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?

A slice of bread will mop up all tiny shards of glass after a breakage.

@MumofSpud

Another Christmas stocking one - but 2 identical ones so you can fill one in your room etc and then just swap it!

I agree with leaving stockings outside of the bedroom. We hang on the bedroom door handles. Also started a tradition of the children opening their stockings together without us (they are full of cheap rubbish anyway). We could hear them and it was surprisingly lovely to hear. Also gave us another 20 minutes or so of precious time in bed before going down to do the Santa sacks. The funny thing is that as young adults we still do this (slightly - though not much - later) and we still love to listen to them while snoozing.

@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!

🤣🤣🤣 Nearly wet myself!

@BritInAus

Buy two lunchboxes and water bottles per kid for school. Then one set can go straight in the dishwasher after school, and the other can be prepared for the next day whilst making dinner. Saved me lots of time washing out a lunchbox every night before making the next day's lunch.

Genius!

Pull the oven to bits and jet wash it in the garden. In fact jet wash everything....scummy dogs bowl anything manky. Wheelie bin full of maggots is a good un

@YesPleaseMary

A slice of bread will mop up all tiny shards of glass after a breakage.

That’s very good

I keep the roll of bin bags in the bottom of the bin. Lift out the full bag, grab the roll rip one off and replace.

@maggiethecat
If it's just nail holes just fill with polyfilla, let dry rub down with fine sandpaper
If you get a 'dimple' in a bigger hole, do the same but repeat until flat surface is achieved.
I've never stuffed even big holes, the first layer of polyfilla creates a layer for more to sit on.

It you get cyclical breast pain eliminate caffeine from your diet. I only remembered this as I’ve been having caffeine for a few weeks and notice the difference!

@spooktrain

Don't buy dark coloured sheets for teenage boys

🤣🤣🤣🤢

@yellowsubmarines
I've found that Koh is brilliant for this & also for cleaning paintwork, worktops, windows & leather sofas. I rarely use anything else now.

When on the phone always walk around with a baby wipe and clean light switches . Marks on walls, door handles anything really .

@Babieseverywhere

For mums of young school girls

1. Buy a cash box with a combination lock.
2. Throw away the insert tray.
3. Put brush, comb, small bag of metal hair clip all the same colour (we have gold) and small bag of thin hair elastics all same colour (we have black)
4. Lock the box, don't tell anyone else in the house the number. Ever!

You will always have hair things ready for school mornings. No need to track down who borrowed your brushes last etc. No worries about finding matching things either.

I rebuy clips and hair bands every term

You are my kind of mother

In a similar vein, if you expect your DC to do thank you letters/drawings/cards/emails/texts, keep back one present from each Christmas and birthday. They only get that last present, when they have done the thank yous. Saves endless nagging and moaning. You can make it a nice ritual - we used to do thank you drawings as a family a few days after Christmas, with bacon butties to fuel us, and the present at the end.

@Chicchicchicchiclana

Aside from dishes, cooking and laundry, no one needs to spend more than 3 hours per week cleaning. Don't clean things that are already clean (as per Mrs Hinch and co).

I'm crying laughing at that idea. I have three cats, three teens and one very large dog. We live in different worlds.

@PassMeTheWotsits

I keep the roll of bin bags in the bottom of the bin. Lift out the full bag, grab the roll rip one off and replace.

I never understand that one. Doesn't the roll of bags get disgustingly manky with bin juice?

@Cantstopeatingchocolate
Done the first fill and looks good so far, will sand tomorrow and see how it looks then.

Dd is likely to cover that bit of wall with posters etc so not sure why I’m even bothering to fill these holes

1. Get a cleaner if you can possibly afford it
2. Tiger balm will not come off so don’t bother trying.

@BalloonSlayer

These threads always make me smile. I always want to add:

• save time in the evening by not making your DCs' packed lunches till the morning. They'll taste better too.

• Save time showering by not cleaning the bloody bath while you're in there.

• declutter and tidy your hall by not leaving a box full of paperwork right by the front door for a whole year

• save time unpacking your shopping by not sorting every item into boxes in the fridge and just bunging it all in anyhow

Washing isn’t that hard. Colour catchers are your friend. No one should be doing multiple washes a day. Get a big drum and stuff it full.

Lights
Darks
Bedding/towels
(Colours if they don’t fit into the above)

@TheSandman

When they're all wet it's more of a pain to try and turn them the right way out so you can hang them up to dry.

So either hang them up like that and turn them when they are dry or do what I do - when clothes are dry I return them (sorted) to my darling family inside out or half inside out and make THEM turn the bloody things.

If you hang them up like that to dry they dry all crinkly and creased - it just makes ironing takes longer (and yes, my DH does know how to operate an iron. He does all of the ironing. Not very well, but I turn a blind eye).

@Hels48, I've never used it on anything that isn't white so I have no idea, but u would definitely give it a go. Its only about 90p a bottle. Just say it on until the area is soaked, leave it for an hour or 2 and stick it in the wash with biological washing powder.

If you're taking children abroad collect small toys, puzzles and pens etc in advance and fill rucksacks for each child. Kept my kids going on flights and holiday evenings. They still remember them now they've grown.

@expectopelargonium

If you hang them up like that to dry they dry all crinkly and creased - it just makes ironing takes longer (and yes, my DH does know how to operate an iron. He does all of the ironing. Not very well, but I turn a blind eye).

Ah well, that's where you're going wrong. I don't iron anything - neither does my wife.

Never put oil in your pasta cooking water. It stops the sauce from sticking to the pasta. Tip: once the pasta is cooked drain it and then add a spoonful of the sauce to the pasta and stir. This will stop it sticking.

@Lotusmonster

Train your partner to share the mental load Yeah, right. What do I do...stamp on his foot whenever he rolls his eyes?😁

Whatever it takes!🤓