6 Useful Things You Can Do With A Paper Clip

A cleaning challenge for better sleep, the valuable perks you may be missing out on, and more. November 5, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! Paper clips are considered indispensable in office settings, but I’d argue that they're actually more useful around the house than they are at the office. And once you’ve learned about the 6 handy uses for paper clips in Today’s Good Thing, I bet you’ll feel the same way. Also in today’s newsletter, there’s a new In The Loop about a fortune teller who has turned into a social media sensation. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Noodle the pug and his predictions below. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING 6 Useful Things You Can Do With A Paper Clip [Photos of various uses for paper clips.]( That old box of paper clips in your desk drawer just got a bunch of new assignments. 1. Secure Wrapping Paper. Do your rolls of wrapping paper seem determined to unroll and unravel whenever you have your back turned? A couple of paper clips can help keep rolls of gift wrap tidy—just add a paper clip at each end of a roll to secure the edge of the paper and prevent it from unraveling. 2. Clean Hair From A Brush. An unfolded paper clip can be a handy tool for cleaning things, including your hairbrush. Slide the edge of an unfolded paper clip under the layer of hair tangled in the bristles of your hairbrush and lift it up to remove the hair. (This works well for getting hair out of brooms too.) 3. Clean Small Spaces. Another handy way to put an unfolded paper clip to good use is for cleaning tight spaces. Just wrap a paper towel around the end of a paper clip and use it to clean gunk and grime out of even the smallest nooks and crannies. 4. Unclog Shakers And Sprayers. Almost any container with sprayer or shaker top can get clogged up during the course of regular use. But in many cases, you can use an unfolded paper clip to dislodge whatever is blocking up the holes to get it working properly again. 5. Keep Bags Closed. Lost the twist tie for your loaf of sandwich bread? Grab a paper clip and use it to secure the bag closed. You can also use paper clips to keep bags of chips, pretzels, and other snacks closed too. 6. Open A Letter. If you receive a nice letter or invitation and want to keep the envelope intact, a letter opener is ideal—but what if you don’t have one? Just unfold a paper clip and slide it under the envelope seal to open it without tearing it open. [7 More Uses For Paper Clips ➜]( Related • [9 Unexpected Problems You Can Solve With A Pencil Eraser]( • [10 Ways An Ordinary Rubber Band Can Make Your Life Easier]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Using my sear-and-bake method, you can continue enjoying delicious tri-tip well after the grilling season ends. [Read more ➜]( • Wondering if an Audible subscription is worth your money? I wrote a whole post on the topic to help you decide. [Read more ➜]( • From taming unruly eyebrows to hiding furniture scuff marks, Vaseline can be a most useful household helper. [Read more ➜]( WEEKEND CLEANING CHALLENGE Wash Your Bedding And Refresh Your Mattress [A photo of Jillee putting a duvet in her washer.]( This weekend, devote some time to cleaning and refreshing your overnight oasis. 1. Strip And Sort. Start by stripping all the bedding off your bed and sorting it into individual wash loads. You’ll probably need to do at least 2 loads to get it all washed, possibly more depending on how many layers of bedding you have and how large your mattress is. Be sure to note any stains that need treating too. 2. Start Soaking. If your pillows or sheets are dingy and could use a more thorough cleaning, get those items soaking ASAP. Get all the details on [whitening yellowed pillows here]( and learn how to [strip oily residues out of sheets, pillowcases, or mattress covers here](. 3. Freshen Your Mattress. While you’re washing and drying your various loads of bedding throughout the day, set aside an hour or so to freshen up your mattress as well. All you need is some baking soda, your favorite essential oil, and your vacuum to restore your mattress to a fresher and more hygienic state—[see the full tutorial here](. 4. Remake Your Bed. Once you’ve laundered all your bedding and freshened your mattress, all that’s left to do is remake your bed. I suggest taking a warm bath at bedtime too—getting warm and clean before you climb into a freshly-made bed is a recipe for a wonderful night’s sleep! SAVE MONEY Make The Most Of Your Account Holder Perks [A photo of Jillee's wallet.]( In order to make the most of the perks your bank offers, you need to know what they are first! Do you know what perks and benefits your bank offers its account holders? If not, do some research to make sure you're not missing out on any valuable perks. Common account holder perks include things like no ATM fees, high interest savings accounts, no overdraft fees, money management tools, and more. If you're an account holder at a large national bank that doesn't offer many perks, you could always look into the perks available at smaller banks near you and then ask your bank if they offer those perks or are willing to match them. If they can't or won't, you may want to consider switching to that local bank with better perks! And while you're looking into your bank perks, check out the benefits available through your credit cards too. You never know—your credit card could have perks you've forgotten about, or perhaps never learned about in the first place! JILLEE'S PICK A Potion For Everlasting Eyeshadow [A photo of Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.]( I don't think I'll ever forget how shocked and awed I was the first time I used an eyeshadow primer. The difference it made was truly staggering—I ended up using a lot less eyeshadow than I normally needed, plus it barely budged at all over the next several hours! That's the thing about eyeshadow primer—if you've never used it, any eyeshadow primer seems like the best thing since sliced bread. But once you get used to using it as part of your routine, it eventually becomes clear that some primers are indeed better than others. The one I'm currently using, [Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion]( was recommended to me by Kaitlyn, our OGT photographer. She's used it for years and raved about how good it was, so I figured I'd give it a try despite it being a few dollars more than the drugstore primer I was using at the time. I'm very glad I took her advice, because not only does this primer keep my eyeshadow looking vibrant and crease-free for hours, but I only need a tiny bit of it. One tube will likely last me an entire year, if not longer. Check it out if you're hunting for a new eyeshadow primer. [See Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion on ULTA ➜]( IN THE LOOP Bones Or No Bones? Only Noodle Knows For Sure [Photos of Noodle the pug on a ]( If you’ve heard people talking or posting about it being a “bones day” or a “no bones day,” you may have wondered what it meant. I certainly did, but luckily for me, our production manager Brittany happens to be well versed in this particular internet trend, and was willing to fill me in so that I could pass it along to you! It begins with a TikTok user named Jonathan Graziano ([@jongraz]( who posts videos of his elderly pug Noodle. In the videos, Jon picks up Noodle from his fluffy dog bed and props him upright to find out what kind of day he’s forecasting: bones, or no bones. If Noodle stays upright, it’s a “bones day” (as in “the pug has bones”), which means it’s a day to get out there and get things done. But if Noodle doesn’t stay upright, it’s a “no bones day,” which means it’s time to take it easy, keep a low profile, and catch up on rest. The idea of divining the future based on the day-to-day whims of an old pug is delightfully absurd, and when you factor in a silly dog name and a charismatic owner as well, it’s easy to see why “bones or no bones” has taken social media by storm. A FEW MORE THINGS... On This Day: In 1935, Parker Brothers began marketing their new board game Monopoly. Seemingly endless variations of the game have been released since Hasbro acquired Parker Bros. in 1991. For an idea of just how many, [check out this list on the Monopoly Wiki]( include the National Parks Edition, Horse Lover's Edition, Cheaters Edition, and Giant Edition. Remember, Remember: It’s Guy Fawkes Night in the UK, also known as Bonfire Night, which commemorates the failed [Gunpowder Plot]( of November 5, 1605. The plot to assassinate the Protestant King James I and restore the Catholic monarchy was foiled when Guy Fawkes was discovered guarding explosives under the House of Lords and arrested for treason. Observation of the anniversary is [no longer mandated by law]( but many still celebrate with bonfires—though most are now free of Guy Fawkes effigies. 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. 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