Tell me at one or two small thing you've done to make your life easier

[listsandbudgets]

I've done 2 this year

1. I've unsubscribed / marked as spam from nearly all my mailing lists. Now my inbox is an oasis of calm and I don't spend what feels like hours every week wading through emails I don't want My spam file is brimming over!
2. I found a sharpie and (once I was sure they were the right way round!) labelled my double fitted sheets with side and top - wish I'd done this years ago not having to shuffle them about trying to work out which way up they go

I bought a battery storage organiser case - saves so much time finding batteries and you can easily see when you running out of certain sizes

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Organiser-Storage-Case-Tester/dp/B08ZHZ468R/ref=ascdff_B08ZHZ468R/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=512197030543&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13516109571175302208&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006912&hvtargid=pla-1246829935845&mcid=d105f9804b5b373f868bc072f81442ca&th=1

You tuck it in around the sides if you’re using a duvet, otherwise it hangs down and looks unsightly.

Changing a duvet cover is really quick, I don’t find it a hassle at all.

I assume you live in Australia or New Zealand, having spent my childhood there I can only give you my opinion it’s snugglier without a top sheet and less to get tangled up if you have a partner or child in bed with you.

The whole point of a duvet is to be able to snuggle into it, wrap yourself cocooned inside, kick your legs out at will. The idea of a top sheet being in the way, tucked in to restrict your movements, is awful.

DH's socks are all identical. No pairing required and no widowed socks to keep in a bag and then throw out after a few decades.

Came off Twitter - nothing but a 24-hour virtual pub brawl.

Agree with posters about only catching up on news occasionally, once a day.

I now find that online Scrabble (playing with the computer) is a great stress-reliever!

Oooh also toilet seat with integrated child seat. It’s made potty training a million times easier. Less time faffing to get the reducer on before an accident happens and little one can pull down her own bit, makes her feel like a big girl. Best £30 I’ve spent in the bathroom to be honest!

@Porridgeislife Amazon, eBay, best way to find them is to search Pyrex or glass meal prep containers. The ones I got have vanished off eBay annoyingly - these ones, I screenshot to send to my dad!

The duvet top sheet one is like marmite isn't it. Someone recommended this to me - was surprised I washed my duvet cover every week, why not use a top sheet.

All I could think of was the faff of trying to make the bed with this top sheet every morning, straightening it out, tucking it in. When I make a half arsed attempt at making a hotel bed it always looks so messy with this crumpled top sheet sticking out everywhere.

My feet just want to fight them as well, uproot them.

What a faff.

Much prefer the take it takes one day each week to just take the duvet cover off wash it and put it back on.

Although I do wonder if it is mainly nurses that go for this top sheet option as they are excellent at making hospital beds.

OMG VolcanicLandscape, thx for that battery storage tip.
It is my DH's birthday soon and he is a nightmare to buy for. He is very neat and tidy and was just moaning about his batteries being all over the place.
Just ordered one.

You’re a genius. I’m going to buy one of these. I’m so sick of rummaging through drawers for my kids batteries. Thanks for the tip. #notallheroeswearcapes 😜

Having a physical calendar on the wall next to my desk (WFH). Work calendar is all online but that never seemed to work for personal stuff. Prefer to get it written down. Only just got my 2024 calendar in the post and feel better already for having what we have on this month written down.

I don’t have a duvet at all, only sheets and blankets 😮 A top sheet then lots of blankets for tuneable warmth.

I’ve never really liked duvets 🤷🏽‍♀️

Get my outfit for the morning out ready the night before.

Freeze any leftover wine in ice cubes to add to meals later.

Recently sorted my food cupboard. Found lots of duplicate half boxes/jars of herbs and spices so tipped them together into one container. Made a surprising amount of spare room and was really therapeutic too.

What the hell is left over wine?!

Writing dates on stuff with a sharpie. You know when you take something out of the freezer and the best before was a month ago and you have no idea how long before that date you froze it? Well I will have written "4 days" or whatever on it. Anything else that I need or want to know how long it lasts, I write on it when it was opened then work it out once it's used up. It helps with the old "do I need to buy one of these this week or will it last?" when money is a bit tight, and it's taken the worry out of keeping track of how long my dog's various eye drops last. It's only 2.5 ml in one of them, the bottle is practically empty when you first open it 😆

Started buying one or two Christmas presents for the kids each month (started in January) to spread the cost as a single parent.

To avoid loads of stress when going away as a family, I have bought some large clear toiletry bags, and bought a second set of toiletries to go in it (including toothbrushes, labelled with everyone’s names), and used one of the clear bags for family medicines (that we need to take each time), so I don’t need to pack all this stuff from scratch each time we go away. I also have an overnight bag for me, that has a full toiletry bag in and some other essentials, that is also ready to go - as I am having to travel more regularly by myself to visit elderly parents. It probably doesn’t save much time, but saves stress! I also have a packing list in the ‘notes’ function of my phone, so I don’t have to generate one each time (eg spare glasses, swimming kit.. etc etc).

I take it home from work parties 😂 There's often a few half left bottles.
No chance of leftover wine at home.

I have a zip folder that I put all the bits of crap I need to read, such as leaflets, instructions, letters etc. and I have it in my car. If you add up all the time you spend sitting in your car waiting for things, it's loads. I get my bag out, and go thru it, and throw away what I've read. Not at traffic lights of course!

I've started a new routine of taking an admin task to work. I get pretty overwhelmed with all the life admin I have to do, so I have started to give myself 1 task a day to do at work.

It's, "by the end of the day I need to have called/ written to..........."

It can be a call to an insurance co., dealing with school email, chasing something up.

My work totally take the piss with me, and my colleagues, so I've no guilt over sorting out 1 thing at work.

Also, ear pods or headphones. I put them on and get on with my household chores and call my parents, friends for hours. Makes dull chores go quick and it is nice to talk rather than text.

I do a lot of these! I got a laundry pen and labelled all the sheets and duvet covers, but I’ve also hit upon storing them in the room where they get used - so my spare bedding is in my cupboard, and the kids’ in theirs, so when they need changing you don’t have to find the right ones.

I also hit upon writing not just names, but mobile numbers in the kids bags, coats, gym kit, bus cards etc. Especially scatty DD.

I’ve thought of another one! I keep a box of cleaning stuff in the boot of the car (slimline dustpan and brush, upholstery cleaner, wipes / cloths and cleaner for dashboard, plus some bin bags). And instead of having to do a massive clean and clear of the inside of the car periodically, I just do a mini-clean of part of it when I arrive a few mins early to somewhere. I find that using the dustpan and brush can be just as effective as a vacuum cleaner, for inside the car. I quite often do this in the car park at the supermarket (near to the recycling bins and rubbish bins so I can put rubbish / recycling from the car straight in). Not game-changing, but it means I am no longer hideously embarrassed by the state of my car at all times!

Very small things but having a physical weekly calendar for everyone that is left open in the kitchen at all times.
Next to it is a whiteboard marker to write on Tupperware.
Extra storage furniture: shelves, cabinets etc. is always a good investment.
Buying 10 pairs of identical black socks for work.
Using large cotton napkins instead of bibs for the baby. Also used for spills etc. Have a huge stack next to the high chair, dirty ones go in a bag, when it’s full they go in the wash so we never run out.

Years ago I stopped buying clothes that need ironing. So I never iron. I spend the time saved reading MN.

Following with interest.

To the PP who said to put washi tape with names behind passports, you are an absolute genius. It hasn’t occurred to me and honestly it’s a great idea!