Keep a list of passwords

DEAR READERS:

I received a letter from a woman whose husband died recently. And she discovered that some of his accounts, at the bank and at his stockbroker, had passwords that she did not know. And it created problems for her.

So I recommend that you make a list of key passwords for all family accounts and websites. Make several copies and put one in your safe deposit box and keep others in a secure place in your home. — Heloise

FREEZER HINTS

DEAR READERS:

When you bring food home from the supermarket, be certain your freezer is working properly to keep food frozen. Check to see what the recommended temperature is for your freezer; most should be set to 0 degrees. If you notice that the temperature is fluctuating, it will cause the frozen foods to dry out, lose moisture and go bad.

Use these hints to help:

■ Keep the freezer full to maintain the temperature.

■ Don’t add too many non-frozen items to the freezer at one time because the heat given off could cause the freezer temperature to rise.

■ Put food in moisture-proof containers with air-tight seals to preserve the taste and nutritional value. — Heloise

LEATHER SHOES TOO TIGHT?

DEAR READERS:

If you have purchased a pair of leather shoes that feel too tight when you get home, here’s what you can do to make them feel better:

First, try to stretch the leather a bit. The easiest way to do this is to get a shoe stretcher and a shoe-stretcher spray. You can find these products at shoe-repair stores. Place the stretcher in the shoes and then apply the spray right onto each shoe. If this doesn’t work, take the shoes to a shoe-repair shop, which will have a stretching machine. — Heloise

So I recommend that you make a list of key passwords for all family accounts and websites. Make several copies and put one in your safe deposit box and keep others in a secure place in your home.

PILLOWS NEED A SPRING CLEANING?

DEAR READERS:

The pillows from family bedrooms or couches and chairs need regular cleaning, but they also occasionally need a more thorough cleaning. Launder those that can be laundered, but for others that cannot, use these steps to clean them and give them a good fluff:

1. Use the upholstery attachment of your vacuum to get rid of the dust from pillow surfaces.

2. Take pillows outside on a sunny day and beat them with your hand or a paddle to shake out all the debris. Allow them to sit in the fresh air for a while.

3. If you need more cleaning assistance, fabric sprays can be really helpful. Heloise

HAVE AN UNUSED FOOT LOCKER?

DEAR READERS:

Get it out of the basement or attic and give it a good clean. Then you can repurpose it in your house. Use these ideas:

Paint or decorate it for your children’s rooms or for the den. Use it to store athletic equipment or toys. And, for an extra seat, put a couple of attractive pillows on top. — Heloise

HOMESTYLE BEAUTY PRODUCTS FROM YOUR KITCHEN

DEAR READERS:

Your kitchen, of course, is stocked with foods to eat, but you might be surprised to learn that some foods can be used for home-style beauty treatments. When you need a beauty session, just go to the kitchen.

Here are two ideas. To perk up tired eyes, place sliced cucumbers over closed eyes for 15 minutes. Or, to make a facial, lightly beat an egg and cover your face with it. Let it dry and stay on for a bit. Then rinse off. — Heloise

FAST YOGURT DESSERTS

DEAR READERS: When you purchase a big container of yogurt, you can transform it into delicious desserts. Here’s how:

Stir fruit cocktail or fresh fruit pieces into vanilla yogurt.

Grab a parfait glass and layer vanilla yogurt with jam or jelly and small chocolate pieces. — Heloise