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A while ago, I realized that I was packing a Ziplock bag of makeup in addition to my usual favorite cosmetic bag — all because the brushes were too big for the cosmetic bag. I wanted something compact, easy to open (but contained on a counter), and big enough for makeup and a few other toiletries. I started my search at Amazon, where this $3 case (with free shipping) quickly got my attention. Yes, the zebra pattern is a bit fug — but for $3, I’d give it a try and use it to organize toys if I didn’t like it. And I do like it! The top flap isn’t quite as useful as I’d hoped (I can put pencils in there but they all fall out in transit), but the zipper works fine and it’s deceptively large inside. It’s $2.84 at Amazon. Fashion Zebra Pattern Lady Makeup Bag Women Portable Cosmetic Toiletry Bags Travel Storage Organizer
Ladies, have you found anything else you really like at Amazon?
Psst: Just a reminder that we’re talking about Working Girl next Tuesday on Corporette — watch it this weekend if you want to join the fun! It’s available on Netflix and Amazon.
(L-all)
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Stephanie says
Does anyone have any suggestions for a jewelry organizer? I have a spot for my fine jewelry but I could use something for my costume jewelry. Right now I’m keeping everything in dust bags in a drawer, which requires me to remember exactly what I own, and then when I’m looking for something I look through every dust bag. Any ideas? Is it really necessary to keep everything in a dust bag?
EP-er says
I appropriated one of my husband’s tie hangers for my costume/statement necklaces. I have it hanging in the closet and it is a good visual of what I have to choose from. I can’t wear earrings, so I don’t know how that would work if you have a lot of matched sets where you want to keep everything together. This solution works great for me!
JEB says
I hang all of my necklaces from a towel bar. I love it because I can see exactly what I have, and nothing ever gets tangled. I don’t wear earrings, so no suggestions there.
JayJay says
I hung up a big cork board in my closet and hang all my costume jewelry from push pins on there.
Anon says
I splurged on a full length mirror jewelry box. I LOVE it, because it feels so fancy to stand there and decide on my accessories for the day.
I don’t use a dust bag because I keep the mirror door closed and consider that good enough.
Famouscait says
I have the Andover jewelry box from Pottery Barn, and I love it. Its big enough for everything I need, but makes me clean things out occasionally when I realize there’s costume pieces I’m not wearing.
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/andover-wood-jewelry-box/?pkey=cjewelry-boxes-accessories%7Corg-jewelry-boxes&&cjewelry-boxes-accessories|org-jewelry-boxes
Anonymous says
For earrings, I used to have a lovely piece of kente cloth someone brought me as a gift nailed to the wall in my closet. I stuck all my earrings in there and thought it worked well. I’ve since moved and wear the same pair of studs every day, but I liked it while it lasted.
Anonymous says
Everything I read and hear tells me that I am supposed to have about the thickest hair ever during pregnancy, but I am losing my hair by the handful! I have to clean my brush every morning and get a handful size clump; not to mention that I keep clogging our shower drain. Is this normal? I’m taking prenatal vitamins and don’t think I’m low on anything specifically, but maybe I am and don’t know it? Should I be concerned?
NewMomAnon says
Ask for a thyroid test – pregnancy can do very strange things to your thyroid, and hair loss is a common side effect of thyroid issues. You are supposed to have thick hair during pregnancy because it doesn’t fall out, so I think this is an issue you should discuss with your OB.
Anon in NYC says
That’s a good point about the thyroid issues. I had an underactive thyroid during pregnancy (although totally fine and normal levels for a non-pregnant person) and had to take synthroid. I had no symptoms that I was aware of (was not tired, not cold, etc.), but based on the blood tests it was an issue.
Katala says
Interesting. I felt like I did not shed 1 hair while pregnant with #1, but this time around I’m shedding. A bit less than before, but I only had 1 year between pregnancies so I was still dealing with PP hair loss. I thought this shedding is just sort of the result of competing forces, but maybe I should ask the doc.
Anonymous says
Katala – I’m the OP. I also didn’t have any hair loss with #1, but am this time with #2. I did have more time between pregnancies (2.5 years) and 2 years since I weaned, so I haven’t chalked mine up to PP issues. I am 35 weeks though, so I it’s a thyroid issue, I’m a bit concerned that the damage may be done…
Katala says
Good to know – maybe it’s a second pregnancy thing. I was pretty sure it was just PP hormone craziness, but maybe not. I will definitely bring it up at my next appt.
MSJ says
I shed a lot of hair during my twin pregnancy. Ob wasn’t concerned and said hormones do weird thing. Finally stopped around 6 mos post partum
argh - forgot lids says
I was in a rush out the door this morning and forgot to bring new lids for my pumping bottles. I thought I had at least one or two spares in a drawer at the office but I don’t. Is there anything to do other than drive home over my lunch hour? I don’t work terribly far so it’s not a huge deal (especially if I go early enough to miss traffic) but I wish I could think of some smart solution. I use medela bottles.
mascot says
Dump out a new bottle of water and pour in there?
argh - forgot lids says
Yes! Duh! That is a good idea. I should have thought of that. Thank you!
(was) due in june says
Been there, did exactly that too. And then I Amazon’d a box of Lanisoh bags to my office for storage purposes, just in case I ever forgot again. Which I did. Several times.
Hang in there!
Anonymous says
Um this is brilliant, I was once in the same situation and tried to put tin foil on the top, which unsurprisingly did not work out so well.
NewMomAnon says
I once dumped my pumped milk into an insulated travel mug I keep in the office. It worked OK.
Anonymous says
Mascot’s suggestion is great.
Alternative is if you have plastic wrap or tinfoil, to cover the bottle top and secure with an elastic band, then put upright in the car’s cup holders so doesn’t spill on the way home.
Edna Mazur says
+1 on the water bottle. Or if you have access to plastic wrap and hair ties/rubber bands, I’ve done that in a pinch as well.
Meg Murry says
+1 to a water bottle or plastic wrap/sandwich bag and rubber band or hair ties.
Is there anyone else pumping in your office? You could ask if they have any milk storage bags.
After forgetting caps more than once I left at least a couple milk storage bags in my pumping bag, and then started stashing them in the pumping room at work for anyone else that forgot too.
FYI, I also learned the hard way that if you forget your bottle you can pump into mugs or paper cups, and then pour into a water bottle to take home. I don’t recommend it, but it does work (at least with a Medela) in a desperate pinch.
The other option is to call the day a loss, go home at lunch and then take a half vacation/sick day and take a nap! Of course, that is rarely possible, but it sure would be nice on a day like today.
Katala says
Agree with water bottles or baggie/elastic. A lot of drugstores, target, baby stores etc. carry medela supplies if any of those are convenient.
In House Lobbyist says
Nalgene bottles. One of my first trips after baby 2 when I still had tons of milk – I used a huge Nalgene bottle for each day. TSA was shocked with 2 big bottles but it worked for me.
Lurker says
I initially read the title of your post as “forgot kids” so at least you didn’t do that!
Anononymous says
Ziploc bags. Not sterile (but I don’t think a waterbottle would be either), but would work. Put bottle inside, rubber band the flat side of the bag around the mouth of the bottle, then seal bag.
Also, you could see if nearby pharmacy stocks pumping bags.
Jax says
Thank you to everyone who responded to my questions about taking a job for the free college tuition benefits for my children! My husband and I never considered the girls feeling pressured to go there, or worse, the benefit becoming a huge source of division and resentment between me and the girls as they decide which college they want to attend.
I walked into the interview focused 100% on what benefits would be there for ME (and not my kids 10 years from now) and when I look at it like that, it’s just a typical office job. Plus, the Secret Handshake Alumni Club of staff members I met (noted on all of their business cards with ’98 or ’03 dates after their names) felt gross to me. I would forever be the outsider who went to State U.
So thanks for helping me to see a clearer picture!
Anonymous says
Glad the advice helped. It may be school policy that business cards of employees who are alumni note that on their cards. If it’s policy that says something about the school but not necessarily the employees themselves.
Summers off would be so appealing to me.
go home, you're drunk (actually sleep deprived) says
I have done so many stupid things today that I can only blame on sleep deprivation after my second full time week back at work. I would go home if I didn’t have a meeting at 3:30 with a surgeon whose schedule is impossible. Today I: forgot lids for my pumping bottles, overfilled a water bottle and it overflowed onto my desk/keyboard (like, I just kept pouring for a second), dropped my phone into a bowl of grits while I was eating, forgot to change out of my commuting shoes for the first hour of work…let’s see how many more I can fit in. It’s only 2:00 after all.
Katala says
Hugs! It’s really hard to get back into a routine that works. Actually, I still have days like this after being back at work for a year… but they are less frequent. Can you go home after your meeting and catch an hour of downtime?
And hooray for the weekend!!
Anonymous says
You’ll make it! I once fell asleep during a (4-person!) meeting (at which I was expected to participate!) the week after coming back to work way too early… It did no long-term damage :)