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getroyalfirst-blog · 3 years ago

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Cleaning a Mountainous Mess: My tips, tricks, and thoughts on taking back your space.

As a busy college student in her senior year of undergrad I understand the struggle of attempting to keep a clean space. At times it can seem like an insurmountable feat, but I promise it is not impossible. When you live a busy life, it can be easy to put organization and cleanliness to the side, saying “I’ll take care of it tomorrow”, but in reality, we all know that dirty t-shirt we left laying on the floor or used coffee cup sitting on the counter will be there for several days (maybe even several weeks).

I know how a messy home can impact mental health. I often find that when I hit my mental breaking point, my environment is also usually in a state of chaos. I am here to share some of my tips that I have found helpful when finally deciding to attack that mountain of laundry, dirty dishes, and trash that may have piled up over the past busy weeks.

1. Take care of the trash first.

When deciding to clean, it can be overwhelming knowing where exactly to start. In my opinion, the best place to start is with a trash bag. Grab an empty bag and start at your entrance, slowly moving around collecting all items that can be thrown away and doing just that, adding them to the bag. Continue moving around your space, making your way from the front of the home to the back. For now, ignore clothes that might be on the floor, dirty dishes, or items that might not be in the right place. It is important to focus on one goal at a time so that you do not become overwhelmed. The number one reason we let our spaces get so disorganized and messy in the first place is due to feeling overwhelmed, we want to try to avoid this feeling at all costs.

2. Turn on some tunes or other motivation.

Now that you have finished with your first task, you are in the cleaning mindset. I find that once I get started, I feel motivated to keep going. One of the things I enjoy doing to keep me in this headspace is turning on some type of motivation. For me, that motivation is turning on a show like ‘The Home Edit’ or a “Clean with Me” type video on YouTube. Now because I have these on doesn’t mean that I stop cleaning and just watch these videos, instead I use them as background noise and to feel like someone is cleaning with me. This won’t work for all people though; some people might prefer music that pumps them up or an audio book or podcast instead. Find what works for you!

3. Start the dishes.

The next grueling task we will probably be facing (if you are anything like me) is the pile of dishes overflowing out of the sink. Having a dishwasher really helps cut the load in half, so if you have one load it and start it, but don’t stop there. Whatever is left in the sink wash by hand. Do NOT leave it and say “I will get to it when the dishwasher is done running” because (if you are like me) you will not come back to it. Handwash your dishes, dry them, and put them away. It is an annoying task, I agree, but when you are done you will feel so much better. I also think the smell of dish soap is one of the best “clean” smells, it definitely helps keep me in the cleaning mindset.

4. Collect the dirty clothes.

Now you have finished collecting the garbage and cleaning the dishes, the last grueling task I tend to face is the carpet of laundry that collects on my bedroom floor and around my apartment. Go around your space and put all of the dirty clothes into a specific space. This can be a hamper, a laundry basket, or even a designated pile in a corner (if your hamper/laundry basket is overflowing). Once all of the dirty clothes have been collected in a space, sort your laundry into groups to be washed (delicates, whites, knits, jeans, etc.). Once everything is separated, go ahead, and take a group of clothes to the wash, be sure to not have too many clothes at a time though or else they will not get cleaned properly causing you to have to rewash or redry items, causing this to take longer than needed. As one group finishes in the wash, move it to the dryer and start the next group. Keep this constant chain going until your laundry is done. Make sure as things are leaving the drying, they are immediately getting folded or hung so that they do not stay in your laundry basket for days on end.

5. The shovel method.

Since laundry takes time, you will have some down time between cycles. Utilize this time to stay moving. This is the perfect time to begin organizing your items. Now this is another task that often overwhelms people, usually because we don’t have much experience organizing our things. Organizing between the laundry cycles allows us to work on our mess for 30–45-minute spurts and then we get a break from it when we have to move our laundry from washer to dryer; I think this helps to keep the process “bite-sized”. So, what is the shovel method? I came up with this term when I was cleaning a particularly disorganized space. No items had a true home, and it was very exhausting to even think about attacking. I’m talking little to no available counter or floor space, so I attacked this the best way I knew how, at the beginning. I started at the entrance, grabbing loose items and started creating piles. I first had to start with a “miscellaneous pile” just to get a clear space. Slowly, as more space opened up, I started making designated piles. For example, if there are a lot of cosmetic items, then my first designated pile is a cosmetic pile, anything that doesn’t fit that category goes to the miscellaneous pile until more space opens up to create another designated pile. I also do not return to the miscellaneous pile until the very, very end. Once an item it in a pile it stays there. Eventually we will have what is often termed as an “organized mess”. I will not lie, depending on the level of disorganization of your space, this can be a very time consuming and grueling task. Just keep going and remind yourself that there is an end. By starting at the entrance and slowing working your way through a space, I am reminded of snow-shoveling a driveway, hence the term “the shovel method”.

