Dos and Don’ts of the First Summer Post Pandemic

After last year’s shutdown summer, and after what was one of the wildest school years ever, my girls and I were ready for summer break.

And we have been loving every minute of this post-pandemic summer! I hope you are, too!

However, now that we are in the throes of summer and school is quickly approaching, I realize I have had some wins and some fails.

So, I am taking some time today to share what I have done right (and wrong) so far in hopes it can help you make the most of your post-pandemic summer!

Don’t Overdo It

I realized very quickly into this post-pandemic summer that I was way overdoing it.

I was trying to cram everything fun in that I felt like my family missed last summer.

It started off fun, but it went south very quickly.

Basically, we were all exhausted and couldn’t go from 0-60 like I tried.

Pre-pandemic, it was normal for us to go-go-go, but we just aren’t there yet. And that’s okay.

If you are feeling worn out, slow down. There will be other summers that feel normal again.

Do Have Lowkey Fun

At the same time, fun is a must.

After burning out, I looked for ways to have lowkey fun, such as Sundaes on Sundays.

My goal was little outings that we missed out on last summer but didn’t require an entire day or a ton of energy.

What I discovered was it didn’t matter to my girls if we did something small. They were happy just to be out and feel somewhat normal again.

Don’t Stress About Screen Time

In summers past, I stressed screen time rules.

But the pandemic made all of us through our screen time rules out of the window.

And I quickly realized that trying to get my girls to fall back into old screen time rules was more trouble than it was worth.

The good news is that the pandemic introduced me to a ton of fantastic online programs, such as Tynker and iD Tech.

The quality of programming is so great that I no longer feel guilty if they are glued to their screens.

As long as my girls have spent time moving, creating, and communicating, I’m okay with them having a little extra screen time.

Plus, it means I get some time to myself.

Do Splurge

Earlier I said that my girls are totally fine doing something small, but I have tried to spoil them a bit this summer, too.

The pandemic has been really hard on our kids, and they have acted like champs.

I wanted to reward them for rolling with the punches and having a better attitude than their parents most of the time.

So, we did plan a few getaways to kid-friendly spots like DreamWorks Water Park in New Jersey.

Don’t Wait ‘Til the Last Minute to Shop for School

I remember how difficult it was to shop last year when stores didn’t have usual hours and had capacity limits.

I never want to deal with that again.

So, from here on out (pandemic or no pandemic), I am doing my back-to-school shopping sooner rather than later.

Speaking of back-to-school shopping, the next two weeks are the sweet spot for getting school clothes on sale from major retailers.

How to Talk to Kids About What They See on the News

The events of the past week have left many parents in the difficult position of trying to explain news coverage to their children. Whether it is what happened at the Capitol on January 6th, the pandemic, violence, or natural disasters, the news coverage is scary – especially for kids. If, like me, you have struggled with how to talk to your kids about what they see on the news, here are some tips from psychologists.  

Look at those innocent faces! Their innocence makes these conversations so hard.

Don’t Lie or Hide the Truth

It can be tempting to avoid discussing major events with kids, but if they are school-aged, they will likely see or hear about it somehow. Therefore, it is important for parents to discuss these events with their kids, so they get the correct information. When speaking to your kids, you want to tell them the truth about what happened. Tell the truth in an age-appropriate, fact-based approach.

Emphasize Their Safety

It’s crucial to make kids feel safe. No matter what major news event has occurred, kids need to know they are safe and protected. CNN explains, “Younger kids tend to wonder if something bad is going to happen to them or to you. Reassuring them not only brings them peace; it allows them to feel like a kid where the burden of being the protector is on the parents. Kids need parents to be parents during times of crisis.”

Ask Them Questions First

A wise way to approach the topic is to begin by asking your kids what they have heard about the news story. Instead of jumping straight in, feel them out to see what they already know or what misinformation they have gathered. This will help guide your conversation.

Be Concise

Kids don’t need to know all the details – just give the gist of what happened. Keep the truth simple and to the point.

Demonstrate Coping Mechanisms

As adults, we are more aware of what is happening and how it may or may not affect us. We already have coping mechanisms we know to employ when we feel anxious or stressed (such as turning off the news, going on a walk, taking deep breathes, etc.). Use this as an opportunity to talk to your kids about how you deal with scary news and demonstrate your coping skills.

Limit Media Exposure

Let’s face it. Sometimes what they show on the news is scary – even for adults. Therefore, we should limit media exposure for our kids. If you are watching the news on your tv or phone and they are showing things that will scare your kids, turn it off until the kids are in bed.

Teach Them to Look for the Helpers

When they do see or hear scary news, teach them to look for the helpers. Mister Rogers famously said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" Remind kids that when bad things happen, people run to their aid. Find stories from the particular event of these everyday heroes.

Name Your Feelings

Lastly, don’t be afraid to tell your kids how you are feeling. This is actually a good way to teach your kids emotional intelligence. Tell them you are sad, frustrated, or angry, and ask your kids to name their feelings, too.

What other tips do you have for talking with your kids about the scary stuff they see or hear on the news? Let me know in the comments.

7 Easy Ways to Make Christmas Eve Extra Special

Christmas 2020 is going to look and feel a little different – but that doesn’t mean it has to be “bad” different. We can still give our kids a magical Christmas even if we have to stay home, Clorox more often, and see Santa with a mask. If we have the right attitude and enough Christmas spirit, this may just be the Christmas our kids remember the most. Here are 7 easy ways to make Christmas Eve extra special for kids this year.

Mix Up Reindeer Food

On Christmas Eve, guide Santa’s reindeer to your home with reindeer food. The idea is to mix food reindeers will eat, such as oatmeal, with shiny glitter to attract them to your yard. Here’s an easy (cheap) recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup white sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup red and green colored decorating sugar crystals

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all the ingredients together and sprinkle it on your lawn.

Bake Cookies

One of the benefits of a quarantine Christmas is that we have more time at home than usual. Typically, we have to find time in the hustle and bustle of the season. Since we aren’t as busy, it means we finally have time to go all-out when baking cookies for Santa. This is the year to make a mess and have some fun with the kids in the kitchen.

Hot Cocoa Bar

Before you get ready to leave out milk and cookies for Santa, set up a hot cocoa bar for the whole family. Choose some special toppings and stirrers to make the cocoa extra special. Kids top their mugs like they would at an ice cream sundae bar. Don’t forget to put out some peppermint vodka for Mr. and Mrs. Claus to add to their mugs.

Play Christmas-Themed Games

During the Easter quarantine, we played competition-style Easter-themed games (such as an egg spoon relay). We plan to do the same on Christmas Eve, such as pin the red nose on Rudolph. Check out Parents' list of 10 Fun Christmas Party Games for Kids of All Ages.

Have a Special Dinner Without Cooking

Unless you love cooking, 2020 is the year to let someone else do it for you. Not only does this guarantee it will be delicious, but it will also help your favorite restaurants stay in business. With so many restaurants suffering from lost revenue, you can support them by ordering a pre-cooked Christmas dinner.

Track Santa

The pandemic is not going to prevent Santa from delivering toys to all the girls and boys around the world. Dr. Fauci told USA Today, “Santa is exempt from [this pandemic] because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity. Santa is not going to be spreading any infections to anybody.” Since Santa is declared safe to spread joy, track his journey with NORAD.

Sibling Sleepover

A Christmas Eve tradition we have that we plan to keep until forever is encouraging our daughters to treat Christmas Eve as an extra special sleepover. If your kids don’t share a room, this is a great way for them to bond and to keep them secure in one room while Santa prepares the presents.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Why I Never Leave Home Without IMODIUM®

This post is sponsored by IMODIUM®

Alright, ladies, let’s get real. Poop happens. Often, at the worst possible time. That’s why we laugh the hardest when we watch the unforgettable scene in Bridesmaids when Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCartney struggle to overcome a horrible bout of food poisoning during a bridal fitting. Or when Charlotte mistakenly drinks the water during her shower in Mexico in Sex and the City: The Movie and doesn’t make it to the hotel suite in time to relieve herself. We laugh because this seems like the absolute worst thing to happen, but we also laugh because we’ve all had an experience where we didn’t think we would make it to the bathroom in time.

Recently, I made the poor decision to eat a heavy breakfast before hitting the road. My family left for a four-hour road trip upstate. Shortly into the ride, my stomach started to feel a little off. I’m not a big fan of using the public restroom, but this was an emergency situation.  Unfortunately, this was during the time when public restrooms were not all fully open and other places had restrictions. The outlook was not looking good. 

Thankfully, I had IMODIUM® with me (I never leave home without it). I quickly took two IMODIUM® A-D Caplets and shortly afterwards, my stomach started to settle, and I made it to our destination without any embarrassing mishaps.  I’m sure I’m not the only mom to have ever broken out in a sweat thinking I wouldn’t make it nor am I the only mom who has had to miss out on the fun because I had to keep going to the bathroom.  Read on to see why I’m such a huge fan of IMODIUM® A-D Caplets and would highly recommend it to every woman I know.

IMODIUM® Helps Me Survive Life’s Busy Seasons

Life as a working mom never slows down, but some seasons are busier than others. Like the holiday season. According to a survey reported by the New York Post, “The pressure to have a ‘perfect Christmas’ also takes its toll on 41 percent of Americans, 5 who confess to working ‘too hard’ to achieve it. The percentage jumps to almost half (49 percent) for moms, who put even more pressure on themselves.” Almost half of today’s modern moms blame the pressures that come with holiday planning for their bouts of “less than festive” stress. If you catch my drift ;) …

Beyond the holidays, the pressures and high demands of everyday life alone can trigger diarrhea. With IMODIUM® A-D Caplets, diarrhea is one less thing you have to worry about! As soon as I feel an upset stomach coming on, I can take a caplet and find relief within an hour. Which is great, because then I can tackle my giant holiday to-do list without having to worry about constantly running to the restroom. Basically, IMODIUM® A-D Caplets have been a true game-changer for me.

Where to Find IMODIUM® and Where to Keep It

IMODIUM is #1 doctor-recommended anti-diarrheal brand for symptom relief and control. The IMODIUM® A-D Caplets work for even mild bouts of diarrhea by slowing your digestive system back to its normal, comfortable pace. I like the caplets because they are fast, effective, and small. I love that I can take them discreetly and even without water. 

IMODIUM® A-D Caplets provide on-the-go relief, which is why I always keep them with me (in my purse, in my car console, and in my medicine cabinet). And, I never ever travel without IMODIUM® A-D Caplets. Ask anyone who has ever experienced Traveler’s diarrhea and you’ll see why IMODIUM® A-D Caplets is a travel essential. 

You can find IMODIUM® A-D Caplets at most drug and grocery stores. Go to Target.com to snag a box today!

This May Be Why Your Kids Don’t Act Grateful

Have you ever thought your kids could be a little more grateful? You’re not the only one. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it has me thinking about how to raise my daughters to be grateful people. Of course, I encourage them to say thank you, but I’ve come to find there is a big difference between teaching them to simply say those words and actually being grateful. When doing some research, I discovered that there is a clear reason why our kids don’t act grateful - we don’t teach them.

You Haven’t Taught the 4 Parts of Gratitude

According to Greater Good Magazine, “Research suggests that the experience of gratitude has four parts, but we rarely teach all of them to our kids.” The majority of parents focus solely on what children DO to show gratitude (i.e., saying “thank you”). However, there are three other parts of gratitude that should come into play before we actually show gratitude.

Here is an explanation from the Raising Grateful Kids project at UNC Chapel Hill.

Based on the scientific literature and our conversations with parents, we’ve come to think about gratitude as an experience that has four parts:

• What we NOTICE in our lives for which we can be grateful

• How we THINK about why we have been given those things

• How we FEEL about the things we have been given

• What we DO to express appreciation in turn

In order for kids to learn to be grateful, they have to work their way through these four parts. But, most parents tend to stick to part number four: what we do to express appreciation (say, “thank you”).

Put It Into Practice

Fortunately, once you understand that there are four parts to gratitude, it is easier to teach your children gratitude.

• NOTICE – Start by helping your kids notice the things in their life they are grateful for beyond a gift, such as being grateful for the person who gave it to them being in their life.

• THINK – Move on to helping your kid think about the gift. Greater Good recommends the following questions: “Why do you think you received this gift? Do you think you owe the giver something in return? Do you think you earned the gift because of something you did yourself? Do you think the gift was something the giver had to give you? If you answered no to these questions, then you may be more likely to be grateful.”

• FEEL – Ask your kid how the gift makes your child feel (such as happy) and what about the gift makes them feel this way.

• DO – What can you DO to show appreciation for this gift? Greater Good explains, “Prompting children after experiences of gratitude in order to motivate acts of gratitude, whether they be acts of appreciation or paying it forward, may help children connect their experiences and actions in the world.”

Model the Four Parts of Gratitude for Your Kids

Ultimately, the best way to teach your kids gratitude is to act grateful yourself. Let’s say a stranger ahead of you in line buys your Starbucks.

• NOTICE – Wow! I am so grateful that there are kind people in the world like that nice man.

• THINK – I didn’t even do anything for him to pay for my drink. What a kind gesture! Hmmm, maybe I should do something kind in return.

• FEEL – That small gift from a stranger made me feel so good inside.

• DO – Thank the stranger and then pay it forward and buy the person behind you a coffee.

When Presents Go Wrong – Prepare Early to Prevent Gift Faux Pas

I’ve already started talking about holiday shopping because we have got to get a jump on it this year. Between supply chain disruptions and second shutdowns, there is a real possibility shopping for gifts will be harder than ever before. And that’s on top of the usual challenge of buying the perfect gift for family and friends.

I love giving gifts, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t ever given a bad gift (I’ve certainly received a few). Unless you have the type of relationship where you can ask directly, “What do you want for Christmas,” it’s up to you to find the perfect present. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves when it comes to gift giving because we believe the gift will say something about our relationship with the individual. And there is some truth to that idea.

According to the BBC, “Although giving gifts can make you happy, communicate your feelings toward the receiver and even strengthen relationships, a less-than-stellar gift can have the opposite effect. […] Research has also showed that undesirable gifts can sometimes negatively impact the receiver’s perception of a relationship’s future potential.”

Hence the perfect present pressure. Here are some of the common gift giving faux pas.

Thoughtful or Thoughtless

Your gift will be seen as either thoughtful or thoughtless. A friend shared this Christmas gift story with me:

On the first Christmas with my new sister-in-law, I was excited to finally share the holidays with a new sister. I searched for the perfect feminine gift. I chose a gift set of Lush bath bombs because I absolutely adore my quiet bath time and think Lush products are the best of the best. As we prepared to exchange gifts, my new sister-in-law presented my gift first. She got me a nice neutral colored handbag. It was nice, but it didn’t match my normal bold colors and patterns. She commented that her husband (my brother-in-law) shared that he always gave me bath stuff, and she told him she couldn’t give someone in the family something as mundane as bath products… And then she opened her gift of bath products. We didn’t know one another well enough yet and were trying to be thoughtful, but both of our gifts looked thoughtless.

Have you ever chosen a gift that later seemed thoughtless? Have you ever been given something that showed the gift giver didn’t really know you?

Big Spender or Cheap

There is also the worry of whether the gift(s) you choose will make you look like a big spender or a cheapskate. If you spend significantly more, the other person may feel uncomfortable. On the other side, if you spend significantly less, you worry they will think you don’t care enough to spend more money on their gift.

Prevent Gift Giving Anxiety with the Help of a Gift Advisor

If these types of worries cause you to suffer from gift-giving anxiety, you’re not alone. Many women feel stressed about buying perfect presents for everyone in their life. The problem is that we just don’t have time to work, take care of kids, and buy a worry-free gift for everyone on our list.

That’s where a gift advisor comes in. I am honored to work as a gift advisor for Neiman Marcus. Gift advisors take the guesswork out of holiday gift giving and will curate a list of the perfect presents for everyone on your list. Simply take a quiz to identify your gift giving needs to be paired with a gift advising expert.

7 Ways to Save Money This Holiday Season

Christmas is right around the corner. As much as I love all the holiday fun, sometimes it hurts my wallet. It is super easy to overspend at the holidays and wind up paying for your Christmas gifts well into the new year. Don’t feel too bad if this sounds familiar. According to CNBC, “A new holiday survey from American Express Pay It Plan It found that 86% of millennials (23 to 38) spent more money during the holidays last year than they planned to. Of those who overspent, about one in five (21%) went over budget by approximately $500 or more.”

Don’t fret. With these 7 tips, you can save money this holiday season while still enjoying all the holiday cheer.

1. Create a Budget

Before you begin holiday shopping, you need to create a budget. Make a list of every person you plan to buy gifts for and set a budget for how much you are willing to spend per person. Prioritize the list. For example, designate more money for your immediate family members and less money for your co-workers.

Note – Stick to your budget. It’s pointless if you make a budget and don’t follow it.

2. Prioritize Your Spending

When budgeting, think beyond gift giving. We tend to spend a lot of money during the holidays on extras, such as holiday décor, entertainment, and food. Limit the extras on your budget. Plan for those things you know you must have and allocate a certain amount. For example, you know you will have a holiday meal, so set aside money for it now rather than going overboard when the day comes.

On the same note, be sure to include stocking stuffers in your family’s gift budget. If you aren’t careful, you can wind up blowing your budget on these little things.

