It doesn't matter how amazing your parents were or what type of house you grew up in, there are just some lessons you have to learn the hard way when it comes to keeping house and being a grownup. There are some lessons I learned the hard way and I'm sure you have some as well. Hear my thoughts and share yours, right this way:
I love my parents. Please let me say that up front. That said, although I was taught how to clean a house, the time required to perform such acts and the frequency in which they should occur seemed to pass right by me. Here are a few tips I learned along the way of having my own place and space.
1. Time Matters: Even if I knew how to tackle chores, I didn't yet understand that if I didn't do dishes today, I would have more tomorrow in addition to what was already in the sink. It seems rather obvious, but to me it just wasn't. Since I had focused on single chores here and there at home, when I had my own place it was surprising to me how long it took to accomplish things for an entire home.
2. If You Can't Take Your Vacuum Apart It Will Defeat You: I remember watching my parents fix and repair our vacuum many times over the years. It wasn't until I had to do it myself that this headache really seemed important. After paying a high price for one that would tackle dog hair, I have since spent many hours unclogging, cleaning and taking care of it. Not being afraid to do so is a skill everyone should acquire.
3. There's More Than Basic Chores: It wasn't until I had been married and moved 4 or 5 times that I really sat down and made a list of all the little things that, although don't need to be done everyday, do need to be done. Cleaning vents, the tops of ceiling fan blades, wiping down baseboards and mouldings. If I would have had a checklist from the start, these little things all make a house feel much more fresh and help motivate and inspire your cleaning routine.
4. Turn On the Music, Turn Off the TV: As a child I remember hopping up on commercials between my favorite episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation (total nerd from the start) to clean and be back in my seat before it was over. Nothing really ever got "clean clean." Instead, try turning off the tv and turn on the music which is bound to keep you moving far more than dialogue which can suck you in and leave you gawking at what's about to happen next.
5. You Will Be Unhappy if You Don't: There's this certain time of rebellion where you have your own place and you think cleaning can now happen when you want to tackle it, not when others say it needs to be done. You slack off, play video games, watch tv, go out and hang with friends, but it will take a mental strain on you at some point in time. The stain can snowball and encourage bad habits... if only I would have known sooner!
6. You Get What You Pay For: It doesn't matter if it's electronics or cookware, 9 times out of 10, you get what you pay for. Although there's something to be said for a little diy or repurposing, when it comes to major purchases, research, read reviews, and buy the best you can when you can.
7. Hot and Cold Are Your First Priority for Bills It's easy to complain about how hot or how cold it is, but had I known how much they would truly impact my budget, I would have taken extra precautions to purchase or reinforce apartments to keep those things out and clean, fresh air in.
8. Insurance is Worth the Money: Renters and homeowners insurance might seem like a necessity to some, but to others, it's only an option. Not only does it build responsible habits, but gives you extreme peace of mind if something happens. It's easier to budget for insurance than it is to replace that Blu-Ray player you worked so hard for.
Care to share the hard lessons you've picked up on that you wish you would have known sooner? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Image: Flickr member Zach Klein licensed for use by Creative Commons
Tina Wilson's Striking Style 
30 DIY Projects for the 3-Day Weekend
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hose Jockey Wall Mount
20 Scrumptious Brunch Recipes 
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways: Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Comments (90)
Such an excellent post. All very true.
Another tidbit of advice: Read the instructions. Whether it's when cooking or using a cleaning product that will etch your marble or remove the sealant on the bathtub (yup), READ BEFORE YOU USE OR DO!
i would have loved to hear, " Adults do not have all the answers." as i get older i realize more and more that we are all just making it up as we go. there isn't a handbook for getting older.
And YouTube is a handy tool for whatever you need. Learned how to fix my minor pest problem before running to Home Depot. This saved me a couple trips and lots of stress :)
haha. i was thinking things that would make adulthood easier in general... and all i could think of was NAPS. Wouldn't it be awesome if workplaces all let us just rest for a while every day? (and for those of you who work at progressive work places that allow this... congrats!)
as for the cleaning, very good tips, dishes, dusting, etc.-- a little every day, get into that habit early of putting things in their place, that way you don't have to spend an entire weekend cleaning your house. oh, and keep your car clean too. cars can get so cluttered, and if you have a commute, it's more bearable if you are driving a reasonably clean car each day.
And may I add to CraigslistDecorator -- KEEP the instructions! You never know when you will need to fix something, find out what a replacement part is called, or take something apart for moving or storage.
In fact, I'll add a whole new thing that makes adulthood easier: Keep good records. Get a filing system going, keep all your bills and owner's manuals and lease agreements and insurance policies and stuff together, and keep it up to date. You will save yourself so much time and tsuris in the long run that the effort you put in up front is all worth it.
Lol Read the Instructions, so simple yet so overlooked. I love your username by the way!
Unless your parents were consumate slobs and cheapskates, I'd be willing to bet your parents gave you this advice and you just ignored it. This is called learning life pretty much the way the rest of us do :-)
All true, yes they are.
At some point in adulthood, I added: "Clean the house spotless before you leave for vacation." There is nothing worse than coming home, exhausted and out-of-sorts, and having to look at dirty dishes or socks strewn on the floor. Coming home to a clean house is restful and happy-making.
One other comment about "turn off the TV/turn on the radio." May I suggest audiobooks? Any time I need to cook or clean, I put on a good audiobook, and instead of wanting to rush through my chores, I want them to last and last so I can keep listening to my story. The local library consortium has just about anything you could want.
Good ones I've listened to recently: "Life of Pi," "The Help" (great vocal talent there!), "A Prayer for Owen Meany," "A Walk in the Woods."
In response to Banzailibrarian:
YES for the organized keeping of records/paperwork.
I started this when I was 17 (after my first real job) keeping my pay stubs organized.. and it snowballed into 2 HUGE binders with every record/statement/document since in one place. It is quite amazing how efficient it keeps me. Always know exactly where your most important life info is.
Highly recommended.
How about not having school loans...that'd be nice too
The one thing I wish I'd been told? The one thing nobody tells you? Here it is.... If you live alone, and have a big bin, your rubbish will start smelling before the bag is full!!!! Buy small bin bags.
You need to take everything out of your refrigerator and clean off all the shelves and drawers at least once every 3 months. Growing up I think this was done maybe once a year at best. And that doesn't cut it.
I learned how to do the chores I needed, more or less. But I wish my mom had taught me how to demand help! As a newlywed this is a truly important skill.
Learned these gems the hard way <glaring at giant red couch that I'm sick of... and still paying for>: Take your time and save money for big purchases, such as furniture, rather than financing. Tastes change, and chances are that by the time you can make your purchase, you'll want something different. Plus, you never know what treasures you'll find at thrift stores!
I struggle with doing dishes every day too... it seems like SUCH a chore and I get myself all psyched up to do it and then its over in like five minutes. Someday it will be easier!
A lot of the periodic cleaning things were not learned until after college- when I actually lived in one place for longer than 9-12 months at a time. Fridge cleanouts, vaccuming out the baseboard heaters, etc. One thing I refuse to do in a rental is wash windows, though!
Oh yes - Great tips!
@ cecilymae: True! Very true!!!
I'm going to agree big time with keeping a filing system of important documents. I didn't do this until 2 years ago and I'll never go back to hunting through desk drawers again! I should have done it years ago!
My other tip is to stand back and look at things as though you're a visitor. It's really easy to over look fingerprint smudges on doors that've accumulated over time but it's that kind of soiling that is really obvious to a guest. Periodic deep cleaning is important! We've all been to that friends apartment where you get the general impression that most surfaces will be sticky. Gross!
My Mama taught me all one would ever need to know about cleaning/keeping/saving$. Here are a few essentials I've learned myself: 1)"Company's coming" is good motivation to clean house, and quickly, so invite people over often & enjoy. 2)No, you do not need that kitchen gadget, and too much stuff weighs you down & requires more care than you'll care to give. 3)Kitchen+girlfriends+cooking+music+wine. Life doesn't get much better than that. 4)Girlfriends+music+housecleaning Together. That's not a stinkin' chore, that's fun w longterm rewards. 5)There's a lot to be said for renting.
Have an on oranized filing cabinet. It will save you tons of time and money later. I always have a file started for next year's taxes and whenever I have medical bills etc. I put them in so I don't have to struggle to find them later.
