RUNNING WITH STINKERS

I can't believe the back to school ads are already running on television, in newspapers,on the radio and basically everywhere I look. Didn't the snow melt like three days ago? At any rate, back to school always reminds me of heading to college way back in...well, quite a few years ago. When I headed off to college we didn't worry about the unemployment rate, going to war, Republicans in office or our 401k's. Nope, we were most concerned about the threat we all heard when searching for the perfect University to call home for four years; The "freshmen fifteen" as in, the fifteen pounds EVERYONE puts on the first year away from home. Between the introduction to beer bongs (sorry Moms, it happens),late night trips to McDonald's and Pizza Hut and the all you can eat line at the commissary, it's bound to happen. Years later, it happened to me after moving to New York state. There, I said it. I've gained 15+ pounds after moving to the empire state. I'm as big as the statue of liberty BUT I have the power to change that. So, I started running. While the pounds are slowly coming off I quickly discovered a hidden horror to my new routine...lingering odors left behind in my running shoes (again, sorry Moms, but it happens!). With summers humidity making matters much worse, a pair of sweaty shoes left in a closet for a few days can mean a lifetime of nasty odors. Don't despair, I have a way to clear the air! To help a client freshen up her mudroom where the odor from teenage shoes lingered like an annoying dinner guest, I suggested she place fabric softener sheets in each shoe and natural magic odor absorbing gel on the shelves (purchased at the Home Depot for $3.25). To keep those back to school clothes fresh in the closet, I bundle a few pieces of chalk with a rubber band, tie ribbon around it and let the chalk do the work (chalk will absorb extra moisture and keep clothing and shoes fresh and dry). Next time you run into a nasty odor stop it dead in its tracks!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: five minutes
COST: chalk: $1.99. Odor absorbing gel (comes in sealed container) $3.25
STRESS LEVEL: Running from a stinky situation: LOW