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Organizing the junk drawer

Dear Heloise: Every house has a junk drawer, and everyone knows exactly which drawer it is. The reason that it never stays organized isn’t due to a lack of effort but a lack of categories. Everything goes in together because there’s nowhere else for it to go. Then you can’t find anything ...

Caught in the crossfire

Dear Annie: I need some serious help. Our son, 36, has been married for three years. In May 2024, our daughter-in-law became pregnant. We were elated. She is a nice young woman, but she does have some anxiety and other issues, which have taken a rather turbulent turn. Unfortunately, the ...

Is a teenage bride ever OK?

Dear Annie: My 19-year-old daughter -- she'll be 20 in July -- is a sophomore at Charleston College. She came home for spring break and informed my husband and me that she had found her soul mate at Charleston, and they plan to marry this summer. He's 24 and a graduate student teaching English. ...

Keep dish- and glassware clear

Dear Heloise: We are using citric acid to keep our dish- and glassware clear. When dishwasher detergents stopped using phosphates, our glassware got cloudy. Additives became readily available at the grocery store; the 12- and 16-ounce containers were pricey but effective. After a few years of ...

Vaping vice might be a dealbreaker

Dear Annie: My dad died of lung cancer a few years ago, and because of that, I abhor smoking in all its forms. The problem is I just discovered my boyfriend, who is a nurse, has been secretly vaping behind my back. I was shocked and upset not so much that he did it (which is bad enough) but ...

Remove lingering pet hair easily

Dear Heloise: Pet hair embeds itself deep into fabric fibers, making the removal of it especially difficult. Before you go straight to washer, tumble furry items in the dryer on air-only (no heat) for about 10 minutes with a dryer sheet. The dryer loosens fur and static, and most of it collects ...