Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Dear Readers: Have you noticed lately that the bedroom is not just for sleeping anymore? It is now a hub of activity in many homes -- reading, exercising, eating, dressing, watching TV and working on the computer. But this is the room where we're supposed to be the most relaxed ... and it seems clutter is everywhere! Here are some hints to help you get things in order. And, after the initial sprucing, just five minutes each morning should keep all these minor eyesores out of the way:
Make the bed first thing, and the room immediately looks better!
Pick up shoes or clothes that are lying around and put them away.
Quickly straighten the tops of the dresser and nightstand(s) -- the less on these areas, the cleaner they look.
Put away reading material that's accumulated next to the bed, and don't overlook paperwork around a computer. A magazine rack or large basket strategically placed in the room would be an organized home for these items.
For the closet, organize shoes on a shoe rack to keep them off the floor, and sort and recycle unused hangers that take up space!
Remember, a quick five-minute walk-through each day will help keep your bedroom in order. Heloise
P.S. Time yourself -- you will be amazed how much you can get done in just five minutes. Better yet, do the picking up during a TV commercial -- why waste time?
Dear Heloise: My wife found something even better than those thin rubber pads to open stubborn jar lids. She just cut a 6-inch square of rubberized carpet-backing mesh. It conforms perfectly to any lid, and I think the irregular surface lets you get a better grip (not that I need it with my manly hands of steel). Steve S., Dallas
Dear Heloise: I saw a hint in your column about saving and reusing newspaper bags, which I have done for some time now. My addition is to take an old pill bottle (3 inches tall by 6 inches around) and stuff the bags in it -- you won't believe how many newspaper sleeves it will hold. Tuck a "bottle of bags" in the glove compartment of each car, where they'll come in handy for many things while taking up almost no room. If I collect too many, I give them to friends. Nancy, Arlington
Dear Heloise: My mom gave me a metal flea comb that she had used on her dog. I couldn't use it for my dog (an American Eskimo), but I realized that the rounded tips and wide spacing of the tines could be used to straighten out the fringe on my Oriental carpets without scratching the floor. It really works well and only takes a few seconds to untangle the mess my vacuum cleaner seems to make of these fringes. Karen Pietrantonio, Fogelsville, Pa.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate