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16 Things You Need For The Perfect Guest Room

by Wanda on December 9, 2015

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Are you having guests for the holidays? You’ll want to make them feel comfortable while they stay with you (but not too comfortable so they never leave!). So here are 16 things you need for the perfect guest room!

  1. Extra blankets and pillows. Because you won’t always know your guests’ preferences, it’s good to have an assortment of heavier and lighter blankets, and fluffier and flatter pillows. Having lots of pillows on the bed also helps make it feel more luxurious.
  2. Towels.
  3. WiFi password. You  might want to design a welcome card that gives your guests pertinent information like the password to your WiFi and info about the local area.
  4. A bedside lamp.
  5. Bottled water. This way they won’t have to go roaming around the house if they get thirsty in the middle of the night. If you’re comfortable with food outside of the kitchen, set out little snacks like granola bars, nuts, or a small box of chocolates.
  6. A small dresser. Living out of a suitcase can get pretty annoying, and providing a space for clothing will also help guests keep the room neat during their stay.
  7. A luggage rack. It’s a nice touch in a guest room- feels sort of like being in a hotel. And a luggage rack is another things that helps keep things tidy. You can find them in thrift stores, or order this nice, sturdy one from Bed, Bath, & Beyond.
  8. Clock. A bedside clock is probably best because it’s close at hand.
  9. Mirror. A mirror in the room is pretty important. If you’re short on room you can always hang one on the back of the door.
  10. Toiletries. Provide things like shampoo, lotion, shower gel, Q-tips, toothpaste. You can have a supply of trial sizes and set them up in a pretty basket or tray in the room.
  11. Blow drier. Provide a blow drier for your guests to use. In these days of airline luggage restrictions, they may not have been able to pack their own.
  12. Hangers. Also very important. And to make it look nice, don’t just recycle the wire hangers from the dry cleaner. You can buy nice hangers at decent prices at Target and discount home stores.
  13. A box of tissues.
  14. Fresh flowers. This is not essential, but it really makes the room cheery and welcoming.
  15. Magazines. A small pile of magazines in the room is also a really nice and thoughtful touch. Have an assortment so that you address different interests.
  16. Artwork. Hang some pleasing pictures on the walls to bring some color and life into the room and make it feel homey.

What do you do to make your guest room feel special?

10 Tips to Save Money on Gifts

by Wanda on December 6, 2015

10 tips to save money on gifts myshopdiscounts

It’s officially gift shopping season, and you might be starting to worry about your budget. Well, of course you are- shopping for everyone on your list gets expensive and you want to keep things under control. And guess what, you can! Really! It’s all about planning, and here are some tips to help:

  • Plan your budget. This might seem like a no-brainer, but how many people actually do it? Figure out how much you have to spend, and then stick with that magic number!
  • Prioritize your list. Do you really have to give a gift to every neighbor on your street, or every co-worker? Think hard about who you really want to (or absolutely have to) give to, and pare down that list. Then set a budget for each person on your list.
  • Start early. Good planning will help keep you on track and you won’t find yourself scrambling at the last minute, overspending out of desperation. Spend a little time comparison shopping so you’ll know where to get the best prices.
  • Shop with cash. Have a certain amount of cash available for shopping and use only that! This way you’ll know exactly how much you’ve spent and won’t be surprised when your credit card bill comes. If you’ll get better discounts when you use a credit card, or it’s not convenient for you to use cash, make sure there’s enough in your budget to pay off the whole bill. And use cards that will earn you rewards!
  • Use coupons. Obviously! You’ll save a lot if you take advantage of coupons, special deals and promotions.
  • Skip the extras. If there’s a fee for wrapping, skip it. You can get wrapping paper at the dollar store and wrap gifts yourself. Save ribbons from old gifts and reuse them. Try to get free shipping whenever you shop online.
  • DIY. It’s cheaper, and everyone loves a gift that’s made especially for them. You’ll also get to flex some creative muscle in the process. And who wouldn’t love to get a basket of home-baked cookies?
  • Cut spending in other areas. Don’t completely rebudget your life to pay for holiday gifts, but you may consider saving on some things to make room in your gift-shopping budget: watch movies on Netflix instead of going out, brown-bag your lunch if you usually order it.
  • Keep it simple. You don’t have to give blockbuster gifts to make an impression. And you certainly don’t have to overextend your budget to make a statement! Give a simple gift that shows that you care. It really is the thought that counts and most people will be touched to know that you were thinking of them.
  • Talk to your people. Have a conversation with your circle of family and close friends about gift-giving. They might all be willing to forgo it this year, or at the very least agree to a price cap.

Holiday gift-giving can be a positive experience if you make up your mind to not let yourself go crazy! What are your favorite tips to help save money on gifts?

Coupon for a Free Jar of Oregano

by Wanda on December 4, 2015

MyShop coupon template oregano

Are you looking for something to take your cooking to the next level? Penzey’s Turkish Oregano will make it extra special! Click here to get a coupon for a free jar of oregano in-store or online. This offer expires December 13, 2015.

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

by Wanda on December 2, 2015

how to clean makeup brushes myshopdiscounts

Do you ever clean your makeup brushes? Do you continue to use dirty, makeup-caked brushes, or do you throw them out and buy new ones once they start looking a little worse for wear? Makeup brushes should really be cleaned every two weeks. First of all, if you’ve invested in good ones, you want them to last, and taking good care of them- which includes regular cleaning- will help this happen. Try it before throwing them out and spending money on new ones. And second, it will help keep your skin healthy. Dirt, oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria accumulate on them- yeah, I know, disgusting!- and keeping them clean is the way to keep all that stuff of your face.

The good news is that it’s fairly easy and inexpensive to do it well. You can buy products that are made for cleaning brushes, but save your money and use baby shampoo, Woolite, or even just some gentle hand soap. Here’s how to do it:

  • Wipe off any excess makeup. You can use a tissue or paper towel, but little bits of paper could disintegrate and get stuck in the hairs of the brush. If you have a towel that you don’t mind sacrificing to the cause, that’s better.
  • Rinse the bristles of the brush in lukewarm water. Keep the bristles pointed downward and make sure not to let the barrel below the bristles get wet because that could cause hairs to fall out.
  • Squeeze a little soap or shampoo onto your hand and mix with some water. Let the shape of the brush tell you what to do next: Swirl domed or round brushes in the cleanser, and drag flat ones from side to side, until you’ve worked out all the dirt and oil.
  • Rinse again under lukewarm water, making sure to hold the bristles down.
  • Squeeze out excess water. If it looks dirty, run them through the soap and rinse again.
  • Reshape using your fingers.
  • Lay out flat to dry on a towel. This should take about six hours.

It looks like a lot of steps, but it’s really very easy to do. And once you’re doing it already, go ahead and clean the handle with a little alcohol. Now your brushes are clean, germ-free, and ready to use again. And just to put a seasonal spin on this: a nice set of makeup brushes makes a very nice gift!

What are your favorite ways to clean your makeup brushes?

 

 

Purell Coupons

by Wanda on December 1, 2015

purell coupon myshopdiscounts You can’t be too careful keeping those germs away! Make Purell part of your arsenal and do what you can to stay healthy. Click here to print these Purell coupons to get $1.00 off Purell Canister Wipes and $3.00 off any $10.00 Purell purchase.