Simple ice pack shapes to fit your body

Dear Heloise: A nurse friend gave me this hint for an excellent ice pack that conforms to any part of your body. Put 1 cup of rubbing alcohol in a zippered freezer bag along with 3 cups of water. Seal the bag, put it into a second freezer bag and freeze. This concoction will freeze into a slushy mixture.

If you want a more solid mixture, use more water and less alcohol. Caution: Do not put directly on skin. — Lucy J. in Maine

Lucy, this is a good hint that bears reprinting. Be sure to label the bag and add a few drops of food coloring to identify the ice bag. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I purchase boxes of diaper disposal bags at a local dollar store. I get 75 bags for $1, and they are lightly fragranced. I always keep several with me — in pockets, my purse and my car. Aside from diapers, other uses include:

To put garbage from leftover lunch at work in.

To pick up trash and cans when walking.

For dog walkers (these are less expensive than bags made for doggie pickups).

— Beth Baker, Washington, W.Va.

Dear Heloise: I hang a lot of my clothes and find that the shoulders have bumps from hangers. I hate to drag out the iron and ironing board to take care of this problem. I just set my blow-dryer to the hot setting and blow hot air over the shoulders. It takes only a few seconds per side. No more bumps, and a timesaver, too! — Kim Martin, Winchester, Va.

Dear Heloise: Here's a hint I thought of recently. I needed to put salt and pepper in their shakers. I used an envelope and snipped off the corner, poured in the salt, and it went straight into the shaker. Same with the pepper. Easy, and no fussing. — Helen in Maine

Dear Heloise: If you store the toilet plunger out in the bathroom, why not make it snazzy? Spray-paint it a fun color, and stow some rolls of toilet paper on the handle. — A Reader in Indiana

Dear Heloise: If you have trouble with ants climbing in under your window screens, narrowly fold a couple of antiseptic wipes at the bottom of the screens to keep them away. — Joan, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I keep 10 to 12 old toothbrushes at my garage workbench. I've found them to be very useful for so many things, such as cleaning small motor parts, jewelry and picture frames. — Lee in Florida

Dear Heloise: I use the plastic (zipper) bags that bedsheets come in to pack my spillable items when traveling — such things as liquid soap, alcohol, shaving cream, shampoo and conditioner.

I also pack medicine and other toiletry items in these bags because they are easy to locate. — Annie Allen, Town Creek, Ala.

Dear Heloise: Why can't manufacturers of canned goods (no matter what the size) come up with a can that can be easily stacked in the pantry? For anyone who has a large family or stocks up on many cans when they're on sale, it would sure make life easier. — Jayne, via e-mail

Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax: 1-210-HELOISE; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com. (c)2010 King Features Syndicate Inc.