Most dogs love peanut butter, but the next time you give your pooch a peanut buttery treat, be sure it doesn't have xylitol in it. This sugar substitute can be harmful to them, since it can cause a steep spike in their blood sugar if they ingest it. It's important to read the labels carefully. Many peanut butters that aren't even marked low-sugar can have xylitol. The best thing to do is make your own natural peanut butter or choose butters that are made from 100 percent peanuts.

If you start your mornings with a steaming mug of tea, there are plenty of uses for the leaves when you're done sipping. Since tea is loaded with natural tannins with extraordinary deodorizing properties, you can use them around the house. Let used teabags dry out, and drop them into the bottom of garbage cans (before you put in a bag). Or stuff them in smelly sneakers. Even loose tealeaves can be mixed with kitty litter to help it smell fresher. When you're finally done with the teabags and leaves, compost, compost, compost!

Do you have a musty, smelly car? While you could pay a small fortune to have it scrubbed and detailed, try this simple DIY idea instead: Use newspaper. Since newspaper is designed to absorb ink, it also does a great job of absorbing other things. The porous nature of newsprint absorbs excess moisture and odor, so cover the entire interior with a single layer of newspaper -- a good use for the large Sunday edition -- and let it sit overnight.