Real Simple Solutions

Locking myself at home until I'd gotten enough work done worked for a few hours, but by Saturday evening, when I got a "Hey, I'm hanging out at a really chill housewarming party, you should show up" text, I didn't need a second one to convince me. Never mind I don't really know the person who's house it is, it was out of the house and away from my job search, so I was in.


It ended up being a lot of fun, or at least as much fun as the mental challenge of Scattergories can be when you're pretty bad at it, and the perfect break. Mid-way through the evening however, I spotted something amazing on the bookshelf. This:

I simply could not resist it. But I was a a "party", and hiding in the corner with my nose submerged in even an amazing book, is not something Real Simple would approve of. So I politely asked to borrow it instead, promised to return it within a month's time, and finished it last night, just after the Giants regrettably finished off the 49ers. 


And this my friends, is what I learned/liked/wanted to remember:

1. Cleaning makeup brushes is easy. I should really do it. Seriously. Bacteria. Gross.

2. They recommend a yearly hair moisturizing treatment. I have a bottle of mayonnaise from Trader Joe's that tastes bad. I need to combine these two...


3. Sugar + vaseline makes a great exfoliator for your lips.

4. You can add warm water to a pack of instant oatmeal for a quick facial - leave it on your face 5 to 10 min.

5. Fill an empty flower box with pine cones in the winter, for a seasonally appropriate look. 

6. Use baking soda and warm water to clean of baked-on food. 

7. Freeze berries or grapes to put in cocktails as ice cubes. 

8. Hang a lint roller from your closet door knob.

9. Use a paper towel stand to organize ribbons. 

10. Get a cobbler to add rubber to the bottoms of your shoes to preserve them.

11. Clean jewelry with 1/2 cup of warm water and 3-4 drops of dishwashing liquid. 

12. Use a pumice stone to remove pills from sweaters (I don't understand how this works, but I'll try!). 

13. Make a master list of important dates (birthdays, etc.) for annual reference instead of transferring dates from one calendar to another.

14. Choose onions and garlic with the driest, papery skin. They'll keep for up to 2 months. 

15. Make gift tags for presents from seasonal cards. 

16. Swirl spinach in salt water to clean it.

17. String lights on a Christmas tree starting at the bottom, and going up vertically, and then won, then up again, etc.

18. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to your bath to moisturize your skin, and simultaneously clean your tub.

19. Loved their list of desk-drawer essentials.

20. Twist-tie cords together/to themselves.

21. Things you can put in your dishwasher: the sink stopper and your hairbrush. 

22. Put lotion on your hands, and them insert them into rubber gloves for washing dishes. The hot water will make your skin absorb the moisturizer even more than normally. 

23. Use a newspaper to clean mirrors, it leaves less residue than towels. 

24. Purchase mini or full-size take out containers to send leftovers home with guests after a dinner party.