HELOISE Tips will come in handy when assembling furniture
Dear Readers: Recently, one of my assistants and her husband tackled the task of assembling a new computer desk. Her husband is knowledgeable in putting things together, and still it took them at least four hours, she told our office. Thank goodness Frank had a cordless power screwdriver, because attempting to put this together with a manual screwdriver would have been a nightmare.
Here are a couple of hints Kelly shared that you can keep in mind when assembling a furniture item at home:
Since these packages can be very heavy, they left it on the bed of the truck and carried it in a few pieces at a time. This way, their backs were preserved, and it was easy to do.
Take all of the hardware out of the packaging, then separate and count to be sure that you have what is needed. Since their carpet is teal, he tore off a piece of the cardboard box, laid it on the floor, then put all of the hardware on that to make it easier to find.
All of the wooden pieces had small letters on the edges, making it necessary to look and look again for a specific letter. So they took a permanent marker and wrote the large letter on the backside of the wood. This made finding pieces a snap.
Good hints all around, and keep these in mind when putting anything together -- it can be a real nightmare. Heloise
P.S.: Count and check to be sure all the nuts, bolts and screws are there before you start working.
Dear Heloise: I loved reading your column with all the ideas for deviled eggs. But you missed one! My daughter Michele shared this devilishly delicious idea with me: Mix the egg yolks and half plain yogurt and half mayonnaise (the amount will depend on how many eggs you are making and how you like the mixture). Season with 1 teaspoon (or more) curry powder, and sprinkle paprika over the top of the finished eggs. Spicy and festive! Linda Black McKay, Minneapolis
Trying all those recipes has been fun, too! Speaking of deviled eggs, here is another idea, from Patty Elam of Billings, Mont.: "I am always looking for a way to accomplish a kitchen task without the mess. Here's one: My family loves deviled eggs, but filling them can be a messy job. After I mix all my ingredients for the centers, I put the filling in a square storage bag, snip one of the bottom corners off, then use it like a pastry bag. It's disposable, and the eggs look pretty when I am done." Heloise
Dear Heloise: I use old hair scrunchies that have stretched out for when I am washing dishes. When I push up my sleeves to wash, I slide the scrunchies on my forearms, and they hold my sleeves up so I don't have to keep pushing them up all the time. No more wet sleeves! Cindy Kotschegarow, Glendive, Mont.
Dear Heloise: I store paint in wide-mouth jars with a piece of plastic wrap between the lid and the jar. This keeps the lid from rusting and gives a good seal. Jack, Poway, Calif.
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