HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I recently graduated from college, and as a graduation gift, my grandmother gave me a handwritten letter that her father gave her on her graduation from college. It was written in 1955, and I have it framed and on my wall above my desk to remind me daily of the words that are as true today as they were in 1955:

These are Rules to Live By

■ Work at something you enjoy, something worth your time and talents. You never know … you might be doing that job 10 or 20 years down the road.

■ Have a grateful heart.

■ Practice self- discipline. Save money, no matter how modest your salary. Discipline yourself to not overeat or overspend. Exercise a little every day.

■ Take good care of the people and pets you love.

■ Be honest, be a person of integrity, be loyal.

■ Vote. Many have died to ensure you have this privilege.

■ Take responsibility for yourself, your life and actions.

■ Be bold, be brave and have courage. At the end of your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do much more than the things you did.

■ Remember to be happy, be optimistic. You won’t find these in power or possessions. They’re in a person’s character and view of life. Never forget to count your blessings. — Katherine W., Ann Arbor, Mich.

DEAR HELOISE: We just bought a new home (new for us, but it had been previously owned), and the Realtor gave us a small list of things to do before the movers came to the new house. I thought it would be a good idea to share these with your readers:

■ First, change all the locks. Don’t just re-key the house, but instead, it’s a good idea to change out the hardware as well on all the doors, and if the windows don’t have locks, consider getting locks for them.

■ Change all the filters for the air/heating units, aeration filters in the bathrooms and the vent filter above the stove. And as a precaution, check to make sure the dryer vent is clean, too.

■ Scrub everything. Shampoo carpets or reseal wooden floors before you move furniture into your home. Disinfect the kitchens and bathrooms.

■ If the former owners left window treatments, wash, dry-clean or replace them. — Victoria T., Tamarac, Fla.