Clever reader has clothing donations in the bag

Dear Heloise: I have always kept a bag in my closet to put old clothes in for donation to charity. However, soon this bag becomes heavy and hard to get to the trunk of the car. So, now I put a bag in the trunk of my car and put the clothes in as I come across them. After the bag fills up, I stop by the donation center, and no more heavy bags to lug to my car! A Reader, via e-mail

Good advice on both counts — protecting your back and passing items on to charity. Speaking of donating to charities, please give clean, usable items that the group can use, not dirty, torn clothing, unless they can sell it for scrap material. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Laundry day can be a hassle. So, here are a few things I do to make the chore easier and faster:

UI keep a small basket on top of the dryer to hold small lingerie bags for delicates.

UI keep a bleach pen handy.

UI have some cotton swabs for attacking stains.

UThere is also a dust cloth to wipe down the washer and the dryer.

This way, I never have to search for tools. Plus, I hung a shower-curtain tension rod across the shorter width of the room for extra hangers and to hang delicates. Terri Karam Willett, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I have pierced ears and a lot of earrings. It seems I can always find one but never the second one of a pair. So, I cut my makeup sponges in half, vertically, and push both earrings through so they stay as a set. This way, I can store a lot of earrings in a small space, and I can always find both earrings. Hope you find this helpful as well. Pat Serna, Red Bluff, Calif.

Dear Heloise: Before I go on my weekly grocery trip during the hot days of summer, I empty a tray or so of ice into a medium-size drink cooler. Placing the cooler on the back seat of my vehicle, I go on to town and may shop at several grocery stores before I return home. I ask the baggers to place all of my meats and other cold items in separate bags. After returning to my car at each stop, I place these in the cooler. No spoiled high-priced groceries when I get home. Truett Langston, Lafayette, Tenn.

Sound Off

Dear Heloise: My Sound Off is when my husband or children leave dishes in the sink instead of rinsing them off and putting them in the dishwasher. This is so annoying for me! So, I made up a new rule: If I find a dish in the sink, you will be fined! I start with $1, and it will continue to go up if they continue to do it! So far, it seems to have done the trick! Michelle in Texas

XSend 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