Around the house

* When eating steamed crabs or barbecued chicken, keep a supply of baby wipes nearby to clean hands.

* Store coffee beans in an air-tight container in the freezer up to three months. Refrigerated beans can be stored from three to four weeks.

* Paint ends of curtain rods with colorless nail polish. This will avoid snagging sheer curtains when threading them onto the rods.

* Clean high chair. Take outside and wash off food spots with soapy sponge; rinse with garden hose.

In the yard

* Make a quick sand box for your toddler. Buy a baby-size plastic pool. Pour two 50-pound bags of play sand into pool and add a bucket and shovel. Another, somewhat larger, pool can be used as a lid to keep out rain and cats.