Housekeeping life hacks that changed your life

[Newmumburnout]

A bit dramatic of a title 😂. Wanted to start a new thread for great ideas we can share where something easy and small has made your life so much easier ! having a 1 year old and 3 pets and it's a chore to keep on top of everything. Even if it's not housekeeping please share !
Mine are:
Getting as much as possible delivered on a schedule. One being hand wash. I use the brand raindrop they supply a lovely bottle and send tablets to refill so you don't have to keep buying plastic hand wash bottles and they are always full.
Making chicken and rice bowls in one pot. When I cook dinner I will make a few lunch pots, you add rice, chicken, stick , veg etc with whatever spices and cook for 30 mins in one glass tupperware pot. That's it, eat from the.same container after warming up !

Anyone else ??

Using the timer on the washing machine to run it overnight. Cheaper electricity (if you’re on a suitable tariff). Also it’s the only way I can do all our week’s washing in one day, given how long the programs are on most modern washing machines.

Other recent revelation was getting a 1400rpm machine when we recently replaced our old 1200rpm one. Made a MASSIVE difference as how dry stuff is when taken out of the machine. Makes drying clothes way quicker, whether naturally or in a tumble dryer (hence also saving money by running the dryer for less time).

If watching a TV programme with adverts, every time the ads come on get up and do something eg bit of tidying, washing up etc. instead of watching them. Over the course of a programme with 4 ad breaks it means you e done about 15 mins of housework without noticing.

When peeling potatoes in the sink peel them into a sandwich bag with handles. When ur done just put the bag in the bin (or use the shavings to make crisps in the airfryer). No more having fish out peelings from the sink

Please your recipe for potatoes peeling crisps in the air fryer

I reuse the brown packing paper from Amazon parcels to cover the tops of my kitchen cupboards. So much easier to throw away and replace. Also I use it to cover the table when crafting.

Honestly its really easy. Just pat down the peelings to remove any moisture and stick them in the airfryer with a bit of spray oil and any flavourings you like. I tend to put them in for around 10mins and check they are crispy

It’s not a housekeeping hack more a lunch box one… I keep a packet of frozen mango chunks in the freezer and get a handful out in the morning and they’re perfectly defrosted for lunch time. Also buy tinned pineapple slices to cut up for lunch boxes as they’re cheaper, easier and taste good!

Following The Organised Mum method for cleaning.

Thank you 😊

1. Bissell Cross wave for tile and wood floors…it will freshen up rugs too. Absolute gamechanger. Floors look great and dry quickly.
2. Viking Office supply for hand soap…Triton, 5 gallon bottle and fill up pretty bottles with pumps. Cheaper and you don’t run out and use a jillion small plastic bottles. I also buy loo roll from them, the giant 32 roll ones and store a couple packages in the pantry. I go to janitorial supplies and buy 5 gallon bottles of disinfectant and furniture polish and put these in spray bottles. I buy unscented. If you want the cleaners to smell posh, a couple drops of aromatic oils will do the trick.
3. Delphis degreaser…you dilute a concentrate…works well and does not destroy my hands.
4. Putting oven racks in the dishwasher to clean them. I also put in stove racks too on a hot wash in the dishwasher, and the filter for the extractor fan. Also good to cleaning porcelain ornaments (check if dishwasher safe)
5. Eco-cloths or microfibre cloths for cleaning instead of paper towels. less rubbish to take out, they clean well, and wash up quickly in the laundry. There is an eco cloth set to wash windows. One cloth washes with water, another absorbent cloth dries. No streaks and easier.
6. Other posters have said this, but I do laundry everyday and put it away religiously. Again, 5 gallon liquid detergent (I like miniml) with hand pump. I also have Oxyclean for whitening towels.
7. Turtle mats at entrances and taking off shoes in the house.
8. Composting food waste/clippings for the veg garden. Cuts down on bin smell.
9. Last, decluttering and keeping it that way. Junk mail goes straight in recycling, and once a month, I fill a bin bag with stray junk for binning or for the charity shop. When you aren’t moving piles of crap from one place to another to clean around, you can really get your house clean. I find the house more calming too.

Thanks for the tips on this thread….really useful

I have just bought a Bissell crosswave after reading your post (and some reviews ). I have been using a shark vacumop but it's backbreaking and does not actually clean very well.

Fingers crossed!

I have two huge furry dogs - the furminator was a game changer for us.

Scrapes all the fur off the carpets in no time (you can buy cheaper versions - I originally bought this to deshed the dogs!!). Saves the hoover from giving up the will to live.

On your recommendation I bought this thing. How did I not know it existed?Utter game changer, I could Henryfy the entire stairs in one go whilst he sat at the top looking pleased with his little plastic self. THANK YOU

Frozen rice , bring a pan of water to the boil and drop the frozen rice in , once its back to the boil , boli for about 1 / 2 mins .
Or microwave for about 2 mins ( without water ).

I very slightly undercook the rice before I frezze it so it doesn't over cool when reheating.

@N0RKS that sounded a great idea and I had a look but it appears to cost $500!!!!!

I think the stairs will have to remain infrequently vacuumed 🤣

Me! Would never go back to a doona.

Aha
i already had the Henry hoover, I just bought a new looooooooong hose/nose

A window vac. Now I love cleaning my windows/mirrors!

For the person who asked where I got the toilet roll from on repeat I got tuff sheet, on Amazon on subscribe and save. 48 rolls ( 200 sheets) for £22 and despite reviews being poor it's great value , nice and thick individually wrapped dense rolls and everybody is happy with it.

It was me and thank you that is super helpful!

Also while waiting for the kettle to boil, amazing what you can do in a minute or two

😂

Shit, I thought I invented this most excellent hack! I use the silicone-y soles of my Tevas. Works a treat - before then I was using one of those silicone cat groomers made by Kong but it took ages.

(for the pearl-clutchers - you do this BEFORE vacuuming. Well, you do if you have the shitty entry-level Sebo vacuum cleaner I do. It won't lift cat and human hair without this pre-treatment and the scrubbing of cat hair off two rugs with a silicone cat grooming tool takes far longer than the actual hoovering.)

Ach @GlomOfNit I am specifically looking at Sebo upright to get the powered rotating brush to deal with all the hair! Can I ask what sort of Sebo you have?

I have the same problem with my entry level Miele - it just glides blithely over all the cat hair.

I have a sebo and I think they are the best. Had mine for a few years and still works as new. I have the Felix and it works fine for pet hair in my house

We also have a Bissell carpet cleaner, but an older model which was brilliant. We bought a house with new cream carpets fitted and 15 years later when we sold the house they were like new. Most of the water is sucked out and they dry quickly. You can get carpet shampoo specially for animal stains too.
Delphis degreaser really is the best, I've not tried the concentrate yet but thanks for the tip!