Small tricks that make everyday life easier.
- Roll clothes instead of folding. They take less space and wrinkle less. - Lay everything out, then put back a third. You always pack more than you wear. - Wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket on the journey. - Pack a charger and a change of clothes in your hand luggage in case your bag goes missin…
- Same wake-up time every day, weekends included. This matters more than bedtime. - Daylight in the morning, even 10 minutes outside, sets your body clock. - No caffeine after early afternoon. It stays in your system for many hours. - Cool, dark room. Around 18 degrees C is ideal for most people. -…
- Microwave: heat a bowl of water with a few lemon slices for 3 minutes, leave the door shut for 5 more, then wipe. Everything comes off easily. - Limescale on taps: wrap a cloth soaked in white vinegar around it for an hour, then wipe. - Stuck-on pans: cover the bottom with water and a little dish…
If something takes less than two minutes, do it now instead of adding it to a list. Reply to that message. Put the dish in the dishwasher. Pay that bill. Writing it down and remembering it later takes more effort than just doing it. For bigger things, use the other half of the rule: start for two m…
- Plan meals for the week first, then write the list from the plan. Impulse buys are where budgets leak. - Never shop hungry. It's a cliche because it's true. - Compare the unit price (per kg or per litre) on the shelf label, not the pack price. - Look high and low. The most expensive brands are us…
- Freeze bread sliced. Toast slices straight from the freezer. - Wrap herbs in a damp paper towel and keep them in a bag in the fridge. They last days longer. - Too much salt in a soup? Add more liquid, or a splash of acid like lemon juice to balance it. (The potato trick doesn't really work.) - Br…
For anything that isn't a need and costs more than you'd spend without thinking, wait 24 hours before buying it. Put it in your basket, close the tab, and come back tomorrow. Half the time you won't care anymore. The other half, you'll buy it knowing you really wanted it. Variations people use: - O…
- Check the soil, not the calendar. Push a finger in up to the second knuckle. Dry? Water. Damp? Wait. - Overwatering kills more plants than forgetting. Pots must have drainage holes; tip out water that collects in the saucer. - Match the plant to the light. Low light: snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos…
- Avoid heat. Heat ages batteries faster than anything. Don't charge under a pillow or leave the phone on a car dashboard. - Stay roughly between 20% and 80% when it's easy to. Most phones now have a setting that stops charging at 80% or learns your routine. Turn it on. - Screen brightness is the b…
- Practise out loud, not in your head. At least three times, standing up, with a timer. - Know your first 30 seconds by heart. Nerves are worst at the start; once you're going, it gets easier. - Slow breathing: breathe in for 4, out for 6, a few times before you start. A longer out-breath calms you…
These work on Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo: - "exact phrase" in quotes finds only that exact wording. - -word leaves out results with that word. Example: jaguar -car - site:reddit.com searches inside one site only. - filetype:pdf finds PDFs, handy for manuals and reports. - before:2020 or after:2023…
- Download offline maps before you travel. In Google Maps, tap your profile picture, then Offline maps. Directions work with no signal. - Share your live location with a friend for a set time when walking home late. - Check "busy times" for shops, gyms and restaurants before you go. - Add stops to…
Learn three this week and they'll be automatic by next week. Everywhere (Windows / Mac) - Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z: undo. Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z redoes. - Ctrl+F / Cmd+F: find on the page. - Ctrl+Shift+V / Cmd+Shift+Option+V: paste without formatting. Browser - Ctrl+Shift+T / Cmd+Shift+T: reopen the tab you…
Act fast and blot, don't rub. Always check the care label, and test on a hidden spot first. - Coffee and tea: rinse from the back with cold water, then rub in a little washing-up liquid. - Grease and oil: cover with washing-up liquid, leave 10 minutes, wash as hot as the fabric allows. - Red wine:…
- Phone in another room. Not face down on the desk. Out of reach. Studies keep finding that even a silent phone nearby pulls at your attention. - 25 minutes on, 5 off (the Pomodoro technique). Set a timer. Starting is easier when there's an end in sight. - Write down distractions on a piece of pape…
- Find the standby hogs. TVs, consoles and old chargers on standby can add up. A switchable power strip makes turning them all off one click. - Wash clothes at 30 degrees. Most of a washing machine's energy goes into heating water. - Fill the dishwasher before running it, and use the eco setting. I…
- Wipe the lens. A greasy lens is the most common reason for hazy photos. Use your shirt. - Tap to focus on what matters, then slide up or down to adjust brightness. - Turn on the grid in camera settings and put your subject on one of the lines, not in the dead centre. - Don't zoom with your finger…
- Say it back straight away: "Nice to meet you, Priya." Saying it out loud is the best single trick. - Use it once more in the conversation, naturally. - Link it to something: Priya who just moved from Leeds. The detail is the hook your memory hangs the name on. - Ask if you missed it. "Sorry, how…
- Schedule send. Write the email tonight, send it at 9 tomorrow. Gmail and Outlook both have it next to the Send button. - Undo send. Turn on the longest delay (30 seconds in Gmail). It has saved many people. - Filters for the noise. Anything from shops, newsletters or notifications can skip the in…