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Updated: Sep 19, 2022 95 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Tackie Markers

Coffee Break

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I forget how I stumbled on the MC Squares home page, but I was intrigued by the idea of these smudge-free dry erase markers because smudgy markers are the main reason I stopped trying to use laminated pages for to-dos, meal planning and keeping track of habits. (You can also use dry erase pockets or there are even some really lovely dry erase desktop items you can buy.) So I ordered the 6-pack of fine from MC Squares and am really pleased to say that they are easy to erase, don't smudge, and don't get all over the side of my hand. Hooray!

You can buy them at both McSquares and at their Amazon shop; the 6-pack I bought was just under $15.

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Sales of note for 9.30.24

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. anon

    I’m going to start going to the gym in my office building before work 2-3 times a week. I usually workout in the evenings at home so I’m not really sure what I need for going straight from the gym to the office.

    Office gym provides basic toiletries, towels, and hair dryers. As of now, I carry everything in and out but the gym will being offering lockers for rent next month so I am considering getting a locker when they’re available.

    • Anonymous

      I carry a full set of cosmetics and my preferred hair products in my gym bag, plus some hair ties and of course throw in my work clothes on the day.

    • pugsnbourbon

      The key is really in the planning the night before. I used to work out early and it was so easy to get derailed if I hadn’t packed my work clothes and lunch.
      I’m not sure what hairstyle you have, but I have a pixie and found that a travel-size flatiron came in clutch on days when I got weird cowlicks.

    • Ribena

      It’s worth putting a few pairs of undies, tights, socks etc in your locker (as well as spare sanitary products) – those are the kind of thing that it’s easy to forget when packing your gym bag.

      • Anon

        My dog actually does downward dog every morning when he gets up. I don’t know why, but I was sort of shocked to see what it was literally named for.

        Downward dog first, Diet Coke second, OP, unless you would enjoy the Diet Coke coming back up through your nose. It would certainly wake you up!

        • Anonymous

          My dog actually goes through downward dog to lie down instead of going through a sitting position like a normal dog.

    • Anon

      Chai tea, Beyonce’s Renaissance (or any album you love), getting up and stretching.

      Or, conversely, just giving up for the day and laying in bed, if you work from home.

    • Anonymous

      I have an adjustable height desk. The after-lunch period is usually when I stand, for this reason.

    • Anonymous

      Matcha anything. Brisk going up and down stairs a few times. Cold washcloth to the face if you wfh. Working on small stuff if the big or thoughtful stuff seems too har–sometimes that’s enough to get me to the place where I can eventually tackle those. Pretending I have a deadline. Pretending my boss is sitting in front of me or viewing my screen. Pretending the person I’m most competitive with in the office is about to turn in the same task (I know, I know. But it does work sometimes.)

    • Anonymous

      A 30 minute nap or 20 minute meditation session if you are working from home

    • Anon

      Going outside for some fresh air. Makes a call and walk and talk or have your phone read emails to you.

  3. Anonymous

    How tidy is your house? DH and I just started looking for a bigger house, we’re still living in the small TH I bought when I was single. We haven’t decided whether to rent or sell so I met with a realtor who does both to get their opinion on what we ought be able to sell or rent for. My house is clean – I have a weekly cleaning service – but there is admittedly some clutter in the form of: work papers on the dining room table where I’ve been wfh, kitchen stuff like coffee maker and kitchenaid on the counter, a wire rack next to the kitchen cabinets with kitchen stuff that wont fit in cabinets and we don’t want on the counter (think air popper, toaster), my finished basement and garage have shelving units along the back wall for storage (luggage, Christmas decorations, etc.), the bedroom closet is full but shoes are all in racks along the walls on the floor, you can still walk into the walk-in closet.

    Before I showed the realtor around the house, I told her I know we’ll need a storage unit if we’re going to show the house while we’re still living here. We have zero storage (hence the shelving) and I don’t want to highlight that fact to potential renters or buyers. Despite this, the realtor was almost literally clutching her pearls when I was showing her around. She literally gasped when she saw my closet. She also said we should take some things off the walls as she was looking at my shadow boxes of maps, museum pamphlets, etc., collected from our trips – which are colorful and I think super cute! She kept repeating, reduce and organize, and said things like, well you don’t really need this stuff you’re obviously getting rid of it (how am I supposed to travel without luggage?). I felt like the gasps and commentary were unnecessary and rude. Surely realtors have seen worse? But maybe my house really is that bad?

