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

@perditaplum

Has anybody seen a device which has an extremely strong magnetic field which grabs teenagers and doesn't let them go until they have collected up the plates etc from their room, brought them downstairs and washed them? That would change my life and theirs

Could i suggest this? An old fashioned analoge solution, but should be effective .

I don't get using clothes pegs to close bags, they don't actually seal them, so if the bag tips over or you want to keep something airtight they're no use, surely?
I have wanted a non-slip tray for quite some time - bringing several hot drinks upstairs from our basement kitchen feels tricky these days.

I love my rubber broom - fantastic for cat hair on wooden floors and brilliant on my living room rug

Some other useful things I've bought recently. All from amazon, I know I'm going to hell!

Rechargeable t lights. Which are for the various Christmas candle receptacle I have. So I can safely leave them on in another room. I just felt the non rechargeable 50p ones were very wasteful.

More aa and aaa batteries. We have various stuff which uses them including x box remote. Having loads means we're not ever running low.

A4 zip lock wallets for organising medicines and all sorts.

My aroma diffusers. Now have one in every room. Only use essential oils though from calmer solutions.

A new sharp potato peeler and a micro plane grater. Our old potato peeler was perfectly fine but 10 years old and I bought a new one and was staggered what a difference a new sharp blade makes.
Off to buy more clips and a new grater myself...

Some reusable kitchen storage goodies might be a good idea:

• beeswax wraps that you can use in place of clingfilm
• the silicone covers that you can stretch over bowls/open containers/cut lemons etc, like these: bit.ly/2L2EFHh
• my MIL loves her splatter guard to prevent splatters when she's pan frying anything: jland.partners/2M0yAf1
• a potato storage bag/dispenser: www.lakeland.co.uk/73204/Lakeland-Potato-Bag-with-Button-Tie-Closure?src=gfeed

Very useful thread!
My 5 cents:

• Cable protector for your extra long iPhone cable
• Soft silicon covers for dishes and halves of fruit/veg

• Label maker
• glass pen for kitchen storage using old jam jars

Mat to go under pet bowls

Don’t bother. Ours got completely disgusting and was a lot harder to clean than giving the floor a quick wipe. It went in the bin.

@MeMarmiteYouJam I don’t even have a bread bin for my bread🤦‍♀️ It’s been on my list for a while but I can never find one I like. Right now I have a plastic tub in my cupboard that bread goes in.

I like your idea though!

@Meruem

I second transparent fridge storage boxes. Absolute game changer.

I’ve also sorted my food cupboard with plastic baskets. I have some high cupboards that I can just about reach and it’s so much easier to pull out the necessary basket instead of having to stand on a chair and root around.

Next I’m going to be working on drawer dividers and I want one of those rubber brooms for the stairs.

I've had all the little bits and pieces in the cupboards for about 40 years! Reading this thread I can understand why places like Lakeland can peddle some of the stuff they do!

@Daffodilandviolet

Ladies.... your full attention please.....

A diamanté champagne stopper that pops on and off.

Don't be telling my I'm tacky... this is my favourite thing ever for leftover prosecco ! My only want in life is that I don't have a pink feathered robe to wear on Prosecco nights !

You have left over Prosecco 😂

I discovered last week that Aldi are now doing screw top Prosecco!

Should read 'in baskets in the cupboards' of course!

Spare iPhone cables and plugs.
More clocks than you need.
New tin opener.

@giantangryrooster
I might show them and see what they say, cover your ears!

Redcrayons Aldi have got bauble and Christmas tree bags in from today. They've also got a selection of plastic boxes.

@Bloodybridget

I don't get using clothes pegs to close bags, they don't actually seal them, so if the bag tips over or you want to keep something airtight they're no use, surely? I have wanted a non-slip tray for quite some time - bringing several hot drinks upstairs from our basement kitchen feels tricky these days.

@Bloodybridget

I got this stuff. Brilliant.

www.amazon.co.uk/150cm-30cm-New-Multipurpose-Non-Slip/dp/B083M6GPQK/ref=asc_df_B083M6GPQK/?hvlocphy=9046247&hvlocphy=9046247&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvnetw=g&hvadid=414897391818&hvadid=414897391818&hvpone&hvpone&hvlocint&hvlocint&ref&hvpos&hvpos&hvdev=t&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-941189401567&hvtargid=pla-941189401567&hvrand=7682736218979528294&hvrand=7682736218979528294&adgrpid=92322159549

If you have a bag opened then fold it over 2-3 times then use the peg. No it’s not totally air right but neither is a plastic food clip and they are rarely are the exact size of the bag you are opening anyway.

Plastic legs for kitchen clips. Cheaper. And easier.

Instead of a mat under the cat and dog food bowls I bought a plastic tray - so much easier to clean up

I use a fabric table mat under the car bowl and just wash it regularly. I have 4 coz I bought a set

@WantChewbaccaForGood

You definitely need one of those drinking fountains for cats.

If you don't have a cat then you need one of them, too.

This is true, the cat manages the household for you so you don’t have to.

Guests staying too long? Cat stares at them to leave.
Dh spending too long playing electric guitar? Cat goes down & gets him to turn it off.
Making too much noise in your own house? Cat gives you a I wish you’d both just go out look and your off out.
Tempted to have a lie in? Not with a hungry cat around.

PS just cut it to the size of the tray.