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How to Keep Up With Your Mask

July 20, 2020 By Dana White | 29 Comments

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This post has affiliate links.

It’s July of 2020 as I write this. I don’t think I’ve written a post in July in 8 or 9 years since I generally take summers off from writing.

But July of 2020 is no ordinary July. And I’m sharing a tip that’s hopefully time-sensitive. (Please, God, let this be irrelevant at some point in the near future . . . )

I’m giddy about my idea for keeping up with my mask. It works so well for me as a person who has little awareness of when or where she puts things down.

I bought this necklace/chain for reading glasses, and attached it to my mask! There are other options, but I’m linking to the one I have one that isn’t sold out yet (because the one in the picture that I linked to at first has sold out).

The key is to be sure you get one with hooks. Some (including the less frufru cord types) just end in the loop thing that goes around glasses. That won’t work for attaching a mask.

I love using mine. I put it on when I get ready to leave the house (not that that’s very often) and then I never have to worry about it again. No accidentally leaving it in the car or worrying about what it might have accidentally touched. No stressing over what to do with it in that glorious moment when I realize I’m far from other humans in the parking lot and can rip it off.

P.S. At this pre-8AM moment on a Monday morning, the forced perkiness in the photos gets on my nerves, too. But who knows when the next time will be that I’ll actually get dressed again (this was for a funeral visitation), so it’s all I have.

P.P.S. I want so badly to excuse my Quarantine Roots. But honestly, I had my roots done the first week hair salons re-opened in Texas. Now, these are What’s the Point Roots. But I guess it’s good I have these photos as a reminder that I should really get my hair done again before I drop my kid at college in a few weeks. There will be pictures.

P.P.S. I did wear black to the visitation. I just changed into that shirt (ironed on the front only for a video interview I did a while back) for these photos. It shows the mask better.

Again, here’s the link. 

--Nony

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Filed Under: Uncategorized | 29 Comments

Comments

  1. Susan says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:00 am

    This is cute. Good idea!
    If I’m forced to wear a mask, I just use the kind that looks like a turtle neck. Not great for people who have particular hairstyles, but it works for me.

    Reply
  2. Lisa says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:06 am

    Yes this is an awesome tip. Thank you! And I too hope very much this won’t be relevant in the not too distant future.

    Reply
  3. Laura Rochon says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:14 am

    Hey Dana,
    I love that idea. But, to clarify do you have to hook it over your ears? I have freakishly small ears (which never mattered pre COVID) and the elastic won’t hook over them. I know I will heed to wear one full time when schools reopen.
    Glad you and your family are safe.
    Laura

    Reply
    • Dana White says

      July 20, 2020 at 9:18 am

      You don’t hook the necklace over the ears, but this is for the masks that hook over your ears. I guess it might be able to work on ones that tie, but I would be afraid of the necklace getting caught in my hair? Have you tried the gaiter type masks?

      Reply
  4. Laura Rochon says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:31 am

    Thanks Dana! I love the idea of being able to convert the over the ears masks to what you’ve done. I will also try the gaiter type masks.
    As always, you are awesome!

    Reply
  5. Lissa says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:47 am

    I did similar with a cord necklace. I put it through each ear loop then close it. Thanks also have a few of the neck gaiters so I either wear as a headband or around my neck until needed 🙂

    Reply
  6. Melinda Stimpson says

    July 20, 2020 at 10:27 am

    Good idea! One could also use little clips or even a mini carabiner to hook it on if one already had a glasses cord with loops.

    Reply
  7. Lisa says

    July 20, 2020 at 3:18 pm

    I have found so many uses for my gaiters! It’s easy to pull it on and not worry about forgetting. Also, when driving the other day (in a car with no A/C!), I forgot sunscreen (windows open). I pulled it off my neck and extended it all the way up my arm to my short sleeve! They fit everyone (except the toddler), and wash/dry like a dream.

    Reply
  8. Amy says

    July 21, 2020 at 7:04 am

    I tied a piece of yarn to mine so I can just let it hang around my neck when it’s not on; similar to what you are doing with the cord. It’s nice because I can leave the yarn on for washing, and I just hang it to dry so it doesn’t get all tangled.

