Retrieving rechargers requires simple reminders

Dear Heloise: Many people travel with computers, cell phones, DVD players, etc., these days. They need recharging, and too often the chargers are left in the hotel-room sockets. People have left them behind when visiting my home, also.
On a recent trip, I was afraid of doing this myself and came up with a very simple solution. With a permanent marker, I wrote "battery charger" on a zipper-top bag. When I used the charger, I placed the bag on top of the contents of my suitcase, as a visual reminder to pack the charger when leaving. It's simple, and it worked! Judi Schiff, Alexandria, Va.
I'll bet almost everyone has left a charger behind at one time, myself included!
Here's my hint: I put bright-red nail polish on the charger (plus a business address sticker) as a visual reminder, and I try to put it in the bathroom outlet so it's hard to miss. I, too, write a note and place it with the room key. Heloise
Fast facts
Dear Readers: Here are a few ways to reuse an empty, clean, plastic spray bottle:
Fill with water and a few drops of orange or lemon essential oil to mist stinky trash.
Fill with water and use as a plant mister.
Fill with water and give to kids to use as "spray guns."
Make a solution of half vinegar and half water in the bottle and keep in the car to deal with dirty windows or other cleanups.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: I, too, highlight occasions and appointments in my calendar (as suggested by a reader), but I add an additional step by penciling in a mail date. This has worked for me to make sure things arrive on time, but I also don't have to keep reminding myself that something has to be mailed. Cathy L. Nelson, Coto de Caza, Calif.
Dear Heloise: A suggestion for newlyweds or families starting out: organize photo negatives. I had to go through more than 30 years' worth of negatives to find a certain one. They were all in a tub together, and I wished we would have organized them. Theresa H., Glendale, Ariz.
Oh, what a project! If you can't locate the negative, you can take a photo of the photo. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When my children want peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, they want me to cut the sandwich in half or in quarters. Trying to get it into the sandwich bag after it is cut can be quite messy. I use a wide spatula to pick up the sandwich and place it in the bag. The spatula slides right out with no mess and a sandwich that is intact. A Reader, via e-mail
Sound off
Dear Heloise: This is driving me to distraction! Businesses and professionals who call you "honey," "sweetheart" or "sweetie" rather than using your name! S.P. in Hot Springs, Ark.
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