Back to Dirty Little Secrets Index
Dirty Little Secrets, Organizing Tips and Life Hacks
20 Organizing Tips
by Maria Gracia1. After you wash your face, are you doing
this? It’s essential for youthful skin…
Applying moisturizer to your face, while your skin is still damp, locks in moisture. As we get older our faces tend to become drier. Adding moisturizer rehydrates and repairs skin cells. So right after you wash your face, lightly pat it dry and immediately add moisturizer.2. Spring allergies? Do this if you’re working
on something outdoors…
I just love spring, but I have no fondness for spring allergies. There are two things that really help me. First off, I wear sunglasses. This protects many allergens from blowing into my eyes. Second, if I’m working in the garden or doing any kind of yard work, I wear goggles. Both of these help ease my spring allergies dramatically.3. This is the very best time to clean your
stove top
When you’re cooking on your stove top, splatters and spills inevitably occur. Once you remove pots and pans from it, allow it to cool a bit, but not all the way. The very best time to clean it is when it’s still warm. So serve up dinner and, right before you sit down, grab a damp cloth and wipe the stove top before the food has a chance to dry and harden.4. Clean sticky spills in the fridge with less
time and effort
If I see a sticky, gooey spill in the refrigerator, I wet a cloth with very hot water and place some baking soda on it. I then place that cloth over the spill in the fridge and allow it to sit for about one minute. Then, I wipe it up. Doing this allows the gooey mess to loosen a bit, so you can almost always clean it with less effort.5. This one tiny addition to your closets can
be the difference between chaos and calm…
Most closets are dark, which is not ideal for finding what we need or putting things back where they belong. If your closet doesn’t have a light, stick a battery-operated LED light in it. It’s much easier to keep a closet neat, organized, and tidy when you can see what you’re putting in and taking out.6. Always running out of conditioner before
the shampoo runs out? Here’s what I do…
Like most people, I tend to use more conditioner in my hair than shampoo, which means the conditioner always runs out a whole lot sooner. To combat this, I buy TWO containers of conditioner for every ONE container of shampoo.7. Keep this in your freezer to help relieve
painful headaches…
Have a headache? Look in your freezer for your remedy…a bag of frozen peas. Hold the bag on your head for five to ten minutes. Your headache should slowly begin to subside. Repeat as necessary.8. Here’s how I cut down on clutter before it
enters my home…
I typically avoid all freebie and BOGO (buy one, get one free) offers, unless I definitely plan to use the product. I’ve been to countless numbers of trade shows, plus I receive several promotions and offers every day in the mail. If I constantly took what was free, I’d be bringing in more and more clutter each and every day. Instead, I think before I take. If the offer isn’t something I’m going to use, I decline. Just because something is free doesn’t mean you have to take it home with you.9. To avoid cluttered surfaces in my home, I
follow this easy-to-remember mantra…
The mantra is: Don’t put it down. Put it away. Yes, it’s an oldie, but a goodie. The power of it is perpetual. I don’t temporarily toss my sweatshirt over a chair. I hang it up in the closet or put it in the laundry basket. I don’t toss my keys on the counter. I put them in my purse. I don’t toss mail on the table. I flip through it immediately, tossing all junk mail in the recycle container and sorting the keepers into the “bills to be paid tray,” the filing cabinet, my reading file, and so on.10. Not sure where to begin organizing? Look
for these first!
Look for your “Trouble Spots.” A trouble spot is any area of your home that bothers you the most. A trouble spot could be a closet, bedroom, family room, drawer, basement, desk or other. Take care of each of these areas first...one at a time. When you do, it will be a major accomplishment...something you’ll feel really good about.11. Stop digging through your purse for bobby
pins. Here’s what I do!
All you need is an old, expired credit card. Slide a bunch of bobby pins over the card, and place the card in a zippered pocket in your purse. Now that the bobby pins are all in one place, they’ll be easy to spot and use when needed.12. Here’s a great way to spark creative
thinking
Not feeling creative lately and need something to spark more creativity in your life? Socialize more! That’s right…the simple act of socializing with others about positive, uplifting subjects, can increase your imagination and stretch your mind to think in new ways. All you need is a friendly person and 10 minutes of their time to impact your creative mind in a big way!13. Want clearer skin and less acne? Do a little
bit of math with your diet. This secret is easy
and effective!
