Resolve to be more organized at home

DEAR READERS: It’s the beginning of a new year, and if you want your home to be more organized, establish these five guidelines for family members to follow so household tasks do not become a big problem:

1. Nothing is ever left or dumped on the floors — except in teenagers’ rooms.

2. Right stuff in the right place. Assign bins, boxes, racks and hanging hooks for items used often.

3. If you use it, clean it. Dirty glasses go in the dishwasher.

4. If you take it into a room, you also take it out. No dishes left in front of the TV.

5. Each family member agrees to do at least one or more household job.

DEAR READERS: If you received a beautiful sweater during the holidays, here’s how to keep it clean and looking great: ■ Check the label before washing the sweater. Some require dry cleaning only, and others can be washed, but always follow the care label.

■ When you hand-wash a sweater, use the mildest soap, and rinse completely. Then roll the sweater in a large dry towel and gently push on it so that it will squeeze out all the water. Lay the sweater flat to dry. Do not wring out the sweater or hang it up to dry, because these actions could cause the sweater to stretch out of shape.

■ Never iron a sweater to remove wrinkles, because you could damage the fibers. Instead, use a steamer on the sweater to remove wrinkles.

■ If salad dressing or other food drips onto the sweater, it probably will need to be cleaned. Be aware that the less you wash a good sweater, the longer it will last. DEAR HELOISE: Iboughta pair of pretty leather shoes in a hurry, and they are too tight. Is there anything I can do to make them feel better?

— Nancy in Colorado

DEAR NANCY: Yes, you can indeed try to stretch the leather just a bit. Try this: Buy a shoe stretcher and a shoe-stretcher spray, which you can find at shoe-repair shops. Put the stretcher into the shoe and apply the spray directly onto each shoe. If this does not work, take the shoes to a shoe-repair shop that has a stretching machine. Good luck!

▶ To share a hint, write to P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000.