When you’re donating things to charities like Goodwill, do just one extra thing to make your donation even better. When giving shoes, take a rubber band or reuse a plastic bag to help keep them together; single shoes are often discarded instead of re-sold at stores. And if things belong together -- like a coffeepot and a coffee maker -- bundle them in a box so they can stay together from donation to store shelf.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Ever wonder what to do with the pickle juice left in the jar after the last dill has been eaten? All of that brine is a great thing to save and use. It’s made up of vinegar, water and salt (with a few other spices), so it’s a wonderful tenderizer for meat. Because of its acidity, the liquid mixture can help break down the protein strands in meats like steak, pork chops and chicken. And for an easy reuse outside, just pour the mixture on weeds; it’s a fantastic herbicide.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Old nail polish can have multiple uses around the house. Clear nail polish can be used to stop fraying at the edges of fabric on clothes or textiles. Colorful nail polish can be used to mark keys for the home, with drops of different colors indicating which key works on which door. And if you have buttons that are constantly falling off a certain article of clothing, you can help prevent it by dropping clear nail polish on top of the button, where the threads cross.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION