For many of us, knitting is relaxing. But when the yarn inevitably becomes tangled, it can feel more like an exercise in frustration. Here's one way to keep things from getting knotty. Gather empty cookie tins left over from the holidays, or purchase new ones. Apply a coat of oil-based enamel paint in any hue to outside of tin and lid; let dry overnight. Using a grommet kit (available at hardware stores), attach a grommet to the lid's center. Place ball of yarn inside, and thread an end through the grommet before securing lid.

It's hard to keep track of small hardware such as washers, grommets, and nuts. Here's a handy way to organize them by size and type: String them on shower curtain rings. Hang the metal rings on a board above your workbench so the loose hardware will be even easier to spot.

Sometimes bookmarks fall out and you're left thumbing through page after page, trying to remember where you left off. Or you have to look up that often-used recipe in your favorite cookbook because its ribbon markers already hold the places of other tried-and-true dishes. Avoid these annoyances with placeholders that fit onto the corner of any page. 

To make one, cut a bottom corner from an ungusseted paper bag (the kind card shops use) or a colorful envelope. Ours is about 2 inches long from corner to cut. Create several to track your best-loved recipes or when planning the menu for a special dinner.

A corkboard is handy for posting reminders, but it's often difficult to find a suitable spot for one on the wall. Instead, cut one to fit inside a door or a cabinet panel. Measure the dimensions of the space. With a straightedge and a box cutter, trim a piece of sheet cork (available in many hues at home-supply stores) to those dimensions. Affix cork to surface with nails.

Sometimes small houseplants get lost among larger ones. Elevating smaller plants increases their visibility. And placing your pots at different levels will add a new dimension to the display. Simply turn a few small flowerpots upside down, and stack plants in pots of the same size on top. Intermingle these plants with larger ones. Use pots of the same material -- terra-cotta, for example -- to create a uniform look. (Place plants on a waterproof tray or drain before setting them in the desired location, so water leakage won't damage your surfaces.)