#also: do feel free to marie kondo this stuff

[irish-urn]

I’m so confused about the ending of Life with Derek because Casey and Derek going to the same university seemed like the perfect way to end (easy to imagine/write about what happens next), but then in Vacation with Derek, Casey seems pretty excited about going to New York with Jesse and the ending of the movie made it seem like that’s what she chose to do? So does that mean Derek spent the first year at Queens alone? Dancing is Casey’s passion, but so is school! I guess it doesn’t matter if Derek is a sophomore and Casey is a freshman, but like it does. They’re supposed to experience and go through college together for the first time! What if Casey liked New York so much and became successful and gave up on Queens for a while to pursue this passion? There would be no Dasey in College. Kinda wish I hadn’t seen the movie because the whole New York and Jesse thing throws me off. I guess I can choose to ignore Vacation with Derek just like I will with Life with Luca.

Okay, so I totally get what you're saying. The truly amazing thing about TV shows is that they have to write an ending... And then sometimes they're given a movie. And now how to make it exciting...?

So we've got a TV show that leads Derek and Casey to university, and a movie that splits them apart because the Dasey is too strong. and while that SUCKS, it does give fanfic writers so much to work with!!! Does Casey go for a year and then come back (like in my college series)? Does Casey go and stay there; would Derek follow her after (like in another story I'm writing)? Or does Casey choose Queen's over NY (like ANOTHER story I'm writing)? THE POSSIBILITIES!!!

They HAVE to give Derek and Casey romantic interests because they're too hot and the sexual tension between them is too strong for them to remain single. Until the writers agree to let the Dasey happen, they need to write in obstacles.

And yeah, the movie isn't my favourite either, but you know what it did give us? It gave us Derek and Casey dancing and having fun... And that's pretty amazing, I gotta say.

[kn96artworks]

current occupation: unofficial medical advisor(?)

[marinecorvid]

sorry venting

the joy of having fun little knickknacks and thingamajigs related to what you love VS. the desire to not become overwhelmed by material items + the agony overwhelming that comes with being keenly surrounded by stuff: FIGHT

[loetise]

allie's moving to @enchaentd! i've had this blog for three years <3 and it is the longest i've ever kept a single blog active for. at this point, i feel completely overwhelmed here, with drafts, likes, inbox count, post count, and followers despite clearing them out quite a few times across the years. i really hate dropping things, and i feel like i have done so much more progression here and character building with allie, that i hate to move myself over. my stuff is here >:/ and it's true that i could move things over, but part of the reason i'm moving is just the clutter of everything. i'd like to keep a sideblog of rbs of hcs, threads, or other posts that i want to keep a little easier than just searching up things here. i have no intention of deleting this blog, you will never ever catch me doing that. also, my tags have been broken for, i think, almost one year, so i'm excited to be able to get to use some that work. (also, the new url helps with a new vibe. i've never been completely in love with this one.) i am dropping a lot of threads and memes. it is very, very likely that i have dropped ours, (i kept about 10 threads, and memes that i had plans to respond to privately or involved making edits) and i'm truly am sorry for it. i always want to start new things, and i plan to post a permanent starter/plotting call on my new blog soon to be able to get those new things going. whether or not i dropped a thread has no reflection on how i feel about our dynamics or even our relationship as friends/muns, it was very ruthless marie kondo style decision making, so i did not feel overwhelmed and could write something. like i said, i want to start new things!!! it's also likely that i won't be following first, as per usual with new blogs, but please feel free to follow me there! if we're mutuals, i want to keep/start writing with you! 💖💖💖💖💕💕✨✨💕💕💖💖

[lasi-nariyoyoreads]

Heyyyyy can you do Joshua ideal type? Thank youuuu

Joshua's ideal type

Disclaimer:

My readings are made for fun and you should read them for fun too. So don't take them seriously. 

Cards: curiosity, poverty, limitation

It's banal to say, but his ideal type should be able to pick his interest.

It's possible it isn't easy to catch his attention or he's simply attracted to unusual qualities.

I say unusual because the next two cards, "poverty" and "limitation" seem to point to his preference for normal and simple people, without any quirk.

Maybe because he lives in such a chaotic industry and one day he's in Seoul for a comeback the next in Paris for a fashion week, then again in Tokyo for a concert etc., I think he really needs someone "normal" next to him. With a normal job, a normal life, a normal personality, someone we could consider too bland compared to him.

He might want to live a frugal life outside of his idol schedules and he might want to be sure that the other person is ok with that.

Who knows how many people approach him while thinking they'll have a crazy life together only because he's famous and rich, while he's actually looking for exactly the opposite.

He might enjoy staying at home during his free time, instead of travelling, spending a cozy time and relax, so he wants someone who could match this chill energy.

He might think there's more genuinity in those who lead a simple life compared to those who have complicated jobs, big aspirations and are too attached to money and status.

I think personality wise he also wants someone drama free and without any particular issue.

I'm not too sure about it, but it's possible Joshua has a particular belief or he's religious? In an old reading, I also got this feeling that he's interested in religions or in general in anything spiritual or simply anything regarding to mental health (it might even be stuff like yoga, or those Marie Kondo types of books or whatever helps you find an inner balance), "limitation" makes me think to healthy boundaries, like "I have negative feelings, what do I do? What is the best way to express them without hurting others?", I feel he has a lot of thoughts like this, he wants to work on himself and become a better person.

I think he wants his ideal type to be like that too, someone who doesn't abandon themselves to vices or addictions or unhealthy behaviours, but who tries to check on themselves and work on their mental stability.

[disregardcanon]

yellowjackets full names i made up on my drive today

Shauna Elise Shipman- already had this one. I just like it idk what to tell y'all. elise sounds pretty with shauna

Jacqueline Kennedy Taylor- i'm sorry, but with jackie's parents? she was clearly named for jackie kennedy and i feel like they WOULD go that far.

Laura Lee- she doesn't have a middle name. her parents just gave her a first and last so that when she gets married to a man she can be Laura Lee Husband's-Last-Name.

Natalie Antonia Scatorccio- i don't remember which fic it was that used this one for "something catholic" but i love it. very pretty will keep

Misty Ann Quigley- it just feels like something that would be RIGHT for misty. something very generic that doesn't quite fit but isn't bad.

Vanessa Irene Palmer- I like the sound of it and i do feel like when van was born her mom would have been the type to think "VIP" as initials is really funny.

Taissa Nadine Turner- this one was also chosen for the initials because i feel like taivan both having that is cute. tai's initials are TNT and Nadine both sounds good with with other two and means "hope" which i feel like would fit with both her parents' dreams for her and taissa's personality. the girl just keeps going

Benjamin David Scott- i like the sound of it and it would be fun for his middle name to match a queer icon: david bowie

Akilah Nicole King- nicole means victory, which i think would be tragic with akilah who's trying so hard to keep going but we know won't make it. and king just sounds really good with akilah AND is a common name across the board

Mari Gabriella Flores- middle name is from the angel gabriel that declared to mary that she was gonna have a baby because mari "i hope that shauna doesn't die" being named after gabriel is PEAK comedy to me. also flores is one of my favorite hispanic last names and i want to give her flowers. on account of the pit

Genesis Stevie Kondo- okay look, i know a person named after genesis the band and the idea of gen being named after genesis the band AND stevie nicks is entertaining to me. also marie kondo and getting rid of stuff with care and kindness and poor gen is getting thrown out of the cast by being killed. do you see my Vision TM

Melissa Jean Collins- common middle name and last name that i thought worked well with hers

Kristin Cassandra Megat- i made this name up for god honoring cannibalism and i'm very fond of it for crystal <3

Charlotte Elizabeth Matthews- of course mr. matthews would give lottie both an incredibly bland and aristocratic sounding name. middle name comes from both elizabeth ii and it just sounding fancy

Travis Rosario Martinez- i know that rosario skews female, but it IS gender neutral still. and let me tell you, travis One of the Girls TM, virginity was jealousy guarded and then he was punished for having lost it being named partially after a famous devotion to the VIRGIN mary. i like the themes

Javier Alejandro Martinez- alejandro is very pretty, means warrior which is a sad sort of ironic, and then his initials are jam which makes me giggle

ADULT TIMELINE

Jeffrey Lee Sadecki- lee is very common, very short, and could facilitate some funny moments with small callie where she mishears jeffrey as jeff lee or jeffrey as jeff free. and thinks her dad's name is either jeff lee sadecki or jeff free sadecki

Jacqueline Elise Sadecki- ha. ha ha. hahAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Simone Jada Abara- jada means wise, which is a trait i would associate with simone, and it also sounds good in there.

Samuel Isaac Abara-Turner- i am worried about sammy tonight in this chili's so i am giving him the worst curse i can on a christian child: naming him isaac after abraham's issac. i make things worse on purpose :)

Walter Ichabod Tattersall- he has no glory because he's just a weird little guy and i like that about him :)

Kevyn Ringo Tan- i am cursing kevyn with not only the y he already has but his parents being this type of beatles fan. idk i feel like someone using a y for kevin in the late seventies would be the kind of person to name their kid after ringo starr

Lisa Marie Hawthorne- giving lisa a very common middle name and a fancy, wasp-y last name complete with nathaniel hawthorne's generations away from puritanism guilt. it feels right with her mom being the way she is

that's it! that's the end of the characters i care enough about to do this for

[creations-by-chaosfay]

I dunno about the of y'all, but I absolutely hate being disorganized. Maybe it stems from always having small bedrooms, being raised in the military, or fearing vermin making itself cozy in my space? Regardless of the reasoning, I love having visual order in my space. My sewing room is itty bitty, about the size of a walk-in closet, which means not only do I need to be organized, I need to be creative about it because there isn't much floor space.

Here's a little how-to for y'all to check out. I'll be adding vertical storage to my sewing room with wall mounted shelves, a tack board, and making wallhangings with pockets. I removed the door to the room because it was taking up space I couldn't spare. Some of my sewing stuff is in the dining room, but hopefully that will soon change with a little creativity in my room.

Have trouble getting to the organizing part? I have ADHD, and this has created its own challenges. Marie Kondo has a couple shows on Netflix that helped me a lot. Basically one task in one room at a time. Yesterday was spent putting many of my scraps away in their designated bins. Then I moved things around the cutting table to make space for the current scrap projects. I also went through the quilt magazines I had pulled and put them away seeing as I'm no longer focused on those holiday projects. Visual clutter is reduced, I feel more at ease without unnecessary stress brought about by keeping holiday quilt patterns visible, and my room feels clear. Yay!!!

Go see about options about organizing your space. The link has free info specifically for this purpose.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Some tips for fellow artists and crafters who also have ADHD! Even if you're part of the club, you may benefit from the list.

Sometimes the visual mess of your space fucks with brain. Organize one part of that space. If sweeping the floor is all you can manage, that's enough. Do a little bit whenever you can. Don't beat yourself up for not "doing enough." If it still feels overwhelming, check out Marie Kondo.

When you get that late night urge to start a project, DON'T. Direct that energy and focus to prepping for the project. When you get outta bed later, everything will be ready to go.

Clean up as you work. Make it part of what you're doing, not a task to complete after the fun stuff.

Listen to books while you work. You can listen to them 100% free with Libby and a library membership, both of which are FREE. Your taxes paid for the public library, so use it. There's also Hoopla, which works with public libraries, requires only your library info, and you'll have access to even more audiobooks.

When you take a break, drink lots of water, have a snack, and DO NOT sit down. Don't lose the ADHD momentum unless you're done for the day.

Don't overwork yourself. That leads to burnout. I set up a timer (six hours) on my phone and move it to a different room, with the volume on my phone loud enough to scare me. The shock pulls me outta my zone, I end up running to the other room, and by the time I get back to my work...I'm done. I sit down to slow the momentum and get necessary adulting done, like eating dinner.

I have ADHD, but wasn't diagnosed until I was 36. Never been medicated for it. What has helped me most is visual order and cleaning up as I go along. Developing habits is extremely difficult for me, meaning it's a conscious ongoing effort. My home is very organized because messy space makes my anxiety shoot way up, and with it I'm unable to focus. Nothing gets done, stuff piles up, and it just gets worse. Marie Kondo has a show on Netflix, but I do believe she also has a couple books available, and possibly some video on YouTube. Her methods feel very geared for those of us who are Disabled, and have helped me and many others.

If you have any other tips or suggestions, add them to the list.

[beautifulduckweed]

Dear Yuletide Author 2023

Shh! Listen—can you hear it? That weird humming sound? That's me, vibrating with joy and anticipation for everything that Yuletide brings, especially what you, dear Yuletide author, have in store for me.

I’m beautifulduckweed on AO3. Below is a list of likes, a short list of DNWs, as well as my requests for Yuletide. I've included prompts, but please know that they are ABSOLUTELY just suggestions and points of inspiration; feel free to deviate from them, or ditch them entirely and write me something else. God knows I can’t write my own dang stories without taking several wild left turns along the way.

Thanks so much for my gift, and I hope you have a blast writing.

💖🥰 Some things I like 🥰💖

Crackfic and mashups. No premise to stupid, no crossover too incongruous. Listen, recently someone in another exchange requested John Wick x Marie Kondo and I have legit lost sleep thinking about that.

Sexytimes. Please note that I absolutely do not require sex! Some of my favorite exchange gifts have featured absolutely zero sex on page. But if the smutty muse strikes—well, far be it for me to stop you. My tolerance is…high. No, higher. No, no, higher than that. Look, I’ve been a denizen of the Internet long enough that I subscribed to porn newsgroups, OK? My constitution is CAST IRON. I especially enjoy service topping, orgasm control (delayed? denied? forced? ruined? YES), femdoms, people coming untouched, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, improbable feats of horny stamina, people losing control while fucking, gangbangs, and threesomes/moresomes/orgies. I also really love first times, and people finally dropping their defenses and allowing themselves to be vulnerable during sex, and the STOP MAKING LOVE TO ME WHEN WE'RE FUCKING trope. I do have a small list of smut no’s in the Do Not Wants section.

