New year a good time to organize

Dear Readers: The beginning of a new year is always a good time to organize. Try my plan to handle the clutter building up in your house by taking these five steps:

1. File it: If paperwork, coupons or bills have piled up, sort, file or pay them.

2. Forward it: Things that are out of place should be returned to where they belong.

3. Fix it: Collect items that need to be repaired and get them fixed.

4. Fill it in: Take the time to fill out insurance or other forms, such as school permission slips.

5. Forget about it: Toss unwanted stuff. Donate it to a charity or take it to the recycle bin. — Heloise

Freshening dusty pillows

Dear Heloise: All the throw pillows on the couch and beds are dusty and smell stale. How can I freshen them? — Becky, Texas

Dear Becky: Here’s an easy way to do it: Put several pillows into the dryer and turn it on “air” or “fluff ” only. Add a scented softener sheet. Run the dryer for just a couple of minutes to remove the dust. — Heloise

Other uses for raw spaghetti

Dear Readers: If you have a few extra pieces of leftover uncooked spaghetti, you can use them in handy ways around the house. They can serve as an emergency match for a candle or fireplace. Use one to test whether or not a cake is done. When frosting a cake, a few spaghetti pieces can hold the layers in place. — Heloise

Toxic household products?

Dear Heloise: I have so many household products in my house that I worry about. How toxic or dangerous are they to have and to use? — Melanie, Kansas

Dear Melanie: Yes, many household products contain toxic substances, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. They include oven and drain cleaners, laundry detergents, furniture and floor polish, paints and pesticides, all of which can leave behind fumes or residues.

Check the label before you purchase these products. Read the label carefully and look for these three words: “caution,” “warning” and “danger.”

1. DANGER is the most important word. It means that you have to use the product with special care because, if you do not, family members could become ill.

2. WARNING is not as serious, but the product still could cause an illness, or it could catch fire.

3. CAUTION indicates that a product could hurt you, particularly if you get it in your eye or if you inhale the fumes. — Heloise

Leather shoes too tight?

Dear Readers: When you put on a pair of leather shoes that seem a bit too tight, here’s what you can do to try to stretch them a bit.

Use a shoe stretcher and shoe-stretcher spray, which you can buy at shoerepair shops. Apply the spray inside the shoes, and then add a stretcher. If this does not do the job, take the shoes to a shoe-repair shop that has a stretching machine, which may or may not work.

To prevent this problem, don’t buy shoes that are too tight or too small. — Heloise