Household tips that aren't shit.

[EIsbethTascioni]

I've been getting hugely into decluttering and keeping tidy since the new year. I've been looking on websites and in magazines for tips advice and most of it is unmitigated tripe that makes life harder rather than easier.

So I'm turning to you vipers for your non-crap tips for keeping on top of shit.

I've got three to start us off.

Clean the shower while you're in it. Gamechanger. Saves masses of time.

Storing duvet sets inside their pillow case. I was sceptical about this one but with four beds in the house it has a)made my linen cupboard tidier and b)means no more rummaging.

Using the big IKEA bags as laundry bags. They are just the right size for a load of washing in a standard machine and you can fold them up and put them away tidily instead of having plastic baskets hanging around.

Aibu to think you lot will have loads more?

I e just tried the hairspray tip. It didn't remove sharpie from my plastic tablecloth but it did remove paint from my dining chairs and I had tried fecking everything for that!!

every ime hairspray works best on fresh biro etc - if you have already tried with a wet cloth etc it doesn't work as well...
I would try alcohol on it... (ideally ethanol - so vodka ...or isopropanol or methanol - or you could try acetone - nail varnish remover - but that might damage the coating...

Wd40 on shower screen doors....stops watermarks after dry :)

Sharpie on the bastardised super king duvet!! I dropped everything and did it straight away

Yes I spotted that one! Am changing it today so will remember to do it.

Try and do a specific shop, just for the freezer. Attach your receipt to the freezer door. As you take something out of the freezer cross it off, the receipt with a pencil. This way you know exactly what is in the freezer, you just need to find it!

Oh how I wish I'd seen the post about Sharpie on SuperKing duvet before yesterday. New lush bed delivered, duvet cover put on twice FFS!

I don't buy spray wipe any more - just put a few drops of washing up liquid into a squirty bottle and top up with water. It's absolutely fine for surfaces and hard floors.

Have just one laundry basket for the family rather than separate baskets in each room. Keep on landing upstairs. For extra efficiency have two side by side, one for darks and one for whites, so you can see at a glance which needs doing first.

I got rid of our super king sized bed as I couldn't cope with changing the bastard duvet cover. I devised a method of using three big safety pins to pin the top edge of the inside out cover to the top edge of the duvet, then flipping it. it went well...until I realised I'd pinned the top of the cover to the side edge of the duvet.

Happen, it'll help you next time you change the linen.

This thread has really helped me. I struggle with migraines and bouts of depression and in between, I get overwhelmed with the house. DH takes over work & the kids as much as he can (we work together) but I get upset with myself that I dont/can't do more. These last few days I've downloaded the Konmarie book and organised/tidied so much. Even a 2 day migraine didn't make me feel guilty.

So thanks EIsbethTascioni and everyone else for all the tips and ideas.

Happens - I put the cover on 3 times the other day. I nearly had a complete breakdown over it ffs

Popping in to say have been using the 'organising cutlery in dishwasher rack'. Loving how quick it is in the morning to have knives/forks etc in separate slots.

Telling your teen "Tidy your room!" Is too vague and can lead to variable results.
If you take photos of their bedroom in an acceptable state (bed made, desk cleared, bin emptied etc.) and share them on your family Whatsapp they have something visual to refer to and you're both clear on what the expected level is.

Gotta move with the times!

I have a plastic box (Poundland) for each person, one for bed linen and one for cloths and tea towels etc. When I take a piece of dry washing off the line (or the airer/ dehumidifier combo) it gets folded and put in the right person's room. They or I, depending on age, mostly me then put the washing away when they are in that room. It's really simple but I had a problem with washing mountain before, the kids would actually pack bags and go on expeditions up it, it was that big! (When the washing is on the line outside I take the boxes with me and put them on the garden table and fold and sort as I go)

I do a load of washing each day, and hang it up after stories whilst the DC are going to sleep, if I do it once a day every day it never builds up.

We don't have space for a tumble drier and we live in a standard Edwardian terrace. I use the washing line outside whenever possible but the house was getting v humid and clothes were taking days to dry, and getting 'crispy' and smelled really damp and horrible even when they were dry. I looked at heated airers but realised they would dry the clothes quicker but the house would still collect the moisture from the drying clothes. I bought a dehumidifier (a meaco) and I put the airer next to the radiator in the spare room, and the dehumidifier the other side and it's amazing! Jeans dry in about 4 hours!

IF you have IKEA Expedit or Kallax, or the B&Q equivalent which I think is called Mixxit then these beauties fit into the holes are are amazing for instantly sorting post / school letters/ stuff to file / stuff to do etc

SE&ES Sturdy Desktop Quadruplicate Magazine Plastic Holders Frames File Dividers Document Cabinet Rack Display and Storage Organiser Box Blue www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016UWD7CY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_6IBEQabfSErpm?tag=mumsnetforum-21

These metal baskets that attach over the door are great for storing the DC's eleventy billion small Soft toys on the back of their bedroom door.

Wenko 4340033100 Chrome Door Shelf with 4 Storage Baskets, 49.5 x 109 x 14 cm www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002LLN7RY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lIzJybVG89HSX?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I am going to try the cutlery/dishwasher thing too, good idea.

I watched the documentary suggested on here the other day The Minimalists, I am not a hoarder anyway but honestly it was FAB ! I got rid of 15 bags to BHF, loads shoes, books etc. We are going to scan all photos then chuck the actual albums, still a work in progress to get more minimalistic but feels fab. The only things in the loft now are camping stuff, Christmas stuff and a toddler side bed thing (to be used once 9 month old bigger).

Next step Shed Reduction Programme :)

Beans- I NEED those magazine racks for my dds bedroom!! But perhaps everyone else on this thread does too, as they have sold out!

Thanks for the tip though!

Found one on eBay!

Amazing tips, I've learnt loads!

Some of these are gross

This is probably going to be classed as disgusting but when I've used my face wet wipe thing each day, I then give the loo or the sink a quick once over with it blush

That is not cleaning. That's wiping a wet dirty cloth about your sink. Gross.

Chesting which channel was the doc on?

Great tips. I'm going to try out the elastic bands on coat hangers tip for our charity shop so thanks for that one.
And I'll be trying the purple Cillit Bang as a weedkiller too.
My neighbour recommends table salt for weeds.

Vinegar is also a good weedkiller.

I don't see it as any different to using a dishcloth to wipe work tops, then using same dishcloth to wipe my kitchen sink