Good ideas are worth sharing

•”When traveling with a pet, try this trick for a spill-proof water bowl: Use a good-quality Tupperware-like container that is of appropriate size. You can fill it halfway and the dog can drink directly from it. When he is done, just seal it back up. It’s better than carrying a bottle of water and a bowl, since you have to dump out the extra water the dog doesn’t drink and somehow dry the bowl if you do it that way.” — Max in Georgia

•If you want a great product to smooth calluses and rehydrate tough skin, look no farther than plain old petroleum jelly. Slather it on your feet before bed, cover with socks and wake up to feet that feel great.

•”Hair spray is the best thing to get ink off of skin. It also works on a lot of fabrics. You have to blot with a white paper towel (don’t use one with designs printed, since the color might bleed).” — L.G. in Alaska

•Use a leftover lemon wedge to freshen your garbage disposal. Cut it up into small pieces, throw them down the disposal and flick on the switch.

•”I save packaging to use in craft projects. Old magazine cutouts can be pretty when used for scrapbooking or to make homemade cards.” — R.F. in Arizona

•”If you have a lot of seed packets to store, use an accordion folder from the office-supply store. I like to separate mine alphabetically so I can get just what I need when I need it, without going through all the packets. You also could put them together by fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. — Garden Bug in Pennsylvania

•To keep little-used nail polish or perfume fresh, store it in the refrigerator.

•”Digital cameras are extremely convenient for documentation. Take pictures while you disassemble something to work on it; then you can go back and reassemble with the pictures as your guide. After you’re done, you can delete the pictures and it hasn’t cost you anything.” — A.L. in Minnesota

•Plastic grocery bags always come in handy. Try storing them in empty tissue boxes for the car or bathroom, or hold even more in an empty 12-pack soda box under your kitchen sink or in the garage.

•When you are painting, use Vaseline on windows and doorknobs to keep paint from sticking to the surfaces. A thin coat is all you need. Spot-test wooden surfaces to be sure it won’t stain.