Keep critters away from trash cans by mixing 2 tablespoons dish soap, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, and 1-quart warm water. Spray liberally over cans. Raccoons, especially, hate the smell of many spices and oils, including mint and cayenne pepper. Â
Disposable chopsticks are very handy in the garden!  Simply stick them the ground and place seed packets over top for quick identification of planted rows.
To save money, cut your sponges and scrubbers in half when you first buy them. They’ll still do a great job and you’ll have double the cleaning tools!
Need a tough scrubber for tough stains and spills? Sprinkle salt over the dirty area then scrub with a damp sponge. Works like a charm on soap scum and caked-on globs of toothpaste. Plus, no toxic chemicals!
Reuse those tubes this gardening season! Cut four slits at one end and fold them in to close up the bottom. Then fill with soil and plant your seeds. Place on a tray in a warm spot away from drafts. Because the cardboard is biodegradable, you can put the pots directly into the ground when
The night before freezing temperatures, rub half a potato over your car’s windshield. The sugar from the potato creates a barrier over the window and prevents ice from forming, so you’ll come out in the morning and won’t have to scrape!
Guests coming over and you don’t have a lot of time to clean? This easy, homemade toilet cleaner can help: Drop in two effervescent antacid tablets, such as Alka-Seltzer, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush!
To thicken soups, stir in instant potato flakes. Use no more than a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency (starch thickens quickly!). Perfect for those who can’t tolerate dairy and cream-based soups.
Get organized for the new year! Keep clutter to a minimum by creating personalized, color-coded bins for every person in the family to toss hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens, as well as shoes and boots, when they enter the house.
Fill your home with the warm scent of the holidays with this simmering potpourri. Simply add 2 oranges cut in sections, 1 apple chopped, 1 inch piece of ginger, 1 cup cranberries, 3 cinnamon sticks, and a few small sprigs from your Christmas tree (or use 4 Bay leaves or rosemary sprigs) to 4 cups
