Review: Soak Wash for Laundry on the Go

Last year, while getting fitted for a bra at a fancy Toronto store, I stumbled on a Canadian laundry wash called Soak. The fitter recommended it to me because it's made for delicates. I already knew I should be hand-washing certain sweaters and lingerie, but I was pretty lazy about it. It's time-consuming and I never felt like I was getting anything clean anyway. So I bought some Soak and hoped it would change my lazy ways. It ended up being a great purchase.

What I love about Soak is that it you don't have to stand there scrubbing/agitating anything and you don't have to rinse it out. You just pour a bit of the liquid into cold water, toss your garment in, let it soak for 15 minutes, gently wring/squeeze it out and hang it to dry. That's it! It cleans well, is easy to use and easy on your clothes. 

It's fantastic for traveling because you can do laundry just about anywhere as long as you have a sink and a place to hang stuff to dry. Knowing I have access to laundry also helps me pack lighter!

They sell smaller 3 oz. bottles ($10 CAD and USD, 18+ washes) and single-use travel sized packets ($50 CAD and USD for 48 packets), so you also don't have to lug a big bottle of detergent around with you and worry about spillage. 

Their scents are beautiful. I love Celebration, which is described as: Sweet, delicate and absolutely delicious." I'd say it's a very feminine scent without being overpowering or overly floral. I recently picked up Fig, which they describe as "freshly-picked clean [. . .] ripened with sweet fig and lychee, crowned by dandelions." It's earthier than Celebration but still lovely and delicate. I've smelled all of their current offerings, though, and would say it's hard to go wrong. They're all gentle and fresh. 

I have sensitive skin and a sensitive nose, so I was hesitant to get a wash that wasn't supposed to be rinsed out and was scented, but I've never had any kind of reaction. The fragrance doesn't hang around the same way as overpowering machine detergents tend to/like to boast about. Instead, the scent slowly dissipates so everything just smells clean instead of heavily fragranced. But if scent isn't your thing at all, they do offer a scentless version!

Soak also comes in:

• Lacey - "spring blossoms with sweet bergamot"
• Aquae - "fresh sea air"
• And Yuzu - "kiss of tart citrus + crushed eucalyptus"

My only complaint is that they reduced the size of their bottles. My first bottle was 14 oz. and claimed it was good for 80+ washes. I'd say that's pretty accurate. I think I've gotten more than 80 washes out of mine. My new bottle is only 12 oz ($16 CAD and USD) and claims it does 75 washes. It's not a big deal, and it won't deter me from purchasing Soak again, but it was annoying to get home and realize I was getting less product for the same price. 

All in all, I love Soak. It's great to use at home and it also makes an exceptional travel wash. It's so easy to use and does such a nice job at getting things clean. It's also gentle on skin and fabrics, helping extend the life of delicates. 

Let me know if you have any tips or tricks for laundry on the road. Do you use a special laundry wash? Have any other recommendations?

Friday 10: Things to do with your photos

When I was a kid, half of the fun after a trip was getting a giant stack of photos back from the store. Digital cameras mean near-instant gratification now, but I find that sometimes our photos end up languishing in iPhoto.

So today's Friday 10 is all about ideas for what to do with your travel photos. I didn't include a lot of DIY projects this time around. I just wanted to show some simple ideas for making the most of your photos and memories. 

A before and after of one of my Ottawa photos using Pixelmator. Some croping and color correction goes a long way, even for a beginner. 

#1 Fix 

Take some time to go through your photos and treat them with the love and respect they deserve. Crop out any odd stuff and do some editing. Get creative. This is a chance to relive your trip a little, too.

If you're not comfortable with editing, take a look at Skillshare for online classes. I've been taking Tyler Brown's "Photo Editing Basics:  Make Good Images Great without Expensive Software." I haven't finished the course yet, but I've already learned a lot. What's great is that you don't need expensive software, and he shows you how to do everything on multiple programs. 

