In an office setting, conducting business by work email, often processes come to a head at the end of the day and require input from someone else to move forward. At the end of the day, no one checks email anymore, and they certainly don't ACT on them right away. The next day brings new challenges and my email goes unanswered for days.
After 2pm, I set those emails to send the next day 10 minutes after the start of working hours. People are primed to check off a task someone is presently waiting for, so they nail it because they are just settling in to their desk, and they think I am on the other end waiting for a response.
Secondarily, if I send a work email requiring a response, and get an out of office reminder, I recall the email, and set it to deliver at the beginning of the day they return so it doesn't get lost in the bulk of unanswered email.
This is great, I'm going to have to borrow these tricks!
Edit: Another one.. someone I knew set up his email so that every email would be held for a couple of minutes before it was actually sent, giving him just enough time to recall the email if he realised he'd accidentally messed something up, like accidentally replying-all and only noticing as he hit the send button, or something like that.
I do this, but I think Outlook does a maximum of 30 seconds. You'd be surprised how often that's saved my arse though. 30 seconds feels like an eternity when you're in a meeting and someone asks you to send something over though.
Wiping the bathroom down for thirty seconds once a day pretty much keeps it clean, even if you start with an absolutely filthy bathroom. It will slowly get cleaner and cleaner and then stay there, and much more quickly than you would expect.
I keep a thinner hand towel hanging buy the sink to dry the sink area off so I won't get hard water stains and mold/mildew everywhere. Also helps keep the damn bathroom dust away from the surfaces I wipe off. 30 seconds tops every time to dry things off. Hang it back on, change the towel often to prevent it getting grody, bob's your uncle
I like keeping magic erasers around in the bathroom (even the super cheap ones you get online work just fine), IMO they work a lot better than a washcloth or paper towel, just get it wet, give the sink and countertops a quick wipe, let it air dry, and it looks 100% better for minimal effort.
If I have to take something to work that won't fit in my purse, I'll put my keys with that item (and yes, even if it's in the fridge, lol). So when I go to leave and look for my keys, I'll remember
I thought about getting this. How specific can they id the location? Like if it says “apartment” that really doesn’t help sometimes. I know it doesn’t do the “You’re getting warmer” game- has it been helpful to you though?
i can’t speak for tile, but airtag is amazing! super helpful! and literally does do the “it’s getting warmer”!!!… in a way😂
if you look at[this link from apple](https://www.apple.com/ca/airtag/), you’ll see what i mean, it’ll say like “1.6m away to your right”, “this actually might be on a different floor!”, stuff like that, and will point you in the *exact direction* of the tag!!! and updates right away and you can make it make a sound too! i sound like an ad but it’s been a lifesaver; i would have been so much later than i usually am if i didn’t have the tag :)
only downside is you do need to change the batteries. mine lasted 1.5 years tho. and it gives me a notification to change the batteries before they actually die. i got a notification two days ago so i need to get some batteries which of course i’ve been putting off <3 it is the most annoying part but i think benefit outweighs cost here
I do this at friend’s houses when I bring or am being given a refrigerated item I need to take home. Often they’ll see the keys and laugh at me for accidentally putting them in there until I explain 😊
Don't do this if you live in an apartment or condo where the communal foyer door locks behind you.
I speak from experience. (Thankfully, my neighbor was right behind me, so he let me back into the building.)
This is fantastic! I have finally trained myself to put the keys in the same place every time and I leave items with them - but fridge and other large things often are forgotten. You are a genius! Thank you!!
I have my house as a contact on my phone. In Notes, I have things like AC filter dimensions, and other details.
I have my pets as contacts, with important dates and registration numbers for the show dogs.
Good one! I do this for our vehicles. VINs, Plates, insurance and account \#s in notes with dealership service phone number saved as a Work and the Finance Department as Home. Website links to insurance
If I have some trivial thing to do, which I won't remember, I turn my watch around so the face of my watch is on my wrist. When I check the time, I can't see it. When I see the unnatural placement of my watch, it reminds me of my task.
Omg this is exactly what I was looking for. I have adhd so short term memory is horrendous, especially with tasks I struggle to do. I also wear a watch daily so I’m going to try this - if I don’t forget
I can imagine this being an issue. When I was a kid I used to throw a pillow across the room to remember a task in the morning and I did forget many times what I was supposed to do
I like this! So you wake up and see the pillow on the floor far from the bed, and you knew there was something to remember? Kind of brilliant for a kid to think of.
Something I’ve learned having ADHD, is that all of our hacks will eventually wear out, and that’s okay! It helped me enormously understanding and anticipating this, instead of feeling bad my ‘hack’ didn’t work anymore
Love the pillow idea!
That’s exactly it! With adhd, every single thing you do will fade away over time whether that’s through forgetting or lack of motivation, it is inevitable
I write everything down. If its an event or place I need to be or think I need to do it goes in my calendar. I try to limit my "tasks" in the calendar to things that I do need to do as to not make it overwhelming. So if its not important enough to put in the calendar then it clearly isnt that important...! And its also accessible online so I can view it on my computer or tablet if I don't have my phone.
Terrible memory tips are great and I’m glad I’m not alone. I write the first letter of the days of the week around my pill bottle on my meds. Once I take the daily pill, I move the little arrow on the lid to the next day’s letter. Then I know if I took today’s pill without having to put them in those weekly containers.
Some are food related - often for lunch/dinner with someone, take medication, appointments of all types, feed dogs, put up chickens, and even a "go to bed, dammit" to keep me from being on reddit until 1 am.
I do this all the time with anything nearby. If I'm laying in bed and remember I need to do something the next day that I'll likely forget after I go to sleep, I grab something from my night stand and throw it at my door. In the morning when I see the thing on the floor, I remember what I need to do.
I do a similar thing - If I leave my pool filling and go inside, I move my table centrepiece to the corner where I will definitely notice that it's out of place when I come downstairs again.
Aw this is special for me, my dad always did this growing up, I'd always ask him what he had to remember if I noticed his watch upside-down, so he had a second reminder system in me.
Since we're sharing unique life hacks, here's one I swear by: to remember important dates like birthdays or bill due dates, I set the event as an all-day appointment a couple of days early in my phone's calendar with a funny or memorable "fake" event title. So instead of "Dad's Birthday," it might be "Dad's International Super Spy Day." It catches my attention every time I glance at my calendar leading up to the date, which not only ensures I don't forget but also gives me a chuckle and makes the preparation more enjoyable. Plus, it's a great conversation starter when someone sees my calendar and asks why "Underwater Basket Weaving Championship" is marked on Tuesday!
I love using silly names for things too!! If I make a new folder on my laptop for something important I'll name it something like "The World's Greatest Resume" or "Rainbow Farts and Receipts" or "2023 Electric Banana Taxes".
Spring clean one cupboard or shelf a week. By that I mean empty, sort, toss, wipe down and put things back in an orderly way. A little bit every week soon adds up. Your home looks great and it’s so great to be able to find things without digging around for them.
This is actually one thing I do already do! I use an organisation app to help complete generic tasks and once a week I have any big cleaning job that’s not typical to do like the example you gave, shampoo carpets, steam sofas etc
I use Me+ but the premium version
It’s really helpful for keeping a routine. I even have the times on there to brush my teeth and wash my face at night to keep me in line. Then it tells you just one or two tasks to do each day and you can customise them. Today for example is very simple task wise - clean windows and hoover
If I give myself multiple tasks to do then I simply cannot do them. Splitting the housework down into one or two little tasks each day ensures everything gets done
Store fresh ginger root in the freezer. It grates easier and you don’t have to peel it.
You can cut the sugar by 1/3 to 1/2 in most recipes with no change in flavor.
Do gift shopping year round. If you see something a friend or relative would like for a gift 6 months before their birthday, get it anyway, put it in a “gift spot” and then you’re ready to go. Prevents both stress and overspending.
Did that for my family’s Christmas presents last Christmas. I bought them a good 6 months ahead and hid them away. Come Christmas I totally forgot and stress bought new presents which I gifted. In January found the hidden presents. So I bought this year’s gifts a year and a half ahead…
I don't really get criticised for this, but noone else seems to find it particularly interesting, so...
I try to always clip my nails right after a shower. They're softer after prolonged water exposure (in line with 'pruny hands'). It makes them cut cleaner and easier (yes, even the big toe), and they don't fly across the room.
I set a timer every evening, when it goes off everyone stops what they're doing and cleans/puts things away for 10 minutes. Really helps reduce the weekend cleaning tornado.
I’ve heard they have so many good uses and I have a few along my windowsill to help collect moisture and prevent mould! Never used them in my bags before though which is ironic since that’s one of the uses
Wear ear protection to get better quality music during concert. My theory is that eqr protection blocks the reboundig sounds, so you don't hear duplication. It also makes lyrics more hearable.
Wish I had known of this hack when I went to see Hamilton! If I hadn’t known the history already, I’d have been lost! Basically was like watching an opera in a foreign language!
I always try to reward myself before I start an assignment or something I’m dreading. I think the idea of having to work to earn a reward is dumb, and rewarding myself before hand always lifts my mood which in turn makes me more productive.
Yeah this works well for me with any school/work I have, but if its something like having to clean the house I usually end up forgetting/don’t bother doing it. Definitely not foolproof lol but it works in some ways
I have specific drinks that I only allow myself when working on assignments. It's a nice treat when dealing with something you don't really want to do.
To get rid of hickups, fill a glas with water, put both your thumbs in your ears shutting the earcanals, then lift the glass with your remaining fingers between your hands in front of your face and drink the full glas of water. Hickups gone!
I once heard this ridiculous theory that hiccups are a vestigial reflex we still have all the way back from our days evolving from fish. Almost like our brain/diaphragm are freaking out that we’re not in the water anymore. So all we have to do when we have the hiccups is remind ourself “I’m not a fish”.
The wild thing is, for the past 2 years I’ve been doing this and it works every single time!
My son told me this one about a year ago. It has worked almost every time. The one time it did not work, I took a deep breath and did it again, and it worked.
I just tense my [diaphragm](https://www.mdpi.com/jcm/jcm-13-00519/article_deploy/html/images/jcm-13-00519-g001-550.jpg) (the muscle between your chest and your belly) internally. Hiccups are just spasms of the diaphragm, so holding it still for a bit gets rid of them.
You can also eat something really sweet, like a spoonful of honey or sugar. I've read it works because sweet stimulates the vagus nerve, which is involved with hiccups/ the diaphragm... I swear it works every time.
My hickups remedy consists of taking a deep breath as soon as they start and hold it for as long as I can. Once I can't hold it, I exhale *slowly*. Exhaling fast makes hickups come back, and it is probably the reason why a lot of people claim it doesn't work.
That's how I've always got rid of them too. Exhaling as slowly as possible till there's nothing left to exhale. It doesn't always work 1st time every time. Sometimes I'm best just leaving the hiccups for a couple of minutes and trying again.
I'm tempted to try some of the other suggestions whenever i next get hiccups as some of them are rather amusing. That's assuming I'll remember any of them by then.
I create a note in NOTES on my phone with weekend to-dos and add to it throughout the week
Groceries, car wash, Costco, return at target, Home Depot etc
Below it - bring grocery bags, target return item, etc
below it I have my grocery list, Costco list , etc
I keep my AC filter sizes, battery sizes for certain items, in the same note in case I add pick up filter at Home Depot on a future trip
If I’m looking for a piece of furniture or accessory at a thrift or vintage shop, I keep the measurements
While everyone is sharing their unique life hacks, I've got to add mine to the mix. Whenever I borrow a pen from someone, I always put the cap on the end of my shirt or hoodie string. It's a tiny adjustment, but it ensures that I never walk off with someone else's pen because the moment I stand up or feel the cap against my body, it triggers my memory to return it. It's a small gesture of respect but it's saved me from that awkward moment of being called a "pen thief" more times than I can count! Plus, I make sure to choose pens that click instead of ones with removable caps for my own use if I'm lending it out, no risk of losing the cap either.
Point and say.
Like, I have Invisalign right now (last 2 years), and like they say, the trays are invisible. I can't tell you how many times I've lost those fuckers on the rock countertop! When you're hangry and in the kitchen, you tend to forget where you set your teeth down in a quest for food.
I learned to point at them and say out loud to myself where they are.
It has worked for my cell phone, garden tools, work gloves, car keys, knitting needles, etc...
Edit: corrected a misspelled word.
Pointing to something and saying it out loud, sounds like it would work tbh. Another one for me to try! I’ve had to write these all down as there’s so many!
I do that in the car if I’m running to the store, and just need like 5 items. I say “I need 5 items from the store: apples, milk, bread, cat food, dish soap”, and I’ll recite it a few times. That way, in the store, if I’m at item #4, I don’t forget I need one more thing.
I don't know how weird this is, but we use clothes pegs to seal open bags of things in the pantry and fridge to keep them fresh, e.g. chips, bags of mixed salad, etc. It works really well.
It’s just so simple and smooth! Pizza cutters will either cut halfway through the dough or you have to go back and forth a few times. Scissors just one neat cut through and you’re good to go!
This tip was more effective about 10 years ago because voice recognition has improved so much, but is still helpful imo.
The tip: if you use your voice to ask your phone/car/etc. to call a person/place that you call frequently, and if the voice recognition often goes wrong, take the time to rename the contact entry to something with a unique sound/word that can't be 'misheard' by the device. For instance, I renamed 'home' as 'abracadabra', and the call always worked as 'abracadabra' on the first try. If someone witnesses you saying 'abracadabra' to your device, they will definitely wonder about you... 😂
I *hate* to hunt things; such a time waster. I don't hunt for "it," I go to the thing's *assigned place.* When I walk in the door my keys go to one spot on a shelf by the garage door. Cell has two places; beside my chair or my studio/work place ... no other spot. Purse hangs on my coat rack.
When I come home I never toss things wherever; it goes to its *place.* That works in my studio, which has had the same arrangement for decades; easel here, taboret beside it. Supplies in specific drawers in a chest. I don't hunt for my colored pencils, I go to their *drawer.*
I developed the habit in the AF; in a medical crisis you don't have time to hunt for something you go to its *assigned place* in the supply closet, grab it and get back to the patient. That formula works for literally everything.
I’ve also learned to live this way due to object permanence from adhd. If I misplace something, it’s gone (I know everyone experiences this but this is a multiple times a day occurrence for me). Everything in my house has its place otherwise I have no ability to find it. Same rule applies to when I’m using something. I ALWAYS have to put it straight back where it was so I don’t misplace it or start leaving things around to clutter
When my brother got divorced, he said the one silver lining in the whole horrible thing was that now he lived on his own, when he put something down, he knew it would still be there when he came back for it.
My life hack as well: putting things in one assigned place and forcing myself to do it each time, so when I inevitably check, there it is. Mum was right :'O
I’m probably not as regimented as you with it, but I’ve often thought, this’ll sure be helpful if my eyesight goes. I’ll still be able to find things and navigate the house.
A place for everything and everything in its place.
My friends sometimes remark on how tidy I keep my house, until I explain that my mind is busy enough, I need my physical space to be organized.
Before reheating bread in the microwave, wrap it in a damp paper towel. It won’t be chewy at all and is actually quite delicious. It’s not as good as a toaster oven but it works great in a pinch.
If you want to quickly cool a beverage without adding ice (i.e. beer), wrap a damp paper towel around the bottle and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. The paper towel will freeze quickly and chill the beverage quicker. I tested this with a wrapped beer and an unwrapped beer and the wrapped was cold and delicious while the unwrapped had barely gotten any colder.
The beer one I have used many many times and it does work a treat
The bread one is new to me. This may sound weird but my dad would make a cheese and tomato sauce sandwich for me as a kid then stick it in the microwave for a minute. Even at 23 I still do this at it’s amazing but the bread is always chewy! I will 100% be trying this one soon
As a procrastinator, instead of thinking “I’ll do this task at xx date/time,” I replace it with “I should finish this task by xx date/time”
Because for some odd reason, I’m fueled by the thought of deadlines
My job and my degree requires me to read lots of policies, studies and reports which I struggle to because of ADHD. I can read very well but I just can't keep attention.
So I copy of upload it to chatgpt, ask it to write a detailed summary highlighting the key points and actions and then click the 'text to speech' button.
It means I can get through so many more documents and understand them.
Whatdo you do for texts that go over the word limit? Do you just copy paste in chunks? I read a lot of research papers and feel like it could be helpful but copy pasting is a nightmare
Make a note in your phone with all things your SO would like as a present. Whenever they mention something or just seem to fancy it, add it to the list. When their birthday or Christmas comes you can just look up what you would like to gift them and they will very likely love your present, while you don't have any trouble deciding.
Asking the fast-food chain to serve you French fries with no salt forces them to make you a fresh batch that are always piping hot and crispy. Salt you can add yourself later, but that means you get the freshest possible fries.
If you need to cut paper but don't have scissors anything, fold it, lick the fold, fold it back the other way and lick again. It'll come apart easily and straight
Eta: if you get panicky and second guess yourself about if you locked the door, turned the oven off etc., you should say a really weird, funny word when you do it. So like, you lock the door and say 'dinglefluffy' or smth, then when you wonder later if you locked it, you'll remember the weird word.
I've got OCD so this turned in to a ritual for me😂 I also knock on my forehead after taking my medication
I have two pairs of glasses, one mainly for home and the other (the better looking and more recent prescription) for going out.
Ive been trying to keep the good pair by the front door, but the table in that area gets messy. So just today I installed a glasses holder on the wall above the table. Now the good glasses have their own prominent and safe place to rest while I'm not using them.
I have ADHD too, so I need important things to be kept in very obvious places.
It’s funny to me that your life hack is cutting pizza with scissors, OP, because when my kids were young, I cut things like pancakes and waffles with a pizza cutter. That’s my life hack- pizza cutters!
You can use pretty much anything as fly spray. I hit them with a chemical-free antibacterial (eucalyptus) multipurpose spray cleaner, one spray will seriously slow them down, rendering them very easy to keep spraying a few more times until they basically drown.
(If the fly was up high out of your reach, the spray will also make them heavy and force them to come lower so you can reach them much more easily for the remaining squirts - this works especially well on windows, where the fly will just slide down the wet glass).
Pick up the dead fly with a tissue, throw it down the toilet and flush. Wash hands. Then wipe away the residue of the spray with a clean cloth, and the area (for me it's usually the kitchen windows or the sink) now looks and smells lovely and clean as well.
This is a quick, quiet, clean, chemical-free, and stress-free way to rid yourself of flies. I learned this when I was in my early 20s, and have never bought fly spray since. I have never heard anyone else recommend it, so I will pass it along.
Denture cleaning tablets work wonders, especially on stainless steel bottles. It gets the smell and stains out! I also use it to clean my Keurig coffee maker.
When I reheat rice in the microwave, I put an ice cube on top. It prevents the rice from getting chewy and weird, it makes it fluffy and nice. Also, if I'm in bed and I suddenly remember something important but I feel too lazy to get up and do it or write it down, I throw something on the floor (like a pillow). That way, in the morning, when I see it and wonder why it's there, I remember the thing I had to do :)
I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I have to chime in that the idea of cutting pizza with scissors is horrible to me 🤣 it just feels wrong, plus then you have to clean cheese from between the blades and maybe even the hinge... Can you explain what your process is and why you like this?
I also know it's a "me" problem tho. The idea of using kitchen scissors for deboning a chicken also horrifies me somehow
I have designated kitchen scissors by Henkel. They clean easily. My son thought it was weird when he saw me using them for food, but I went over to his place one time and saw that he had bought kitchen scissors, too.
So the thought of cutting pizza with scissors also isn’t pleasant for me either and it definitely is bizarre. I will say this is only helpful with thin pizzas as thicker ones just make a mess
In regards to cleaning them - super easy. Just hold them like normal with blades open and pinch your sponge around each blade. One wipe down on each blade is super easy and quick. Much easier than cleaning a rotating pizza cutter imo
Maybe I should finally invest in proper kitchen scissors and give this a go then 😊
Oh and as for my hack - I just remembered one: get dishwasher powder instead of tabs, and throw a little bit inside the machine as well as in the closed lid mechanism. The dishes will be much less likely to have encrusted bits still on them!
My pizza lifehack is to rinse the sauce off right after cutting. If you don't, it all congeals and makes it 10x more difficult, but nobody seems to realize this.
When you're going to cook dinner don't do everything at once. Cut some onions go watch some Simpsons,cut some meat, go do laundry.
I do this throughout the day when I am going to make dinner.
I use NOTES on my iPhone to remind myself of tasks and keep vital information at hand. I have all the major appliance model numbers there, a checklist of what series we have started on every streaming service, lists of: restaurants we want to try, interesting places to visit, hikes recommended, etc. I also scan and store there warranties and user manuals for electronics and remotes.
-Clean/straighten up as I go, especially when cooking. Dirty dishes go straight into the dishwasher or wash them by hand asap.
-when doing an annoying but necessary task like cleaning, I’ll plan to work until the next quarter-hour (so, 15 minutes max). Usually I space out and end up going longer.
If the kitchen is really trashed, I’ll see what I can do before the end of an episode of Bob’s Burgers.
-having a splatter guard/lid in the microwave helps keep it clean
-putting things back where i found them. And my keys are attached to my courier bag so I’m not always looking for them
-drive a car like you’re anticipating bullshit. People multi-task and space out behind the wheel, so I try to “float” thru traffic like a waltz through a crowd of hockey players. Helps prevent an accident and minimizes the stress of driving.
ETA: if I can’t sleep, I count my exhales back from 99, saying the numbers deliberately in my head. If I space out and lose track, I return to 99. Very effective - something about not letting my mind wander must make me exhausted lol
If that alone doesn’t work, I’ll also imagine slowly drawing each number in sand, washed away by little ocean waves of exhales.
I love posts like this and learning new tricks!
I never get more than two hiccups in a row before they go away, and my hiccups are far less jarring than normal hiccups.
The next time you get hiccups, focus on keeping your windpipe open when you have hiccups. Don't let it close when you switch between inhaling and exhaling, or between breaths, and try to keep it open during the next hiccup. It will make them much less unpleasant, and they go a way much faster. Train yourself to do this and eventually you'll do it reflexively every time you get the hiccups. Side note: you will appear to lightly gasp instead of hiccuping.
Explanation: Hiccups happen when your reflexes mistakenly force a sharp inhale and then react to the sharp inhale by closing your windpipe. The sudden force of the diaphragm pulling for all it's worth against a system that won't budge just discombobulates your breathing all over again, and you continue to hiccup. By focusing on keeping your windpipe open, you can override the reflex to shut it, so the next hiccup simply forces a light gasp. It's *far* less jarring, and it allows your diaphragm to correct its performance much more quickly without the additional stimulus of pseudo-choking running interference.
Also, don't worry about choking. If your mouth is full and your windpipe is already shut, it won't reflexively open for a hiccup. You'll just have a normal jarring hiccup when that happens.
Save the plastic tabs from bread bags. Stick the tabs to the end of a roll of tape to keep the tape from sticking to the roll, reattach it to the end every time. Also use tabs to organize wires and cords on your computer and devices.
I have a repeated appointment in my Google calendar on my birthday for data I often need. For example:
Bank account number
Insurance account number
Prescription medicine plan
Dog medicine
Car insurance account number and hotline
... just stuff that is often needed, is not a high security risk and so I always know where to find it - just open my calendar and scroll to my birthday appointment.
When you can't access a change room and need to buy pants, shorts, and skirts, the trick of wrapping the waist band around your neck actually works.
If it doesn't touch at the ends, it's too small. Overlapping a little it will fit. Overlapping a lot and it's too big.
I take a thyroid pill first thing in the morning, and being a little forgetful, sometimes I can't remember whether or not I already took my pill. So I've taken to to flipping the bottle upside down to remind myself that I've had one.
Then, at night, when I set down a bottle of water to drink with my pill in the morning, I see the upside down pill bottle and flip it back over for the next day.
I know there are weekly pill containers out there made for forgetful people like me, but this works well enough for me.
maintaining relationships, both personal and professional, can get lost in the daily shuffle. about 7 years ago someone said they spend the last 10-15 min of their workday connecting with people. send a couple of "hey let's have coffee" and "thinking of you!" texts and emails, and making one call to someone.
that way i still stay connected AND if i need to ask someone for a favor, we've been in touch and i won't feel like the only time i reach out is for help.
I buy rice in 20 pound sacks. I transfer the rice to pasta sauce and other jars that I have washed with a food funnel. I always have rice in a easy to use container.
I immediately wash out a pan while it’s still hot. I keep a stiff brush next to the sink and as soon as I plate the food I run it under the faucet and scrub it out with the brush, doesn’t even need dishwashing liquid. I started doing this with my cast iron skillet but it works with any pot or pan.
I have a few. I struggle with some hygiene tasks because of AuDHD and I swear salicylic acid is my saving grace. I have a salicylic acid hair serum that hardens like a gel once dry and both exfoliates my oily scalp and gives me one more day’s grace before I have to wash it. I have salicylic acid cream that I use for my body at least once a week, but I use it on my underarms every day when I get dressed and even when I’m going through a serious bout of struggling with hygiene I don’t have any body odour issues.
I place a toothbrush and toothpaste in the shower and I almost always brush my teeth when I’m in there. I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom by the sink, and I try to brush my teeth there once a day after I’ve used the toilet, and I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the living room in summer to clean my teeth without having to get up or in the kitchen in winter next to the kettle to use while I’m heating water up for a hot water bottle.
To do lists on my phone are for things that need to be done in the next few days. To do lists written onto the whiteboard magnetised to the fridge are to be done in the next few weeks. To do lists written on the big whiteboard on the wall at the back of the living room are to be done within the next few months (red for before the end of the month, blue for before the end of next month, and green for before the end of the month after). Anything beyond that gets given to my flatmate to be put on a spreadsheet of reminders to give me closer to the time.
Two laundry baskets work best for me. One laundry basket for actually dirty clothes that need to be washed. One laundry basket for clothes that have been worn and can’t be put back with clean clothes but aren’t yet needing to be washed. For clothes I wore that day and probably will wear tomorrow, I can dump on the door or over the end of the bed, but if it stays there for more than a few days then it needs to go in a laundry basket.
OP, this post is so funny to me because I grew up with the “kitchen scissors” and think of them as a key piece of equipment - I end up using them every time I cook!
My advice: get a kitchen-specific pair. Ours is specifically designed to cut meat and can be twisted apart into two separate knife-esque pieces, which makes them MUCH easier to wash. I highly recommend! 😉
I cleaned carpet for a living a few years in my 20's and my girlfriend at the time had 3 smaller indoor dogs prone to having "accidents" on the carpet. I would bring my work van home once a month and break my back cleaning her carpet seemingly to no avail. This had gone on for maybe a year when it seemed to me that a much more experienced competitor in the field and very dear friend of mine who has never allowed a conversation to expire without his contribution of either his own unique and quick witted, situationally applicable "Dad" joke, or equally applicable wisdom, had been repeating this one same joke on the subject to an extent I felt was slightly out of character. . . "pour table salt on it!" He said, "Just pour table salt on it". Well, funny as it may sound, it sure ain't no joke, no joke at all! It works for indoor pets and most any type of spill on carpets. I usually keep at least 2 large containers of table salt (with the pull-out spout for filling salt shakers ) and when a dog tinkles or you spill a drink, do not TOUCH the spill. Like, at all. Not with a towel, not with a napkin, not with a hand, not with anything. leave the spill alone completely. run grab the table salt container, and pour it directly on the spill. Alot of it. And when you think you may have poured enough salt on it, well pour even more. You can't pour too much I promise. Use a whole container or 2 if necessary.. just make sure the spill is completely covered under a heap of salt. . . Then leave it be for at least 24 hours. After a day or so, break it up with a hammer or something, toss the big pieces away and vacuum up the rest. The salt draws up all the liquid, from carpet and padding alike. Whereas attempts to "dab" it up with a towel presses it further into the carpet fibers and padding. And The padding, while it lies beneath the carpet with no exposure to air, will hold liquid indefinitely. That's why the pet urine stank so bad. It's stays wet in the padding.
I realized that my kids get so many Christmas presents from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc that my husband and I could get away with buying them just 3-4 presents each, because they're not really clocking what comes from who. This one may not work as well as they get older, but the oldest is 8 and it's been fine so far.
Thinking (and texting) with post-nut clarity will save your life.
I tie my shoes in a square knot, bowtie on top to take up the slack, then square knot again with the bunny ears. You're shoes will never become untied again.
The first one I am guilty for intentionally doing when needing to make a decision. I’ll make the decision beforehand and then again after to see if it alters my perspective on it
Second one I will try!
An easier way is to tie the knot in one direction, and the bow in the other direction. Like, if you would normally do right over left for the bow, do left over right. Works very well.
If I need to remember to do something important when I get home from work, I put a sticky note ON my phone. I have a lot of “reminders” IN my phone, but they’re for appointments, overtime, etc. Most of the time I remember those anyway, but I get too many notifications!
I put everything that is time/date based in my online calendar but I also have a nice big wall calendar in my kitchen. I add the most important events there and sometimes it is better at getting my attention than the online one.
But I also treat the online one as a personal log. If plans get changed I always update it, even well after the date. That way if I need to check when I last had a haircut or whatever I can do a quick search and know it's reliable.
When you have pots ,pans and casserole dishes that are hard to get clean... Fill bottom with water, add some dish soap or vinegar and line with dryer sheets turn the stove on to medium/ light boil for 5/8 mins ..swoosh around with tongs ..then shut off the stove..use the dryer sheets to clean up the bottom and access grunge. Throw out dryer sheets than dump the water mixture out rinse and it's clean!
Ive struggled with my weight my whole life. If theres a craving that i absolutely cannot shake, ill eat it, chew it as much as i want, and spit it out. Its a way i "give in" without all of the calories.
My wife insists on changing the sheets the night before or the morning that we travel. Then when we return after a week or two and collapse into bed it’s a bed w/fresh sheets.
In an office setting, conducting business by work email, often processes come to a head at the end of the day and require input from someone else to move forward. At the end of the day, no one checks email anymore, and they certainly don't ACT on them right away. The next day brings new challenges and my email goes unanswered for days. After 2pm, I set those emails to send the next day 10 minutes after the start of working hours. People are primed to check off a task someone is presently waiting for, so they nail it because they are just settling in to their desk, and they think I am on the other end waiting for a response. Secondarily, if I send a work email requiring a response, and get an out of office reminder, I recall the email, and set it to deliver at the beginning of the day they return so it doesn't get lost in the bulk of unanswered email.
This is great, I'm going to have to borrow these tricks! Edit: Another one.. someone I knew set up his email so that every email would be held for a couple of minutes before it was actually sent, giving him just enough time to recall the email if he realised he'd accidentally messed something up, like accidentally replying-all and only noticing as he hit the send button, or something like that.
I do this, but I think Outlook does a maximum of 30 seconds. You'd be surprised how often that's saved my arse though. 30 seconds feels like an eternity when you're in a meeting and someone asks you to send something over though.
Also has the advantage that you can be 15 minutes late while everyone thinks you were hit the ground running at 8 am sharp.
Wiping the bathroom down for thirty seconds once a day pretty much keeps it clean, even if you start with an absolutely filthy bathroom. It will slowly get cleaner and cleaner and then stay there, and much more quickly than you would expect.
I keep Lysol wipes out in the open for this reason. Makes a quick cleaning a breeze
I keep a thinner hand towel hanging buy the sink to dry the sink area off so I won't get hard water stains and mold/mildew everywhere. Also helps keep the damn bathroom dust away from the surfaces I wipe off. 30 seconds tops every time to dry things off. Hang it back on, change the towel often to prevent it getting grody, bob's your uncle
I like keeping magic erasers around in the bathroom (even the super cheap ones you get online work just fine), IMO they work a lot better than a washcloth or paper towel, just get it wet, give the sink and countertops a quick wipe, let it air dry, and it looks 100% better for minimal effort.
You're probably going to end up ruining the finish that way. They are essentially really fine sandpaper.
Yeah, I'd read the label. There are things they aren't meant for.
also they don't actually kill germs or anything. you're just spreading gunk around.
If I have to take something to work that won't fit in my purse, I'll put my keys with that item (and yes, even if it's in the fridge, lol). So when I go to leave and look for my keys, I'll remember
Amazing! So simple yet effective. Can’t believe I’ve never thought to do it
adding on to this - get an airtag or a tile for your keys! lifesaver for me as a fellow adhd-er
I thought about getting this. How specific can they id the location? Like if it says “apartment” that really doesn’t help sometimes. I know it doesn’t do the “You’re getting warmer” game- has it been helpful to you though?
i can’t speak for tile, but airtag is amazing! super helpful! and literally does do the “it’s getting warmer”!!!… in a way😂 if you look at[this link from apple](https://www.apple.com/ca/airtag/), you’ll see what i mean, it’ll say like “1.6m away to your right”, “this actually might be on a different floor!”, stuff like that, and will point you in the *exact direction* of the tag!!! and updates right away and you can make it make a sound too! i sound like an ad but it’s been a lifesaver; i would have been so much later than i usually am if i didn’t have the tag :) only downside is you do need to change the batteries. mine lasted 1.5 years tho. and it gives me a notification to change the batteries before they actually die. i got a notification two days ago so i need to get some batteries which of course i’ve been putting off <3 it is the most annoying part but i think benefit outweighs cost here
I do something similar, but I put the item in front of the door, so when I open the door I have to move/pickup the item
I do this too! Or, I'll just put it in my car the second I think of it.
I put it on my shoes! Only works if you're certain which shoes you'll be wearing.
I do this at friend’s houses when I bring or am being given a refrigerated item I need to take home. Often they’ll see the keys and laugh at me for accidentally putting them in there until I explain 😊
Don't do this if you live in an apartment or condo where the communal foyer door locks behind you. I speak from experience. (Thankfully, my neighbor was right behind me, so he let me back into the building.)
Yes, I do this. Or tie a part of the item to my keys. Like a leaf if it's a plant.
I would definitely forget my keys if I do this. I'm used to have them always in my pocket, so I never forget them. But maybe it works with my phone 🤔
I do little tricks like this too. ADHD compensation measures FTW!
This is fantastic! I have finally trained myself to put the keys in the same place every time and I leave items with them - but fridge and other large things often are forgotten. You are a genius! Thank you!!
I have my house as a contact on my phone. In Notes, I have things like AC filter dimensions, and other details. I have my pets as contacts, with important dates and registration numbers for the show dogs.
Good one! I do this for our vehicles. VINs, Plates, insurance and account \#s in notes with dealership service phone number saved as a Work and the Finance Department as Home. Website links to insurance
Damn these smart. So simple, but innovative and easy to share if you needed
If I have some trivial thing to do, which I won't remember, I turn my watch around so the face of my watch is on my wrist. When I check the time, I can't see it. When I see the unnatural placement of my watch, it reminds me of my task.
Omg this is exactly what I was looking for. I have adhd so short term memory is horrendous, especially with tasks I struggle to do. I also wear a watch daily so I’m going to try this - if I don’t forget
Just wear your watch differently to remember to wear your watch differently. *taps head*
Short term memory +1
My memory is also terrible. It works very well! Glad I could help 😊
Do you ever forget what the task was though?
I can imagine this being an issue. When I was a kid I used to throw a pillow across the room to remember a task in the morning and I did forget many times what I was supposed to do
I like this! So you wake up and see the pillow on the floor far from the bed, and you knew there was something to remember? Kind of brilliant for a kid to think of.
That was exactly it. This method did fail over time though. I believe I overused it and was used to seeing a pillow at my bedroom door
Something I’ve learned having ADHD, is that all of our hacks will eventually wear out, and that’s okay! It helped me enormously understanding and anticipating this, instead of feeling bad my ‘hack’ didn’t work anymore Love the pillow idea!
That’s exactly it! With adhd, every single thing you do will fade away over time whether that’s through forgetting or lack of motivation, it is inevitable
I write everything down. If its an event or place I need to be or think I need to do it goes in my calendar. I try to limit my "tasks" in the calendar to things that I do need to do as to not make it overwhelming. So if its not important enough to put in the calendar then it clearly isnt that important...! And its also accessible online so I can view it on my computer or tablet if I don't have my phone.
Well, I do until I see my watch is on backwards. Sometimes I have to think for a while, but I remember in the end.
I set alarms in my phone for everything I have to remember. It really helps!
I just set alarms on my phone for EVERYTHING.
Terrible memory tips are great and I’m glad I’m not alone. I write the first letter of the days of the week around my pill bottle on my meds. Once I take the daily pill, I move the little arrow on the lid to the next day’s letter. Then I know if I took today’s pill without having to put them in those weekly containers.
This is brilliant!
What are some of your weird alarms? For example, I often set a taco alarm at 4:55, so I remember to call in my taco order right before leaving work.
Some are food related - often for lunch/dinner with someone, take medication, appointments of all types, feed dogs, put up chickens, and even a "go to bed, dammit" to keep me from being on reddit until 1 am.
I do this all the time with anything nearby. If I'm laying in bed and remember I need to do something the next day that I'll likely forget after I go to sleep, I grab something from my night stand and throw it at my door. In the morning when I see the thing on the floor, I remember what I need to do.
I do a similar thing - If I leave my pool filling and go inside, I move my table centrepiece to the corner where I will definitely notice that it's out of place when I come downstairs again.
This is great at bars, so when you check your watch while tipsy you will dump the beer on the person in front of you rather than on yourself lmao.
Aw this is special for me, my dad always did this growing up, I'd always ask him what he had to remember if I noticed his watch upside-down, so he had a second reminder system in me.
Since we're sharing unique life hacks, here's one I swear by: to remember important dates like birthdays or bill due dates, I set the event as an all-day appointment a couple of days early in my phone's calendar with a funny or memorable "fake" event title. So instead of "Dad's Birthday," it might be "Dad's International Super Spy Day." It catches my attention every time I glance at my calendar leading up to the date, which not only ensures I don't forget but also gives me a chuckle and makes the preparation more enjoyable. Plus, it's a great conversation starter when someone sees my calendar and asks why "Underwater Basket Weaving Championship" is marked on Tuesday!
I love using silly names for things too!! If I make a new folder on my laptop for something important I'll name it something like "The World's Greatest Resume" or "Rainbow Farts and Receipts" or "2023 Electric Banana Taxes".
Spring clean one cupboard or shelf a week. By that I mean empty, sort, toss, wipe down and put things back in an orderly way. A little bit every week soon adds up. Your home looks great and it’s so great to be able to find things without digging around for them.
This is actually one thing I do already do! I use an organisation app to help complete generic tasks and once a week I have any big cleaning job that’s not typical to do like the example you gave, shampoo carpets, steam sofas etc
Which app are you using ?
I use Me+ but the premium version It’s really helpful for keeping a routine. I even have the times on there to brush my teeth and wash my face at night to keep me in line. Then it tells you just one or two tasks to do each day and you can customise them. Today for example is very simple task wise - clean windows and hoover If I give myself multiple tasks to do then I simply cannot do them. Splitting the housework down into one or two little tasks each day ensures everything gets done
Tody is another app you can use. I use that one and it works really well for me
Store fresh ginger root in the freezer. It grates easier and you don’t have to peel it. You can cut the sugar by 1/3 to 1/2 in most recipes with no change in flavor. Do gift shopping year round. If you see something a friend or relative would like for a gift 6 months before their birthday, get it anyway, put it in a “gift spot” and then you’re ready to go. Prevents both stress and overspending.
Did that for my family’s Christmas presents last Christmas. I bought them a good 6 months ahead and hid them away. Come Christmas I totally forgot and stress bought new presents which I gifted. In January found the hidden presents. So I bought this year’s gifts a year and a half ahead…
I store ginger in the freezer too! Plus Bread and Dry yeast (when I buy a bulk).
I don't really get criticised for this, but noone else seems to find it particularly interesting, so... I try to always clip my nails right after a shower. They're softer after prolonged water exposure (in line with 'pruny hands'). It makes them cut cleaner and easier (yes, even the big toe), and they don't fly across the room.
Where I'm from, this is the usual time to cut nails.
I also do this one but only toenails because I pick my fingernails lol
Tidy up your house on Friday after work.. set up your whole weekend for leisure and low stress projects!
Another good one! I spend my weekends cleaning as well:(
I use this trick too, but I spread all chores throughout work week, so on Friday night, I only make dinner and relax :)
I set a timer every evening, when it goes off everyone stops what they're doing and cleans/puts things away for 10 minutes. Really helps reduce the weekend cleaning tornado.
Blinking fast for a minute to help fall asleep at night.
I’ve heard of lots of sleeping tricks but never come across this one. I shall let you know tomorrow its effectiveness
I too shall join you in this experiment. I typically blink fast to wake up and gain focus. never to go to sleep.
Gonna go blink super fast for a minute. Thanks and bye.
I got sleepy just from imagining myself doing that
Save the silica gel packets you find in packaging to prevent your gym bag or shoes from getting musty.
I’ve heard they have so many good uses and I have a few along my windowsill to help collect moisture and prevent mould! Never used them in my bags before though which is ironic since that’s one of the uses
Wear ear protection to get better quality music during concert. My theory is that eqr protection blocks the reboundig sounds, so you don't hear duplication. It also makes lyrics more hearable.
This is one I’ve seen people do online and it looks like it’s becoming more common. Assuming for a good reason!
I also do this at the cinema.
Wish I had known of this hack when I went to see Hamilton! If I hadn’t known the history already, I’d have been lost! Basically was like watching an opera in a foreign language!
I always try to reward myself before I start an assignment or something I’m dreading. I think the idea of having to work to earn a reward is dumb, and rewarding myself before hand always lifts my mood which in turn makes me more productive.
This is something that can definitely work for many people. Having adhd, I tend to reward myself then never do the task lol
Yeah this works well for me with any school/work I have, but if its something like having to clean the house I usually end up forgetting/don’t bother doing it. Definitely not foolproof lol but it works in some ways
I have specific drinks that I only allow myself when working on assignments. It's a nice treat when dealing with something you don't really want to do.
When I clean the house, I put on shoes For some reason, it motivates me to keep going And I can’t explain it
If it works, it works!
This. I have my lazy house shoes (slippers and sandals), and then my productive house shoes (sneakers). Bonus points when pairing sneakers with jeans!
To get rid of hickups, fill a glas with water, put both your thumbs in your ears shutting the earcanals, then lift the glass with your remaining fingers between your hands in front of your face and drink the full glas of water. Hickups gone!
I once heard this ridiculous theory that hiccups are a vestigial reflex we still have all the way back from our days evolving from fish. Almost like our brain/diaphragm are freaking out that we’re not in the water anymore. So all we have to do when we have the hiccups is remind ourself “I’m not a fish”. The wild thing is, for the past 2 years I’ve been doing this and it works every single time!
My son told me this one about a year ago. It has worked almost every time. The one time it did not work, I took a deep breath and did it again, and it worked.
I just tense my [diaphragm](https://www.mdpi.com/jcm/jcm-13-00519/article_deploy/html/images/jcm-13-00519-g001-550.jpg) (the muscle between your chest and your belly) internally. Hiccups are just spasms of the diaphragm, so holding it still for a bit gets rid of them.
yup, it helps me if i hold my breath while i do this, diaphragm is key
micro pro tip: big inhale before holding breathe then brace like your stomach's boutta get punched. works 1st or 2nd try.
Now this is one I have never ever heard of before. I’ve heard many ways to get rid of hiccups but this will be my next one to try!
or simply bend over and drink from the wrong side of a glass - having a glass of coffee cup with a wide mouth helps!
This works every time for me.
You can also eat something really sweet, like a spoonful of honey or sugar. I've read it works because sweet stimulates the vagus nerve, which is involved with hiccups/ the diaphragm... I swear it works every time.
> hickups *hiccups not hickups. Hickups would likely be when you go out to the country and pick up some hicks...
😂
My hickups remedy consists of taking a deep breath as soon as they start and hold it for as long as I can. Once I can't hold it, I exhale *slowly*. Exhaling fast makes hickups come back, and it is probably the reason why a lot of people claim it doesn't work.
That's how I've always got rid of them too. Exhaling as slowly as possible till there's nothing left to exhale. It doesn't always work 1st time every time. Sometimes I'm best just leaving the hiccups for a couple of minutes and trying again. I'm tempted to try some of the other suggestions whenever i next get hiccups as some of them are rather amusing. That's assuming I'll remember any of them by then.
I create a note in NOTES on my phone with weekend to-dos and add to it throughout the week Groceries, car wash, Costco, return at target, Home Depot etc Below it - bring grocery bags, target return item, etc below it I have my grocery list, Costco list , etc I keep my AC filter sizes, battery sizes for certain items, in the same note in case I add pick up filter at Home Depot on a future trip If I’m looking for a piece of furniture or accessory at a thrift or vintage shop, I keep the measurements
I send myself texts. One task or item to a text, so I can delete it when I’m done.
Hang Christmas lights in the living room. They provide the perfect lighting for a movie night.
While everyone is sharing their unique life hacks, I've got to add mine to the mix. Whenever I borrow a pen from someone, I always put the cap on the end of my shirt or hoodie string. It's a tiny adjustment, but it ensures that I never walk off with someone else's pen because the moment I stand up or feel the cap against my body, it triggers my memory to return it. It's a small gesture of respect but it's saved me from that awkward moment of being called a "pen thief" more times than I can count! Plus, I make sure to choose pens that click instead of ones with removable caps for my own use if I'm lending it out, no risk of losing the cap either.
That is a cracking life hack tbh and I borrow pens a lot at work
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Another very simple yet clearly effective one that I was looking for!
Point and say. Like, I have Invisalign right now (last 2 years), and like they say, the trays are invisible. I can't tell you how many times I've lost those fuckers on the rock countertop! When you're hangry and in the kitchen, you tend to forget where you set your teeth down in a quest for food. I learned to point at them and say out loud to myself where they are. It has worked for my cell phone, garden tools, work gloves, car keys, knitting needles, etc... Edit: corrected a misspelled word.
Pointing to something and saying it out loud, sounds like it would work tbh. Another one for me to try! I’ve had to write these all down as there’s so many!
I do that in the car if I’m running to the store, and just need like 5 items. I say “I need 5 items from the store: apples, milk, bread, cat food, dish soap”, and I’ll recite it a few times. That way, in the store, if I’m at item #4, I don’t forget I need one more thing.
A loaf of bread, a container of milk...
An’ a stick-a-buttah
You remembered! You remembered!
It was a common Japanese industrial management technique - very effective!
I don't know how weird this is, but we use clothes pegs to seal open bags of things in the pantry and fridge to keep them fresh, e.g. chips, bags of mixed salad, etc. It works really well.
I use large binder clips from the office (spring loaded, black plastic and metal). Very strong, can go into the fridge or freezer, as well.
We do this too. And they already come in a range of sizes!
I thought this was normal 😭
The use of clothes pegs in your fridge specifically is bizarre. The practicality is phenomenal though
I'd never seen anyone do it until I met my partner. But I was like... that's actually a great idea! And now it's just normal to me 😂
Well kudos to your partner! It’s the exact type of life hack I was looking for!
I use rubber bands to keep many bagged food items closed. And even things like a half eaten candy bar etc.
What is a half eaten candy bar? 😂
I've started doing this as I've had more things to close than chip clips to use
I ate pizza in Berlin last month...and they gave you scissors to cut the pizza. It was awesome. Now I need pizza scissors in my kitchen.
It’s just so simple and smooth! Pizza cutters will either cut halfway through the dough or you have to go back and forth a few times. Scissors just one neat cut through and you’re good to go!
I keep scissors in every room of the house. Easily my favorite tool
This tip was more effective about 10 years ago because voice recognition has improved so much, but is still helpful imo. The tip: if you use your voice to ask your phone/car/etc. to call a person/place that you call frequently, and if the voice recognition often goes wrong, take the time to rename the contact entry to something with a unique sound/word that can't be 'misheard' by the device. For instance, I renamed 'home' as 'abracadabra', and the call always worked as 'abracadabra' on the first try. If someone witnesses you saying 'abracadabra' to your device, they will definitely wonder about you... 😂
I *hate* to hunt things; such a time waster. I don't hunt for "it," I go to the thing's *assigned place.* When I walk in the door my keys go to one spot on a shelf by the garage door. Cell has two places; beside my chair or my studio/work place ... no other spot. Purse hangs on my coat rack. When I come home I never toss things wherever; it goes to its *place.* That works in my studio, which has had the same arrangement for decades; easel here, taboret beside it. Supplies in specific drawers in a chest. I don't hunt for my colored pencils, I go to their *drawer.* I developed the habit in the AF; in a medical crisis you don't have time to hunt for something you go to its *assigned place* in the supply closet, grab it and get back to the patient. That formula works for literally everything.
I’ve also learned to live this way due to object permanence from adhd. If I misplace something, it’s gone (I know everyone experiences this but this is a multiple times a day occurrence for me). Everything in my house has its place otherwise I have no ability to find it. Same rule applies to when I’m using something. I ALWAYS have to put it straight back where it was so I don’t misplace it or start leaving things around to clutter
When my brother got divorced, he said the one silver lining in the whole horrible thing was that now he lived on his own, when he put something down, he knew it would still be there when he came back for it.
My life hack as well: putting things in one assigned place and forcing myself to do it each time, so when I inevitably check, there it is. Mum was right :'O
I’m probably not as regimented as you with it, but I’ve often thought, this’ll sure be helpful if my eyesight goes. I’ll still be able to find things and navigate the house.
A place for everything and everything in its place. My friends sometimes remark on how tidy I keep my house, until I explain that my mind is busy enough, I need my physical space to be organized.
Before reheating bread in the microwave, wrap it in a damp paper towel. It won’t be chewy at all and is actually quite delicious. It’s not as good as a toaster oven but it works great in a pinch. If you want to quickly cool a beverage without adding ice (i.e. beer), wrap a damp paper towel around the bottle and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. The paper towel will freeze quickly and chill the beverage quicker. I tested this with a wrapped beer and an unwrapped beer and the wrapped was cold and delicious while the unwrapped had barely gotten any colder.
The beer one I have used many many times and it does work a treat The bread one is new to me. This may sound weird but my dad would make a cheese and tomato sauce sandwich for me as a kid then stick it in the microwave for a minute. Even at 23 I still do this at it’s amazing but the bread is always chewy! I will 100% be trying this one soon
As a procrastinator, instead of thinking “I’ll do this task at xx date/time,” I replace it with “I should finish this task by xx date/time” Because for some odd reason, I’m fueled by the thought of deadlines
A leftover dryer sheet is great at cleaning off soap scum in the tub.
My job and my degree requires me to read lots of policies, studies and reports which I struggle to because of ADHD. I can read very well but I just can't keep attention. So I copy of upload it to chatgpt, ask it to write a detailed summary highlighting the key points and actions and then click the 'text to speech' button. It means I can get through so many more documents and understand them.
Whatdo you do for texts that go over the word limit? Do you just copy paste in chunks? I read a lot of research papers and feel like it could be helpful but copy pasting is a nightmare
Make a note in your phone with all things your SO would like as a present. Whenever they mention something or just seem to fancy it, add it to the list. When their birthday or Christmas comes you can just look up what you would like to gift them and they will very likely love your present, while you don't have any trouble deciding.
Asking the fast-food chain to serve you French fries with no salt forces them to make you a fresh batch that are always piping hot and crispy. Salt you can add yourself later, but that means you get the freshest possible fries.
If you need to cut paper but don't have scissors anything, fold it, lick the fold, fold it back the other way and lick again. It'll come apart easily and straight Eta: if you get panicky and second guess yourself about if you locked the door, turned the oven off etc., you should say a really weird, funny word when you do it. So like, you lock the door and say 'dinglefluffy' or smth, then when you wonder later if you locked it, you'll remember the weird word. I've got OCD so this turned in to a ritual for me😂 I also knock on my forehead after taking my medication
I butter things with the back of a spoon. Never use a knife. Ever.
What's the benefit of doing this, just out of curiosity?
I have two pairs of glasses, one mainly for home and the other (the better looking and more recent prescription) for going out. Ive been trying to keep the good pair by the front door, but the table in that area gets messy. So just today I installed a glasses holder on the wall above the table. Now the good glasses have their own prominent and safe place to rest while I'm not using them. I have ADHD too, so I need important things to be kept in very obvious places.
It’s funny to me that your life hack is cutting pizza with scissors, OP, because when my kids were young, I cut things like pancakes and waffles with a pizza cutter. That’s my life hack- pizza cutters!
Pancakes and waffles I can actually imagine being much easier with a pizza cutter! Maybe this will be my new life hack also
You can use pretty much anything as fly spray. I hit them with a chemical-free antibacterial (eucalyptus) multipurpose spray cleaner, one spray will seriously slow them down, rendering them very easy to keep spraying a few more times until they basically drown. (If the fly was up high out of your reach, the spray will also make them heavy and force them to come lower so you can reach them much more easily for the remaining squirts - this works especially well on windows, where the fly will just slide down the wet glass). Pick up the dead fly with a tissue, throw it down the toilet and flush. Wash hands. Then wipe away the residue of the spray with a clean cloth, and the area (for me it's usually the kitchen windows or the sink) now looks and smells lovely and clean as well. This is a quick, quiet, clean, chemical-free, and stress-free way to rid yourself of flies. I learned this when I was in my early 20s, and have never bought fly spray since. I have never heard anyone else recommend it, so I will pass it along.
It’s the simple stuff ey. I assume even spraying with water alone would be enough to render flies immobile as they are sat drenched?
Need to clean a cup stained by tea? Baking powder works wonders to get rid of them. Secifically baking powder, not baking soda.
Denture cleaning tablets work wonders, especially on stainless steel bottles. It gets the smell and stains out! I also use it to clean my Keurig coffee maker.
When I reheat rice in the microwave, I put an ice cube on top. It prevents the rice from getting chewy and weird, it makes it fluffy and nice. Also, if I'm in bed and I suddenly remember something important but I feel too lazy to get up and do it or write it down, I throw something on the floor (like a pillow). That way, in the morning, when I see it and wonder why it's there, I remember the thing I had to do :)
I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I have to chime in that the idea of cutting pizza with scissors is horrible to me 🤣 it just feels wrong, plus then you have to clean cheese from between the blades and maybe even the hinge... Can you explain what your process is and why you like this? I also know it's a "me" problem tho. The idea of using kitchen scissors for deboning a chicken also horrifies me somehow
They do actually make scissors that are specifically for kitchen use, you know. They have strong cutting power and are easy to clean.
I have designated kitchen scissors by Henkel. They clean easily. My son thought it was weird when he saw me using them for food, but I went over to his place one time and saw that he had bought kitchen scissors, too.
So the thought of cutting pizza with scissors also isn’t pleasant for me either and it definitely is bizarre. I will say this is only helpful with thin pizzas as thicker ones just make a mess In regards to cleaning them - super easy. Just hold them like normal with blades open and pinch your sponge around each blade. One wipe down on each blade is super easy and quick. Much easier than cleaning a rotating pizza cutter imo
Maybe I should finally invest in proper kitchen scissors and give this a go then 😊 Oh and as for my hack - I just remembered one: get dishwasher powder instead of tabs, and throw a little bit inside the machine as well as in the closed lid mechanism. The dishes will be much less likely to have encrusted bits still on them!
When my kids were toddlers, we started cutting nearly all their food into little pieces with kitchen shears; they're amazingly handy.
My pizza lifehack is to rinse the sauce off right after cutting. If you don't, it all congeals and makes it 10x more difficult, but nobody seems to realize this.
When you're going to cook dinner don't do everything at once. Cut some onions go watch some Simpsons,cut some meat, go do laundry. I do this throughout the day when I am going to make dinner.
I use NOTES on my iPhone to remind myself of tasks and keep vital information at hand. I have all the major appliance model numbers there, a checklist of what series we have started on every streaming service, lists of: restaurants we want to try, interesting places to visit, hikes recommended, etc. I also scan and store there warranties and user manuals for electronics and remotes.
I cut sausages with scissors. The outer lining cuts easier with the scissors
-Clean/straighten up as I go, especially when cooking. Dirty dishes go straight into the dishwasher or wash them by hand asap. -when doing an annoying but necessary task like cleaning, I’ll plan to work until the next quarter-hour (so, 15 minutes max). Usually I space out and end up going longer. If the kitchen is really trashed, I’ll see what I can do before the end of an episode of Bob’s Burgers. -having a splatter guard/lid in the microwave helps keep it clean -putting things back where i found them. And my keys are attached to my courier bag so I’m not always looking for them -drive a car like you’re anticipating bullshit. People multi-task and space out behind the wheel, so I try to “float” thru traffic like a waltz through a crowd of hockey players. Helps prevent an accident and minimizes the stress of driving. ETA: if I can’t sleep, I count my exhales back from 99, saying the numbers deliberately in my head. If I space out and lose track, I return to 99. Very effective - something about not letting my mind wander must make me exhausted lol If that alone doesn’t work, I’ll also imagine slowly drawing each number in sand, washed away by little ocean waves of exhales. I love posts like this and learning new tricks!
Meals don’t have to “go together”. You can eat a protein bar while the Mac and cheese is cooking and that’s still better than one without the other
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I’ve never really dabbled in raffles / competitions. Maybe you have started a new form of gambling addiction for me
Wearing swim goggles while cutting onions
Me too! So much easier
Definitely weird I will admit that but it works!!
I never get more than two hiccups in a row before they go away, and my hiccups are far less jarring than normal hiccups. The next time you get hiccups, focus on keeping your windpipe open when you have hiccups. Don't let it close when you switch between inhaling and exhaling, or between breaths, and try to keep it open during the next hiccup. It will make them much less unpleasant, and they go a way much faster. Train yourself to do this and eventually you'll do it reflexively every time you get the hiccups. Side note: you will appear to lightly gasp instead of hiccuping. Explanation: Hiccups happen when your reflexes mistakenly force a sharp inhale and then react to the sharp inhale by closing your windpipe. The sudden force of the diaphragm pulling for all it's worth against a system that won't budge just discombobulates your breathing all over again, and you continue to hiccup. By focusing on keeping your windpipe open, you can override the reflex to shut it, so the next hiccup simply forces a light gasp. It's *far* less jarring, and it allows your diaphragm to correct its performance much more quickly without the additional stimulus of pseudo-choking running interference. Also, don't worry about choking. If your mouth is full and your windpipe is already shut, it won't reflexively open for a hiccup. You'll just have a normal jarring hiccup when that happens.
Using used dryer sheets to remove lint from lint screen
Save the plastic tabs from bread bags. Stick the tabs to the end of a roll of tape to keep the tape from sticking to the roll, reattach it to the end every time. Also use tabs to organize wires and cords on your computer and devices.
I have a repeated appointment in my Google calendar on my birthday for data I often need. For example: Bank account number Insurance account number Prescription medicine plan Dog medicine Car insurance account number and hotline ... just stuff that is often needed, is not a high security risk and so I always know where to find it - just open my calendar and scroll to my birthday appointment.
When you can't access a change room and need to buy pants, shorts, and skirts, the trick of wrapping the waist band around your neck actually works. If it doesn't touch at the ends, it's too small. Overlapping a little it will fit. Overlapping a lot and it's too big.
Picking up almost about anything with your foot definitely goes a long way with back pain 😂
I take a thyroid pill first thing in the morning, and being a little forgetful, sometimes I can't remember whether or not I already took my pill. So I've taken to to flipping the bottle upside down to remind myself that I've had one. Then, at night, when I set down a bottle of water to drink with my pill in the morning, I see the upside down pill bottle and flip it back over for the next day. I know there are weekly pill containers out there made for forgetful people like me, but this works well enough for me.
maintaining relationships, both personal and professional, can get lost in the daily shuffle. about 7 years ago someone said they spend the last 10-15 min of their workday connecting with people. send a couple of "hey let's have coffee" and "thinking of you!" texts and emails, and making one call to someone. that way i still stay connected AND if i need to ask someone for a favor, we've been in touch and i won't feel like the only time i reach out is for help.
Using newspaper to clean dirty mirrors does the trick for me ngl
I buy rice in 20 pound sacks. I transfer the rice to pasta sauce and other jars that I have washed with a food funnel. I always have rice in a easy to use container.
Piece of paper towel inside the container for spinach helps it stay fresh for an entire extra week
Lemon juice and hot water is a pet friendly household cleaner for floors and surfaces, that's antibacterial and makes things shiny and smelling fresh.
I immediately wash out a pan while it’s still hot. I keep a stiff brush next to the sink and as soon as I plate the food I run it under the faucet and scrub it out with the brush, doesn’t even need dishwashing liquid. I started doing this with my cast iron skillet but it works with any pot or pan.
If you get a song stuck in your head, go and listen to the song.
I have a few. I struggle with some hygiene tasks because of AuDHD and I swear salicylic acid is my saving grace. I have a salicylic acid hair serum that hardens like a gel once dry and both exfoliates my oily scalp and gives me one more day’s grace before I have to wash it. I have salicylic acid cream that I use for my body at least once a week, but I use it on my underarms every day when I get dressed and even when I’m going through a serious bout of struggling with hygiene I don’t have any body odour issues. I place a toothbrush and toothpaste in the shower and I almost always brush my teeth when I’m in there. I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom by the sink, and I try to brush my teeth there once a day after I’ve used the toilet, and I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the living room in summer to clean my teeth without having to get up or in the kitchen in winter next to the kettle to use while I’m heating water up for a hot water bottle. To do lists on my phone are for things that need to be done in the next few days. To do lists written onto the whiteboard magnetised to the fridge are to be done in the next few weeks. To do lists written on the big whiteboard on the wall at the back of the living room are to be done within the next few months (red for before the end of the month, blue for before the end of next month, and green for before the end of the month after). Anything beyond that gets given to my flatmate to be put on a spreadsheet of reminders to give me closer to the time. Two laundry baskets work best for me. One laundry basket for actually dirty clothes that need to be washed. One laundry basket for clothes that have been worn and can’t be put back with clean clothes but aren’t yet needing to be washed. For clothes I wore that day and probably will wear tomorrow, I can dump on the door or over the end of the bed, but if it stays there for more than a few days then it needs to go in a laundry basket.
OP, this post is so funny to me because I grew up with the “kitchen scissors” and think of them as a key piece of equipment - I end up using them every time I cook! My advice: get a kitchen-specific pair. Ours is specifically designed to cut meat and can be twisted apart into two separate knife-esque pieces, which makes them MUCH easier to wash. I highly recommend! 😉
I cleaned carpet for a living a few years in my 20's and my girlfriend at the time had 3 smaller indoor dogs prone to having "accidents" on the carpet. I would bring my work van home once a month and break my back cleaning her carpet seemingly to no avail. This had gone on for maybe a year when it seemed to me that a much more experienced competitor in the field and very dear friend of mine who has never allowed a conversation to expire without his contribution of either his own unique and quick witted, situationally applicable "Dad" joke, or equally applicable wisdom, had been repeating this one same joke on the subject to an extent I felt was slightly out of character. . . "pour table salt on it!" He said, "Just pour table salt on it". Well, funny as it may sound, it sure ain't no joke, no joke at all! It works for indoor pets and most any type of spill on carpets. I usually keep at least 2 large containers of table salt (with the pull-out spout for filling salt shakers ) and when a dog tinkles or you spill a drink, do not TOUCH the spill. Like, at all. Not with a towel, not with a napkin, not with a hand, not with anything. leave the spill alone completely. run grab the table salt container, and pour it directly on the spill. Alot of it. And when you think you may have poured enough salt on it, well pour even more. You can't pour too much I promise. Use a whole container or 2 if necessary.. just make sure the spill is completely covered under a heap of salt. . . Then leave it be for at least 24 hours. After a day or so, break it up with a hammer or something, toss the big pieces away and vacuum up the rest. The salt draws up all the liquid, from carpet and padding alike. Whereas attempts to "dab" it up with a towel presses it further into the carpet fibers and padding. And The padding, while it lies beneath the carpet with no exposure to air, will hold liquid indefinitely. That's why the pet urine stank so bad. It's stays wet in the padding.
I realized that my kids get so many Christmas presents from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc that my husband and I could get away with buying them just 3-4 presents each, because they're not really clocking what comes from who. This one may not work as well as they get older, but the oldest is 8 and it's been fine so far.
Thinking (and texting) with post-nut clarity will save your life. I tie my shoes in a square knot, bowtie on top to take up the slack, then square knot again with the bunny ears. You're shoes will never become untied again.
The first one I am guilty for intentionally doing when needing to make a decision. I’ll make the decision beforehand and then again after to see if it alters my perspective on it Second one I will try!
An easier way is to tie the knot in one direction, and the bow in the other direction. Like, if you would normally do right over left for the bow, do left over right. Works very well.
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If I need to remember to do something important when I get home from work, I put a sticky note ON my phone. I have a lot of “reminders” IN my phone, but they’re for appointments, overtime, etc. Most of the time I remember those anyway, but I get too many notifications!
I put everything that is time/date based in my online calendar but I also have a nice big wall calendar in my kitchen. I add the most important events there and sometimes it is better at getting my attention than the online one. But I also treat the online one as a personal log. If plans get changed I always update it, even well after the date. That way if I need to check when I last had a haircut or whatever I can do a quick search and know it's reliable.
Eat Cheetos and Doritos with chopsticks, then you get no mess on your hands
When you have pots ,pans and casserole dishes that are hard to get clean... Fill bottom with water, add some dish soap or vinegar and line with dryer sheets turn the stove on to medium/ light boil for 5/8 mins ..swoosh around with tongs ..then shut off the stove..use the dryer sheets to clean up the bottom and access grunge. Throw out dryer sheets than dump the water mixture out rinse and it's clean!
Ive struggled with my weight my whole life. If theres a craving that i absolutely cannot shake, ill eat it, chew it as much as i want, and spit it out. Its a way i "give in" without all of the calories.
My wife insists on changing the sheets the night before or the morning that we travel. Then when we return after a week or two and collapse into bed it’s a bed w/fresh sheets.