5 Things That Most People Own Too Many Of

Simple tips that make cleaning easier, a warning about misleading advertising in stores, and more. July 26, 2021 [View Online]( TOGETHER WITH Today's email is a special one—it's the first sponsored issue of this newsletter, and that’s good news for all of us! Working with sponsors helps ensure these newsletters will remain free, and that I can continue to fill them with helpful tips and tricks that make your life easier. My commitment, first and foremost, is to you, so I will always do my best to work with sponsors you'll love. (I'll also be working hard to secure exclusive OGT reader discounts for you whenever I can!) Finally, when you check out sponsors that interest you, you'll be showing your support for OGT. So thank you in advance for supporting OGT by supporting our sponsors. Good morning! If you’re anything like me, then it’s easy to get carried away by your scout-like instinct to “always be prepared.” If your collections of “just in case” extras have gotten out of hand, addressing the items in Today’s Good Thing makes a great starting point for clearing out the clutter. And if life has dealt you some unpleasant surprises lately, don’t miss today’s Monday Motivation about the power of keeping an open mind when life (seemingly) hands you lemons. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING 5 Things You Have Too Many Of [Photos of books, vases, towels, and sheets]( Having a few extra of something can quickly turn into too many, especially with these five things. 1. Books. There's a difference between having a well-loved collection of books and having a bunch of books that collect dust on your shelf. If your books are the dusty kind, pare down your collection and donate what you don't need or love to a local library or hospital. 2. Vases. Unless you're receiving bouquets from a number of interested suitors, you only really need one or two vases. As for the extras, Pinterest has tons of ideas for repurposing vases, or you could ask around at local florists to see if they want them. 3. Towels. When our bath towels get worn out or develop holes, I relegate them to a pile in the garage for Dave to use for car washing. But we wear out towels faster than he goes through car wash towels, so it's good to know that many animal shelters and kennels happily accept donations of clean towels. 4. Bedding. Why do we think we need so many extra sets of sheets? When your "just in case" sheets outnumber your beds three to one, it's time to streamline your linen closet. Like towels, you can often donate clean bedding to animal shelters. 5. Cups And Glasses. Just because there are certain types of glasses or cups designed for certain beverages doesn't mean you need all of them. If your collection contains glasses, goblets, mugs, cups, and everything in between, get rid of the ones you never pull out of the cupboard. [5 More Things You Have Too Many Of]( [5 More Things You Have Too Many Of]( Related • [9 Little Things That Are Making Your Kitchen Look Messy]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Grout lines looking grimy? I tried a number of different methods before discovering the best way to clean grout. [Read more ➜]( • Not only is Jiffy cornbread mix a great shortcut at dinnertime, but you can also use it to make these 4 creative food creations. [Read more ➜]( • From making deep cupboards easier to use to keeping things organized, lazy Susans are a lot more useful than you’d think. [Read more ➜]( CLEANING 3 Tips That Make Cleaning Less Painful [Photos of cleaning tips that make cleaning less painful]( Cruise through cleaning tasks effortlessly with the help of these tips that make things easier. 1. Find Your Footing. When you’re scrubbing dirty dishes, open the cabinet door under your sink and place one foot inside. The position will help keep your back straight while you stand and reduce strain, as well as give you room to bend your knees when you're putting things away. 2. Automate Your Cleaning. From robot vacuums to self-cleaning litter boxes, there are all kinds of cool gadgets you can use to automate certain cleaning tasks. While they typically don’t come cheap, they could be well worth the investment. (After all, just think about how much time and energy your washing machine and dishwasher save you!) 3. Let It Sit. Never underestimate the power of a good soak. Let crusty pots and pans sit in hot, soapy water before attempting to scrub them. And before you tackle soap scum in your shower, apply your cleaner and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. The more time you let cleaning products sit, the less time and effort you’ll spend scrubbing. [6 More Ways To Make Cleaning Less Painful]( [6 More Ways To Make Cleaning Less Painful]( TOGETHER WITH MARYANN This Anti-Aging Cream Checks All The Boxes [Collagen cream]( With over 8,500 five-star reviews on Amazon, this affordable anti-aging cream is too good to ignore. Finding effective skincare products that don’t cost an arm and a leg can sometimes feel like an impossible task. And many anti-aging products are so specific that even a modest skincare regimen can feel like it has more steps than the Lincoln Memorial! For those reasons, I’m always on the lookout for quality anti-aging products that