There have been plenty of times I have caught myself in casual conversation using words that make me question my own intellect. I find myself becoming repetitive and using placeholder words instead of taking pauses. Or I find myself using words that undermine my own questions and inquiries. What is even worse is when these words pop up in my vocabulary at work in a meeting or even an email. If women could remove these five words from their vocabulary, we would sound more educated, and others would take us seriously:

Just.

"I just wanted to see if you were done with that report" By using the word "just" you are allowing whomever you talk to the position of power in your conversation. When you include the word "just" it is as if you are requesting permission to ask your questions and you weaken your message. Try omitting "just" from your vocabulary and watch how your confidence level increases.

Um.

"Well um"¦" This placeholder word is just that, a placeholder and probably the hardest word to get rid of in our vocabulary. When you need a pause instead of saying um try to stay silent. You will sound smarter.

Like.

"Like" is often used in the same context as "um". Instead of taking a pause we feel the need to say "like" then end up sounding like a character in Clueless. Get rid of your "like" crutch. This will make you sound far more educated.

Literally.

The word literally is literally overused these days. Most people use "literally" to express their seriousness and the word is grossly misused. I don't think you are "literally" going to kill yourself if Zayn leaves the band. Instead of using literally try to express what you are actually trying to say.

Honestly.

If you find the need to say the word honestly the person you are talking to is going to think you're lying anyway. Instead of saying honestly, just be honest.

All of these words can be removed from your vocabulary with no replacement word. By no longer saying these words you will sound smarter and be taken seriously. The next time you find yourself uttering an "um" or telling someone you "literally can't even", pinch yourself as a reminder not to use those words.

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Having a grandmother who graduated from college with a major in home economics has its perks. There's always an amazing meal on the table, the house is always spotless, and your clothes are never ruined. Nana always has a trick or tip to get those clothes as good as new. Here are a few laundry hacks my Nana has passed down to me. You'll be surprised at how these five household items will help you out in the laundry room.

1. Hairspray

Hairspray will remove ink from fabrics. Just because your little brother used your favorite jeans as a canvas during art time doesn't mean it's time to throw them away. Simply spray some hairspray on the ink and wipe it away. This trick works on both fresh and dried ink.

2. Dawn dish Soap

Out of stain remover? Run to the kitchen for some dish soap. As soon as you discover a stain on your machine washable fabric douse the area in Dawn dish soap. Be sure to rub the soap into the fibers of the fabric to get all of the stain covered. You can use an old toothbrush to make sure you cover it really good. When you wash your article of clothing in the washer, it will come out as good as new. This trick has worked for me on stains that were a couple of minutes old and stains I forgot about until the next laundry day.

3. Aluminum Foil

If you run out of expensive dryer sheets, use some aluminum foil. Simply take some aluminum foil and roll into a tight ball. Depending on the size of your load you may need more or less. Throw these in the dryer with your clothes and eliminate static electricity. Aluminum foil "dryer sheets" can be reused over and over too, saving you money if you're willing to give up your nice smelling dryer sheets.

*Bonus: If you are having a static hair day, run a dryer sheet through your hair to eliminate the static frizz.

4. Salad Spinner

Tired of waiting for that delicate, lacy dress to dry? Throw it in a salad spinner real quick to get most of the water out. This helps your delicates dry quicker but doesn't ruin them. Just make sure you hang them to dry so they will retain its shape and color.

5. Pepper

Adding a teaspoon of black pepper to your load of laundry will help keep colors from fading. Pepper will also keep your clothes from bleeding and staining each other.

The next time your pen leaks all over your shirt or you discover you're out of dryer sheets send my Nana a mental thank-you note.

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