One thing you recently discovered that has changed your life

[rosemole]

For the better, obviously.

Can be a thing, person, activity, place...anything really.

Mine is trig bagging. It's so much fun and gets you out there, to unexpected and unknown places.

What's yours?

That’s exactly what it is - helps to curb cravings. It works for me!

Clean the filter on your dishwater once a fortnight.

ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Spent my whole life being 'useless' and an 'underachiever' despite being v high-achieving academically, and thinking, if everyone else can get it together and manage their daily lives, it can't be impossible! But it was for me, and it made my life confusing and miserable.

Now, for the first time, I can actually do the day-to-day tasks that eluded me before, and it has improved my quality of life immeasurably. It's lovely for the kids as well, because I'm not stressed and can have their friends over and cook dinner and just do all the little basic things that I couldn't before.

I’ve been doing this for years with no issues. I always make sure the water is lukewarm before putting it on the window. Did you pour warm water on the window ?

That if I forget a pound, a round topped key will release the trolley in a supermarket😁

Would your relative be eligible for a bone anchored hearing aid? I couldn't get on with in ear aids but love my baha! There is a device you can get with it that streams the TV directly to the processor

@TwoToe
I use tescos - costs about 60p a pot..

My husband found they made him overstimulated and couldn't sleep and he switched to Holland and Barrett which he likes a lot more, However they do absolutely nothing for me!

@RelevantSherbert and @WashYourDamnRice

I agree. I think those Souper Cube things are an excellent invention! I cook for myself a lot, so it allows me to cook for say, 4 people, and portion the rest into those cubes.
Im also doing more cooking for DM as she’s losing her appetite these days, so I sling a couple of frozen blocks of yumminess her way when I see her.

I’ve discovered that they happily defrost into an ikea ovenproof dish which is about the same size as the larger Souper cube I use.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Souper-Cubes-Extra-Large-Silicone-Freezer/dp/B07W9J64VK/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/261-1161568-0545066?pd_rd_w=9AdcJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.bb13d3fc-af40-4fff-a822-e0e4c415da96&pf_rd_p=bb13d3fc-af40-4fff-a822-e0e4c415da96&pf_rd_r=NPBTRA1W867H6D2ZC1WS&pd_rd_wg=j8Ukz&pd_rd_r=2e304ae6-dbb1-40cf-bf24-315f80644eaf&pd_rd_i=B07W9J64VK&th=1

You can get the next size down at Lakeland.

Then you can defrost into one of these

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ikea-365-food-container-with-lid-square-glass-plastic-s39269120/

Sad life of an adult but..... a shark hoover and a spray mop, struggled for years with a partly broken hoover and would usually mop the floors on my hands and knees with a cloth as I don't like mop and buckets !

@tinofbeans and how long using them to notice a difference please?!

But micro plastics leaching into your food as it cooks surely? 🤔🤨

Cooking rice in a pan isn't hard, but requires a lot more attention. You have to get the ratio of water to rice correct, which varies depending on the type of rice. The Japanese short grain rice we cook requires a period of soaking prior to cooking, which means setting a timer for that and then draining and adding the correct amount of water and then bringing it to a simmer and then turning it down. Similarly basmati requires you to wait until it's reached boiling and then turn it down very low and keep an eye on it until holes have appeared. These methods were fine when I could just spend the evening by myself cooking, not so fine with two young kids.

🤣🤣🤣

@anythingbutlillies

It was quick - within a couple of days I think I started to notice feeling better...

Thanks OP for this brilliant thread!

Dog walking!
What a great way to meet people get some exercise and enjoy nature. I borrow a neighbours dog (she lives on her own and became unable to walk him a few years back) People talk to the (incredibly cute and friendly) dog first then chat to me.Even though I've lived in my house for 30 years I've never got to know people in my immediate neighbourhood until now, it's great and I've made lots of new and different friends and acquaintances and the exercise benefits, cheaper than a gym membership!
(I am a long term owner of cats!!)

@anythingbutlillies @TwoToe

I've just remembered - I started out on the high strength ones (25mg) then after about a month switched to the regular strength (12.5mg)

Occasionally, I have a night where I struggle to sleep well and just have a day or two without taking anything, then back to normal

Same here. I am disabled and have to WFH, writing was my life and the only skill I have left.
I still get some work requests but people want to save money now and so go straight for the cheap option.
Everything it spews out is ‘samey’ and there is no personality but I understand why people use it.

If this question had been asked a few years ago I'd have said "instant pot" as well. I did a pressure-cooked biryani in it yesterday and will be slow cooking boeuf bourguignon in it tomorrow.

Soup maker that sautees too. I love homemade soup and I've always made it in a pan with a stick blender. I cannot believe how much smoother the soup is from a soup maker.

A magnetic knife rack. I genuinely do not understand how everyone hasn't got one of these. Frees up so much space in the drawers

And whilst we're on the subject of knives, Blade&Butler fantastic company where you send your knives off to be sharpened. Turnaround in a day or so. They send you the packaging. It doesn't matter what sort of knife sharpening you've got at at home, you will never get knives sharp like this. And I think the price is really quite reasonable

Careful - I fell down that rabbit hole several years ago and have yet to find a way out…

Just do - I've recently bought a second for upstairs. It's been a total gamechanger (downstairs!). I know I could carry it upstairs but it doesn't happen.

Excellent tip about defrosting into the IKEA dishes @Ohyeahwaitaminute !

On a very small scale of life-improvements....

Maybe I have adhd, am just constantly stressed or scatterbrained, but I would frequently be at work realising I've got my top on inside out, or more embarrassingly not even notice until someone else pointed it out to me. Happening maybe once a week? Which for a full grown adult is just shameful.

And since I've realised that clothes labels are always on the left hand side of clothes it's helped me get dressed SO much better in the mornings. It rarely happens now!! Easier and happier. 😃