Want To Keep Pests Out? Stop Doing These 9 Things

3 of the best free and frugal skincare tips, how to master the art of ironing as needed, and more. December 8, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! If you’ve ever caught the eye of someone whose attention you weren’t fishing for, you know how easy it is to accidentally attract something you don’t want. Today’s Good Thing will help you determine whether you’ve been accidentally attracting pests and critters into your home. Also in today’s newsletter, I’m highlighting a great find for pet owners in my latest Jillee’s Pick. Pet hair may be able to lie low enough to evade your vacuum’s brush roll, but it has nowhere to hide from this old-school tool. Jillee DAYS UNTIL 🎄 Christmas: 17 🎊 New Year's Day: 24 TODAY'S GOOD THING Want To Keep Pests Out? Stop Doing These 9 Things [Photos of various tips for deterring household pests.]( If pests are showing up and making themselves at home, any of these 9 behaviors could be to blame. While hosting guests can be stressful (usually due to my tendency to go overboard on housework ahead of their arrival), I always consider it a blessing to have family or friends staying with us during the holidays. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a big family, but I’d much rather have a packed house during the holidays than an empty one. But as we all know, not all of our holiday house guests are equally welcome. And no, I’m not talking about your guests' surprise plus-ones—I’m talking about household pests! If you’ve had trouble with rats, mice, ants, roaches, spiders, or any other creepy crawlies invading your space in the past (or are currently in the midst of trying to evict them), you’re probably keen to learn how to keep them at bay. But even more important than getting rid of pests is figuring out why they're attracted to your space. Because if you get rid of pests without considering or addressing the reason(s) they wanted to come inside in the first place, it’s safe to assume they will eventually find their way back in. I’ve put together a list of 9 common behaviors that experts say often contribute to household pest problems. Because once you know what sorts of things attract pests to your home, you can nip those behaviors in the bud and keep those uninvited guests outside where they belong. [9 Common Behaviors That Attract Household Pests ➜]( Related • [Everything You Need To Know To Prevent & Get Rid Of Ants]( • [Get Rid Of Spiders Quickly With This Natural Spider Repellent]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Your pet has been a good boy or girl this year, and making an easy no-sew pet bed is the perfect way to reward them. [Read more ➜]( • Think store-bought cookie dough is only good for making cookies? These 5 cookie dough desserts prove otherwise. [Read more ➜]( • It can be tricky if you’re not accustomed to it, but fortunately these 10 tips can make cooking for two easier. [Read more ➜]( WASH IT WEDNESDAY Tips And Tricks For Ironing As Needed [A photo of an iron on a dryer.]( When you’re feeling overwhelmed or pressed for time, do yourself a favor and iron as needed. While I love the crispness and neat appearance of freshly ironed clothes and linens as much as the next person, I don’t love it enough to prioritize ironing when I have a lot of other things to get done around the house or at work. In those cases, I have no problem with ironing only the items that really need it. And when I’m really pressed for time, I’ll go a step further and iron only the sections that really need it, and I keep a towel on the windowsill near my dryer for just such occasions. If something comes out of the dryer with a wrinkled hem or wavy edge, I’ll just toss the towel over my dryer and take care of it right then and there. Another tip I’ve found useful is to keep a hair straightener handy for unruly collars and cuffs. Straighteners heat up in seconds and can make short work of those wrinkled areas, even when you’re in a hurry to get out the door. BEAUTY 3 Of The Best Frugal (Or Free) Skincare Tips [Photos of towels, ice cubes, and hand soap.]( Even on a small or nonexistent budget, you can still take good care of your skin. 1. Dry Your Face With Clean Towels. Dry your face with a clean, fresh towel to avoid putting dirt and bacteria right back onto your clean, fresh skin. Consider spending a few dollars to get a set of several small towels, then use a clean one every time you wash your face. 2. Wash Your Face With Cold Water. Don’t waste water waiting for it to warm up—wash your face with cool water instead. Cool water can help reduce inflammation and tighten pores, so it’s perfect for those with skin prone to redness or puffiness. Plus, the shock of rinsing with cold water can help you feel more awake and alert. 3. Wash Your Hands Often. If you have bacteria on your hands when you touch your face, it can transfer to your skin and contribute to clogged pores and breakouts. For the sake of your skin and your overall health, wash your hands frequently during the day, and carry hand sanitizer when you’re out and about. JILLEE'S PICK The Clothes Shaver That Pet Owners Swear By [Photos of manual clothes shavers removing fuzzy stuff and pet hair.]( Despite not having any pets of my own, I have plenty of pet hair to clean up thanks to my two “granddogs” Milo and Kona. How can two short-haired dogs (one who is partially bald due to alopecia) shed as much as these two do? It boggles the mind. I’m always looking for more effective and efficient ways to clean up all the fur they leave around my living room, and I recently learned about one that people have been raving about on Amazon and social media. It’s an old-school [manual clothes shaver]( but many people are swearing by its ability to remove deeply embedded pet hair from their carpets and upholstery. Because it’s a manual shaver, it needs to be used carefully to avoid damaging fibers or fabrics. When used correctly, it can scrape up pet hair, dust, and debris trapped inside fibers and fabrics. After seeing some amazing results in photos posted by reviewers, I can't wait to try it out on my fur-ridden living room rugs! [See the manual clothes shaver on Amazon ➜]( POLL OF THE WEEK Tannenbaum Tastes Q: What kind of Christmas tree will grace your home this year? (Click one of the options below to submit your response.) 1. [Real tree from a store, tree lot, or farm]( 2. [Real tree cut in the woods]( 3. [Faux tree]( 4. [No tree]( Results from last week's poll: OGT readers are split between Team Cards With No Photo and Team No Cards At All. Over 1,300 of you weighed in on the question “What kind of holiday card do you normally send out?” Here's how you responded: • 43% said “I send cards with no photo.” • 35.5% said “I don't send out holiday cards.” • 13.1% said “I send personalized photo cards that I order online.” • 8.5% said “I send cards with a photo included inside.” A FEW MORE THINGS... Score Some Brownie Points: It’s National Brownie Day, and whether you prefer the edge pieces or the center, we can all agree that brownies are a confection that deserves to be celebrated. If you want to whip up a batch of chewy chocolate treats in honor of the occasion, you’ll find endless inspiration among [these 29 brownie recipes from Epicurious](. 🤣 Festive LOL: Did you hear that Santa got his sleigh for free? I guess it was on the house! 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! 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