DEAR READERS: How old are the pillows on your bed? If you don't know, or if they are feeling rather flat, it's time for a pillow check. A comfortable pillow is imperative for a good night's sleep.
The Better Sleep Council (bettersleep.org) recommends replacing pillows every year, but that's really a bit much. Here's how to test your pillows:
• If you "fold" the pillow in half and it does not unfold or bounce back, it needs to be replaced.
• If the pillow breaks apart into chunks, that's bad.
• They say punching and fluffing of the pillow should not be necessary, but again I say: "Bah! Humbug!" If it's a feather down pillow, like I have, it's fine to fluff it a little.
Don't cheap out -- you deserve a good pillow. Most people spend about one-third of their life in bed, so invest in your health.
DEAR HELOISE: Once a month, I sit down on the floor in my kitchen (or bathroom), open a cabinet (especially under the sink) and clean it out. When I started a few months ago, here is what I found: old bottles of cleaners, nasty sponges and towels, and grubby scrubbers. Now it's not so bad.
-- Ivy R. in Massachusetts
DEAR READER: Hey Ivy, one cabinet or drawer at a time makes the "continual" cleaning process seem not so insurmountable.
Try my Heloise 120-second hit list: Spend two minutes (120 seconds) or a little longer tackling one thing. Clean out broken pens from the junk drawer, trash from your purse or almost-empty bottles under the sink in a kitchen or bathroom. You will be surprised how well it works in a few weeks.
DEAR HELOISE: Sometimes people have a hard time finding their TV remote. I use a big, beautiful cloth napkin and fold it into a square. I always place the remote on the napkin. It's easier to find than a dark remote.
-- Gloria M.,
Monongahela, Pa.
DEAR HELOISE: I complained to my friend about having to make several trips from the car to the house with shopping bags, or lining the bags on my arms. She keeps a tote or laundry basket in the back of her car. I tried it, too, and now I place several bags in them and usually have to make only one trip.
-- Jean in Fostoria, Ohio
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
Weekend on 04/27/2017