I love winter. I really do. Without it, I feel lost in a perpetual time loop. I do not, however, like the crap that goes along with winter, like coats. I can deal with my own coat, but there is nothing more frustrating than being out with a couple of kids who refuse to carry their own coats. I have been tempted to leave the coats where the kids drop them, walk off and say something like "I hope the kid who finds your coat likes it," and "Boy are you going to be cold when we go back outside," but those little turds will just walk away, leaving a perfectly good winter coat to be swept up by the world. So inevitably, I end up carrying three winter coats (as we are beyond the age of the stroller). Not only does this make my arms tired, but it makes me super grouchy.
The other day, we had to kill a few hours at the mall while our brakes were being worked on. The thought of carrying three coats, my purse, and all the other little stupid things the kids hand me was overwhelming. So I devised a way to turn our coats into a sling bag. The integral part of this device is a scarf. I prefer an adult length scarf, but a kid scarf will do in a pinch.
1. starting with the biggest coat, place the coats inside each other (like a russian doll) stuff the sleeves inside one another.
2. Thread the scarf through the sleeves so the ends are sticking out of either sleeve.
3. Zip or button all of the coats.
4. Tie the ends of the scarf together (I like a square knot) to create a strap.
5. Sling the coats over your shoulder and carry on!
