You should prepare a family records checklist

trip for a week or so and you don’t want to worry about the plants in your home, and if you don’t want someone to come in your house to water them, use this easy way to be sure they are cared for:

To keep your indoor plants OK, fill the bathtub with about half an inch of water. Place each of your plants on a saucer. Cover the tub with several dry-cleaning bags. You will have created a mini greenhouse and your plants will survive.

Heloise

FAST-FOOD EXTRAS

DEAR HELOISE: When my children and I go to fast-food restaurants, we will get plastic silverware, napkins, straws, condiments and salt and pepper packets along with our food. So often we don’t use them, but instead of throwing them away, we recycle them and use them when we go on picnics or camping.

And if the kids have to take a lunch bag somewhere, I put them inside.

Suzanne in Texas

INSIDE OF YOUR CAR SMELLS AWFUL?

DEAR READERS: First, locate where the stink is coming from. Then remove all trash, leftover food containers, soda bottles, gym bags or smelly athletic shoes, which should not be left in your vehicle. Vacuum the upholstery and the floors to get rid of debris and dirt. Wipe down everything else.

To make your auto smell better, put a couple of used fabric-softener sheets under the seats. If you have rubber mats, remove and wash with soap and hot water. Rinse well and let dry before putting them back in the car.

Heloise

PHOTO PLACEMATS

DEAR HELOISE: When I was cleaning out the attic recently, I realized that I had boxes of family photos that no one in the family was appreciating. So I took them all out and decided to make them into placemats for each of my family members.

I sorted them out — some by year, by event, by birthdays or ages — and cut them into fun shapes and arranged them on the front and back side of the placement and then had them laminated.

When I gave them out for birthdays and Christmas, they were huge hits. And now I have lots more room in my attic.