Freeze Your Bread

Refrigerated bread gets stale overnight. Freezing a loaf of bread keeps it fresh and preserves taste and texture. Don't worry about thawing: by the time I make a sandwich, my bread has thawed -- and I pop it from freezer to toaster with no problem.

Tip: Before freezing, gently grab both ends of the loaf and wiggle it like an inchworm walking. This will keep the slices from freezing together so they are easy to remove from the bag one at a time.

Perfect cuticles

My secret? Lip balm! Any product will work but my favorite is Carmex. The signature lip balm of the Marines (and they ought to know) was developed by a pharmacist in the 1930s. This family recipe has endured because it works. It is nourishing and healing to skin. Also, the "magic ingredient," salycilic acid, exfoliates.

Keep lip balm at your bedside and put some on before you go to sleep. During the day, when you use it on your lips, include your cuticles and there won't be a hangnail anywhere. :) Works great for elbows and callouses, too!

Sink-O-Matic

Rack makes your sink a level, germ-free working surface. Very nifty.

Update Problem Hair

My hair mostly fell out a year ago due to thyroid problems and grew back in frizzy, thin, and scraggly. I found this nifty way to fix my hair in Style magazine. Twist back into 4-5 mini-buns and pin. Got the pretty barrette at Walgreens. It's a big improvement, as it adds texture, volume, and interest -- as well as an updated look.

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Make a Manicure Last 7-10 Days

My nails after 7 days

You can make a manicure last week to 10 days by putting a quick coat of clear polish on every day (or not as good ) every 2 days. I usually put it on as I check my email and it's dry in a couple of minutes. I use Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails with nylon and retinol as my clear coat.

A great product that I get at Sally's is Nail Life Gripper Base Coat. That is another key to getting your manicure to last - a good base coat. It makes the polish really cling. For the color, I used Sally Hansen Smooth Perfect Color Care in Satin 04.

I tipped the nails with cheap white polish, swiping up on each side into a "V." That is easier than trying to make it round and it makes your nails look long and elegant.

I have rheumatoid arthritis in my hands and always hate trying to drain a heavy pan of scrambled beef or sausage into the garbage or some other container. The other day, I grabbed a slotted serving spoon and scooped the meat out of the skillet. It left the grease behind and the cleanup was much easier. :)