    • Anon

      Your house sounds normal and your realtor sounds like an a-hole. Professional staging is common in realty, because no one wants to live with someone else’s trinkets so clearing away all the personal items and replacing it with neutral furniture and art can make a house sell faster. But it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you or your house.

      • HFB

        Agree with this. Although there’s a difference between “clean and tidy but people live here” vs “showing ready clean,” your realtor was very rude to act like your house was super messy or cluttered.

    • Vicky Austin

      Nah that sounds like a rude realtor, or possibly a naive one who has only had to show perfectly Gainesified houses before now. We had one of those.

    • Anon

      She sounds rude. You already told her you knew you needed a storage unit. I wouldn’t want to work with someone like that and I would search for someone a little more polite.

    • Nesprin

      Tidy and functional vs. ready to be shown are like … a bucket of water and an ocean. Your decorations sound super cute and also would not work in a showing.

    • Anonymous

      I feel like realtors generally act like that unless a house looks HGTV staged nowadays. Which the vast majority of houses don’t unless you have already moved out before the sale and then paid to stage it. Otherwise houses that are currently being lived in will have mail tucked into a corner somewhere or shopping bags folded up and put someplace as someone just brought home groceries in the last hour. I’ve definitely met realtors who act like this is a HUGE turnoff. Maybe it is – I have no idea. I toured homes with the impression of, who cares about their furniture or clutter, it goes with THEM. I think some buyers don’t think that way though – if they walk in and it isn’t HGTV perfect, they’re out.

      • Anon

        I find the HGTV stagings a turn off. I find it harder to imagine myself living in a space that looks so sterile and unliveable. But clearly I’m not the one they’re aiming at selling to!

        • anon

          I totally agree. I prefer houses that look like they’re lived in! It makes it easier for me to imagine living there.

      • Anonymous

        This is just wrong. Yeah maybe the realtor could have spent time being nicer? But it’s a business. And your shadow boxes on the walls need to go into storage.

        • Anon

          All personal artifacts need to be put away, as does clutter. You want the space to look big, and you want the potential buyers to imagine themselves living there, not you living there with your personal photos etc.

        • Anon

          There is a big difference between saying something like “When we stage a house we need to put away all personal items, including X, Y and Z” and gasping at how ugly someone’s decor is. The former is professional and appropriate, the latter is not.

        • anonshmanon

          Of course it’s business. And the realtor spent the meeting making the client feel bad about themselves. Is that a good business strategy?

    • Anonymous

      Nah you’re just wrong on this. The level of decluttering and cleaning for showing a house to sell is wildly different than normal life. No one wants all your clutter on the walls. Listen to her. She’s trying to help you sell for as much as possible.

      • Anon

        This. The last time I sold a house I pulled clutter and extra things and stored them. No reasonable offers. Then I stripped the house, leaving basic furnishings, one item on one wall per room, and not one damn thing sitting on a flat surface. Sold.
        With that said, your realtor sounds like an ass. She could have been more tactful.

      • Anonymous

        Right. And this realtor should be able to communicate “here are things that I recommend doing before this house goes on the market” without communicating “your house as you live in it now is unacceptable and I do not approve of your practical belongings- ew, throw them away now.” I need a realtor with much better communication and people skills than that and also one who is not such a horrible person as to, say, throw away my alarm clock without asking/telling me while I am still living in the home (true story).

        • Anon

          Right. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her advice but it sounds like it was delivered very rudely and with unnecessary judgment.

      • OP

        Oh I totally agree about decluttering before showing the house but we’re not getting ready to show the house anytime soon, that could be weeks or months from now. We just started looking within the past week and we haven’t decided whether we want to rent or sell the current house or whether we want to be sure to move before selling (ie is our house likely to sell quick and what price would we be looking at if we needed it to sell quick), hence the meeting with the realtor. Lots of preliminaries and a lot up in the air. Like let’s get an idea of what our next steps will be before we start talking in detail about what needs to happen to stage the house. Oh and of course none of the comments were directed toward DH just me.

