HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: Reading the letter from the people who had a housewarming party where they gave “gifts” away instead of receiving them, I was reminded of the very best memorial service I have attended. After the service, in the reception area, there were long tables full of the deceased’s things, and everybody was invited to please take something in memory of their friend. He had been a photographer, and I took a beautiful black and white 8-inch-by-10-inch picture. It was very emotional looking through his things, and the tables were mostly cleared off when everybody had left. A win for the family cleaning things out and for the guests to have a memento. — Marilyn Desbrow,

La Puente, Calif. DEAR READER: What a lovely idea to have a special personal item to remember a dear friend.

DEAR HELOISE: The loss of power during bad weather can cause a horrible mess in a refrigerator/ freezer if you are unable to remove items beforehand. After a recent hurricane, I did some research to find the best method to remove the foul odor that comes from spoiled food. First, I sprayed down the entire refrigerator with a cleaning product that has no ammonia (that smell will never go away). You must get every crack and crevice. Then I let it sit open for an hour or so, resprayed and then wiped down. A solution of one part vinegar and three parts water works as well.

After this process, I purchased the cheapest coffee I could find and put some coffee in bowls and then placed a bowl in both the refrigerator and freezer. When I returned to my home after a few days, it smelled fresh and clean. Other tips include balling up newspaper or using activated charcoal, but I found coffee to be the easiest and best.

— Kinnon P., New Orleans DEAR READERS: We all have so many passwords for our computers, accounts, websites and more, that it’s hard remember all of them. It is important for you to make a master list of them and keep it in a secure place. But let family members know where it is in case of an emergency. A reader wrote to me that her husband had died suddenly and family members did not know the passwords for his bank account or savings and other business accounts. You can put one copy in a safe-deposit box or give the list to your family attorney.

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