If you could share one household tip/life hack, what would it be?

[Dandelion78]

Mine would definitely be that drying clothes in sunlight gets rid of tomato/sauce stains. Am weaning my second child and it's a bloody lifesaver. No more soaking things for hours that still come out with orange marks on them.

What other gems are there that I need to know?

@thebillyotea not sarcastic at all, and I'm in a Covid free country so our lives are running as normal.

They had a brilliant 2 week Easter break full of activities and fun. The last 3 days are deliberately low key so they can adjust. Boredom means they either find something to do together, go play in the pool, practice karate, read a book. But I don't lay on "activities" to keep them entertained and if they're "bored" and "there's nothing to do" (there's plenty), then they're happy to go back and see school friends and ready to learn. 🤷🏽‍♀️ It's worked for me every school break since our lockdown ended (summer last year).

@Firstruleofsoupover
Thanks for that - they're small nail holes so I don't think I'll be able to get anything in deep. I may just have to shove in filler with tip of the scraper and hope that the space beyond that (perhaps 2cm) is fine left unfilled.

Save money on your water bill - every time you flush the toilet piss into the cistern. It all goes down the same way, and you will save approximately £1.56 over the course of a lifetime.

WarwickHunt

genius 😂

Strokethefurrywall

it still sounds awful, but mine had never been unhappy about going back to school, so each house is different I guess.

On the boredom point. I’ve always told my dc that boredom is a good thing. There isn’t anything wrong with being bored. They accept this and I think it makes them more resilient and tolerant. And resourceful.

Next time elderly relatives make you look through ancient photos, make sure that the people's names are written on the back.

Otherwise, like me, you will inherit a great box full of pictures of your ancestors but you can't identify them, and the people who could have told you have also passed away and there's no-one left to ask.

@81Byerley

When I got married the 1st time in 1970, I was given a book of tips for housewives. One was "When your husband is due home from work and is expecting an immaculate home and a meal on the table, but you have been out, or taking tea with your friends, Do the jobs you would normally do, in reverse order. So set the table, get dinner prepared, then spend half an hour doing all the work you would normally do whilst he's at the office. It will look as if you have been working all day as usual, and he won't notice that you haven't done your usual early morning jobs, like scrubbing the front door step. If you are lucky enough to have central heating, then a smear of lavender wax polish behind the radiator will make him think you have polished your floors and furniture. Remember that he deserves a serene and attractive wife, so make sure you take a few minutes to brush your hair and renew your lipstick before he gets home, and of course have his slippers, his newspaper, and a drink ready for him by the fire, and then he probably won't even mind if his dinner is a few minutes late". Oh how I did laugh!

I’m sure my dd has the same book from her nan.

We enjoyed reading done of those bizzare tips!

On the subject of cleaning baths, teach your family to clean the bath if they use it, once old enough.

@MrsBobDylan

Don't have dogs, especially don't have three dogs. Or children. Or live with a partner.

😂😂😂

Little spray bottles of 3% peroxide in the kitchen and bathroom ...very handy, especially when living with pets and husbands

@Parzival
Don't hold back with the Sharpie!

Lockdown has taught me that if I collapse need urgent medical help at the foot of the stairs, I'm as good as dead - everything placed there is ignored

[quote maggiethecat]@Firstruleofsoupover
Thanks for that - they're small nail holes so I don't think I'll be able to get anything in deep. I may just have to shove in filler with tip of the scraper and hope that the space beyond that (perhaps 2cm) is fine left unfilled.[/quote]
Tissue can fill up small holes before painting

@CrazyCatLady13
That's a good idea - I reckon a small bit stuffed in with the extracted nail should do the trick!

@HectorPlasm

Lockdown has taught me that if I collapse need urgent medical help at the foot of the stairs, I'm as good as dead - everything placed there is ignored

@HectorPlasm Same here , I'd be a goner for sure.

[quote thistimelastweek]@PurpleSproutingSomething. The kettle descaler on the shower door is indeed magic. Tried it out this morning and it worked.
Why didn't i think of that? Thank you![/quote]
You don't even need to scrub! I watched so many youtube videos and tried all sorts to remove it.

I found a bottle of the descaler in Aldi and it's been wonderful.

@Strokethefurrywall

The best way to prepare the kids at the end of school holidays is to get them bored as humanly possible. The last 3 days of the Easter break we did absolutely fuck all! No meals out, no "fun" stuff. They were bored of their ipads, bored of watching Pokémon and Avatar, bored, bored,bored.

They were so excited to go back to school and not be bored that they don't complain! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I always end up treating my two in the last few days, often out of misplaced guilt that we didn’t do more and I want them to have fond memories of their summer!!

@HectorPlasm

Lockdown has taught me that if I collapse need urgent medical help at the foot of the stairs, I'm as good as dead - everything placed there is ignored

The absolute opposite here. I have fallen in love with every single doctors and nurse at my GP surgery and local hospital

@HectorPlasm

Lockdown has taught me that if I collapse need urgent medical help at the foot of the stairs, I'm as good as dead - everything placed there is ignored

Sunlight will also get rid of red wine stains on a cream chair cover (although it had to hang outside for about a week).

If you take a newspaper, or know someone who does, make use of them. They are brilliant for absorbing smells - I line the pedal bin with them rather than using a plastic bag, and also wrap any fish/meat scraps in them separately before putting in the outside bin.

On freezing mornings put a hot water bottle on the inside windscreen shelf about 30 minutes before getting into the car, it will melt the ice sufficiently to make it easy to scrape.

Three DIY ones I swear by.

Attach a small magnet to your hammer to hold nails whilst you are hammering nails into something, so that you don't hold them in your mouth.

Move the magnet onto your screwdriver and it will magnetise the shaft, holding screws to the end and stops them falling off.

When you are painting, put everything you need into a washing up bowl or similar: paint brushes, stirrers, openers, paint can, rag, etc. Not only can you easily move all your bits and bobs in one go, but the bowl catches any paint drips.

@expectopelargonium

Next time elderly relatives make you look through ancient photos, make sure that the people's names are written on the back.

Otherwise, like me, you will inherit a great box full of pictures of your ancestors but you can't identify them, and the people who could have told you have also passed away and there's no-one left to ask.

I have seen Facebook posts from people posting photos of relatives from donkey years ago asking if anyone in local area recognised them. Worth a shot

The less crap you have, the easier it is to clean.

If the paintwork is looking yellow I use a cheap white emulsion as undercoat before glossing.

Don't tuck things in corners - you'll never pull them out to clean.

Use baby wipes for little marks on the carpet.

Spray a bit of furniture polish in the air to give that " just cleaned" impression

@HectorPlasm

Lockdown has taught me that if I collapse need urgent medical help at the foot of the stairs, I'm as good as dead - everything placed there is ignored

Same here. My kids will just step over me for days until the cleaner visits once a fortnight.

@AudTheDeepMinded

If you are going on a long trip with kids, freeze their juice bottle the night before. Lasts longer and stops them drinking a litre in under five minutes and then needing a wee stop!

Start the first Christmas by putting their stockings DOWNSTAIRS and NOT in their rooms. Helps stop overexcited 3am starts. Wished I thought of it with the first child.

If you pass clothes down, just label them with the surname (only works if you don't have a very commonly occuring surname though!)

I learned all of the above the hard way - 7yr gap between DC 1&2 and then 2&3. Great tips. Oh the joy of the Santa’s sack in the living room. I will add...when open, take 2 items to the charity shop every week. You will never miss those items, and will slowly declutter.