If you have a collection of lightly used stuffed animals, consider donating them to help kids in need who can find comfort from them. The charity Stuffed Animals for Emergencies (S.A.F.E.) has a network of volunteers nationwide who accept stuffed animals and prepare them to be donated to homeless shelters, hospitals and other emergency aid organizations to comfort children. Visit the website stuffedanimalsforemergencies.org to find a local chapter near you to donate your collection. Many chapters also accept blankets and books -- note that none of them will accept battery-operated plush toys for safety reasons.

The most common culprits for fresh fruit and vegetable spoilage are natural bacteria and microbes that are all around us. The United States Department of Agriculture says when fruits and vegetables are exposed to moisture, these bacteria and microbes rapidly multiply and ruin fresh produce. One way to help preserve produce and to prevent food waste is to keep everything as dry as possible. A loose crisper drawer allows air to circulate around fruit and veggies, so don't overpack it. And wash the fruit only when you're ready to use it. Just a trace amount of moisture left can be enough to speed up the spoilage process.

If pulling weeds by hand from your yard seems like the only organic method for a weed-free lawn, think again: Just mow differently. Set the blades on your lawnmower to a higher setting and mow more often. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn to return the nutrients back into the soil. The higher grass and grass clippings will make it harder for weeds to thrive, since the grass blades will be stronger and denser. Now that it's the end of summer, add organic corn gluten meal to the lawn since it's a natural weed killer that won't hurt your grass. Adding this natural additive to your lawn will help reduce weeds by as much as 80 percent over the course of several years.