Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Charger Blog. It’s still me, your host, Beatrice Glaviano, and welcome to another segment in the “How to Adult” series.
We’ve tackled cooking, nutrition, self-care, and probably some other stuff, but something I never touched upon?
Cleaning.
So, grab a roll of paper towels and your scrub dad. It is about to become slushy. Ever since I was a kid (and I think this goes for the majority of people), cleaning was the worst. I’d rather be outside messing with worms than wiping the TV stand down or bleaching the toilet. What I really hated, though, was cleaning under my bed. As if she were aware that the trash I had hidden under it was there, my mother would always, somehow, locate it. Maybe the “eyes in the back of the head” thing was right.
However, looking back, I’m glad I was taught how to clean properly. It has allowed me to appreciate the cleaning process and set me up for successful cleaning habits in the future. Sometimes, boring cleaning is what you need. Other times, it’s a dance party with Taylor Swift. As a whole, cleaning is a necessary part of adult life that you simply can’t avoid – but college makes that a unique challenge.
On top of managing classes, work, studying, general human-ing, and other stuff, tending to your environment can be hard to squeeze into one’s schedule. With that, my best advice is to break your cleaning down into manageable chunks and to really maximize your time. Among the routines that I try to adopt are: Washing and drying all dishes before bed (waking up to a clean, nice-smelling kitchen is always nice)
Wash clothing once a week, and bedding every two or four weeks (unless you happen to spill something onto it)
For pillowcases, I’d wash those with clothing to help with acne prevention
Keeping my workspaces tidy and organized
I discovered that the environment you live in can have a direct impact on your mental health. When I’m stressed, I stress-clean my room before beginning my day’s study, so the adage “clean space, clean mind” rings especially true for me. By getting rid of any physical clutter, you also get rid of some mental clutter. But how do you go about this? What is the best method for cleaning a room? There are multiple ways to tackle your living spaces, but normally I start with the thing I hate the most:
beneath the bed. Get rid of everything. Trash, socks, whatever. Sort them accordingly. I always get a large garbage bag out before cleaning too, just so that I don’t need to run back and forth. In a similar vein, equip yourself with a broom, dustpan, and vacuum. These will all come before mopping or using a Swiffer, and, while you’re at it, prop open a window so you can breathe.
Get under any other furniture, such as tables, dressers, and desks, after the bed. If not handled properly, anything with a space under it is a dust mine that poses a health risk (seriously, asthmatics, pay attention). Sort found objects into categories, toss trashables, rinse, and repeat. Keep this cycle going until your floor is clean of any visible, physical debris. Following that, hit the floor with a mop/Swiffer and let air dry until your socks probably won’t get wet.
Next, it’s time to declutter.
Dresser, closet, and desk Take them out. Hot water + paper towel and you’re ready to go. Polish them if necessary after they have been thoroughly wiped down and dried. Anything antique or made of nice wood, it’s important to polish to make sure the wood doesn’t dry out and crack. Very significant. By now, things should be looking a lot better, and you can focus on the small things. Windex your windows. Wipe your windowsills (they also can collect dust pretty bad). Maybe even throw your bedding into the washer or do some laundry.
You have successfully cleaned your bedroom with that. Woo!
For other spaces (i.e., kitchen, bathroom) you will essentially follow the same instructions. However, you might use stronger cleaning agents like bleach, which can be harmful to your health if you inhale them or leave them on your skin for too long. Kitchen and bathroom counters that are susceptible to food pathogenesis should be bleached: Clear counters off of anything (including food, dishes, toothbrushes, etc.)
Wipe down with warm, sudsy water to get any dirt, dust, or crumbs off
Spray counter with bleach, let sit for five minutes
To dry, thoroughly wipe countertops with a paper towel. For bleaching a shower:
Empty shower of everything and anything
Run very hot water for five minutes
Bleach, let sit for another five
Wipe down the walls of the shower, getting any hair, mold, or other weird stuff out of it
Hot water rinse for another five minutes
For bleaching a toilet:
Spray a paper towel with bleach
Get underneath all rims, lids, etc.
Honestly, the toilet is the easiest out of all of these.
Make sure to get to the fridge first when you’re going through your kitchen. I mean, actually. That Tupperware sitting in the back that you know has mold in it? Yeah, you need to open that and clean it. If the shelves look dirty, clean them ASAP. Things will grow in your fridge – trust me (I’ve lost too much bread to fridge mold). If you can’t do it alone, see if you can grab a buddy. Someone is in charge of the trash and cleaning. This system also works well with cleaning dishes. However, if you are alone, well… Good luck, bud.
On a gentler note, I know this is all much easier said than done. Depression rooms are real, and I’ve definitely been one to create one before. For those who may not be in the best place to take on massive cleaning, start small. Even if you just clear your desk and throw out some trash, that’s okay. Personally, just getting my trash into the dumpsters is so mentally challenging for whatever reason. As a result, I make sure people are coming over because I don’t want my guests to smell my trash. or I simply text my mother to tell her what to do. Upon reflection, it seems oddly effective. But also, I’d like to remind you all to clean yourselves too. Take a bath. Clean your hair. It can be hard, I know – especially if you’re like me and may not always want to face your body – but trust me, you’ll hate the world a little less when the grease is washed out of your hair and your skin feels new. Sometimes spiritual cleanses are necessary. Crack out your tarot, play some meditative music, and ask yourself about the things you’ve been running away from. Similar to how you tend routinely to your laundry, your kitchen, your bathroom, and bed sheets, you must also tend to yourself. Rinse yourself with your favorite music, or maybe dry out in the sun for a while. Whatever makes you feel refreshed and alive.
Then you can do the dishes, lol.
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and that we have settled into the semester well. As for myself, I will be prioritizing my sleep and sanity while balancing overnight EMS shifts (which is very counteractive now that I’m saying it aloud, but oh well). Take care everyone, and I’ll see you in the next one.
