Do you have a secret trick?

kboss2010

olgadapolga said:

Islandmaid said:

I always fold the freshly laundered bedding and pop the sheet, duvet cover and all but one of the pillow cases into the remaining pillow case.  That way, the next time you change the bed, you have all of the ‘equipment’ to hand and it’s easier to find it all 😊

kboss2010 said:

@Islandmaid I do the bedding thing too, it’s honestly made such a difference! I also further made it easier by getting rid of my duvet & just having a set of flat sheet (or empty duvet cover), fitted sheet, pillowcases and a washable waffle throw blanket - no more fighting with duvets to get them into covers & the layers keep us just as warm even through winter!

Oh my word, this is beyond genius. BEYOND genius. I put the relevant duvet covers and pillowcases together but they always end up getting separated when teenagers and husband go near them.

I'm reorganising my linen cupboard tomorrow (I would do it this afternoon but I'm clearing my lounge).

(Wanders off, muttering to self, "Genius, I tell you, GENIUS!")

I wish I could take credit but I stole it from someone else but, genuinely, WHY did no one teach us these life hacks? It sounds ridiculous but these little changes save sooooo much time! 

Giving things a home at their point of use so that I hardly ever have to put things away has been life-changing to me. 

Islandmaid

#MSE 101 but…

We have a regular ‘help yourself’ night, using up leftovers from the fridge. Gives the Chef a night off and saves money.

on a Sunday I’ll usually make either a frittata or soup using up ‘fridge gravel’. 

Any sad looking fruit gets turned into cakes/biscuits or crumbles depending on what fruit and what time of year.

Useful for work lunches and snacks.

Brie

I've said it before and I'll say it again - most frequently to my OH - close the knife drawer before you slice the bread!  Saves getting the drawer full of crumbs and needing to be cleaned out.  I'll add - and use a easy to clean cutting board under the bread because then things will get cleaned!! 

Unlike the OH who will open the drawer to get out a knife to spread the butter, leave the drawer open, slice the bread on the heavy wooden cutting board smearing it with butter, jam or whatever else is being used and then walks off wondering why I'm likely to pick up said heavy cutting board and do serious damage with it.....   So third part of the secret is to all the OHs out there - follow the rules or risk being boshed!!!

newlywed

Growing up we used to have an evening meal (usually at the weekend) that was “spreading things”, basically bread, Marge and any ham, sardines, mustard, pickles, jam, choc spread, whatever random bit were in the cupboard or fridge, all put on the table and you each made your own sarnies for tea.

Then there was usually homemade cake and a pot of tea for afters.

I don’t remember any complaints.

Brie

newlywed said:

I don’t remember any complaints.

Your sarnies sound lovely and practical.  As for complaints....well it would never have occurred to us that it was worthwhile complaining as our mom was of the strict type - no leaving the table until allllll the green beans had been eaten.  Think one of my brothers sat there for about 2 hours before he gave in. 

And I thought that almost everything my mom cooked was great (other than green beans of course) and it was only after I left home I realised how limited her repertoire was and how really bad some of her cooking actually was as I'd had no way to compare it to others cooking really.  case in point - her spaghetti - chopped onions, tomato soup, hot dog chunks mixed with over cooked pasta which then continued to cook in the soup/sauce.  It tasted just fine when I was a kid and then I had spaghetti cooked at the uni dorm kitchen - it was great!!  And when I said this to someone they were appalled as it was dreadful compared to what their Italian grandmother would make.  It's all what you're used to. 

To my mom's credit she made the most amazing pies and was still doing so until a couple of years back.  Now she just sits and gives directions which gives almost as good results.  

Sus59

Novice_investor101 said:

Latest money saving packed lunch idea, stopped buying small chocolate bars or cereal bars & now make my own chewy flapjack, with golden syrup. So much cheaper & the butter is the only thing I have to buy more than once a month. It used to cost £2-3 a week, now it’s typically less than £5 a month. 

I was astonished to find, in tesco baking aisle, a flapjack premixed kit that said you just need to add butter & golden syrup. So it was £1.60 for a tiny bag half filled with a tiny portion of porridge oats mixed with a tiny portion of soft brown sugar…

I make my own breakfast bars using a can of condensed milk instead of butter and sugar. They freeze well too and I can just take a couple out of the freezer at a time as they defrost in no time.  Got the idea from this recipe, although I leave out the peanuts. https://www.nigella.com/recipes/breakfast-bars

GaleSF63

Here's one money-saving tip - when you load your car at the supermarket don't forget anything you put on the roof. I've just seen a packet of loo paper lying in the middle of the road about 200 yards from Morrisons.

bouicca21

Gosh @Brie as ghastly as that spaghetti sounds, it’s still better than the spaghetti I was fed as a child - came in a can with weirdly orange sauce.

Lindlou

I remember that spaghetti only too well.....

Janxx

London_1 said:

I no longer iron stuff I just can't be bothered to be honest and my right arm isn't good for lifting much anyway .As i live mainly in tee shirts etc and jeans its not a problem and I actually gave my iron away to my DGS when he stared his new live in job at a boarding school as his accommodation didn't have an iron and he likes his shirts to look smart when he's teaching

Life's far to short to waste ironing stuff, it goes on a hanger and once worn rarely shows any wrinkles ,but then I'm retired and can please myself what I wear  
JackieO xx

I am thinking todays clothes do not need the iron. I remember spending hours at the ironing board when my children were young in the mid 80's but now living alone maybe once or twice a year I will iron something.