---
title: 12 Ways to Freshen Up in Case You Don't Know How
description: 12 ways to freshen up in case you're not sure what to do.
image: https://blog.cluborganized.com/hubfs/00001286.jpg
---

# [12 Ways to Freshen Up in Case You Don't Know How](https://blog.cluborganized.com/12-ways-to-freshen-up-in-case-you-dont-know-how)

# Do you know what freshen up means?

 

![00001286.jpg](https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/hubfs/00001286.jpg?width=250&name=00001286.jpg "00001286.jpg")

 

What does it mean when a woman says, “Excuse me, I’m going to go freshen up"? Does she just say that because it’s not lady-like to say she has to pee, or does she actually do something special? In the movies when a woman says, “Excuse me, I’m going to go freshen up,” she shuts the door and you don’t get to see what she freshens. 

 

Another question: why do we call the toilet and sink place in public places, the bathroom? Those rooms don’t have bathtubs or showers. Also why do we call that room a restroom when there aren’t beds or hammocks in them? One more, Powder Room? By definition, it sounds like a room stocked with all sorts of powders; baby powder, face powder, baking powder, anti-itch powder, gun powder you choose. 

Probably most women say it because it’s so much nicer to say than urinate or defecate (oh those words sound so nasty). If you Google it, you’ll get socked with a million ads for beauty products, so don’t bother. Since we really don’t know what’s done, here are some suggestions. 

 

**1.**    Get a drink of water

**2.**    Use the toilet

**3. **   Wash your hands

**4. **   Think of something to be thankful for

**5. **   Put on chap stick or lipstick

**6.  **  Put on perfume

**7.  **   Apply hand lotion

**8. **    Comb hair

**9. **    Stretch

**10. **  Take a bird bath (use wet nap for smelly body parts)

**11.**   Put on new deodorant over the old

**12. ** Brush teeth

**Mom did it Daily**

Part of Mom's daily routine was, every evening, just before Dad would come home from work, she'd say, “Oh, Dad’ll be home in a little while, I’d better freshen up.” I never went into the bathroom (it had a bathtub) with her to see what she did, but I’d hear the toilet flush, the faucet to the sink run and she’d come out with her hair re-combed, lipstick on and she smelled fresh as spring. She took about five minutes for this important habit. ![00005304.jpg](https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/hubfs/00005304.jpg?width=250&name=00005304.jpg "00005304.jpg")

 

My sister and I were in LA to be on AM Los Angeles and we were invited to stay overnight with a producer. When we got to her home in the Hollywood Hills, she showed us to her guestroom we’d share and she said, “Would you like to freshen up?” My sister and I answered in unison, “Yes,” but as soon as the woman left, we looked at each other and I said, “What should we do?” We ruled out bathing and changing clothes, and remembered that Mom took five minutes. So we decided to wash our hands for five minutes.

 

We each had our own sink and as we put our hands in the warm water, we both had to pee. Taking turns cut into our five minutes, but we had a bigger problem. At each sink were small soaps shaped like sea shells, turtles and mermaids (the guestroom had an under-sea garden theme) and they were so beautiful we didn’t want to wreck them. We found a bar of regular soap in the shower so we shared that instead of wetting the pretty soaps.  

 

At the end of five minutes of washing, when it was time to dry our hands, we were stopped by the guest hand towels. They were beautifully pressed and looked more like art than utility and we weren’t sure if they were for wiping. As we stood looking at each other in the mirror, we looked like two surgeons with hands out ready for someone to dry them. We couldn’t wipe on our dresses so we wiped on the rug and joined the producer in her living room, freshened up. 

 

Now that you know what to do, perhaps right now would be a good time to do it!

 

 

If you enjoyed this blog, you should like this one: [**When the Romance is Gone...Rejoice!**](https://blog.cluborganized.com/romance)

Love,

![aaanewestsig.jpg](https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/file-2613289110-jpg/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa/aaanewestsig.jpg?width=100&name=aaanewestsig.jpg "aaanewestsig.jpg")[![joyofbeingdisorganized-cover3.png](https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/hubfs/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa/joyofbeingdisorganized-cover3.png?width=160&name=joyofbeingdisorganized-cover3.png "joyofbeingdisorganized-cover3.png")](https://www.cluborganized.com/the-joy-of-being-disorganized)

P.S. As you know, as a writer I write these blogs for you for free and in a way I'm sort of like the person standing on the road with a sign, "I'll work for food." only ***my*** sign says, "I'll ***write*** for food."

IIf you enjoy my work please buy one of my books. [***The Joy of Being Disorganized***](https://www.cluborganized.com/the-joy-of-being-disorganized) is my favorite! It's got a simplified version of the ***Sidetracked Home Executive*** 3x5 card file system in it and it'll help you get organized just enough to please you!  