3. Only Buy Items on Sale

Make it a rule this holiday shopping season to only buy items on sale. Refuse to pay the full price for anything. Thankfully, technology makes this super easy. For example, go ahead and set a price drop alert for the hot toy item on your child’s wish list using Camel Camel Camel, which tracks Amazon price drops. Look for coupons online before you click buy (or on your smartphone while shopping in-store). Use price comparison apps to make sure you are getting the best price.

4. Start Shopping Now

Sadly, 2020 production is still slower than usual, so anticipate delays and products running out. If your child wants a popular toy, it is better to go ahead and buy it than risk waiting and not be able to find it. The good news is most big stores have already started Black Friday and holiday deals now.

5. Shop Online

You can save money shopping online this holiday season. According to a First Insight report, “89 percent of women and 78 percent of men who visit physical stores shared that they add additional items to their cart beyond their identified need. By comparison, a lower 67 percent of men and 77 percent of women reported adding extra items to their carts when shopping online.”

6. Take Advantage of Curbside Pickup

Along the same lines, rather than going into a store and overspending, take advantage of curbside pickup. This will prevent you from impulse buying and overspending. Plus, curbside pickup is convenient and safe.

7. Talk to Family and Friends About Cutting Back

The best way to cut back on overspending is to stop spending as much. Period. I’m not suggesting you quit buying Christmas presents, but it may be time to cut back on the number of presents you buy or how many people you buy for or how much you spend on each person. For example, ask if your family would like to draw names to give to one person rather than giving to everyone or ask family members to set a spending limit.

8 Reasons We Decided to Get a Fur Baby

I am happy to introduce you to the newest member of our family, a fur baby named Milo. Milo is a Havanese puppy. After years of begging, we finally decided to get our girls a dog. What made us decide to finally give in to their requests for a family dog? Beyond Milo simply being the cutest puppy I’ve ever seen, there are other reasons why we made the commitment to welcome four extra paws into our family.

1. Teach Responsibility

One of the main reasons we decided to get a family dog is because we believe our girls are at an age where they can help take care of him. When they were younger, all the responsibility fell on me. And I didn’t know one more thing to take care of. Now that they are older, we are hoping owning a dog will help teach responsibility. They will be responsible for feeding him and picking up his toys.

2. Foster Empathy

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), “Multiple studies showed that children who owned pets were more empathetic towards others.” Learning to care for a dog helps foster compassion and empathy for people and animals other than themselves.

3. Find Comfort

Dogs are the ultimate teddy bear. They comfort kids and make kids feel supported. It’s one reason why comfort dogs show up after major disasters or events that are anxiety-inducing. Just being in the presence of a dog can alleviate stress.

4. Boost Self-Esteem

As kids take responsibility, their self-esteem grows. Kids are proud of themselves for being big enough to help. Likewise, as they feel comforted and supported, their self-esteem improves.

5. Built-In Companionship

A dog is essentially a built-in playmate for a kid. Dogs love wholeheartedly, and kids reap the benefits of their unwavering love. Plus, dogs can help kids develop social skills. For example, Momtastic reports, “A University of Missouri study found that children with autism have stronger social skills when a dog lives in the home. ‘Children were more likely to engage in behaviors such as introducing themselves, asking for information, or responding to other people’s questions,’ says Gretchen Carlisle, a research fellow who helped in the study.

6. Get Active

Dogs need exercise, which means your kids get exercise. One of the girls’ responsibilities will be playing with the dog outside. Dogs make fewer messes when they get enough physical activity, so we are making that a priority. Not only will this help kids stay active, but it will also force them to put down their devices and head outside.

7. Stay Safe

Dogs have great ears. They can hear things humans can’t. As a result, they can alert us to danger. With a dog, you get a built-in security system. For this reason, many kids feel safe having a dog in the home.

8. Have Fun

Last but certainly not least, having a dog is fun! Who doesn’t love puppy cuddles or playing fetch? We have only had Milo for a few days and our home is already more fun!

What dog tips do you have for me? We need them! Post them in the comments.

10 Ways to Get the Leftover Halloween Candy Out of Your House

Halloween 2020 was a bit different, but one thing stayed the same. The kids scored a whole lot of candy. I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but your kids probably shouldn’t binge eat their entire Halloween loot in a week. If you are as ready as I am to get the leftover Halloween candy out of your house, here are 10 ways to say goodbye to it.

