Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: Here’s a time-saving tip for computer enthusiasts. While packing up all our belongings, I dreaded packing up the computer. I knew I would have to undo all the plugs and wires only to read the manual and redo when we moved. This can be time-consuming.

A light went on. I took a permanent black marker with a fine tip and wrote a number above each plug hole on the computer. On the cord I wrote the same number on the corresponding end. For the black cords and the very small cords, I took white mailing labels and wrapped them around the cords, making tabs to write on.

You can use numbers, but two digits can take up a little more room. If you have a lot of plugs, use the alphabet. - Heather Perkins, Liberty, Texas

How right you are! When we moved computers and fax machines in our office, we used colored tape and nail polish to mark cords. It sure saved a lot of frustration. - Heloise