        Thanks everyone for your comments I feel less like a bad housekeeper!

    • Cat

      your house sounds normal, your realtor’s recommendation to store some things (especially very personal things like extra shoes and trip mementos) is normal, but her attitude about it is def rude.

    • Anon 2.0

      Nope, get a new agent. My house is not super tidy. I have a lot of stuff and I resist the notion that minimalism is next to Godliness. You already explained to her you’d be getting a storage unit and decluttering if you sell. I think the only part she is correct about is removing the items from the walls. Those are personal mementos and you want someone to see themselves living there.

    • Anon

      Your house sounds normal but I don’t agree that the realtor sounds awful. Sure, it’s not nice to hear, but she sounds like she’s just focused on her job. I wouldn’t be demanding her head on a pike or anything.

      • Anonymous

        + 1- not because their advice is wrong (it isn’t), but because you all clearly don’t mesh.

      • Bonnie Kate

        +1 real estate deals are too stressful as it is to have a realtor you don’t like. However I agree with the advice to pack away all the personal items and small items off of surfaces and walls. There’s something about being able to see a blank canvas that is really appealing to buyers (and also you don’t wonder – is there a hole in the wall behind all these pictures?).

    • Anon

      There’s a difference between a cluttered house you live in and a staged home ready for sale. Potential buyers want lots of space and a blank slate. They’re really turned off in general by thinking of the house as belonging to another person with all of that person’s personal artifacts. For sale, you want to put a ton of stuff in storage or out of sight.

      For having people over/entertaining, get the papers off the dining room table but everything else sounds ok.

      I went to a very messy house for cocktails & dinner and found a reason to leave before the food was served. You’re not that house.

      • Anon

        Honestly, I would want to live in a staged house. I generate loads of paper clutter and hate it and if I could “hotel” in my house it might look OK (it doesn’t).

    • Anon

      Sometimes people just want to offer advice for the sake of if, not because it’s really a thing you need to do. I would find someone who seems a little more competent and less dramatic.

    • Anonymous

      I’ve bought and sold 2x and both times we kept the house more or less like normal, except removing the cats and litter boxes. Surfaces cleared and closets straightened up is plenty. You don’t need to do more. I love seeing a home that people actually live in — it’s much easier to imagine my own stuff in it rather than seeing it with a stagers tiny fake sofa.

      • Anon

        Same. I do understand taking down family photos if they completely blanket your walls and minimizing some of the mementos on bookshelves, but I loved the hand drawn portraits our current house had on the walls when we bought. It was the house we were planning to start a family in and that made it feel homey.
        I’ve been in some super chaotic houses (my parents and our neighbor we dogsit for come to mind immediately). Both are empty nesters and literally have closed up bedroom with stuff stashed and stacked up all over.

        • anon

          I once toured a house that wasn’t staged, but it had kids bedrooms filled with sports trophies and medals and I loved it! We were looking for a house to raise a family in, and this allowed me to imagine a life my future kids could live in this house!

    • Closets

      When I sold my TH, my flat fee realtor told me all closets should be no more than half full or it will look like you don’t have ample storage.

    • Anonymous

      I think both you and the realtor have different expectations, and aren’t communicating well. If you want to sell quickly and at the best possible price, everything you described needs to go into storage. If your closets are as full as you describe, they will look small which will turn off buyers. If you had to add multiple wire racks in your kitchen to store appliances, buyers will think there’s not enough cabinet space. Buyers don’t want your personal effects around the house/on the walls.

      I think your realtor’s thoughts are correct, although poorly expressed.

      I also think she was probably reacting to your thoughts, because it sounds like you were vastly underestimating how much you were going to need to put into storage. I also think when she said you are “obviously getting rid of it” she meant FOR THE SHOWING, not forever.

      You don’t have to take her advice, but I recommend doing so because it will expediate your sale.

      You sound like you have a normal amount of clutter, but more than a staging amount of clutter!

      • anonymous

        Totally agree. When we sold our last house, we knew we would be in an apartment for six months while the new house was getting built. We put a lot stuff into storage because we needed to anyway so that helped with having a show-ready house.

