Memorial Day is just around the corner! Thankfully, most people in Massachusetts have had the COVID-19 vaccine, and with the gradual reopening of the economy, we are heading in a positive direction. Celebrating Memorial Day in a wide, open, outdoor space is a relatively safe option for most people. If you want to make sure this year’s Memorial Day party is one to remember, here are some planning tips. 1. Get vaccinated, and remind others. Gathering outdoors is safer than gathering indoors, but you’ll be even safer if you and your party attendees are vaccinated for COVID-19. Schedule your vaccine at the local pharmacy if you have not already, and remind your friends and family members to do the same. Remember, it takes several weeks to build immunity after a vaccine, so get vaccinated sooner rather than later. 2. Take table linens and flags to the dry cleaners. After a great party, you don’t want to have to spend all week cleaning up! Make plans to take your table linens, flags, and any other cloth items to the nearest dry cleaners after the party. If any of your clothing get stained, perhaps with ketchup or mustard, you can take that clothing in, too. Professional wash and fold services are excellent at removing stains. 3. Stock up on essentials at the drug store. With the weather starting to warm up, it’s important to make sure you have all of the essential meds on-hand. Prior to Memorial Day, visit a nearby drug store to buy some allergy medications, bug spray, sunscreen, and other essentials. Also make sure you have a First Aid kit on-hand. Stock it with Band Aids, antibiotic ointment, pain relievers, gauze, and other basics. Keep the First Aid kit outside during the party, along with a basket with sunscreen and bug spray, and make sure all of your party attendees know where it is. 4. Create an upbeat playlist. Everyone deserves a mood lift right now! Put together an upbeat, uplifting playlist for your Memorial Day party. Consider reaching out to each person who is invited, and ask them what their favorite song is. Add all of these favorite songs to your playlist, and your guests will be delighted. This year, Memorial Day is a welcome chance to reconnect with family and friends. Make sure you’re vaccinated, safe, and ready to have a great time. Whether you grill hot dogs or have the party catered, what’s important is that you’re together! The winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin. It can be even worse if you have sensitive skin to begin with. It’s important not to ignore the beginning signs of dry skin, since it can quickly become flaky and cracked if ignored. Cracked skin can lead to pain, bleeding and even skin infections. Here are some ways to take care of your dry skin in the wintertime. Stock Up on Good Quality Lotions, Creams and MoisturizersLotion is an absolute must in the winter. You’ll find that you need to moisturize much more often than you do the rest of the year. Having several bottles of good quality moisturizer or cream in your house, in your car and in your purse or backpack will keep you prepared. Apply it on your hands and forearms several times a day, as those are the areas that tend to get the driest. But also apply to your whole body right after a hot shower, that will ensure your skin will stay moisturized longer. The pharmacy near me has a great selection of lotions, creams and moisturizers, and I can also consult the pharmacists there for the products that suit my skin. If needed, they also offer skin compounding service, providing compounded medications with specific strengths, dosages and forms for skin conditions such as eczyma and psoriasis. Don’t Forget About the KiddosKids tend to get incredibly dry skin in the winter, and may not think or be able to tell you. Be sure you’re applying lotion daily to sensitive areas. Always check the ingredients and try to use unscented or undyed when possible. And don’t forget the diaper cream! Beware of IrritantsDry flaky skin can be especially sensitive to irritants. So it’s important to be aware of what kind of products you’re using on your laundry in the winter time. If you use a wash and fold service, or take items to the dry cleaner, be sure to let them know about your sensitive skin and allergies. Aging Skin Can be Particularly Dry and SensitiveIf you are caring for an elderly family member, be sure to keep their skin moisturized in the winter time as well. Any home caregivers or medical help should be aware of any sensitivities or allergies your loved one has. Keep an eye out for reactions from certain products.
Dry skin can be a nuisance, but by taking a few extra steps in the winter, you can keep your skin soft and moisturized. It’s a new year! That, of course, doesn’t mean that the hardships and uncertainty of 2020 will disappear. However, we can make a conscious effort to declutter our minds by simplifying our lives. So, to maintain that “New Year, New You” mentality, here are some great tips that are easy to implement. Take Care of Your HealthIf the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to focus on our health and the health of our loved ones. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can be as easy as starting to take a multi-vitamin every day, if you don’t already. Talk to your doctor about any nutritional supplements that might be beneficial for your specific health concerns. Your local pharmacy should carry everything you need. And you may even be able to get a nutritional consultation from your pharmacy as well. Don’t Stress About the Little ThingsWe all have daily chores that can get ahead of us if we let them. It’s silly to stress about things like housework and laundry. If clothes are piling up, and it’s just adding too much stress to your life, consider hiring a laundry service. Having someone pick up your dirty laundry, wash, dry and fold them and deliver them back to you can be quite a lifesaver. There’s no reason to feel guilty about spending money on something like that if it’s within your budget. Checking things off your list that add to your stress is a good thing. Make an Effort to Improve the Lives of OthersThere’s no better way to improve your own life than by improving the life of someone you love. This past year has probably been especially tough on your elderly loved ones and neighbors. Be sure to check in on them often. Even if they have a home health aide or caregiver, they may be missing that personal contact from their loved ones. Nothing can replace a phone call from someone you love. This goes for friends with little ones at home too. Parents have played both caregiver and teacher roles for the last year, and it can be incredibly stressful. Just ordering a meal or sending over a gift basket to a mom or dad in your life would be an incredible gesture.
Doing these simple things can lead to a new you in this coming year! Laundry is one of those chores that can be resource intensive and a significant polluter, but it doesn’t have to be. Yes, you can go green and get your laundry clean. There are a few simple things you can do to make wash day more eco-friendly. Do Full LoadsA full load uses less energy and water than two half loads. Save water, energy, and time. Use Eco-Friendly DetergentChoose a laundry detergent without added dyes, fragrances, and petroleum-based chemical compounds. Some dry cleaners offer eco-friendly wash, dry, fold service that uses custom detergent, formulated to be eco-friendly and boost cleaning power. Use Less DetergentPay attention to the amount of detergent you use, too. Read and follow the directions on the detergent box. Too much detergent not only dumps more soap into the water, but also reduces the washer’s efficiency. Use Non-Chlorine BleachChlorine has many damaging effects on the environment, and you don’t really need it to get your laundry white. Try lemon juice or a “free and clear” bleach. To help save the environment, we should try to use only chlorine-free laundry products. Use the Right Dryer SettingsMatch the drying time to the load. For example, nylon dries faster than denim. Use lower heat to save energy. I dry all clothes in low/medium heat. Upgrade Your Washing MachineCommercial washers are already more efficient than home washers. The newest generation of high-efficiency washers is designed to use even less energy and less water. This new technology is available in home washers now too. Reduce, Reuse, RecycleTry a concentrated eco-friendly detergent to get the same amount of wash from a smaller package. Recycle plastic detergent bottles. Reuse laundry bags, hangers, containers, and anything else you can think of – be creative. Some eco-friendly dry cleaners use reusable laundry bags for laundry pickup and delivery service, too. Spend Time With Your Family, Not Your LaundryI prefer to take my laundry to the dry cleaner near me, or use their free laundry pickup service. That way, the hours and energy that I spend on laundry are better spent on playing with my kids and watching TV with my family. Wouldn’t you do the same?
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