What is your every day hack that makes your life easier or better?

[TippyThomas]

Saw something similar on Reddit today and thought it would be interesting to see what ideas people here may have. Mine is to use the 2 minute rule. If a task can be done in 2 minutes or under, do it then. Don't let small tasks stack up where it feels overwhelming. What life hacks do you use or live by to make things easier?

 

[barkley]

the plastic rectangular laundry basket is a wonderful invention.

when the kids were little it sat next to the hall tree so everything that went to daycare or school went into it the night before. in the morning i grabbed lunches/snacks while they put on the coats/shoes stored next to the laundry basket which then was carried to the car. at pick-up everything went back in. i carried it into the house/went through backpacks and lunch boxes and everthing went back in for the next day. no looking for stuff all over the place.

in life sans school aged kids it lives in the hatch of the car. no toppled bags of groceries, no tipped over to-go food containers. it has a new partner in the form of an old unwanted rolling desk chair that lives in the garage-garage door goes up, hatch on the car goes up, desk chair gets rolled to rear of car, laundry basket gets lifted onto rolling chair and stuff rolls in to be put away.

it's the simple things in life

 

[TippyThomas]

the plastic rectangular laundry basket is a wonderful invention.

when the kids were little it sat next to the hall tree so everything that went to daycare or school went into it the night before. in the morning i grabbed lunches/snacks while they put on the coats/shoes stored next to the laundry basket which then was carried to the car. at pick-up everything went back in. i carried it into the house/went through backpacks and lunch boxes and everthing went back in for the next day. no looking for stuff all over the place.

in life sans school aged kids it lives in the hatch of the car. no toppled bags of groceries, no tipped over to-go food containers. it has a new partner in the form of an old unwanted rolling desk chair that lives in the garage-garage door goes up, hatch on the car goes up, desk chair gets rolled to rear of car, laundry basket gets lifted onto rolling chair and stuff rolls in to be put away.

it's the simple things in life

I like this. I might have to give this a shot. I use my camping coolers now for keeping things together on my way home from shopping but having a basket or two committed to the task sounds like a wonderful idea.

 

[GAN]

Keep smiling….

 

[NYCgrrl]

Oh that’s easy.
When faced with teenage strangeness by DGD I repeat the mantra: “Not my child, not my child”
Almost works every time…

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

We hired a professional organizer, so it is so much easier to maintain our home. Everything in the main pantry is labeled, both of our walk-in closets are organized by color. Shoes are aligned by type. It has made things so much easier. It is $$ upfront, but saves so much time and stress in our lives.

 

[barkley]

Oh that’s easy.
When faced with teenage strangeness by DGD I repeat the mantra: “Not my child, not my child”
Almost works every time…

 

[Hisgirl]

I put extra trash bags down in the bottom of the trash can so when I lift out the full bag, the empty ones are just right there.

 

[Kitty 34]

Little note pads. I write lots of things down on them and as I finish something it's very therapeutic for me to rip off that little note paper and pitch it .

 

[TippyThomas]

Little note pads. I write lots of things down on them and as I finish something it's very therapeutic for me to rip off that little note paper and pitch it .

I use index cards and lists. I have so many lists. I live by lists!!!

 

[DisneyHardin]

Staying on top of the mail. I bring it in from the mailbox and sort it right then. Junk to the recycling, credit card offers to the shredder, things I need to deal with to the bill basket.

 

[TippyThomas]

Staying on top of the mail. I bring it in from the mailbox and sort it right then. Junk to the recycling, credit card offers to the shredder, things I need to deal with to the bill basket.

I seem to get much more spam type mail than anything important. I agree though, get it sorted and get rid of it quick.

 

[Kitty 34]

I use index cards and lists. I have so many lists. I live by lists!!!

So do I.

 

[Owlpost23]

Pull through spot in the parking lot next to the cart corral.Very satisfying.

 

[Figment Mom]

The primary bedroom and laundry room are on the first floor. I keep all of my younger son's clothes in my closet on the main floor instead of upstairs in his bedroom. He bathes and gets dressed in my bathroom. It is so nice not to carry his laundry up and down the stairs or have to go upstairs to help him find things. (The teenager does his own laundry so I don't have to deal with carrying his clothes up and down.)

I also fold all clothes straight out of the dryer. Eliminated the mounds of "need to fold and put this away" that I used to have and also helps with wrinkles. That seems more like a good habit than a hack, though.

Pull through spot in the parking lot next to the cart corral.Very satisfying.

That's the only way to do it!

 

[Donalddidwhat…?!]

I take a cool beer, wrap a wet paper towel around it and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to get it ice cold.
Works for other canned or bottled drinks, as well.

 

[NYCgrrl]

We hired a professional organizer, so it is so much easier to maintain our home. Everything in the main pantry is labeled, both of our walk-in closets are organized by color. Shoes are aligned by type. It has made things so much easier. It is $$ upfront, but saves so much time and stress in our lives.

I’ve a friend who needs this service desperately! She was a fashion stylist and refuses to let anything go. Think I’ll suggest your solution.

I take a cool beer, wrap a wet paper towel around it and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to get it ice cold.
Works for other canned or bottled drinks, as well.

Good idea! Putting a carton of juice in the freezer now.

 

[AgentMama]

Proscecco

 

[Imzadi]

We hired a professional organizer, so it is so much easier to maintain our home. Everything in the main pantry is labeled, both of our walk-in closets are organized by color. Shoes are aligned by type. It has made things so much easier. It is $$ upfront, but saves so much time and stress in our lives.

I'd love to get a professional organizer who will label everything.


I recently found a YouTube organizer, iOrganize, who has a tip that really helps with all the odds & ends things I just don't know where to put to find them again. Group items by "Cousins, Coworkers" categories.

"Rather than getting lost in drawers, or left on the side or a shelf getting in the way, place these things with their cousins – similar things that may have a similar purpose to the item; or their co-workers – things you use with the item, to help create flow in your daily routine and make sure nothing gets lost in the process."

https://www.youtube.com/@iOrganizeEverything/search?query=Cousins

 

[unrequited23]

Each kid has their own assigned color for socks. Makes sorting and matching easier.