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(81 Posts)
Sallywally1 Tue 13-Oct-20 09:37:18

What small, relatively minor change have you made recently which has made your life smoother?

For me it is taking a picture of post office receipts as I am always losing them. I do a lot of internet shopping and if I need to chase up a return they always want proof of posting. I write what the item was on it of course.

Anyone else?

GrannyGravy13 Tue 13-Oct-20 10:08:31

I take pictures of wine labels that we have enjoyed so that when we revisit a restaurant/wine bar or supermarket I can reorder/buy.

Lilyflower Tue 13-Oct-20 10:15:59

My Dyson cordless has radically improved my life by giving me more time. It used to take an hour with the old, heavy corded Dyson to vacuum my house.

I saved up John Lewis vouchers given for birthdays and Christmas to spend half a grand on the cordless. It now takes twenty minutes without messing about with cords and plugs, lugging a big heavy beast around furniture and moving things to vacuum behind them.

Or...

I do downstairs and the DH does upstairs with the old Dyson.

That way it takes me ten minutes. Win!

Knittynatter Tue 13-Oct-20 10:16:16

Supermarket home deliveries - saves me time, stops me picking things up that I don’t need, I can add things through the week as I need them and it saves me money!

Dee1012 Tue 13-Oct-20 10:17:22

I keep a notebook with a list of books I've read...this was after a trip to my local charity shop and buying two books which sounded great and that I'd previously read!confused

Theoddbird Tue 13-Oct-20 10:19:14

Click and collect...simple

Jaxie Tue 13-Oct-20 10:23:09

SallyWallyl, What a great idea, I’m always losing receipts, even though I have a tin marked “RECEIPTS”.

gmarie Tue 13-Oct-20 10:26:40

I duct taped some tongs to the end of two yardsticks so that I could change the light bulb in my ceiling fan without needing to climb a ladder. smile Since falling from a ladder in my garage and breaking ribs 20+ years ago, ladders have made me uneasy so I've always had someone spot me if I climbed one. With the quarantine, however, I've been all by my lonesome.

sazz1 Tue 13-Oct-20 10:27:00

Putting Hoover away as soon as I've finished using it. Puppy has now chewed plug off 3 times when it's left out lolol

Oldernewgranny Tue 13-Oct-20 10:33:20

I bought a Truecall Call Blocker which has been my best purchase in recent years. We were being plagued by nuisance calls, as many as 10 a day. The inconvenience of answering these calls became so stressful and time consuming. The call blocker has transformed our lives.

libra10 Tue 13-Oct-20 10:37:59

Some great suggestions mentioned.

Like Dee1012, I also make notes of which books I've read. I type them on the 'notes' app on my ipad. That way it makes it easier to sort into the name of the author, and easier to check.

Aepgirl Tue 13-Oct-20 10:41:39

I do my ironing as soon as the washing is off the line. It’s so much easier than leaving it in the basket until the creases are hard to press out.

Mollygo Tue 13-Oct-20 10:44:52

Phone camera - when I see something I think a family member might like for a present but need to check they’d like it, or haven’t already got it.
More especially, capturing pictures of faults on IT equipment to show to the technician. The location of the computer station and the trail of indecipherable text which means so much to him and so little to me, means I get problems sorted much quicker than having to screenshot and send from each computer.

Graygirl Tue 13-Oct-20 10:47:06

Bulk buying takeaway containers from Amazon 3 sizes so when I batch cook things stack better in freezer, never run out, also large address labels pound shop and pack of markers. Red meat,green veg, blue fish, black of odds

Moggycuddler Tue 13-Oct-20 10:57:57

Internet shopping. And phone pics.

notnecessarilywiser Tue 13-Oct-20 10:58:28

When I need to submit gas and electricity meter readings, I use my phone to take a photo of them. The gas meter is low down at the back of a kitchen cupboard, and to see the numbers necessitates much strain on my part - putting the phone down there is a much easier operation!

Ultralark Tue 13-Oct-20 10:59:56

Buying myself a much larger kitchen bin. Was constantly taking the rubbish out!

Gwenisgreat1 Tue 13-Oct-20 11:05:51

My Roomba, it swizzels round the floors while I do some cleaning!!

Sallywally1 Tue 13-Oct-20 11:07:10

Just remembered another. I discovered some zip plastic food bags in Sainsbury the other week and I have found them endlessly useful and not just for food. They can be wiped and re used. No more yogurt spillage in my lunch bags for work. Made by bacofoil, I think.

hicaz46 Tue 13-Oct-20 11:08:53

I think there is an app which allows you to record books you have read. I agree online shopping has been a boon. It’s great to just add things as you think of them.
I have loved discovering all sorts websites selling things and it means I can help small businesses by buying from them rather than from regular high street shops.

Auntieflo Tue 13-Oct-20 11:09:15

Some great tips here.
We also use a phone or IPad to take pictures of the serial numbers on the back of things like the TV. I shall now use it to take pics of receipts
I used to have an address book, and write book titles, alphabetically.

nipsmum Tue 13-Oct-20 11:49:46

Internet shopping and Tesco home delivery service. I get lots more time to myself doing the things I like and my dogs love having me at home.

yogagran Tue 13-Oct-20 11:54:39

For those of you who keep notes of what books you have read have a look at an app called Goodreads. You can enter books you have read with a star rating system, sort by author or date read and, if you use a Kindle, it will also enter books you have bought through Amazon automatically

Annaram1 Tue 13-Oct-20 12:02:29

Click and collect saves me from going to the supermarket, where I was always stressed about the possibility of contacting the virus.

Riggie Tue 13-Oct-20 12:07:01

Phone pictures and screen shots are great.