Tropes. Some of my fave tropes are idiots to lovers (idiot4idiot4eva), friends to lovers, forced proximity, cramming attractive people into corsets, drag queen AUs, SFF AUs of every stripe (daemon? Pacific Rim? Superhero/supervillain? Vampires? Inception? Yes yes yessss). I absolutely adore the golden retriever/hissy feral cat dynamic. I also like two soft-hearted dinguses doing their best and trying to treat each other right. And ain't nothin' wrong with enemies who are obsessed with each other who OOPS realize their preoccupation may be more than mere antipathy.

I’d also like to note that much as I love a fic that’s like, a trope confetti cannon, I also really love having tropes (and expectations) subverted. Like, take your standard daemon AU. What would happen if the main character and their daemon…didn’t like each other? What if they were, in fact, mortal enemies? It would be so fucked! I would love to read about it!!!

Horror and gore. I love scary stories and horror; I have a really high tolerance for gore. If you want to lean into action sequences, gore, and body horror, I am (with a few exceptions, which I’m gonna list in the DNWs) gonna be totally cool with it. I basically jumped straight from Enid Blyton to Stephen King. My childhood media consumption was very normal why do you ask 😊

And other stuff. If you want to fuck around with the format of the fic, play around with structure, format, voice, POV, all of it, please do. Here for any weird shit you care to toss my way.

I also really love having my sense of what’s real and what’s not messed with. Like, is it ever possible to have a fully reliable narrator? What is the nature of truth and reality anyway? What role does the overall narratorial voice or framing device of the story play in our perception of the story? I regret to inform you that I'm writing this 100% sober; this is just how my brain is all the time.

😭🚫Do Not Wants 🚫😭

Pet death. I am totally fine with, like, random rabbit needs to be killed for dinner while out in the woods, or oh no, we have to defend ourselves from a charging hippo or hostile lizard from outer space.

Animal cruelty. Brief mentions of stuff happening in the past or whatever are fine; seeing an animal tortured on-page is a big no.

Major character death. Random minions, as always, can be sacrificed to the storytelling gods. NOTE: Major character undeath fine.

Kink and smut no’s: I’m not into blood, scat, vomit or piss. Please no noncon/dubcon where a woman is the victim. NOTE: sex pollen scenarios whereby everybody loses their mind simultaneously is totally fine, as is Fuck or Die.

Unhappy/hopeless endings. Bittersweet is fine; endings where it’s clear a cost has been paid and everybody’s changed etc. etc. also fine, but like, please don’t leave the characters absolutely miserable or unrelentingly tormented by their demons (unless the demons are sexy and the torment is also sexy).

Breakups without makeups: If I requested a canon pairing, or if you decide to write a shippy pairing, please leave their relationship intact at the end of the story. It can take a battering! Just don't break them—or my poor little heart—apart. NOTE: If you're writing a missing scene that takes place while or leads up to a period when the characters are canonically on a break, leaving them broken up or the fight unresolved is fine, because I know canon takes care of things.

🍪🧁Treats 🧁🍪

Are very yes. Love me some treats!!!

📝🎅The Requests 🎅📝

Fandom: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting - K.J. Charles

Characters: Alice Fenwick, Marianne Loxleigh

Thoughts/Prompts: I am a simple bean, and all I want is Alice and Marianne having adventures. Maybe some lesbian porn. Or platonic lesbian BFF vibes. You can have 'em fall in love, or become platonic life partners, or fuck a lot and never fall in love, or start an elaborate grift or heist together. Like, wouldn’t it be hot if Marnie decided Alice needed some tutoring in the ways of fuckboys, lured one in, and used him to tutor Alice in the ways of satisfying herself while not getting pregnant? I’m seriously down for whatever.

Also, as with all of my fandom requests, please feel free to drag in as many other characters in as necessary. The more, the merrier; I just want Alice and Marnie’s relationship front and center.

Crack Prompts: Hey what about a vampire AU? Marnie as a vampire would be hot—hundreds of years of grifting, and GOD what the hell is up with this entirely-too-nice nerd oh WHOOPS turns out she’s her generation’s foremost vampire hunter. Alice as the vampire would also be amazing—Marnie tries to con Alice and discovers she’s bitten off more than she can chew (ba-dum-tish).

Vampire AU not your cuppa? How about crossovers with literally any other KJC universe? Stick ‘em in Magpies, or have them tangle with the Lilywhite Boys, solve a murder mystery with Pat and Fen, cosh some villains on the head with the Will Darling crew, accidentally fall into an orgy with the Murder, be pulled through time by one of the Green Men. I have read all the KJC books and extras. Go nuts.

Fandom: England Series - K.J. Charles

Characters: Bill Merton, Jimmy Yoxall

Thoughts/Prompts: Look, I love idiots, and these two are SUCH MAGNIFICENT IDIOTS. Jimmy is a giant doofus, and Bill thinks he's smarter, but all evidence points to him being at least as big an idiot when it comes to matters of the heart. I get all feral and heart-eyes over these two nincompoops. I will accept any and everything for these two: fics of the two of them getting to know each other during their university days, falling in love in London, THAT HORRIBLE FIGHT AFTER BEN HUR. Whatever. I ain't picky. I also said one time that they'd be great in Lower Decks and ever since then I may have brainwormed myself a little. They'd be so good in the USS Cerritos! Also down 2 clown with like, incongruous mashups---like John Wick? God, what if Jimmy Yoxall was just really weirdly good at murder, and Bill has to keep his stupid ass alive?

