Please hit me with your hacks and small purchases that have changed your life !

[beenaroundtheblox]

AIBU here 😂. I've been given some birthday money for my 40th and really want to spend it on some house bits that are helpful to my everyday life. I really want to get my life and house into order. Was thinking about a robot vacuum etc. Any other ideas?

Quooker tap

Robot hoover with mop attachment
ninja foodi 9 in 1
one of those washing up sponges that you put washing up liquid in the handle- put half white vinegar and half water in instead and it’s a game changer for windows, mirrors and shower screens. Just rub on then wipe with a cloth.
Electric can opener
shark steam blast mop for deeper cleans

A robot cleaner does the job if your rooms are so clear and uncluttered that ordinary hoovering would be a quick and easy job. If not, not so much!

My favourite purchase recently is a microwave rice cooker from Joseph Joseph. Cost about £16 & makes perfect rice every time with so much less mess. I also wouldn’t be without my air fryer.

Reading about the robot vacuum….. I’m really tempted!

We have a 'booze fridge' (just a normal under counter fridge, not a fancy wine fridge) and means I can stock up on plenty of my favourite Picpoul all summer long.

A couple of my favourite hacks:

• biological washing powder is excellent for getting burnt on food off cookware/grill pans. I chuck some in the pan, add warm water and leave it overnight. Likewise the cast iron pan stands from the hob.


• a potted geranium in a pretty pot is way cheaper than a bunch of flowers as a small gift and lasts way longer.


• from watching the Stanley Tucci in Italy series, I've started using less 'bulk' in my pasta sauces. Tonight's spaghetti sauce made from about a quarter of a white onion, a small celery stick, two large tomatoes, dried sage & plenty of crushed fennel seeds, salt and ground white pepper was 'effin delicious (cooked long and low and just adding hot water from the kettle every time it started to thicken up too much).

5 beautiful Garnier Thiebaut "torchons" - who would normally pay £100 for dish towels? They are lovely though ...

Some of the eufy robovac have 42% off on Amazon currently 😀

have just looked thanks to this thread!

I do this for free via audiobooks etc available from my local library.

Car boots, charity shops and eBay. It
has saved me a small fortune.

This thread is great… but I am absolutely intrigued beyond reason by the residue of the deleted posts!!! WTAF did that person post????

Something about peeing in a bag.

Instapot or crockpot express. Electric multicooker.

Air fryer. Halo wave

Essentially buy long John's that you can wee into during winter to save the bother of going to the loo...then, simply chuck them behind the sofa when full until you have enough that it warrants a visit outside or to the loo to drain them all.

And I thought I'd seen everything suggested on these types of threads before!

Bit random, but could you pay for a cleaner for a while? Coming home to a clean house can massively make a difference and inspire you to keep on top of things? No worries if daft idea!

This thread is great… but I am absolutely intrigued beyond reason by the residue of the deleted posts!!! WTAF did that person post????

they recommended peeing in a cup thing and storing it behind the sofa so they didn’t have to get up, or something like that

Ooni pizza oven. Was extremely sceptical but got one and dh now makes the most amazing fresh pizza in one minute. And I don’t even like pizza that much. It’s brilliant. To buy 4 average pizzas where I live is now about £50 (they recently all changed prices, a lot!). It’s really good!

My top life hack is to sandwich cherry tomatoes between two small plates, then slide a knife between to chop them. That could save you possibly minutes throughout your life. You're welcome.

And we have a bagotte robot hoover too. It takes about 2 hours in the middle of the night, and we don't bother putting the chairs on the table. extremely lazy. It doesn't do corners well though.

I’m not a huge fan of my robot vacuum. By the time you’ve picked up or moved anything that is in it’s way or bothers it. You might as well have hoovered. It’s great for big, clear open spaces. Of which I have almost none. Useless in the kitchen, because a table and chairs will have it trundling around getting stuck all afternoon.

Soda stream is fab, if you like fizzy drinks. I really love not having to drag bottles of fizzy water back from shopping. I also liked having the milkman for the same reason. Nice scents are lovely. Or a cut flower subscription?

If I had a bit of cash to spend on the house now, I’d probably go for a framed print or (if we’re including the garden) and small pond planted up with ferns and hostas.

I just ordered a robot vacuum, quite excited now, got a load on Amazon atm with vouchers off, one I went for had £200 off

We replaced our fridge and kept our old one in the utility room “for a week or so” as we had a big birthday bbq coming up. 5 years and a house move later and we love our drinks/overflow fridge.

Useless in the kitchen, because a table and chairs will have it trundling around getting stuck all afternoon.

Errr, not mine. Goes in and out.

@beenaroundtheblox a ninja

I’m REALLY interested in getting one of these. Do you have it inside or outside? Which version do you have?

Lakeland heated clothes airer - game changer in winter