with Joanne at My Slices of Life

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Today I’m going to talk about life hack/product updates. If I have one complaint about blogs, it is that the blogger never gives me an update on something they recommended – whether it be a product or a habit/hack – is it still working for them? I want and need details!

By the way, I’m the friend that while you are telling me a story – I ask for more details. I want to know all of it! Don’t you dare try to “yadayadayada” me! Seinfeld fans?

Both of my sisters and I are teachers. Kate started in another career before teaching and she says that one of the hardest things is changing routines for the school year and for the summer. There are certain routines that I try to keep the same. If I am at my best self, the dishwasher gets loaded and started after dinner and then unloaded in the morning. This habit seems to make my evenings and mornings better.

Notice that I include pans and I also run it whether it is really full or just kinda full:

Do you have a dishwasher routine?

I still absolutely love these little sausages that I get at Costco. I have not seen them at Kroger or Walmart. They do have them at Whole Foods, but your savings at Costco are pretty great.

I only have them at breakfast but they could be for dinner. I eat them alone or in breakfast burritos. No, my middle name is not “Lu” or “Lou”!

I am also trying to get back to my proffee. I do about a tablespoon of instant with a splash of water, froth it up, add ice and my fave cake batter.

The iced coffee tastes so good in the summer!

This bug spray is still working for me, but I do like to shower it off before bed. I’m still struggling to get back outside after dinner – there is that routine thing again! My routine is to shower after dinner and watch tv. It’s the only time I watch tv so I look forward to it!

This is a re-purchase. It really holds my hair well!

I have only used the normal Donna Karan, but it is working in the hotter days of summer. I am out after about 3 months with the same stick so I might try the aluminum free. I think the scent is lovely and it works well with my Diva detergent and I don’t wear any perfume right now, so it kind of acts as both. $32 is a lot for deodorant but I love it.

The Target extended shoulder tees are working for gym, walking, and under things. I have one lime green, one yellow, one white, and two black:

This photo also shows my 3 or 4 year old Lulu belt bag that is working well for dog walks!

I tried this again, and I just don’t think it’s that great:

I will stick with the classic:

I’m also having great luck using this as a stain remover in my laundry!

Is there a product I mentioned in the past that you want to know about?

What about you? What product/life hack is still working for you?

Cheers to finding stuff that works!

Amy

43 thoughts on “Talking about it Tuesdays”

  1. We have the same dishwasher routine; though I typically have to run mine mid-afternoon too and empty it right before dinner. I go through a lot of bug spray this time of year and always wash it off before bed too even if I can’t smell it anymore I swear just knowing I sprayed it on I can feel it on my skin.

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    1. Oh I bet! You all do so much cooking! I would love to have two dishwashers, but that would be more to unload – ha! I agree about knowing it’s on my skin!

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  2. Great finds! We like Off products too- for softball we typically stick with Deep Woods Off- necessary evil 😉

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  3. The Nexxus hairspray is a MUST for me. I have been using it for years. I tried the no aluminum Donna Karan. It did nothing for me. I am liking MegaBabe Rosy Pits

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    1. It’s pricey but you don’t need much and it’s good! I have lots of fine hair! Good to know – will stick with the normal DK. If I buy the alum free at Ulta and don’t like it, though, I can return it! They have such a good policy. I don’t like rose smell but I want that brand’s underboob powder! Ha!

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  4. I’ve never bought the Dawn power wash, but I’ve used and felt the same as you. I will take the regular Dawn any day, and I also use it as a stain remover for our laundry. It works every single time, and even lightens up older stains! I have the same life hack with the dishwashing routine, but I start it before I go to bed and unload the next morning.

    One thing that’s saving my sanity right now, so to speak, is that I start laundry early in the morning. By eight o’clock, I’m done with it for the day and have an empty washer and dryer in the afternoons, in case we need to use it unexpectedly like we did last night when one of the dog had an accident on a dog bed. We pulled the cover off immediately and threw it in the wash!

