Small and simple tips to make life easier No2

[IAmKerplunk]

Hope nobody minds me starting a new thread? I am finding it very helpful!

I had similar today as wanted to use heating
for first time since March when it was all installed! Showed it to Google, and AI told me what the model is and how to set it up in simple steps. Toasty now 😂😂

Well I bagged up the shoes after polishing them, wiped over the handbags, folded up the jumpers. Put them all in the car and a nice young man took them off me at the charity depot.

I had a look round but didn't buy anything which is unusual for me.

I still have the trouser rail and the dress rail to go through. But I've lots of space and empty hangers already

This thread, and its predecessor, has made for the most glorious reading!

Most of the things I can think of have been mentioned, but here's a few little things that are making a big difference for me:

I've recently added motion-sensor lights for inside all of our wardrobes and dimly-lit alcoves, units and cupboards - super cheap and can be recharged too. It's made hunting for things a thousand times easier.

For darker autumn and winter mornings, sunrise clocks are a Godsend at making getting up easier.

Give your mood a boost by creating different playlists for different times. I have one to get me moving on a slow morning and it never fails to help. I also have ones for when I'm trying to relax, when I'm trying to sleep, when I'm getting ready to be sociable. I also have one that I play with my teens that I know will trigger memories of holidays or lovely things we've done together - perfect for mealtimes or car journeys.

If you work at home, have a heated blanket for the winter and don't just put it over you but sit on it and wrap it round you. Also, if you work at home and find it hard to transition into relaxing, have a habit, such as lighting a candle, that helps you to make the jump from work mode to home mode.

Not a household one, but download apps for food/drink places such as Miller and Carter, Prezzo, Dunkin' Donuts, coffee places etc as they offer freebies for your b'day or when business is slow. Put them in a folder if you don't want them cluttering your home screen.

And, always have things in the diary to look forward to - for me, it makes such a difference to my mood.

Fabulous tips. Especially having something in the diary - doesn’t need to be expensive but something I am definitely going to do

This one has been transformative for me lately.

Paint roller sleeves, give them a quick rinse to get the worst off then stick them in a rinse and spin cycle in the washing machine!

Never heard of them, will have a Google

Just paint roller tray liners were a very happy discovery for me

@AnotherNewNotebook

“And, always have things in the diary to look forward to - for me, it makes such a difference to my mood.”

Yes, I agree.

The 'sleeve' is just the fluffy cylinder that you paint with. Not an extra cover.

I like the sound of these paint roller tray liners of which you speak. I've sometimes used aluminium foil, which helps a bit.

I just use a plastic bag. It's great because it stops you needing to wash the tray, but also if you have a load of paint left over you can invert the bag as you take it off, then snip the corner off and squeeze/pour the paint back into the tin like toothpaste.

• Lampshades: I only buy the ones that have vertical sides (drum shape) so I never have to dust them.

-I have a plug socket inside the vacuum cleaner cupboard which is in the centre of the house, so hoover stays permanently plugged in and ready for action. I can vacuum the whole flat without having to re-plug it anywhere. I've also installed a double hook in the cupboard so I can hang the hoover hose on the wall which keeps it neat and tidy.

-I bulk buy a 5L bottle of Faith in Nature shampoo that I keep in the shed. I use this to fill two separate pump bottles: one as hand wash, and the other as shampoo/body wash. So I basically use the same product for everything bathroom related. I also use this to clean the bathroom tiles, sink, bath etc.

-I have a 'breakfast tray' in the cupboard which I pull out and put on the table each morning. It contains all my porridge toppings and a basket of vitamin tablets, so I never forget to take my vitamins because they're automatically on the breakfast tray.

I have hundreds of home hacks. Will try and think of more.

Omg the breakfast tray is genius! We set the table the night before and the kids are really good at remembering all the various things, but never occured to me to put them in a box/on a tray so could just grab and go 🤯

scurries off to reorganise the pantry immediately....

I had a cloths rail put up over my washing machine tumble drier. That way once dry hanging clothes are hung their for over to take to their room.

Also got a worktop fitted over the top of machines to hold folded washing in baskets ready for collection.

Both these things have made washing clothes more streamline and that area of the house look presentable at all times

Everyone knows it is their own job to collect their washing and put away once done

Anything that ends up on a hanger gets dried on a hanger outside if it’s fine, so shirts, trousers, dresses, plus tee shirts etc (they go in a drawer when dry). It reduces creasing, uses less line space and things are ready to go back in the wardrobe.
Give the kitchen a quick tidy last thing, I hate coming down to mess and muddle glares at DH

Agree with you. I always try to make sure kitchen is clean and sink empty for next day. Nice to wake up and have things in order. Though obviously actually that doesn't happen it does most nights.

@QueenRedLime first time out for the breakfast tray this morning. It's so great!

Thank you again

Using small gift bags that you receive to categorise and store small items. For example, I have a bag each for: packaging tape, greeting cards, light bulbs and batteries. I use washi tape to label them. They all live on the same shelf. Pretty and practical.

Excellent !

I have nice laundry hampers in my landing for each child for their clean clothes. Wet clothes go into our heated walk in hotpress and when dry I throw them into each child's clean laundry basket. Its up to the kids to put their clothes away. If they are looking for something its in their clean basket. Unless its overflowing i dont care if they put away their clothes.

Important smaller sports stuff like football socks/swimsuits have a small tub that stays in the hotpress. I also have a hamper of communal white socks that I cant be arsed matching and its up to kids to fish out a pair of white socks. If i know we have visitors coming I quickly run up and make sure the hampers are straightened and the lid is on.

it has been the only system that i found works - im only handling the item once and putting it straight into the basket. Im also not fighting with kids to get clean clothes put away. In fairness our landing is spacious so im lucky.

I wish I had a spacious landing so I could adopt the clean laundry hamper idea, it sounds great!

This thread and the previous one has really brought home to me that it's really all about handling stuff as little as possible and putting things in places closest to where they will be used, rather than where it sounds like they "should go".

Some things I've done since reading tips on here:-

• we now have an extra cupboard in our kitchen/diner for stuff that lived upstairs but had to be brought back down every time it was needed. Mainly - sunglasses and sunhats, all the stuff we take swimming, toddlers socks and shoes, spare nappies and wipes (I had a caddy downstairs but always filled from upstairs stock; now I buy 2 lots of everything and keep one set of spares up and one down).
• I've put a basket under the stairs for anything that needs to leave the house. Anything for the post box, library books to return, any parcels, anything to return to the shops or to a friend, presents to be delivered. I see it every time I grab my coat so I forget stuff less often.
• I bought some stacking baskets to live in the utility. When tidying up downstairs, I use them to sweep up things that need to go upstairs and take them up in one go. I also dump anything my DH has left lying around into one and leave it by the bed so he can sort it himself. Will do the same for toddler when she's old enough to tidy too!
• I loved the idea of the breakfast tray from a previous poster, so I've done something similar by grouping all the stuff I use in a morning - make up bag, vitamins, deodorant, hair brush etc. I tip it out onto the bed each morning and then put everything back as I've used it, so I know I've done each step of the routine and then its all ready again for the next day. Its also handy to pop in things to remind me of stuff to do the next day. Going to set up an evening routine basket next. Very helpful when running round after a toddler means you dont always do things in the same order or all at the same time.
• I've made a "dates of special occasions list" for everyone we buy cards/presents for - birthdays/anniversaries etc. Ive also added a quarterly reminder to my calendar, so I now intend to buy cards and presents 4 times a year. Otherwise I waste a lunch break every few weeks popping out to buy a card etc.
• Tesco has also answered my prayers and allowed you to have multiple favourites lists on the app, so I've slowly started adding in lists of our favourite meals with all ingredients needed, so our shopping basket for click & collect is so much faster and we don't forget a key ingredient (I've made some of them a 2-meal list where I know we always use leftover ingredients from meal A to cook meal B).
• I've put a small make up bag in my work bag, with lipbalm, handcream, tissues, comb and bobbles, spare mascara, concealer, a £20 note and a key to my back door. Means I'm covered if I lose my phone, purse or keys and always have a few items to allow me to tidy myself up if caught in the rain or going out after work.
• Each car has an emergency bag, mainly snacks/water/nappies/wipes/spare clothes & coat for toddler/jumpers and pac a mac for us. As it occurred to me if we ever breakdown or get stuck in traffic, what would be irritating for me/DH to be cold, wet and hungry would be nightmarish if the toddler was there too. Simple rain jackets bought on Vinted for £1 each, two sizes too big, so will last ages at minimal cost. I have a reminder on my phone a month before the best before date on the snacks so I can use them and replace.

@SplishSplash123 what a fabulous list! I need to read the whole thread properly. Has definitely made me want to redo our very tiny utility to get more from it in terms of drying space etc. Far down the financial priority list though sadly.

Appreciate you've made your own version but I love my perpetual calendar for the recurring dates. I give them as gifts these days and they always go down well.

i have what I call a ‘seasonal basket’ on the console table in the hall. In summer, if has sun cream, sunglasses and small hats in it. In winter, lip balm, hand cream, gloves and anything we might quickly need before heading out. It does occasionally get full of other crap but I try and keep it organised. Under console table there is a rattan basket with a lid where I keep shoe cleaning things all together with my handbag of the moment on top.

Another great hallway item, over door shoe storage in hall cupboard. Can store about 15 pairs in the plastic pockets. Brilliant.

Oh that is a fab gift idea, my digital method is ideal for me as I'd have the list to hand when out and about - but I know a few people who will love this for a Christmas present! Thank you.

Fingers crossed Project Utility can happen in the near future for you

Finally have one to share!
Was recently at a friend’s house when he referred to n the ‘drawer of cables’ you daren’t throw away but don’t know what’s it’s for…
Google lens identified them all instantly so he knew which ones were for things already thrown away. Others we tied up with velcro cable ties.
Am going to keep some in the car and every time I visit a friend will ask if they want the identify service 😂😂😂😂

I use small luggage labels to save the effort of examining things to see what they are. Including specs cases for prople who have multiple pairs. The velcro ties are very cheap in quantity, and I have loads, I have not tried them for charger cables before, I've been using zip close bags.