Putting brightly colored paper into the recycling bin is like tossing a red sock into a load of white clothes. Colored paper can contaminate paper recyclables and cause a whole batch to be thrown out. If you do want to use reams of colored paper, avoid the deeply saturated or super-bright papers. Instead, look for pastel sheets. Paper recycling facilities can handle these colors while recycling white office paper.

Bed pillows filled with down can clump over time. Here's a simple way to revive your bed pillows while refreshing them, too. Place your pillow in the dryer, and tumble dry it on high for several minutes. The heat will eradicate dust mites and odors that may be lingering inside, and the tumbling action will help redistribute the feathers. After a few minutes, your clumpy pillow will feel, smell and look as good as new.

Have a small infestation of houseflies in your home? Avoid chemical sprays, and pour them a glass of wine instead. Flies are attracted to the sweet smell of wine, so keep about 1/2 cup of red wine in a bottle and place it where flies are frequently seen. Add a little dish soap and water inside the wine bottle. When flies enter the bottle, the dish soap will coat their wings and make it impossible for them to escape. You can also pour the soapy wine mixture into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap; poke a few holes so they can enter but not escape.