Margaret Mitchell who wrote "Gone With the Wind" was born on this day. Little did she know her novel's title would also become the scientific principle for a method of preserving food and protecting many other things from air contact. Of course, we're referring to vacuum sealing, which we've all seen advertised on TV. Pricey little machines suck the air out of plastic bags then heat seal them to protect and preserve whatever's inside. While this is a good thing, you might not know that you already have the tools at home to do it yourself. All you need is a plastic bag, a vacuum cleaner with a hose and some twist ties. With the item of your choice in the bag, insert the vacuum hose, gather the plastic tightly around the hose. Turn on the vacuum and draw out the air. Then secure it with a twist tie, remove the hose and, just like that, the need for a pricey vacuum sealing machine is "gone with the wind." And that's the On The House Tip for today.