What can you use to edit? Your computer probably has a basic photo management application already (like iPhoto on Mac), but it's nice to have more features. Photoshop is the gold standard, but it's expensive, even with the new $29.99/month Creative Cloud option. I highly recommend Pixelmator ($29.99) for Mac as an alternative. GIMP is a free option, but I found the learning curve was steeper and, therefore, more frustrating than Pixelmator. 

Some other options:

• Snapseed (free) for iOS, and Android
• PicMonkey (online) free and paid
• Aviary for iOS and Android

#2 Backup

Even though I back up my computer regularly, I always feel like I need to have a separate, safe space for photos. External storage is pretty cheap these days, whether it's an external hard drive or a USB key. But it's also worth check out some cloud options like DropBox, iCloud (for Apple users), Box, and Onedrive (from Microsoft). These can be great for sharing with family and friends, too. 

#3 Print

Whether it's from your local photo shop, big box store, or online, it's so easy to print photos now and it seems like we do it less and less. You can even have Instagram photos printed by companies like Impressed and Printstagram these days. I don't do this nearly enough and I really miss flipping through physical photos. Theres nothing quite like having a hard copy to frame or put in a scrapbook or display (like on this wood block from Artifact Uprising) to me. 

DIYed photo canvases from our Villefranche trip

#4 Transfer

I love a simple DIY project, so after I saw this tutorial from A Beautiful Mess, I decided I needed to make three canvases for my dad's birthday one year. It was a nice way to put some photos to use in a unique, personal way. I find that a lot of professionally printed canvases are expensive and look a little too perfect. The ones I made have little imperfections and scratches that give them character. 

The middle of the transfer process takes lots of rubbing to get the paper off, but it's fun to see the final product being revealed. 

I've seen other tutorials for glass and ceramic transfers as well. It would be neat to take some simple vases and put an interesting landscape like these on them using Lazertran paper. 

Or, if you're not a crafty person, you can have it done for you by a professional. A lot of online and box stores like Walmart, Shutterfly, and Costco all do canvases. But I really love, for example, this custom wooden box from Artifact Uprising for holding photo prints or other precious items.

#5 Business or Calling Cards

I know it might seem outdated, but I still like the idea of calling cards. I used some of my favorite photos to make my Histoire Travel business cards through Moo. They are beautiful, professional quality, and whenever I give one out, I let the person choose their favorite from a selection. It gives me an idea of what they like and acts as a conversation starter.  

One of our photo books from MyPublisher

#6 Make a book

There are so many options out there now for beautiful, custom photo books. My dad is actually the one who got me interested in photo books. He always spends a ton of time editing photos and creating a lovely book after trips. He almost always uses MyPublisher and often gets a great buy one get one deal. 

I've been falling for everything at Artifact Uprising lately (as you might have noticed throughout the post) and their books are no different. They have lots of super stylish choices, so I think I will try them out soon. 

I also stumbled across Albums Remembered while looking for high-quality photo books for our wedding and engagement photos that will stand the test of time but don't cost thousand(s) of dollars. Their books are a bit different because they flush mount and use photographic paper on thick pages. I think they would make a great luxe option for those extra-special trips and travel photos.

#7 Stationary

How about sending notes and thank-yous with your favorite photos instead of generic ones from the store?

One options is custom postcards like these from Artifact Uprising and these from Moo. Not only are they great to send, but I love the idea of displaying them, too. I've been planning on putting the postcards I've collected on some twine with mini clothes pins near my desk after being inspired by Young House Love's postcard shelves. Theirs is a little more polished looking, but the twine great for apartment dwellers!  

Another option is getting folded cards from an online printer like Catprint or Vistaprint. I recently used Catprint for stationary and loved their customer service and products. I find the quality of their paper is higher than Vistaprint (you can order a free sample from each to compare choices) and they offer a free hard copy proof if you need one.

