Is there anything more annoying than having your trash bag fall down into your trash can? Actually I don't have this problem anymore because I buy fitted trash bags specifically made for my trash can. (Yes it is a waste of money, but it is one of my few indulgences.) If you don't want to buy fitted trash bags, here's your tip: Cut off the elastic waist band from an old pair of panty hose and use it to hold the trash bag in place.

If you're in need of a laugh, check out the Web site www.awkward familyphotos.com. It's a collection of real life family photos that range from the bizarre to flat out hilarious. I need to keep checking this site because I'm sure one of my prom pictures is going to show up here (baby blue tux, ruffled shirt- you get the picture).

Jere Randall has given us a lot of good tips over the years. Here's another one: "A couple of weeks ago Tony Renfro contributed a good tip for keeping ants from climbing the pole to his hummingbird feeder. (Grease the pole). However, my feeder is suspended from a tree limb by a small cord. This gave the ants a direct path to the feeder. I solved the problem by fabricating a "moat" around the cord on top of the feeder. The ants won't swim the moat and will seek food from another source. I cut 2 inches from the bottom of a 12-ounce Coke bottle and drilled a hole in the center, large enough for the cord to pass through. I hot glued a 3-inch piece of plastic tubing around the hole inside the bottle bottom. I threaded the suspension cord through the tubing, reattached it to the limb and filled the moat with water. The moat is now in place but I must remember to keep it filled so that the ants can't get to the feed. It does the job."

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