    One product I’m using and still loving is the Hawaiian Tropic After Sun body butter, but it’s ridiculously expensive right now, so I’m not going to buy it again. I’m hunting for something more reasonably priced that smells as good as that product, and haven’t had much luck yet. I really love body butter, though and would love to order from Amazon, if possible. Any recs??

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    1. I don’t get it! It doesn’t do anything different and it’s kinda hard to spray! An older person with no strength couldn’t use it.
      That’s a great idea! I only do my own laundry so I do one load a week or when my hamper is about half full.
      Tom does our sheets on the weekend – bless him. My kids do theirs and it drives me crazy how long it takes them.
      I am curious about that product, but I’m happy with the Trader Joe’s body butter, too.
      You don’t have a TJ’s near you and it might be sold out, right? I think you would like it. I will let you know if I see any other brands.

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  5. I am so bad about doing follow ups on the blog – a lot of times I do on IG. I think I have too many things going on and can’t keep it straight. I actually like Dawn Powerwash but don’t use it exclusively. I use regular Dawn most of the time but the PW on harder to clean things.

    I thrive on a good routine. It’s actually one of the reasons I like working all year and not having summers off. As crazy as that sounds, once my kids got older, I was bored in summer and had a hard time adjusting to unscheduled days.

    The only products I really swear by are my drug store make up items. The things I buy over and over again, my Wet n Wild foundation, L’Oreal mascara, Wet n Wild Powder.

    This was a great post idea!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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    1. Thank you! I could be wrong, but I feel like your WFH job allows you nice balance? I definitely don’t feel like I have that during the school year so I need summers off. I haven’t gotten bored yet. I guess the puppy keeps me from being bored in this season.
      I really love routine and I think it’s good for all of us to have somewhat of a routine!

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      1. OMG, yes, I have a lot of flexibility in my schedule now so making the switch was nice. I always felt like it was a big adjustment when school was out and then back in. I really admire the people who have that balance and work in person!

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      2. I think that’s great. I wish I could find a work from home position but I also really love the performative act of teaching. I need the attention – ha! I have achieved the most balance I ever will, I think.

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  6. Now that we’re basically empty nesters, we run the dishwasher every 3 days or so. We rinse/wash everything (my husband insists) before it goes in the dishwasher, and no pots or pans, all hand washed. All of my husband’s good knifes are hand washed too, lol. He always fixes how I load it as well. I run it at night, one hour cycle, because it’s loud. I do laundry as soon as I have a load, dark or light or sheets, and I love Shout stain remover. We use Dawn but refill the little bottle that sits basically upside down, so you don’t have to flip it upside down to squeeze out detergent. I’m going to look at the Amylu sausages because sometimes we get the sausage links at Aldi, and they give me mystery meat vibes. I always try to get loss leaders and BOGOS at Publix before the sale week resets on Thursday. My husband lives to grocery shop, every day if he can, and I avoid it. I was doing a Profee at work daily but don’t consistently at home in the summer because I don’t need the calories. I tend to overeat in the summer!

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    1. If you run it that little, good to really rinse! But did you know dishwasher uses way less water? I recently read that! Ha – I get that about the links at Aldi. These chicken sausages are really good I think!
      I am trying to get more protein in but I don’t normally want to drink calories – except when it’s wine! Ha! I do, too! Teachers are probably the opposite of other people.

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  7. I never do pans and pots in the dishwasher and I wait until it’s full… which can be a couple of days… am I unhygienic? 😆 At cabin we wash by hand… I guess we’ll put in a dishwasher if and when the family gets bigger.

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  8. I love you did this! Too manyyyyyyyyyyy blogs leave you hanging! BTW, What happened to the blog Living on cloud Nine? I have been following you and her for years. She just left us hanging?

    Missy

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    1. Thank you! Me too! You know, it makes me think they are just “selling” a product! Great question – I am very worried about her. I sent her an IG DM bc we had become “friends” and no response.

