| How to Pack Without Wrinkling Clothes Posted: 01 May 2019 05:00 PM PDT Opening your suitcase or duffel bag and finding your clothes wrinkled is a real bummer! Fortunately, there are several solutions to this common problem. You can try using packing folders, garment bags, or even tissue paper to keep your clothes wrinkle-free. You can also bring a spritz or steamer with you on the road to get rid of wrinkles in a snap! EditFolding Your Clothes to Keep Wrinkles Out - Bring packing folders with you to keep nice clothes from crumpling. Packing folders are hand-held, briefcase-like bags that are perfect for keeping delicate tops, button-up shirts, pants, and dresses from crumpling up. An packing folder, which is the main size the product is sold in, can fit 8-12 items of clothing. All you need to do is fold your clothes like you normally would and stack them on top of each other. Then, close up the packing folder to compress the clothes.[1]
- Packing folder are flat enough to fit inside luggage, so try and fit them in your suitcase if you can.
- You can purchase packing folders online.
- Use garment bags to fold your clothes just once. Garment bags are incredibly convenient because all you have to do is place the clothes you want to pack on hangers, store them in the garment bag, zip up the bag, and fold the bag to fit it in your suitcase. Since you're only folding the clothes once and securing them within the garment bag, you'll avoid creases and wrinkles. A garment bag is also incredibly easy to unpack![2]
- One downside to garment bags is that it's tough to fit them in carry-on luggage if you're flying. The smallest width for garment bags is about , which is too long for carry-on suitcases. If you don't want to check bags in when you get to the airport, go with the packing folder method instead.
- Wrap your clothes in a bundle to fit bulky items in your suitcase. Bundle wrapping is a bit more time-consuming than other packing methods but well worth it to keep wrinkles and creases away. First, ball up 2 pairs of socks into a shirt, place them in the middle of the shirt, and fold the shirt over the socks to create a "core" that goes in the middle of the bundle. Then, lay out a long-sleeve shirt and place it face down with the arms at the sides. Take your next shirt and lay it face up, making sure the bottom of the shirt is facing the opposite direction of the bottom of the first long-sleeve shirt. Make sure to overlap the arms of the shirts. [3]
- Next, take your heavier items, like jackets and button-up shirts, and place them directly over the original long-sleeve shirts.
- Finally, lay your pants down horizontally, followed by your shirts and shorts vertically. Take the "core" you folded earlier, put it in the middle of the pile and start wrapping the clothes around the core one-by-one.
- Make sure not to overpack. This technique works best if you only pack the essentials.
- You will have to unpack all of your clothes every time, so this method might not be the best if you're on a fast-paced trip or one that lasts only a few days.
- Fold your clothes in tissue paper to reduce wrinkles. Place a sheet of tissue paper inside the sleeves of long shirts and jackets before you fold those items. Then, line your suitcase with tissue paper and place more tissue paper between each layer of clothing.[4]
- Putting tissue paper in between and inside of clothes reduces wrinkles because the slippery texture of the paper lowers the friction on the fabric.
- Cover your clothes in plastic wrap to separate them from one another. Plastic wrap works the same as tissue paper in the sense that it reduces friction between clothes and keeps wrinkles away. Place a sheet of plastic wrap that covers the length and width of your suitcase in between each layer of clothing. If you plan on packing nice clothes that were just recently dry cleaned, don't unwrap them, just lay them in your suitcase as is.[5]
- Be sure to use plastic zippered bags for shoes and toiletries. This keeps them separate from your clothes and lessens the risk of your clothes getting damaged if you're flying.
EditGetting Wrinkles out of Packed Clothes - Pack fabrics that don't wrinkle easily. Generally speaking, clothes that have a little bit of stretch don't wrinkle as much. To test your fabrics, give them a scrunch and pack them in a suitcase for a few hours to see how they hold up to wrinkles.[6]
- There are clothing brands that specialize in making travel clothes which use wrinkle-resistant fabrics. The downside to these clothes is that many of these fabrics can't be steamed or ironed if they do get wrinkled.
