Must have items to make life easier

[BreakdownInevitable]

Sorry - I know these threads pop up all the time.

I need some suggestions for making my life easier - we are about to get a bit of money form the sale of our flat and I want to invest in items that will make life better. Our life is very chaotic &disorganised at the moment - our son has profound autism and ADHD, and we are awaiting the funds to also renovate the very dated bunglaow we live in - and I am just desperate to make our life simpler/ easier. I would love recommendations for specific brands as well.

These are the items I plan to buy as soon as possible:

A good knife set (any recommendations welcome - we are using a bread knife at the moment)

A tumble drier

An air fryer

A scrubbing tool for the bathroom

Please do hit me with recommendations for anything that had improved your life!

Non stick saucepans

I don't think you need all the knives. One good knife will do everything.

A good-quality, comfortable mattress. Pricey but sooo worth it!

A handy(wo)man to take care of that long list of chores I’ve not managed to get around to. The relief of the mental load is unbelievable.

Agree on the mattress.

For me it’s decent walking boots.

Le Creuset pans - we have a set of 3 stainless steel, which includes a large stock pot, two smaller pans all with lids. We then bought a non-stick frying pan and milk pan. Ludicrously expensive but worth every penny, especially when used with their silicon spatulas.
Emma mattress - v. comfy. Recommend.

*A proper airing cupboard for all your bed linen/towels with plenty of shelves.

*A conservatory which faces South West so captures all the sun’s heat & thus dries washing on an airer when it rains. (No tumbler dryers here.)

*A lightweight corded vacuum which isn’t too heavy to cart around. Mine’s a Shark. (Henry is too heavy these days so he sleeps in the under-stairs cupboard.)

Probably loads more but we get so used to them, we forget!

Robot hoover
Wipeable timetable for the frrezer. One for meals and one for after reoccurring weekly things.

I like ikea 365+ knives. We have the 5 set linked below and they are sufficient for everything and can go in the dishwasher. Buy a nice, easy to use knife sharpener at the same time. They're not the best knives in the world and they're not that well looked after but who can really be arsed with having to mother a household object.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ikea-365-5-piece-knife-set-stainless-steel-60555921/

Lower standards. Planning and seeing next month's jobs. Slowly decluttering everywhere. Don't make this a big project. Make it a ten minutes but often project. Empty the bin before it needs emptied. Always put 10 things away before bed. When you can anyways

10kg washing machine is a total game changer!

Dishwasher, robot vacuum, slow cooker, decent storage.

Gin

Thank you! All great suggestions - mattress will absolutely be top of my list - I will check Emma mattresses out, our current mattress is cheap and nasty and I wake up in pain every morning.

I'm not sure I'm tidy enough for a robot vacuum, but would love one!

And yes - we will be getting a dishwasher - if anyone can recommend a good brand, that would be great!

My faves - Otty mattress, Bosch dishwasher, soda stream, dyson airwrap, 100% linen sheets, Caspar pillows.dyson v15 cordless hoover (I use the brush attachment to dust with - game changer)

If I had a bigger house I'd get a robovac

@BreakdownInevitable

Instead of an air fryer have you thought about a ninja 15?

We have one and they're really good, you can use it as an air fryer but also a lot of other things too.

I have these knives and they're really good despite the price!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-12-Piece-coloured-Knife-Set/dp/B01B3GARVG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_ffob_sspa?crid=186G1WKPJVFVW&keywords=Knife+set&qid=1690919445&sprefix=knife+set%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Had them since Nov and they're still like new! (and I use them daily!)

Definitely dishwasher and an air fryer

I have an American style fridge now and it's changed my life. Being able to have multiple cartons of milk alone stops endless top up shops.

A very large plastic box. It has revolutionised our laundry system. It holds around 8 loads. Clean clothes get chucked in the box. If we have time to fold them and put away in drawers/cupboards, great. If not, everyone can pick what they need out of the box.

I haven't - but only because I have done zero research, I will take a look - thank you!

alladaga Clothes Drying Hanger with 32 Clips and Drip Foldable Hanging Sock Rack https://amzn.eu/d/17h1gRy

a sock Hanger! Also handy for pants too. Game changer for indoors especially in winter when you have other things on the radiators.

Dyson cordless hoover
Victorinox knives
Good outdoor lighting

Taylor's Eye Witness knives are excellent.

I have a robot vacuum upstairs and down. It also mops.

Large air fryer that we all use.

Instant pot. A life saver when you realise you've forgotten to defrost the chicken for dinner.

Buy the largest drum washing machine you can afford.

Big chest freezer that I stick everything I get on offer in.

Hanger hooks for the rotary Airer outside so I can easily hang my sons work shirts on and the hangers don't slide around.

Motion sensors on my bedroom radiator and bathroom radiator. Prevents me from waking up too much in the night when I inevitably need to pee and stops my husband being woken up.

Magic hangers. I can hang 5 pieces of clothing on one hanger.

We live in a hard water area and have a water softener system installed. We just add blocks of salt to it regularly. My hair is much softer!

Cheap wooden toaster tongs. Has saved many a burnt finger.

Emma mattress. I have a very bad back and this is sooo comfortable.

Very useful thoughts

Vinegar instead of lots of more expensive spray bottles.