Simple things that I should have done years ago to make life easier

[malificent7]

My lovely cat has been waking us up at 5/6am for 6 years.
Last night I had the genius idea of closing the lounge door so she couldn't come to our room.
Hence we slept longer. Why did I not think of this earlier? I love cat snuggles but love a lie in more.

Am I thick or does anyone have similar stories?

Don’t put salad and veg in veg drawer. Instead use veg drawer for condiments and jars etc. Much less likely to end up with uneaten, sad food cause you couldn’t see it turning.

At the grand old age of 44 I discovered this last Christmas after battling and swearing at one of those small tape dispensers that wouldn't cut a cloud.

Honestly possibly one of the best £10 purchases I've ever made!

Is this a cat thread? 😹

I have a stick on hook on the wall by the sink. I hang the microfibre cloth (used for wiping down) on it and it never gets slimy and dries out quickly. I do wash them BTW, but this saves cloths sitting around the sink area.

I got a few of those "over the radiator" racks for drying small bits and putting the octopus thing on. I put them on top of the fence near the back door. Very handy for little things to dry in good weather and saves so much space on the line. I take them in for Winter and back they go on the rads!

I'm following this thread for revelations like this. I had no idea that kitchen paper towels were compostable!!

Buying 2 bottles of milk at a time. It has stopped me having to go to the shops so much and probably saved me loads.

Totally makes sense! Sorry, it just tickled me for some reason when I imagined it! 😀

When my FIL died my MIL threw out every single photograph and album. I found them in the bins, took them home, sorted and bought albums. Great great grandparents are now safe. Family faces down the line are fascinating great, great grandmas facial features are so clear in her GG grandchildren.

Also photos of them enjoying days out in North Wales, scenery, shops, cars, yacht racing, beaches, are recorded. We've put some up on Facebook pages for historical fans to enjoy.

One Christmas I spent days sorting all the phone pictures I'd been sent or taken over the years, had them printed, bought albums and gave them as gifts for grandchildren to enjoy. They loved them.

Freezing milk and butter works for me. Skimmed and semi skimmed only though. Great if you spot reduced milk in the supermarket!

I have an IKEA "box" unit to store dirty washing in. A box for whites/colours/darks/towel &bedding. The kids have been trained to sort the laundry as it's dirty. One box full= one load of washing. If the box is full then the person who filled it brings it down to the washing machine.

It took me 18 months of being pissed off that our doors opened into the living spaces (already small) rather than against the wall. One day I had the brainwave of swapping the living room and dining room door over so they now both open onto the wall rather than take up floor space and because they're old doors and fittings I didn't have to chisel the door frames etc.

I have a bookcase in the living room that I've turned into an organisation station for the kids (all under 9). Their school uniforms/ outifts, socks, underwear,, nappies, school bags, shoes, suncream and hair stuff are all kept in there so that mornings are less chaotic because everything is in one place.

Wow @viques that is quite a machine! Thanks for sharing.

Just ordered some. Great idea!

When our cat was a kitten we would shut her in the utility room at night with a bed and litter tray, as we worried she would get trapped behind something. Stopped bothering when she got got bigger, as we felt mean . That was a mistake. Now she scratches at the door, and if the door isn’t tight let closed she does a commando roll against the door to push it open. She’s like the cat Marines.

I could see the possible advantage of a "Swedish death clean" but was finding it hard to start, until I tried asking myself what I would be embarrassed for relatives to find when winding up my affairs. Nothing really extreme, but it got me moving!

Keep bread in the fridge to stop it going off too quick lasts nearly 2 weeks 🥰

When I take clothes out of the tumble dryer, I fold it by person and clothes type so everything is together in order, makes putting it away really easy

You can boil unpeeled potatoes if you use a ricer as the peel gets left behind in the ricer. I'm a bit squeamish about doing this though because sometimes apparently flawless potatoes can be hiding manky bits under the skin.

Cut them in two and put them through a river.

Ordered
Thank you

When you pack away the Christmas decorations, write yourself a note with details of what you'll need to buy next Christmas.

Chicken kyivs- fold foil into a shallow tray shape, lay onto a real metal tray and put the kyivs in there to cook in the oven. When one leaks, just pour the melted butter over the top when you get them out of the oven. Then throw away the foil.

Check your local rules to be sure - it's fine where I am but my DM isn't able to do it where she lives.

After years of searching for the right sized fitted sheet and matching pillowcase/ duvets from a huge jumble in my cupboard whenever I changed the sheets I saw a tip where you fold the fitted sheet, duvet and pillow cases and put it into one pillowcase when it’s been washed. Now I have a stack of pillowcases, all complete and ready to use, I can see which set it is and it’s all there. Life changing.

Absolutely yes to the soffrito; I buy a couple of bags and keep them in the freezer so I don’t need to think too much about getting and chopping onions/carrots/celery when I want to make a bolognaise on the spur of the moment.

As I reach my final decline in to incontinence, madness and a hairy chin
😂
You've inspired me...I have boxes upon boxes of stuff I have kept 'memory boxes' for each of my children in the garage. I noticed how much I have put away yesterday and wished I had the courage to give it all away. I think I will actually do it this weekend and feel better for it. Thank you, mad hairy, incontinent wise one.

I now have two dishwashers. Wish i'd done that years ago too

@LeefPeeper I almost fainted at the cuteness of your cat, I can imagine the hopeful little face at the people door!