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DEAR ANNIE: How to declutter without starting a war

DEAR ANNIE: I am desperate to declutter our house, but my husband has a very hard time letting go of anything. Our closets are overflowing, the garage is packed, and we have boxes of things we haven’t opened in years. There are old tools, clothes that no longer fit, broken electronics, stacks of paperwork and even things from hobbies he hasn’t touched in decades. Every time I suggest donating or throwing something away, he finds a reason we might need it someday. I’m not trying to get rid of everything or make our home look like a showroom. I just want to be able to open a closet ...

Glaucoma eye drops help eyebrows grow

Q. I have glaucoma and have been using tafluprost eye drops for several years to treat it. My eyelashes got longer and thicker as a side effect. Since tafluprost comes in single-use vials, there is always liquid left over. I had almost no eyebrows due to hypothyroidism, so I decided to try using the leftover drops from the tafluprost on my brow line and now I have thicker eyebrows. Bonus! A. Tafluprost is a prostaglandin-like drug in the same category as bimatoprost. You might recognize these drugs better by their brand names, Zioptan and Lumigan, respectively. Doctors prescribe them ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: Teaching children lessons on finances

DEAR HELOISE: Regarding the post from Victoria R., in Kingston, New York, as a single mother, I found it difficult and tedious to take my early teens school shopping. I added them both to a designated credit card, and I gave them a limit and a list of what they needed to purchase! They did great! Not only did this method teach them to budget, they now had a viable credit history. It was a great learning lesson. We’re now doing this for our grandchildren. — T.C.S., via email T.C.S., it’s a good idea as long as they don’t overspend. It’s important that you give them ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Cardiac patient’s thirst runs rampant

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 74 years old, and I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure with a recent ejection fraction of 25%. My cardiologist has me taking empagliflozin (Jardiance) and furosemide (Lasix) daily. With moderate cardio exercise therapy every other day and two diuretics daily, my thirst runs rampant during the evenings, and I find myself drinking fluids to compensate. Am I nullifying the intended purpose of the diuretics? — D.P. ANSWER: The main purpose of diuretics is to remove excess salt and water from the body. However, we all need some salt and water, so the ...

Bats: Our furry, flying mammals

Attending The Ohio State University’s lecture on “Ohio’s Bats-the Master Class,” with Todd and Ann Cartner, I realized how much I did not know about them. One important reason we should embrace bats in our community is pest control. Evening and night consumption of insects by bats is ...