To ask for your ultimate life hacks/time saving ideas/easiest recipes/money saving tips all in one go.

[shakeituntilyoumakeit]

I’ve been unwell and off work for a money and the combination of getting back on my feet and January and kids and school and washing and ALL OF THE THINGS to be a bit much at the moment and need some ideas on how to make life easier.

I’ve just started making overnight oats for everyone which is very cheap, very quick, vegan, a nice kids activity for them to learn to chop fruit and pick what they want and thought of the time I could have saved over the years. This combined with the fact it’s really healthy and it’s a nice activity to do with the kids made me want to reach out for hive mind collective wisdom.

What am I missing! I’m looking for your smuggest tips!

Overnight oats with carrot DOES NOT taste like cake.
I tried.
However I can confirm that oats with cocoa powder is very tasty.

Put a washload on as soon as you get up every morning. By the time you are back from school run, it's ready to hang out or tumble. When DC come home from school, fold it while they have a snack and you catch up with their day. Means you keep on top of the laundry without trying.

@tunnocksreturns2019 I have a list in app form on my android phone, and it coincides with my shopping list, so I'll know whether I need to buy salad or replace a staple ingredient in my cupboard, but my husband likes to be involved, and know what there is straight away, so if I'm working or if I'm in hospital, then it's easy for him to take over.

Elastic bands for the freezer. Saw my mil doing this. No more lost clips and pea explosions.

I keep a separate bag for every after school activity and put relevant laundry in there as it’s ready. I even have a dedicated bag for visiting gps and in-laws. They’re all under the stairs and if I think of something I need to bring or return I pop it in. I used to rely on lists but this is so much better.

Laundry sharpie pen to label uniforms: I write their name in BIG letters inside the collar. No faffing about with labels and I’ve never had anything go missing for longer than a week.

Can’t be bothered with batch cooking these days but I double up any cook-from-scratch recipes and freeze a portion (before serving up or they’ll all have seconds). I have a few hormonal days each month when I can barely cope but there’s always yummy dinners in the freezer that are faster than getting a takeaway delivered.

Don’t add skittles to hot popcorn.

Write down random thoughts that pop into your head on your phone, either in an app or sending yourself a text/email, or a voice note. I have form for remembering things I need to organise/book/pack/buy at times when I can’t do anything about it (stupid brain) and then promptly forgetting. Catching these has really upped my game, but it never occurred to me until recently to just whip out my phone.

Set a timer for 5 minutes to tidy up and get the whole family to join in. The key is not to cheat so once the 5 minutes are up they can stop. It was hellish to establish but now really effective and we can get a lot done in 5 minutes. I’ve found it much more effective than trying to jolly everyone along or putting on music to make it fun (yeah right). It’s too short to be worth ducking out of and it’s given the dc a keen awareness of the benefit of doing little and often.

If you have to change a lightbulb in a fitting with more than one bulb change them all.

Teach your kids how to do housework at as young an age as possible and then pay them to do it

Also each person has one day a week as their laundry day. They bring their clothes basket down in the morning, I do the laundry, and in the evening they take their pile of clean clothes to put away. No laundry sorting. (and don’t buy anyone any clothes that need ironing)

I now roll/fold teeshirts with logo showing and stick in drawers in the upright position that way people can find what they want to wear without tipping everything out. Saw that hack on a you tube tutorial once. It also smooths out any creases.

Ferntwist I do my overnight oats in empty Nutella jars. Good size, pretty sturdy and with a lid that not going to leak.

Keep bin liners in the bottom of bins (under the current liner) so when you empty it, the new bag is there

Always have green chillies, Coriander, ginger and garlic in the fridge / freezer

Clean the bathroom whilst kids are in the bath

Use a family noticeboard for any meals you want, shopping required, random chores. Really helps!

I also have a phone reminder set to repeat at x time for things like dentist, hairdressers

Have set days for certain jobs then you never need to really 'think' about what needs done

Load the washing machine before bed with delayed start so it's done by the time you get up

Can anyone help with what sandwiches can be frozen for lunch? Is anything with mayo ok?