All it takes is a little bit of addition and subtraction. Don’t worry if you’re not a math whiz…it’s a cinch. Just subtract as much sugar from your diet as you can…soda, cake, candy, cookies, white bread, sweeteners (you know the culprits!) and add fresh vegetables and fruit instead…at least 5 to 7 servings per day. According to Acne Einstein, “eating sugary foods increases hormones that stimulate sebum production and skin cell growth. Indulging in sugar can also feed Candida overgrowth that may indirectly cause acne.” On the other hand, fresh vegetables and fruit contains antioxidants, important for normal skin cell development and healthy, clear skin tone!14. Make a natural foot soak…easy and feels
oh-so good!
Using a basin just large enough for you to soak your feet, fill it with equal parts whole milk and warm water. Soak your feet in it for 15 minutes, while you’re reading a book. When the timer sounds, rinse your feet, dab dry, lather on lotion, and put on socks. No harsh ingredients in your foot soak, and your feet will feel oh-so-good afterwards!15. Do you wish you brought along a ruler
with you to measure something? Use this
measuring hack instead…
Measurements aren’t always listed on items you’re shopping for and you likely aren’t walking around with a ruler. A measuring hack, however, can be found right in your wallet. A dollar bill is 6.1 inches long and is perfect for measuring the length of a pair of pants or the dimensions of a cabinet.16. Spending too much when you’re out
shopping? Try this…
It’s so easy, when you’re shopping with credit cards, to overspend. It’s a whole different story when you’re shelling over one $20 bill after another. Decide how much you want to spend ahead of time, and then withdraw that amount from an ATM in cash. You’ll be more conscious of what you’re buying…and not buying. If you get to the register and you spent less, great! Keep that money to use on your next shopping trip. If you went over, consider putting some items back to stay within budget.17. Help kick food cravings with this one-
minute trick…
When you have a food craving that you’d like to dismiss, find a quiet spot, sit down, take a deep breath, and close your eyes. Using your right hand, place three fingers on your left hand’s wrist to find your pulse. Once you’re fully aware of the beats, count to those beats until you reach 60. Doing this should help relax your food craving. Immediately afterwards, re-focus your mind on a task. It’s too easy to think of food if you’re not doing something else with your mind. If you still have the food craving, chew some sugarless gum…another mind distraction.18. Is that food item really expired? Here’s
how to know for sure…
The words included with the date on your food can be confusing to consumers and often end up in us discarding perfectly good food. Use this to help guide your “keep or toss” decision. • Use-By: This is the last date you should eat the food for safety reasons. Now, if your milk is a day or two past the “Use by” date, and it still looks and smells fine, it probably is. But, the further food gets from the Use-By date, the more likely it is going bad, or is bad…so this is the one you want to take more seriously. • Sell-By: This label is aimed at “retailers” (your supermarket)…not you. It informs THEM of the date the product should be removed from the shelves. Safety guidelines say most dairy products are good 7 to 10 days after their “sell-by” date. Meat must be frozen by its “sell-by” date, but it’s still okay to defrost it and eat later. And canned foods should not have a bloated lid or any major creases. That’s a sign it may have been contaminated and could make you sick. • Best-By: The suggested date the product should be consumed to assure the best quality of the item. So, if your crackers are past their expiration date, they’re likely not going to make you sick…but they may taste stale and wouldn’t be worth eating for that reason alone.19. Love to garden? This seed starter is way
cool!
I don’t know about you, but in my house we’ll often buy ice cream cones on a whim…use them once or twice…and they end up going stale before we can get through the rest of the pack. But we NEVER toss them because they make the perfect seed starters. These adorable, biodegradable containers are easy to pop into the ground when the time comes!20. Before you toss those vegetable peels,
consider this…
Don’t toss potato, carrot, and parsnip peels. They’re delicious! Preheat your oven to 400 F. Toss them with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper until they’re coated well. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a cookie sheet. Place the peels in a single layer on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes…or until crisp. Eat as is…or place on top of a salad or sandwich. Back to Dirty Little Secrets Index
The Original
Get Organized Now!
Website - Since 1997
by Maria Gracia
The Original
Get Organized Now!
Website - Since 1997
by Maria Gracia
Dirty Little Secrets - Organizing Tips
By Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!™
Copyright 1998 - 2023 Get Organized Now!™
611 Arlington Way, Watertown, WI 53094
All of our GON information on this website, discussion forum, newsletters and
e-mail correspondence, is protected by copyright laws. Reprint is strictly forbidden,
unless stated otherwise on individual pages. Anyone posting copyrighted material or
correspondence, without permission from the owner of this website, will be liable for
damages. For reprint permission, please contact the owner of this website.
Recommendations: If you happen to purchase anything I recommend in any of my
communications, I may receive a small compensation. Still, I only recommend what I
truly believe in and share with my friends and family. If you ever have an issue with
anything I recommend, please let me know. I want to make sure I am always serving
you at the highest level.
