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!

Freeze grapes to use as ice cubes, doesn't dilute the drink.

Buy a second pair of kitchen scissors.

@Crazy8

On swimming lesson days, the swimming bag goes straight in the utility room. As soon as the swimwear and towels are washed they go back into the bag ready for the next lesson. No hunting around for anything.

I do this, I also operate a 2 bag system for the changing rooms. Swimming bag is inside a bag for life, all her clothes go into the bag for life so all that's left in the swimming bag is shower stuff and towel. Then when she gets out of the pool the swimming bag goes into the shower with her, the clothes are all separate in the bag for life ready to get changed into.

I used this one today. When making a pan of brownies or similar, line the pan with aluminum foil to ease clean up and make it easy to remove the brownies. The easy way to do this is to turn the pan over, mold the foil over the bottom of the pan, fold it at the corners and then gently push the resulting shaped foil into the pan after you’ve turned it over again.

After they've cooled, I put them in the fridge for a few hours, lift the brownies out of the pan using the edges of the foil and peel the foil off the brownies. They cut much more easily when cold.

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but Alexa is brilliant for keeping your shopping list.

Oh, for kids swimming - fleece onesies for afterwards! Dry them off, then straight into the onesies. (This perhaps only works if you are there in a car that’s parked nearby….)

@Ddot

I've said this before. When onions are cheap buy lots top and tail then cut in quarters. Line a sided oven tray with large piece of tin foil, place onions on foil sprinkle with a little brown sugar salt and oil but only a little of each. Close foil to make bag. Cook on high for 20min then turn low for at least 2hours. Open bag and cook for one hour on low. Place in a pan and blend till smooth (add a drop of water if needed) freeze in silicon muffin tray pop out and bag up. Use for soups stews casseroles, house only stinks of onions the once.

This is to make life easier?

Regarding e-cards. We received a couple at Christmas that we couldn't open. We have most applications as it's DH's field. So that might be why recipients don't appear to be bothering to open them!

When I still had kids in school my son had about 10 plus white Asda shirts it meant he always had a clean one and I done one white wash and iron at weekend and if we were busy or away at the weekend he still had spares if I didn’t manage the white wash

@Longingforsunshine

I now have a shared list on my iPhone with DH where we can both add anything which needs to be bought in the next food shop. We used to have a list in the kitchen but now we both have the list available if we ever nip in to a shop. No excuses on either side to forget anything!

How do you do that?

I used adverts to do those quick jobs that you out off, such as emptying the dishwasher etc.

@Batoutofhell70 start in lists and invite your partner to it

Maximise iPhone features!

-We have multiple calendars (that we can all see)- family, me, DW, DS, and the dogs! I also add things like 'water plants' etc

-We use shared notes- we have one for shopping list (with subheadings like fridge, fruit/veg, cupboard, pets, house), one for the meal plan, one for anything else we need to remember, also for longer term stuff like dogs info, theatre trips, etc etc.

Where it says share note

To get to those options it's little dots top right

Instead of spending time creating lists and hacks for cards, don't send Xmas and birthday cards. Text/email/call let's the other person know you are thinking about them. If they throw a tantrum about not getting a piece of killed tree as well, you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/304417307&ved=2ahUKEwjq4Ou_-tz1AhWOi1wKHZ-cClkQFnoECAcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0riWkGMnrhdWIetp14Gchg" rel="nofollow" target="blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/304417307&ved=2ahUKEwjq4Ou-tz1AhWOi1wKHZ-cClkQFnoECAcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0riWkGMnrhdWIetp14Gchg

My go to for batch cooking.

Also, not relevant for some...but my DD 1, won't go to sleep without me in the room so I sit the other side of the room, best washing folding time.

For pegs, by a tote bag and put one handle over your neck so pegs are to hand.

Keep a spreadsheet for all household expenses, just a list of all receipts I've spent and DH has spent, all monthly direct debits etc., then add all up and divide by 2 every month and even up between you. Never had a single cross word about money, not a single time, and we are mid-sixties. Takes about 20 minutes a month.

Don't buy patterned socks, buy block colours from the same shop. Massively increases your chances of finding pairs!

Messy handbag where you can't find anything? Consider if you even need one. Once children are no longer toddlers and you don't need to carry snacks, drinks, toys and change of clothes, do you actually need to drag a full handbag everywhere, or is just phone and credit card enough for that trip to supermarket?

Ooh yes a friend of mine with 4 boys (and a DH) gave up on socks and bought two wicker tubs and 50 pairs of black and 50 pairs of white, identical of course and just put the whites in one tub and the blackening the other by the time the youngest was about 11! Job done.

use ice cube trays for children's paint water
they cannot get knocked over
and the water does not go black which ruins the paints

MsJaneAustin
Yes if you cook, no if you ping.

@G5000

Messy handbag where you can't find anything? Consider if you even need one. Once children are no longer toddlers and you don't need to carry snacks, drinks, toys and change of clothes, do you actually need to drag a full handbag everywhere, or is just phone and credit card enough for that trip to supermarket?

This is me!

When I go out I take my card and key.

Daily commute by car though and it’s full of snacks.

I freeze chilliies and ginger. Grate frozen ginger directly into dishes. Frozen chilli is choppable within minutes of being put of the freezer. Tip from Ainsley.

Love these but also depressing that you would never get men writing a thread like this!

I also put bedding sets into one of the pillow cases since reading that on here years ago. Makes life much easier.
Rubber kitchen floor brush is fab if you have hairy people or animals.
I use an exfoliating glove to clean the shower after I’ve showered.