Frugal Friday Home Tips

This week I began a new Monday Feature on Money Saving Mondays- Couponing 101. I am also going to begin a Friday Feature: Frugal Friday Home Tips!

The great thing about this topic, is that it can encompass just about any aspects of saving money at home, be it from recycling, gardening, to energy saving tips!
Today's Frugal Friday Home Tip is on the many uses of Newspapers.
I know we ALL have extra newspapers around our houses- Here is a list of 10 things you can do with them besides recycling them. Any other ideas, please add yours!

Use Newspaper to:
1. Deodorize food containers. Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a lunch box or thermos, seal it, and let sit overnight.
2. Ripen tomatoes. Wrap them individually and leave them out at room temperature.
3. Pack delicate items. Wrap frames and figurines with several pieces of newspaper, then crumple the remaining sections to fill extra space in the box.
4. Wipe away tough streaks on glass. Use newspaper with cleaning fluid to clean mirrors and windows.
5. Preserve antique glass. Some older frames have finishes on the glass that can be damaged by cleaning solutions. Remove smudges by rubbing with newspaper dipped in a solution of one part white vinegar and one part warm water. Let air-dry.
6. Dry shoes. Place crumpled paper in them overnight.
7. Wrap gifts. Use the comics to wrap a child’s birthday gift, or try the wedding announcements for an engagement gift.
8. Create a home for slushy snow boots. During the winter, keep a pile of newspaper near the entryway. When your little snowmen and -women come home, they can toss their winter wear onto the newspaper instead of creating puddles on the floor.
9. Prepare a garden. In the fall, mow a patch of lawn to make room for a dedicated bed. Cover it with four layers of newspaper, then a four-inch layer of shredded leaves or bark mulch. Hose it down. Come spring, the compost blanket will have smothered the grass roots, and the bed will be primed for planting. I also use newspaper in my garden, and cover it with grass clippings as a weed barrier during the planting season.
10. Keep the refrigerator vegetable drawer dry and free of smells. Line the bottom with newspaper.