 

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

### Subscribe to Pam's Blog!

### Recommended Posts

### Posts by Month

- [July 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/07)
- [March 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/12)
- [October 2021 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/05)
- [March 2021 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/01)
- [November 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (17)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/09)
- [August 2018 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/08)
- [July 2018 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/12)
- [November 2017 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/11)
- [October 2017 (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (16)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (16)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/01)
- [December 2016 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/12)
- [November 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/11)
- [October 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/10)
- [September 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/09)
- [August 2016 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/08)
- [July 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/07)
- [June 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/06)
- [May 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/05)
- [April 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/04)
- [March 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/03)
- [February 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/02)
- [January 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/01)
- [December 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/12)
- [November 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/11)
- [October 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/10)
- [September 2015 (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/09)
- [August 2015 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/08)
- [July 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/07)
- [June 2015 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/06)
- [May 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/05)
- [April 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/04)
- [March 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/03)
- [February 2015 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/02)
- [January 2015 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/01)
- [December 2014 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/12)
- [November 2014 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/11)
- [October 2014 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/10)
- [August 2014 (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/08)
- [July 2014 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/07)
- [June 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/06)
- [May 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/05)
- [April 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/04)
- [March 2014 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/03)
- [February 2014 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/02)
- [August 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/08)
- [July 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/07)
- [June 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/06)
- [May 2013 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/05)
- [April 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/04)
- [March 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/03)
- [February 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/02)
- [January 2013 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/01)
- [December 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/12)
- [November 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/11)
- [October 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/10)
- [September 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/09)
- [August 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/08)
- [July 2012 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/07)
- [June 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/06)
- [May 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/05)
- [April 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/04)
- [March 2012 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/03)
- [February 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/02)
- [January 2012 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/01)
- [December 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/12)
- [November 2011 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/11)
- [October 2011 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/10)
- [September 2011 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/09)
- [August 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/08)
- [July 2011 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/07)
- [May 2011 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/05)
- [April 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/04)
- [March 2011 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/03)

[see all](https://blog.cluborganized.com/12-ways-to-freshen-up-in-case-you-dont-know-how#)

### Posts by Topic

- [Happiness (122)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/happiness)
- [Young@Heart Articles (112)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/youngheart-articles)
- [Featured (83)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/featured)
- [Young@Heart Videos (71)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/youngheart-videos)
- [Recipes (64)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/recipes)
- [On Being Organized / Disorganized (61)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/on-being-organized-disorganized)
- [Cooking Videos (59)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/cooking-videos)
- [Organization (53)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/organization)
- [De-Cluttering (46)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/de-cluttering)
- [Being a Mom (44)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/being-a-mom)
- [Habits (42)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/habits)
- [Tools for Moms (36)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/tools-for-moms)
- [Fitness (31)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/fitness)
- [Health (28)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/health)
- [Relationships (26)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/relationships)
- [family (23)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/family)
- [succeed (20)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/succeed)
- [Raising Children (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/raising-children)
- [get organized (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/get-organized)
- [Articles (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/articles)
- [Family Games (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/family-games)
- [Playing with Kids (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/playing-with-kids)
- [Daily Thought, (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/daily-thought)
- [Daily Thoughts (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/daily-thoughts)
- [Cleaning (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/cleaning)
- [How to Clean Videos (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/how-to-clean-videos)
- [Monday Morning for Moms (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/monday-morning-for-moms)
- [de-junking (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/de-junking)
- [holidays (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/holidays)
- [recipes, cooking, low carb (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/recipes-cooking-low-carb)
- [stay at home mom (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/stay-at-home-mom)
- [Entertainment for Mom (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/entertainment-for-mom)
- [inner child (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/inner-child)
- [peace of mind (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/peace-of-mind)
- [Manners and Children (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/manners-and-children)
- [christmas (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/christmas)
- [Children's Rooms (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/childrens-rooms)
- [food (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/food)
- [organizing clothes closet (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/organizing-clothes-closet)
- [House Fairy Videos (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/house-fairy-videos)
- [being debt-free (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/being-debt-free)
- [belated thank you notes (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/belated-thank-you-notes)
- [gardening (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/gardening)
- [money (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/money)
- [procrastination (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/procrastination)
- [The Cleaner Guy (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/the-cleaner-guy)
- [faith (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/faith)
- [forgiveness (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/forgiveness)

[see all](https://blog.cluborganized.com/12-ways-to-freshen-up-in-case-you-dont-know-how#)

© 2014, Pamela I. Young, All Rights Reserved