Around the house

* Dust crevices and hard-to-reach places with a clean, soft paintbrush that is damp.

* Use a Lazy Susan to store smaller items such as jelly jars and baby food jars in refrigerator.

This will avoid searching for items that often wind up toward the back of the shelf.

* Remove burned coffee from bottom of glass pot.

Fill with a handful of ice cubes; add about 1 teaspoon of salt; move pot around to agitate cubes until stain is removed.

* Place steel wool over the drain when washing the family pet.

This will prevent clogging pipes with fur.

* When a plastic bag and a heated toaster meet, you end up with melted plastic on the appliance.

To remove, unplug the toaster and dab off spot with nail polish remover. Wipe area with a clean, damp cloth and dry.

* Apply a light coat of furniture, car, or floor wax to plastic laminated counter tops. This will help discourage stains and scratches.

In the garden

* Welcome spring. Have children provide building material for birds by collecting lint from dryer and bits of string and hair from brushes.

Tie together, place in a tree branch, and everyone will enjoy watching the stuff disappear.