HouseShiz Tips/ Tricks/ Hacks

[secretlyevil]

Jan 4, 2020 11:40:38 GMT -5 carmenere said:

Jan 3, 2020 4:23:24 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

My husband gets two kinds of socks: one white, one black. That way they all match each other without effort.

Maybe this is weird but...I number all my pairs of white socks with permanent marker so I can always find the right match.

A friend of mine did that with her white running socks.

[centralsquare]

Jan 2, 2020 19:52:16 GMT -5 al dente said:

Jan 2, 2020 9:50:43 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Reminder to go through your bathroom cupboards and medicine. I organized our bathroom drawers yesterday, and we had so much stuff (cold medicine, etc.) that was expired.

This was just a debate in my house. Can OTC medicine go in the garbage? Or should it be dropped off in a medicine bin they have at the doctors office?
I know stuff like antibiotics aren’t suppose to go in the trash. I think anyways, now I’m not sure where I got that from...

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

[heyjude]

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 2, 2020 19:52:16 GMT -5 al dente said:

This was just a debate in my house. Can OTC medicine go in the garbage? Or should it be dropped off in a medicine bin they have at the doctors office?
I know stuff like antibiotics aren’t suppose to go in the trash. I think anyways, now I’m not sure where I got that from...

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

But “finished” doesn’t mean you use the whole bottle.

[VillainV]

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 2, 2020 19:52:16 GMT -5 al dente said:

This was just a debate in my house. Can OTC medicine go in the garbage? Or should it be dropped off in a medicine bin they have at the doctors office?
I know stuff like antibiotics aren’t suppose to go in the trash. I think anyways, now I’m not sure where I got that from...

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

Often with the liquid kind, they give us extra. We finish the number of days at the specified dose, but still have some left over. I always feel weird about just dumping it down the sink.

[jackie011]

Jan 2, 2020 19:52:16 GMT -5 al dente said:

Jan 2, 2020 9:50:43 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Reminder to go through your bathroom cupboards and medicine. I organized our bathroom drawers yesterday, and we had so much stuff (cold medicine, etc.) that was expired.

This was just a debate in my house. Can OTC medicine go in the garbage? Or should it be dropped off in a medicine bin they have at the doctors office?
I know stuff like antibiotics aren’t suppose to go in the trash. I think anyways, now I’m not sure where I got that from...

Thanks to this thread, I just took a ton of stuff to our pharmacy. They took everything, including OTC meds. He first asked if I had any controlled substances because they cannot take those, but they can give a package to mail them to a central location.

[scout8]

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 2, 2020 19:52:16 GMT -5 al dente said:

This was just a debate in my house. Can OTC medicine go in the garbage? Or should it be dropped off in a medicine bin they have at the doctors office?
I know stuff like antibiotics aren’t suppose to go in the trash. I think anyways, now I’m not sure where I got that from...

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

I don't think is is always the case anymore. I know when it comes to traveler's diarrhea, they now recommend you stop when you are feeling better. I'm not sure if this applies to any other issues.

[centralsquare]

Jan 4, 2020 18:23:17 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

But “finished” doesn’t mean you use the whole bottle.

It should. Why would the pharmacist give you more than the course the doctor prescribed?

[centralsquare]

Jan 4, 2020 18:23:26 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

Often with the liquid kind, they give us extra. We finish the number of days at the specified dose, but still have some left over. I always feel weird about just dumping it down the sink.

@@@@
Huh. I’ve never received liquid antibiotics. Is that for kids?

[VillainV]

Jan 4, 2020 21:34:01 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 4, 2020 18:23:26 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Often with the liquid kind, they give us extra. We finish the number of days at the specified dose, but still have some left over. I always feel weird about just dumping it down the sink.

Huh. I’ve never received liquid antibiotics. Is that for kids?

@@@@@@@@

Yes, kids get the liquid. You either have to measure it into a syringe (no needle obviously) to squirt in their mouth, or have to pour into one of those little plastic cups. They give you extra because sometimes your kid spits it all out or spills some or whatever. It seems like there’s usually at least 30% more than what’s prescribed.

[wanderingback]

Jan 4, 2020 20:40:46 GMT -5 scout8 said:

Jan 4, 2020 17:15:19 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Antibiotics should be finished, even when you are feeling better.

I don't think is is always the case anymore. I know when it comes to traveler's diarrhea, they now recommend you stop when you are feeling better. I'm not sure if this applies to any other issues.

Yes antibiotic stewardship has become super important. Definitely cutting back on length of days we prescribe for as there often wasn’t good data for the length that would be recommended. Def good thing to talk to your doctor about!

[wanderingback]

Jan 4, 2020 21:34:01 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 4, 2020 18:23:26 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Often with the liquid kind, they give us extra. We finish the number of days at the specified dose, but still have some left over. I always feel weird about just dumping it down the sink.

Huh. I’ve never received liquid antibiotics.
@@@@@@
Is that for kids?

(I added the @ symbol to your part)
@@@@@

Not always. There are liquid antibiotics for the eye and ears too. Or if someone can’t swallow pills.

[heyjude]

Jan 4, 2020 21:33:23 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

Jan 4, 2020 18:23:17 GMT -5 heyjude said:

But “finished” doesn’t mean you use the whole bottle.

It should. Why would the pharmacist give you more than the course the doctor prescribed?

We always have leftover liquid antibiotic even though we have finished the prescribed regimen. 🤷‍♀️

[moandjo]

Jan 4, 2020 22:24:07 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Jan 4, 2020 21:33:23 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

It should. Why would the pharmacist give you more than the course the doctor prescribed?

We always have leftover liquid antibiotic even though we have finished the prescribed regimen. 🤷‍♀️

Pharmacist here- antibiotic suspension bottles only come in a few sizes, so depending on the dose, typically there is some left over.

[silva]

Anyone who owns a duvet and hates to change the cover needs this. So quick and easy.


youtu.be/DRPfudNNd8Y

[secretlyevil]

For those that use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Do you put it in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine?

ETA: when I google, results for yes and no are coming up.

[sparty04]

Jan 5, 2020 7:53:54 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

For those that use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Do you put it in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine?

ETA: when I google, results for yes and no are coming up.

I do. And if something is super smelly I put it in the dispenser and with the clothes

[winecat]

Jan 5, 2020 7:53:54 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

For those that use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Do you put it in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine?

ETA: when I google, results for yes and no are coming up.

I do but it never occurred to me to do anything else.  I also have been adding baking soda (1/2 c) to the clothes.  I read that combo and directions for my dryer balls to try to combat pet hair.  

[Jalapeñomel]

Jan 4, 2020 23:41:26 GMT -5 silva said:

Anyone who owns a duvet and hates to change the cover needs this. So quick and easy.


youtu.be/DRPfudNNd8Y

I hate changing the stupid duvet cover.

[aurora]

Jan 5, 2020 7:53:54 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

For those that use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Do you put it in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine?

ETA: when I google, results for yes and no are coming up.

Yes.

[ssmjlm]

My roomba is terrible. It gets stuck and lost regularly. DH Hayes how loud it is. It’s actually unplugged right now.

I feel like I’m doing something wrong with it. I won’t run it when we’re gone bc of the dog and running at night won’t work bc DH says it’s too loud.

[ohgillian]

Jan 5, 2020 11:36:52 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My roomba is terrible. It gets stuck and lost regularly. DH Hayes how loud it is. It’s actually unplugged right now.

I feel like I’m doing something wrong with it. I won’t run it when we’re gone bc of the dog and running at night won’t work bc DH says it’s too loud.

I think this just depends on how sensitive you are to noises. My H is super sensitive to noise. No way can I run it when he's at home and no way could i run it overnight. Both would bother him a lot; it would probably wake him up at night even though we sleep on a different floor than the roomba.

Ours get stuck sometimes when it seems like it shouldn't. Despite this, I really like it. However, since you can't run it when you are gone b/c of the dog, it's hard for me to see how this could work out for you. Is there a regular time when you're at home and DH isn't? 

[VillainV]

Jan 5, 2020 11:36:52 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My roomba is terrible. It gets stuck and lost regularly. DH Hayes how loud it is. It’s actually unplugged right now.

I feel like I’m doing something wrong with it. I won’t run it when we’re gone bc of the dog and running at night won’t work bc DH says it’s too loud.

We’ve never had a roomba, but have used Neato and Eufy and have found the Eufy to be much quieter. We can definitely run it while we’re home. Probably wouldn’t do it if we’re watching a movie, but for sure while playing, cleaning, hanging around.

[ssmjlm]

ohgillian, not really considering how long it takes. I think I'm just going to put it on FB marketplace. Even roomba CS was just like "well maybe your house is too big" and I'm thinking I want it to do 3 rooms, it shouldn't be this hard.

[ohgillian]

Jan 6, 2020 11:43:20 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

ohgillian , not really considering how long it takes. I think I'm just going to put it on FB marketplace. Even roomba CS was just like "well maybe your house is too big" and I'm thinking I want it to do 3 rooms, it shouldn't be this hard.

that's poor CS. Sorry it didn't work out. But yeah, if you can't really use it, time to "shuffle it along," as my grandma always said. 

[gummy]

Jan 6, 2020 11:16:16 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Jan 5, 2020 11:36:52 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My roomba is terrible. It gets stuck and lost regularly. DH Hayes how loud it is. It’s actually unplugged right now.

I feel like I’m doing something wrong with it. I won’t run it when we’re gone bc of the dog and running at night won’t work bc DH says it’s too loud.

We’ve never had a roomba, but have used Neato and Eufy and have found the Eufy to be much quieter. We can definitely run it while we’re home. Probably wouldn’t do it if we’re watching a movie, but for sure while playing, cleaning, hanging around.

I also have a Eufy and it's pretty quiet for a robot vacuum. I'm incredibly sensitive to noise and I can tolerate this while I'm awake.

[aspentosh]

Jan 5, 2020 11:36:52 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My roomba is terrible. It gets stuck and lost regularly. DH Hayes how loud it is. It’s actually unplugged right now.

I feel like I’m doing something wrong with it. I won’t run it when we’re gone bc of the dog and running at night won’t work bc DH says it’s too loud.

I have a Shark robot vacuum and it has quiet mode. That being said, regular mode isn't all that loud. I can easily talk on the phone with it next to me. And when we are on the second level with it running on the first, the only thing I hear is occasional bumping.


That being said, it doesn't map so it's probably not as accurate as a Roomba. 

[hermione]

We moved in 2019 and selling our house was eye opening. We had no idea WHEN upgrades had been done. Now in the new house we keep a Google Sheet of work improvements:
New roof, fall 2018
New furnace, spring 2020

Maybe everyone else already does this but we wished we had for the last house so I thought I’d mention it.

[suburbanzookeeper]

Jan 18, 2020 14:50:42 GMT -5 hermione said:

We moved in 2019 and selling our house was eye opening. We had no idea WHEN upgrades had been done. Now in the new house we keep a Google Sheet of work improvements:
New roof, fall 2018
New furnace, spring 2020

Maybe everyone else already does this but we wished we had for the last house so I thought I’d mention it.

We have a Google doc and I have an expanding with all of the receipts, manuals, warranties, model numbers for all of the appliances we've since purchased, the solar panels and their components, the artificial turf, etc. If it was paid for on a credit card with an extended warranty we also make a copy of the receipt, highlight the card, and tuck it in there. It's taken a few years to make sure we both are in the habit of it but it's come in handy!