      • Anon

        +1 – you basically need to move out and leave the bare minimum and even then, in lots of markets, have it staged. She might have been reacting to the amount of work you have in front of you.

    • Anonymous

      You need to feel comfortable with whomever you use, so you should probably look elsewhere. But also know that someone who is going to speak plainly with you is really valuable. Crowded closets, garages and countertops scream that you don’t have enough space no matter how well organized. Personal pictures prevent buyers from seeing the space as a clean slate. And highly decorated spaces (even when momentos are cool!) can be really distracting–instead of looking at floorspace and layout and envisioning their furniture there, they’re looking around and thinking about how much they do or don’t like your interesting stuff. There is a reason things are called “conversation pieces”–they focus attention. Though her delivery was bad, she is giving you good advice. Clean isn’t the same as uncluttered. And day to day clutter level is different from what is expected to give you the best shot when showing a place.

  4. Anon

    Going to be seeing my boss/mentor for the first time in a few months since they got surgery. Any nice (small) gift ideas? He’s a burly ex-finance guy in his fifties with a wife and two kids, if that helps.

  5. Anonymous

    So I’m the rare person in the US who has watched Queen Elizabeth coverage non stop for the last 12 days. So sad as we’ve watched history unfold and a page turn. I also feel crazy, it’s not like I know these people or am even British but it’s sad.

    • Nyc

      As a complete aside, I find it moving how much some britons really loved their queen. Did you see the news reports of David Beckham standing in line for 15 hours with the public to pay his respects?

      • Anonymous

        Most of my friends are British and I was quite relieved when, one by one, they all admitted they are anti-royal and find this whole spectacle bizarre and discomfiting.

        • Anon

          I have a lot of British people on my team, and while not anti-royal, several of them were annoyed by the various shop closings, flight cancellations, etc…largely on the basis that the Queen was a no-nonsense woman and wouldn’t have wanted doctor’s appointments canceled for her funeral. They didn’t really object to the spectacle itself, so much as some of the sillier societal ramifications of it (apparently some shops switched to muted music and turned down the beeps on self-checkout, for example).

          • Cat

            omg, I would LOVE muted music and quieter checkout beeps. Motion to keep those changes please.

          • pugsnbourbon

            @Cat, you can usually adjust the volume on self-checkouts yourself – should be a button towards the edge of the screen.

          • Seventh Sister

            Over the past few days, I’ve wondered how I’d feel about the monarchy if I lived in a country with a monarchy. It’s nice to look at palaces and pretty clothes when I don’t feel like I’m paying for them through my taxes. Same with the titles.

    • Anonymous

      Me too. And for me it’s in part because I’m not just grieving the Queen. I’m grieving my grandmother I didn’t get to meet. I’m grieving the grandmother I lost too soon. The grandfather whose funeral I could attend. I’m regrieving my own mothers dead. When she passed I kept asking “when do I get to grieve”?! There was too much to do practically and too much trauma coming out of home hospice to grieve properly at the time.

      Everyone deserves 10 days of mourning and processionals and vigils and services. We don’t get them, but I think in experiencing these big occasions many of us are processing our own more personal griefs.

      • anon

        Your last paragraph is profound. I’d never thought of it that way before, but it makes a lot of sense.

        • Anon

          We get something like 3 days? When my parents die, it will take a day just to get to where they live. Which is not where they will be buried (which is 12 hours away from there). I will be in motion alone at least 3 days. At least there will be no cameras so I can ugly cry at will.

          Also, I do want someone to bring my dog (though I should outlive him) when it is my turn.

        • Anon

          Here, I see a lot of “peaceful transition of power” and “stability,” maybe more so because I’m been listening to a lot of history podcasts, but a monarch’s death was historically very bad because if often plunged a country into civil war as people jockeyed for power. Here, it’s nice to see corgis and not people raising rival armies (or anything like January 6th).

          OTOH, someone cut Justin Trudeau off. You’re drunk. Go back to Canada. WTF!

        • Anonymous

          Another +1. A unifying moment of collective mourning was needed for many reasons.

