Solve dressing dilemmas easily. Have a section in the closet with a couple of outfits for days when you wake up late or don’t know what to wear. Have a set formal business outfit, an office casual outfit and a date/dinner-with-family outfit. This strategy can save you the 15 minutes spent trying to make up your mind on what to wear.

Marshmallow squares are delicious, but they stick to your hands when you press the mix into the pan and to the plastic wrap you use to smooth it. While coating your hands with butter-fingered cooking spray seems to do the trick, it also imparts an odd taste to the treats. A simple solution is a cold hand dunk. Prepare the marshmallow mixture as usual, then just before you’re ready to press it flat in the pan, dip your hands in cold water, a method that will combat the stickiest of situations.

Do you have a problem with earwax buildup? You may be low in essential fatty acids. Try taking 1 Tbs. flaxseed or 2,000 Mg. of fish oil daily, advise experts at the Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines in Connecticut.

Do you know how many calories you should consume each day? The Mayo Clinic has a calorie counter online. Plug in your height, weight, age and activity level for an instant answer. Go to The Mayo Clinic Website and type “calorie counter” in the search bar.

To make richer cake from a mix, simply add 1 Tbs. of melted butter to the batter.

Clean a hand held can opener with wax paper. Just run a piece of wax paper through the gears, it loosens dirt and coats them so they run smoothly.

Add a slice of lemon to the cooking water when making cabbage. The acid in the lemon will cut down on the odor and also help the cabbage retain its natural color.

Don’t spend money at the dry cleaner to remove clothing odors after a party. Get rid of smoky odors by hanging clothes over a tub half-filled with hot water and 3 cups of white vinegar for a half hour. The vinegar-scented steam permeates fabric, neutralizing odors so clothes smell fresh.

Here’s another reason not to smoke! Experts say when smokers go to sleep, they experience withdrawal symptoms from the dip in nicotine, which causes sleep problems. And since nicotine is a stimulant, it may also cause nightmares!

Make the most out of leftover wine. Instead of pouring the last of the wine down the drain, freeze it in an ice-cube tray. Then when you need to add zip to sauces, just pop a cube out and drop it in!

Making scallops? Rinse and pat them dry before cooking to keep them from absorbing water and becoming mushy.

Place a strainer over the bowl before you squeeze lemon or lime juice into it, and you’ll never have to worry about pits!

Small scratches on furniture can be camouflaged by fibbling in the area with shoe polish paste that matches the color. Even rubbing the scratch with the nut meat of a pecan or walnut works. Rub in, and then buff area.

De-grease jeans easily. Soak in cola 20 minutes before washing to loosen oil and gunk.

If you don’t like getting your hands messy when mixing meatloaf, put the ingredients into a large, resealable plastic bag. Close the bag, then “knead” everything together until well mixed. Kids like helping with this too!

When making peanut butter cookies, use a metal meat mallet to make the crisscross design instead of using a fork. Simply dip the mallet in sugar, then press slightly on each cookie.
To prevent chicken breast meat from being too dry, after cooking the chicken, turn it over so the breast inside is down. Let sit for 15 minutes. This allows juice that would normally drip off the chicken to flow into the breast, so it’s more flavorful.
Try stirring a few spoonfuls of buttermilk into a bowl of cream soup, such as cream of mushroom, after it’s heated to add fresh, slightly tangy flavor.