Now Here’s a Tip: Save yourself a headache or two

“ When assembling a sizable piece of furniture, try to do it in the room where it will be used, if possible. This prevents you from having to disassemble all or part of it if you can’t fit it through the doorway, and saves you the frustration of having to move and maneuver it into its room. — M.M. in Florida

“ Here’s a tip for tick removal in areas that are hard to get to with tweezers: Soak a cotton ball in liquid soap and apply to the tick, covering all areas. After 15 to 20 seconds, the tick should come out on its own and should be stuck to the cotton ball for removal. Remember never to squeeze the tick while it is attached to the skin, as that could force more bacteria into the skin. Dispose of ticks properly. This works on pets, too!

“ M.B. in Texas writes: I have a fairly small bathroom, and storage was a problem. I bought a large over-the-door shoe hanger/shoe bag. Mine has 24 pouches. I put it on the back of the door and put all my shampoo, body wash, combs, brushes, hairspray, hair clips, etc., in the pouches. When the door is closed, all your essentials are at your fingertips.

“ To clean Venetian blinds, slip an old sock onto each hand, spray with dust cleaner and sandwich each blade in your hands, sliding from the top to the bottom.