Artifact Uprising | Wood Calendar | $28.99 USD

#8 Calendar

Artifact Uprising's custom wood calendar is my favorite option. It's simple, beautiful, a nice size, and really showcases the photos. 

Cocograph | Prices vary depending on size and volume. One 2 oz piece is $14,  3 bite sized (0.5 oz) pieces are $12, and 25 bite sized (0.5 oz) pieces are $87.50

#9 Chocolate

Put your photos on chocolate with Cocagraph. 'Nuff said. 

Pottery Barn | Gallery in a Box | $126-$299 USD

#10 Gallery

I love a good gallery wall. Depending on how much you like to search, it can be fun to buy up single frames at stores and antique markets. We went the easy route and bought a Gallery in a Box from Pottery Barn for our trip photos. It came with different layout suggestions and paper templates of each frame. We taped the templates on the wall to see how they looked, poked a hole in the paper with a pencil to mark where the hanger needed be hammered in, and had the frames up in no time. It took all of the guesswork out of the process. 

Bonus: Take better photos

Skillshare just launched a School of Photography where you can take classes and learn from pros about how to take better photos whether its landscapes, cityscapes, or food photography. The classes are affordable ($9.95/month or free for your first 30 days) and you can go through them on your own time. I've been loving their offerings so far. 

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What do you do with your photos? Let me know in the comments! 

Have a happy weekend!

You don't have to go far to travel

We got a little nostalgic on Saturday and spent time looking through old photos. It didn't take long for us to realize how adventurous we've been this year even though we haven't taken any exotic or expensive trips.

It reminded me that you don't have to go far to travel. There's a concept in Zen Buddhism called "beginner's mind." It's about approaching life and experiences with a sense of openness.  

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. ”

— Shunryu Suzuki

I like to think this applies to "traveler's mind," too. If you only consider travel something that takes you far away, or requires vacation days, or a packed bag, or reservations, or whatever restriction, maybe it's time to shake things up.

Sometimes it's about putting your preconceived ideas away and looking at your surroundings with a beginner's mind. Do the stuff that you always say you're going to do "someday." Maybe it's a museum you keep putting off. Or that tourist site you secretly love but only see when you have out-of-town guests. Start exploring some of the more obscure, smaller attractions in your area. Take a drive. It doesn't really matter what it is, because the point is to be open to everyday adventure and see a place with a fresh set of eyes.

So with all of that rolling around in my mind, we drove an hour out of the city to Scotsdale Farm on Sunday to have our engagement photos taken. We almost drove right past it. The sign is small and it doesn't look like much from the road. I don't think it's one anyones top sites in Ontario (except the other couples who were there having their photos taken, maybe). But a long tree-lined driveway brings you to over 500 acres of beautiful farmland and woods to explore. The Bruce Trail and Bennett Heritage Trail run through the property and connect it to Silver Creek Conservation Area. 

We met up with our photographer and investigated the interesting nooks and crannies next to old farm buildings, ran through tall grass in golden fields (yes, it was ridiculous and fun), and wandered a forest path. It was warm, the sun was shining, and the trees were showing some fall color. We saw older couples hand-in-hand and families with happy kids and dogs. I don't think we could have asked for a nicer day or a nicer slice of Ontario to spend it in.

After we finished the photos and were pulling out of that long, tree-lined driveway, I told S that it felt like we already had a collection of special little places on Ontario. I love that we can visit them easily and that they mean as much to us as the cities and sites we love abroad. 

I truly believe that travel is part mindset. It can be so easy to get caught up in aspirational pictures (I'm looking at you, Pinterest) or friends' Facebook posts of beautiful, exciting places to see. But a "traveler's mind," a sense of adventure, and some curiosity can make any trip, near or far, special. 

So, I challenge you to be a tourist in your own town. Go see that place. Take a hike (heh heh). Eat at that restaurant. Go back to that museum you loved as a kid. Whatever it is, try to see it for the first time all over again.