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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask: please share your life hacks?

192 replies

IDoDaChaCha · 01/08/2017 08:40

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! Grin

OP posts:
waitingforthewaterwars · 02/08/2017 01:32

Only by socks for the kids in one colour, that are all the same. never have to spend ages matching the buggers

Graphista · 02/08/2017 01:34

Melj I do same. Big clear out/tidy up at start of summer hols and October week (prep for Christmas)

TheWeeWitch · 02/08/2017 01:51

I have a list of easy one-pot dinners that I cook on rotation

I have a Lakeland heated clothes airer 🤗

I never iron. Ever.

calli335 · 02/08/2017 06:33

Bed wetting stage: place a puppy mat under a wide strip of flat sheet so you can whip that off when needed leaving dry sheet underneath. Makes life easier, esp of dc wakes up wet during the night.

doobree · 02/08/2017 06:37

First one I can think of is Pyrex glass for cooking, roasting or baking etc because it is so easy to clean, even burnt bits. Just use a stainless steel scourer and you often don't even need to soak or very minmal soaking and don't have to scrub hard, it just comes off. Also I like that is has no chemical non-stick coating but is actually quite non-stick. They do a flat baking tray which I love and I use to grill too (but minding the temperature). The pyrex roasters with lids can be used for cooking, food stays in the same dish then into the fridge for storing leftovers eg a roast. Cuts down on washing up and also on items that need storing eg a metal roasting pan and a fridge container. Pyrex has made my life so much easier and I still marvel at the ease of cleaning it!

Blackboard/ whiteboard - can't live without it

Paper sandwich bags - use for storing things in fridge etc as can actually be water/ greaseproof for several days and takes up less space than a container. (I try to avoid plastic personally)

Online food shopping. Awesome - saves energy as well as time.

Agree with not buying too much stuff, especially clothes. Enjoy simple pleasures

Have a place for everything and try to put everything in its place - tidiness is relaxing! And it is annoying to have stuff and not know where to put it even when you have the time to tidy.

calli335 · 02/08/2017 06:39

Make your own batches of tomato sauce/bolognaise for pizzas/pasta. Freeze in rubber ice cube trays then pop out into a freezer bag.

doobree · 02/08/2017 06:42

I forgot one!

Write the expiry dates of meat/ food on the door of the fridge in order of expiry to help with meal planning.

wineusuallyhelps · 02/08/2017 06:45

This is a recent one that i'd never realised existed but it's AMAZING...Buy the bags of frozen, ready-chopped veg (onion, garlic, herbs, peppers, mushrooms etc). Saves so much time when cooking.

Also I gave up ironing all the DCs uniforms. Just wash them on 'reduced ironing' setting and then hang on hangers. The DCs haven't died yet Wink

calli335 · 02/08/2017 06:46

Anyone ever paid to have their oven cleaned? Thinking about this as it's the worst household job imo

wineusuallyhelps · 02/08/2017 06:48

Oh and diluted Zoflora (!) in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe toilets and sinks every day - takes seconds. Delays having to do a 'big clean' of the bathroom.

ElfrideSwancourt · 02/08/2017 07:04

I bake a lot and discovered recently that you can freeze eggs once they have been shelled. If you need egg wash for a pie etc I always felt it was such a waste as only used 1/4 of an egg - now I freeze the leftover in an ice cube tray. Also when making meringues I freeze the leftover yolks. Life-changing for me (I know I'm sad!)

Graphista · 02/08/2017 07:13

"Anyone ever paid to have their oven cleaned? Thinking about this as it's the worst household job imo"

I recently bought a new cooker from Currys. The extended warranty thingy is only a couple quid a month and inc annual oven clean and service.

HipsterHunter · 02/08/2017 07:51

Meal plan!

I'm not sure about proper 'batch cooking' as it seems quite freezer space intensive - but I always make enough for two meals and either eat the same thing tomorrow for dinner/lunch or have it slightly differently.