1. Take It to Work

A quick and easy way to get rid of leftover Halloween candy is to take it to work. Better yet, split it between you and your spouse. Your co-workers will love you and your kids won’t remain on a sugar high.

2. Give It to Teachers

Our teachers are doing all sorts of amazing things this year – in the classroom and virtually. No matter how your child is learning, you can be sure her teacher is going above and beyond. Say thank you with a gift bag full of sweets.

3. Donate It

You can donate your leftover Halloween candy to Soldiers' Angels and Operation Gratitude. Both organizations give these sweet treats to military veterans and active members. You can also check your local dentist’s office to see if they are participating in a Candy Buyback program that allows kids to exchange candy for a reward. The candy is then donated to U.S. troops.

4. Pay Your Kids in Candy

Hold your kid’s candy hostage and give it back to them as rewards for good behavior or completing work around the house.                                                                                                           

5. Bake with It

There are countless recipes online for ways to use Halloween candy to make baked goods, such as the Brown Eyed Baker’s Leftover Halloween Candy Bark. You should also check out this list of 24 Insane Things To Do With Leftover Halloween Candy from Delish.

6. Do Candy Experiments

Have some educational fun with the leftover Halloween candy. Do some kid-friendly science experiments, such as putting gummy worms in water to watch them expand. A simple google search for candy experiments will bring up a ton of other options.

7. Put It in an Advent Calendar

If your family does an advent calendar for the days leading up to Christmas, use leftover Halloween candy to fill it.

8. Use It for Decorating

Speaking of Christmas, save your Halloween candy to make the sweetest gingerbread house ever. All those little candies will make for excellent gingerbread house décor.

9. Save It for Stockings

One of my favorite things to do with my kids’ leftover Halloween candy is to save it to stuff in their Christmas stockings. A Christmas stocking isn’t complete without candy, but why spend more money when you’ve already got a stash? Just make sure you don’t save any candy with Halloween-themed wrapping paper.

10. Hide It for Yourself

Last but not least, treat yourself! Pick out your favorite candy from your kid’s Halloween stash and put it aside for you. Be sure to hide it away so mama can get her sugar fix whenever she wants.

What do you do with your kid’s leftover Halloween candy? Let me know in the comments!

It’s Boot Season – Here’s How to Keep Them Looking Fab

One of the best things about the change in seasons is pulling out my favorite pairs of boots (and purchasing a few news favs). I love boot season! What I don’t love is pulling last year’s boots out only to be disappointed by all their wear and tear. If you think of your favorite pair of boots as a statement piece in your wardrobe that won’t go out of style, then you need to take good care of them. Here are 6 things you can do to keep them looking fabulous year after year.

1. Making Cleaning Your Boots a Priority

When is the last time you cleaned your boots? They need to be cleaned regularly – especially if you wear them in places where they get dirty. Use a soft cloth to wipe away any dust or debris on your boots. If you need to remove debris from a wintry mix (such as snow or salt), apply a salt stain remover to your boots and let them dry overnight. This will prevent staining.

 Note – If your boots are suede, use a suede brush to clean them.

2. Use a Barrier Spray

You can avoid a significant amount of wear and tear if you apply a protective treatment to your boots. Just like a protective barrier for your furniture protects it from stains, a protective boot spray can help repel liquids away from your boots and makes it much easier to wipe them clean.

3. Add a Protective Sole

If you want to keep these boots in your wardrobe forever, then consider adding a protective sole to the already existing sole. You’ll need to take your boots to a shoe repair shop to have this done, but it will make your boots last significantly longer.

4. Invest in Boot Shapers

Whatever you do, do not leave your boots standing upright without putting something inside them to hold their shape. If you don’t, your shapes will bend and become damaged or misshapen. I recommend investing in boot shapers, which are designed for this purpose. However, if you don’t want to wait until you can find some boot shapers, you can stuff your boots with something in your home.

5. Keep Your Shoeboxes

Storing your boots in the off-season is just as important. Ideally, you should keep your shoeboxes for easy storage. If you have gotten rid of your shoeboxes, then store them in a box with a loose lid (leather needs to breathe).

6. Remove Scuffs

Your boots are going to get scuffed at some point. Go ahead and purchase some leather crème in the right shade to have on hand for when this happens. For small scuffs, you can use a soft cloth, baking soda, and water to buff the boot. For bigger scuffs, you will need to use the leather crème.

Note – If your boots are suede, use a suede eraser to remove the shiny spots on the material.

Do you have a pair of boots that you adore? Tell me all about them (or better yet, post a pic).