Back to Dirty Little Secrets Index
Dirty Little Secrets, Organizing Tips and Life
Hacks
20 Organizing Tips
by Maria Gracia Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Dirty Little Secret is available. 1. After you wash your face, are you doing this? It’s essential for youthful skin… Applying moisturizer to your face, while your skin is still damp, locks in moisture. As we get older our faces tend to become drier. Adding moisturizer rehydrates and repairs skin cells. So right after you wash your face, lightly pat it dry and immediately add moisturizer. 2. Spring allergies? Do this if you’re working on something outdoors… I just love spring, but I have no fondness for spring allergies. There are two things that really help me. First off, I wear sunglasses. This protects many allergens from blowing into my eyes. Second, if I’m working in the garden or doing any kind of yard work, I wear goggles. Both of these help ease my spring allergies dramatically. 3. This is the very best time to clean your stove top When you’re cooking on your stove top, splatters and spills inevitably occur. Once you remove pots and pans from it, allow it to cool a bit, but not all the way. The very best time to clean it is when it’s still warm. So serve up dinner and, right before you sit down, grab a damp cloth and wipe the stove top before the food has a chance to dry and harden.. 4. Clean sticky spills in the fridge with less time and effort If I see a sticky, gooey spill in the refrigerator, I wet a cloth with very hot water and place some baking soda on it. I then place that cloth over the spill in the fridge and allow it to sit for about one minute. Then, I wipe it up. Doing this allows the gooey mess to loosen a bit, so you can almost always clean it with less effort. 5. This one tiny addition to your closets can be the difference between chaos and calm… Most closets are dark, which is not ideal for finding what we need or putting things back where they belong. If your closet doesn’t have a light, stick a battery-operated LED light in it. It’s much easier to keep a closet neat, organized, and tidy when you can see what you’re putting in and taking out. 6. Always running out of conditioner before the shampoo runs out? Here’s what I do… Like most people, I tend to use more conditioner in my hair than shampoo, which means the conditioner always runs out a whole lot sooner. To combat this, I buy TWO containers of conditioner for every ONE container of shampoo. 7. Keep this in your freezer to help relieve painful headaches… Have a headache? Look in your freezer for your remedy…a bag of frozen peas. Hold the bag on your head for five to ten minutes. Your headache should slowly begin to subside. Repeat as necessary. 8. Here’s how I cut down on clutter before it enters my home… I typically avoid all freebie and BOGO (buy one, get one free) offers, unless I definitely plan to use the product. I’ve been to countless numbers of trade shows, plus I receive several promotions and offers every day in the mail. If I constantly took what was free, I’d be bringing in more and more clutter each and every day. Instead, I think before I take. If the offer isn’t something I’m going to use, I decline. Just because something is free doesn’t mean you have to take it home with you. 9. To avoid cluttered surfaces in my home, I follow this easy-to-remember mantra… The mantra is: Don’t put it down. Put it away. Yes, it’s an oldie, but a goodie. The power of it is perpetual. I don’t temporarily toss my sweatshirt over a chair. I hang it up in the closet or put it in the laundry basket. I don’t toss my keys on the counter. I put them in my purse. I don’t toss mail on the table. I flip through it immediately, tossing all junk mail in the recycle container and sorting the keepers into the “bills to be paid tray,” the filing cabinet, my reading file, and so on. 10. Not sure where to begin organizing? Look for these first! Look for your “Trouble Spots.” A trouble spot is any area of your home that bothers you the most. A trouble spot could be a closet, bedroom, family room, drawer, basement, desk or other. Take care of each of these areas first...one at a time. When you do, it will be a major accomplishment...something you’ll feel really good about. 11. Stop digging through your purse for bobby pins. Here’s what I do! All you need is an old, expired credit card. Slide a bunch of bobby pins over the card, and place the card in a zippered pocket in your purse. Now that the bobby pins are all in one place, they’ll be easy to spot and use when needed. 12. Here’s a great way to spark creative thinking Not feeling creative lately and need something to spark more creativity in your life? Socialize more! That’s right…the simple act of socializing with others about positive, uplifting subjects, can increase your imagination and stretch your mind to think in new ways. All you need is a friendly person and 10 minutes of their time to impact your creative mind in a big way! 13. Want clearer skin and less acne? Do a little bit of math with your diet. This secret is easy and effective! All it takes is a little bit of addition and subtraction. Don’t worry if you’re not a math whiz…it’s a cinch. Just subtract as much sugar from your diet as you can…soda, cake, candy, cookies, white bread, sweeteners (you know the culprits!) and add fresh vegetables and fruit instead…at least 5 to 7 servings per day. According to Acne Einstein, “eating sugary foods increases hormones that stimulate sebum production and skin cell growth. Indulging in sugar can also feed Candida overgrowth that may indirectly cause acne.” On the other hand, fresh vegetables and fruit contains antioxidants, important for normal skin cell development and healthy, clear skin tone! 14. Make a natural foot soak…easy and feels oh-so good! Using a basin just large enough for you to soak your feet, fill it with equal parts whole milk and warm water. Soak your feet in it for 15 minutes, while you’re reading a book. When the timer sounds, rinse your feet, dab dry, lather on lotion, and put on socks. No harsh ingredients in your foot soak, and your feet will feel oh-so-good afterwards! 