If you have some milk in the fridge that’s spoiled or its freshness is questionable, don’t pour it down the drain. The great thing about milk is that it’s loaded with nutrients like calcium, protein, vitamin B and natural sugars that are also good for plants. Use old milk as an all-natural fertilizer by pouring it around the base of plants in the garden to give them a nutritional boost. The micro-organisms in the soil will love it, too, which helps to improve the overall health of the soil.

Some of the toughest stuff to clean in the kitchen is all the baked-on grime inside your oven. Instead of reaching for chemical oven cleaner, try this all-natural alternative instead. Mix baking soda with some water until you get a pastelike consistency. Spread the mixture all over the inside of the oven. Wait at least 12 hours, then fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and liberally spray the inside. The baking soda and vinegar together will cause a foaming reaction, which will bubble away the baked-on mess. Wipe and rinse with a little water, and voila! Clean oven.

In the warmer months, it’s not uncommon to see volunteer groups collecting litter from the sides of roads or at parks as part of a beautification project. But winter is the perfect time to collect one type of debris: plastic bags. Plastic bags often get tangled in trees, and in the late spring and summer months, it can be impossible to see where they’re tangled. When the trees are bare in winter, it’s easier to untangle and remove bags. Use telescoping tools designed for trees to help dislodge bags from high-up places.