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!

No problem, we use it in an open plan ground floor for a few hours a day and it’s great.

Niche, but my vaginal ring. I quit using the pill about a decade ago because I couldn’t remember to take it everyday and I didn’t like the side effects. But then I had to put up with awful periods that just took over my life. I nearly got a coil but I wanted to be more flexible in case we choose to conceive. So I used an online questionnaire to find the best hormonal contraceptive for me and it suggested the ring, which I hadn’t even heard of. I change it once every three weeks and other than that I don’t think of it at all. No side effects and no periods - it’s bliss!

@AngryBirdsNoMore We are also using Google Calendar as found this easiest for making it appear across all devices. My DH set this up as I'm shit with tech but I know its Google. I think lots of calendar apps would do it though. Its the input thats the main bit. I then specifically seek apps that will sync with google calendar like my period tracker.

@StBrides Private Listening is a Roku function but I call it that on all TVs basically can listen to the TV with earphones so I don't have to hear 4 competing screens all evening or someone isn't complaining about not being able to hear because kettle/dog/hairdryer is going.

Thank you! I do have a do have a Google et calender I never realised its sharable!

@RoyalImpatience @AMessageToYouRuby i also recommend the ‘to do’ app if you have an iPhone. Allows you to have shared lists. We use it for a regular shopping list, and also for things like packing lists for going away (for the kids, so we don’t forget eg the toy without which one of them cannot sleep). It’s been super helpful alongside the calendar

Continental, excellent list.

I also add loads it scissors, ikea wrapping box and hooks..
Hooks on backs of doors, inside doors, cupboards... Everywhere.

Is this an electric blanket?

@AngryBirdsNoMore Thanks, will suggest to DH although we use Notes & Reminders. I practically wept when all this started working for us, so much life admin simplified.

Separate dirty linen bins for white/lights, colours and handwash. So easy to grab a bin and just throw everything in the washer.

I try and hang each item on the line on a hanger, it then goes straight in the wardrobe. I iron as I need it (because I have bad elbows rather than being a lazy cow). Mostly find heaps then don’t need ironing. I also have an Argos clothes rail, I use it as an adhoc place to hang coats for guests, a rail for visiting guest (as all wardrobes are full) and a place to hang a few damp items if it’s raining.

a Lakeland meat slicer. I buy a ham joint every week, cook and slice it on the slicers, we get so much more than if slicing by hand.

and my favourite luxury is a heated blanket from Lakeland by Dreamland. Saves putting heating on if need a short warm up.

Electric blanket with a smart plug I can switch on 20’mins before bed.

tumble dryer. Best purchase ever

decent vacuum

Smart 10kg washing machine. Ours is a Samsung

Panasonic bread maker- all singing all dancing. Place ingredients in it does the rest.

Anti bac wipes in every room for quick wipes.

Tide stain removing pens

loads of tea towels and cloths

bags for life kept in the boot of the car

change in a jar in the kitchen

long lead chargers and lots of them dotted around the house

linen bedding- no ironing

white towels for everyone everywhere. Look great wash together easy.

many spatulas

back stock

Just a word of warning for people like me, your fine if your a normal capable adult human, but if your clumsy like me then take care with new good knives. Suprised how much I must have wielded blunt ones with abandon. Within the first week of switching to better ones, bought for DH who loves to cook, I chopped the top of my finger off, chopped my nail off and dropped one on DH foot. Im now banned from the good knives.

Also how are you all using heated blankets? Even in winter. The thought of them makes me sweat. Am I just a hot person. I thought I was always cold but they sound uncomfortably hot. Do you also have a full thickness duvet with them?

I concur re. Sharp knives. Serrated edge ones are the worst. Sliced my fingers many times.

I absolutely wouldn’t buy an Emma mattress. We have one and after 5 years it needs to be replaced. Look on Trustpilot at the 1star reviews on how hard it is to enact the guarantee.

I was going to say the perfect knife! For me - it's about how the knife feels in my hand. I have 3 I use all the time (as well as others). One is a cooks knife from Sainsburys, I have had that for over 40 years, one is a bread knife I rescued from a skip when my mum was clearing out her house prior to downsizing, and one is a cheap little paring knife. 'Good' knives are usually better (and much more expensive), but they have to feel right to use so don't go and buy knives without checking how they feel in the hand first. And an essential buy is a good knife sharpener. By that I mean one that works well for you. No point in getting an oilstone or something if you're never going to use it.
Otherwise... If you are spending money on renovations, and that includes your kitchen, then choose drawers rather than under counter cupboards, and pull out larder cupboards are really useful. If you are upgrading your bathroom and have the room, don't stint on the size of your shower cubicle, get the biggest you have the room and the money for, and choose your bath for practicality and comfort rather than just looks. In fact - do that wherever you are upgrading, and consider what you might need in ten years time, if you're not likely to move.

Best things ever?
Dish washer.
Water softener.
Electric blanket
A cleaner.....
A greenhouse