I'm new here so I don't know if you've gotten this suggestion in the past. Most of us can't bend down or rest our weight on our knees so in order to make my life easier when washing the bath tub I wet the tub I sprinkle Comet or Ajax and then I use a clean mop to scrub away the grime.....No bending is necessary. Submitted by: Nubby

Instead of hauling cleaning supplies up and down stairs, and room to room, I keep a separate plastic basket in each bathroom of what is needed, along with rubber gloves. So, besides using it for regular cleaning, it is always available for emergency clean ups. (like when your bottle of foundation goes flying because you lost your grip while shaking it). I also love the Clorox clean up wipes....very easy to use! Submitted by: Tracy

I found a neat little machine (a bit expensive though) while watching TV one day . . . it's called a "Steam Buggy". The end piece kind of reminds me of a pressure washer at those self-serve car washes, only instead of water, it emits steam. It's a small, light-weight thing, with all sorts of different end attachments to clean just about everything. I find it most useful in the kitchen (especially the oven), floors, and bathroom though. No more using harsh chemicals and having to scrub and scrub at those tough areas. I just turn on my Steam Buggy, run the end piece over the mess, and the steam melts it away - then I just wipe over it with a towel. You can find it at "www.tvinventions.com" - and it really is well-made. I don't think I could clean my oven or bathroom without it. Submitted by: Amanda

I have been checking into this sight for years now and thank you for all the information (I rarely post). I hate ironing and most of my clothes I dont have to, but if one wants to take a few wrinkles out of some thing ,stick it in the dryer for about 10 minutes.Clothes such as rayon, or permanent press that just needs a freshing upmay not need the iron. ~Submitted by Colleen

wanted to let everybody know about a new product I just tried. It is called the Swiffer mop, with two different types of towels, wet or dry. I hate mopping the floors because of carrying the heavy water pail, squeezing out the water from the mop, etc. This new mop is lightweight and comes with disposable clothes. So, it is easy to carry, there are no water buckets involved, and no painful joints. It also is small enough to fit in the tough to reach bathroom areas, and with two young boys, that is a priority for me.
I have a good one to go along with this. Pine-sol has a new product out called 'Spray & Mop' for washing floors...you don't need a bucket. I tried it out and it works great! No bending, no scrubbing, no rinsing...and I use it with my Swiffer! ~Submitted by Sue

You mentioned the shelf liner that was a "grip" type. I had never seen it at the grocery store but went into a "Dollar Tree" while out of town and found it! It is called "Grip-It" Multi Purpose Liner and came in several different colors. I bought the white so it can't get lost in my kitchen. I have cut a piece the size of a wash cloth and used a magnet clip to hang on the fridge so it is always handy. Thanks for your tip---otherwise, I would never have thought to buy it. And, things do seem to slip thru my fingers and out of my hands. Think I will try to rig a piece around my kitchen knife and see if it will help keep it from slipping! ~Submtitted by Machere

I bought my Mum a kids hairdryer, it sits on a stand and therefore doen't need holding in sore + inflexible hands and arms. OK, so it's a bright yellow duck, but it does make you smile and make the job easier! I don't know if the same thing can be bought in the USA ~Submitted by Clare in the UK

When really hurting all over I like to wrap up in my electric throw, it really helps the pain, it is like one big heating pad. ~ Submitted by Pam

If you are going on holiday to a strange (and maybe shiny marble) bathroom, take a pack of those square (9") flat rubbery kitchen wipes. As well as hand-grips for the bath, you can use them as stepping stones across the floor. They're good for door handles and opening jars as well. ~ Submitted by Yvonne

I don't know what they are called...but I call 'em "pickup sticks". They have long handles with a "grabber" thing on the end. I found mine at a hardware store. It is VERY hard to bend...and with 3 kids leaving things on the floor...all I have to do (besides nagging THEM to pick their things up...) is go around with my stick. I love it! ~ Submitted by Luanne aka Winter262

A X-mas tip [should work all year, tho].....(bet most of you already use this one!!) Don't spend your time Wrapping presents....instead buy X-mas bags & boxes to put gifts in. Alot easier on the hands too! ~ Submitted by Cee Jay I have a plastic step stool. I not only use it for reaching things that are higher in my kitchen, I also use it to sit on when I am looking for things in my lower cabinets so I don't have to bend over. ~ Submitted by Darlene