15. Do you wish you brought along a ruler with you to measure something? Use this measuring hack instead… Measurements aren’t always listed on items you’re shopping for and you likely aren’t walking around with a ruler. A measuring hack, however, can be found right in your wallet. A dollar bill is 6.1 inches long and is perfect for measuring the length of a pair of pants or the dimensions of a cabinet. 16. Spending too much when you’re out shopping? Try this… It’s so easy, when you’re shopping with credit cards, to overspend. It’s a whole different story when you’re shelling over one $20 bill after another. Decide how much you want to spend ahead of time, and then withdraw that amount from an ATM in cash. You’ll be more conscious of what you’re buying…and not buying. If you get to the register and you spent less, great! Keep that money to use on your next shopping trip. If you went over, consider putting some items back to stay within budget. 17. Help kick food cravings with this one-minute trick… When you have a food craving that you’d like to dismiss, find a quiet spot, sit down, take a deep breath, and close your eyes. Using your right hand, place three fingers on your left hand’s wrist to find your pulse. Once you’re fully aware of the beats, count to those beats until you reach 60. Doing this should help relax your food craving. Immediately afterwards, re-focus your mind on a task. It’s too easy to think of food if you’re not doing something else with your mind. If you still have the food craving, chew some sugarless gum…another mind distraction. 18. Is that food item really expired? Here’s how to know for sure… The words included with the date on your food can be confusing to consumers and often end up in us discarding perfectly good food. Use this to help guide your “keep or toss” decision. • Use-By: This is the last date you should eat the food for safety reasons. Now, if your milk is a day or two past the “Use by” date, and it still looks and smells fine, it probably is. But, the further food gets from the Use-By date, the more likely it is going bad, or is bad…so this is the one you want to take more seriously. • Sell-By: This label is aimed at “retailers” (your supermarket)…not you. It informs THEM of the date the product should be removed from the shelves. Safety guidelines say most dairy products are good 7 to 10 days after their “sell-by” date. Meat must be frozen by its “sell-by” date, but it’s still okay to defrost it and eat later. And canned foods should not have a bloated lid or any major creases. That’s a sign it may have been contaminated and could make you sick. • Best-By: The suggested date the product should be consumed to assure the best quality of the item. So, if your crackers are past their expiration date, they’re likely not going to make you sick…but they may taste stale and wouldn’t be worth eating for that reason alone. 19. Love to garden? This seed starter is way cool! I don’t know about you, but in my house we’ll often buy ice cream cones on a whim…use them once or twice…and they end up going stale before we can get through the rest of the pack. But we NEVER toss them because they make the perfect seed starters. These adorable, biodegradable containers are easy to pop into the ground when the time comes! 20. Before you toss those vegetable peels, consider this… Don’t toss potato, carrot, and parsnip peels. They’re delicious! Preheat your oven to 400 F. Toss them with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper until they’re coated well. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a cookie sheet. Place the peels in a single layer on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes…or until crisp. Eat as is…or place on top of a salad or sandwich. Back to Dirty Little Secrets Index
GON DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS
Copyright 1998 - 2023 Get Organized Now!™
611 Arlington Way, Watertown, WI 53094
All of our GON information on this website, discussion forum, newsletters and
e-mail correspondence, is protected by copyright laws. Reprint is strictly forbidden, unless
stated otherwise on individual pages. Anyone posting copyrighted material or
correspondence, without permission from the owner of this website, will be liable for
damages. For reprint permission, please contact the owner of this website.
Recommendations: If you happen to purchase anything I recommend in any of my
communications, I may receive a small compensation. Still, I only recommend what I truly
believe in and share with my friends and family. If you ever have an issue with anything I
recommend, please let me know. I want to make sure I am always serving you at the
highest level.
