Softener: White vinegar can be used as a natural fabric softener and odor eliminator. Adding half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle can soften clothes without leaving any smell behind. It also helps in maintaining color brightness.
• Aspirin for Whiteness: To help brighten white clothes, dissolve five aspirin tablets (non-coated) in hot water and soak your whites in the solution before washing. Aspirin can help break down the grime that causes yellowing.
• Pepper to Prevent Color Fading: Adding a teaspoon of black pepper to your wash can help keep colors vibrant. The rough texture of the pepper granules works as a natural abrasive to scrub away soap residue that causes fading, without damaging the fabric.
• Hair Conditioner for Shrunk Clothes: If you accidentally shrink a wool sweater, you can try to return it to its original size by soaking it in lukewarm water with a generous amount of hair conditioner. After about 15 minutes, gently stretch the garment back to its original shape and lay flat to dry.
• Aluminum Foil Balls as Dryer Sheets: If you’re out of dryer sheets, you can use a couple of aluminum foil balls instead. The metal in the foil helps discharge the static buildup as the clothes tumble, and they can be reused for multiple loads.
• Baby Powder for Oil Stains: For fresh oil stains, sprinkle baby powder or cornstarch on the area and let it sit overnight. Brush off the powder the next day, and then launder as usual. The powder absorbs the oil, making the stain easier to wash out.
• Lemon Juice to Bleach: Lemon juice acts as a natural bleach, especially when used in combination with sunlight. Apply lemon juice to stains, especially on white fabrics, and let the garment dry in the sun. The lemon juice enhances the bleaching effect of the sun’s UV rays.

By mastering these aspects of laundry care, you can preserve the quality and appearance of your clothing over time (and save money!).

If you’re looking for a fun way to bond and connect with your remote or hybrid team, look no further!

This spin on the classic game show format divides your coworkers into two teams to battle it out in a multi-round survey game to guess the most popular answers.

When should you plan this virtual event?

How about to celebrate any of these upcoming workplace events and holidays:

• Administrative Professionals’ Day (Wed, April 24th)
• Mother’s Day (May 12th)
• First Day of Pride Month (June 1)

To plan your own game show, sign up for FREE at Confetti here.

Kickstart your fitness journey or elevate your home gym setup with our handpicked selection of essential gear.

This weekend, we’re bringing you the best in comfort, style, and functionality to help you get moving and keep your workouts fresh and effective.

Whether you’re diving back into a routine or starting a new one, here are some of our fave gear:

• Old Navy Pants
• Old Navy Loose Tank
• Pilates Ball
• Dumbell set (or this one takes up even less space)
• Allbirds Tree Dashers
• Resistance Bands
• Mat

The series follows a group of inmates as they take part in a social experiment.

Essentially you get a documentary slash reality TV style Netflix show exploring what happens when unit cells are unlocked for six weeks, and detainees create community and structure for themselves.

It’s real enough to bring insight into our justice system, and light enough to be endearing and hopeful for the future of criminal reform.

For fans of: Lockup, The Redemption Project, Orange Is The New Black

Watch it with: A friend or significant other you enjoy a good post-show conversation with.

Pair it with: An old-fashioned cocktail

We’ve stumbled upon something game-changing for a good night’s sleep, and can’t keep it to ourselves.

Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Sleep Gummies are the real deal.

If you’re tired of the grogginess that often tags along with traditional sleep aids, these gummies are a breath of fresh air.

They’re made with top-notch USDA organic CBD extract, and the blend of valerian root, chamomile, and lavender.

What’s awesome is that they don’t leave you with that melatonin hangover feeling.

We’ve been using them, and trust us, the difference is night and day.

…and the best part is Cornbread Hemp is giving you 30% off site wide (if you spend $55+) when you order today with code CBDSLEEP30.

Give Cornbread Hemp a shot.

Your well-rested self will thank you later.

Purrman Catpote, famous author of works such as “In Cold Milk” and “Breakfast at Tiffurny’s,” loves the simple things in life — a can of wet food, a warm sunbeam, and walks outside.

He always takes time to smell the roses — and anything else he finds interesting along the way.

Don’t worry, though — his human agents are always keeping a close eye on him, both to keep him out of trouble and on time with his writing deadlines.

💌 We’re huge pet lovers at The Assist and want to feature a pet each week — fill out this form for your fur baby to be featured!