    Reply
  9. Janell Z says

    July 21, 2020 at 7:06 am

    Great idea for those of us with ADHD who lose everything!

    Laura Rochon, there are things that are little straps with buttons (search up button band on Google) that people are using to hook the loops onto. They go behind your head, and the mask hooks onto a button on the strip of fabric. You can make your own if you’re handy.

    Reply
  10. Al says

    July 21, 2020 at 7:12 am

    Nice idea. Because I already have a lanyard for work that I have to wear, this would get a little more tricky. Our method is to hang them on the hooks by our door and grab them on the way out no matter what we’re doing. Going to the store, grab mask. Going for a walk around the block where you don’t even need the mask? Grab the mask. Just get in the habit of grabbing it so you don’t miss it one day. Because as we’ve said, we’re totally fine wearing them. But we have to remember them in the first place. (And I like keeping them in the house rather than the car because they’re more likely to get laundered then…)

    Reply
  11. Margaret says

    July 21, 2020 at 7:43 am

    Hi all! Just wanted to add….
    I’m an LVN, and can’t wear the ear loop masks because to wear them properly it is too tight for our ears, and irritates the back of the ear. Most nurses where I work find the custom fit of ties much more comfortable (our hair is always up), and we can lift them up and down from our necks as they are tied once and done tiring for the day. You just slip the top ties over your ears from your neck. It never leaves your neck.
    This necklace hack is a WONDERFUL IDEA! I wish there was a way to have masks with ear loops that don’t hurt and fit well enough so I can try it! In nursing though, fit is the most important aspect, and since we have to wear for 8 hrs or more, we gotta deal with it. You guys enjoy!

    Reply
  12. CBarney says

    July 21, 2020 at 7:48 am

    The masks I’ve been making uses both adjustable earloops and the single-tie which goes through the casings/tunnels at the side of the mask; I can then knot or tie the ends of the long string similarly to the eyeglass loop and use the earloops or leave them be and when I use the single tie, I just untie and let the ‘outside’ lay against my chest, then lift up and tie again when needed.

    I do both, as I wear glasses and there are days when my ears have gotten too sore to wear the earloops; then the single-tie works to relieve the backs of my ears.

    I figured out how to make both only after I could get elastic at a reasonable price again. Figured out how to adapt mask patterns to use a single tie after I ran out of elastic months ago. If using 3/8 or 1/4″ elastic, pony beads make a great adjuster. For 1/8″ elastic, Perler fusible beads work great as long as you aren’t running your dryer on high heat (which ruins both perler beads and elastic.

    Reply
  13. Marie says

    July 21, 2020 at 8:47 am

    This is great! You could also add a clasp finding to the non-clasp end of a favorite long necklace and so convert your necklace into a mask holder.

    Reply
  14. Michelle says

    July 21, 2020 at 10:01 am

    I’ve seen all kinds of hacks — headbands with buttons sewn on to loop the masks around, and plastic doo-dads to put the elastics on — for masks with ear loops. BUT you are correct in that I don’t know how these “hacks” would affect fit.

    I appreciate that fit is THE crucial thing in a healthcare environment. Thank you for your work, and be safe.

    https://www.etsy.com/market/headband_with_button

    Reply
  15. Penny says

    July 21, 2020 at 10:37 am

    Great idea! Thank you!

    Reply
  16. Patty says

    July 21, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Try a knit headband with a button sewn behind each ear. You can loop the elastic on the button, and save your ears. I’m making these for my daughter, who’s a nurse.

    Reply
  17. Dawn R says

    July 21, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    What a great idea for kids who will eventually be going back to school at some point.

    Reply
  18. Mel_JDH says

    July 21, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Love this idea! Okay, now how to keep my glasses from fogging up…? 😉🤓

    Reply
  19. Deirdre Root says

    July 21, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    I saw a woman using one of those plastic monkeys from the Barrel Of Monkeys game to hold her mask on so it wouldn’t hurt her ears. It was cute and worked well on her, though I’d think that the length of the loops would be an issue. But if you had one of those lying around…or if they are easier to find in stores than the button bands.

