1/5/14

It seems counterintuitive to put out toxic bait to poison mice and rats near your food, so do the best natural alternative instead to discourage them from eating your food: Soak a cotton ball in pure peppermint oil and place it at the base of your pantry. Mice hate the strong smell of peppermint and will do anything to stay away from it. The side benefit? It makes for a pleasant-smelling pantry for you! You can also mix peppermint oil with distilled water to make a spray and mist the entire inside of the pantry for a totally natural barrier.

1/4/14

Have you ever forgotten about a jar of honey only to discover it has crystallized and is as hard as a rock? There’s no need to toss it out when you can use it to help our bee population survive. In the spring, find a beehive or give the jar to someone who has honey hives in his backyard. You can also find local beekeepers through the website friendsofhoneybees.net. The jar can simply be placed inside or near the hive, and the bees will lick the jar clean. You can also rescue crystallized honey by placing it in a pot with hot water; the crystals will melt into ooey-gooey honey.

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.