What cheap items have you bought for the home that have helped get rid of mild daily annoyances?

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I’m slowly making a list of things that annoy me in the house, and thinking about what to do/buy to fix the issue. I’m talking cheap things, like a pack of new drawer knobs as some of ours are broken.

What thing solved an issue that had been annoying you for ages?

We bought a stainless steel coffee press thing after breaking the 3rd glass one. I didn’t even know they existed before looking for alternatives!

I’m in the middle of a ‘not-quite-spring’-cleaning so finding lots of little things that need fixing!

Not a purchase but reorganising the way I hang clothes in my wardrobe so blue (mainly navy) on the left, whites in the middle and blacks on the left - means I never end up wearing a black top and navy trousers anymore...

Also
Lakeland baking tray organiser - they go in upright so I can just pull out the one I need rather than riffling though a stack

Black chalkboard labels from poundland and chalk pencils from Amazon for labelling - I like little boxes of everything and tend to keep nice packaging eg Jo Malone/Laudree for this purpose. One label on the front and one on the top of each box so I can find things quickly

Again free but I cut up cardboard boxes - cereal/coke etc and wind fabric round them to keep my stash in order on a shelf - I got the idea from here but without the expense thefabricorganizer.com/

@TheLion yep. They still fell off all the time. Very annoying - until I got my plastic caps!

This, but DH set the LastPass password as so tricky to get I can never get onto it to get the other passwords!

This is when you put the books in the book bag 😄

A laundry bag. I shove my clothes in it, take it downstairs and empty it into the hamper.

Yes I have the bakeware organiser, it's brilliant

This is a great thread OP

Sick of the energy cap ones

I was forever losing my keys or my phone just as I’m trying to get out of the door to go somewhere. I bought a tile key ring off amazon only £15. Its a game changer for me, never lose them again. Also good for when keys are hiding at the bottom of my handbag. Love it.

Wow, loads of great ideas!

We’ve replaced our (fake) Tupperware with the glass Pyrex ones, goes from oven to freezer and back (obviously letting it cool, or defrost, depending what part of the process you’re in) and they all seem to stack better in the cupboard.

We use the Lakeland lid organiser in our drawer, makes such a difference, I can remember how frustrating it was trying to find the right lid for each saucepan.

We have 3 socktopi (sp?) and could do with at least one more (family of 5 = lots of socks!)

My mum also bought me a jar opener, works better than tapping the jar (I usually try that first)

We used to have a washing line over our bath in our old place, but this bath is tiled to the ceiling, so we haven’t dared try and install one yet, but it would be really handy in winter!

@drunktrifle the shampoo pump bottles please

This is so great!

I second decluttering! But mostly I have a place for everything and just put stuff away as I go, so not lots of stuff left out all the time. Biggest game changer to do this are nice felt storage baskets from JL just checked currently reduced
( www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-felt-storage-basket-with-ash-handles/navy/p2175404?sku=238030510&&s_ppc=2dx92700065445999263&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&msclkid=c3e473613b76188742e2106b574a8385&gclid=c3e473613b76188742e2106b574a8385&gclsrc=3p.ds)

I have these in a few rooms to chuck all the kids toys / blankets/ books to keep the appearance of being neat and tidy

Makes us buy more😀

Does anyone hang pans off a bar/rack in the kitchen? We are really short of space and I have a bar thing for I assume utensils but I could may be use it for pans. Would it look cluttered though?

All my kitchen utensils in a pot on the side not in drawers. Even better the pot is an earthenware wine cooler which was lovely but useless . It now has purpose.

@Georgyporky
Freezer contents on a spreadsheet.
Headers such as meat, fish, here's-one-I-made-earlier, etc
Cells include which freezer/shelf, weight, for how many, etc.

I know exactly what is in each freezer & where it is. When I remove or add items, I write them on the printed sheet & re-do the ss, & move the rest up so I know what items are the oldest.

Works very well - providing DH obeys the rules

I feel less of a freezer freak now!!

10 gang extension leads. We almost got as far as getting extra sockets installed all around the house until we discovered these. Can plug in all the PC and TV electricals without risk of fire at minimal cost.

(I'm guessing everyone else knew about these already )

Why did my post look like that? I typed ten gang extension lead.

Clippy elastic things for holding fitted sheets actually on the mattress.

Flyscreen for the back door.

Shower caddy from B&M screwed into inside of kitchen cupboard door to take all the bottles of oil/vinegar/soy sauce.

This is another shameless "hack" as opposed to cheap purchase..but it saves a ton of money if you have a drill but not a cake whisk. Saves space as well. Get the cake whisk accessory from a junk or second hand shop or the tip etc. Or even this images.app.goo.gl/3nSbm6npPyKtAuGbA

@CorvusPurpureus this sounds useful, could you please share?

A jar key for opening jars

One of those spraying floor mop things- that have the cleaning fluid built in and removable microfibres pads on the bottom. I could never be arsed to get the mop and bucket out (lazy!) but this is a grab and go situation- bloody love it.

Airtight containers for breakfast cereal, stops them going stale quickly and easier to pour neatly into a bowl

Metal clothes pegs. I'm useless at remembering to bring the pegs in and they always go rusty, brittle and self destruct.

These stainless steel ones can be left out in the rain and don't rust. They're also perfect for using as bag clips in the freezer / pantry. They don't go brittle in the cold like plastic bag clips can.

Pegs

A long handled dustpan and brush. Saves getting the hoover out all the time in the kitchen.