- Take a wrinkle-free spritz with you to keep clothes fresh. If you're taking a plane, these spritzes come in travel sizes which are TSA-approved and can fit in your carry-on luggage. Not only do they release wrinkles, but they get rid of odors as well. When you unpack, spritz each item of clothing lightly and let them sit for about 20 minutes before wearing them.[7]
- You can purchase these spritzes at your local drug or department store or order a bottle online.
- Bring a hand-held steamer with you to instantly freshen clothes. These steamers are perfect for suits, blouses, and delicate dresses. They are small enough to fit in your carry-on luggage if you're flying and can get rid of wrinkles in no time. When you unpack, hang up the clothes you want to steam and run the steamer up-and-down the clothing 2-3 times. Be sure to keep the steamer at least away from the clothes, as you don't want to damage what you've packed.[8]
- One reason a hand-held steamer is such a good travel buddy is because you never know how good the irons will be in hotel rooms. The quality of the irons could vary greatly depending on where you're staying, so bring a steamer with you to ensure you're getting the same results every time.
- Hang your clothes in the bathroom while you shower to get the wrinkles out. If you don't have a steamer or spritz handy and need to get wrinkles out of your clothes, hang your clothes in the bathroom and take a hot shower. In just a few minutes, the steam from the shower will get rid of the wrinkles in your clothes.[9]
- If you're traveling to a humid, tropical destination, you can hang up your clothes outside. The humidity will loosen up the wrinkles. Just make sure the weather will be nice for the next few hours if you decide to do this!
- Travel lightly to give your clothes room to breathe. Take only the clothes you truly need when you go to pack everything. Overpacking can not only wrinkle and crease clothing, but the clothes can also start to smell if they're sitting in a suitcase for many hours.[10]
- One way to determine if you've packed too much: bundle wrapping. If you cannot wrap your clothes in a bundle and fit them in your suitcase, you've packed too much clothing.
EditReferences
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Shoot Time Lapse Photography Posted: 01 May 2019 09:00 AM PDT You've probably seen some super cool time lapse videos and wondered what it would take to start shooting time lapse photography of your own. Well, it's actually a lot easier than you may think! The easiest way to capture time lapse photography is by using a phone with a good camera, which is something you might already have. For professional-quality time lapses, you'll need a good DSLR camera, a sturdy tripod, and the right accessories. Once you decide on the equipment to use, you need to pick a good subject, set up your gear for the shot, and program the right intervals to get the images you need to make your very own time lapse video. EditUsing a Phone Camera for Basic Time Lapses - Select the time lapse mode in your phone's camera app. Most smart phones these days have a time lapse mode in the camera app. Open up the app and scroll through the different modes until you find it.[1]
- Keep in mind that the time lapse mode on your phone has few or no settings that you can adjust. If you want more control, then you will need to download a time lapse app instead.
- Set your phone in a stable place so it won't move while you record. A tripod with a phone mount is the ideal stabilizer for your phone. Prop your phone up against something that won't move if you don't have a phone tripod.[2]
- If you are outside, keep in mind wind and other factors that could move your phone during recording.
- Make sure you have a full battery if you plan on shooting for a long time so your phone doesn't die in the middle of your time lapse!
- Hit record and leave your phone in place for as long as you want to record. Record longer periods for slower moving objects, and shorter periods for faster moving objects. The number of frames captured per second by your phone will depend on how long you record for.[3]
- For example, if you are shooting slow moving clouds, then your time lapse will look much better if you record for 20 minutes vs. for 5 minutes.
- The frame rate drops the longer you shoot, so the length of the video will not vary greatly if you shoot for 10 minutes compared with if you shoot for 40 minutes. Most time lapse videos shot with phones are 20-40 seconds long, regardless of how long you shoot for.
