DEAR HELOISE: My sister's house burned to the ground and she lost everything. She said she wished she had time to get her photo albums out as there were so many memories in them. This made me think. I realized I have several boxes with photo albums and memorabilia on shelves in closets throughout the house. If I had to leave the house suddenly, I probably wouldn't be able to gather them all and carry the heavy boxes out in time to save them. So, I went to a garage sale and bought two rolling suitcases, very inexpensively. I now store our photos and other irreplaceable items in the suitcases, which can easily be rolled out of the house in an emergency. They're lined up in a closet close to the front door.
-- Sarah in Kentucky
DEAR HELOISE: I always take a small paring knife to work to peel or cut fresh fruit for lunch. After use I rinse it off and put it back in my desk. However, this made me nervous because it looked like a weapon that I had hidden. A co-worker suggested that I put it in a toothbrush carrying case used for traveling, and it not only keeps my little knife clean, it keeps it hidden.
-- Ruth, via email
DEAR HELOISE: When I plant my annual garden with my favorite vegetables, I place about three sheets of newspaper on the ground between the rows, wet them down with a heavy soaking of water, then put a thin layer of straw down on the newspaper. The newspaper keeps weeds from growing between the rows. This saves a lot of time that I would have spent weeding.
-- Henry in California
DEAR HELOISE: I tried one of your clever hints recently. I took a pin out to the garden while my three young children were sleeping and scratched their names on squash, watermelons, zucchini and cucumbers. I told them the Garden Elves had done that and they had to eat the vegetables with their names scratched into them. This a good way to get them to eat vegetables and actually enjoy it!
-- Ashley in Nebraska
DEAR HELOISE: During this coronavirus pandemic, I have kept a journal of what has been happening and how it affected me and my family during this time. It may seem odd to others, but this is a time in our history that will be remembered and discussed by people long after we are all gone. I think it's important that my children, grandchildren and future generations know what life was like and how we all coped. It's our story.
-- Joan in New York
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email