1/3/14

If you need only a little bit of house paint to save for touch up down the road, try this upcycling idea: Use old plastic water bottles. Place a funnel on the top of a clean and dry bottle. Pour leftover paint into the bottle until it’s about 95 percent full, remove the funnel and toss in about 6 glass marbles. Screw on the cap and secure it with a few strips of painter’s tape. When it’s time to use the paint, shake it -- the marbles will blend the paint, and you’ll be good to go to paint down the road.

1/2/14

Ever wonder what to do with the shells of nuts from walnuts, pecans and pistachios? One idea is to save them and scatter them as mulch in the garden. If there is any residual salt on the shells, it will help deter slugs from attacking your plants. Use the shells for indoor houseplants, too. If there is residual salt on the shells, simply soak them in water first to remove it. Line the bottom of a planter with shells and fill it with soil. This will help provide draining for the plant, and the shells will eventually decompose.

1/1/14

Did you know buying a pre-loved kitchen knife from a resell site like eBay can save as much as 90 percent on energy costs needed to make a new knife? You can sanitize a used knife at home in seconds. If the knife does not have a plastic handle, place it in boiling water for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and let the knife sit in the hot water and slowly pour the boiling water out; allow the knife to cool, and you're ready to go. If the knife has a plastic handle, fill a pot with the hottest water that comes out of the tap and let the knife soak for 15 seconds. Remove it with tongs and scrub with an old toothbrush to remove any debris.