Share your life hacks

[Firsttimer16]

I've got that real back to school feel now that September is upon us. I've got a toddler and am pregnant in first trimester and tiredness and general laziness has got the better of me (and cleaner being on holiday for 2 weeks). I want to hear your tips, tricks and small things to help kee your life in order.

I'll start with a v useful one someone told me (which you probably all know if you're reading a housekeeping thread!) - but to put the sheet, duvet cover and pillow case folded neatly inside the other pillow case so when you need to change sheets you just grab the complete "set" and are not left trying to find the right size sheets and matching pillow cases!

Anything no matter how small appreciates!

Online food shopping u can plan meals easier and aren't tempted to buy random things.
I have 5 sets of uniform so if things get busy and washing not done I don't have to worry about school uniform and no stress in the morning
Cut pizza up with scissors

When you change the bedding always fold it like you have it in the cupboard before you put it in machine and it wont crease as much .
Clean one room a day then it wont feel as much of a chore.
Tidy up as you go throughout the day then less tidying in evening.

Slice left over lemons and limes into semi circles then layer on cling film and freeze. You now have a ready made supply to pop into G and T's at will.

We sat and made a list of meals, grouped by the carb they go with (rice/pasta/potato/bread meals) and now just refer to that list for meal planning each week.

Also got a much bigger toy box, so everything can be chucked in of an evening.

• I put big plastic storage box in the corner of the living room and throw all toys in there after bedtime. It saves ages tidying up.
• I have a separate box for each DC with all their own clean socks and underwear so there is no searching every day. I have separate clothes baskets for each to divide up when the laundry is done.
• I use colour catchers and laundry bags to avoid having to do a million separate washes.

-Instead of batch cooking, I have a stash of foil food containers. When I make a big dinner, I fill and date a few containers each time to put in the freezer as a backup.

• On long car journeys I fill a lunch box (the ones with divides) each with various snacks/treat foods and a drink, put on a dvd in a portable dvd player (with headphones) and have a 'mobile cinema' for the kids. I can then listen to and sing along with my own music without playing referee to all the back seat fighting.

-I keep a packet of wipes, a pack of pocket size tissues and a 'bag for life' in the glove compartment. -I keep coins of various denominations in an empty chewing gum tub in the car door so I always have the right size coin for a shopping trolley. -I fill a thermal flask with a hot drink and bring a snack along when taking DC to sports training at the weekend.

Freezing sandwiches - only works with things like marmite, peanut butter, jam, etc, but great having a few in the freezer that can be chucked into a packed lunch in emergencies.

Just trying to think of ones not mentioned....

-I buy presents for xmas and so on when I see them throughout the year so I don't have to stress in December or just before a family bday. Also have a stash of cards and stamps so never have to run out and buy one. Also once xmas is over, I cut up the cards I've received to use as xmas labels for the next yr.
-Meal plan and shopping list
-Always have a 'going to the charity shop bag' by the door and any decluttered items go in there as I find them
-Buy clothes that go with the other clothes in my wardrobe so less clothes overall and easy to get dressed for work
-Make list each day of things to do that day and then more overarching life goal/longterm goal type lists
-Don't iron (I realise this makes me slobby but I just shake and hang on hangers) and it saves a ton of time. Similarly I never buy any clothes that are white/pale or that have complicated washing instructions so I never have to do separate loads

When taking laundry off the line or out the tumble fold it and put it in a pile per person. So a pile of DPs clothes, then mine then DC. Then it can be handed to the person to put straight in the drawer, not re-sorted.

The roll of bin liners kept in the bottom of the bin so I don't have to ransack the cupboard to find the roll.

A drawer of blank cards and small gifts ready to go.

A bin bag kept in the car.

A file with all the precious drawings brought how from school rather than scattered around the bedroom.

Keep toddler pants /socks/spare clothes downstairs if you live in a three storey house and theirs is in the top floor!
Delegate 1 regular job to teens.

Ds 14 puts clean dishes away on auto pilot now!
Ds 17 feeds cats.
(hope so anyway!)

I saw a good one on MN a while back.

When children bring home drawings and paintings from school, take a photo of it then at the end of each school year, make a photo book of the years artwork. Saves having to keep all of it in drawers, on the fridge etc. No hurt feelings that you bin it, if you explain what you are doing.

One I read on here a few weeks ago. IKEA kallax unit, 2x2. For the washing. Whites, darks, colours and then bedding and towels. One box full fills the washing machine! It's changed my life having all the washing sorted so in the morning I just grab a box and put in the machine. Life changing

Oh also if you hate doing partners or teens washing, instead of separating into lights/darks separate into yours, DPs, kids get one each. If they have no clean washing it's their fault for not doing their box.

At the beginning of the year but all your birthday cards , write them out and address, and then put the birthday date in small writing where the stamp will go. Then store them in date order. Check every month for upcoming dates, stick a stamp on them and post when needed.

Store all your wipes (baby, face , antibacs, etc ) face down. That way you always get the wettest one with most product on them first.

I have a magnetic dry wipe white board on the fridge. I write jobs that need doing but can't be done right that second for whatever reason. When baby is in bed, me and partner refer to the list and get at least one thing done each before we veg out for the evening.

I have another one for shopping list, if we are running low it goes on the list then I take a photo of it before heading out.

Things that should be upstairs get placed on the stairs and taken up when I go to use the loo.

Kitchen roll soaked in bleach on mouldy sealant for a couple hours is the best cleaning hack ever.

We use an app called Our Groceries. We can both log in and see the list, so I can add stuff to the list for H to get on the way home.

When making pastry melt the butter in the microwave, it makes rubbing in even easier.

If you have flaky paint on ceiling / walls use a stiff brush to get the loose stuff off then seal it with pva glue before repainting.

If the budget allows it make sure you have 3/4 days worth of food in drinks, snack etc. It comes in handy in case of illness, car breakdown, snow etc.

For the new parent who has everything get a pretty basket and fill it with baby first aid things, those things that you need in the middle of the night like bonjella, or baby Calpol.

I took this pic from google but these drawer dividers from ikea were a game changer for me. Fantastic for kids drawers for socks, pants, vests etc. rather than a jumble of underwear. Really easy to keep tdy after initial sorting.

Wash toddler socks in a delicates bag.

Laundry basket in every bedroom.

A shopping list in a dedicated place where you can add stuff as its about to run out.

Also, get rid of as much stuff as you can. Read Kondo.

Toddler bed (and baby when they arrive) - have 4 layers:
Sheet
Protector
Sheet
Protector
Matress

So if they puke or pee you can just peel off the top layer then put them back to bed.