These 5 Holiday Shopping Tips Will Save You This Year

The quickest fix for unruly shirt collars, a refreshing homemade face mist you’ll love, and more. November 3, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! In case you haven’t heard by now or experienced it personally, there’s a “perfect storm” of sorts brewing in the retail world that's bound to impact holiday shopping. But it’s not all bad news—in Today’s Good Thing, I’ve got some simple tips to help you get your gifts without being waylaid by the retail ruckus. Also in today’s newsletter, I’m sharing the recipe for my favorite homemade face mist, AKA the Swiss army knife of beauty and personal care products. When you’re in the midst of a hot flash or rage sweat, there’s nothing like a few refreshing spritzers to cool yourself off—and that’s just for starters! Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING 5 Ways To Make Holiday Shopping Less Stressful This Year [Photos of Jillee getting a package, shopping in a store, and using a store pickup kiosk.]( Due to current shortages and delays, these 5 tips will make your holiday shopping experience much less stressful. 1. Get Started ASAP. If you have popular toys or electronics on your list this year, you’re better off buying them now—even if they aren’t on sale—than waiting to get them later. Retailers will struggle to restock popular items in a timely manner this year, so the earlier you can get those items, the less stressed you’ll feel. 2. Don’t Forget The Essentials. While you’re out there getting an early start on your holiday shopping, get the essentials like gift wrap, tape, batteries, and all the other little things we all tend to forget about needing until the last possible minute. If you get them now, you won’t have to worry about trying to find them later. 3. Use In-Store Pickup. Avoid shipping delays by focusing on items you can find in stores, either in person or by shopping online for in-stock items at nearby stores. Similarly, Amazon Prime members should look for 2-Day Prime shipping, indicating the item is in a nearby distribution center and will likely arrive fairly quickly. 4. Shop Local. “Shop local” is always good advice, but it’s a particularly smart approach to take to your holiday shopping this year. Shop at small stores in your area for unique items you can take home with you. That way, you won’t have to hope and pray your gifts will arrive in time for the holidays. 5. Make Your Gifts. I’ve always been an ardent supporter of handmade gifts, but it’s a particularly good idea this year if you’re looking to avoid the retail and shipping mess. Bake treats or make crafts to give as unique gifts that your loved ones are sure to cherish. [Get tons of great DIY gift ideas here](. [2 More Ways To Make Holiday Shopping Less Stressful ➜]( Related • [10 Easy Ways To Solve Your Worst Holiday Clutter Problem]( • [24 Useful Baking Hacks That Will Get You Ready For The Holidays]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Are you using the right type of mop and cleaning solution to clean your hardwood floors? Find out here. [Read more ➜]( • Rejuvenate tired skin with this homemade mask of pore-tightening clay, exfoliating oats, and moisturizing honey. [Read more ➜]( • After someone’s been sick in your house, use these cleaning tips to make sure those germs don’t stick around. [Read more ➜]( WASH IT WEDNESDAY Fix An Unruly Collar In a Flash [A photo of a hair straightener being used to iron the collar of a shirt.]( If your collar isn’t behaving when you’re in a hurry, this tip will help you tame it in record time. Doesn’t it seem like every time you’re in a rush to get out the door, a clothing crisis arises to try and derail your morning? I can’t count the number of times I’ve been on my way out the door and realized I'd gotten toothpaste on my shirt or that my collar was curled up in a wonky way. The first scenario may require a "costume change," but the second doesn't! There’s a lightning-fast way to fix a curled collar that will get you out the door in a flash. Just plug in your hair straightener, let it heat up for a minute, then use your straightener to "iron" your collar. The nice thing about using a hair straightener is that they heat up fast, typically quite a bit faster than a full-size clothes iron would. It makes it easy to quickly fix a wonky collar and get out the door in much less time than it would have taken otherwise. BEAUTY Make Your Own Highly Versatile Face Mist [Photos of Jillee using a face mist.]( Learn how to make a simple and refreshing face mist you can use in a surprising variety of ways. Having a face mist in your arsenal of beauty products is a little bit like carrying wet wipes around in your purse—you may not necessarily need them, but once you realize how useful they are, you’ll never want to be without them! My favorite homemade face mist might just become your favorite too. Here’s how to make it: To a small spray bottle, add 3 tablespoons of distilled water, 2 tablespoons of witch hazel, 2 tablespoons of rose water, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin. Shake well to combine and store in a cool, dark location for up to 1 month, or in the fridge for up to 3 months. Here’s how to use it: 1. Dampen Makeup Sponges. If you use a makeup sponge to apply or blend foundation, you can dampen it with your face mist. 2. Primer Spray. Spritz the mist onto your skin before applying your makeup to help it adhere to your skin better. 3. Setting Spray. Use the mist as a setting spray after you apply your makeup, which will help keep it in place longer. 4. Touch Ups. Need to touch up your makeup? Carry your face mist in your makeup bag or purse to use before or after a touch up. 5. Toner. Apply the face mist after washing your face, then pat with a cloth or cotton pad to remove remaining impurities and tone skin. 6. Freshen Up. Use your face mist any time you could use some refreshment—it's especially nice when you're feeling overheated. [See The Full Tutorial ➜]( JILLEE'S PICK This Countertop Cooker Makes The Holidays Better [Photos of turkey cooked in a roaster oven.]( A few years ago, in a fit of frustration over the impossibility of cooking several Thanksgiving side dishes while the turkey monopolized my oven, I bought a countertop electric roaster oven hoping it might solve my cooking woes. After having used it for a few years now, I can’t imagine cooking a holiday meal without it! In addition to freeing up my oven, the electric roaster also traps in more moisture than a traditional oven does. The moisture coming off the meat condenses on the inside of the lid and drips back down onto the turkey, effectively “self-basting” the turkey so it stays deliciously moist with much less effort. There are a lot of electric roasters out there to choose from, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend mine—the [Oster Roaster Oven](. It has a removable pan and roasting rack for easy cleanup, an impressive range of cooking temperatures, and can fit a turkey up to 26 pounds if you felt so inclined! [See the Oster Roaster Oven on Amazon ➜]( POLL OF THE WEEK Holiday Shopping Q: When do you typically finish up your holiday shopping? (Click one of the options below to submit your response.) 1. [Late November or earlier.]( 2. [Within the first two weeks of December.]( 3. [A week or so before.]( 4. [At the last minute.]( Results from last week's poll: Sorry, flossing—nearly half of OGT readers say that you're the first to go! Over 1,400 of you weighed in on the question "Which step are you most likely to skip when you're too sleepy to do your full 'get ready for bed' routine?” Here's how you responded: • 43% said “Flossing” • 27.8% said “Putting on skincare products” • 16.2% said “Removing my makeup” • 13% said “Brushing my teeth” A FEW MORE THINGS... Award-Winning Reads: The [2021 winners of the Kirkus Prize]( awarded annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young peoples’ literature, were recently announced. The fiction prize was awarded to Joy Williams for [Harrow]( the nonfiction prize to Brian Broome for [Punch Me Up to the Gods]( and the young readers’ literature prize to Christina Soontornvat for [All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team](. Kids Say The Darndest Things: I had a good laugh while reading these “[30 Tweets About The Funny Names Kids Give Things]( on the Huffington Post a few days ago. I was reminded of when Britta was a toddler and she always wanted two binkies when she went to sleep. After I tied two binkies together to make things easier, she started requesting her “nigh’ nigh’ two-uh” at bedtime. 'Nuff said! 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! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why, or you can [update your preferences]( or break my heart and unsubscribe [here](. View our privacy policy [here](.