All of my life, I have had a lot of stuff and have never felt attached to anything. I have always been known as a giver. Through word of mouth, people would send stuff my way. once, someone I didn't even know came to my door and gave me a car. At one time, there were seven - yes seven - dining sets with chairs in my back shed. I tried to find a place for them but nobody was interested and I gave them all to charity.
Stuff, and other people's needs, took a lot of space and time in my life.
Today, I can honestly say that my home, my space, my life are stuff free. I have decluttered every inch of my home and now live in a serene, beautiful space. What I've learned? the more you have, the more you have to take care of.
In response to urbancricket, I think it's unfair to assume that people whose parents weren't "slobs or cheapskates" would know these, just as it's unfair to assume the opposite. In fact, I think your comment misses the point completely. Most of us probably grew up in homes where most of these tasks were performed, but we were too busy being kids to realize the effort that went into them or the frequency with which they were performed. The point, in my opinion, is to approach the management of our homes planfully while seeking routine that suits our lives, not our parents'.
Understand from the beginning that you will become "HOUSE BLIND". You will not see the smudges on the buttons of the microwave, the hand scum around all doorknobs and cabinet knobs, the condensation rings on the glass tables and counter tops, the area around the base of the toilet that never quite gets clean . . .etc.
Now go look at your space through a guest's eyes and you'll be shocked. THAT'S how you clean.
I'm with skidou -- the less you have, the less you have to put away (and dust).
And I know this isn't cleaning related, but I wish someone had explained to me the importance of compounding interest.
1) don't spend more than you make, and never carry a credit card balance
2) learn to fix repair things yourself.
I followed through with those and have a very calm and stress-free life.
It wasn't until somewhat late that I learned that cleaning, fixing, and otherwise taking care of things makes them last a whole lot longer. I had friends once who scrubbed out and dried their sinks every time they used them and also used sink mats when doing dishes -- and you know what? Their stainless steel sinks are as sparkling as the day they were installed in the 70s. And then I see people replacing sinks after ten years because they never took care of them.
And as for fixing things, I wish I knew earlier that it's really worth finding repair people. For instance, I had a couple of lamps that had electrical issues. I could have gone out and replaced them, and until several years ago, I would have pitched the old and bought new. But I found one of those Ma & Pa places that fixes absolutely anything electrical, and they fixed them for much less than replacement would have been.
Not sure if this is a lesson learned or just sheer luck—but I happened to marry a man who is just as invested and engaged in our household as I am.
Having a spouse who is also a good roommate makes all the difference!
Sounds like skidou came up with a cure for what I call "stuffocating".
If you live by yourself, you can coast on cleaning. But once another person comes into the mix you MUST have an agreement about cleaning, preferably having a weekly cleaning service. Other people's ick + roomate = bad feelings.
Also, your credit is forever. Don't screw it up.
I learned that housework is one of the only things you notice when it doesn't get done, but that sometimes life is too short to spend it vacuuming.
i would add:
there is a reason they are called spices,
pay cash,
no white shoes before easter sunday or after labor day(this goes for velvet and tweed, as well), it is just not done!
Thanks for the many great tips here.
Stick to basic cleaning supplies, don't spend too much money for all sorts of different cleaning products. Mop, broom, good duster, Murphy's oil soap, scouring powder, general purpose cleaner... not much else is needed or desired. Spend your money on a good commercial vacuum, you will never regret it.
In addition to the whole filing gig, add "Document the serial number of any purchase you would want back after a robbery, fire, etc." No serial number? Photo & appraised value, at a guess...
One bummer about all this: depending on how one learns (aka learning disability), some of us need a darned sight more than a rule to "get it" -- some of us need to do a thing, numerous times even, to grasp the benefit at a brain level that results in habits. So maybe add to the list for parents and future parents, "Chores serve a greater function than the work the child 'accomplishes'. They learn the skill AND the habit."
Fantastic post! Brought back great memories. Wonderful tips. It's so true, less is so much more. My dream room one table two chairs one piece of art natural light from above... Dishes, got over this hurtle early on. A new friend stopped in for a quick visit. As I was pouring us a glass of ice tea, she asked " so, how many people live here?" That odd question was on my mind long after she left. As I was doing the dishes, I realized nearly every dish and utensil was being washed. It did look like I was doing dishes for four people. From that day on I put my favorite one knife , one fork spoon plate glass etc. In the most convenient
place. The rest set aside for company. Today I love doing the dishes. I'm the guest that is first to step up and
get them dishes done .
Re. # 6: "You get what you pay for"--take care of your stuff and it will last longer. For example, rotate your mattress 4 times a year top to bottom end to end for example. This takes 3 minutes and considering the cost of a good mattress that is a pretty good hourly rate of pay.
Never get a perm. You will just look like you stuck your finger in a light socket and you will cringe at your pictures for decades to come.
Budget the cost of a maid into the mortgage automatically! It's one of those "If I known then what I knew now, I would have done it" because I effing hate cleaning and have absolutely no time, none, nada, whatosever to clean my house!!!!!!!
I used to be a binge cleaner - thinking I could clean when I was "in the mood" or more often, when company was coming. The problem is it's totally inefficient, and made me feel like I lived a secret (filthy) life. My biggest revelation was learning to maintain, not just do a crazy exhausting attempt at one giant deep clean. Really clean kitchen but now it's time for dinner? Before I even start cooking, I now fill the sink with hot sudsy water so I can just drop dirtied utensils in as I finish with them. There are always a couple of blank minutes where something is simmering, baking, cooling, etc., and that's where I can do that little maintenance chore...I do a wipedown of the bathroom in the same way - maybe as my hair towel is soaking up my wet head, for instance. It's worked well for me, anyway.
Well...you don't actually always get what you pay for--but you usually *don't* get what you *don't* pay for.
As a certified adult, "just do it" and "just say yes" go hand in hand--if you keep up with things now, you're free to take advantage of the opportunities that arise on the spur of the moment.
Awesome post. I love these lifestyle articles you guys are bringing lately.
I've definitely learned a few things in the last year.
1) don't rack up credit bills but use responsibly to build your credit- esp when you're young
2) you don't always have to listen to your parents- mine didn't want me to get a dog but I did and she's the best thing thats happened to me.
3) even if you think you want that super cute shirt, bag, and shoes- that will pay for the months bills.
Great post. A few things I've learned over the years ...
1) A cleaner for the thorough cleaning means that I get to enjoy my weekends.
2) If you have class/perspex in your shower, squidgee it away and wipe down the taps after your shower to stop caulk or grime buildup.
3) Before bed, put away shoes, clean 'stuff' off surfaces, pack the dishwasher etc - waking up to an ordered house makes it easier for me to get ready and get out the door in the morning.
4) Save money every month, even if it's just $5, and do it from when you earn your first paycheck.
Don't start activity B until you have cleaned up after activity A.
Life is previously short.
Make a home that is not fussy or pretentious, but warm and welcoming. Something that doesn't intimidate others and is easy to clean.
Find a good hard-working cleaner (NOT a cleaning service!) and treat her ( or him) well.
HATE the spelling corrections on this iPad!!!
LIFE IS PRECIOUSLY SHORT.
Entertain often and find great friends.
come up with a budget that includes savings and don't cheat (i.e. dip into savingss). no matter what! barring emergencies.shoes do not count!
Hands down best tips article, and best comments, I've ever seen. My kids are definitely getting this one. I'll add this:
Nothing Improves in Storage.
It yellows, wrinkles, gets filthy, breaks, gets lost, becomes dated, mysteriously loses parts, and steals space.
Yes, there is a remote chance you'll need it some day, but it's almost certain someone else needs it right now. Give it away or sell it now.
What would've made being an adult easier?
Knowing that yes, having a clean house is preferred, but never sacrifice time with your spouse or children for it;
invite friends over even if the house is a mess, true friends are there to visit you not your house;
in the end no one will remember how clean your house was or wasn't, but they will remember if you were welcoming, made time for others, etc.
wow (good post)
Couples with offspring do things differently, but two house rules my husband and I made keep our home relaxingly private. 1. Our friends and family know not to drop by without at least calling first. I think grown-ups who drop in at others' homes without notice are disrespectful. 2. Neither of us brings a visitor indoors without first alerting the spouse. That prevents the embarrassment of being surprised underdressed by a non-spouse.
