5/27/11

Many stores and office buildings in major cities require people who walk in with a wet umbrella to insert it into a new plastic bag to prevent drips of water from ruining the floors or creating a safety hazard. As people leave the building to re-enter the dreary day, they unwrap the bag and toss it into the trash. The next time you enter a store or building and are asked to do this, simply grab a barely used bag out of the trash can and use it to wrap your umbrella. It's clean and it's reusable, and everyone's happy.

5/26/11

Grease stains on clothes can be almost impossible to remove in the laundry and can basically ruin an otherwise great piece of clothing. The next time you drop that slice of pizza on your favorite blouse, try this trick instead: Saturate the stain with cornstarch and let it sit for 30 minutes. It will absorb as much oil as possible, leaving the trace amount for your laundry detergent to tackle.

5/25/11

Here's a gardening trick to lighten the load and help your plants thrive: Recycle packing peanuts in container gardens. Fill your potting containers with a few inches of polystyrene packing peanuts (save them whenever you get packages in the mail) and then fill with potting soil on top. This will help lighten the load of the pot, making it easier to move around; it will also help with drainage to keep your plants healthy and happy.