- Download a 3rd party time lapse app if you want more settings to play with. 3rd party apps offer you much more control over settings like exposure, frame rate, white balance, video speed, and even let you set a timer or add filters. Search the app store for your model of smart phone, download a few time lapse apps, and experiment them to find one that you like.[4]
- Some examples of nice time lapse apps are Framelapse, Lapse It, Microsoft Hyperlapse, Hyperlapse from Instagram, TimeLapse, iTimeLapse Pro, iMotion, and OSnap!. Some of these apps even have other features like letting you shoot stop motion videos or add audio.
EditSetting up Professional Equipment - Use a DSLR camera to shoot the best time lapse photography. DSLR cameras are by far the most professional way to capture time lapse shots. They are easiest to connect to an intervalometer (or even have one built in) and have the most options of settings that you can adjust for shooting in all kinds of scenarios.[5]
- DSLR stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex. These types of cameras offer the most bang for your buck and are far and away the best option on the market for photographers who want to take professional photos.
- Choose a subject with movement. The whole point of a time lapse video is to see movement sped up over time. Walk around the area to find the best framing and composition for your shot.[6]
- Pick somewhere to shoot that will have lots of interesting movement to capture for your time lapse video. For example, a sky with lots of moving clouds, a busy intersection, crowds of people, a sunrise, or a sunset are all good options for time lapse videos.
- Keep the "rule of thirds" in mind when picking the location to frame your shot. In other words, look at the frame of your shot as a grid of 9 squares. Try to compose it so that the most interesting parts are at the intersections of the squares on this imaginary grid.
- Select a stable tripod to hold your camera steady while shooting. You need a heavy tripod that won't shake in the wind. This will ensure that your camera stays as still as possible while shooting your time lapse so all the shots are the same. [7]
- Your camera will be in the same position for up to 2 hours, so make sure to use the heaviest tripod you can get your hands on.
- While shooting, you can stabilize your tripod even further by hanging your camera bag from it or placing rocks around the legs to hold them in place.
- Use a memory card of at least 32GB with a write speed of 50MB/s or more. Your camera will be working hard and taking a lot of images for your time lapse. A large and fast memory card will reduce the buffer time to allow your camera to quickly process each image before the next shot.[8]
- The shorter your intervals between shots, the more important this is.
- Put a battery grip on your camera to avoid a dead battery. Battery grips let you use 2 batteries at the same time. Your battery will drain much faster during time lapse photography, so having 2 batteries connected at once will help you avoid having to change the battery while shooting.
- If you don't have or can't use a battery grip for your camera, then at least carry a fully-charged spare battery that you can quickly swap into the camera if the battery dies during your shoot.[9]
- Use an ND filter if you have one to control exposure. Neutral density filters help increase motion blur and still capture sharp images. This will ensure the highest quality shots for your time lapse video.[10]
- If you don't have an ND filter, you can experiment with underexposing shots by 1-2 stops, but this will decrease some of the image quality and you will have to recover it in editing.
EditAdjusting Camera Settings and Capturing Footage - Focus the camera's lens on your subject. Manually focus the camera's lens on subjects of interest you want to capture in the time lapse video. Focus the lense to infinity if you are using a wide angle lens, or focus on specific elements in other cases.[11]
- For example, if you are shooting a sky with moving clouds, then manually adjust the lens so that the clouds are fully in focus. If you are shooting at an intersection, then adjust the lens so that the cars at the intersection are most in focus.
- Set your camera to manual mode. You need to shoot in manual exposure mode to create quality time lapse videos. Your camera will try to adjust for every slight change of light if you use automatic and you will end up with too much variation in your images.[12]
- When you shoot time lapse photography in manual mode, you should to set ISO to 100 with aperture at f/11.
- Shoot RAW files instead of JPEG. RAW files allow you the most flexibility when editing your video. With JPEG files you are pretty much stuck with what you get.[13]
- You will export your RAW files as JPEGs later, after editing, to turn them into the time lapse video.
- Hook up an intervalometer to your camera to trigger the time lapse shots. Some cameras have a built-in intervalometer, in which case you won't need to buy an external one. Get a remote intervalometer that is compatible with your camera if it doesn't have a built-in one.[14]
- Some built-in intervalometers have the advantage that they let you program a start time, so you could even begin shooting when you are not right next to the camera.