won’t break the bank, and that’s exactly what this [Collagen Anti-Aging Wrinkle Cream]( from Maryann Organics delivers. With regular use, many users see results in just weeks, such as: • Reduced under-eye puffiness; • Healthier, hydrated skin; • Reduced fine lines and wrinkles for a smoother complexion; • Firmer jaw and neck skin to reduce sag. One reviewer raved: "It feels like I have a new face!" OGT readers can try this [Collagen Anti-Aging Wrinkle Cream]( for an additional 25% off the already low price with coupon code JILL25. [Try Today & Get 25% Off ➜]( [Try Today & Get 25% Off ➜]( Did you know? Supporting our sponsors makes it possible for me to continue sharing the tips and tricks that make your life easier! Check out [Maryann Organics]( today to show your support for OGT. Thank you! SHOPPING Don’t Fall For Misleading Advertising [Jillee looking at a sign advertising a Buy Two, Get One Free deal at Target]( Just because a sign makes something sound like a great deal doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Have you ever seen a sign or ad that says something like “Summer Blowout!” or “Hot Deal!,” only to realize that the prices are exactly the same? Seeing phrases like these on signs can be an empty promise, because they don’t technically mean that anything has been discounted. Like other marketing tactics, phrases that imply that there are good deals in store are designed to attract customers. They know that plenty of people won't realize that nothing was actually on sale, so it's up to you to ensure you're not one of them. Don't be afraid to ask a sales associate about the price if you aren't sure whether something is discounted or not. JILLEE'S PICK A Smarter Way To Store Long Utensils [A photo of the bamboo drawer organizer]( There's one particular drawer in my kitchen that I use for bigger utensils and small kitchen gadgets, and it used to be the bane of my existence. It seemed like something was always sticking up at a weird angle and making it impossible to pull the drawer out in a functional manner. But to be fair, I didn't have anything in that drawer helping to keep things organized. I just assumed I wouldn't be able to find a drawer organizer large enough for the utensils I kept in there, so I tossed it all into the drawer and figured it would be fine. (Clearly it did not end up being fine.) But I eventually discovered a simple solution in the form of the [Eco Kitchenware Bamboo Drawer Organizer](. I think I happened to spot it while perusing Amazon during one of their sales, and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought to look for something like it sooner! Unlike other drawer organizers, this one has angled slots, the longest slot of which can accommodate items up to 16" long. After buying one and putting it in my utensil drawer, the rate of jammed drawer incidents plummeted, and my only regret is that I didn't learn about it sooner! [See the Eco Kitchenware Bamboo Drawer Organizer on Amazon ➜]( MONDAY MOTIVATION Obstacles And Opportunities “If you believe it’ll work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you don’t believe it’ll work out, you’ll see obstacles.” - Wayne Dyer When we look into our pasts, it's easy to point out coincidences, unexpected circumstances, and happy accidents that changed some aspect of life for the better. Personally, I have plenty of them, such as when I moved across the country for my first TV news job and ended up meeting Dave, the man I would one day marry. There was also the time when, after Dave and I decided that our third child had been our last, I discovered that I was pregnant with our fourth. Sten ended up being the puzzle piece our family didn't even know it was missing, and now I look back at it knowing that it was simply meant to be. But I certainly didn't know that at the time, and it didn't feel like a blessing in disguise. Neither did my decision to move to Bismarck, North Dakota in the middle of winter for that job. During my first few weeks there, I called my mom constantly to tell her how much I wanted to go home. Because that's the thing about opportunities—they don't always look like opportunities up close. It's impossible to avoid the unexpected, which means there's always going to be some circumstance that threatens to derail you from your current path. But you know that those circumstances sometimes really are blessings in disguise, so why put yourself through the anguish of assuming the worst? After all, the only real difference between an obstacle and an opportunity is what you decide to call it. A FEW MORE THINGS... What’s Coming Up? In this week's newsletters, I'll be sharing an enthralling read about the Trojan War, an extensive guide to cleaning and sanitizing your reusable shopping bags, and the recipe for an easy-to-make gluten free dessert that will have you going back for seconds. Do Something Good: Look up the websites of local charitable organizations and see if they have wish lists of items on Amazon or other retail sites. You can usually buy these items and have them sent straight to the organization, which makes it quick and easy to do something good today! What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( One Good Thing by Jillee · 841 S. Main St. · Heber City, UT 84032 · USA