Dear Heloise: Say you have a box of tissues with a color and graphic you like, and it’s time to buy more. You return to the store where you bought them, and no luck. They don’t have that design anymore. You check other stores and come up empty. So, that’s it. You look for a compromise or a replacement, right? Wrong! That’s not how we do it. Here’s what we do instead:

Buy any box of tissues. Carefully open the end flaps on one side of the old box. Insert the tissues into the box you like and seal the flaps. Use double-sided tape or a small amount of glue because you may want to use the box again. I read your hints in the Orange County Register. — Ira B., Lake Forest, California

EASY ORDERING

Dear Heloise: Because I have issues with standing for any length of time but still like to eat out occasionally, I go on the website for the restaurant we’re going to and look at their menu in advance. I select a first and second option, write it down, and give it to the person I’m going with. Then they can stand in line to place our orders and bring it to our table. I can enjoy my meal much more this way. — Jo P., in Virginia

HOLIDAY ­BATHROOM HINT

Dear Heloise: With gatherings coming up for the holidays, you will have many visitors in your bathroom. Most of the time, there’s only one hand towel to dry your hands, and it gets wet and accumulates germs quickly. I like to purchase holiday-themed, long napkins at the dollar store for people to dry their hands with. Everyone gets a fresh towel.

If this doesn’t work for you, put a roll of paper towels in your bathroom. — Karen M., Roodhouse, Illinois

GIVING PHONES TO THE HOMELESS

Dear Heloise: Every year at about this time, I buy what are known as “burner phones” for homeless people on the streets. I’m well able to afford these phones, so I buy about 15 and hand them out to people who want to talk to someone they know who might be worried about them.

On one occasion, I found out a call home saved one man from committing suicide. The holidays are a sad and lonely time for many people who feel cut off from their family and friends. Sometimes another familiar voice from someone is all it takes to bring happiness and comfort to another person. — Brandon D., Dallas

CARTS HELP WITH ­WALKING

Dear Heloise: When my husband goes shopping with me, I have to push the shopping cart, as I have a medical condition and need it to walk. I follow him and push the cart. He does the heavy lifting, and he also unloads the groceries into the car and into the house. If stores do not have shopping carts, I can’t go. — Rhoda, in Reseda, California

TEAPOT BIRDHOUSE

Dear Heloise: Regarding those teapots in a tree as bird nests, they need holes in the bottom, lest the babies get too wet or even drown if the teapot fills up in a rainstorm. — G.W., in Staten Island, New York

G.W., I believe the author of the hint meant that they hang up the teapot by the handle with the spout pointed downward. This way, the nest could drain easily, and the opening is not so big that a baby bird would slip through.

I liked the idea so much that I took an old teapot I had and placed it outside, where it now hangs from a tree branch. — Heloise

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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.