    Reply
  20. Debra says

    July 21, 2020 at 11:59 pm

    Love the various ideas, eyeglass chain, button band and yarn.

    Reply
  21. Jan Jones says

    July 22, 2020 at 4:49 am

    I saw on TikTok where a lady’s little girl had a carabiner clipped to her belt loop. When she took off the mask, she’d just clip it on to help keep up with it. Not the same thing, but maybe easier for kids who don’t want something around their neck that might get tangled.

    Reply
  22. Kat says

    July 23, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    Laura Richon my husband works at a casino and he told me that his female co-workers are using a length of ribbon (about 5 inches) that they turn the ends under and then sew a button on each end. The ribbon goes on the back of your head and the loops of the facemask get looped over the buttons instead of over your ears. You could use lots of different things instead of ribbon to make the band. Hope this helps you!

    Reply
  23. Christine Thomas says

    July 24, 2020 at 8:11 am

    Great idea! Going to use it!

    Reply
  24. Anne says

    July 24, 2020 at 8:23 am

    I am a a carabiner girl. In the front hall I keep a pile of 3 things – a house key, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and a mask. All are attached to their own carabiners and have designated belt loops ‐ two on the right, one on the left lol! It’s my new uniform for leaving the house. The hand sanitizer was from our police station’s open house a fee years ago, but boy do I love having it handy and not having to dig in a purse to get it out. Pre-Corona I had to make sure I had car keys wallet and phone; Now its key sanitizer and mask but it was a pretty easy lateral move and the carabineers are great.

    Reply
  25. Liz says

    July 27, 2020 at 11:05 am

    Laura – I wear masks 10 hours a day at work. There are some great options for you. I have a couple cloth ones that someone made for our staff that have two cloth strings for each ear. The cloth strings aren’t tied together, they go through a small bead, forming a loop. You put the loops over your ears and then slide the bead up each string to adjust the fit. They’re very comfortable, fit any size ears, and you get a snug fit all around the mask. I’d post a picture but I’m not sure how to do that in the comments. The other ones that would work well for you are the tie on masks. They don’t go over your ears at all and once you tie them on, you can then just untie the top part and pull it down when you are back in your car and away from people and you don’t have to worry about misplacing your mask.

    Reply
  26. Joann says

    July 28, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    You are so stinking cute! May I adopt you? (I’m old enough.)

    Reply
  27. Heather says

    August 6, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    Good idea for keeping track of your mask!

    I want to say thank you. I “discovered ” you recently. Our nephew moved in with us in June. My mother-in-law is recently widowed (end of June), and she is moving in with us in mid September. I am losing my craftroom. Our nephew will be moving into the craftroom. My husband and I will be moving into the upstairs bedroom he was in (its larger than the craftroom), and my mother-in-law is getting the master bedroom downstairs because she can’t do stairs. I was decluttering at the speed of life and prepping for the bedroom change on September 5th.

    I was trying to give a dear friend, who is a contractor, some building supplies in the garage. He was going to accept, but he noticed that the wall things were leaning against had mold. Long story slightly shorter, my master bathroom is going to be torn apart. The master bedroom floor may also need to be pulled up. Its a homeowner’s claim. My nephew is being moved into the craftroom in 3 days. We are moving upstairs in 9 days. Before 2.5 weeks of decluttering at the speed of life, I would have been crying in a corner. I still have work to do, but I feel like I have this now. I am feeling the pressure, but I keep going through the steps to keep from being totally overwhelmed.

    We want to move next year. I feel MUCH more confident that a normal number of boxes will work for us. I am a cardmaker. I have heard nightmare stories about packing up a craftroom. I only needed to add 1set of shelves to my dining room. I applied the container concept and got rid of things in drawers that were less important to me than my craft items. I make 600 to 1000 cards a year. I have gone through 180 postage stamps since Covid changed our lives. I have more than one drawer of paper. I will hopefully donate 400 non religious Christmas cards to the USO the weekend after Thanksgiving.

    Reply
  28. Betsy says

    August 10, 2020 at 7:16 am

    Great, creative tip! And thanks for popping in here and there this summer. It’s a nice mood lifter to see you!

    Reply

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