Simple solutions to try at home

•An easy way to store wrapping paper for quick use is on a curtain rod. Mount a small one (or several, for different styles of paper) inside the door of a closet or on a garage wall. Slip on the roll and mount. Now it’s ready for use anytime, and it’s easy to get just the amount you need. You can store rolled ribbon right alongside it if the curtain rod is long enough.

•”You can use eyeglass cleaner or a windshield cleaner with a built-in defogger on bathroom mirrors. It helps if you have a husband who likes a steamy shower, then shaves right after. I was so tired of those hand smears on the mirror, and now I don’t have to deal with them.” — Y.L. in Arkansas

•Store dairy foods that come in tubs — yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese — upside down in the refrigerator to make them last longer.

•Mix 1 part dish soap to 2 parts water and keep the mixture in a spray bottle by your sink. Use it to spray heavily soiled dishes for a soak, or to soap up your sponge.

•”If your kids own a video-game console, then you might be aware that after hour upon hour of playing, the console can overheat and shut itself off. I devised an easy way to keep the machine cooler, and therefore less susceptible to costly damage.

I placed a cooling rack (the kind used to cool cookies and other pastries after cooking) on a hard surface (like a shelf in the entertainment center or the top of the TV) and put the console on top. This allows for ventilation of every surface of the game system.

Also, make sure your kids don’t keep anything on top of the console or too close to the sides, as that will hinder air flow as well.” — C.E. in Florida