What's one small thing you've done to make your life easier?
For example, I 3d printed a box over my outlet to protect my cables from my bed pushing against it. In addition, my cables never fall to the floor so they’re much easier to grab.
Eliminated Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and all of the affiliate companies and services for the mentioned ones, from my life. Now all I have is Linux based and self-hosted. My life’s toxicity levels dropped to pretty much nothing since then.
I have is as a docker in my UnRaid server. However, from what I’ve heard, the easiest way to get NC up and running real fast is in a Ubuntu server and installing Nextcloud from Ubuntu’s snap store. I can’t confirm that, but it seems legit, since it came from a DistroTube video in YouTube.
You will probably have to get a domain, but some of the ugly TLDs can cost few bucks for a year, so it’s not that bad.
As for being able to access your Nextcloud from outside, if you don’t use it to share large amount of data often, I recommend looking into Cloudflare Tunell. It’s pretty easy to set up, and allows you to not only put a configurable firewall in front of your Nextcloud instance that you can for example geoblock traffic from other countries, but you also don’t have to deal with port forwarding, DDNS, or exposing your home network directly into the internet.
The setup is simple, you just download their cloudflared service, install it with a token generated in their web management (that ties it to a domain and tells it what port it should expose) on your Nextcloud machine, and it will automatically connect to Cloudflare server that will act as a port forward, but without you having to expose anything on your home network directly.
I don’t really access my Nextcloud from the internet that often, don’t use it to stream or share large files with large number of people, so I never had issues with it. But I’ve been told that it’s against Cloudflare ToS to use it for large data sharing, streaming or high-volume data transfers, so keep that in mind.
But it’s perfect for accessing my Home Assistant and Nextcloud when I need it.
Yes, but actually no, if you want to access it remotely. DONT OPEN THE WEB PORTS TO THE INTERNET, rather use a vpn like wireguard to connect in to the home network.
Not OC, but I’m using Kagi and super happy. Before I use Kagi, I didn’t realise how bad Google result is. Its results are poisoned by ads and SEO nowadays.
I still am using Google and I hate how useless it has become since SEO started to become a thing in the last 5 or 10 years. Maybe I should try Kagi. Does it have location specific search results
Yeah, since about 2016 it has started to get really bad though. I remember when I would be looking for a solution to a computer related issue, all the top results were super useful Tom’s Hardware and AnandTech forum posts. But of course nobody does SEO for forum posts because they’re just trying to help people not make money, so instead now all of the probably AI written crap is in the top results which half the time is only barely related to what I searched
I automate all of my bill payments. Otherwise, I might forget to pay one or two and end up paying late fees, having service cut off, etc.
My parents were terrible about paying bills on time, and we got evicted at least once before they simply forgot to pay the fucking rent on time.
Before this was possible, I'd sit down on the last day of every month with a stack of envelopes and stamps, and I'd cut the month's checks so I could drop them in the mail a week ahead of time. Luckily I didn't actually have to mail the rent check; the landlord lived downstairs.
I carry a Leatherman Squirt PS4 in my pocket every day. It’s tiny and doesn’t add bulk to my pocket but is super handy and I use it all the time. Has spring loaded pliers and tiny scissors, a small straight blade and file, and both a flat Phillips head and broader flat screwdriver.
I bought a $3 mini hook knife for my keychain off Aliexpress. I was tired of getting my pocket knife or Leatherman confiscated or stolen “for security reasons” at ever increasing (and surprising, like libraries, bars) venues. The majority of my needs was to cut open boxes and plastic packaging anyway. It’s the size of half a stick of gum, pops open with a button, and only the inside of the hook is sharp, making it pretty safe for wet hands. The handle is part carabiner clip. Not sure how long they last, since they get confiscated, but at $3 each, I don’t care. Keep it on my keys. The clip makes it easy to take off my keys if I need to leave it behind, but if I end up getting it stolen, meh.
It cuts through cardboard really well, and also opens that hard plastic packaging, burlap sacks, plastic strapping, and that weird material large dry dog food comes in.
I have never been to a bar with any kind of security search beyond checking my ID. If it is a ticketed event, sometimes there’s a cursory patdown. In those cases you have time while waiting in line to put your knife somewhere they won’t pat down, or go hide it in a bush.
I bought a $3 mini hook knife… The majority of my needs was to cut open boxes and plastic packaging anyway.
That’s a good tip! I have a Gerber Dime on my keychain, and I’ve found that the “retail package opener” is the tool I use by far most often. Luckily, mine hasn’t been confiscated yet.
When going on vacations abroad, we bring a power strip from home. With it, you’ll only need a single international converter to power multiple devices.
I have a family of five. When we go on vacation, we have 4 tablets, 2 phones, 5 watches, and a power bank. If it’s summer, a rechargeable personal fan for my wife. So 10 isn’t even enough.
I just tend to buy a powerboard at whatever place I end up. Surprisingly cheap compared to the price of the journey, and a great gift for someone on the last day.
Ooh that sounds nice. I’ve considered doing something similar, but I’m worried about being able to find stuff if I’m not the one who puts it away. Have you had any trouble with that?
Most cleaners only clean, dont really change stuff. The secret is to kind of tidy up your house before they arrive. And yes, definitely get one. It’s a life changer, and good for your personal relationships.
My cleaner just moves stuff to the side, cleans that area and slides them back. So at most it’s like a few inches from where it was before or in the same general area. We have a really sweet lady come once a month and it’s so nice to not worry about doing deep cleans. I do basic cleaning in between if stuff gets really dirty.
Glow in the dark tape on the front and back of my phone and on the tips of the chargers to make them easier to find in the dark.
For the same reason my phone case is the brightest colored one I could find.
I had to get some clear heat shrink tubing to put over the charging cable ends to hold the tape in place otherwise it unravels after a few days use.
Sure they make lit USB cables but not in 20ft+
I’d really have preferred to have a bright solid glow in the dark phone case but for whatever reason barring I have one 3d printed (which will then not have the same protection of a normal cheap rubberized case) there isn’t anything like that available.
Whenever there is a small task that will take less than a few minutes, I ask myself “When else are you going to have 80 seconds?” and usually that makes me realize I should just get it done now. Sometimes I still say “tomorrow” and reminds me to pick a specific time to do the task.
My rule of thumb for this is once I’ve begun cleaning in preparation for the other 4 ideas I have buzzing around, I write those down, finish one task and call it from there (this is usually after 2 to 5 mini-tasks that ends up with cleaning)
Buy two of things. If you have trouble washing something, like bed sheets, buy a second set. You can change them first, then you have some more time to wash and dry and fold the other set. Otherwise, if you only have one, then you have to wash and dry and remake your bed in a shorter time window.
I discovered this strat on accident! Blew out my favorite jeans irreperably, and my replacement pair was actually two replacement pairs. My limiting factor on how long between laundry loads is how much lunch is on my jeans and now I have a backup pair so I do laundry half as much on average.
I keep getting burned finding boots that I like and by the time they wear out they’re discontinued. For the first time I finally did the thing where I bought a pair, confirmed I like them, and immediately got a second pair. It was a hefty up front cost but now I’m genuinely looking forward to the same blue crushed velvet docs for the next 4-6 years
Set calendar alerts for routine tasks that need to be done less frequently than once a week.
Things like washing the vacuum cleaner filters, descaling the kettle, replacing the water filter (I’m in a hard-water area), servicing various appliances, cleaning all the things that need cleaning but don’t need cleaning every week. All small things. It removes a lot of cognitive effort and makes sure those things actually get done.
This is a big one. I try to tell my ADHD teen he needs to do this because he is constantly forgetting to do things (feed his cat, pickup around his room, go out to the school bus in the morning). He’s very oppositional to change and doesn’t think it’ll help, even though he’s either on his phone or PC all day long.
When I did that in college, though it was over 20 years ago, I distinctly remember my mother saying over the phone “Oh sure, just take the easy way out”.
Yeah Mom, I’m taking the “easy way out” here by going to therapy and taking medication. That’s totally what those words refer to. 🙄
My parents were baby boomers. When I started antidepressants I continued my policy of saying nothing to them about my personal life. It saved me a lot of trouble over the years.
Labeling things. I write simple instructions to myself so I don’t have to remember things as much. It doesn’t have to be formal stickers. It can be some masking tape and a pen. I just leave little notes for My Future Self
During lockdown I spent so my time considering and planning; trying to find a sophisticated labelling system for my pantry.
Colour coding for the top of spice jars so I could quickly find what I need. High quality stickers with neat, clear labels of what the item is, with the brand in pencil that could be altered if I switched to a different brand.
That system was completely fucking useless. ADHD means my motivation to uphold a system is completely fucked on some days. And the awkward half measures irritated me on my good days.
Now it’s masking tape and a marker and pray it’s legible. Because when it comes to this (and tbh, many things in my life) consistently average is better than inconsistently perfect.
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