Household tips for the independent Aspie

Post Reply New Topic

Yep, Sam's Club rocks! But, be careful to not buy food that you aren't able to finish. I've learned this the hard way. Sometimes, you can get tired of eating the same foods all the time. Also, they sale these bulk packs of individually packaged flavored hot chocolate, and tea. Buy some mugs, and gift bags at Wal-mart, and this makes some cheap Christmas presents.
Another baking tip: when using cookie sheets in the oven for baking fries, tater tots, chicken ect... line the pan with foil. It works best if you crumple it a bit first, so that the heat is more evenly distributed under the food as it bakes. It's way better then scrubbing up pans after dinner!

Great thread!

Every time you nuke something, wash a dish or two. It's amazing how many dishes can be washed in 90 seconds, without even trying.

Food tip:

Reduced bread that will go stale in a day will stay as fresh as a new loaf if you put it in the freezer the very day you buy it, let it freeze, and defrost it. I guess the same goes for stale bread. Though I haven't tried it.. I just use that for toast.

Listen guys, Dawn is the best dishsoap for fighting tuff grease. if your a little hood like me and dont have a dishwasher and have to do it by hand there is no comparrison. Dawn. you know that stuff they clean oil slicks off of cute animals with/

So true! Lately they're often better than name brands.

As a Mechanic, Iam familiar with what was tricoethelene contact cleaner, and now available as Brake Cleaner.
This stuff instantly removes oil and grease from the likes of brake shoes and leaves no residue.

Its brillant around the house, say you have a black oil stain on your clothes, just spray brake cleaner on the patch and it will totally disappear.

Black marks on your white furniture?, gone!

Anything these expensive but useless cleaning products wont remove, spray a bit of brake cleaner in a tissue, and rub away your problems.

I recomend using microsoft money or any other budget program (or even if u dont trust your computer use a ledger). This will allow you to make short and long term financial goals. This will allow you to see how you spend your money if you do it right, it will allow you to make a 'fun budget' or money set aside for a rainy day, a day off, vacation, weekend ect. I also designate specific accounts that allow me to anticipate bills in advance, how much they will be, i calculate how much interest I can aquire if I wait X amount of time to pay off, and then decide if its worth it to spend now or wait. I have done exceedingly well with my fiscal system, and so many people I know just cash their checks and pay stuff without any financial plan, and I also see these same people cant aford vehicles, overspend at the bar, and if an emergency occures (IE one night while driving home from work you hit a deer and distroy your car, and you only can aford basic inshurance) you are screwed and broke.

- keep all rooms at minimal clutter and get rid of everything you don't really need.
- clean at specific times of the week so you make it a habit.
- be kind and helpful to people that help you because help is precious.
- go grocery shopping at specific times in the week and track what you buy and how much you spend.
- get rid of anything in the home that is bad for your OCD (negative obsessions) like taking breaks from having cable tv and/or Internet if it is getting too much.
- have two weeks of clean outfits so laundry just needs to be done every two weeks.
- get call display and voice mail so you don't have to pick up every phone call.
- When you get something new remember to get rid of the old things they replace.
- learn how to effectively ask for help instead of being prideful, passive aggressive, or just desperate and helpless.
- set up your rooms and things in a way that make sense to you personally rather than what normal people think is right.
- organize your home according to your own aspie standards not according to other people's standards.
- don't use or have credit or you may be one obsession away from doing serious harm yourself financially.
- pay all bills on automatic payment and always pay a little bit more than what you expect will be due.
- focus on what changes to your home really make you feel good and go with your inspiration.
- do not invite people into your home that you suspect do not completely respect you.

Or during the winter of course, when your wet clothes would freeze solid before they ever had a chance to dry.

If you have space in your apartment, of course.

Agreed. Dawn is definitely the best. When I had lice as a kid, I had to coat my head with Vaseline over night so that the lice would suffocate, and the only thing that would get the Vaseline out was Dawn. Dial just didn't cut it.

this is very true. when I was living alone in london I used to spend like crazy when I felt despondant. ended in debt companies threatening to bang down my door. if your life is stressy enough as it is this is the last thing you need.

My gf's older sister will swear by this. She recently bought a brand new Dyson and she is absolutely rapt.

These tips are great, I'm going to put them all together so I can refer to them any time

How is it with cat hair? Cat hair is definitely the major challenge for my vacuum cleaner.

I've used Dial bar soap to get dried blood out of a white shirt. Didn't take much scrubbing, either.

Using liquid laundry detergent instead of powder allows a lower temperature setting and extends the life of my clothes. A lot of clothes get most of their wear in the washing machine.

I like omlets but I don't know seasonings very well, so I use Mrs. Dash. My favorites are Table Blend, Original, Mesquite and Tomato, Basil & Garlic. I usually mix spinach or broccoli with the eggs, pour the mix into the frying pan and sprinkle on enough Mrs. Dash to lightly cover the top. Goes good on toasted bread with mayo.

Nuking a hamburger lets me throw away most of the fat. I use a microwave-safe plate with a paper plate and a couple of paper towels. I cover the meat to prevent spattering (I know most of you know this). Nuke for half of the cooking time on one side, flip and nuke for the other half. Press the paper towel onto the pattie to squish out excess fat.
Total cooking time for one frozen 1/4 lb. pattie in my 700W microwave oven can take from 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Leaner meat takes longer to cook.

For a little extra treat, use the Bagel setting on your toaster to toast the inside of your hamburger bun. Makes adding mayo easier.

I wear fitted socks like alot people. They will wear a hole in the
heel where I need protection. So while they do not fit perfect if
you put the sock on upside down the heel will be protected.

Oh buy the precise same color, type and size socks it easier to keep up with them that way. Never waste time looking for that
one missing sock it has entered a new dimension. And if you
never loose that one sock your already in another dimension
you freak.