Dear Heloise: When you buy a pie crust that’s ready-made, such as a graham-cracker crust, it has a plastic cover that can be used as a lid over the pie when it’s made. Be sure to clean that plastic cover before you use it. Since it was once exposed to store dust and other people’s hands, you just never know what is on there. Better to be safe than sorry! — L.J., in Ohio

NEW PASTRY BLENDER USE

Dear Heloise: I’ve had arthritis for some time now, so I often need to find ways to do things a little differently. When a recipe calls for chopped nuts, I no longer use a knife. Instead, I put the nuts in a small bowl and use a pastry blender to chop them. It doesn’t aggravate my arthritis like a knife does, and it gets the job done. — V.G., in Connecticut

BABY SHOWER GIFT IDEAS

Dear Heloise: For baby shower gifts, I rarely ever get anything off the gift registry list. Instead, I go to the local dollar store and pick up a small plastic tub (any shape), or I’ll get a non-collapsible step stool and turn it upside down.

I start out outlining the tub/step stool with diapers, then fill it with practical items such as socks; bags for disposing dirty diapers when traveling; washcloths; teethers; safety pins; and a foldable potty seat (chain stores have these) to place on top of a toilet seat when the child is older so that they don’t fall in.

This potty seat is great for traveling, when kids have to use a public restroom, or when visiting friends and relatives who don’t own potty-training chairs.

Once you know whatever theme the baby’s room will be, include a stuffed animal or toy to go along with the theme, such as a deer if the baby’s room has a camouflage theme. You can also include a small book to start their home library.

These are just a few of my favorites. The possibilities are endless. I often pick up items when I find them on sale and have them ready in advance for when they’re needed. — R.C., in Texas

COMPACT FIRST-AID KIT

Dear Heloise: I have four boys all under the age of 10, and it seems that no matter where we go, someone is always getting hurt. A sliver in a finger, a scraped knee, and a bruised elbow are everyday events around here. So, I cleaned out a tall potato-chip can and stuffed it with all kinds of first-aid items that I now carry in my car.

My sister loved the idea so much that she did the same thing and even used another can as a sewing kit. — C.N., in Missouri

NO MORE BUTTONING

Dear Heloise: My father is very independent, but when he developed arthritis in his hands, he had trouble buttoning his shirts. So, I took his shirts and sewed self-gripping fabric tape on the underside of the buttons and over the button holes. Now he can wear his shirts closed, but they appear to be buttoned up. It’s made it much easier for him to get dressed in the mornings and remove his shirt at night. — C.E., in Oklahoma

DECLUTTERING HINT

Dear Heloise: I used to have stacks of craft magazines that collected dust and made my home look like a hoarder’s heaven! Finally I bought a two-drawer filing cabinet. I cut out the craft projects that I’d like to do someday and filed them alphabetically. As I went through those stacks of magazines, I couldn’t remember why I’d kept them. There was nothing in them I wanted! Now my home looks and feels much cleaner and organized. — L.R., in Wisconsin

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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.