          My choir is performing a requiem at All Saint’s Day to provide something similar.

    • Anonymous

      Agree with the poster above. While I am very much into the British pageantry and that’s what I’m watching for, it has definitely stirred up feelings regarding my own life and family which I wouldn’t have expected. Now that it’s over I find myself saying – now what? Though am also vowing to come up with a life plan, make some changes etc.

      I wonder if this has hit people worldwide harder than it would normally have because of the pandemic too? People went through a lot of loss and where they were lucky to not have had that, often they were disconnected or isolated from society for a long time to stay safe. This seems like something that’s bigger than oneself and sometimes that resonates.

        • Anon

          Not quite accurate. The Australian Government census shows more than half of the population are migrants or our parents are. We are ordinary Australians and many of us aren’t white.

          Australia was invaded to be used as an English penal colony, not many came by choice when the English decided to send them.

  6. Anon

    Thanks for all the advice on maskne/pustular rosacea last week.

    I pared down my routine to just metrogel and vanicream moisturizer in the morning and avoided sunscreen and makeup and stayed inside, then left the night at my rx tretinoin/azaleic acid combo plus more vanicream. I cut out dairy and sugar (I’m already like 95% gluten free) and everything is healing up now. I had like a week+ where I was getting a new pustule/pimple every single day so I’m very relieved it stopped. I ordered some sulfur ointment but haven’t needed it – next time!

    Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

    • Anon

      Unfortunately at this time your request cannot be accommodated due to my love of beautiful shoes.

    • Anonymous

      Do you really like sling backs? I find them limited to summer because they look weird with nylons.

  8. Starting Over

    Fashion advice desperately needed! Quick background: I have a law degree but was a stay-at-home mom for 20-ish years. Due to a precarious marriage, I started back into working full-time about 4 years ago in a law-adjacent job that was mostly work from home with an occasional need for dressing professionally. I recently finalized my divorce (yay!), got a really fantastic job working as a lawyer at our state flagship university and now need a full wardrobe of professional clothes. Where to even start? I have grey and navy suits from Ann Taylor that will get me through the first week or so, rotating blouses, but where else should I start looking? My everyday style leans J. Crew / Boden-ish but I literally have not bought any new clothes in 4 years (see: precarious marriage above). I basically need everything.

    • Anon

      Good for you!

      I had to re-outfit myself recently (perimenopause + COVID comfort food + no gym) for a larger size / shape, and found that J Crew, J Crew factory, BR, and BR factory have been my go-tos. One Boden blazer. I’d get a good pair of pants and plain dress and then see what you really need. If really business-y, you can get a lot of MMLF on post / MMLF second act these days and those are still workhouses for me.

      I did panic recently for a work trip that rufflepuff and jogger-type work pants are not really work travel appropriate. So the DVF and MMLF went into the suitcase. They travel well.

    • Anon

      Wow, that’s amazing. I tried to get an in-house legal job at our local university and had no luck, even as a lawyer with almost a decade of experience and a strong personal connection to the university (faculty spouse). You must be very impressive!

    • Anon

      There’s so little workwear in brick and mortar stores these days, you’re pretty much stuck online. If you find something that fits you well (blouse, blazer, pants) buy multiples.

    • anonshmanon

      One note – Will you be working with academics? You might get them to trust you faster if you dress in jeans. Obviously depends on location and field.

      • Anon

        I work at a flagship state university and the lawyers are the only people other than the senior administrators who always dress in professional workwear. You probably won’t have much direct contact with faculty, and if you do they won’t be at all surprised to see you in a suit.

    • Anne-on

      What size are you? If it’s a 2/4/6 I’m happy to pack up some jackets/suits and other bits and bobs and mail them to you on me. If you’re interested I can post a burner email.

      • Starting Over

        You’re so kind! I’m more in the 8-ish range. But that is seriously so nice.

    • Anon

      Congratulations on your job and your divorce!

      Get to a consignment store, there’s so much great stock from people who changed shape or working locations during the pandemic. A few higher quality pieces you love will do wonders for how professional you feel! Or there’s online resellers, if you have a few favourite brands and know your size. Academic means you can show a bit more personality so enjoy dressing for work!

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