HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: Here’s a trick for getting rid of raccoons in the attic. To my knowledge, it has been tested three times and worked each time. Simply put a radio turned up loud in the attic. The raccoons apparently can’t stand it and leave.

My neighbor had a mom and three little ones in her attic. She put the radio in her attic, and the raccoons were gone within hours. We watched mom take them out via her mouth one at a time. The quote to have a pest control company remove the raccoons was $1,000. My neighbor loves me.

— Mike in New Jersey DEAR READER: Such an unexpected benefit of loud music. Annoying the raccoons to get them to leave saves money and saves lives. Really good hint.

DEAR HELOISE: For my sister’s stay in the hospital, I compiled a list of items I thought of to make her stay more comfortable: facial tissues, soft toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, comb and mirror, dry shampoo, lip balm, magazines, socks, scrunchies, bag for dirty clothes, flexible straws, nail file, note pad and pen, hard candy, hand lotion and eyeglasses and case.

It’s good to have a list of emergency contacts with current phone numbers, current medicines and all allergies noted.

— Rose in Florida DEAR HELOISE: After a big meal, we scrape the dishes into the trash, wipe them with a paper towel and throw the paper towel away before putting the plates and serving/cooking pieces into the dishwasher.

This is a better option than rinsing in the sink, using gallons of water, risking damage to the pipes from greasy residue and slopping water all about the kitchen. The family is on board with this new plan.

— Devin in Texas DEAR HELOISE: A lid from a bottle of eye makeup remover fell in the bathroom sink drain, so I thought of a way to get the cap out. I got a drinking straw and put some hot glue from a glue gun on the flat part of the straw and stuck it on the top of the cap and lifted it right out.

— Kim, Waco, Texas DEAR HELOISE: Every several weeks I clean out my closet, donate items that don’t fit, toss damaged items that can’t be repurposed and reorganize the closet.

I hang pants or skirts together with coordinating tops and jackets. This saves a lot of space in the closet and time in the morning. If everything is already paired together, I can look and feel more put together for the day.

— Heidi in North Carolina 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