If you're growing vegetables, one way to make sure your summer harvest is plentiful is to look at your Christmas ornament stash now. Find plastic or unbreakable red ball ornaments in your collection and take them outside. While your young plants are growing, the red ornaments will appear to be real food for birds. When they peck away and realize it's just a hard inedible object, they'll learn to leave the plants alone. Come harvest time for juicy tomatoes and other garden treats, you'll have more for you and less lost to wildlife.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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 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, and turn the vacuum on to suck up all those dust bunnies.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Here's a simple way to save water: Stop pre-rinsing all of your dishes and cups before you put them in the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers are designed to be as energy- and water-efficient as possible, so they are a much greener option than washing by hand. The dishwashing detergents we use today are also far more effective than those of the past, with formulations that actually activate when they interact with grease, grime and food debris on your dishes. If your dishes are too clean before the dishwasher begins to work, the detergent can leave scratches and marks on the glassware in the top rack. Instead, scrape excess food into the trash and place the still-dirty dishes right in the dishwasher for the cleanest clean.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION