HELOISE: Putting a stop to junk mail

Dear Heloise: I’m receiving so much mail that I’ve had to install a larger mailbox. Is there someone I can call to stop the junk mail? Most of my junk mail is requesting donations. I know they are all for a good cause, and I do give to some, but there are far too many.

Laura P., Springfield, Ill.

There are a lot of worthy charities and causes, and it can get overwhelming! Depending on the charity, you may have to call its national number to get off the list. If it’s a local charity, you must call it.

Give to the ones you support and have a connection to, and don’t fret about the others. You can toss the mail and unsolicited gifts, or put them in the recycle bin.

For other junk mail, contact the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service, which will let you opt out for five years for most national mailings. Unfortunately, there is no toll-free phone number. To register, go to www.dmachoice.org or mail a request with a $1 processing fee to DMAchoice, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512. This won’t stop all mailings, but it should reduce the amount you receive.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I had a problem with remembering where various paperwork was for our many appliances.

I rounded the paperwork up and now store it all together in a hanging folder caddy. My simple labeling system says “large appliances,” “small appliances,” “others” and “outdoors.” I staple the original sales receipt to the booklet in the file for future reference and proof of purchase. Problem solved.

M.D., San Antonio

Dear Heloise: My hint is about how to make trying on clothes in a store a less-revealing occasion. Some fitting rooms don’t have locking doors, and it is not always easy to see if a room is occupied. After being exposed one too many times by someone looking for an available room, I started placing my shoes so they peeked out from under the door or curtain. I have not had an “oops — so sorry” or a face peering under the door at me ever since.

Kim Tara Reilly, Rockaway, N.J.

Dear Heloise: Because of having so many cookbooks, it was always difficult to remember in which book to find some particular recipe. I now keep a spreadsheet index with columns for food category, title of recipe, name of cookbook and page number. I sort by food category (e.g., meats, salads, vegetables, etc.). A quick glance tells you where to find what you want.

M.T., Texarkana, Texas

Dear Heloise: If your shower-curtain liner has a hem on the bottom, trim it off. It acts like a trough where water settles and molds. Trimming this off allows the water to just drip right off into the tub.

Darlene, Anchorage, Alaska

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate