Little things for the house that make life easier - I’m doing a shop

[Dollywilde]

Right. I’m getting my act together. As I once again realised we’d run out of little clippy things for reasealing food packaging, it also occurs to me I keep meaning to buy an extra long iPhone cable so I can use my phone when it’s charging in the living room (I can rest it on the table but can’t look at it while sat on the sofa which is pissing irritating and means I’m constantly on 3% battery). I do try and avoid amazon so as not to help Jeff Bezos and his sickening wealth but sod it, I’m going to sit down this afternoon and do an Amazon shop for all those little things that make life easier but I never get around to buying. Basically all the stuff my mum used to go to Woolies for when I was little (RIP Woolies, gone but not forgotten)

So far my list is:
Kitchen clips
Extra long iPhone cable
Lighters - if I can buy them online? (I don’t smoke but I’m a candle obsessive and I am always running out of long matches)
An oven liner, threw mine away a couple of months ago as it was rank and now I need to clean the oven base instead which is much harder than running the liner through the dishwasher - sigh

Please could you suggest other things I need but can’t think of right this second? Much appreciated

@RubaiyatOfAnyone

The holy trinity of sellotape, blutack and pritsticks (might just be houses with small children).

These things for high storage shelves
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I have them in the baking cupboard full of little things like yeast, bicarb, muffin cases, etc.

Transparent fridge storage
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Make my fridge an actual joy to use

I’m sure there’s more but i’ll think on...

We must be cheap in our house because we use ice cream cartons or those clear boxes that buns come in for spices, herbs sauce packets etc 😁

Not cheap, LazyArse. Sensible!

I thought I was pretty good at this sort of organisation and gadget stuff - I already had silicon lids, packing cubes, extra long changing cables, really useful wrapping paper boxes, the shoe hangers in the bathroom for cleaning products, beeswax wrappers...

I'm now the proud owner of an ultra tidy cutlery drawer (Joseph Joseph), the lodge pan scrapers, proper sectioned storage for the Christmas tree baubles and (my favourite of all) a usb candle lighter.

In the hope that there's still someone looking for something to improve their kitchen collection, I'd also like to share these silicon sandwich/freezer bags which are fantastic:

OCOOPA Reusable Food Storage Bags - Extra Thick Leakproof Degradable Freezer Bag - FDA Grade PEVA Sandwich & Snack Bags- Plastic Free Ziplock Lunch Bag for Kids Snacks,Fruit,Travel,Home Organization https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TM487QG/ref=cmswwrcppapifabcc_xr4.Fb2NTPM17

For the sake of my credit card balance I may now need to leave this thread...

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Not cheap, LazyArse. Sensible!

Thank you. If only I was sensible with everything.

I know I have asked before but I have forgotten what I wanted until now -
you put them in boots to keep the shape. Not boot jacks.

Have answered my own question. Boot trees! You might need some yourselves.

@Deathraystare - I must confess I use wrapping paper inner tubes for that job P.S. the usb lighters arrived yesterday and Ds and dd are constantly looking for things to set fire too now (they are adults btw not like 5 or anything in case you're worried)

@Deathraystare

I know I have asked before but I have forgotten what I wanted until now - you put them in boots to keep the shape. Not boot jacks.

Pool noodles chopped up are perfect and probably cheaper than boot trees

How do pool Noodles work as a wellie tree?

[quote ZootSuit]@Curlygirl06 not magnetic but this would stick to your fridge and hold your broom? I have a couple on my wall for broom and mop and I love them!

Command Broom Gripper, 1 Broom Gripper and 2 Command Adhesive Strips, Suitable for storing brooms and mops up to 1.8 kg ]][/quote]
I'll have a look, thank you.

@BathroomWork

How do pool Noodles work as a wellie tree?

They don't work as a welly tree - I thought the pp was talking about inserts to keep the leg shape of non welly boots

Like this

Gotcha! My mistake!

I use rolled up magazines to keep boots upright.

why have I never thought of rolled up mags! Do you think a rolled up newspaper would work? Added benefit of keeping the boot dry

I find a roll of little plain labels really useful (You probably can get them on Amazon, but I always buy a few when they're in stock at the Pound shop). I use mine for address labels; labelling stuff in the freezer etc; and they are also good for sealing up things like bread bags and pasta packets etc.

Plain labels are great for cards with coloured envelopes- the Royal Mail computers sometimes struggle to decipher the writing with dark envelopes.
For the freezer, I use micropore tape - a roll is only about £1 and lasts ages. Tears off easily, doesn't come unstuck in the freezer unlike sellotape, and pen shows up well - discovered this when I found an ancient roll that I wanted to use up!

@RupertRupertTheBear i use s wooden tea tray. The kind with the handles at both sides and a slightly raised frame round the edge to sit on uour lap. Great for catching spilled food and biccys and easy to clean. I got mine as a wedding gift from M&S .....25 years ago so its def value for money hahaha

Lakeland stack a store freezer boxes fit inside each other for storage, fit on top of each other in the freezer, fridge, desk top or wherever else. They go in the microwave too.

More sharpies than you think you can possibly need as they go walkabout.

Put all the plastic bags that come into the house in with the next wash. The patterns come off so they are good to reuse, and reuse and ..... my DD laughs at me but I reckon I'm saving the planet

My favourite kind of shopping!
Spare neutral-coloured pillow-cases
Batteries
Jar-opener
Set of bottle/straw brushes (approx £3 on eBay)
Small stainless steel colander for small items.
Large easy care laundry bag that goes in the wash and can be folded when not in use.
Btw, I received a set of 3 long charging cables for Christmas (yes, I’d put them on my list!). They’re really sturdy ones. Here’s the link www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085PW3PD9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Uncooked spaghetti makes a good emergency taper if you've run out!

I hate you bastard lot.

Just spent £200

@Lizsmum can you explain the plastic bags thing? Do you mean shopping bags or any type of bag (bread, chips, veg bags etc) and do you wash them in the washing machine or dishwasher? Surely they gather water inside them and make everything else a bit wet... confused

Your ideas are very helpful, thank you. I've placed more Amazon orders...
Although I liked the fabric storage bags on Etsy, I wanted quite a few ( gloves, hats, etc...) so have instead purchased dozens of plain ones very inexpensively from Amazon.
rockholder.co.uk/product/sports-drawstring-bags/
A fabric pen will be used to label all of them. I'll feel so organized!