Are you traveling somewhere far for a long period of time and need a really big piece of luggage for your journey? If it bothers you that you need to buy something new when you think you're going to use it only once, consider renting luggage. Rentluggage.com makes it easy. All you have to do is select a bag from their large assortment, book it for as little as three days or as long as four weeks and have it shipped to you. When you're back from your adventure, all you have to do is put it back in the same box it shipped in and return it. It even comes with a prepaid shipping label so you can send it back free of charge. Don't worry if you decide to travel longer than you'd originally planned: Extended rentals on the luggage can be added at a nominal charge.

It's winter, which means it's snowing and it's cold. And these happen to be the two elements you need to get your wool rugs seriously clean. Here's a trick for cleaning wool rugs from Scandinavia: Start by taking your rug outdoors and draping it over a railing. It needs to cool down and acclimate to the freezing temperatures, which will neutralize bacteria and help reduce odors. Then lay the rug facedown on the snow, beat it thoroughly with a broom, flip it over and beat it again with the broom. Brush off the loose snow and bring it back inside. Beating the rug in the snow loosens dirt, and the tiny frozen ice crystals remove particles from the rug. And since the rug is cold, the snow won't melt on it. Final result: A really clean rug without the use of any chemicals.

Have you ever accidentally put a wool sweater into the washing machine and worried you've shrunken it? First, don't toss it in the dryer -- that will set the fibers and make it impossible to save. Instead, soak the sweater in the sink with a few tablespoons of gentle soap (like shampoo). Let it soak for 30 minutes and place it on a large bath towel. Then gently stretch the sweater back to the original shape. Let it sit for a few hours, then roll it up in the towel. Once it's completely dry, your sweater should be as good as new.