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!

If you're working in a job where you have to claim back expenses, then take a photo of the receipt and email it to yourself the moment you get it. Saves having to frantically sort three dozen receipts, and realise you've lost the one for the hotel stay...

Rationalise tupperware. Saving takeaway pots sounds so thrifty. All it means is you can never find a pot and lid that match and, every time you open the cupboard, a million pots fall on your head. I have three sizes: small, medium, and large. All of each are identical, so every small lid fits every small pot. Saves oodles of time and frustration.

@viques - having a bin in every room seems normal to me now, but it didn't when I first got together with DH. His family did this and it seemed rather 'American' to me back in the early '90s - something about having that much stuff you would need to throw away, in every room

For those still using a real mop and bucket, I'd recommend a half-and-half bucket so you can keep clean and dirty water separate - I got mine from Lakeland.

Sellotape dispenser - 1 upstairs, 1 down.

@CharSiu

I clean my teeth when I’m in the shower in the morning.

@CharSiu I used to do this but when I got electric toothbrush feels wrong!

Don’t chop herbs on a board with a knife. Put them into a cup and snip with scissors- no mess

• I forgot another all purpose-cleaning product - STARDROPS - save yourself a fortune.

I've started getting as much as possible sorted in the evenings ready for the next morning. Fill the kettle, tea/ coffee/ sugar in mugs, cups and bowls on the table for the kids breakfast. Lunches packed as much as possible, kids uniforms ready. It saves a few minutes in the morning which means I can sit and enjoy my coffee in peace!

Kelly 7889 Thank you brilliant idea!

Has anyone used a silicone toilet brush?
Great thread, am making notes

@Silkierabbit

The rabbit has always been indoors and very bouncy and lives with ds and the two are permanently glued to each other. The silkie has been moved in today, weather is fine here, well for mid winter but saw you have some terrible weather up there.

Please tell me more! :)

Get a mini chopper and use for chopping onions, celery, carrot, garlic, ginger etc in seconds.

Makes cooking from scratch much more feasible on a week night.

When you get paid sit down and write a proper budget for the month.

Very very dull but a game changer.

@Kelly7889 Great minds think alike! I do the same things too.

Do 10 or 15 minutes of cleaning/tidying every day as soon as you get home from work. Set a phone alarm and time it. I used to be a borderline hoarder and this has quite honestly changed my life - I never would have expected it to make such a huge difference as it does.

When cooking, fill the sink with warm soapy water before you start and throw utensils in to soak as soon as you're done with them. Makes the cleaning up so much easier.

Since I had DC I have become much more organised at home. DH and I have some things we do that really help keep on top of things. They might sound pathetic but we just do them and they work for us.

While we are running a bath, we clean the big bathroom.Every time.Cleaning stuff in bathroom cupboard. Spray sink, spray floor, spray ledges and clean. Do loo as well. Takes 5 mins which is about how long it takes the bath to fill. DC have a bath every day so it always gets done.

Every night before we go to bed we spend 10 minutes sorting the kitchen out. Load dishwasher and turn it on. Spray sinks, clear and clean worksurfaces and hob, spray table cover - wipe everything and set table for breakfast. Sweep floor. Never takes more than 10 minutes.

Other loos are cleaned by me or DH when we use them.

One night a week we clean a room really well together - takes half an hour. We do it when DC are in bed- put any stuff away that should be away, sweep floor, hoover rugs and floor, dust and polish, clean fireplace. Re-arrange cushions etc. He does the windows with the Karcher window vac which takes minutes.

I do most the rest during the day but those things - just take us about an hour and a half /2hrs a week and they keep ontop of stuff. The house always looks clean and reasonably tidy.

A very good cleaner
A very good gardener

The other thing I do is de-clutter as I go. I could hoard and am very aware of it. I do a 'fill a bag for the charity shop' once a week at least and drop it off- children's stuff, house stuff. Last week it was unwanted presents I had in a drawer- two big carrier bags full of things we will never use. Now have a large empty drawer to put other things in. Am gradually reducing my shoe collection which is the thing I find hardest.

Dog groomer/dentist/optician/hairdresser anything like that, book your next appointment at your current one, I know so many people who don't do this, and it baffles me!

Meal plan, saves a fortune and makes food shopping much easier.

But things not in season, garden furniture at the end of summer, air con/fans in winter that kind of thing. Saves tonnes and you don't have to try and get them when you need them when they're likely to be out of stock or long lead times.

Buy 5 x €10 smyths vouchers online.

No need to think about a kids birthday present for a while.

Fold your wet washing when you take it out the machine and kind of quickly flatten it out with the back of your hand as you fold. Leave it folded in a pile for a bit (20/30 mins) then hang to dry and you shouldn’t have to iron.
A midwife in the 80s told my mum to do this and I find it works! Not really with shirts though :-/

Put few bin bags in the kitchen bin 3 is good for me any more the bin lid doesn’t sit as well. Pull out full bin, lid on job done. No I do it later and then someone throws rubbish in the bag less bin!

Keep a sharpie pen in cutlery draw and write when you open jars and packets. Even though half of MN will use an open jar 3y after it’s been opened some Of us like stick roughly to best before dates if it’s says use in 3-6weeks.

Take photo of the plug and wires that come with an new item save in folder on your phone. Easier to work out later what wires you need to keep and what you no longer need. Don’t kid yourself you will remember what it is for you never will.

Get yourself extra long phone charger cable honestly it’s the best thing ever.

Empty the bottom rack of the dishwasher FIRST after the end of its cycle, and then when drips fall off your mugs sitting on the top layer, they don’t drip onto your clean bottom stuff.

@Fivemoreminutes1 What fillings best survive freezing and is one particular brand of bread better? I know it can be technically done but think it might not be very tasty?

@TabithaHazel Garlic granules all the way.

@Gotthetshirt23 Yep I think they are a cliche but I love my silicone loo brush- it doesn't get full of skank and also I'm very rough with brushes and break normal ones.

Frozen mash and frozen diced onions.

Mash because I am hopeless at judging how many potatoes to use so either end up with may too much or way too little. And onions because I can use exactly how much I need and not have half an onion constantly stinking out the fridge!

Oh and those soup cup microwave things with a lid. Perfect for microwaving baked beans and if bought in pink they dont do that horrible orange staining, or if they do you can see it!