What item in your house just makes sense?

[justanothermanicmonday1]

Me again.

I had another thread running looking for a sofa for our new place (new build flat that's currently under construction, 2 double bedrooms + 1 bathroom and plenty of built in storage).

We are moving within the next 6-8 weeks and have a 16mo and a 10 day old.

What item/gadget/thing do you have in your house/flat that just makes sense and you absolutely swear by that I must have.

This could be anything from storage, gadgets, towels, certain brands, pans, anything really.

I have major baby brain/fog and I'm not organised at all.

Suggestions below!

Thanks x

Thank you!

Trivial thing, but keeps me sane! Plastic boxes to organise all the bottles and tubs that live under the sink. I have one for cleaning supplies, like floor cleaner, one for washing supplies like handwash liquid, etc. They're fairly upright, so bottles stay put, and they have a handle on one end so they're easy to access. A bit like this but bigger.

I have similar. Very useful.

Sticky hooks on top of door frames and window frames for the key so they are right there by the door or window but out of reach for little kids. Also a multipack of key rings you can write on and label all the house keys as soon as you get them (plus write on there 1 of 2 or 2 of 3 so you know how many there are in total!) I wish we had done this so we don't have to argue about how many back door keys there are and whether we have lost one!

I’ve just realised you can buy 1.5 tog duvets which I’m hoping is going to change my menopausal life ! I like a duvet not a sheet but I wake up daily bathed in sweat.

Lots of hooks. Hooks on backs of doors for gowns and towels, shaker peg rails for bags, laundry etc, heavier duty wall hooks to hang my ladder, ironing board etc.

@Taylorscat wool duvet transformed my sleep In peri menopause…it regulates the temperature really well.

Purpose built fitted wardrobe.

We had a very deep recess in our room that the previous occupants had tried, unsuccessfully, to make into an en-suite and, in doing so, had caused damp issues. We ripped it out and decided to make it into storage (which is in painfully short supply in our house.) Got a local joinery company to build a beautiful bespoke beech wardrobe and storage. Cost the same as places like Sliderobes but is solid wood and the most beautiful quality. Everyone compliments it. More to the point, it fits the space perfectly, (whereas all the companies that do fitted wardrobes had specific templates and dimensions they work to and couldn't maximise the space as effectively.)

Late to the party and I’m sure the OP is quite settled in now but for anyone else reading… if you have little children + a lot of carpet, I’d highly endorse a carpet shampooing machine of your own. To be able to quickly clean up a spill that happened in the living room or even quickly hit throw rugs has been a game changer for us and made me much more relaxed about those times milk spills in odd places!

@MabelQ
What one do you have? :-)

Does anyone have a steam cleaner for cleaning bathrooms, hard floors etc.? The ads make it look easy and I’m thinking of purchasing one, but steam cleaning is a new idea for me, and I’m not convinced it’s as easy as it looks.

We have one and it’s a godsend for the boot room. It lifts dried in dirt and stuff that you’d have to scrub at (our cat likes to take his food outbid the bowl..) You literally push it like a hoover. There’s nothing vaguely difficult about it.

Sorry@RoyKentFanclub i thought I’d replied properly but somehow I’ve not done so: Thanks for your response re steam cleaners.

My large larder cupboard, it has everything under the sun in it, from Himalayan salt to currants, lime juice to noodles and baked beans to curry leaves.

Mirror by the door.
Floor to ceiling curtains make the room look taller
If you can afford it an interior designer - honestly our house feels like home after she came and worked her magic.
Clock in every room.
IKEA baskets with lids as coffee tables. Great for storing blankets and cushions.

Do you have a utility room? If so, a curtain pole and hangers as high as you can reach (or with a step nearby). Hang your clothes to dry and then take them and hang them straight in the wardrobe. It makes putting laundry away sooo much less irritating (one of my least-favourite jobs!).

The shoe rack in the understairs cupboard.

Game changer as the kids don't just hurl their shoes in there anymore 👍🏼