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Misc Blogging Stuff
Apr
16
Mi-Bags
Filed Under Green Products, Household Gear | Leave a Comment
Several years ago I started a little collection of reusable shopping bags to take to markets and grocery stores. The collection is mostly Trader Joe’s cotton bags, some large LL Bean and Land’s End totes and some medium bags about the size of a regular plastic grocery bags, as well as a couple string bags. I keep them folded up in the back of the car, ready to haul out when I hit the market. They are great, solid, reusable, and never wear out, but they all don’t fold and pack up well, plus my kids have played with the string bags until they’ve given out. I decided to look for something that would fit into my purse or diaper bag, handy for any time I needed it.
When I saw these cute Mi-Bags on Mummy’s Product Reviews I knew I wanted one. Vicky, who is also a DC Metro Moms blogger, was having a giveaway, and I won one of the bags, a brown bag with an artsy cat design (pictured). I have to say I’m impressed. It arrives neatly folded up in its small attached pocket, and at just 6×7 inches, it’s a perfect size for tucking away in a purse, but it opens to a large 18×23x7 inches. It has large handles that work great over the shoulder, and the bottom is gusseted to allow for expansion. The bags are made of ripstop nylon and very lightweight, yet pretty durable enough for daily use.
It did a great job with my groceries then folded right back up into my purse, so I’ve found it very handy. The price is more than other market bags, but in this case you are paying extra for the beautiful design and convenience with the attached pocket. The materials are not organic, so you will need to look elsewhere if that is a factor for you. I would not use this bag to carry any sharp objects, but for everyday use it’s great.
The bottom line:
Pros: lightweight, durable, folds into a small attached pocket, artsy designs
Cons: material is not organic, costs more than other market bags
Designs available: zebra, elephant, cat, birds
Cost: US$24.00 + shipping if ordering online
Where to buy: ID-A Designs (online), various retailers in California and Seattle, WA
Company website: ID_A Designs
Oct
19
Swift Mop
Filed Under Green Products, Household Gear | Leave a Comment
No, it can’t bake a loaf of bread, whip up a pot of soup, or make a killer lasagna, but it sure does a great job of cleaning up the messes we make in our kitchen. My mother gave me a complete Swift Mop set as a housewarming gift when we moved in last spring, and I have to say that I’m a total convert. In the past I’ve used the mops with disposable cloths as well as regular squeeze mops and buckets for cleaning. The cost of using disposable cloths adds up over time and isn’t good for the environment, and the buckets of water just make a big mess with the water getting progressively more dirty. My kids generate enough dirt and goo for me to clean up without the mop adding to it!
Enter the Swift Mop and clean up is a whole lot cleaner and easier now. (Gosh, I hate sounding like a commercial!) Anyway, the mop is simple to use. The microfiber cloths cling to the wide Velcro strips on the bottom of the mop head and they don’t come loose like other mopping cloths. Just wet and wring the microfiber cloth, lay it on the floor and press down with the mop, then start mopping. For mopping the hardwood, I just use water on the cloth, but for the the kitchen tile I use a mixture of white vinegar and water that I keep in a spray bottle (about 2 tablespoons white vinegar + water to fill). For the particularly sticky spots that my boys seem to create every hour, I just squirt some of the vinegar solution directly on the spot, let it sit for a few seconds, then mop up. Read more