Ideas to make life easier

lululu

Hi, editing this to make it a bit easier to find the tip you need :P

Mod YEH

Hi there I have just had a brainwave - it was an effort to sit comfortable at my table as I could not pull my chair in or swivell round easy. Now I can

I am now sat on a goood old Tesco carrier bag and it is brill I can sit down, swivel round to the table and back again. I am so pleased with this amazing new invention that I am getting dizzy swiveling. I will also use it in the car, don't care that anyone who sees it will think it is case I pee!


lulu

julie47

Hi lulu

to help me with laundry.

I have 3 bins. white col and darks

In each bin they are lined with the charity bags so all i have to do is lift out the bag and take it to the washer without dropping that one sock.

juliepfxx

dreamdaisy

I am now racking my brains to see if there is anything I do that could help others -

I do ball up dirty bedding (sheets etc) and chuck that down the stairs rather than carry it - that any good? DD

dorcas

1. If you have trouble lifting heavy pots to drain when cooking...... put the veg / pasta/ rice in a wire basket first before immersing in the pot of water, then when they're cooked you just lift the basket, complete with veg etc out. Much easier to lift and the water can be emptied, when cooled, later...

2. when needing to hang out washing and you have trouble lifting and bending..... put each item from the washing machine over your shoulder leaving both hands free and your body carrying the weight. You can then 'peel' each item off your shoulder...no lifting or bending...and hang it on the clothes line. works well in reverse too.
(you don't get wet...honest!)

Iris x

frogmorton

I also have a bag over my shoulder for the deap shift days and fill it up with things to go up or down the stairs.

Used shopping bag clips on my mum's zimmer to attach bags with things in - her knitting and crosswords etc.

Love

Toni xx

stlucia

Electric toothbrushes make life easier - whilst sitting on the bath board!

A stool in the kitchen so you can sit whilst you cook.

Wine :-) Now there is a good idea!

Carrying heavy things like saucepans underneath with an oven glove in both hands rather than by the handles.

A steamer over a pan of hot water.

A footstool by the sofa.

Chocolate

julie47

I can not peg my washing as as i can't squeeze them or push them on the line.

I use coat hangers instead and to stop them falling into one another OH has spaced pegs for me on the washing line.

Also as i can't reach a normal washing line I have a small rotary line that caravans use. It is height adjustable,

(This is when i can wear my leg) at moment using airers aaarrrgghh!

juliepf x

hileena111

I find with arthur in my back as well as hips stretching hurts....

I have got a device that I hook coat hangers on to {with clothes on} and I hang them on the picture rail as a temp measure.

I have a small stool I use to reach the high wardrobes....built and designed by a man of course.....

The usual long handled brush and dustban

My grabber {not always but if I'm very sore}

Love Hileena

airwave

Buy a petrol hedge cutter, does the job in less than 1/4 of the time of an electric one, heavier but for a lot less time and you don't have to trim as often.

A garden vac, does all the tidying up and shreds it as well! Like a twit I used to stand there for hours with a rake and a broom in my hands, oh dear.......

rachelj

I have a plastic jug that I fill up with just enough water in for my mug of tea and pour that in to the kettle.

Oh I am a huge fan now of shopping home delivery, no more pushing the trolley for me. I have been fortunate so far and the delivery man has always carried the bags in to my kitchen for me on to the worktop so no repeated bending to pick stuff up off the floor.

To add to Dorcas pegging out washing tip, I overlap items so fewer pegs are needed. Place item 1 on the line, put a peg on one corner, shove the next item on, conveniently draped over shoulder :-), and overlap them just enough to put the next peg on. Not only does it mean less wrestling with clothes pegs, its a lot quicker to get it all in when the rain starts :-)

Rach

dreamdaisy

The only tip on pan-stirring I can think of is get someone else to cook. Won't work, I know! DD

lululu

Use a travel kettle, it is so much lighter and ideal if you are just brewing up for yourself. Or buy a 'kettle tipper'

Someone mentioned not being able to reach the clothes line - I bought a cheap rotary airer and found that then I put it up it was only about only about 4 foot high if that.

At the moment I can not always get up to the garden so I have found that I can get a full wash on to a stand up airer if I hang some things on coat hangers, I then sort of 'walk' the dryer to the door and down the step and just leave at the door.

hileena111

Think it has just been mentioned...as I was catching up I thought a travel kettle...much lighter

Love
Hileena

nanarose

The only thing I can add is one of those flat duster things on a handle - you can slide it under things to dust and it's brilliant for reaching under the glass TV stand, as I can't kneel or get low enough to reach the back of it.

Oh, I have remembered something else - not exactly an aid to housework, but I find it essential in getting comfortable in bed.
It's one of those long body pillows; I use mine to rest my knee and feet on to sleep, and I can double it up to shove under my knees when I'm sitting up in bed....it makes a huge difference and you can get them really cheap.

lindalegs

To pull up trouser or skirt zips I have a little hook screwed into a small piece if wood (dowell).

Use a phone charm (bling) attach it to the zipper on your bag and it not only looks pretty but is useful too.

To comb the back of your hair tape a hairbrush onto the end of a coathangar, hang in the cupboard when not in use.

To dry hair put hairdryer into a large vase on a worktop/dining table, sit and dry hair by moving your head around the air flow.

Slide hot pans along a work service instead of carrying them.

To dry yourself after a shower or bath lay a bath sheet/towel onto the bed and lay on it, have a little wriggle too, :shock: if you have the ability.

I'll shut up now.

Luv Legs who is one of the old timers

lululu

I have another simple one which I am finding really usefull- I use a ringbinder file with plastic pockets for all new bills to pay, letters and any paperwork which I need to keep. I put all the new stuff in as I get it then it is not lying around in drawers so that I have to hobble around the house looking for it when I need it. Then when I am feeling better ( I know I will someday) I will transfer all important stuff to it's proper place.

I find this really useful because I tend to put things away safe and forget where :roll:

coco67

I get a lot of pain in my hands when its cold and they refuse to work so i carry little pocket warmers in my coat pocket and use them when im out, keep my fingers nice and warm and i can get my own money out of my purse without dropping/throwing it every where

carola

Only one I can think of is for my pills. I take lots of them like everyone else and quite often stay over at other house and when taking so many at one time I forget what I have taken and what I haven't in the space of a few seconds.

So, I bought a makeup vanity case which is box like and sturdy and all my pills live in there. When I take a pill I put the box in the lid whilst I take the others so I know what I have taken. And as they are all in one place with my jet set lifestyle (not!) I can just grab them and go.

Not as inventive and creative as everyone else but it helps me!
Carolx

dreamdaisy

On my mobile phone, in a folder thingy headed ICE, I have a list of all my drugs and dosages (which reminds me, I have to change the steroid one). This is in case I get into trouble when out and about. DD

julie47

morning everyone

everyone putting some real thought into this one.

I have ICE in my phone with OH and Daughter ICE1 and ICE2

now DD i will have to have ICE3 good idea to add meds

In winter when i wear me hat, Its a game throwin it on head but when I succeed I put it in place with the curly end of long handled shoe horn.


juliepf x

lindalegs

To add to the mobile phone tips, in my contacts on the phone after the name of a family member I put 'son', 'husband', 'sister', etc so that if I'm involved in an accident anyone looking at my mobile phone will know who's who and who to phone.

Luv Legs

airwave

Steam iron, I use a steam generator from Ar&&s, ten times easier to iron, just use boiled water from kettle once filter cartridge runs out.

I use a very large knife when vegetable chopping, much easier to hold a large handle.

Carrying things round the kitchen, I tend to use two hands rather than one, it saves the OH's best china!

Always have a small penknife in my pocket, can't open plastic wrapping otherwise, a small tear and it comes off easier.

dorcas

To reduce the pressure on hands/ fingers when using kitchen knives, spoons, cutlery; buy a length of narrow gauge foam pipe insulation... then cut it into 4ins pieces so that you can slot one over the handle of each spoon, fork etc. It broadens your grip and is easier for sore hands to hold.

Stirring pots... broaden your grip as suggested above with pipe foam on the handle..then instead of the usual way of gripping..hold it as though you were holding a plunger or stirring a witches cauldron! the spoon will be vertical with spoon head down This takes all the pressure off your fingers and wrists!

dusting... use a cloth mitt, that way you're not having to grip a cloth, and it doesn't fall off your hand. use a mitt too for cleaning windows....same principle.

If you have problems with door handles (the rose shaped type) change them to drop down handles ; you can then use your elbow to push down and open the door.

garden pot stands with wheels can be used indoors too for moving heavy items.

Iris x

coco67

There are some fantastic ideas in here, thankyou.

When i was a carer one of my clients used to put a bar of soap in one of those net bags you get with washing tablets for the machine. she then hung it on a hook in the shower at hand height so she could reach it without streaching or dropping it on the floor. it worked too. you can add a bit of ribbon to the tie to make it longer if you want.
attatch the bag to ribbon and tie to the shower or a hook and leave it attatched, if you drop it just pull it back off the floor by the string.

two bath towels sewn to make a poncho (use poppers if easier and throw that on when out of bath to dry, keeps you warm also.

lululu

While we are in the bathroom I buy shower stuff with screw tops and just punch a hole in the top with a knife - saves having to unscrew alll the time and if you drop it you do not loose it all as you would if you just left the top of.

I also have an ordinary toilet brush which I keep on the edge of the bath to use to clean the bath saves sooo much effort, just make sure if other other people live with you that they know that brush is just for the bath.

lululu

A lot of bottles with screw tops could have a hole punched through the top cooking oil, cleaning stuff etc.