Dear Heloise: Every year about this time, I do some spring-cleaning. My teenage kids (I have three children) usually help me. We clean every closet, toss out junk and donate things that others can use.

Many of my friends are surprised that my children help me, but I started doing this with them at the age of 5. I had them cleaning their rooms, helping me change their sheets and organizing their toys. They had to keep their shoes lined up, and dirty clothes were put in their hampers. We did this every Saturday morning, and usually by noon, they were free to go out and play. Since this was a weekly task, they knew that spring-cleaning would be a little more in depth.

It was because of this that they now hate clutter and dirty rooms. They take care of their clothes and their possessions, and they take pride in their schoolwork.

Am I a “tiger mom”? Maybe, but none of my children smokes or uses drugs. All are on their school’s honor roll and always found summer jobs to help pay for their future college education.

I’m a devoted believer that making children do chores has a profound affect in training them to take pride in where and how they live. It also helps them take responsibility for their lives. — Elaine T., Burlington, Wisconsin

FREEZING FOOD

Dear Heloise: I just tossed out four cloves of garlic because they started to grow in my refrigerator. It seemed like a terrible thing to do when so many people in this world go hungry. Can garlic be frozen? — Beatrice L., Fresno, California

Beatrice, yes, you can freeze garlic. First, peel and mince the cloves of garlic. Then wrap them up tightly or place them in a freezer bag before freezing.

There are a number of foods that can be frozen and thawed out in a  microwave oven. Here are a few:

— Avocados: Cut an avocado in half and scoop out the inside or cut it into slices. Then place on a cookie sheet and freeze. Thaw in the microwave for about 8-14 seconds.

— Grated cheese: Make sure to thaw it out ahead of time.

— Waffles: Either a toaster or the oven can be used to reheat them.

— Heavy cream: Pour it into an ice cube tray and use as needed for recipes.

— Tofu: Some people believe tofu even improves after being frozen. — Heloise

FASHION SENSE

Dear Heloise: I’m tired of the careless way that so many women dress these days. Blue jeans are not appropriate for every occasion. It only takes a few moments to upgrade a woman to a classier manner of dress. Buy a basic pair of black slacks and use an interesting or dressy belt with it. A white blouse of nearly any design, ironed and cleaned, looks perfect. Women can also wear heels with slacks or even jeans.

Ladies, invest in a nice, basic dress. It can be black or any color that you like, but go for a dress without a pattern that you can dress up or down.  Use a touch of makeup and a nice pair of earrings, and you’ll look great! — Charlene H., Hollywood, California

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.