Nowadays you can actually hire someone to be an "adult" for you.
You're basically paying someone to be blamed for everything you mess up... Isn't it where this society going towards to...?
before you leave the house... wash the dishes and make the bed... its the equivalent of cleaning your teeth and brushing your hair!
OMG, House Voyeur, that cracked me up. I too have fallen victim to The Perm. But I blame Alyssa Milano--when she was on Who's the Boss, her hair was so awesome and I thought if I got a wavy perm I could look just like her. Instead I looked like Pauly Shore. :)
My contribution supports everyone's filing system idea--once a year, clean out your files. I generally pick a cold, snowy day, plop down in front of a football game on TV, and shred the hell out of old bills, receipts, etc. that I no longer need. Invest in a decent shredder, and you'll be amazed at how gratifying it is to bid farewell to old paperwork!
Ugh, I feel like I'm still trying to learn this stuff the hard way. The kitchen and living spaces and I are finally on good terms, but I cannot get the bedroom under control. I don't know where all these clothes comes from, I swear.
This advice has helped me a lot: have a trash can in every room. No more piles of random pocket junk (receipts, candy wrappers, schma...) on every available suface.
I agree with lolagirl. If you live within your means and keep your cost of living as low as possible, your life will feel very rich.
My parents taught me a lot, but I wish they'd taught me to know when to bring in an expert. Both my parents are super handy and frugal, so they DIY everything - electrical, plumbing, appliance repair, gardening, car repair, tree trimming, bathroom reno, floor installation, cooking (no eating out), all cleaning, investing, etc.
I grew up assuming I would do the same, but I learned that I can't do everything. Sometimes the most cost effective thing is to hire an expert rather than buy special tools, learn skills, and try and fail several times. And sometimes, hiring someone to finish a task in a timely way is better for relationship harmony!
Keep stuff up off the floor! Having as few things on the floor as possible makes cleaning much easier and also makes the house feel more open and tidy. :)
I agree with Mary B C. My husband and I have been together long enough that he knows, if we go on vacation, I want our house IMMACULATE before we leave.
The last vacation we took to Milwaukee, there were maintenance men in our apartment while we were away, replacing the living room ceiling.
We came back, our place was a wreck and we couldn't really 'clean up' for another week until they were done. It was the most unnerving thing ever, and completely negated all the stress-free days I had out of town, because our stress levels were through the roof when we got back home.
I would also say that learning how to do laundry would have been helpful. I mean, I knew how, but I never really thought that reading the labels was an issue because my mom never did. I just failed to realize that she had been doing it so long that she didn't 'need' to read the labels, and we lost many pieces of clothing learning this lesson.
@FrontPorchPirate Along the lines of not waiting to do all chores at once....I have a clothing 'purgatory' system for getting rid of clothes. If the mood strikes to purge my closet, I just put all the cast-offs in a garbage bag and hide it away. I only can make it to goodwill a couple times a year, so if I haven't gone back looking for something I hid away, I clearly don't need it. And no looking in the bag once it's closed! Just keep it sealed and donate it.
Once-in-a-lifetime deals usually aren't. There will always be another chance/opportunity/sale/etc.
Oh, and to be fair, my dad did always tell me, "It'll all work out," or "You'll figure it out." He's laid back, and I'm high-strung. I was 38 before I realized, "Hey, dad's right. What am I so worried about?"
Keep track of your immunization record. And those of your children. It is amazing how often you need to provide proof of immunizations. This is one thing I did not even think of in my young adulthood. No one else is responsible for this!
1)no matter how small the amount, contribute regularly to a savings amount
2)make house cleaning part of a weekly routine (for me it's sunday afternoons)
3)know how to cook at least 10 basic meals
4)never carry a credit card balance: pay it off!!
5)don't grocery shop when hungry, always go with a shopping list and don't deviate from it
6)learn about money matters
Nope, nothing, and I've wracked my brain but my mother - and being a latchkey kid after my parents divorced - really did the trick. She taught me to do to what she knew, what she didn't know she'd hire a repair person and pepper them with questions (so she'd know how to do it herself the next time), and invested in me an amazing sense of curiosity so I'd genuinely want to know how to do something (whether home repair, gardening, cooking, etc.). I think this is a great post, and very worthwhile discussion, yet it just leaves me in greater awe of my mother!
#1 lesson: you don't have to enjoy cleaning, you just have to do it. In fact, you can substitute just about anything for cleaning (paying taxes, keeping records, getting up early and going to work every morning). You can be very good at things you don't enjoy. Motivation to work FAST.
How about that money is power. Don't kid yourself into thinking you have an equal chance at the good things when you are starting out with less. At least in law school everything from extra study aids to the "gentleman's C" will put the high rollers ahead. Not that you shouldn't go for things, just realize how insanely hard life is. And never getting into something while depending on some sort of government effort that makes life easier because Congress will just rip it out from under you and make you life seem like a scary unstable pool of debt.
My folks did give me a pretty good grounding includint these two tips that are worth adding to th is list:
Life is NOT "fair", so it's pointless to whine about it.
You WILL screw some things up. That's not important. What's important is how you recover from it! (And that you don't screw up something that causes a massive fire or other disaster -- certain categories are worth a little paranoia! ;^) )
Great posts. Growing up we had two housekeepers -- who picked up after me, washed my clothes, and cooked the meals. I never had to clean or do anything other than have fun. When I married -- it was like a pie in the face -- suddenly I had to clean, do laundry, do it all. I never took the time to be taught how to do these things. My trick was to pretend every morning that my mother in law was going to drop in on me unexpected -- cleaning went fast. Even though I am now the one with the big house and two housekeepers there is one big looming thing that only I can do -- THE CLOSET. Believe it or not but your friends will come over and sneak a look at your disorganized, messy closet.
No child should graduate high school without 1. knowing how to do his/her own laundry 2. how to track his/her finances via checkbook/computer/whatever 3. how to prepare three simple meals and read a recipe 4. how to clean a bathroom, vacuum, and dust. If my kids cannot do these things, they don't deserve a graduation party because they really haven't learned the basics.
After over 30 years of being on my own, or with a partner,, I learned the best filing system for me! I cannot see file folders, let alone see what is in them, or you are on your knees trying to find the right one. Last year I worked for Red Cross and they had a huge filing system that worked the best I have ever seen, and now use it my self, small version: big, two ring, filing books with the snap down bar on
the inside. Alphabetised, with a few manilla envelopes, holes punched. Every bill and important paper goes into it, some years I need two of these, if you are a big family maybe three. Even if I dont file for 6 months, it takes me a day to catch up. And so easy to find every thing always. At the end of the year, you get more file folders and set up for the next year. I no longer loose papers. I have an extra small one for guarantees or other ones that last for over a year.
Filing is really a boring detail.
Keep your manuals! My grandma is moving out of her house of 40 years this month and all of a sudden her doorbell quit working. She still had the manual from the 60's to figure it out.
So true. This year I learned that housework is an every-day-before-bed kind of thing, not an every-couple-of-weeks-for-an-entire-day kind of thing. I feel much happier.
Three months ago my Mother died six months after my Father's funeral. There is no "forever" so why would any one want to spend soooo much of their life focused on house-cleaning? "Stuffocating"; such a marvelous word! Let your things multi-task and hire help. Your helper needs a paycheck and you need more time. My Mother's most illuminating muse, "it all went by so fast"......
@kedvadi: Some of us (most of us) simply can't afford to hire help. And some of us actually like doing these things.
If you can and want, do get cleaning help... I love having my weekends back and stimulating the economy to boot!
Pay the FULL amount on your school loans from the beginning even if it means near starvation... you will adjust :) I paid interest only for years so now, at 13 years and counting since graduation, I still owe 70% of the original amount... if I had paid the standard amount, I would have been all wrapped up 3 years ago!!!
Don't carry debt... besides my school loans and a mortgage, I carry no debt. Given that I know what debilitating debt feels like, this is the most free feeling ever... Couldn't even move to NYC until I had it all cleared up... that was 7 years ago... no regrets :)
Good friends are life's truest joy.
"You get what you pay for" SO SO SO SO SO SO TRUE !! I had kept buying "single serving" vacuums that lasted a year - tops - because I thought I couldn't justify the expense of a Dyson or a Miele - I've now easily spent enough to have bought one of each.
Buy fresh flowers often. Take out the trash and open the windows every day.
