HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I take several different medications - each has to be taken at a different time of day. Frankly, I sometimes looked at the bottles of medicine, trying to remember which ones I had taken. I devised a solution. At the beginning of the day, I stand the bottles up in a certain spot. Whenever I take a pill, I lay the bottle down on its side. No more guessing or worrying!

  • F.M. Goodwin, Jacksonville

DEAR HELOISE: I have foam pillows and was wondering if they can be washed.

  • J.T. in Kansas

DEAR READER: Check the care labels. Most pillows can be washed on the gentle cycle. If possible, fill the washer with water and dissolve the detergent before putting in the pillows. Foam stuffing should be air-dried and not put in the dryer.Some feather and other pillows can be put in the dryer. Most important is checking the care labels to see what the manufacturer recommends.

DEAR HELOISE: When I make a sandwich, I have switched from using a knife to a spoon. When I scoop mayo or jelly with a knife, I have to keep scooping because the knife hardly gets anything out of the jar. With a spoon, I can scoop more out, and I just turn the spoon over to spread the mayo, etc.

  • Fiona in Kansas

DEAR HELOISE: My husband and I bought our first home, which is a fixer-upper. We are doing many repairs ourselves. Do you have an easy, eco-friendly way of removing old wallpaper?

  • Kelly P. in New Mexico

DEAR READER: Mix equal parts vinegar and water, and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray the wallpaper until wet. Allow the solution to sit on the wallpaper for at least 10 minutes, then wipe away the wallpaper with the solution. Remove price tags from hard surfaces like glass or china by “painting” them with vinegar until wet and then wiping away.

DEAR HELOISE: I used to work in a shopping center. When I went to work, I carried a smaller purse with a long strap on it. When I walked and had a coat on, I put my purse on my shoulder, then put my coat on. No one could see it or grab it. And if I had to get in it, I still could reach into it.

  • Barbara M., Indiana

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com

Weekend, Pages 36 on 02/20/2014

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