Has your workplace gone from business to casual? If you have a closet full of neckties and you’re unsure what to do with them, consider donating them to be made into quilts. The company Prairie Moon Quilts (prairiemoonquilts.com) takes all sorts of ties and sews them into new quilts. The all-volunteer upcycling group is called a “Necktie Social.” These quilts are donated to nonprofit groups to use for fundraisers and charity events to benefit their good works.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If your home is a popular spot for wasp nests, try this all-natural remedy before using chemical sprays and expensive repellants. First, wasps are not all bad when it comes to your home and garden; they eat invasive insects like flies. But to keep them far away from your home, try peppermint oil. Just soak cotton balls with peppermint oil and stuff them between cracks and crevices where wasps are prone to build nests. Wasps dislike the scent of mint so much they will avoid those areas. And never squash a wasp; killing one releases a pheromone that invites other wasps to swarm where the scent was released.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When it comes to jeans, coats, luggage, tents and other items around the house, a stuck zipper can turn something you need into something unusable. But before you toss the stuck-zippered item away, try this: Rub a candle all over the zipper. The natural wax can help lubricate the zipper and allow a slightly rusty zipper to work like new again. Be sure to choose natural-colored candles to avoid getting colorful stains all over the zipper.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION