Heloise

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 because it’s one big tangle of batteries, twist ties and mystery keys!

The only thing that actually works is putting small containers inside the drawer. Shallow boxes, the plastic trays from old gift sets, even cut-down cereal boxes — anything that creates a border between things. Batteries in one spot, rubber bands in another, and pens together. It sounds obvious, but most junk drawers have no divider at all.

Also, if something sits in the drawer untouched for six months, it probably doesn’t need to live in the house. — Gary F., in Pensacola, Florida

DISHWASHER SPOTS

Dear Heloise: It’s a common frustration to pull glassware from the dishwasher, only to find it covered in unsightly white spots or a cloudy film. Hard water minerals — specifically calcium and magnesium — usually cause this issue. These minerals stay on the surface after the water evaporates.

To effectively combat this mineral buildup, place a dishwasher-safe cup that is filled with white vinegar upright on the top rack during a normal wash cycle. The vinegar slowly releases to neutralize and wash away the deposits. If you find that the spots are persistent, something may be restricting the spray arms. Removing them and soaking them in a vinegar bath for 1 hour will clear clogged holes and restore the proper water flow.

Furthermore, don’t overlook the importance of rinse aid; checking and refilling the dispenser monthly ensures that water sheets off the dishes effectively, which significantly improves the final drying results and prevents new spots from forming. — Beverly K., in Shreveport, Louisiana

WHY BLACK CLOTHES FADE

Dear Heloise: To prevent black clothes from fading into a charcoal color, avoid hot water, regular detergent and overdrying. Always wash items inside out in cold water to reduce agitation. Use a detergent for dark clothes, or add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to set the dye. These simple adjustments will keep your wardrobe looking rich and dark! — Gloria S., in Richmond, Virginia

A SPARE BASKET CHANGES EVERYTHING

Dear Heloise: It sounds almost too obvious to bother mentioning, but here it is: Keep a basket in each room. That’s the tip! But stick with me here because this one actually earns its keep in a way that is hard to explain until you have tried it. Nothing fancy is required — just something small with sides that can hold a few wayward items that have no business being where they landed.

At the end of the day, or whenever you have 2 minutes, grab the basket and take a lap throughout the house, putting things back where they belong. It takes far less time than hunting down scattered items one by one, and nothing ever gets truly lost because it always ends up in a basket somewhere.

The key is not letting the baskets become permanent storage. They’re staging areas, not homes. Once something sits in a basket long enough that you stop seeing it, it’s actually time to deal with it. — June W., in Savannah, Georgia

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.