Even with the best intentions, many of us have problems keeping household plants alive, which may actually have to do with the type of water you're using. If you have a water softener system that uses salt, that treated water may be slowly killing the plants. Softened water contains salt, which can build up and dry out plants. It's best to use filtered water whenever possible or fill up a bucket or large pitcher and let it sit out overnight. Any chlorine, minerals and even trace salt will dissipate, leaving you with perfect water for your plants.

A clean house is a fresh-smelling house, and it's key to keep artificial fragrances and chemicals at bay to achieve this. One natural essential oil that packs a powerful punch is eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus has antibacterial and antifungal properties, plus it has a naturally pleasing scent. When polishing wood furniture or floors, add two tablespoons of eucalyptus oil to a gallon of warm water. Then polish, mop and clean away. It'll disinfect, clean and deodorize the home all at the same time.

Many of us have switched from manual toothbrushes to electric ones when it comes to dental care. But when it's time to replace the toothbrush, how do you recycle it? The good news is that electric toothbrushes have an integrated rechargeable battery. And the nonprofit Call2Recycle has tens of thousands of free recycling boxes across the United States where you can drop off rechargeable batteries for recycling -- including electric toothbrushes. Just put the old toothbrush in the box, and the organization will handle the rest. Learn more at call2recycle.org.