Do you want to help your local animal shelter? Plenty of things in your home could be useful to them. If you have a stash of plastic shopping bags, they can be used by animal shelters to clean up dog messes. If you have a working heating pad, it can help small animals stay warm and simulate a mother's warmth. And your stack of old newspapers can be used in the bottom of cages as a lining that is easily swapped out when needed. Of course, every shelter is different, so check the website or social media feeds of your local shelter to see if there's anything else they may need.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did you know you can make your own craft glue using flour and water? Just mix 1/2 cup of flour (it can be white or whole wheat, but should be a wheat flour) with 3/4 cup of cold water. Then pour the mixture into a simmering pot of 3 cups of boiling water. Cook the mixture for about five minutes until it’s sticky and smooth, then chill until it's cold. You can use it like you would use any craft glue! And it's a food-grade adhesive, so it's safe for anyone to use.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you use rubber gloves when you're cleaning around the house or washing dishes? Almost all gloves are made from non-biodegradable synthetic materials like polyvinyl chloride. If you want to protect your hands, look for gloves that are made with natural materials like rubber or latex. Just be sure it's 100% plant-based rubber or latex and not a synthetic. They’ll perform as well as waterproof gloves and will biodegrade when it's time to replace them. Many can be found in natural grocery stores and online.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION