Life hacks, day to day time saving tips, common sense to you but not to others?

[Namechange8123]

I've had a search and can only find (years) old threads along these lines, so I've started a fresh one.

What are your day to day life hacks that make things easier? Could be common sense to you, but others could benefit?

My contributions are freezing lemons and limes to double up with your ice in your gin, layer the cot sheets in DC cot with another sheet and bed mat so if they have an accident, you whip the top layer off and don't have to remake the bed, tin foil behind the radiators...

What do you have?

Brilliant thread.

Mashed potato: make double and freeze. I have a birthday box with loads of cards candles balloons and all of that.

Same with a post box (envelopes tape brown paper and parcel tape)
I buy paint sticks for the dc rather than messy paint and brushes. They love them.

Be realistic: even if you meal plan like a demon, once in a while you will be knackered/can’t be arsed to cook and you will say, “Sod it” and reach for the takeaway.

Have a really easy treaty meal in the freezer to cover this eventuality: posh “Finest” ready meal or naice frozen pizza. Yes it cost a lot more than your original meal planned option, but it will be cheaper than a takeaway.

My latest hack in freezing mashed potato portions, defrost (looks gross and watery) and heat in pan and it tastes the same!!!!

I just buy frozen mash. 😁

If you live in a cool country you can put food outside to quickly cool down. Minus 25 usually reduces the temperature of hot soup pretty quick

Most of mine are foodie ones - when you have the oven on, put a few baked spuds in there too.

These can be used for lunches, etc. I do sweet potatoes too and then use the cooked potato, minus skin, in quiches. It mashes up really easily.

Birthday cards at beginning of the month. Date written in corner where stamp is. Send few days before.

If a job takes less than 30 seconds do it now. Not later

Any odd socks go into the airing cupboard until the other sock shows up.

Ds is a single parent co parenting. He has a chest of drawers in his living room for baby/toddler clothes, nappies, wipes to save going upstairs looking for them after messy good etc.

I have a pack of wipes in every room.

Keep a lipstick on the kitchen window sill handy to freshen up when going out. (We use the back door always).

Marking my place

Mine is money. I have a bank account for my bills. I know exactly what comes out and that exact amount goes in.
I have a spending account that my free spending money goes into weekly. That’s what I have for the week.
I have a food account. My money for my food goes into that for the entire month and I have another account for my petrol.
All in separate accounts Online for me to see.
Since I have done that I have always had enough money for everything every month.

I take photos/screenshots of important things and have a separate album for them-eg DC school letters, I photograph them as soon as they come out of school. They are sending more emails now so I screenshot them and save them instead.
Same with birthday party invitations.

I buy a bulk lot of gifts in the January sales - usually Lego sets or orchard games (my DC are small) and use them for birthday presents for classmates. I had a stock of them in the loft during the lockdown and they were a godsend for keeping my own DC entertained as I would get a new one out each week.

Kettle jobs - whilst waiting for the kettle to boil I do a quick job - empty the dishwasher, fold laundry, clean a shelf in the fridge. I drink a lot of tea so this adds up!
Basically, don't discount jobs because of the time they take - just do a little bit if you have a spare 5mins.

The best one I have it to take washing off the line one person at a time, so I take all of mine off first, then dc then towels. It makes it so much easier to put away as they are already in their piles.

When I do a food shop I empty all of the cereal bar etc out of their boxes straight away and into a larger box so there are never empty boxes in the cupboard.

I also like to buy fresh herbs when they are going cheap in the shops (got parsley for 19p) cut it up and shove it in an ice cube tray with some olive oil. It goes lovely put in top of cooked spaghetti.

Kids

I only buy plain white socks - for summer or sports and plain grey socks - for school and under boots / jeans , makes sorting so much easier for 3 DC

Packed lunch boxes set out night before with all ambient items already inside like banana / cereal bars - I make the sandwiches fresh in morning but put the chopping board , knife and loaf of bread out beside the lunchboxes so everything is to hand

School bags organised the night before and lined up in the hall with the matching child’s shoes in front of it

Activity bag always in boot of car for toddler if eating out / visiting people on spur of the moment - Small rucksack containing Activity sheet placemats , small toys , crayons, stickers , hand wipes .

DC have a spare set of wellies each in boot of my car in a bag for life for impromptu outdoor walks

For school items I just use black Sharpie marker and write first initial and surname on care label , doesn’t wash out and v quick , saves faffing with name stickers.

I write names inside school bags and lunch boxes in black sharpie too.

All clothes laid out night before 7 days a week , not just school days , just makes life so much easier.

OTHER TIPS

Birthday reminder book in drawer in kitchen with a stash of the 10 for £1 cards from card factory stashed in back , always have something for last minute occasions too this way

As other people have mentioned cheese on toast my quick lazy version Is - toast toast as normal in toaster , while that’s in I grate cheese into a bowl zap in microwave for 30 seconds then spread the melted hot runny cheese over the popped toast - exactly same as grilled toasted cheese but less time and mess

Always have a spare phone charger in the car which is handy for in car charging or visiting other peoples houses , bought a brightly coloured one so I know that’s the CAR one and it never comes back into my house

Keep a roll of bin bags in a drawer upstairs for impromptu decluttering sessions , also handy for any sickness nights spread binbag on floor beside bed then towel then basin to stop carpet getting messed

How many birthday cards do people send that it has to be a planned task? We send about 9 a year (4 on my side, 5 on DH's and we are each responsible for our own sides). I sent one last week, DH will need to get one sorted for end of July next.

We have a large family with lots of cousins
Also cards for relatives and friends
Then the school parties
It can add up

It’s not a “planned activity “ , it’s simply having the items there so no last minute rush

Parwnoid, I have that too, which bank are you with please?

Taking control of money has been life changing.

Pare back as much as possible, there are many things people do that really aren't necessary such as 99% of ironing or card sending.

Don't send cards to endless cousins and friends that are adults.

Only to elderly relatives not on social media and DC parties. For the latter, get a load of the cheap ones from Card Warehouse (10-20 p each if you buy from the the 5/7/10 for a pound selection).

You can do that with money for any bank, you can have multiple accounts with one bank or just spread your accounts across several banks, you can transfer money between them instantly when you need to or set up regular standing orders. The latter has the advantage of having access to more than one account if any bank has technical problems, so you're not stuck for money.

We do similar except all day to day spending goes on a cashback credit card and the bill is paid in full by direct debit each month, so I only have to check once a month that there's enough money for the upcoming bills and move any excess to a savings account. The current account us just left alone for the month to run itself.

Using the motto 'a Sunday well spent leads to a week of content' I spend some time each Sunday meal prepping. I make a big batch of soup for lunches; a casserole or bolognese big enough for 2 meals; 3 jars of overnight oats for breakfasts. Maybe I'll bake a cake or banana bread too. Sunday roast leftovers will be eaten for Monday dinner with a jacket potato. Prepping really takes the pressure off for the rest of the week.

When I get in from work and get changed I immediately get out my clothes for the next day.

I never iron.

I have a big collection of greetings cards. Whenever I'm in a shop that sells cards I buy a few that I like or are suited to a friend. So I always have a card available for any occasion. Always have stamps, I buy about 50 x 1st and 2nd class and restock when they get low.

All birthdays, events, bills etc are entered on my phone calendar with reminder alarms so I don't forget anything.

Gousto Monday to Thursday, fish and chips on a Friday, whatever the kids fancy on a Saturday and a roast Sunday dinner.

That's my meal plan for each week, little thought and minimal shopping involved.

I can't believe how much time and trauma was involved before.

I get meat in bulk quantities from the farm shop as it works out cheaper and freeze in meal sized portions. If I forget to defrost some, it can be done in the small sink filled with cold water in under an hour.

I freeze things like pesto and curry paste in ice cube trays to save waste.

The second half of a double batch of bolognese sauce can be a good head start for a lasagne.

Bulk out bits of leftover chilli and rice with extra beans and make into enchiladas.

Keep a pair of scissors in a drawer in every room in the house and you never need to hunt for scissors (ikea do three packs of really good ones for about a pound).

@1forsorrow

My aunt had a box that she made monthly dividers for. She wrote all the cards out, wrote the day date where the stamp goes and put them in the right month slot. Then she only had to pop the stamp on and post.

Please someone explain the dishwasher thing? I have heard this loads and yet I simply don't understand how it's quicker to sort them when they're dirty than when they're clean.

I don't own a dishwasher ( ) but I'd have thought having all the forks and spoons with their kin means more chance they will nest up and won't get cleaned properly?

I put several bin bags in the bin in layers, you can then just grab the bag to take out to the bin and the next liner is already in place. Every second counts.

That doesn't save time though, it just bunches up the saved time replacing 1 liner for when you get to the last liner an then have to fanny about replacing the original 6 or 8.

A lot of dishwashers have trays in the top where you lay the cutlery in like in canteen of cutlery in a display/gift box.

So, when you’ve used a knife etc and you have to put it in the dw anyway it makes sense to group them all together rather than throw it all in randomly like a heathen.

When you empty it you just grab a handful of them and put them away.

If you have a basket of cutlery then you can just chuck it all in but it’s a faff putting it away & sorting it all out.