When dust collects under an appliance like a refrigerator, the reduced airflow can force it to work harder to keep things cold or frozen. A simple trick is to vacuum away the dust, but often the extension hose on a vacuum isn’t long enough or narrow enough at the opening to squeeze underneath. To remedy this, simply take a cardboard paper-towel tube and secure it to the vacuum hose with a rubber band. Then flatten it so it fits snug under the fridge. Turn the vacuum on to suck up all those dust bunnies.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Want to weed, mulch and naturally fertilize your garden in just seconds? Use newspaper. Take sheets of black and white newspaper and place them directly on top of weeds, then soak them down with the hose. The paper will block the sun and choke out the weeds, and over time it will degrade into beneficial mulch. You’ll be left with a perfectly plantable patch of land for your spring flowers, veggies or whatever you want to plant, all without the use of any chemical herbicides.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Got leftover pizza? When you put a slice of ‘za on a plate in the microwave, it never turns out the same as when it was fresh at the pizzeria. The trick to reheating that slice and having it remain hot, crispy and almost taste fresh-out-of-the-oven again is to cook it on a cooktop. Simply heat up a heavy pan (like a cast-iron pan) and place the slice of pizza inside. Let it warm up; it’ll toast the bread while heating up the sauce and melting the cheese. In a few minutes, you’ll have a perfectly crispy slice.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION