HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: What do inspectors look at when doing a car inspection?

  • A Reader, via email

DEAR READER: It is handy to know what they are looking for before taking your car to be inspected so you can make necessary repairs beforehand. You wouldn’t want to get there and be rejected just to have to pay a second time. Here is what they look at:

Horn

Windshield wipers

Mirrors

Steering

Seat belts

Brakes

Tires

Wheel assembly

Exhaust system and exhaust emission system

Headlights, taillights, turn signals, front and rear reflectors

Serial or vehicle identification number

Gas caps

Window tint.

If any of these things is broken or missing, you might not pass a state inspection. Some states may look at other things, too. If you are unsure, check out your state’s requirements.

DEAR HELOISE: I have found some handy ways to reuse the zippered bags from sheet sets. I use them to store my needlework supplies for the project I’m working on. This way, I can easily pick it up and take it with me wherever I go. They also are great for keeping toiletries organized when I travel. Everything is visible and stays off clothing.

  • Janice in Houston

DEAR READER: The next time you are unpacking groceries, try to organize the fridge and pantry with the junk food in the back. If you put the healthier foods up front where they can be easily gotten to and the junk food where it is a hassle to get to, you should find yourself eating healthier.

If you are a parent, try not to let the kids know about all the great snacks you have hidden until they make a dent in the vegetables and fruits that go bad so quickly. My mother would make a great olive-nut spread and hide it in a mayo jar in the back of the fridge so I wouldn’t know it was there.

DEAR HELOISE: When a bottle of perfume runs out, depending on the size of the bottle, I place the empty bottle, uncapped, in a drawer. It gives the drawer a scent, and it’s one I know I like, so I use it instead of a sachet.

  • A Reader in Tennessee

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email [email protected]

MovieStyle, Pages 34 on 03/28/2014

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