6. Attacking the piles.

Now you should have several categorized piles and it should make it easier for you to visualize where things should go. Attack each pile individually, so if you have a cosmetic pile, begin with finding homes for those items. Continue this process until all of the piles are gone, leaving miscellaneous for last. Remember, one pile at a time! We want to avoid being overwhelmed as much as possible.

7. Sweeping.

By now you are probably pretty close to organized and should have visible floor space. Now is when you should begin sweeping or vacuuming. If you are someone who likes to mop or use a Swiffer-type device, make sure you sweep with a broom or vacuum first! You don’t want to just wipe crumbs and small pieces of trash around on your floor. Now is also the time for you to wipe down counters.

8. Reward yourself.

It has taken a long time, but you are done. You worked hard, but your disorganized mess should now be an organized, calm environment. Take a seat, have a glass of wine (or whatever you enjoy), and take in your space. Use this time to sit and take in what you enjoy about your space. If there is anything that is glaringly sticking out to you at this time, feel free to fix or change it.

9. Keeping your space.

I like to set rules for myself after I have cleaned my space. When I am done with a dirty plate, I bring it to the kitchen, rinse it, and place it in the dishwasher. Clothes go in the hamper, not on the floor. Shoes go in the closet or on the shoe mat by my door. I worked hard to make a home for my items, I want to try to maintain that as long as possible. I also designate 10 minutes every evening, before I go to bed, to take a look around my space and put things in their homes and to get rid of garbage. One thing I find helpful is a cleaning binder. I have a page for each room in my home, with a list of things to check. For example, my kitchen list has “empty the dishwasher”, wash dirty plates, wipe down counters; my living room list has “fold blankets”, “straighten couch pillows”, “take dirty dishes to kitchen”. I write these things down in a list format, place them in page protectors, and use a dry erase marker to check off the list every night. In the morning I wipe the page protectors clean, and my binder is ready to go again!

I hope you can use this as a guide for your own space, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of cleaning and don’t know where to start. It has taken me a long time to figure out what works for me, I understand how difficult and challenging this process can be. With time, patience, and perseverance, your home can be a place of calm and warmth for you, I hope that you can use this as a guide to aid you in your cleaning journey!

#organization #cleanlifestyle #clean #organize #aesthetic

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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simple ways to declutter & organize your (digital) life by kkaitstudies

ur digital life can sometimes be just as cluttered as in real life. here are some easy things to consider to declutter and organize online!

unsubscribe to all of the unnecessary services and newsletters. remember when you subscribed to that one store’s newsletter so you could get 10% off and haven’t shopped there since? unsubscribe to all of the stores that you receive newsletters from that you don’t shop from anymore. while you’re at it, if you haven’t used any subscription service like Spotify Premium in a while, do you rlly need it? SAVE DAT MONEY.

organize and delete emails. or if you’re extra nervous, archive the ones you feel like you may refer back to. create folders for important emails like order confirmations or school emails. filter thru emails every week so you’re not stuck with 500 emails in your inbox after one month.

back up your files. DON’T RISK LOSING ALL YOUR DATA! invest in a solid external hard drive. if it’s out of your price range at the moment, dropbox and the entire google suite are great (and free!) for storing files.

clean out all your computer folders. have u seen your downloads folder lately? save and organize the important stuff, and delete things you don’t need.

limit the amount of folders you have on your desktop. keep it simple and easy to navigate. even if that means there are 5 folders within each folder lol (so long as u know where everything is)

delete unnecessary apps and photos. if you don’t use an app frequently or have any sort of attachment to certain photos, it’s time to delete them (don’t worry! you have them backed up somewhere if you’re decluttering!) u rlly don’t need 15 blurry burst images of your dinner from last night. just delete them.

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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hey good luck today with whatever u got going on. u got this. and i hope something really nice happens to u today. u deserve it.

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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you change people. your name makes others smile. your work moves people. someone might compliment you somewhere, right now. someone’s heart will beat faster just thinking about you. your friends remember your experiences fondly. someone might see a book in the store and think of you, too. you inspire others to keep going, or you will someday. your presence matters and changes the world every day.

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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getroyalfirst-blog · 6 years ago

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Things I live by

Hygiene 🌿Brush teeth 2x day 🌿Deodorant every day - you don’t wanna smell nasty during the day 🌿Shower every other day - you can shower every day but for me showering is a struggle due to my mental illness so I only do every other day (if I can) 🌿Sundays are self care days - face masks, nail care, chill music, watching movies and stuff to relax before the new week comes 🌿Shave every other week - esp. now that summer is coming

Exercise 🌿Monday - leg day 🌿Wednesday - back, stomach and chest day 🌿Friday - biceps and triceps 🌿Cardio - 15-20 min 3x a week 🌿Small 10 min weekend workout

Face 🌿Evening skincare - cleanser, micellar water and night cream 🌿Morning skincare - micellar water and day cream 🌿Eyebrow tweeze every other week 🌿Exfoliate once a week - during sunday pamper 🌿Lipbalm - every day as much as needed

Academia 🌿Homework - actually do it, lol. do it as soon as you get home so you free up your evening 🌿Start assignments early - diamonds are made under pressure, but good grades aren’t 🌿Participate in class - the teacher won’t know how smart you are unless you say something 🌿Take notes - you ain’t gonna remember shit, girl, just take the damn notes 🌿Keep up with your languages pls - if you have learnt/are learning another language(s) please review them or you’re gonna forget

Inner beauty 🌿Be kind - i’m not saying change your whole demeanour to become the kindest person ever, but be kind where you can, life is tough for all of us 🌿Help - if you can, then help. if not, refer to someone who can 🌿Walk with your head high - this is gonna boost your confidence 🌿Eye contact - it makes you look more sincere and into the conversation 🌿Smile - to strangers, to friends, to the cashier, to the dog, just smile 🌿Be true to yourself - speak your honest opinions, don’t be fake and don’t lie, just be you 🌿Love yourself - this will be hard, but when you love yourself, life will automatically become 100x better 🌿Trust in God 🌿Be humble - but still rejoice in your victories 🌿Don’t care about other people - don’t let them stop you from doing things you want to do, it’s your life, not theirs 🌿Face your problems - have courage, ignoring it till it goes away does not always work 🌿Redefine success - success doesn’t have to be “got all A’s on my exam”, it can also be things like “got outside today”, “didn’t skip school even though my anxiety wanted me to” or something else 🌿Don’t apologize too much - it’s a nasty habit to say sorry for everything, things that aren’t even your fault. also don’t apologize for saying no, your priorities, loving someone and telling the truth.

Sleeping pattern 🌿Sleep at same time every night - for me this is 23.00, this is the time i need to fall asleep so i’ll actually be in bed by 22.30 🌿Wake at the same time every morning - 6.00 for me 🌿No electronics 30 min before bed - use this time for skin care and getting things ready for the next day 🌿Change your alarm tones once a month - it’s so easy to sleep through them when you get used to their sound 🌿Don’t snooze! - if this is a real struggle for you, like it is for me, try an app where there is no snooze function 🌿Listen to subliminals - i listen to subliminals but you don’t need to obvs. 🌿Make your bed

Misc 🌿Take care of how you dress - a bomb/comfortable outfit that you love can make or break your day 🌿Clean your room - it’ll make the rest of your day much better, trust me 🌿Change your bedsheets regularly - even if you can only muster up the energy to do it once every three months 🌿Work towards your goals - whether it be getting A on that exam, or getting that dream job. break it down into smaller parts and work towards it. 🌿It’s okay to fall apart sometimes - life is a bitch, and sometimes it overwhelms us so much we want to fall apart. that’s okay. take a small break from life, breathe and then reboot. you can do this. 🌿Mental illness is a bitch - and recovery and getting help is scary. but, even if you don’t get professional help, because not everyone is ready for that, at least have someone you can talk to when things gets so rough. please. 🌿That special occasion is now - don’t save things for special occasions, because a special thing can make any occasion special (quote tumblr) 🌿Not everything needs an explanation - you want that tattoo? get it, it doesn’t need a significant meaning. you want to shave your head? do it, who cares if there’s a why. 🌿Spontaneity is great! - do things just because you can 🌿Don’t wait for summer to have that great life - summer is great, and many times we glamorize it “summer is going to be the best this year, i can’t wait”. make your daily life the best, and every week will feel like summer. 🌿Winter is a bummer - seasonal affective disorder is a legit thing. winter can be so depressing in the dark and the cold. try to find the beauty in it anyways. 🌿Don’t judge someone because they sin differently than you

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getroyalfirst-blog · 7 years ago

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College Prep.

I ordered my first college text book! $130 down, $1 million more to go!

#collegelife #collegeprep #Imgoingtocollege #funny #studentlife

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getroyalfirst-blog · 7 years ago

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College Prep.

Well I just finished my college placement test, which took me over 4 hours to complete. On the bright side I qualified for Applied Calculus I!!!

#collegelife #collegeprep #help #funny

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getroyalfirst-blog · 7 years ago

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10 Steps To Care For Your Hamster (long post!)

1. Do not keep them in pairs. Hamsters are loners - keeping them together often results in stress, fighting, injuries and death. They are very happy alone.

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2. Minimum cage size

dwarf hamsters: 30 x 20 x 20 inches (80x50x50cm);

bigger hamsters: 40 x 20 x 20 inches (100x50x50cm)!

NOT like this:

Living in cages like this for them is like a human living in an elevator - a lot too small and even dangerous!

For them it feels like this:

Behavior like this is a signal for stress because the cage is too small or that they need more bedding:

Better:

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3. Your hamster (always!) needs a hamster wheel - and it must be a lot bigger than you might think!

Hamster must be able to run with a completely straight back

on a closed surface

with a closed back wall!

NOT like this:

Results of those wheels are: spine problems, backache, stress, injuries!

Minimum wheel size for dwarf hamsters: 9-10 inches.

Minimum wheel size for bigger hamsters: 12 inches!

Better:

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4. Do not buy them plastic tubes (at all):

Those tubes are not suitable at all: Hamsters get stuck or suffocate in them easily.

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5. Your hamster needs enough bedding to dig and build tunnels.

NOT like this:

Better:

Your hamster will be extremely happy and dig around and build tunnels all day (night).

A study also found out that (golden) hamsters need up to 12-36 inches of bedding, so just do your best do give them the highest amount of bedding possible. :)

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6. The less plastic the better!

NOT like this:

Plastic gets swallowed, splinters, can injure or even kill your hamster.

Better:

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7. Hamsters ALWAYS need a sand bath.

Hamsters love rolling around in the sand, for them it’s like showering. How would you feel without a shower?

You can use those little baths as toilets, but you still need a bigger sand bath!

Better:

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8. Hamsters need a house with at least 2 or more chambers to store food, sleep etc. Also make sure that your hamster does have enough hiding places like coconuts, small houses, toilet rolls!

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9. Do use unperfumed toilet paper for nesting material, don’t use “hamster wool” -> it can tangle around a limb and seriously hurt and even kill your hamster!

NOT like this:

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10. Never ever ever put your hamster or any animal in a hamster ball.

They can’t get out, might suffocate or panic, might run against furniture and seriously injure themselves. The ventilation is terrible, your hamster can’t see/smell/hear enough or use any of their senses properly.

In some countries they even discuss about banning those by law!

Even if you think that “your hamster has fun in it” - please don’t use them!

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Please reblog and spread this information.

Pet stores often are very misinformed and sell terrible cages and have little to no idea how to keep a happy hamster - please be careful when trusting them. In the end they often just want to make money - and the hamsters suffer.

Please adopt, not buy hamsters - there are too many hamsters in this world that we need any more breeding.

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MASTERPOST: Cheap Cages And Supplies For Hamsters - IKEA

~ more to come ~

(Sorry for the spelling errors - I made this post in a rush.)