HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: We are only four days into a new year, and there are many things to think about: your financial situation, work projects, home updates and more. Then there are tasks to do, such as fixing things around the house, working on the auto and cleaning out a closet or garage.

Many things seem to stay on the to-do list! Here is what I do: triage! This means managing and prioritizing what needs to be done and what can wait. Focus on the top three, and the others can wait a while.

Use my Heloise 120-second cleaning plan. Take only two minutes to toss items, put them back where they go, and clean a light fixture or the pets’ door. You will be surprised how much you can get done.

DEAR HELOISE: Pay attention to the endcaps — the ends of the aisles — in supermarkets. Store managers, retailers and vendors use that space to push products on sale or that need to be moved.

Items that are typically purchased together will be displayed together — green beans, mushroom soup and french-fried onions; bean dip and tortilla chips; the ingredients for s’mores.

Usually these may be at a sale price, but go down that aisle, and you may find similar items at lower prices.

— A Supermarket Shopper,

via email

DEAR HELOISE: In our busy household, it can be hard to communicate. My family knows what is going on by leaving notes on the bathroom mirror. We keep a dry-erase marker on the counter, and anyone who needs to leave a note just writes the message directly on the mirror.

— Kathy W., Munster, Ind.

DEAR READERS: We are just into 2018, and it’s wise to clear some clutter. Think about these things:

Old medicine that is out of date should be eliminated, Don’t flush. Take them back to the pharmacy, or mix with wet coffee grounds, cat litter or seal in a can or jar and throw out.

You may not need the paper manual that comes with your TV or home office equipment. All of that information usually is on the internet. However, I keep them, as some older equipment may not have a manual online.

Makeup that is over a year old is now unhygienic and a space-stealer.

Toys the dog won’t even play with? Out they go. 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