Smooth, Dry Hair in Minutes - the Ion Blow Dryer

Product Name: TurboIon Tourmaline Hair Dryer

Why it's great: Many brands make this product. I have the one by Sharper Image (they are going out of business, so I don't think you can get my model anymore), but if you get one that's in the $100 range most
brands are about the same. They last forever, I've had mine more than a year, and really do make your hair look better. Plus you don't get the sense that you are buring your hair.

How it makes you more efficient:
1) It cuts your blow drying time in half... really...
2) No do-overs to get away from static and frizz.

Cleaning Floors Sucks - Unless you have the Bissel Flip-it

Product Name: Bissell 5200 Flip-t Bare Floor Cleaner

Why it's great: No one enjoys cleaning their floor, unless they are some type of sadist. But this tool at least makes it bearable. It transitions from vacuum like to wet vac just by flipping it over. You can clean any hard floor (yes, even hard woods).

How it makes you more efficient:
1) You can clean the kitchen floor in minutes.
2) Do you really need another reason??

Stain Be Gone - Tide to Go

Product Name: Tide To Go

Why it's great: Ok, this isn't the most original recommendation, I know. But EVERY woman should have one of these in her purse. It's small, it works on pretty much every stain and you'll be the hit of your office/party/luncheon/fundraiser. Wherever you are, someone will love you for having this product handy. This product has saved me many a time from having present with remnants of lunch on my shirt for all to see.

How it makes you more efficient:
1) It works in minutes, without any need to leave the room.
2) It will fit in just about any purse, as long as you aren't trying to carry the kitchen sink too.

BCBG - Bon chic, bon genre = Good Buy

Bon chic, bon genre... if I could buy them I would. As my financial expert husband has always said, buy stock in the brands that you love, and I love this company for many reasons. They have expanded from distributing baby doll dresses that have a close to perfect cut through Macy's and Bloomingdale's to managing over 1,000 retail outlets across a reported 33 countries.

You're probably thinking "There's no way there are that many stores. I can't even find a BCBG near my house." Well there are.. did you know that the fashion design genious Max Azria is the creative mind behind more brands than I have space to list? Max Rave, Herv Leger, BCBGGirls, Max Studio. They sell everything from prom dresses to business suits for men. They've even got a partnership with Carrefour, a Wal-Mart like super-seller in France.

The greatest part is that Max isn't even French (although his flagship brand is said to carry a French spirit with an American twist and is named after a common French saying). He was born in Tunisia, which has some French speaking regions, and founded his company in southern California!

But more to the point, they make great products for smart women. Their clothing fits most body types, is offered at a wide range of price points and for an even larger variety of target markets. And they reach that market through outlet stores, big box retailers, small and personalized boutiques. Best of all, they cycle through product quickly, offering new selections to their frequent customers and sale pricing to their bargain shopper.

In a time when retail is struggling as a whole, when the product offering is undifferentiated, the Max Azria brands have broken outside the box to meet the needs of todays "smart woman" and I love it!

Napa Cellars Zinfandel - Wine that will have everyone talking (but not bust your budget)

Product Name: Napa Cellars Zinfandel Buy It

Why it's great:
In my opinion, this is the perfect wine. I'm not a wine expert, but on a trip to Napa with some girlfriends we voted this the best wine of the day. I bought tons, but to be fair it was probably the fifth winery of the day, so one can never be sure at that point. When I tried it at home with my husband our ranking was confirmed!

How it makes you more efficient:
- having a "house red" makes party planning much easier

No more red wine stains - The Wine Disk

Product Name: The Wine Disk Buy It - DropStop mini-disc - three pack

Why it's great:
It makes it so much easier to serve a bottle of red wine without worrying about the drip down the side of the bottle. I use them when we have people over. Not sure what this product is? Check out this video.

How it makes you more efficient:
- no cleaning up red wine circles on your counter
- they can be re-used - just rinse it off

The Perfect T - Gap Favorite T-Shirt

Product Name: Gap Favorite Tee Buy It

Why it's great:
This t-shirt is available pretty much every season. I've been buying it in seasonal colors for at least two years. It's the perfect fit!

How it makes you more efficient:
- washes well and requires no ironing
- can be worn with jeans, shorts or a suit - and it looks great every time!
- packs well without any wrinkles

Party in a Packet - Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix

Product Name: Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix Buy It

Why it's great:
This product has tons of flavor and can be used to make more recipes than I can count (my personal fav - low fat spinach dip). It never goes bad, so buy tons at bulk and keep it around. I always have some in the cabinet in case there's an impromptu gathering at our house.

How it makes you more efficient:
- you don't have to run out to the store to make great dip
- there's no cutting veggies but it tastes like you did!

Type A Girl

Hi! My name is Michelle Voorhies and I am a "smart woman". Ok, maybe not really smart, but I am a professional "Type A" personality who keeps very busy between work, family, social and volunteer commitments (and I don't even have kids yet!). With all that going on, I have to stay efficient all the time (and I must admit I am obsessed with getting the most possible done in a 24 hour period). I'm sure you can relate, or you wouldn't be here reading this!

A little more about me... I am currently in my late twenties, married, with two dogs. I live in the DC metro area and work for a major hospitality company doing online marketing. My job is great, but really its an ends to a means (my "secret" dream is to be a writer). I love to live life to the fullest and my paycheck lets me do that! I'm out enjoying this city multiple nights a week, we entertain in our home regularly, I enjoy giving back to the community (currently through the American Heart Association), we love to travel... and tons more. Oh, but did I mention we aren't millionaires (one day... ) So how do I do it all...

I've started to amass a collection of products that help me through the day. In this blog, I'll detail those products, tell you why they are amazing and how they've made my life better. And hopefully they'll improve yours too. I hope you'll share your feedback and other products that make your world better. This is all about sharing and getting to know other women like us.

And if you're interested - I will also talk about brands at a higher level. It's the "business" side of my brain. Hope you enjoy.

Happy shopping....