Mornings are easier if you plan ahead

DEAR READERS: You can do something about getting everybody fed, dressed and out the door on time. To help, do the following things the night before.

A Set the breakfast table and put out foods that do not need refrigeration.

A Pick clothing for younger children to prevent morning indecision.

A Get schoolbooks and homework into backpacks before the kids go to bed.

A Have older kids prepare and organize their clothing and homework. And have them get their computer/tablets and smartphones ready to go.

DEAR READERS: Dishwashers get so much use. They get dirty and need to be cleaned. You can clean yours with household vinegar or citric acid power. Here’s how. Pour a gallon of vinegar in the bottom, allow it to sit for an hour or so, then run the dishwasher through a full cycle.

Citric acid power also will help get rid of hard-water buildup. Add a half cup of powder and run the dishwasher.

If there’s still a bad odor coming from inside, examine the drain hose to see if it’s crimped and check the bottom of the dishwasher to look for bits of gunk or food.

After checking, if the smell is still strong, call a plumber, because it might be a plumbing problem.

DEAR READERS: Buy a variety of containers in different sizes to hold as much of the stuff in your garage as possible. Label each container.

Don’t leave large items and objects on the floor. Family members might trip and hurt themselves.

Then organize everything either by season —spring, summer, fall and winter — or by category — sports equipment, gardening equipment, holiday decorations or car repair.

Use pegboards, hanging racks and shelves to get everything in order and off the floor and out of the way.

To be really organized, keep the lawn mower, snowblower and other similar equipment in the same place.

You also can get fluorescent spray paint to outline parking spaces for bicycles, cars and garbage cans.

DEAR READERS: When mixing these yummy treats, it can get messy when transferring the mixture to the baking tins.

Try this hint. To prevent the mixture from dribbling all over the tins, use an ice cream scoop to pick up the correct amount of batter. Then there will be no mess and no waste.