So I was just cleaning up dishes after dinner and was thinking about some of the cheat things I do to make life easier.
I cook almost every night and I do the dishes and I do all the laundry and house cleaning. My 19 year old son lives with me but works 2 jobs because he starting seminary school next month. My daughter will help with the house on occasion but has her own home and little boy. Thank goodness I have a small house!
Anyway, my kids laugh at me because I never unload the dishwasher completely and I rarely unload the silverware out of the dishwasher. Its like I can load or unload but not both and my fingers just don’t like to sort silverware out. Some dishes go thru the dishwasher 2 or 3 times. Lol
I also discovered the crockpot. I can cook almost anything in the crockpot including steak and baked potatoes. If I’m having lots of bad days I thru something in there so its done when I get home.
I also have 3 laundry baskets in my room. Colors. Whites. Jeans. I don’t have to sort laundry. I don’t care if its ugly sitting out, its easy to grab a basket when its full.
I also had to set up 2 checking accounts. I put part of my paycheck in one small account that is for my small bills on autopay. All I worry about are the big bills and the ones my kids split like cell phone and car insurance. The foggy brain made me pay some bills twice or completely forget to pay others.
Am I the only one that’s has come up with “cheats” to get thru the daily house stuff? I’m always looking for ways to make stuff easier!
Sounds like you are doing a good job, MrsK!
I take breaks often my most successful way to get something done is to do it in spurts. Yes indeed on the crock pot, but I've never made steak and baked potatoes in there, but will keep that in mind! Making a vat of something helps too as it's there for anyone to help themselves to, when they're tired of it, if there's any left it gets wrapped up, labled and frozen!
Our laundry room/pantry is between the kitchen and bedroom, there are his and her clothes baskets in there, he gets much dirtier than I do so his clothes are washed separately most of the time, and they are where they need to be when it's time to wash!
I have bare wood steps, rather than try to navigate the stairs with an upright vac I take a dry cloth, and a wet one, I wipe them down, dry, then go back and wipe them down wet, and all the dirt is in one place at the bottom of the stairs to vacuum up, I'm on my hands and knees, don;t have to worry about me or the Dyson going down the stairs!
Hi MrsK, I’ve been known to pay some bills twice or put payments which should go on our joint Credit cards on my husband’s cards which he hardly ever uses. I pay all our monthly bills through automatic payment or online Banking. Once a month I check to see that all payments have been made just in case I forgot to renew an ongoing payment. I have 2 checking accounts as well, one for everyday type spending, and one for bills, mortgage etc.
I normally only cook dinner (if I’m not eating my husband makes do with whatever is around) and normally cook quite simple meals with protein (chicken, fish, steal, roasts etc), carb such as quinoa and salad or cooked vegetables or an omelette, gets kind of boring but makes things easier.If I’m feeling good I’ll cook stews, stroganoff, paella etc. We eat simple breakfasts such as apples and peanut butter’, greek yogurt, berries and granola, and leftovers or soup for lunch. Lots of healthy and sometimes unhealthy snacks around. Looking for crockpot recipes for the winter.
We were able to do some renovations in the kitchen and put drawers where possible so I wouldn’t have to get down on my knees to find things and built cupboards so the dishes are right above the dishwasher. Next big expenditure will be a fridge with the freezer in the bottom. Wish we could have done demos before I retired.
We also replaced the rugs downstairs with hardwood which is easy to maintain. Mind you it also doesn’t normally get that cold here.
Fortunately our laundry is upstairs where the bedrooms and bathrooms are which helps since not lugging much up the stairs. I did find a new tool for folding shirts, which works for other things as well (sometimes my fingers don’t really want to work very well). We each do our own laundry and share doing towels etc.
I have vacuums and cleaning supplies on each floor. My husband does do some vacuuming but he has a very bad back, he normally loads and unloads the dishwasher (sometimes it’s hard to find things afterwards). He’s also really good at going out to grocery shop on my bad days. I’m very lucky there is the two of us, and fortunately we’re both retired which makes it a lot easier than it used to be.
This year I’ve started working on putting mainly low maintenance perennials in the yard so we’ll have colour with not too much work.
On bad days, somethings just don’t get done. Thanks for posting It will be great to see what others are doing to make things easier.
Good ideas Mrs K
I think I’m going to have to split the grocery shoppping up and go every week just so its easier. I normally make two trips, one fairly large andthe 2nd trip to get more basic stuff like produce and meat. But I find it just wears me out. All the walking and worrying about getting bumped into, carrying groceries inside and then putting them all away. It makes me need a serious nap.
If it wasn't for my supportive husband, I don't know what I would do. He helps me a lot. I was a nurse for the local government (Health Department) and in November I had to quit due to memory issues, I felt like I was a liability for my patients, employer and myself. I applied with the state for my retirement disability and was approved and I have also applied for my social security disability and still waiting to hear from them. My best time of the day is early morning, so if I got something I need to get done, that is when I try to do it. I try to clean one room a day or maybe 2 if its possible, my husband usually takes care of the vacuuming and mopping, because he know that it truly wipes me out to do it. I separate the cloths and try to wash them and he will hang them out if weather is permitting otherwise we use the dryer. (yes, we still hang out cloths, we love the smell of fresh air dried clothing, plus less ironing.) If I overdo, I really pay for it that night and the next day.(increase pain, fibro fog, balance issues, etc.) I have not thought about the 2 different checking accounts, that is a wonderful idea, because I am always forgetting to pay something. I am definitely going to do this. If I want to remember something I have to right it down, I have yearly monthly planner that I carry everywhere with me, I would be lost without it, I am constantly referring to it. I also put my post it notes of my to do list in there every night to remember what I need to do the next day. I love to do wreaths and centerpieces for tables and I have a little workshop behind my home, and when I am up to it that's were I am at, that's how I get my relaxation.
I use the calendar on my phone that syncs to my email for all my reminders, dr appts and bills to pay, even some medicine reminders, just in case. I haven’t figured out an easy routine for house cleaning. I use several timers when I cook though because I tend to forget things in the oven.
I know most of us have clothing issues too and I have a hard time with shoes. I have a lot of issues with my feet. I was always a flip flop wearer but they make my feet hurt more now. My feet tend to swell and get hot so I don’t like tennis shoes so I invested in the thoms type shoes. I actually buy the less expensive brand but they are soft, breathable and they stretch. I know that sounds crazy but that was a huge relief to not have to try and figure out what shoes would fit on my feet if they were swollen and what would be comfortable by the end of the day.
MrsK!!! You are wonderful! Great ideas. Yes, I think we all have found ways to cheat.
I have not been able to wear flip flops for years...until now! I actually found some that have substantial arches and when I walk I don't have to use my toes to keep them on. I have been wearing them since late June and not ill results. I am amazed and very happy. The leg and back pain, even neck pain, caused by the old fashioned flat flip flops was devastating. No more! I see a lot more of these types of flip flops showing up on the market.
I have a large crock pot. I have been known to cook two different types of meat at once, like a roast and a chicken. This way I have meats (my husband is a real carnivore) for dinners all week. And for sandwiches or whatever. It works great. I use the turkey roasting bags so they don't end up tasting the same.
I also love to cook in cast iron in the winter. Guess what? They are too big to horse around all the time. I leave them out now. No more painful lifting. And I have a very large sink so rinsing them is easy too.
Thank you, MrsK.
LKitty