- Set the time lapse interval according to your subject. Use a longer interval for slow moving subjects and a shorter interval for fast moving subjects. 1-5 seconds is a good general interval range for most time lapse subject matter.[15]
- Use 1-second intervals for fast moving subjects such as traffic or fast moving clouds.
- Use a 3-5 second interval for things like slower moving clouds, crowds of people, sunsets, and sunrises.
- Longer intervals of 15-30 seconds can be used to shoot things over longer periods of time, like the sun moving across the sky or construction projects. Keep in mind that it takes about 1 hour to shoot enough images for a 30-second time lapse video at 5-second intervals, so a 30-second video shot at 30-second intervals would take you 6 hours to shoot.
- For extremely slow moving subjects, such as growing plants, use intervals of 10 minutes or more.
- Shoot for 250 frames for every 10 seconds of video you want. 25 frames creates 1 second of video. Set your intervalometer to capture the required number of frames at the chosen intervals, click "start", and leave it alone for the whole time it is shooting.[16]
- For example, if you want to make a 20-second video of traffic at a busy intersection, then you would need to shoot 500 frames. Since you would be using 1-second intervals for this type of movement, it would only take you 500 seconds to get all the footage you need for your 20-second video.
- If you don't know how many frames you need or want, then set your intervalometer to "infinity" so it will just keep shooting until you stop it.
- If you want to do heavy editing, then it's a good idea to take an extra 100-200 frames to give you some extra to work with.
- Upload your images to a photo editing software program and edit them. Edit 1 of the images to your liking, and then copy the edits to all the other images you are going to use in your time lapse video so they are all the same. Export the images as JPEG files when you are done editing.[17]
- Adobe Lightroom is the most popular photo editing software, but you can use whatever you know and are comfortable with.
- Other options include Affinity Photo, Capture One Pro, ON1 Photo Raw, Luminar, and DxO Photo Lab.
- Use time lapse assembling software to put the images together in a video. There are lots of free or paid options for putting together time lapse videos. Find one that you like, upload the images, then set the frames-per-second to 25 to create your time lapse video.[18]
- LR Time Lapse is an example of a plugin for Adobe Lightroom that you can use to assemble your video. Another option is putting it together in Adobe Photoshop.
- Free tools include Time Lapse Assembler for Mac and the Startrails app for PC.
- Use video editing software if you want to add music or special effects. Import the video to a video editing software program. Add the final touches to your video then export the final copy to share with the world![19]
- Some examples of software you can use to add music and other effects are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Windows Movie Maker, and iMovie.
- Save and export your completed video file. The process will vary slightly depending on the software you used to edit your video. In most programs you simply need to click on File, then Export, and choose the desired video format.[20]
- The best video format to select for general use is MP4, which uses MPEG-4 or H.264 video encoding to compress the file. When you export your video as an MP4 file, the resolution and frame rate will stay the same as when you imported the files.
EditReferences
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Prepare for Spring Gardening Posted: 01 May 2019 01:00 AM PDT You can easily prepare your garden before springtime! First, tidy up your garden by removing lawn debris, establishing a compost area, and removing lawn pests. Next, you can prepare your soil by testing its nutrient and pH level, amending the soil, and adding compost and fertilizer. Purchase seeds and bulbs, and sow your seeds indoors according to their germination times. With some planning and maintenance, you can prepare a flourishing garden for the spring! EditTending to Your Garden - Clean your garden tools with soap and water before you use them. To avoid contaminating your soil or plants, wipe down your garden tools with a soapy sponge or washcloth, then rinse them with water. Seeds are sensitive, so it is important to keep all tools clean.[1]
- Wash your rakes, shovels, and hand spades, for example.
- Remove weeds, branches, leaves, and debris from your garden plot. Wear gardening gloves when you do this to protect your hands, and use a rake to help if you need. You can place your lawn debris in a compost pile to use for later, or store it in lawn garbage bags.[2]
- You can do this in January or February.
