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!

Children are trained to put dark clothes (as most of their unifrom ansd clothes are) straight in the washing machine. When full I just turn it on without having to gather things up. Only whites go in the washing basket waiting for enough for to make a load up. Once dry, all school uniform inc. pants and socks goes in a trug for each child in the front room to get dressed each morning. Easy to put in their rooms when visitors are round but saves having to put uniform in drawers only to take it out almost immediately.

Do The Thing!

That's what I tell myself. If I'm taking a plate into the kitchen, it goes straight into the dishwasher rather than on the counter to wait to be loaded. If the washing is dry, I fold it and take it upstairs and put it away (or put it in the place for DD to put away, or add to DH pile to put away).

If I'm cooking, I tidy and clean as I go as it means i have less to do later.

If I need to do some admin or bill paying or booking childcare, and I can't do it when I remember or get the notification, I put an appointment in my phone calendar and when that alarm goes off, I do the thing.

It isn't a life tip like how to get sparkly tiles or batch cooking, but it makes me feel more organised and less piles up for later.

Oh! And when I empty the washing machine, I put a washing tab/pod thing in the drum so that I just need to add clothes. I used to really annoy myself by forgetting to add the pod first. Now it is routine to add to empty drum.

I'm sadly interested in the mop you bought too OP! I hate lugging a mop bucket (with increasingly dirty water) around my house

If you want a party during lockdown put a mop on your head and tell everyone it's a 'works do'

Could work...

When 5 he kids were at primary a complete school outfit went on one hanger in the wardrobe so shirts pinafore/trousers, cardi all together. Pants/socks/tights folded together and wrapped round the top of the hanger. Saved a lot of time each morning.
Working from home every trip to the kettle is time to load/unload the washer/dishwasher/wipe the worktop/hob.

Frozen ginger and garlic. Just pick one out of the bag from the freezer and throw in pan. So easy and so fresh.

Always buying from ethnic section and baby section (cheaper).

Fresh chillis - chop immediately and put in freezer bags in freezer.

Bagels - slice then put in freezer. Bread always in freezer.

@Tamarasnotmyname

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

Same here! I cook from scratch a lot more now!

Drawers organisers for your underwear drawer- life changing!!

When being pressed for where you might have been at a particular time by someone, even the police, just tell them you were having a pizza in Woking. Works every time. Fingers crossed!

I don't iron. As I tumble dry, most of my clothes don't need ironing anyway, but when something does look wrinkled I use a handheld clothes steamer.
Gets the wrinkles out in seconds just by waving it around. Magic

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!

This is the one!

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-2-in-1-double-sided-floor-mop/p/0437330

The replacement pads are £3.25 each.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-microfibre-floor-mop-refill/p/0437332

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-microfibre-fluffy-mop-refill/p/0437331

And I used it with this:

Method Floor Cleaner, Wild Rhubarb, 739 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HDPVVSB/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttiRQ0ECBKGB9W1BKQD55YW??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I share my online shopping list with my kids so they can add whatever they want/need/finish.
I keep a handful of microfibre cloths in my bathroom cupboard to aid quick wiping of sink and mirror before bed.
I have strategically placed phone chargers around the house and nobody is allowed to unplug them because I nearly lost my mind with the kids asking me if I had a charger.
Thanks

Wrapping paper that can be used for any occasion eg stripes in gender neutral colours. No sudden panic when you have to wrap a bday present but only have Christmas paper.

Recyclable obviously.

Freeze herbs with leathery/small leaves (thyme, sage, rosemary) and just snap off a stalk/leaves as needed. Same with ginger. Freeze a whole root and you can just slice off the skin and grate as needed. Much nicer than frozen chopped up.

If you have a dog and you're not the sort of person to make stock, put bits of leftover meat and veg into a bag and use a handful to stuff a kong or take out on walks. I chop hotdogs into tiny pieces and grab a handful for high value treats for training.

I put drawers into my daughter's wardrobe instead of a hanging rail. She seems incapable of hanging stuff up but is happy to (sort of) fold and put in drawers.

If she ever has something that NEEDS to be hung, she has hooks on the back of her door.

Snapshot important post on your phone. You then have a record of everything if the original goes missing. I do the same with posters with information that I need to keep. I was at an event some time ago when someone asked if I had a pen as she needed to note a phone number on a poster. I suggested she photograph it. She thanked me for giving her the idea; she’d never thought of it.

Delegate chores.

I'm disabled so it's extra important that all the DC pitch in and help out.

DS1 (13) puts the pots away, sorts breakfast and basic meals for tea if I'm having a bad day (dislocated wrist etc)
DD (8) dusts the living room, fills the washing machine and tumble dryer and tidies her own room and toys.
DS2 (6) tidies the shoe rack, passes me clothes from the tumble dryer to fold, wipes the kitchen sides, tidies his room and own toys.

They all put away their own washing and DS1 carries my clothes upstairs and puts them on the bottom of my bed ready for me to put away.

@BrinksmansEntry

Do The Thing!

That's what I tell myself. If I'm taking a plate into the kitchen, it goes straight into the dishwasher rather than on the counter to wait to be loaded. If the washing is dry, I fold it and take it upstairs and put it away (or put it in the place for DD to put away, or add to DH pile to put away).

If I'm cooking, I tidy and clean as I go as it means i have less to do later.

If I need to do some admin or bill paying or booking childcare, and I can't do it when I remember or get the notification, I put an appointment in my phone calendar and when that alarm goes off, I do the thing.

It isn't a life tip like how to get sparkly tiles or batch cooking, but it makes me feel more organised and less piles up for later.

I call this the Nike approach. Just do it! Honestly life-changing. Just do when you first think about it. Becomes a habit and life is actually easier so much less stressful as things are just done! Also increases your step count!

Don't think I must remember to buy eggs (you're doubling the mental load!) - just write it on the shopping list . Hear the washing machine end (I only do laundry when I'm going to be home when it ends) -& hang it up on hangers / shaken and hung properly without creases or pop in tumble/fold as soon as dry or hot from tumble and it creases so little only things like smart shirts need ironing.. that way laundry doesn't take over your life.

Get a letter from school about £2.50 for swimming etc - either do it immediately or put diary reminder in phone for popping in a labelled envelope and into the book bag as soon as you can etc.

I also try and always clear up as I cook, eg veg peelings in bin and chopping board / knife in dishwasher as soon as done that bit of prep. That way only the final pans and plates etc to do after the meal.

I have a big tin of cards - whistlefish do great ones 10 for £8 - for every occasion. Same with a box of nice but generic kids birthday gifts for school parties (primary) and wrapping paper, sellotape etc together in a drawer. Makes panic wrapping / card etc an hour before a party v easy.

My dd wearing trousers in winter for school instead of tights

@HairyShins

Wrapping paper that can be used for any occasion eg stripes in gender neutral colours. No sudden panic when you have to wrap a bday present but only have Christmas paper.

Recyclable obviously.

Amen

I set alarms for things I need to remember, eg taking stuff to a friend's, 10 min before I leave ,I'll set alarm with what's needed

OXO cubes squares are actually small foil bags. If you gently press them into the bag shape you can tear off a corner and pour the oxo out. No more messy fingers.

I have my electric blanket on a timer so it heats up an hour before I climb into bed and goes off at 1am. It's like a little bit of toasty heaven