Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: In my living room is a large iron bookcase with very low bottom clearance. For years I have kept several telephone directories on the floor underneath it. The space is just high enough to insert the books and low enough to conceal them. I can barely maneuver them in and out with my fingertips.

I realized some plastic trays I have - similar to the ones in fast food places - are very similar in size to the directories. So I put each directory on a tray and slipped them under the bookcase.

Voila! I now have the edge of a tray to grasp and they slide in and out easily, like a drawer.- Dot-Ann Sutter, Pittsburgh, Pa.

FYI: It’s not recommended to spray fabric softener on carpeting, as it may cause dirt to adhere more readily and you will have to clean your carpets more often.