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solutions to petty problems - Page 2

post #21 of 47
3/23/08 at 12:32pm
Good ideas to think about. Next time I'm getting grumpy about petty things like that, I'll try to think up a quick and useful solution, instead of complaining We're moving in a week, so I'm sure to have plenty of opportunities to work on it!!
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post #22 of 47
3/23/08 at 2:47pm
We live in a small condo and have little storage place. We have a hall closet where most of it hides. This may sound silly but for years I've kept all my brooms,vacuum cleaner and ironing board right at the front when you opened the door. Everytime the ironing board would fall forward as I opened the door-it was so aggravating. Finally two weeks ago I thought to myself-why don't I move this dumb ironing board into our spare bedroom closet because its so rare I even use it. This has made such a difference because now I can open the door with ease and not worry about the dumb ironing board falling on my toddler. Its amazing how it took me so long to even think to change this!
post #23 of 47
3/23/08 at 10:05pm
Thread Starter 
You ladies have me on a roll now:
One of the best things I did recently was finally clip a lanyard on my bag for car keys. I cringe when I think of how much of my life I've wasted searching for car keys in my bag.
I finally worked out to put my lip gloss where I keep my toothbrush.
post #24 of 47
3/23/08 at 11:44pm
Maybe I am too drastic, but I would just take away the whole bathmat and tell him to towel off in the shower from now on.

That's what we did in my house when I was growing up. You can keep a nice, dry matt closer to the sink to stand on to brush teeth and whatnot.
post #25 of 47
3/24/08 at 12:43am
Thread Starter 
Madskye, thank you, but do you know that I tried that too, and basically it just meant that he trekked wet footprints all the way from the bathroom to his bedroom. Which wouldn't worry me except that we have cream tiles that show every water mark
And I'd keep one at the sink which would get his feet dry, but he only showers in this room. Does his teeth and shaving at the laundry tub outside his bedroom which is great. So, basically he needs a mat outside the shower to dry his feet (also the tiles are scarily slippery when wet).
He's a good kid really, and this isn't such a huge issue either, just something that I figure I don't have to put up with any more.
Yep, I also just pick it up any time I notice it myself, because it is just "small stuff".
But lots of small stuff adds up sometimes.
And I've tried calling him back every time too, thinking he'd finally get sick of being interrupted to go back just to pick up a bathmat. But no, he's a teenage boy, so
I really think the sign on the door is going to work for this.
post #26 of 47
3/24/08 at 12:53am
I thought of a solution for a problem today! I'm always irritated by my recycling system. We can recycle so many different things, but it always went like this: leave cans and glass on the counter til there's no room left, or leave cardboard and plastic in the small bin til it's overflowing. Then take it out onto the porch and find the dirty, half-filled bag to put it all in - or if I'm in a hurry, just set it all outside and wait til later to sort it. Of course, then it gets gross and I'm less likely to actually recycle it.

So today I bought four bins that sit on top of each other (and you can still access the contents from the front). I actually bought them for toys but realized they'll be perfect for my recycling. They'll only take up the same little area that my small kitchen, but I'll fit so much more in and then just empty each container into the appropriate bag.

I'm so happy with this idea
post #27 of 47
3/24/08 at 1:16am
I keep one-week menus with complete shopping lists on my computer. I have seven weeks' worth now. When I need to stock the pantry in a hurry, I just choose a week, print the shopping list, and jump in the car. When I have extra time, I plan up another week's menu, save it, and add it to the pile.

I too have solved my recyclable-bottle problem. Up until last week, we kept the giant plastic bags filled with soda bottles in our shed. Then I would have to nag and nag my husband for a month to get him to take the bags in and return the bottles. Now I keep the bags filled with recyclable bottles in his car. Guess what? They don't pile up any more.
post #28 of 47
3/24/08 at 2:57am
Thread Starter 
oooh, I just have to share this one. My DH just proudly announced that he had just found a solution to an annoyance too. He said, "You know how we keep tea bags and tea leaves in those two cannisters that look the same? Well, I was always opening the wrong one, and it was a pain. Well, I've solved it. I just put the lid back on the tea BAG cannister with the tea bag string and tag hanging out. Now I can see at a glance which is the tea bag one"... all said with a little boy proud-as-punch-grin.
"BUT", says I, "the cannisters have labels on the front saying "T-BAGS" and "T-LEAVES" in black and white clear as day printing, right there on the front".
AAaaggh... how little it takes to bring a big man down
post #29 of 47
3/24/08 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lillydilly View Post
oooh, I just have to share this one. My DH just proudly announced that he had just found a solution to an annoyance too. He said, "You know how we keep tea bags and tea leaves in those two cannisters that look the same? Well, I was always opening the wrong one, and it was a pain. Well, I've solved it. I just put the lid back on the tea BAG cannister with the tea bag string and tag hanging out. Now I can see at a glance which is the tea bag one"... all said with a little boy proud-as-punch-grin.
"BUT", says I, "the cannisters have labels on the front saying "T-BAGS" and "T-LEAVES" in black and white clear as day printing, right there on the front".
AAaaggh... how little it takes to bring a big man down
aww, poor guy. Clearly the labels weren't working for him though, so....
post #30 of 47
3/24/08 at 7:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hippie Mama in MI View Post
I keep one-week menus with complete shopping lists on my computer. I have seven weeks' worth now. When I need to stock the pantry in a hurry, I just choose a week, print the shopping list, and jump in the car. When I have extra time, I plan up another week's menu, save it, and add it to the pile.

OOOHHHHH.....I like that one. Too much of my time is spent meal planning and we end up with much of the same stuff anyway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lillydilly View Post
One of the best things I did recently was finally clip a lanyard on my bag for car keys. I cringe when I think of how much of my life I've wasted searching for car keys in my bag.
My new purse has this feature built in. It's really great.

The things I noticed and changed were: Putting the sheets in the room they are used in, not a linen closet. It saves me time from searching for the correct size and when a bed has been wet, I don't have to leave the room to change it. (Or worse, take the sheets off only to forget to return to the room to resheet it and have it bare when the kids are over tired and it's past bedtime )

I put all the DVDs in a zippered case rather than the jewel cases so that I don't have jewel cases all over.

Screwed hooks into the wall inside my kitchen cabinet for stuff that is easily lost. The peeler, measuring cups, baster, ice cream scoops, etc.

I couldn't stand the piles of soda cans that would be all over so I used one fo the 'camping trash cans' that collapse when not in use, to store cans before I return them to the store. The great thing is, it's not heavy even when full of cans, collapses closed when I am done and want to finish shopping and is leakproof, so no sticky residue on the carpet in the rear of my van every time I return the buggers!

Now I just need to find a solution to the paper clutter (basket or filing....not so good for me!)
post #31 of 47
3/25/08 at 6:10am
For me, it has been very annoying to deal with spice organization. Since becoming vegetarian I have amassed a large variety of spices. I buy most of them from bulk comtainers at the co-op, so they don't come in jars. I recently purchased clear plastic 'shoe boxes' and a few dozen clear glass jars and labels. I now need to find the time to go through the collection and bottle, label and sort the spices. My goal is to have 3-4 boxes of spice bottles that are arranged alphabetically.

I hated having the coats all sloppily hung on hooks by the front door. We rarely use that door as it is! I moved them to the closet by the garage door where we come in and hang the coats there. Eventually, I would like to put cubbies/hangers in the basement/garage to organize our shoes and coats and free up the closet space upstairs.

I was tired of never having space for clean towels in the linen closet. I moved the sheets to the bedrooms and downsized the number of towels we keep readily available. I vacuum packed the rest for when visitors come and we need more then 4 bath towels out. Now I have a mostly empty linen closet!

DVDs have been a sticky situation for me and DH- he likes the jewel cases, I hate them. The solution has been for me to get a binder and CD sleeves and to 'save' all the papers and inserts from the CDs/DVDs. We have way more CD 'pages' then we would otherwise, but at least now I don't have shelves of CDs and DVDs looking at me....

I was sick of feeling bogged down by our paper/bill filing system. We moved as many bills as possible to electronic notification only. I now have a few copies of our bills in digital formats and only a few paper files remaining.
post #32 of 47
3/25/08 at 9:05am
Thread Starter 
ErinBird, I label all my smaller bottles and jars on their lids, rather than the side. I used to keep them on the lower shelves of my pantry in baskets that I can slide out. I can just see the jar I want at a glance, and it saves shifting rows of things to select the one I want. Now I have a pantry with big drawers, and most of my stuff is labelled on the lids, as long as it's below head height. Mightn't work for you, kind of depends on how the cupboards are etc, but it just thought I'd share in case it's any use. Hope this makes sense?
Lily
post #33 of 47
3/25/08 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hippie Mama in MI View Post

I too have solved my recyclable-bottle problem. Up until last week, we kept the giant plastic bags filled with soda bottles in our shed. Then I would have to nag and nag my husband for a month to get him to take the bags in and return the bottles. Now I keep the bags filled with recyclable bottles in his car. Guess what? They don't pile up any more.

Wow, my parents just solved this exact problem in the exact same way!

Actually, the straight-to-the-car method works well for us with clothing and books to be donated. Clothing goes straight to my car because I'm more likely to be near a donation box, books go straight to dh's car because he's more likely to stop at the used book store.
post #34 of 47
3/25/08 at 6:39pm
those are great ideas
post #35 of 47
3/25/08 at 8:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lerlerler View Post
aaahhhh. someone figured out the reason that all my sheets have tone-on-tone stripes....

stripes go up and down.

LOL--we bought striped sheets and thought we were geniuses because they would be so easy to put on the bed because of that! Lo and behold, apparently we bought crappy sheets, because the fitted sheet's stripes go side to side, and the flat sheet's stripes go up and down!! Argh! Apparently sheets made by 8-year-olds in Thailand do not have the best quality control.
post #36 of 47
3/26/08 at 3:45pm
Hippy Mama in WI,

Would you consider sharing those menus? Menu planning is something I do but don't like--my kids are not adventurous eaters and my dh is no cheese, etc. kind of healthful eater and I'd be happy with a bowl of muesli, and apple and a good book--any help in that area would be appreciated.
post #37 of 47
3/26/08 at 4:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by suziek View Post
Hippy Mama in WI,

Would you consider sharing those menus? --any help in that area would be appreciated.
I was just about to do the same thing! Wow! I thought just as I turned on the 'puter, hmmmm maybe she would be willing to share those menu ideas? I seem to do the same 10 things. BORING!
post #38 of 47
3/26/08 at 6:46pm
I'd love to see your menu pages too. :
post #39 of 47
3/27/08 at 8:00pm
Thread Starter 
Aaaaghh, here's another annoying thing I found this a.m. that I've been putting up with for years. You know the springy rod on the ironing board that is "supposed" to hold your iron's electrical cord out of the way. You clip the iron cord on the end of the rod and it holds it up in the air, and springs back and forth as you iron? My cord is ALWAYS slipping out of it, and yet I need it or I find myself ironing the cord. Over the years, I've had bits of foam with a rubber band around it, sticky tape, bulldog clips, pegs, you name it I've tried it. Nothing seems to work properly. So, I came to iron this morning, and got frustrated again with the present arrangement of a rubber block with a slit in it...as soon as I pull against the cord, out it pops. BUT I'm going to solve this for once and for all.
What do you ladies do, or is it only me who gripes about this? Yep, I know, there are more important issues in life than an iron cord grip, but it bugs me to bits. Suggestions? There HAS to be a solution.
post #40 of 47
3/27/08 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lillydilly View Post
Aaaaghh, here's another annoying thing I found this a.m. that I've been putting up with for years. You know the springy rod on the ironing board that is "supposed" to hold your iron's electrical cord out of the way. You clip the iron cord on the end of the rod and it holds it up in the air, and springs back and forth as you iron? My cord is ALWAYS slipping out of it, and yet I need it or I find myself ironing the cord. Over the years, I've had bits of foam with a rubber band around it, sticky tape, bulldog clips, pegs, you name it I've tried it. Nothing seems to work properly. So, I came to iron this morning, and got frustrated again with the present arrangement of a rubber block with a slit in it...as soon as I pull against the cord, out it pops. BUT I'm going to solve this for once and for all.
What do you ladies do, or is it only me who gripes about this? Yep, I know, there are more important issues in life than an iron cord grip, but it bugs me to bits. Suggestions? There HAS to be a solution.
Replace it with one of those carabiner clips that so many people use for their keys?