- Establish a compost area in your yard. There are many ways you can make your own compost bin, or you can purchase a bin from a home supply store. Place your compost area on solid ground off the side of your yard, and lay twigs and straw a few inches deep. Then, add organic material like leaves, branches, and food scraps. You can also add manure and grass clippings. Then, cover your compost with a piece of wood or plastic.[3]
- A compost area is beneficial because you can easily add rich nutrients to your garden without spending much money.
- Having your own compost also recycles your organic waste.
- Locate and remove garden pests throughout the growing season. Before you plant your garden, look out for hibernating pests, like slugs, snails, and aphids. They hide in the tops of perennial plants for shelter during the winter. If you find pests in your potting soil, replace it with a fresh mix. You can kill pests as you find them, and use garden pest control methods like sticky traps, oil sprays, and parasitic nematodes when needed.[4]
- White vine weevil larvae live in compost and feed on plant roots. Keep an eye out for them as well!
- Install water butts to help collect seasonal rainfall. This is helpful because you can utilize rainwater to water your plants, rather than always using water from your spigot. To install, place your water butt on a firm, flat surface, and measure the height of the butt and cut the downpipe to your measurements with a hacksaw. Then, place it against a wall under a downpipe. Once installed, the water butt will collect rainwater to distribute over your garden.[5]
- Alternatively, you can cut a notch out of the downpipe and connect a rain trap to the pipe to transport your water.
- Rain barrels may also be a good option to connect to a downspout.
EditPreparing the Soil - Test your soil to determine its nutrient composition and pH level. Purchase a test kit, and dig up about of dirt from the top 2-4 inches of soil to use as your sample. Fill your soil up to the indicated line in the test chamber, and add distilled water with a dropper. Wait 1-2 minutes for the soil test to complete. Do this for both nutrients and pH levels. To determine the levels, check the color of the indicator and match it with the key on your test kit.[6]
- To make your soil more acidic, add sulfur, aluminum sulfate, or iron sulfate.
- To make your soil more basic, use powdered limestone or lime.
- If your soil is missing vital nutrients, add a fertilizer rich in that nutrient.
- Turn your soil using a pitchfork, shovel, or a rake to clear away weeds. Once your garden bed is cleared away of lawn debris, take a rake or a pitchfork, and go over all of your soil. This helps turn the soil over and remove weeds from your garden. If your soil is dry or crumbly, you can use a shovel or digging fork to help break it up.[7]
- If there are stubborn weeds still present, rip them out with your hands.
- Do this about 2-4 weeks before you plant your crops.
- Add of compost 2-4 weeks before you plant. After your garden bed is turned over, spread an even layer of compost over the top of your soil. You can use a garden spade or a rake to help you spread the compost. For best results, add a layer of compost.[8]
- Heavy clay and sandy soils require more compost, spread a layer of compost and till it into the soil.
- You can scoop compost from an existing compost pile using a shovel, or you can purchase bags of compost material from a garden supply store.
- Add a layer of fertilizer, grass clippings, or mulch. All of these options supply your garden with additional nutrients. If you tested your soil and found it lacking a particular nutrient, purchase fertilizer in that nutrient and use that on top of your compost. If your nutrients are balanced and want to add some extra material to your garden, go with grass clippings and mulch.[9]
- Grass clippings and mulch both slow down weed growth and improve your soil moisture retention.
- Using mulch with compost can create exceptionally healthy soil.
EditGetting Your Seeds or Plants Ready - Determine your USDA hardiness zone to pick what flowers and veggies to grow. Search online to find your climate zone. Visit a site like https://garden.org/nga/zipzone/, and type in your zip code. Press "Go," and then review the climate zone listed. Then, click on "View our Planting Calendar for your area," and check out the crops listed.[10]
- This site lists tons of helpful information, like when to sow your seeds indoors, when to transplant your seedlings to your garden, and when to garden for the fall.