Not sure if this counts as a proper hack. I line my kitchen bin with 3 liners, one inside the other so that when I take the full bag out, there’s already another bag in the bin.

For frozen foods in bags, I cut a strip off the top or side of the bag to open it and use the cut off piece of bag as a tie.

If my rubber gloves get a hole I turn them into rubber bands. 😳 They make fantastic rubber bands. So chop the fingers off, lie the glove flat and cut into strips so you get rings of rubber glove. They are super stretchy and strong.

Oh and just read this today on fly lady, note down what meals you are having / have had On a post it note on the corresponding day, then move the post-it a couple of weeks ahead so the meal plan is already forming for
The future!

Every Sunday the children pick out their socks, undies and clothes for the school days the following week. The clothes are put their top drawer. That is what they use for the week. All else is in the wardrobe and LOCKED. I kid you not! . No more fights over clothes, and I cannot guess at how much time, frustration and laundry has been saved this way. The children love it too only enough!

Retro sounds perfect! I’m widowed and kids are too young to cook on their own yet so alas I’m the only person who needs to know what’s in the freezer

Have two utensil pots in your kitchen! Don't try and cram them all into one pot. I bought two le creuset and no longer do I have stuff spilling out. Looks neat and much better

Put two bin bags in your bin. When you remove a full one you've got one there ready to go

As soon as you've unloaded the dishwasher or washing machine, pop a tab back in. Good to go immediately

Have two hoovers. I keep a dyson upstairs and one downstairs.

Invest in a flash power mop. Super easy for bathrooms and tiles

Have one roll of "eco" wrapping paper. No more separate kids, birthdays, wedding and Christmas papers. Saves a load of space too.

Use an ice cube tray and fill with olive oil and fresh herbs/garlic/chilli. Freeze. Ready made portioned herby oil to use in any dish.

Zip lock bags to freeze portions of meat. Flatten bags of mince and put sealed bags into warm water to defrost in double quick time.

Having everything organised and stored in the best place saves a little bit of time - recycle bin next to the normal bin, spice rack next to the cooker, cat food storage next to the cat bowls etc.

Master lists/spreadsheets. I have a packing list for all holidays. A gift list for every Christmas. You only need to make the list once and then just tweak it a little bit each year.

If you see an offer on non-perishable items buy lots of it and store. Then you don't have to remember to buy it again for a long time and you won't need to make a separate shopping trip if you run out mid-week. Saves time and money.

fold and store matching bedding together inside a pillow case. Makes changing beds much easier when you have sheet, duvet cover and pillowcases all together in one neat package. I was always trying to figure out which was a double and which was a kingsize fitted sheet

So ds1 has 5 x school uniforms.

That must cost a fortune with rapidly growing children!

Have a gift wrapping drawer, just having all the faff required without having to go out on the day of the event has saved me a huge amount of stress!

Put white wine vinegar in your toilet tank about once a week, means you have to clean it less.

Use a sharp pair of sissors to cut meat veg etc much easier

I am loving some of the hacks being posted here :)

Every few weeks I make a big batch of muffins, various flavours, freeze in an airtight bag/tub, and I just stick them in lunch boxes the night before (or morning) when needed.

I have in the past pre made sandwiches for the school lunches and froze and no one knew any difference.

Second the list, I have a summer holiday packing list, a Christmas things to do list/recipe list / shopping list that I have handy

Whenever I open a jar of sauce, large tub of yogurt etc., I write the date it needs using by on it using a permanent marker.

Empty lunch / storage boxes I know store with their lids on instead of lids off in a pile together.

It just saves the irritation of not being able to find the correct box and lid combo.

I don't get the bin bag thing. Surely to always have 2 liners in your bin you are having to put one in every time which just defies the point??

Lowering standards helps. I change bedding and towels less often and say it's to save energy..

Its different if you have babies and toddlers when so much stuff ends up with milk on or worse.

Delegate : Getting kids to own particular jobs seems to work here. Vacuuming has been a success.

The "hack" here like most things child related is to be relentless and have more staying power than they do. Likewise basic table manners. Don't give up just because it does to seem to be working this month. Consistency to the point of obstinacy is the effective mindset.