Those return-address labels offer many other uses

Dear Heloise: I receive many personal return-address mailing labels from organizations as solicitations for donations, so many that I could not possibly use them all just for return addresses. Through time, I've found many great uses for them, which I thought you'd like to share:
UI use them anytime I am asked to fill in my name and address -- the printing is clearer than my handwriting, and it usually has the most complete and correct format for mailings. This includes medical forms, information-sharing lists, subscription forms and updating my friends' address books.
UI put them in my books and videos so people know they came from my library and can easily send them back. I also put them on dishes, covers and utensils that I bring to friends' houses.
UI enclose them when I send letters to friends so they don't have to write out my address when they send mail to me. I reserve the ones with large type for this to make it easier for the postal service. (The U.S. Postal Service asks that the type size be between 8-point and 18-point and not italic, stylized or bold. -- Heloise)
UBefore I travel, I collect them from my friends, and when I want to send a postcard, I just stick the label right on the card. I can keep track of whom I sent cards to by virtue of which labels I no longer have, and I don't have to worry about losing my address book. I hope your readers enjoy these tips. Michelle, via e-mail
Good hints for all. Please enjoy the following ones. Heloise
Since we're on the subject of address labels, I polled my office to see what other ways we could come up with to put these small bits of important info to good use. Here's what they said:
URuth -- Put them in baseball caps, hats or on your umbrella cover, using a piece of clear packing tape to keep them in place and safe from moisture and dirt.
UKelly -- The belongings of nursing-home residents seem to "walk" often. Why not make sure a resident has an address label on all of his or her personal items (you can even use a black permanent marker to write the info on an area out of sight)?
UJane -- Use them on golf clubs, tennis or racquetball rackets, baseball bats, etc.
UKathy -- Use them to label my daughter's belongings before she goes off to camp.
UHeloise -- Trim to small size and put on electronic equipment like cell phones, cameras and chargers.
Sound off
This is a real pain. I do not understand why some medications -- sinus medications in particular -- have to be packaged in such a way that opening the medication aggravates the intensity of my headache. These medications come in individually wrapped packages that are very difficult to open. If there is a valid reason, why don't the manufacturers package the recommended dose together? J., Spring Branch, Texas
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax (210) HELOISE, or e-mail heloise@heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate