When gathering together long electric cable with plug one end, socket the other: hold both plug and socket in one hand, then wind the two lengths over elbow as normal, leaving a loop. Store it like this…when you need to unwind, it doesn’t tangle.
Normal size plastic hosepipe. Throw it away, buy the expanding type. The Lidl product is good, I at first bought a cheaper one but it leaked after a couple of uses.
If buying milk in a box (a la Lidl) punch a hole in top opposite corner to screw top. Pour without glugs.
Sorry, it might be easier but it’s not the best way to treat an extension cable as it induces twists. Hold one end, extend other hand down the cable maybe 1.5m, bring it to hand holding the end to form a flat loop and repeat. A bit like coiling a climbing rope
Here’s one from a 19th century book “never meddle with gunpowder by candlelight”.
A modern one: put all the bedlinen you need for a particular bed folded inside one of the pillowcases. No rushing around trying to find the right stuff.
Fold it properly and not have dwarf pillows I suppose. All the stuff for my bed which is 2mx2m, fits into one of my pillowcases (quilt cover, sheet, traversin cover, 5 pillowcases and then the one to put it all in).
Shouting into your phone (landline, mobile or VoIP) when the connection is poor just makes it harder for the other person to make out what you’re say as the noise and echo cancellation processes will “clip” out more of your speech.
Another landline related tip: have an old school corded landline handset in your house for when you have a power cut as the base station for your fancy cordless phone needs mains power to operate.
It’s like a vector, trying to articulate a handy tip and/or gained experience, I think.
For example: I started out wanting to explain about my one simple discovery about yoghurt containers, and realized that ultimately there’s a longer story spooling out from the yoghurt container.
So, I can’t decide which is my handy tip/gained experience… Is this my tip: to create a work area, with good light, a chair, work space, good tools (not cheap ones), and cup of favorite hot beverage, and the time to ponder…
Or, is this my tip:
Opaque white plastic yoghurt containers, upended over round plastic planters, can create a good environment for budding seedlings to stay moist, while still letting in enough light. This of course, varies with a) yoghurt container, and b) planter diameter,
Or, is this my tip: take the time to clean and save plastic (and glass) containers, in case they can be used for the odd task or enhance a project.
Of course it is, and valued highly, I don’t have many party pieces to my credit, and a joy to watch would be imitators unable to avoid movement of mouths or eyes at the same time.
The secret is to clamp the jaw firmly shut and lock the eyes on a fixed point ahead.
Water meter and stopcock. Our installation is relatively new (initial installation 2005, new radio meter fitted 2014-ish). What we have is a meter and stopcock in a plastic circular plastic box. Things are pretty tight in there. About 2 years ago I found I could not move the stopcock, so I could not turn off the water to the house. I wrote to Suez but got nowhere. However, about 6months ago Suez were doing work in the area and a guy came round to tell us the main supply would be limited to a trickle for a few hours. I took the opportunity to show him the jammed lever and he promised to come back and fix. He did come, about 3 weeks later, and fitted a new unit - i.e. new meter+stopcock. He said the problem I had was common. He noted the old meter reading and gave me a copy, so I could check the next bill.
SIt is worth checking in case you suddenly need to close the valve. And if you do look at this, also read the meter and then read it again after a week or two. Reasonable consumption is 200 - 300 litres a day for 2 people (we have no leaks, but do some garden watering . No bath).
