Not My Daughters Jeans

College Countdown – Part II: Laundry Boot Camp

Although doing laundry may be second nature to you, it is not an inborn trait. If your son or daughter does not know how to sort, wash and dry clothes, it is time for Laundry Boot Camp. 

Reduce his (or her) first-semester stress level by imparting practical knowledge to your child before he departs for college. 

Full disclosure: My daughters did not appreciate their at-home laundry primer until they got to school. They saw students with no formal laundry education throwing everything into one tub.

My daughter, who finished her first year at University of Pittsburgh, told me, “Kids at school have no clue how to do laundry.”  That was unsolicited.

So, a little laundry room practice now will help your child have clean, spot-free, unfaded clothes that did not shrink from hot water and over-drying.

Mary Marlowe Leverette gives step-by-step laundry instructions for teens on About.com: 

Sorting . Separate light and deep colors into two piles. Lights include whites, pastels, light gray and white background. Deep colors include:  black, red, navy, brown, dark gray. Sort heavy and lightweight items into two more piles. Launder heavy things like jeans and towels together. Likewise, wash lighter items like blouses, dress shirts, and underwear in another load.

Leverette writes, “Washing by fabric type allows you to use different water temperatures and keeps drying cycles simple.”

Lastly, have your child check labels for hot, warm or cold water washings, as well as drying instructions. Textiles Industry Affairs has a guide to deciphering laundry symbols.

Pre-treating stains. Speed is key.  I do not know where I read this hint long ago, but it is tried and true. Tell your child the sooner the stain can be soaked in a pre-treatment like Shout, Zout or Spray and Wash, the better his chance getting the stain out. Even if he does wash a day or two later, the results will be much better.

All stains are not treated equally. Protein stains like blood or milk should be rinsed immediately in cold water. Hot water will set protein stains into fabric.

Leverette said ground in dirt should be treated by brushing or scraping off any excess, and soaking the garment in cold water with liquid detergent and color-safe bleach 30 minutes. Then wash the garment in warm, not hot, water. Repeat the process, if necessary.

Savvy Shopping Tips & Back to School Fashions at JCPenney | She ...

Many families across the country are gearing up for one of the biggest occasions of the year – back to school time! Pencils, notebooks, sneakers, socks, jeans… the list of supplies and “must haves” goes on and on.

JCPenney understands that people are looking to “shop smart”. They have a few helpful tips on how to be a savvy shopper, especially when it comes to the back to school shopping season.

Look for value: Instead of buying pieces separately, look for items sold with accessory pieces or built in layering for an easy way to get that hot back to school look without breaking the bank. When my family was in JCP recently we noticed a few tops that came with a necklace, belt or even a fashionable scarf.

Mobile Up: Shop from your hand held device on JCP.com. Sign up for mobile coupons and don’t miss out on any special offers by checking in via Foursquare. Use your smart phone to scan QR code and MS tags to be connect on more info.

Know before ou go:  Before you head to the store, browse online so that your shopping expedition is more efficient. One JCP.com you can even check to see if items are in stock before heading to the store. You can also find directions to the nearest JCP store as well as can’t miss sales happening each day. I would also like to add you should take stock of what your child really needs. Have them try on all their clothes before you go shopping so you have an accurate count as to how many jeans, bottoms, tops, socks and underwear your child needs.

Accessorize: Footware and accessories offer an easy way to add current fashions to your look and allow you to update your wardrobe at a minimal investment. I would suggest fashion scarves, belts, jewelry and even funky hats and hair accessories. They are a fun way to jazz up your wardrobe and they don’t necessarily cost a lot.

Make your shopping count:  Through JCPenney’s “ Pennies from Heaven “. People don’t stop and think that the children in the photos might see the comments and get hurt by them. My daughter for example is on Facebook (she is old enough). I didn’t tell her that the photos were on the site yet because of the negative comments. She’s a teen and as you know they are overly sensitive about things, especially their looks. I feel bad too because she was looking forward to sharing the link with her friends. Someone even went so far to say that my daughter looked “trashy” and that it was “street wear” (I’m pretty sure they meant “street walker” more so then regular wear).