Boring tips and tricks which have made your life easier.

[NoEffingWay]

Inspired by the purchase of a flat mop thing from wilkos with removable washable pads, and some method spray and mop bottle. No longer am I wrestling with a dirty looking mop, a kettle and a mop bucket. It took 5 minutes, the house smells like rhubarb (!) and the floor is shiny as.

Any more time-saving, life changing tips for me? I seriously hate mopping so this has made me a lot happier and life's most boring jobs!

I also rate having two bins-one for recycling and one for refuse-I used to gather recycling and take it on my way out of the door but it looked so messy.

I use my face flannel to wipe the sink down whilst it's wet and then throw it in the wash. It's not as good as cleaning it properly but is a good interim clean.

Buying frozen diced onion. It’s genuinely changed my life!

Take off duvet cover and button the end, that way no washing gets inside it

Always doing something whilst waiting for kettle to boil (unload dishwasher, hang washing, wipe the sides etc)

Make sandwiches in large batches and freeze.

Bulk-buying stuff we'd otherwise keep running out of all the time: pasta, rice, dishwasher tablets, laundry liquid, tissues, loo roll, kitchen roll, foil, tinned tomatoes, baked beans, washing up liquid, cleaning spray, bleach, batteries, notepads, pens, toothpaste, mouthwash, shower gel, soap, sugar, tea, coffee, sanpro...

Laying out breakfast table the night before. One less thing to do in the morning.

YY to buttoning up duvet covers before washing. Fishing scrunched-up laundry out of the bottom of a damp duvet cover is bloody annoying!

Shirts and dresses go straight onto hangers to dry, haven't needed to iron in years.

Dehumidifier is brilliant for speeding up indoor clothes drying.

If you're not into doing household filing, get an A4 sized box and put it near the front door. When post comes in, if you need to keep it pop it in the box, otherwise bin it. The box then goes into the loft at the end of the year to be kept in case you need to reference anything - and you don't have piles of post and assorted paperwork hanging around everywhere!

Also, if you get letters from school or invitations or general child life information, take a picture of it on your phone so you have it easily accessible to reference.

@LBOCS2

If you're not into doing household filing, get an A4 sized box and put it near the front door. When post comes in, if you need to keep it pop it in the box, otherwise bin it. The box then goes into the loft at the end of the year to be kept in case you need to reference anything - and you don't have piles of post and assorted paperwork hanging around everywhere!

Also, if you get letters from school or invitations or general child life information, take a picture of it on your phone so you have it easily accessible to reference.

I LOVE the box Idea!!!

Put your folded bed set into one of the pillow cases

I've managed to stay on top of the laundry much more easily by having it drying upstairs. I have two airers (one heated, one not) in an upstairs spare bedroom, window locked ajar. As clothes dry I fold them and put them away. The only clothes that come downstairs are the very few that need ironing.

Previously I had everything on airers next to the kitchen. When they were dry I used to pile them into a laundry basket and the pile would just sit there getting bigger and bigger until I could ignore it no more and would spend an hour folding in a terrible mood.

With this arrangement it never feels too overwhelming. I just fold and put away as I go, and it gives me a precious - usually uninterrupted - 10 - 15 minutes upstairs to myself with a podcast. Not sure why I didn't think of it before.

@NoEffingWay I feel the same as you about mopping, but when I look on Wilko website there are loads to choose from. Would you mind recommending which you bought?

I'm afraid mine is the Eufy robovac. I get him out and then put him on and shout "oh no the robots going to suck up all your toys!" and they think it's so funny that they actually tidy up at least some of their Lego

Should have said I tell that to my kids

@NoEffingWay those sound like purchases I need to make, next time I'm in town! Any chance of links so I know what I'm looking for?

There was an awful lot of huffing going on about mopping downstairs today

Hanging clothes onto hangers straight from the machine. Once dry put straight into wardrobes. No ironing, no folding. Only underwear goes into drawers. Everything else on hangers. Kids Tights are rolled and placed in rows so you can see the pattern. Socks and pants on those peg things from Wilko.

Lever arch file with plastic inserts in children’s bedrooms for certificates/art etc.
Hair bobbles, scrunchies, clips etc all in one drawer in dd room. It’s a messy drawer but can be tidied in 5 mins.

My best tip is not to compare yourself to other people and just be you. Definitely made my life much easier.

I know it's an old one but batch cooking. I just made bolognese (x 6 meals) chilli ( x meals) and turkey pie filling x 4 meals) all in one go (once you're chopping onions just keep going! Chinese takeaway tubs and a marker pen, you're away. Means I don't have to think about more than sticking some pasta on after swimming lessons or whatever.

@cardoon brilliant idea with the pillowcase, my inability to make decisions can see me faff and get frustrated picking out the correct pillowcases for covers! I will start this.

Don’t iron. I’ve not ironed for decade!

Hang up stuff on hangers while it dries.

Take one old piece of food / out of date veg out the fridge every time you go in for something else. Keeps it clean and tidy without having to do a big fridge chuck out!

Have less stuff. A battle with three DC, but I'm getting there.

oh - and at the beginning of the year buy a big box of birthday cards (assorted) plus stamps. Have to hand for whenever you need them so it's not a faff to go out / buy etc.

Having a 'hair' drawer in the living room decreased my stress levels! Previously I often had to rely on the tiny brush I keep in the glove compartment (hidden from DD).
Washi tape for charging cables. Wrap some washi tape round the cable to form a tag and label - Mum phone, DS tablet, DD switch... no more trying to find the correct charger! Also, sad but true, there is a drawer in the living room for cables, plugs and unattended devices!

@ollobololo

oh - and at the beginning of the year buy a big box of birthday cards (assorted) plus stamps. Have to hand for whenever you need them so it's not a faff to go out / buy etc.

I was about to say this, Card Factory is brilliant for stocking up and inexpensive. I keep them in a box along with stamps, wrapping paper, sellotape, scissors and address book plus a few generic gifts for when I've forgotten.

My other one which is not a new idea is a notepad and pen on the kitchen worktop. Anything we run out of it written on there straight away ready for shopping.

Pay all bills by direct debit.

@Rummikub

Don’t iron. I’ve not ironed for decade!

Hang up stuff on hangers while it dries.

That doesn't work if you like natural fibres and need to be smart for work. I cannot wear crumpled clothing, it feels shabby