Do Just One Thing

Denim jeans are one of the most-owned items by both men and women in the United States, so it makes sense to take care of them properly so they look good for longer. First, always wash jeans in cold water and turn them inside out. This will help retain their shape and won't hurt the finish of the jeans. Skip the dryer and let them dry out on a clothesline. You can even just drape them over a hanger and hang it on a door if a clothing line is not an option. Finally, when it's time to get new jeans, donate your old ones. The most re-sold item at Goodwill is jeans, so it will gladly take them from you to raise money for its charitable works.

Sick of scrubbing your shower to keep it clean from mold and mildew? Try this easy and nontoxic preventative method the next time you shower: Using the residual water and steam from your early morning shower, sprinkle table salt all over the tile, floors and even the shower curtain. The moisture from the shower will help the salt stick to all of the surfaces. Let it sit all day (and even overnight), and the next time you shower, the salt will wash down the drain. The anti-microbial attributes of salt help fight mildew and will keep your shower clean for weeks.

Baking vs. cooking usually means just one thing: One is more precise than the other. When it comes to making homemade breads and pastries, it's important to follow recipes precisely all the way down to the temperature of the oven and how long you preheat it before baking. But when it comes to cooking entrees and meals in the oven (think casseroles, pizza and baked mac and cheese), preheating the oven is not necessary. So skip wasting all that energy by preheating and start cooking right away. You can ignore the preheating tip in cookbooks to save energy and time the next time you cook.