Dear Heloise: I was concerned that my daughter wouldn’t be able to find certain urgently needed items in my house when the time came, so I made a “scavenger hunt” for her with these things on the list:

1. Location of my bank

2. Personal medical information and last wishes

3. Stash of hidden cash

4. Keys to a safety deposit box

5. Address book

6. List of passwords

7. Instructions for donations (organs or otherwise)

8. Titles to my house and car

9. Names of professional helpers (doctors, lawyers, etc.)

I gave her any needed help by using “you’re getting warmer/colder” clues. It turned a rather grim task into something almost fun, and it’s better to do this sooner than later. I hope this helps someone avoid unnecessary pain. Keep up the good work. — Nancy Ingraham, via email

TUB MAT

Dear Heloise: I use a tub mat inside the tub to avoid slipping when I take a shower. After the shower, I hang the mat over the side of the tub to dry, but I found that the underside of the mat was getting slippery due to algae. So now, after about an hour, I turn the tub mat over to expose the underside and hang it over the tub to dry. No more algae. — Patricia Roberts, Bellaire, Texas