#1
Also table cloth over the table I do work on with a space heater blowing towards the underside of it. My own little "kotatsu".
Own-Tea-4836:
I make my own clothing, and yes, I will make a dress six times in different fabrics because I love it.
#2
#3
Incremental changes to your routine can massively alter the trajectory of your entire life as they quickly compound over time. Celebrated author James Clear, who wrote the widely acclaimed book ‘Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones,’ argues that if you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you, it’s your systems.
“Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
#4
Quick wipe of the stove and counters, clean a few dishes, walk away. Do this once or twice per day and it adds up to a pretty clean kitchen. Then if you want an even shinier kitchen you're already most of the way there.
Ronscat:
I play a game with myself to see how much kitchen cleaning I can do in the two minutes it takes to heat my water up in the microwave for coffee. I usually can empty the dishwasher in about two minutes!
#5
Whimsical_Adventurer:
We have a Google Drive folder. As soon as something new comes into the house, I Google it and find the PDF of the manual and save it to that folder. We always have the manual to troubleshoot. And I don’t need to find a place to keep the papers.
#6
In a nutshell, Clear states in ‘Atomic Habits’ that changes that we might initially think are insignificantly small can actually compound to produce powerful results. However, you have to be willing to stick with these habits, routines, and practices for years to see the payoff.
Broadly speaking, when deciding that you want to change your habits, you should focus on the person you wish to become, not on what you want to achieve. Changing your behavior can be quite challenging, but you can make things smoother by making the habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
#7
I won't suggest its a mindset that works for everyone, because you really have to dig deep sometimes to focus on something to be happy about. So in that sense, it can feel unrealistic. There is value though in thinking "my hobby is fun" or "I enjoy the smell of this candle." It's just a nice reminder that things don't really suck so bad.
#8
#9
mzzd6671:
I do this too, but I check all the grocery stores around me to see what's on sale, then I meal plan.
Scientific American explains that, based on a 2009 study, new habit creation can take anywhere from a mere 18 days to a whopping 254 days. The average is around 66 days. The biggest factor that influenced whether a behavior would become part of a person’s automatic daily routine was, somewhat unsurprisingly, consistent daily repetition.
Another major factor is the type of activity itself. For instance, forming some basic habits like washing your hands more can take just a few weeks. On the flip side, consistent exercise habits can take half a year.
#10
If I am still thinking about the item a month later and making mental plans for it, then I will buy it to also free up mental space.
#11
#12
Bored Panda got in touch with redditor u/Imllo, who sparked the entire discussion on the 'Frugal' subreddit in the first place. We were interested to find out what had inspired them to pose the question online.
"I've always found Reddit to be a very interesting place where you can learn and share different perspectives, lifestyles, and routines," they opened up to us.
"So, I decided to ask users about their daily tricks," they said, explaining that they were curious to get a peek at other people's experiences.
#13
#14
I bought some years back when CA implemented their bs no plastic bags law bc of litter. It's bs bc they basically just came back w/ even THICKER plastic bags they just now charge customers 10¢ ea for. The price is not a deterrent either--I rarely ever see ppl using reusable bags when I'm in line. My grandmother has stacks and stacks of these "reusable" plastic bags. Buy yourself some $1 fabric bags (I like the ones at World Market or the larger, sturdier ones from TJ Maxx / Marshall's / Home Goods / Ross & I have a couple $1 insulated ones (Walmart & Dollar Tree both have them). Or hell just reuse the thicker plastic ones (I have some of those folded up too I do reuse).
#15
Meanwhile, we asked the author of the thread about the behaviors that they personally believe might have the biggest impact on a person's quality of life.
"I think it's the small habits that help you in your daily life," u/Imllo told Bored Panda, emphasizing that it's important to focus on the small things in your routine.
"Like when you're doing mundane tasks like preparing meals, cleaning the house, or getting dressed," they said.
"In short, whatever makes your day-to-day life much easier."
#16
#17
#18
makinentry:
Every couple of years, I have a sock-pocalypse. I throw away all of my socks and buy new ones. I bought about 20 pairs, and I'm going on three years with this batch. I switch to a new batch when I start wearing holes in them. I try to put clean socks in the back of the drawer so I rotate them pretty evenly.
What are the cheapest habits that you have that have genuinely changed your life for the better, dear Pandas? What are the best small life hacks that you practice?
What is the most difficult habit you’ve ever formed? Grab a snack and tell us all about your experiences in the comments below.
#19
Chance-Dot162:
I did that, and mine are collapsible, so they take up barely any space. They are stacked up container, lid, container, lid, so you just pull a complete pair out. I love it so much. I got my mother a set, but she just mixed them in with all the previous decades' hodgepodge of containers.
#20
I used to go through bottles of body wash like nothing — $5 here, $8 there, every few weeks.
Then I bought a $3 bar of good-quality soap (like Dr. Bronner’s or a local artisan kind), and it lasted over a month. Zero plastic waste, takes up less space, and somehow makes my shower feel more... intentional?
Bonus: I feel like an old-school minimalist monk, which is weirdly satisfying.