Tips help you stretch clothing dollars

Dear Readers: Who isn’t trying to save money these days? To help stretch your clothing dollar, here are three easy hints to help you:

•Stop button threads from fraying by dabbing the top of the button with a little clear nail polish, letting it dry and trimming loose threads.

•Fix a fallen hem with masking tape, duct tape, safety pins or adhesive bandage. If you have a sewing kit and pre-threaded needles handy, use a whipstitch, knotting every third stitch to keep the hem up.

•Snags on sweaters should never be pulled or cut. Use the top of a closed pen or something similar to “push” the snag back through to the inside of the sweater. Knot the snag and secure with a small dab of clear nail polish.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: While working full time and raising four sons, managing the laundry was a nightmare. Finally, I bought each boy a smaller, outdoor, plastic garbage can. Each one had his own in his closet.

So, instead of washing mountains of laundry on the weekends, I washed each son’s clothes on separate evenings. Barb Matalin, Crown Point, Ind.

Dear Heloise: Since my hubby and I travel quite a bit, we bought luggage locks for our luggage. The problem is that my locks seemed to always disappear. So, when I went to a local discount store, I bought a package of three lime-green locks. Now if someone in the household “borrows” the locks, I will readily know that they are “mine.” Since doing this, I haven’t “lost” a lock! Kerry Ann in Minnesota

Kerry Ann, lime green does stand out. As a reminder, if using the locks for checked luggage, be sure that they are Transportation Security Administration-approved. Heloise

Dear Heloise: We have antique bedroom furniture that doesn’t have large drawers. To save space, I use sandwich-size plastic bags and put individual slips or bras into them. I fold the item to the necessary size, insert it into the bag, fold the bag over to squeeze the air out and seal. I write on the outside of the bag beforehand a short description of the garment.

I use drawer dividers that you can find in discount stores in the little top drawers of our two old bureaus to keep my undies and my husband’s socks. I actually can get more in, and they don’t get all mixed up. Carol from Kansas

Dear Heloise: I have difficulty getting on my hands and knees or bending down. So, here is my hint for cleaning the baseboards and corners of the floor: Dip a washrag in soapy water, throw it on the floor and, with the end of a broom handle against the washrag, scrub away at the baseboards and the corners of the floor. It works for me. Madeleine B., Santa Ana, Calif.

SBlt 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