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      1. That is so weird I have left a couple messages on her last post. One was on there and then disappeared, now when I write one it never goes on there. Sadly, something has to be wrong for her not to reply to you, a fellow blogger. I would hope her family would say something, maybe they don’t realize people actually are worried and care! I remember one of her sons did a guest post so they know about it!
        If you find out please say something, a lot of the same people read yours and hers.
        thanks! Missy!

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      3. And that is great, but those of us that have been reading her posts for so long, through her retirement all her vacations building her house the twins, she owes all of us at least that!
        Thanks Missy

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      4. Hey Missy –
        Just checked Living on Cloud Nine from my laptop and if you click on right side “shop my post” Andrea has posted an outfit today.

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      8. I agree. If she expects people to buy her LTK she needs to address where she is and what’s going on. People get very invested when they are loyal readers. I have read hers for years but only just started commenting and she started commenting on mine so I thought we were blog friends.

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      9. It would be nice for her to address that she is taking a blogging break, I agree. We really do get invested in each others’ lives.

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  9. We used to run the dishwasher twice a week and now I run it 3-4 times and truly think “Amy does this daily” as permission to run dishwasher when convenient. I love the power wash…Andrea just mentioned using it on stains. I might try that.

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    1. I can’t believe how little you run it! Did you know it uses way less water? Do you use paper plates? We really don’t so that might make a difference.
      I am moving my Dawn to laundry bc I read that too and thought great idea!

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      1. We rarely use paper plates. I just do a quick rinse with my Dawn and then put in dishwasher. We probably run it more in the summer since we are home more…otherwise, it’s usually just dinner plates and cups during the year.

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      2. I think I use my dishwasher so much because I have been cooking so much, too. I usually make something for breakfast and lunch bc I want to!

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  10. I use Dawn Power Spray (but only the apple scent) as I think the other one is to strong. It makes a stainless steel sink shine spray it on scrub the sink rinse and dry and nice shiny sink took dirt off mine I did not realize was there.

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  11. I agree about the Dawn spray. It’s just ok for me, and not really worth the added price. I have a drawer dish washer in this new house that I absolutely hate. I do run it about once a day. Maybe I should do a post on why you should never buy a drawer dishwasher…ha, ha! Great post today!

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    1. Right? Thank you! I am moving mine to the laundry room because that spray will be nice.
      Yes, please do! It sounds small? I love my dishwasher. It is so quiet we can’t tell it’s running.

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  12. Oh gosh, I love Dawn Powerwash. I just discovered it last year via a blog.

    I think routines change so seasonally that I almost forget to update…by the time something works, it’s onto something new!

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  13. I am terrible about routines. I usually wash dishes by hand because there’s not much with just the two of us. But, if I run the dishwasher, I make sure it’s full and run it after 11:00 pm because that’s when the cheap rates are! I do laundry on a need clean underwear basis! I used to clean house from top to bottom every Saturday morning, but now I do it really haphazardly. I clean as I go so the only really dusty thing is the top of the refrigerator that I can’t see anyway! I had heard the Dawn Powerwash was diluted with alcohol and water. Dawn is my go to for heavy stains on clothing, too!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Some people are more routine oriented than others, but I bet you have rhythms? The dishwasher actually uses way less water so that’s why I try to do most in there. Good rule of thumb for laundry! I love Dawn original so much!

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  14. So forever I have wanted to do a follow up post on some products, but still have it on my list to do. I do love this idea and appreciate the reminder to take on this challenge! I bought one bottle of the Dawn Powerwash and have used it some. For the refill, you can easily make your own so I don’t plan on re-purchasing. If it is just me at the house, I can run my dishwasher once a week. With Brook home for the summer, I barely cook and we just run it maybe 2-3 times a week now. I typically do just 2 loads of laundry a week, but with Brook home, I do 3 loads (2 loads of clothes, 1 towels) and then we wash sheets too, but sometimes go every 7-10 days on these. I know….time just gets away. That looks like a great brand of hair spray.

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    1. Yes! Do it! I really like them. I had trouble thinking of all the products I could talk about. I think I am going to move the Dawn Powerwash into the laundry room. Good tip on how to refill it.

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