Household Items For Easy Fixes

Adhesive tape, painter's tape, and lint rollers

• Flower arrangement needing some stability? Use clear adhesive tape to make a small grid across the top of the vase to stabilize it.
• Use it to clean the dust out of grooves on vacuum attachments.
• Pick up glitter, sequins and scraps left behind from the kids' art projects.

Chopsticks and toothpicks

• Hang on to those spare chopsticks when you get takeout - they'll come in handy for cleaning out the treads of your shoes when they get caked with mud (or things worse than mud).
• For small houseplants that need a little extra support, chopsticks make great stakes.
• Toothpicks can do way more than clean your chompers - they are great for unclogging everything from spice jars, to strainers, to your toddler's Play Doh toys.
• Mark the end on a roll of tape by wrapping a toothpick in it - so much easier than picking at it with your fingernail for ten minutes!

Plastic jugs and bottles

• Cut a two liter bottle in half and the top makes a great funnel; the bottom is a terrific scoop for birdseed, sand, garden soil, etc.
• If you need weights to hold down tarps or picnic blankets, bottles filled with water or sand are ideal.

Wine bottle corks

• You can clean your scissors and knives without damaging them by using some lemon juice or cleanser on a wine cork. It keeps from scratching and dulling them.
• Slice a cork into disks and attach them to the bottom of a planter to allow drainage; they can also be used under pots to protect surfaces.
• Wrap a piece of fine sandpaper around an old cork and you've got a mini sanding block that perfect for touching up moldings.
• To keep your photos and artwork hanging straight, attach thin strips of cork to the back with glue to create a good grip against wall.
• If your cabinets have lost their corner pads (or never had them), slice a cork into thin circles and attach - you'll have quiet doors again!
• For safer knife storage, glue several corks together to make a strip and place it in a drawer; rest knives with the blades in the crevices to keep them sharp and protected.
• Keep a few old corks soaking in a jar of rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits - drop a couple on the grill or fireplace to get the flames roaring quickly.

Salt

• It can be used to dust wreaths and small fake plants. Place the plant in a paper bag with about ¼ cup salt and shake it gently to get the dust out of all the tiny crevices. It works amazingly! 
• Eradicate coffee and tea stains in mugs by sprinkling a little salt on a lemon peel and gently scrubbing.
• To shine brass and copper, mix a few tablespoons of white vinegar with equal parts salt and flour to make a paste. Apply with a soft cloth, rinse, and dry.

Clear nail polish

• Keep your glasses together! If the screws get loose, tighten them by topping with a tiny dollop of polish to keep them in place.
• A thin layer of clear nail lacquer applied to the center of a button will help keep the threads loosening.
• To keep can in the shower from leaving a rust ring, apply a thin coat of polish on the bottom and let it dry before use.
• If you have a stubborn envelope that won't seal shut, polish will do the trick. (Or, glue stick.)
• Costume jewelry can lose its luster and shine easily and quickly; coat it with a layer of clear nail polish to extend its beautiful life.