The other day, I had a sobering incident with the laundry. You might be wondering, is it possible to have a sobering incident with laundry? Yes, it is. Especially if you have a capsule wardrobe.



I was in one of those "mom" moments. The children needed me for various things at the same time and I had about a dozen pressing items on my to-do list. I just needed to throw in a load of laundry so I wouldn't get behind.

I normally wash my clothes separately from my family's clothing. After all, you never know what could be lurking in their laundry, even if you've gone through it carefully.

On this day, however, I was in a rush, so I combined my clothes with my children's clothes. Half-way through the wash, I realized I used the "normal" cycle (I normally wash my clothes on cold on the delicate cycle). But that's not the worst of it. When I went to take my clothes out of the washer, I noticed a strange substance was covering my garments.

Watch today's video to find out what it was.

I was thankfully able to save my Draper James chambray dress, but it was a close call. I also show you how I care for my new Everlane dress in today's video. I hope you enjoy and take on my cautionary tale. Laundry is very important when you have a capsule wardrobe.

The earrings I'm wearing in today's video are by Rachelyn Jewelry. And here is a link to my favorite steamer.

News
📍Join us for the monthly Chic Assignment. For October we are enjoying Schubert, Edgar Allan Poe, presentable sleepwear, and enjoying our best every day.

📍Thank you for your wonderful support of CONNOISSEUR KIDS.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.


On Instagram
Thank you to everyone who is sharing Connoisseur Kids. Share your book with the hashtag #ConnoisseurKids to be featured as Instagram of the week.

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When I grow up I want to be as gracious and poised as the lovely and authentically inspirational @dailyconnoisseur Jennifer L Scott. So excited that #ConnoisseurKids has arrived! I’ll be sharing the wisdom and ideas with my children’s etiquette and communication classes. Thank you Jennifer! The world needs your light 💡 🌍🙏🏼💕🙌🏼 #etiquette #manners #ConnoisseurKids #happyteacher #alwayslearning #communicationcoach #presentperfectcommunication #oneworld #onelove #education #gratitude #nevertooearly

A post shared by Alison Judge (@presentperfectcomm) on Sep 22, 2019 at 6:09am PDT

Comment of the Week
Joselle P. writes, "I have been reading parts of Connoisseur Kids with my 6 year old daughter and 4 year old son. Last night, without even asking her to, my daughter fed our dog, set the table (folded the napkins and everything) and set our glasses of water for everyone. Wow!!! I was just blown away. Reading your book in small chunks is so much more effective than me exasperatedly begging for help. Total life changer. Thank you, Jennifer!!"


Joselle, I am thrilled to hear about the positive impact Connoisseur Kids is having on your family. Wonderful! Please tell your children that the author is very happy! :)

Thank you for joining me today. Be sure to come back to the blog tomorrow for an interview with my writing mentor, Alan Watt. This will be a motivating video for anyone who has ever wanted to complete a major project. See you then!


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In today's video I'm sharing my 7 best tips for taking care of your ten-item wardrobe.



I keep my laundry routine pretty simple. Here are my 7 tips...


🧺 Use a high-quality detergent Use the best quality laundry detergent you can afford, preferably a more natural detergent. I have found over the years that the quality of a laundry detergent really does make a difference in preserving your clothing. In this video, I'm using Hiketron detergent, which is high-quality and smells so good (use code JENNY15 for 15% off) also for a comprehensive collection of natural detergents, check out Grove Collaborative.


🧺 Take care of stains as soon as you can If you are at home and stain one of your garments, take care of it immediately. Use either a stain remover or a high-quality laundry detergent. I have traditionally used Shout stain remover, but if you have a natural one you would like to recommend, please share it below.


🧺 Wash your clothes inside out and on delicate By washing your clothing inside out, you can prolong the wear and tear on your garments. I also find that they fade and pill less.


🧺 Use mesh laundry bags for delicates Wash any majorly delicate clothing in a mesh laundry bag to prevent snags. Delicate lingerie along with pantyhose should always be washed this way too. I am linking some great laundry bags here.


🧺 Dry appropriately I hang the majority of my clothing up on the dryer racks in my laundry room (linking a similar wall mounted dryer rack here). Anything that does not require air-drying, I will place in the tumble dryer along with our wool dryer balls. (Here I am linking wool dryer balls on Amazon and Grove Collaborative.) I do not use dryer sheets as they can contain harsh chemicals.


🧺 Steam or iron to get rid of wrinkles I use a steamer with nearly all of my clothing. I find it a gentle, quick, and convenient way to get the wrinkles out. I do use an iron for Ben's shirts. I love this steamer because you can use it horizontally and vertically. It also heats up in 30 seconds and is easy to travel with.


🧺 Hang your clothing well If your closet is crammed with too many clothes hanging on wire racks your clothes do not have the opportunity to breathe and they can become misshapen and even musty! I like to hang my clothing well-spaced on nice hangers. This is a must! Ditch the wire hangers from the dry cleaners and invest in padded non-slip clothing hangers such as these velvet hangers.

News
📍Join me for the Mapp & Lucia book club's final installment, which will take place this summer. You can read my book club announcement here.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

On Instagram
Madame Chic in China...

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我懶洋洋地坐在客廳的扶手椅軟墊上，菸草的味道逗留在空氣中，溫暖的夜風從敞開的大窗戶吹進屋子裡，精緻的繡帷摺襉恰到好處地垂落在地板上，古董唱機正放著古典樂⋯ 慢活 放慢生活的步調，試著品味每一刻，正是時尚夫人所引導的。 書中的每個章節洗禮著我，開始懂得真正的生活——不光是活著，而是要提領出生命的況味。 此書有三系列，我還差一本（笑 喜歡法式文化的朋友我很推薦唷！ #積木文化出版 #五感生活 #珍妮佛·斯克特 #優雅 #生活 #cite #madamechic #jenniferlscott #grace #gracefullife #appriciatelife #wonderfullife #books #bookstagram #photography #thoughts #relax #bedroomdecor #bedroomcorner #roomdecoration I sat lazily on the cushions of the armchair in the living room, the smell of tobacco staying in the air, the warm night wind blowing into the house from the big open windows, the exquisite embroidery tattoo just right fell on the floor, the antique record player is playing classical music 🎶 Downshifting Slow down the pace of life, try to taste every moment. Each chapter of the book teaches me to begin to understand the real life———not just to live, but to bring out the flavor of life. I recommend this book to my friends who like French life🇫🇷

A post shared by ЅUℕℕᎽ (@phantphant_tzu) on May 8, 2019 at 7:18am PDT

Comment of the Week
I really enjoyed reading your comments from Monday's outfits of the week video. I especially appreciated your response to the "boring American mom" comment I received. Amy B. reminded us all of the great quote from C.S. Lewis, "The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career." Hers was the most liked comment on YouTube. I love Lewis' sentiment and hope that it encourages you as we head into this Mother's Day weekend. Thank you, Amy!

Thank you for joining me for today's video. I would love to know if you have any tips to add to my list. Let us know and your comment could be comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur. I'll see you tomorrow for the latest installment of The Clueless Gardeners!

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Welcome to The Chic Assignment for March! February's assignment was great success. So many of you participated and checked-in with your findings. I really enjoyed reading your book recommendations and your observations on the music too! We are going to continue now for March and I'm excited to see where these assignments take us.



We are going to focus on cultivating our minds, seeking out the arts, being efficient, and refining our ten-item wardrobes. So without further ado, here are the assignments:

🎵 Chic Assignment no. 1 Listen to Chopin Nocturne in E flat major Op. 9 No. 2 Chopin is my favorite composer and this is my favorite classical piece! I am linking a YouTube video by pianist Valentina Lisitsa that you can listen to for free. I am also linking a wonderful Chopin album that includes the nocturne and is worth owning if you are a Chopin fan.



This piece is shorter at around 4 minutes. I'd love for you to listen to it with a cup of tea. If you watched my Tasha Tudor video, you will remember that Tasha recommended sitting down with a cup of tea each afternoon to combat stress. This would be the perfect piece to play in the background. You could look at a book while you sip and listen, or you can chat with a friend, or you could just blissfully listen. It's up to you! Try to do this at least once a week.

🧺 Chic Assignment no. 2 Make your laundry routine more pleasurable

I have left this assignment vague on purpose because I am excited to see what you come up with! I'd like for you to make your laundry routine more pleasurable this month. Whether you sip a cup of tea or iced coffee while folding, or listen to a new audiobook or podcast, how can you make the usually dreaded laundry task more enjoyable? Other ideas include sprucing up your laundry room or dedicating a specific space in your home to doing laundry. Let us know how you improve your routine and your idea could spark inspiration in someone else.

🖼 Chic Assignment no. 3 Study the works of Claude Monet

We are going to seek out the arts and cultivate our minds with the works of French impressionistic painter, Claude Monet. You are all familiar with his iconic paintings, and this month we are going to study them and chose our personal favorites. Even if you are not a fan of impressionism, I'd love for you to take part in this assignment. I am linking a free website where you can look at many of his most popular works. Have a look at them and choose your favorite painting. Report back to let us know which one you like the best and why. When I do my check-in in two weeks, I'll share my favorite with you.

👗 Chic Assignment no. 4 Prepare your ten-item wardrobe for the seasonal transition

Most of us are getting ready to transition into spring (my Southern Hemisphere friends are transitioning seasons too, just the opposite way!). It's time to prepare your ten-item wardrobe. This will vary depending on where you live and the forecasted weather. If you are transitioning from winter to spring, you will be storing away all seasonal items such as heavy coats, snow gear, heavy sweaters, and scarves, for example. Start to bring out your spring items and prepare them for your closet by pressing or steaming them, trying them on to see if they still fit, and hanging them up in your wardrobe. If winter doesn't look like it's going away any time soon, you can simply prepare your spring ten-item wardrobe list. What will be returning and what will you need to purchase to fill in any gaps in your wardrobe? Please comment below on this video or the check-in to let us know how your wardrobe is coming along.

Even though I have not assigned a book for this month, we will continue to read at least one book, or listen to an audio book each month. That will always be a given. I have enjoyed so many of your recommendations so feel free to post what you're reading so you can give us ideas.

Share your findings with us on social media using the hashtags #thechicassignment and #dailyconnoisseur

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
📍 My new eCourse will be debuting next week! If you wish to get caught up on the others before you begin, you can find them here.

📍 Our YouTube channel is almost at 50,000 subscribers! When we hit 50K subscribers, I will do a big giveaway. Be sure to subscribe to my channel by clicking the red subscribe button and the "bell" icon to be emailed whenever I upload a video. (Subscribing is free).

📍 *NEW* I have created an Amazon page with all of my recommendations in one place. Books, music, beauty, wardrobe, presentable pajamas, baby gear... all of my recommendations that can be found on Amazon are here for your convenience.


On Instagram
Madame Chic in Poland...

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𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌 ✨ Czy to tylko popularny trend czy jednak jest odrobina prawdy w tym, że Paryżanki zawsze wyglądają dobrze stawiając na prostotę ? Paryż to najpiękniejsze miasto jakie widziałam ex aequo z Wenecją 😂 pełne małych uroczych kawiarni i oczywiście szykownie ubranych przechodniów. Można się zakochać w tym klimacie 🖤 Ja uwielbiam przemycanie męskiej mody, oversizowych marynarek czy innych minimalistycznych dodatków do damskiej szafy, trend ten zapoczątkowała oczywiście francuska projektanka Coco Chanel 🖤 do tego połączenie elegancji i nonszalancji czyli idealne rozwiazanie na wiosenne dni kiedy zrzucamy z siebie grube, ukochane swetry 💃🏻 . . . #lovely #parisianstyle #parisian #ddobinsta #simple #simplicity #white #jewellery #minimalism #lifestyle #lifestyleblogger #book #madamechic #paris #style #fashion #fashioninspo #inspiration #prostota #lekcjemadamechic #theparisguru #moda #madame #monsieur #minimalist

A post shared by Patrycja Stępień (@ps.patrycjastepien) on Feb 26, 2019 at 2:23am PST

Comment of the Week
On last week's The Private World of Tasha Tudor video, Toni W. writes, "I too am a Tasha Tudor fan and have been for many years. I teach preschool and have read many of her books to many classes. I especially enjoy her illustrations of Corgi’s. Whatever it is that you love, share your passion with your children through books. They will pick up on your enthusiasm which makes learning more enjoyable. By the way, at the end of each year, I bring our pet Corgi named Albert into the classroom for the children to meet. It’s a page out of a book which comes to life! Magic!!"

Hi Toni, I loved your comment. I bet the children had such a great surprise when you brought your corgi to visit them. I agree with your recommendation on teaching through books. Thank you for commenting!


I look forward to hearing your progress on The Chic March Assignment. I'll see you next time!


Visit my Author Website

*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

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In today's Natural Home with Jennifer, I do some investigative work: Do wool dryer balls really work?



Wool dryer balls are an all-natural alternative to fabric softener and dryer sheets. The balls work to soften clothes in your dryer by gently massaging the clothes as they are tossed back and forth. Wool dryer balls also get the static out of your clothes and help to reduce drying time.

I tried out this set of three wool dryer balls for the past few months and really like them. When used alone, they do soften clothes, although not as much as a traditional fabric softener or dryer sheets. The bonus for me is how they get rid of static cling and reduce drying time. I find that they truly do reduce drying time by 25% and even help to dry items that typically do not dry well in our dryer, like my daughter's Beddy's bedding.



Many people have concerns over the chemicals used in fabric softener and dryer sheets, so if you prefer to have an all-natural wash, I would suggest using wool dryer balls instead to soften your clothes. I will definitely continue to use mine.

Another bonus is that they are very eco-friendly. I can use the wool dryer ball set that I have for up to 1,000+ washes!

Another neat feature is that you can lightly fragrance your clothing by dropping your favorite essential oil onto your dryer balls. The combination of the movement and the heat will transfer the fragrance to your clothing.

I purchased my wool dryer balls from Grove Collaborative. They sell a nice set of 3 dryer balls made from 100% New Zealand wool.

You can also find wool dryer balls on Amazon.

I hope you enjoyed today's video. I would love to know... do you use wool dryer balls? What is your experience with them?

Thank you for joining me for today's Natural Home with Jennifer. I'll see you on Monday!



I hope you enjoy today's video.

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.