If you’ve collected a bunch of travel-size toiletries when you stay at hotels, you can either use them at home or give them to a good cause. The nonprofit Amenity Aid can use them for its important work to help people who are low-income, at-risk or homeless. The recipients love to use the new toiletries, including bar soap, shampoo, body wash, lotion, toothbrushes, razors and more. To donate, visit amenityaid.org.

The Humane Society of the United States wants to help you make your backyard into a more bird-friendly nesting environment. There are obvious natural items that birds love, like twigs, dead trees and branches, and small muddy areas. But you can also do things like set out pet fur after you give your dog a grooming; birds can use it to line their nests. Try to leave spider webs alone -- not only are spiders part of our natural ecosystem, but birds use old webs as “glue” for nest-building. And never leave dryer lint out: It’s covered in chemical detergents and soaps and can harm our feathered friends.

Two powerful (and safe) ingredients are all you need to kill the fungus that creates mold: white vinegar and tea tree oil. The solution is a cinch to make. All you need to do is fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and add a teaspoon of tea tree oil. Spray the moldy area, let it sit and wipe away the mess with a microfiber towel. The mixture is an all-natural alternative to chlorine bleach.