So sausage and mash might become tuna fish cakes for lunch (with the mash) and sausage pasta for example.

ShotsFired · 02/08/2017 08:30

@wineusuallyhelps This is a recent one that i'd never realised existed but it's AMAZING...Buy the bags of frozen, ready-chopped veg (onion, garlic, herbs, peppers, mushrooms etc). Saves so much time when cooking.

We eat garlic a lot! So buy it in generous quantities (Chinese supermarkets often good for this sort of thing), then chop the whole lot up in the food processor. Then bag and freeze. Ditto onions.

ShotsFired · 02/08/2017 08:30

@wineusuallyhelps This is a recent one that i'd never realised existed but it's AMAZING...Buy the bags of frozen, ready-chopped veg (onion, garlic, herbs, peppers, mushrooms etc). Saves so much time when cooking.

We eat garlic a lot! So buy it in generous quantities (Chinese supermarkets often good for this sort of thing), then chop the whole lot up in the food processor. Then bag and freeze. Ditto onions.

wineusuallyhelps · 02/08/2017 08:43

Good point shots and thank you, but I don't have a food processor! There's quite a lot of garlic in the packet though and it's quite cheap!

MeanAger · 02/08/2017 09:37

I use the colour coding thing for paperwork and it kind of spread into other areas of our life. There are 3 of us so I have pink, DS1 green and DS2 blue. We all have an accordion file in the corresponding colour for important documents. However I have noticed that when buying things like a lamp for their rooms or a little toy or something I stick to their colours. It means there are no arguments over who owns which thing. Also this summer we went on holiday and I got us back packs in "our" colours. It really does mean you have to waste zero thought or time trying to work out who owns what.

poweredbybread · 02/08/2017 09:44

Larderwoman genius thank you Smile

namechangeshame12 · 02/08/2017 09:49

I have a rule: if it takes less than 2 mins to do it, do it. A lot of things take less than 2 mins

-Keep on top of things. In the morning before I leave for work, I make the bed, etc, take food out of the freezer if necessary for the evening and I already have my clothes/food ready for work from a night before.
-This may not be a life hack but rather depends on your disposable income: I go twice a week for a blowdry. I am crap at styling my hair, takes ages, and this saves me a lot of time.

  • 2 x a year I declutter my home. This way I never have to bin items, and always donate
-Keep you fridge organised. Really organised. This way is easier & also helps when you're making your shopping list. -my cleaning day is Friday. This way house is lovely before weekend and I don't spend time cleaning on Say
namechangeshame12 · 02/08/2017 09:51

Also I keep and old fashioned paper planner where I write everything I have to do/everywhere I have to be etc.

OoohSmooch · 02/08/2017 11:14
  • Note pad on the fridge so when something runs out you know to buy it
  • Online grocery shopping
  • Phone charger in every useful room of the house (living room, bedrooms plus a cable in the car!)
  • Line the salad/veg drawer in fridge with foil and kitchen roll, replace rather than clean the drawer as often
  • Buy an actual lettuce rather than the ready packed stuff, last a zillion times longer
Original poster
IDoDaChaCha · 02/08/2017 13:05

waitingforthewaterwars really clever sock tip, I'll adopt that!

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Original poster
IDoDaChaCha · 02/08/2017 13:06

MeanAger love the own colour backpack idea. DD's has her name printed on so similar train of thought.

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Original poster
IDoDaChaCha · 02/08/2017 13:12

Some great tips so far thanks! Keep them coming Grin

Not really interested in unhelpful sarky comments though, get a life. You know who you are.

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Original poster
IDoDaChaCha · 02/08/2017 13:17

sprinklemonkey I have 3 hoovers: a James (wet and dry), a Gtech and a videla robot. We have vinyl flooring here so the robot is brilliant: I put it in a room, shut the door and go do something else (making sure no cables/wires are trailing: they love to 'eat' them!)

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