Let's start a thread of just random advise / hacks

Reuse gift bags?

Who doesnt do this?! And please tell me that you dont write on the bag tag!

I think we, as a family, spent a couple of years buying bags. Now we are avid recyclers. We love a "big birthday" party as that means that there will be a new lot of bags entering the mutual exchange! My 50th was particularly lucrative, although as was noted by my sister, most of them were bottle bags so clearly my friends know me well!

Part of the fun of birthdays is the "Oh this the bag X gave to me and I gave to you!" The Peppa Pig bag that I got from DD is being saved for my sister 50th!

Hide your chocolate in amongst the tea towels..... they'll never find it.

Blister plasters are worth the money, yes mother I am looking at you, regular plasters DO NOT work the same magic.

A teaspoon full of Marmite in chicken gravy (proper gravy made from juices) turns it from "Meh" to "WOW!"

An outfit/look only needs one thing to make it special. I have a collection of Irregular Choice shoes. I only wear them with a plain black dress as the shoes are the statement. If you have a statement dress, wear everything else plain. I have a friend who's look is all about her hair. Colours, dreads, short, long, she changes all the time, but she wears plain black clothes and that makes her hair stand out. Less is more.

Other peoples choices should not automatically be yours simply because they are so sure that they are right. They are right for them, you should do right for you. Again, looking at you Mother.

Never, EVER take a Iaxative and a sIeeping piII on the same night, especiaIIy if you are over 50. Don't ask.

Put a small amount of (clothes) conditioner in a spray bottle filled with warm water and use it to clean bathroom tiles.

Reuse gift bags and buy cheap cards/gift wrap as you see it. Stock up on school stationary as you can and have it in a box for when it’s needed

To wash sink/draining board, squeeze lemon on it, then pour some salt in. Rub in then rinse with hot water. Smells gorgeous and sparkles!!

Not nearly as good as pp tips but when you buy a new electrical item or appliance write the date of purchase and the shop you bought it in on the instruction leaflet in case it stops working prematurely.

@NeverDropYourMooncup your point about having your own separate savings is the best advice for any girls growing up. I've told DDs to always have a Buggering Off fund. Even if you can only save enough for a few nights in a budget hotel at least you can escape with just the clothes on your back if everything turns to shit. And never tell anyone you have it.

Keep a spare towel and packet of tissues in your car

Be kind to sons-in-law & daughters - in-law, if your DC are happy that should be enough.

Never judge their parenting skills if your DGC are happy & thriving

Do not say I would never do things that way or my way is far better.

Always remember your son or daughter is in love with their partner, they will come first & rightly so.

Lastly if your son-in-law or
daughter - in- law deliberately upsets you tell them how you feel instead of harbouring resentment.
Also encourage them to speak to you too if you've upset them so it can be resolved at the time.

Never be too proud to apologise

OP please, please try to ignore the mean little posters who frequent MN. They just enjoy bringing a bit of smirky nastiness to perfectly good threads. They're just sad sods who like to spoil things.

I'm loving your thread, and I hope you're okay.

My tips - no banging jars, just slide the tip of a round-ended knife under the edge of the lid and twist it very slightly. You just need to release the vacuum, and the lid will come off easily.

Also, chuck the parmesan rind into your ragu, for umami flavour and excellent cook's perk, when it's all melty

If you love bubble bars from Lush etc, cut a small plastic bottle in half if you have one, poke many holes in the bottom, another two near the top, thread some string through and hang it over your tap. You can use a little bit of bubble to go a long way!

With babies/ toddlers take a backpack bag with you when going upstairs/downstairs for whatever you need so your hands are always free

have your clothes for the next day ready, one less decision to be made

lists are your friend

if you drink water and eat an apple first thing in the morning it tricks your body into thinking it’s a healthy day

For that horrible band aid-like outline left when you remove HRT patches: get a bottle of coconut oil. Rub a little bit in and after a few minutes it wipes straight off.
Spent ages scrubbing them off leaving a red mark till I read that tip.

Seriously, do not justify yourself. Doing so gives credence to that nonsense, especiallyin your head. You have nothing to defend or justify to anyone. Treat these people with the disdain they deserve and laugh at their nonsense.

Hilarious, what!

Don't be too vigorous with a plunger though, massive suctions can damage plastic piping, I know from costly experience! I once thought I'd sucked up a rat from the shower, it was a massive clump of hair,

This is fabulous, thank you 😊

To remove chewing gum from ANYTHING, pot the item in the freezer and after a few hours, it should peel off!
Bloody hell wineandshine how big is your freezer? <images of teacher putting desk in freezer to remove a terms worth of gum>

Always check your kid have removed swimming kit from the bag straight away, unless you want a weeks worth of mould on the damp towel.

Never feed trolls, they'll only want more.

My passport, and those of my children, have a wee sticker with our names on sticking to the back. The passport office did it.

Carpet cleaner is actually better at getting stains out to clothes than stain remover

@saveforthat Yes, the entire house will smell delicious

Stick one of these lads in your desk drawer/handbag/makeup bag https://amzn.eu/d/62F897Y

If you can’t be bothered getting a pot out/ are at work poach eggs in the microwave by cracking them into a jug of boiling water and gently piercing the yolk a couple of times with a clean pin. Check every thirty seconds or so. Can also do them in soup, if you like that sort of thing.

@washingmachineslivelongerwithcalgon
I was told once not to accept the judgement of people I wouldn’t turn to for advice. Best wishes in your treatment.

I thought I was the only person doing this! I also use half the recommended amount of washing powder with no apparent difference in cleanliness.A bonus is I never get a smelly washing machine as there is no build up of detergent in the workings.