To ask: please share your life hacks?

[IDoDaChaCha]

Are there things you do that make your life easier? I'm a single mum hoping to have another baby (both with donor sperm) and I want to learn how best to manage time, which isn't finite!

Share your life hacks with me?

I like stuff like: running bleach around the rim of the bath and taps and same with the sink, going off to do something else and rinsing it all later.

I need to pick your collective brains!

I got one of those tower airers for drying laundry inside when it is wet outside. But I have discovered that because it has wheels it is great for drying laundry outside on those days where it is dry/wet/dry/wet because I am just wheel it in and out through the patio doors as necessary without having to remove an rehang clothes a million times a day. Only when I am home to catch it before the showers though. If I am out of the house I don't risk hanging out.

You'll have 5 years before the school hell starts and then is panick about being on time, with everything they need, dashing from one club to another and throwing tea in somewhere then putting to bed before realising you forget.

Wrt this. I know routine is a bad word here on MN but i work better with routines and tried to plan ahead with my eldest so I mostly planned our days around being up, dressed, fed and ready to leave the house by 8.45/9.00 most days even when we weren't actually going anywhere because it meant we had the routine nailed for when he started nursery and then school. TBH, most mornings I would go out for a walk with the pram at those times anyway so I was pretty much always leaving the house and when nursery started there was very little difference to our morning routine.

An inspection lamp (or 2) hung in the airing cupboard will keep the cupboard warm enough to dry/air clothes.
Put one of those baskets, that hang under shelves, in the airing cupboard and throw smalls and baby clothing bits in to dry/air.

www.amazon.co.uk/Blackspur-BB-IL102-Mains-Inspection-Lamp/dp/B000FTH4FU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1501602745&sr=8-7&keywords=inspection+lamp&tag=mumsnetforum-21
www.amazon.co.uk/Metaltex-Under-Shelf-Storage-Basket/dp/B000T2HNWW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501603037&sr=8-2&keywords=under+shelf+basket&tag=mumsnetforum-21

MeanAger I had planned to be fairly laissez-faire with dd, she HATED that and thrived on routine, still does (16). She hates staying in and was an early riser for many years.

So yea imposing a routine that doesn't work for your family is not ideal but sometimes it really helps.

Get a housekeeper !!

Clear up as you go along. Try to never leave a room messy behind you. So make bed quickly, open curtains and gather laundry before exiting bedrooms. Breakfast stuff left out the night before, no DC having all different meals cooked to order. Clothes and bags left out the night before.

Before leaving the house switch on washing machine and dishwasher though not tumble dryer.

Only iron essentials.

I have a canvas bag in my bedroom that goes over my shoulder to carry stuff down as I gather it and then back up again to keep my arms and hand free on the stairs.

Nobody should ever go up or downstairs empty handed.

I have a washing net (sold for washing delicates) in laundry basket- all socks go into it and get washed in it and then put whole bag into tumble dryer- no more odd socks (odd socks stress me out).

I find my home is tidier and I am more organised when I spend less time on MN. While hours slip thru my fingers

Big baskets in the living room to throw stuff into at the end of the day. You can tidy up and have a relaxing space in the evening really fast.

Have a go to bag packed ready so you can get out the door really quick and do things (change of clothes, wipes, bags, disinfectant gel for hands and a snack/drink). Leave it by the front door ready to grab and go.

Have a stash of old boxes, paint, glue and other interesting stuff to stick together ready to make a castle/moon base whatever on a rainy day.

When we cook or prepare food, we clean and tidy as we go along. When we're done theres no mess to clean up, love it (compared to the state my family leave the kitchen in after preparing a meal - disaster zone).

Amazon Prime Now - 2-hour home delivery, and i can order most of my grocery basics and lots of other foods, electronics, last-minute gifts, booze - all sorts - love it

Bread and milk in freezer. Always. Bulk buy toilet roll.

Graphista enlighten me on uses for baby powder? I've got a tub of it lurking with DD's baby toiletries and it never gets used

I wash the kids socks in a delicates bag. They dont get lost and they dont wreck the machine.

Baby powder is great at the beach for drying kids without the sand scratching.

Also layer childrens beds with protector sheet protector sheet so if they vomit or wee you can just peel off the top layer and put them back to bed.

Keep a house key on your car key and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS put your keys in the same secret place as soon as you walk in the door.

It took me till age 50 to work this out. It has saved hours of key hunting

American tip = 15%

Hahaha

As you were

Black bananas in freezer, use for banana bread

If you haven't used all your potatoes and may have to throw them away eventually.

Boil and mash. Then freeze.

Just defrost as and when needed.

in each bathroom

I must be dead common: I've only got one. Mind you, if I had more than one toilet, I'd definitely p*ss myself while deciding which one to use

Frozen Casserole Veg mix, Tesco £1, add meat and a sauce, in a slow cooker , walk away and when you come home you have food.
The putting all your sets of bedding into a pillow case, that works.
Have you seen the dryer sheet in a pan with washing up liquid and hot water , leave an hour and all the burnt pan bottom is gone.
If you like crumble , make a batch up leave in a lock n lock box in the fridge, when you have the oven on you can use old fruit in silcon fairy cake trays and make small Crumbles, Silcon as it is so easy to wash up.. Same with Scones, make a dry mix and keep in the fridge.

Keep an emergency outfit for each kid in the car boot, never take it out, always replace it if used. Also water and a snack.
Keep £5 in the car.

Menu plan and keep the list of meals above your shopping list. That way when you get home from work knackered thinking about what to cook is already done.

Chop (if needed) and freeze fruit so you can blend for a smoothie without having to add ice.

If you have lots of gifts to buy online all at once, or need one delivered ASAP and you haven't already done so, get an Amazon Prime account for fast delivery as you get a free trial every year. But put a reminder on your phone/computer/calendar to cancel it a couple of days before the free trial runs out or you get charged for an entire years usage.

Some great tips here!

Old bread - if it gets stale, blitz it up for crumbs and keep a bag in the freezer.
Make mini frittatas in a muffin tin and freeze for a healthy kids' lunch or snack.
It's been said above I'm sure, but never go up or down stairs without taking something with you.
When you do a roast chicken, carve the whole thing and immediately put the bones on with any spare veg, onion etc to make stock.

LarderWoman I have an inspection lamp and the house we're moving to has no accessible loft so I can repurpose it- thanks! X

Sharing a tip an old boyfriend taught me: clean stains on clothing with cold water and white soap. It brings out everything!