Dear Heloise >> I buy gum that comes in a small plastic case that resembles an envelope. After a while, I had collected a number of these plastic containers. They were sturdy and could be recycled.

With Christmas coming at the time, I decided that I’d find a use for them, and I did! I bought small address books that fit nicely inside a purse or a wallet. I placed the address books inside the plastic envelope-looking box and decorated the container with ribbons, rhinestones, feathers, and other odds and ends. The ones I gave to my grandchildren contained checks, and there were other small but very useful items inside of others.

All it takes to reuse some items is a little imagination!

— Rosemary B., Clayton, Missouri

Dear Heloise >> Candlelight is very lovely and sometimes romantic. It makes a room look lovely, but all too often, the melted wax gets on carpeting and furniture. Can you please tell me how to get candle wax out of my new carpeting?

— Odette R., Martinsville, Indiana

dear Odette >> Freeze the wax by putting a metal pan filled with ice cubes over the wax spill. When the wax has hardened, take a small hammer and break up the frozen wax, then vacuum up the pieces. If there’s a little left, cover it with paper towels and press down on it with an iron set on warm.

If it’s still stained after that, apply a bit of dry-cleaning solvent to a clean white cloth and blot the stain until it is gone.

P.S. Be careful with candles. Don’t burn them in an unoccupied room. Too many devastating home fires have been started by a simple candle.

— Heloise

Dear Heloise >> The brass knobs on my cupboards have gotten dull and ugly. Replacing the knobs is just too expensive. Can I refinish them?

— Cheryl K., Newport, Rhode Island

dear Cheryl >> Try this outdoors in a well-ventilated area:

Remove the doorknobs. Using rubber gloves, remove the finish left on the knobs with a lacquer thinner. Wipe it on with a clean rag. Next, polish the knobs after removing the old finish with an abrasive polishing cream that is specifically designed for brass.

Finally, spray on a high-gloss lacquer. You will probably need three very thin coats. Let each coat dry completely before spraying on the next. You may have to repeat this process in a few years, but the outcome will be worth the work.

— Heloise

Dear Heloise >> When painting a room, I usually cover the roller pan with either a sheet of plastic or tinfoil. This makes the cleanup so much easier and quick, with much less mess. And when I paint another room, I can always use that same pan without having to buy another one. So far, I’ve used the same pan for six different rooms!

— Hailey N., Amarillo, Texas

Send a great hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.