Two little shortcuts I've picked up in the last week:
Goody Spin Pins
Cool little hair tools that let you secure an updo with just 2 pins, instead of dozens of bobby pins. I tried them really briefly yesterday, and they held with almost no effort on my part. I will be playing with them more, for sure! They are about $6 at the usual places - drugstores, WalMart, etc., and come in blonde and brunette.
The other tip I can't really show you a picture of. It's from Bobbi Brown on The Today Show. She suggests, instead of using an eyelash curler, to use your finger to curl your lashes AFTER you put mascara on. When it is almost dry, just use your index finger to gently press your lashes up toward your brow, being careful not to actually press them against your lid, or you will smear your makeup. It works great! AND takes one more tool out of your makeup case! If you combine that technique with one of the many lash-extending mascaras, the effect is almost TOO much, for daytime anyway. I've been using "Falsies" mascara by Maybelline and two coats plus the curling method gives you almost-fake looking lashes - in a good way. Give it a try!
