As you know, I’m big into recycling things, turning trash into treasure every chance I get. And salad take-out containers from the supermarket deli are perfect for storing everything from leftover food to office supplies around the old homestead. There’s just one hitch: Plastic tends to hang on to odors, and you could wind up with the aroma of the former contents for a long time. But here’s a quick and easy solution to this problem: Fill the containers with water, and drop one or two denture-cleaning tablets into each one. Wait about half an hour, and rinse them clean. Then fill ‘em up!

Think coffee filters are only good for brewing up your morning java? Well, think again! Here’s a handful of extraordinary ways to use ordinary coffee filters to help you sail through this year’s spring cleaning:

· After dusting the inside of your china cabinet, protect your fragile dishes by separating stacked plates with coffee filters.
· Need to blot up a spill? Use super-absorbent coffee filters.
· Before putting your pots and pans away after cleaning out the cupboard, place a coffee filter in each cast-iron skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
· Clean your mirrors using coffee filters—they won’t leave behind a messy paper trail like paper towels do.
· Get crafty. Use watercolor paint and pipe cleaners to turn coffee filters into a bouquet of early spring blossoms that’ll brighten up your freshly cleaned home.

March came in like a lion, all right, and those bone-chilling winds sure can take a toll on your skin. So here’s a simple facial formula that will slough off dead skin cells, refine pores, and even out your skin tone. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of apple juice, 2 teaspoons of red wine, and 1 tablespoon of ground oatmeal to make a paste. (Add more liquid if you need to.) Spread the mixture onto your face and throat, let it dry for 20 to 30 minutes, and rinse with warm water. Now, are you ready for a warm spring? (Cue the lamb!)

Now’s the time to start thinking about getting your seedlings going. Here’s a quick ‘n’ easy way to turn household trash into garden treasure: When you reach the end of a roll of foil, don’t throw the cardboard tube away. Instead, turn it into a bunch of seed-starting pots. Just cut the tube into pieces about 3 inches long, and wrap aluminum foil around the outside of each piece to keep the cardboard from falling apart when it gets wet. Pack the little pots closely together on a waterproof tray or shallow pan, add seed-starting mix, and sow seeds to your heart’s content. Then come transplant time, remove the foil, and plant your seedlings, pots and all.