DIY ~ More Cookware cleaning at home (with lids)

Adding on to this future tip:

https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2019/07/diy-cookware-bakeware-cleaning.html

If you use lids for the cleaning the cookware on your stove (and the lids don't have to fit exactly) they heat up very, very fast!
 

Also adding:

Stainless Steel + A Lid that Approximately Fits = Very Hot & Energy Efficient Cleaning!

DIY Cookware (& Bakeware) Cleaning

From the realm of business Cleaning we can pick up:

• Sugar Soap (Soap Concentrate) 
• Degreaser

to clean your Frying Pans, Saucepans etc ...!

Dish washing liquid is designed for cutlery, crockery etc ... which are in immediate contact with food.
You need to use too much of it and not strong enough to clean Cookware properly!

Multi-purpose cleaner and dish washing liquid are now about the same price so no reason to NOT purchase a quantity of Spray and Wipe to clean those pesky pots and pans.

You would generally do a final wash with dish washing liquid anyway just to remove the last bits of soap.

You could also purchase Soap Concentrate just for cleaning Pots & Pans.

These items will also help:

• Disposable Gloves (so you can use hot water)
• Microfibre Cloths 

No need then to invest in expensive Ceramic Cookware - you may be able to survive with 

Non-stick and Stainless steel!

And if you really want to get energy efficient Cookware - Copper!

No need to leave your cookware soaking days and days and days - which probably doesn't do that much anyway!

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Don't forget you can turn on your stove to heat up the water for cleaning - no point to add an extra step to fill the kettle, boil it and then empty it into the pan ~

You can get sufficient quantity of water that's suitable for a business as well by heating the water on the stove. 

These tips are also applicable to cleaning Microwaves. 

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You will also reduce the quantity & quality of dish washing liquid you use potentially being able to use the cheaper brands,
and by having less water the sponges and cloths you use with dish washing liquid you can reduce that sour smell - your everyday cloths can then spend more time in the sun getting rid of their smell! 

Cleaning Glass (DIY) - tips from the Resellers - Window Washers!

These are glass wiping techniques refined to:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• TV screens etc ...

The official advice is to use a dry, lint - free cloth ~ and remember people do wipe their phones on the flats of their clothes often! 

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Additionally:

1. With regards to the cloth:
1. You use a better cloth - a normal microfiber cloth or even premium or high-end microfiber cloths:
•  A Google Search for Premium Microfibre Cloths
2. You can wipe your phone, dust or vacuum the cloth  and wipe your phone again
3. You can wipe your phone and use soap and hot water to rinse out the cloth, wring it dry and wipe it again! 
4. You can use household cleaners & water (such as mentholated spirits, bleach or window cleaner) on the cloth - not directly on the phone - let the chemicals dry a bit before giving your phone a wipe
5. Tissue paper is also good! It's a very soft paper. 
2. High grade, fast drying cleaning alcohols can be very useful:
1. No need to pay a premium for the sanitised alcohols from the pharmacy
2. Not so much of a blunt instrument as the household grade alcohols (e.g. mentholated spirits)

If you need to know more about higher grades of alcohols you can start doing a lookup on the higher number of carbon bonds ... 

Taking out your rubbish at home - tips:

Try these handy tips if you are forgetting / procrastinating to take your council bin out:

1. Buy a high visibility or work shirt so you are not pre-occupied with dirtying good clothes
2. Buy some cleaning gloves to protect your hands
1. You can then 'compress' your rubbish to make your emptying more economical 
3. Purchase an outdoor bin - preferably a different colour to your regular garbage bin: https://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/storage-cleaning/cleaning/bins/outdoor
1. Drag this around when empty a couple of times to get yourself more used to lugging it around
2. Use it as a container (not necessarily to fill it with rubbish) and move items around the house will also give you practise of wheeling it around - these are all familiarisation exercises! 

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Don't forget when you put rubbish in your bins to squash the rubbish down ~

otherwise you will forever be emptying bins! 

Car Organisers - great for tidying up your Glove Compartment!

Following on from the previous link:
https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2020/06/some-tips-on-true-minimalist-wallets.html

About using your Smartphone to tidy up your wallet
- and also for slimming out your Diaries ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipster_PDA
~ extending that to using your Smartphone and Internet to organise your Glove Compartment!

A Google Search for Car Organisers

Smartphones combined with specialised interior car storage which is designed for motion make a fantastic combination!

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Don't forget to also quickly reference my other post on individual parts working together:
https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2018/06/everything-works-better-when-it-works.html

Some tips on the [true] Minimalist Wallets

If you buy a Minimalist Wallet or Slimline Wallet:

A Google Search for Minimalist Wallets

                        or 
A Google Search for Slimline Wallets


The TRUE Minimalist Wallets have done everything to squeeze out air pockets and save space - combined with digital technology such as Smartphones and the Internet!
 

They are REALLY slim so here's a few tips to get you ready to use them:

1. Cards don't flip out or display at all so they would work very will with Digital Driver's Licenses etc ... 
2. There is space for only a small number of cards you can carry hence only drag around plastic cards you really need - ~ many Issuers can now look you up with whatever they use as a key e.g. Full Name, Membership Number ...
• You could keep other plastic cards in a separate lanyards plastic sleeves for cards etc ... 
3. Space for notes is very small - consider carrying perhaps only 1 or 2 (perhaps high denomination) notes for when you really can't do a cashless transaction - keep a plastic envelope at home to store you other paper currency for emergency situations etc... 
• Like cards the notes section doesn't 'flip out' - if you don't carry much paper currency you won't have to bother checking how much of it you are carrying around! 
4. There are no compartments for coins - you could still carry coins around in other containers but there is no room in a slimline wallet! 
5. There is NO space for any other paper either e.g. receipts, bus tickets etc ... 

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Don't forget to also reference my other post on individual parts working together:
https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2018/06/everything-works-better-when-it-works.html

Tips for helping you set your laptop lock ~ pushing the Reset button

These tips will hopefully assist in that somewhat inconvenient task of pressing down the reset button when setting your combination laptop lock.
 

There is a bit of extra work involved in setting these locks or else they would be too easy to pick!

A few of these locks;

A Google Shopping Search for Laptop Locks

the Kensington Locks in particular.

1. Use a tool that is somewhat stiff and protracted e.g. small screwdrivers, skinny drill bit, needle etc ...
2. Clamp the tool by jamming it between heavy objects such as bricks or taping it to something immobile so you can use both hands to set your combination

Looking outside of the home or office is handy as paper clips are not really hard enough and books are not quite heavy enough.

Make sure you don't lose your spot!

Glad-Wrap tips

I might add to this:

https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/tame-unruly-cling-wrap-with-these-plastic-whispering-tips-0170424/

1. Pull the glad wrap tight so you use tension to cut the glad wrap
2. Give it a bit of extra glad wrap length if you have any issues e.g. haven't done much glad wrapping before, cutting in a cramped position etc ... 

So no more letting the glad wrap get the better of you when you're covering your food!

DIY - Painting at Home for Non-Builders

Great for everyone to get a chance to learn how to do a bit of Painting in the 21st Century:

• Painting writing or symbols onto wooden, cardboard or plastic boxes
• Utilise wall space, outdoor floor space and to a lesser extent ceiling space

It gives you great freedom in hanging stuff up on your walls, be it hooks or notices and printing / painting information on your wall.

It's the power of the Written Word with Paint! 

Amongst your options are:

1. Very fat sharpies
2. Spray paint
3. Painting Letters and then using a Roller or Spray Paint 
4. Stencils!

If you can use a computer it is easy to create stencils onto adhesive film (similar to contact) with letter cutouts.

Roll, spray paint or paint onto them and peel off when dry.

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Don't make a mess!

Mechanical Complement or Supplement to Key Finder Devices!!

When you misplace your keys:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_finder

Among st the more popular brands out there at the moment:

https://www.thetileapp.com/
https://nuttag.com.au/

Hopefully we will be able to access their key finding portals from a Web Browser!

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Installing key hooks are still an indispensable supplement to help with this problem!

Searching for "key hooks":

https://www.ebay.com.au/

https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?q=key%20hooks

As keys are light glue hooks are al  that is needed - so my previous post is handy:
https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2019/08/tips-for-diy-installing-glue-hooks.html

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A Google Image Search on Wall Mounted Key Hooks

DIY - Household Glass Cleaners are great on your Car Windscreen!!

There are great as they are almost guaranteed to be alcohol based unlike some windscreen washer fluids which may mostly use soap and can still leave marks on your windscreen.

These household glass cleaners are also easier to apply as you can just dump them on your windscreen as opposed to:

1. Opening up your bonnet
2. Filling up the windscreen washer fluid
3. Using windscreen wipers to shoot it back onto the windscreen 

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On that point Traffic Light Window Washers and the Squeegee buckets at the Petrol Stations rarely use Glass Cleaners! 

DIY - Cost $$$ Advantages of Floating vs. Free - Standing Shelving $$$

Advantages of wall shelves over shelves that stand on the floor:

1. They use much less material as no wood is required for legs or a base;
1. Hence you do not have this extra cost
2. Floating shelves can also be taken from free-standing shelves since they use more material
2. Free - standing shelves in that sense also lack versatility and flexibility hence more $$$ needs to be written off when they are no longer suited to the area you had before;

The raw grain can be 'finished off' by staining the wood, edging it by hand etc ...

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Skills needed; power saw, drill and impact driver!

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This is also true for desks, workbenches etc ... ! 

DIY - Applying the Project Management Triangle from Restaurants & Cafes to Cooking @ Home

Before the Internet everyone cooked a set menu (including restaurants and cafes). 

Amongst the advantages of this is mastery of the Project Management Triangle;speed, quality and cost: 

1. It didn't take too long
2. You didn't run the risk of making a mess and producing inedible food!
3. You didn't use up or waste excessive amounts of ingredients

If you have just read something off the Internet and want to give it a try - give yourself a bit of room to move in terms of extra time, more ingredients etc ... when you first try it out

Even in the 21st Century you'll notice that restaurants and cafe's hardly change their menus, they're could be a number of reasons for this ... but anyway! 

For example when making sandwiches and wraps I found out these great tips to make great sandwiches (& wraps) :

• You needed to try and push or pull extra 'hard' to get rid of ALL the air out from the sandwich or wrap
• You need to really make sure you keep wet and dry separate i.e. most importantly bread from wet fillings

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 ~ If you are still looking to improve your cooking it makes sense to stick to a few dishes and what you are familiar with and to get really good at it - before branching out 

~ Bear in mind the cooks that can whip up anything are the experienced cooks! 

DIY - The Written Word - all display Options

There is a plethora of companies out there now whom can print

• Signs (onto Plastic, foam etc ...)
• Banners onto Cloth 
• And so on ...

https://www.vistaprint.com.au/signs-posters

https://www.officeworks.com.au/

In addition to the Painting techniques described in my other blog post:

https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2019/01/diy-painting-at-home-for-non-builders.html

Don't forget handiness with a:

• Drill, 
• Impact Driver
• Building Materials necessary to hang signs etc ... (Screws, Plugs, Hooks, etc ..)
• Cable Ties (using pliers to tie banners to posts, mesh etc ... through holes in the banners, canvas etc ..._

will hence give you all the options for display of the Written Word!

No more excessive & overboard use of laminating paper or cardboard and blu-tack!

DIY - Speedy Can Opening tips

Speedy and quality can opening is essential for busy people trying to make food on the go!

This is summarised from YouTube videos:

1. If you are having trouble lift the can off your bench and / or angle the can opener ~ the can opener does not necessarily sit at right angles to the can / bench ...
2. Well before you start cutting have a look at which ways the:
1. Cutting wheels rotate
2. And subsequently which way the opener is going to roll around the top of the can

DIY ~ Another helpful tip for Hooks & Shelves

A handy tip if you're installing your own hooks and brackets (and consequently shelves) to save muscles!

Also refer to previous posts on hooks and shelves:
 

https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2019/11/diy-cost-advantages-of-floating-vs-free.html
https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2019/01/diy-installing-monitor-arm-or-hooks-at.html

You can tape, clamp or create improvised structures (or a combination of these technique) to temporarily hold your hook or bracket until you have driven in the screws.

Improvised structures could be made out of books and furniture or wood and timber, for example.

This might also save you an extra person to hold a hook or bracket for you!

Packing your Shopping Bags - tips from the Professionals!

There's a couple of rules across the Internet for those who never got trained as check-out people ~
and growing in more importance the more self-service (particularly for perishables) that gets rolled out!

https://www.wikihow.com/Bag-Groceries
https://www.theorderexpert.com/organizing-tip-how-to-pack-a-grocery-bag/
 

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Don't omit your eggs and don't crack them either!

DIY ~ Flat-Packed furniture vs Regular Furniture

Flat pack furniture is definetely cheaper due to lower transportation costs, labour costs etc ... so definitely worthy of consideration if you are purchasing a reasonable amount of furniture (e.g. to furnish an apartment etc ...)

 
Flat-pack furniture being generally made in Asia does not use as good quality wood as is available in Australia - they can however still survive a few trips and a few screws going in and out of them.

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There is an upfront investment in tools though before you start getting returns:

There are a few of these around:
https://www.airtasker.com/blog/ikea-furniture-assembly-tips/
https://www.quora.com/What-tools-should-I-buy-to-install-IKEA-furniture

I have assembled this list to add to the above:

1. Screwdriver [Set]
2. Impact Driver
3. Hexagonal Key [Set]
4. Work Gloves
5. Hammer
6. Mallet
7. ...

Hang on to some of the packaging so you can tape it onto your furniture when you are assembling it to prevent it from being scratched as it is moved around ...

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Kitchen Appliances with Rechargeable Batteries

Adding to 

https://optimise-performance.blogspot.com/2020/06/minimisation-of-kitchen-clutter.html

Manufacturers do not make enough of these but I think they really assist with organsiation especially when you can charge them somewhere else other than the kitchen:

1. Freeing up sparse electrical outlets which in a kitchen can cross over water, hot stuff etc...
2. Not having to be inconvenienced with cords! 
   

Not to mention - you always need to be careful when cleaning appliances as water and electrical circuits don't mix! 

:(

DIY Utilising your Wall Space in the 21st Century ~ it doesn't matter if you are an Office Worker!

In the 21st Century - lets try and get to the situation where the wall doesn't dictate to you what you can and can't do with it - you need to try to be the one who sets the usage of your own wall! 

Be it for:

1. Bathroom Shelves
2. Kitchen Hooks
3. Built - in Shelves
4. Built - in Desks
5. Wall Mounted TVs
6. Wall Mounted Monitors
7. Hooks for Hanging Clothes
8. Picture Frames
9. Digital Photo Frames
10. Key Hooks which could be installed using glue 
11. Speakers 
12. Painting Designs onto your Wall
13. etc ...

Getting in touch with a handyman off Gumtree would help (not a commercial trades person) to assist you with:

• Painting
• Drilling
• etc ... 

So get those muscles working especially if you sit around in an office all day!