Handy Household Hints

The useful thing about household hints is that they make the work easier and, in many cases, are time-saving – something we all need in this day and age!

1. It is surprising that, in this security-minded time, we are still asked to dictate our names, addresses and telephone numbers in public, often when there are people nearby. Have some business cards printed. It is much safer to hand one over so that the information is simply between you and the requestee and not the rest of the world.
2. Got a problem with chewing gum (or similar substance) on the bottom of a shoe or – worse! – on the carpet or in the children's hair? Don't despair. A piece of ice rubbed over it will harden the substance so that it will then fall off or can be easily removed.
3. Do you make a list of chores? One that gets longer and longer and longer? Make a second list from the first one, picking out the jobs that will only take five or ten minutes to do. It is amazing how quickly the list gets reduced and you lose your sense of despair.
4. Keep cut flowers fresh by putting just a couple of inches of water in the vase. Cut the stems at a slant, strip off leaves and remember to change the water every one or two days. Each time you change the water, trim a little more off the stems so that the flowers can more easily drink. Not only do the flowers last longer, you also don't get the horrible smell of rotting stems.
5. What will they think of next? I recently saw an advertisement for a device to stop one getting electric shocks when touching the car. There is a much cheaper method – touch the metal with a plastic pen such as a Bic.
6. Fed up with continually tidying and cleaning the cupboard under the sink? Buy some foil roasting dishes. That way you can keep the various items in some semblance of order and quickly find what you want. It also keeps the floor of the cupboard clean. And the bottles don't tip over because of the high sides of the dishes.
7. Are you bugged by weeds in the garden path? An easy answer is to spray them with malt vinegar. They quickly disappear and won't begin to reappear for about another six months. But be careful not to get the vinegar on your plants.

And one last tip to add to your packing list when going on vacation:

• If traveling abroad and taking prescription medication, carry a copy of the prescription with you (or a note from your doctor). Some countries are very strict about which medications they let in. Whether you take medication or simply vitamins, don't throw away the empty bottles – use them to take exactly the right number of pills with you. At the end of the vacation you can then throw away the empties.

Now sit down with the list and add your own tips to it. You will be surprised at how many you can add to this list.

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