Flowers are such a beautiful gift—until they start wilting just days after you received them. Keep them blooming longer by making your own flower preservative. Familymanagement.com suggests a few recipes, including:

1. One quarter cup clear carbonated beverage to one vase water.
2. Two tablespoons lemon juice, one tablespoon sugar, one quarter teaspoon bleach in one vase of water.
3. Two tablespoons of white vinegar, two tablespoons of sugar to one vase of water.
4. Use 50% warm water, 50% Sprite or 7UP plus one and a half teaspoons of bleach.

Sugar provides energy; citric acid acts as an acidifier; and bleach prevents bacteria growth.