Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: At bedtime I like to put on hand lotion. Unfortunately, my fingers were too slippery to get a grip on the small switch to turn off my bedside lamp.

By wrapping a rubber band around the switch, my fingers don’t slip and can now easily grip and turn the switch.

This might also be helpful for people with arthritis or sore joints who find it painful to grip and then turn the small switch. - Micki Cunningham, Columbia, Md.

Dear Heloise: My old rectangular laundry baskets were cracked and broken at the top, making them difficult to carry.

I recycled them by putting them in the trunk of my car to hold grocery bags. This keeps paper bags from tipping over and keeps the contents of a plastic bag from sliding everywhere. - J.J., Canandaigua, N.Y.