As someone who has just graduated college, looking for a full time job, moving into her first apartment (with a significant other) all in the same here, this list was really helpful without being scary.
I can tooootally relate to #2. Growing up, my mom was a seamstress, made dance costumes, altered wedding gown, and so forth, so there were stray threads EVERYWHERE! Even the kirby heritage we had slowed down under all the stress. If I had a dime for everytime I ripped layers and layers of thread from off the roller...
Excellent advice, all of it. My contribution is: "Poor grammar is the equivalent of dirty fingernails for your online personality." For example, "If I would have had a checklist..." and "...if only I would have known sooner" would make more sense if they read "If I'd had a checklist" and "if only I had known sooner." Minor details, but so is black goo under your nails.
Being socially adept will serve you better in life than plain intelligence. I'm a straight-A girl but have been held back by my anxiety and nervousness. Also: Don't rush to do it all by 25. Many people lose 10 years after that anyway.
Marry the right man the first time. It would have saved me money, heartache and wrinkles!
I got some timeless tips:
1. Keep your house, car, and clothes clean and in good condition, it goes a long way in being content with what you have.
2. Don't fall into the trap that because you rent it doesn't matter. Yes, it does, because, for all intents and purposes that's your home.
3. And no, renting is not a waste of money, because you still have a place to live.
The list is so long I can't even think of where to start.
I have a decent handle now on daily stuff, but having now lived in my place for 11 years (longest anywhere except for my parents' house) I don't really "get" how to go through absolutely everything routinely to keep things deeply organized & cleaned. They didn't either. Maybe it isn't possible ;-))
...unless you move, that is. Which I'm not going to do just to get the corners behind the really heavy furniture spotless!
--Keep unpaid bills in one place.
--Keep an Important Papers file (birth certificate, etc.)
--Keep a file folder for your pets (vaccination records, etc.)
--Keep tax records in one place.
--If you can't make it to the file folder all the time (me!), reserve an Important Paper Space on an otherwise unused surface that nobody will disturb.
--Dust, sweep and mop to an interesting interview show. If you need more pep in your step, turn on some Daniela Mercury or Angelique Kidjo to get yourself moving.
--Upbeat music is also key for catching up on cleaning the kitchen or bathroom!
--Cleanliness is somewhat overrated, but clutter will secretly drain your energy and distract you and weigh you down. When all else fails, stick your clutter in a paper bag, write the date on the bag and shove it in the closet or spare room til you can deal with it.
--Freecycle is one of the best (no-cost) ways to get rid of large objects/furniture that even Salvation Army won't take.
i second the notion about student loans. at 18, i didn't have a clear idea of what i was getting myself into. fast forward 5 years and i'm stuck paying $1200/month probably for the next 15-20 years! luckily i landed a good job doing what i love to do, but i probably would've gone the extra mile in applying for every scholarship possible when i could.
1. Sleep and/or food solve most crappy moods.
2. Never go to bed in your clothes or make-up, no matter how exhausted you are.
3. Open your mail when you receive it! Just because you don't open it doesn't mean you're not responsible for the contents (I was a bookkeeper and it's amazing how many people actually *never* open their mail.)
4. Keep your files in a file drawer (not a box) that is easy to access and open (nothing blocking it) so you will actually put things into it regularly.
5. Doing (or not doing) dishes causes so much roommate/relationship strife. I will never live without one again!
6. If you have a son, for the love of all that is holy, please teach him how to clean and give him regular cleaning responsibilities! His future significant others will thank you!
The one thing that I can't quite get is putting away my clothes after I take them off. If they're dirty, they go in the hamper. If they're not laundry-dirty, I always pile them on a chair. At least it's hidden in my bedroom, but it's my worst clutter habit.
And in #5, when I say "I will never live without one" I mean, of course, a dishwasher (oops!).
GG-these tips are awesome!
I got some timeless tips:
1. Keep your house, car, and clothes clean and in good condition, it goes a long way in being content with what you have.
2. Don't fall into the trap that because you rent it doesn't matter. Yes, it does, because, for all intents and purposes that's your home.
3. And no, renting is not a waste of money, because you still have a place to live.
Most important life lesson learned the hard way: Buy the solid wood bookcases.