Giving meds to young children: Game Time: drop a jelly bean in the bottom of the measurement cup AFTER you've measured the correct amount, and they must get the jelly bean without using their hands:) Jelly bean sticks to the bottom of the cup and all liquid must be taken in order to get to that candy! Also find a pharmacy where they will compound oral medications into better tasting liquids. Difficult to do with Prednisone, but works great with Indocin, for example. Most MD's are clueless about this trick but a good pharmacist will call them and tell them how to write the order to do this.&nbsP; ~ Submitted by Sandy

Pace myself. It's okay to walk more slowly if it means having energy left over when I get where I'm going. Prioritize. I am not going to be able to do everything anymore, so I have to decide what is the most important to me and what can be let go. ~ Submitted by DeeTee

I love my collapsible cane. I bought it a medical supply store. If I am going any place where I might have to walk alot, I carry this cane in a large purse or tote bag. When, and if I need it, it is there ready for me to use. I hate shopping with a cane, and this allows you to have free hands while shopping.&nbsP; ~ Submitted by Donna

Put your clothes in the dryer in the am while your taking your warm bath or shower it will help greatly with the am stiffness :o) ~ Submitted by Shannon

I bought an Oreck sweeper and I love it. The upright weighs only 8 pounds and is very easy to push or carry from one place to another. The other thing I really like about it is that the attachments are not connected to the upright. There is a small sweeper that is about the size of a shoe box that has an extendable hose and attachments to use when you are vacuuming furniture, steps or along walls and corners. It has a strap connected to the box that you can put over your shoulder (or crisscross it which I do) to carry it along. So when you're cleaning you don't have to bend over, change attachments and push any buttons to go from vacuuming the floor to smaller areas. You can plug both of them in and go from one to the other with ease. Not only are they easy to maneuver, but both sweepers do a great job! They sweep up even little tiny dog hairs from my 2 dalmatians. I've never been able to get all those those little needle-like hairs up with my other sweeper. And I'm not nearly as exhausted after vacuuming so it gets done more often!!! It's arthritis friendly!!!! Submitted by ~ Carol aka Del

I wanted others in the group to know about a resource that I've found invaluable, my state's assisted technology lending library. I know each state is supposed to have a center for lending but I was unable to find a link for all the states. In Pennsylvania that library is at Temple University.
The URL is http://www.temple.edu/inst_disabilities/atlend I have borrowed everything from a suitcase full of reachers, about 15 different kinds, to a kitchen arthritis kit with all sorts of goodies, to adaptive speaker phones, and no hand mouses. They even lend ramps and wheelchairs. I've saved so much money by trying stuff out first, things I thought I would love I hated and vice versa. The borrowing time ranges from 2 weeks for low tech items, to 2 months for expensive or high tech things. I hope this information helps, and if anyone wants more detailed info about the local program I use, please feal free to give them my e-mail address. Also, I don't know if this is O.K. but I have very dry eyes, and have been through a variety of drops, I've got a case of my latest failure, thera-tears, sitting around expiring, if you know of anyone in the group who is short on cash and needs them I'll be glad to sent them. I didn't know if was appropriate to post the offer on a message board, since it involves a type of medication. submitted by ~ Mary

I do all my hard cleaning with the scum buster. It is rechargable and comes with attachments. I also got extra attachments for it at a Black & Decker outlet. It comes with scrub brush (hard) and a soft brush which I even cleaned my boat seats. I could not clean anything before I got it because my hands and wrists hurt so bad. I also found an attachment to clean grout in my ceramic tile. Works great!!!!

I also use a Grasshopper (little plastic cart with wheels for gardening) I even use it to clean the wheels on my car because without it I can not bend that low. It is also good for painting and gardening.

For light vacuuming I use the cordless Boss Light vacuum by Eureka. It is light and easy to use. Submitted by: BJM

When you are sore and stiff it is hard to bend over. I have found that if I stand with feet about 2 feet apart it is more comfortable and easier to pick something up from the floor, Bend your kneessquatdown a little and keep back straight, I brace my back by putting my left hand on my left knee, you will be surprised how much this helps. Or you can use your right hand on right knee. Submitted by: Diane May