- Choose between seeds or starter plants. You can easily grow plants from seeds, though you will need to start growing them indoors before you plant them outside. Alternatively, you can plant starter plants that are already grown to size immediately after the last frost. Buying starter plants is more expensive, but both options work great to get your garden started.[11]
- Grow plants from seeds if you are starting your garden weeks in advance.
- Go with starter plants if it is close to your last frost date and you want to start on a garden.
- Purchase starter plants, seeds, or bulbs for the crops you want to grow. Visit a local garden center or nursery, and pick out what flowers and vegetables you'd like to grow, based on your climate zone. Purchase packs of vegetable seeds, and go with flower bulbs if you'd like.
- You can easily plant your bulbs in the soil with your sprouted seedlings. In addition, you can look for springtime and summer-flowering plants, like lilies, gladiolus, and ranunculus.[12]
- If you have any gardening questions, ask the employees of the garden center. They can help get you started!
- You can also look for seeds online, if that is more convenient.
- Plant your crops indoors according to germination times if using seeds. Some seeds sprout in just 2-4 weeks, while others take several weeks to germinate, spanning 8-14 weeks. To find out when you can plant your seeds, check your seed package or search online for seed-starting charts. They will inform you of how many weeks before your frost date you should start your seeds.[13]
- Your frost date is the average date of when to expect your last frost for the season. To find your frost date, search online using your zip code.
- Plant your seeds in individual containers deep. You can use virtually any small container with individual units to grow your seeds. Select your container, and fill it with seed-starting potting soil up to about below the top. Then, place 1 seed into each of your containers. Keep your seeds in ample sunlight for 6-12 hours a day to grow healthy seeds.[14]
- Some seeds should be buried deeper in the soil than others. To find out how far down to place your seeds, check your seed packaging.
- You can use recycled containers like yogurt cups, Keurig coffee cups, egg cartons, or ice cube trays. Make drainage holes in the bottom of each container with a drill or knife.
- Create a planting calendar to plant your seeds outdoors appropriately. You can plant cold-season crops early in the season, and plant warm-season crops after there is no risk of frost. To keep track of when to plant, make a list of everything you are planting, and list their germination times. Then, list the approximate day to plant them, based on each plant's growing conditions.[15]
- For example, cool-season crops include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, and onions.
- Warm-season crops include tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
- Harden off seedlings before you plant them outside in your garden. "Hardening off" is when you slowly adjust your plants to the outdoor environment. The process usually takes about 1 week. On the first day, set your seeds in a shady area outside for about 2-3 hours. Try to place them in a spot without much wind. Then, over the next few days you can gradually increase their time outside by 1-2 hours.[16]
- This helps your plants adjust to the temperature fluctuations and windy conditions.
- Do not leave seedlings outdoors overnight until you have finished the hardening off process.
- Plant your seeds, bulbs, or starter plants outdoors on an overcast day. It is best to plant your crops on days without much bright, harsh sunlight. Seeds are sensitive, and harsh sunlight can shock them, even if you've hardened them off. Make a small hole with your finger, and place your seedling, bulb, or starter plant inside. Then, add a bit of soil on top. Water your garden immediately so your plants start to take root.[17]
- It is helpful to check specific transplant instructions so you tend to your seedlings properly.
- Use a watering can or a garden hose to water your crops.
- Spread mulch around newly planted plants to improve moisture retention, keep soil temperature more consistent and build the soil.
- To help prevent additional weeds from emerging, you can lay down black plastic sheets before you add your soil and compost.
- If you are using raised beds, make sure the walls are straight. You can replace them if needed, or prop them up using rocks or stones. This way, your soil will stay firmly in place.
- When selecting a location for your garden, try to avoid root systems of trees or bushes.
EditThings You'll Need - Garden gloves or clean hands
- Clean potting containers
- Nutrient-rich potting soil
- Seeds or bulbs
- Watering can or gardening hose
- Compost
- Mulch or grass clippings
- Fertilizer
- Garden bed or raised beds
EditRelated wikiHows EditReferences
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment