Before you throw a sewing needle away because it became dull, consider sharpening it with sandpaper. Just get a fine-grit sandpaper and rub the sewing needle over it.

There are all kinds of tips on how to deal with a zipper that sticks. My personal favorite is to use shampoo - that's right, I said shampoo. Just put some on the end of a Q-tip and use the Q-tip to grease the zipper.

Speaking of shampoo, you can also use it to remove hairspray build-up that occurs on the walls in your bathroom. Remember, shampoo is designed to remove hairspray build-up from your hair so, it will work great on your walls.

Here's a use for duct tape in the kitchen. When you're refilling those fancy ceramic salt and pepper shakers, remember to put duct tape over the pour holes to keep the salt and pepper from spilling out. Also, you can cover the shakers with duct tape when you're transporting them to a picnic. (Duct taping the refrigerator door can also help with your diet.)

Tim Thompson lives in Gainesville. E-mail Tim your ideas for tips, tools or tricks.