Opt-in for this specific fandom: waiving the breakup without makeup DNW for anything that takes place pre-Proper English events.

Fandom: Fire Island (Movie 2022)

Characters: Noah, Will

Thoughts/Prompts: Goddd, over a year later and it's still my favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptation to date. The found family vibes! Noah explicitly being non-monogamous! The dynamics between ALL the characters, but especially Noah and Howie!!! I am down for whatever for this fandom. Wanna write a big ole sweaty orgy? Have the entire crew go on a giant chaotic family vacation together? (Maybe even…the following year’s trip to Fire Island???). Somebody somehow manages to dare Will into entering a drag contest, and it’s gonna take everyone’s help to make this happen. Noah suddenly finds himself a TikTok sensation and gets into a weird Twitter beef with Taylor Swift.

Crack Prompts: These fools would be incredible in What We Do in the Shadows and Our Flag Means Death.

ALSO, oh my god: since this is a Pride and Prejudice retelling, how about sticking ‘em in a Regency romance novel? I’m inordinately fond of Loretta Chase, and the thought of these four idiots running amuck in the ton is giving me so much glee. Like, think of the Lord of Scoundrels retelling: Will is determined to rescue his idiot friend Charlie from the toils of Noah, a notorious rake, only to find himself reluctantly falling for Noah’s charms. And in the meanwhile, Charlie is falling in love with Howie….

[cardwellthaxton]

How To Sell A Hoarder House In New Jersey

By Cardwell Thaxton

If you are dealing with a property with years and years’ worth of acquired possessions, the idea of selling can seem overwhelming. Below, we offer some tips to help you sell your hoarder house fast in New Jersey, without the costs or stress you may expect! 

Do you own a hoarder house in New Jersey? Or maybe you want to help a friend or family member sell a house that has most stuff than you know what to do with. Either, way, the tips below will help you sell your hoarder house fast in New Jersey. And remember, we will make you an offer for your hoarder house as-is, making it easy to sell without any hassles. Keep reading for more great tips!

Get Organized

When you see all of the items piled up, filling closets, cupboards, and rooms, you may feel very overwhelmed. It can be difficult to even know where to begin. You’ll want to organize yourself in the way that makes the most sense. You can start by putting like-kind items together. This way you can go through said items, determining what to give away and what to keep. Or you could plan to go room by room through the house, deciding what to do with the items as you go. You’ll want to designate space for the items you want to take with you, what you want to sell, what you want to give away, and what you want to throw in the trash. Not only do you need to organize the house, but you will also need to organize your plan of attack.

Be Ruthless

A lot of the items will have to go. You need to be mentally prepared for this before you say goodbye to your stuff. Take heart in knowing that your usable items are going to people who need them. If you have a lot of things, you are keeping out of sentiment, it can be a good idea to take photos, which can be stored digitally, not taking up any space. Even if you decide to print a few out, a photo album takes up much less space than your boxes of trophies, old clothing, and books you don’t want to forget about. You can implement some of the strategies taught by Marie Kondo to eliminate all of the excess clutter once and for all. You need to be ruthless and remind yourself that stuff is just stuff. If you really want to sell your house without the help of a direct buyer, you may find that you have some work to do. Your only option is to get in there and do the work.

Focus on The Good

If you decide to list a hoarder house, showing it before everything has been cleaned out, you’ll need to get creative in your presentation. Seeing the piles of junk that have piled up over time can send many people running the other way. You want to help your buyers see what can be. Highlight the big windows, the big yard, or the new appliances. Whatever is great about the house, make sure it is highlighted front and center. People base a lot of their buying decision on their first impressions of the property. If you are selling a hoarder house in New Jersey the traditional way, you’ll want to do everything you can to make your prospective buyer’s impressions of the house a good one! When you highlight the great things about the house, hopefully, the not-so-great things aren’t as apparent. That said, you will need to disclose every potential problem with the house to your potential buyers, not doing so can be considered fraud.

Sell The House As-is… Junk and All

The fastest, easiest, and most stress-free way to sell a hoarder house in New Jersey is to sell it to an honest, professional, and experienced homebuyer such as The Cardwell Thaxton Group. When you sell to us, we will but the house as-is, no matter what you want to leave behind. We will handle your unwanted hoarder house in New Jersey, junk and all! You will be able to sell the house without any cleaning, repairs, or property showings. You can have all the time you need to clean out what you wish to keep… we will close whenever you are ready.

If you need to sell a hoarder house in New Jersey, reach out to our team before committing to an agent. Our team will make sure the selling process is fast and easy so you can sell your house fast in New Jersey without any extra costs, hassles, or wasted time!

Do you need to sell a hoarder house in New Jersey? Whether you have more stuff than you know what to do with, you inherited a house, or you’ve had a hoarder tenant occupying the home, our team can help! Reach out to us today to learn more! (908)456-1593

The Cardwell Thaxton Group Cardwell Thaxton, New Jersey 📲(908) 456-1593 📧CardwellThaxton@gmail.com https://www.sellmyhousefastnewjersey.org/

[lightningshow]

A couple of life updates:

I'm taking a break from school this fall! A much needed break :) I'm currently seeking psychiatric help for my anxiety and ADHD and felt it would be best to give myself a buffer while I work out those medications. I want to make sure that I'm making decisions for my future with the best possible mindset, and I can't do that while I'm struggling with my mental health every day. I also want to make sure that I'm able to function outside of a school setting. This also gives me more time to study for my certification exams etc. Overall, I feel good about the choice :) I already feel so relieved and free of anxiety!

Also, I've started using the Marie Kondo method on my childhood bedroom (where I'll be living this year while I'm not at school) and WOW! I'm so surprised at what I've been able to let go of :) I've only done clothes, shoes, and books so far but already I've been able to let go of stuff I've been holding onto for years. The biggest victory for me has been things I received as gifts but didn't like and held onto because of guilt. Also, I finally got rid of clothes from when I was at my lowest weight, and I'm really proud of that one. :) If you have trouble letting things go, I absolutely reccomend reading her books, they've helped me a lot!

[thebibliosphere]

soooo I’m finally watching Marie Kondo’s Netflix show in an attempt to motivate myself to clean my room, and while a lot of the tips seem like things that will be good for my ADHD and anxiety, the homes she looks at are... kind of already clean? Like, no dust, no trash, no dirty laundry, no spiderwebs. There’s lots of clutter, but not a lot of actual dirtiness. And especially with my worsening depression, I’ve been trying not to think about how bad my room is for so long that there are Actual Cobwebs in a couple corners. I know I’m an extreme exception, but if you had any tips on how to tackle that aspect, I would fully appreciate it

 Marie Kondo is less of a “clean your home” show and more of a “keep it organized.”

It’s also important to remember that no matter how real the people are, parts are staged. Because I guarantee you, some of those houses with the amount of clutter that is in them? Will absolutely have dust, cobwebs, and mold problems. We’re just not being shown them.

But that doesn’t mean you also can’t use Marie’s techniques to actually clean.

I’ve talked before about removing the lid from the laundry hamper helped ETD actually start putting laundry in the basket instead of on the floor/any flat surface. What I’ve yet to talk about is how that in no way helped us keep on top of doing laundry. The thing that really helped us was buying multiple cheap laundry baskets (this kind) and sorting our laundry out as we got changed. For example, there are three laundry baskets lined up near the door in our bedroom. One has t-shirts, another one has underwear, and another has, like, pants and jeans and shit. They serve both as visual reminders that we need to do laundry and help with pre-sorting laundry. Once they get full to a certain point, it’s time to do a laundry load.

We’ve also got baskets like these for towels, kitchen things and bed linens. Everything just goes into visible baskets, which can, if necessary, be stacked and shoved into a closet if company suddenly comes over. (Though that doesn’t happen so much these days.)

I also use spare hampers for doing 15-minute-pick-ups, which is exactly what it sounds like. I set a timer for 15 minutes, and I pick things up from places where they don’t belong and throw them in the hamper. So, for example, Holly’s toys and blankets are currently scattered all through the house. If I want to dust, vacuum, and clean, I will walk around the house picking her stuff up and putting it in the hamper, clearing a path for me to do the other things I need to do without worrying about organizing a space for her stuff. 

Another example would be my work desk. My work desk is currently covered in everything from my work printouts, bills I need to pay, medical gear like my blood pressure cuff, all my charging cables, multiple books, some of Holly’s toys, and for some unknown reason, four measuring tapes. If I want to dust my desk, I will put everything in a basket, wipe the surface down, then pick out the things that belong on my desk. Like the printouts and the bills. My desk is now, in less than 15 minutes, dust-free and organized. But Joy, you might say, what about the things in the basket? What do I do with those? Easy, keep them in the basket and take them to where they do belong. But what if the space they belong needs cleaned? Rinse and repeat, take your basket to the next space, clear everything into the basket, clean the area, then put back the things that belong. Congrats, you may have just cleared multiple spaces. And if you run out of energy in the interim? That’s okay; it’s better to have things contained in baskets than scattered everywhere across your house. It reduces them down to smaller problems and reduces your visual exhaustion from clutter, making tasks easier for ADHD brains in the long run. (This also works for other types of executive dysfunction. Visual exhaustion is a real problem for brains that are already trying their hardest.)

So, now you’ve got things sorted into manageable piles, what do you do next? You prioritize what is necessary for your space to be safe and sanitary. Cobwebs might be gross looking, but they’re not really an issue compared to, say, actual trash or dirty dishes that might be molding in your space. Remove those things first. Set another 15-minute timer, pick up as much trash as you can, and put it in a trash bag. If the timer runs out and you’re still good to go, set it for another 15-minutes, or keep going until you’re done. I find music helps. I’ve actually tricked my brain into realizing that dishes take me 12 minutes (instead of the literal hours my brain thinks it is), so for me, that’s 3-4 songs from my favorite band. Other people like to watch “clean with me” videos on youtube. They can be quite motivating, sort of like second-hand dopamine from watching people be productive.

 Once you’ve sorted one major task, assess how you’re feeling. Are you tired and need to stop? Great! You’ve achieved a lot already; well done. Have a sticker and or reward of choice. Tomorrow you will do another 15 minutes of something else, and slowly but surely, your space should become more manageable and less intimidating.

Think you can do more? Also great! Let’s maybe try to get the dishes next. After that, I’d suggest tackling the cobwebs, then dusting, then sweeping/vacuuming, and then if necessary, mopping the floor. And I don't mean all at once, I just mean in that order, just so you’re not having to go back and dust again.

I try to do 15 minutes of housework every day in this fashion. I also keep a rough schedule on our fridge and tick major tasks as we go. So did I do laundry this week? Yes! Excellent, gold star. No? Okay, well, that gets priority next week. (Still gold star for what I did achieve, though.)

It helps keep things manageable while also not being Too Much for either my ADHD or my physical disabilities. For some people, that 15 minutes is too much, and I would say even doing 5 minutes a day is better than none. Anything you can do to keep your living space safely habitable for both your mental and physical health is good and worthy of praise and pride.

Anyway, I hope some of this helps and wasn’t too long! 

Take care and good luck!

[lastoneout]

I posted a long rant about this on Twitter but I wanted to make a more coherent post about it here too so anyway I think I figured out why the KonMarie method works so well for neurodivergent people, especially ones who struggle with executive dysfunction.

So like one of the main things people say to do to get yourself out of an executive function hole is to make a list, right? Write down all of your tasks and break them down into small steps so you don't get overwhelmed and can visualize what needs doing. Now I'm not always the best at the list part, but if I'm stuck on something like dishes or cleaning the bathroom, I will sit down and in my head imagine all of the steps. Legit just imagine myself doing them, imagine myself at the sink doing dishes or cleaning the bathroom, and(most of the time) that helps me actually get up and do them.

But sometimes with like, the bigger picture its still easy to get overwhelmed or end up at a loss for what to do. And that's where Marie Kondo's method steps in. She literally breaks everything down step by step with, if you're watching the show or reading the manga, a clear visualization and essentially does the list part for you. You don't have to sit down and visualize things or make your own list and figure out what to do first. Her method TELLS you. Granted this is really for big picture stuff, like cleaning your whole house, but that is something that needs doing sometimes and her method comes prepackaged with an easy to understand, guilt free explanation of how to do all of it step by step.

She also never makes anyone feel overwhelmed. A great tip for cleaning is starting with just one room. Work on your bedroom one day the next do the kitchen, or the storage room, or the bathroom. Do what you can in just one room and don't feel bad if it takes multiple days. Don't think about the other rooms. Just start doing what you can slowly. No guilt, no scary oh God I have 500 things to do. Just one room, one mess. That's it. (I tend to start with my storage/laundry room cuz it’s the smallest room in the house and also somewhere to put things when I start on other rooms but that’s just me.)

Her show especially helped, because I could see the method work with different people, I know exactly what it looks like with examples in all sorts of houses and levels of clutter. Plus again when you have ADHD or depression or any other thing that makes you really struggle with executive function and cleaning there is a load of guilt associated with it. You know other people have clean houses, that they don't struggle like you do, and you feel terrible. But Marie Kondo's method never makes you feel guilty. She never judges anyone she helps, she even says she loves mess. It really helped me at least break through that guilt roadblock every time I tried to clean, because it reminded me that I don't have to feel bad.

And I do think another thing that does help ND people and especially people with ADHD is accepting a certain level of mess and not feeling bad about it, but when it comes to the big picture I really reccomend giving her method a try. After I watched her show my house was spotless for the first time in...ever. I had people come over(this was like 2018) and I didn't need to make space or apologize for the mess. I felt so good and happy about the house I lived in. It was fantastic and I really think she can help others feel that way too.

[tossawary]

How do you prepare for a writing session? I have a terrible time focusing on anything and would love some pointers

My focus has been all over the place lately, but, ahhh, here are a bunch of things that help me personally focus on getting that WIP done: 

- Deadlines. Deadlines make me focus like nothing else. If I allowed myself to officially say that my update day needed to be Thursday this week instead of Wednesday, the chapter would come late on Thursday. Having an official update day of the week helps me pace myself. 

(Having that day of the week not be a weekend day lets me actually relax and enjoy my weekend, which helps me recharge.) 

- Outlines. Having an outline to follow makes it easier to write a lot all at once or to pick up where I left off if I’m writing in bursts. My outlines are a mess of point-form notes with all the plot and character moments I think I need to hit. Sometimes they’re snippets of nice-sounding dialogue and sometimes they’re things like, “Shang Qinghua says something here that reminds the audience of the existence of X plot detail coming up shortly.” 

Or: “- Shang Qinghua does Y action. - Mobei-Jun is amused.” 

I can dig up one of my outlines for a PINTWILF chapter. I have nearly all of them still, I think. Some of them have very detailed outlines and then some of them were super vague, like, “I HAVE A VISION, LET’S GO BEFORE I LOSE IT.” 

I have a notes document with the outlines and a document that I’m actually writing in. Sometimes, I’ll have the side by side on my screen, with the notes document on my left, so I can glance between the two as I write. 

(When I do this, I keep a third window hidden, which contains my music tabs and my thesaurus tabs and my distraction tabs. If I can’t see it, it helps.) 

Sometimes, if I want one big window, I’ll copy-paste the outline into my writing document, underneath the in-progress writing, separated by a “CONTINUE HERE”. The point-form notes come up one by one, and I delete the point-form notes as I hit them until the copy-pasted outline is gone. 

- If your eyes are slipping over the words, change the font and the font size. A large, dyslexic-friendly font like Comic Sans is usually good. Switching fonts is also good for spell-checking. 

Shorter paragraphs can also make things seem snappier and catch my eyes better. They can also reveal the beats (plot, character, tension, etc.) of a scene. Once your bones are made clear, you can always go back in and rejoin paragraphs, or elaborate on the beats that need it. 

- Honestly, just having massive chunks of free time (yay, being confined to my house) is what has allowed me to write this much. When I have errands or chores or tasks, I try to get them over with before I start writing, because constantly thinking “I need to remember to pay that bill after this” is a focus-breaker. It’s easier to just do it now so I don’t forget later. 

Work is left at work! So fun writing time can be fun writing time only! 

If I’m hungry or thirsty or need to use the bathroom, I just get up and go do that. Being hungry or thirsty makes my brain uncooperative. It needs energy to do its thing! Get up, solve the body’s problem, take the opportunity to stretch, and then my focus isn’t constantly divided by thinking, “I’m hungry.” Meals and other needs shouldn’t be withheld as rewards! They’re needed for writing! 

If my feet are cold, I go get socks. One more distraction eliminated! 

On a similar note, sometimes I can’t focus because I feel like I haven’t “accomplished enough” of other things and it feels like I have other things I should be doing. Taking a walk, cooking a meal (or a treat!), or getting a task or chore out of the way can help with that. I have Accomplished Something and now I can write freely! 

- Give myself permission to just GET IT DONE and then go back and improve upon it later is a huge help. My writing doesn’t have to be pretty. I don’t have to get it right on the first try. I can go back and make it nice later. 

If it’s feeling a little flat, I can come back later and tone it up. 

If it’s feeling a little too much, I can come back later and tone it down. 

I also don’t have to go back and make it nice later. Projects can be imperfect. 

Likewise, it’s good to give myself permission to be direct when I’m writing. “Oh, damn, I need Shang Qinghua to cross the room here,” I’ll say, and it feels like I’ve hit a dead end. How do I write that transition? I write: “Shang Qinghua crossed the room.” Done! Stage directions don’t have to be fancy! 

Maybe I’ll add an adverb later on the second pass, but dialogue can convey that he crossed the room carefully (“Are you... okay?”) or angrily (“What is wrong with you?!”) well enough. 

I’m also allowed to just use “said”. Sometimes less is more! 

- I’m only “allowed” to post one WIP to AO3 at a time. That also helps. 

If you have other WIPs that feel like they’re dragged you down, you can just mark them as “incomplete” or “on hiatus”. Feeling accountable to others helps me write, but it also helps to remind myself I don’t “owe” my time or effort to any project if I’m not feeling it right now. People might be disappointed that I’m not writing what they want or that I even have to backtrack on a promise, but their disappointment isn’t really my problem. I’m allowed to change my mind. 

Sometimes ideas have limits. Some ideas can become feature-length films and some ideas can become 6-hour mini-series and some ideas are only really worth about a short film (unless you bring in more characters and themes and sub-plots, etc). Sometimes, you have to get the writing version of a seam-ripper, figure out what you’re not vibing with, and come back with more characters and themes and sub-plots to make an idea vibe with you again. 

And sometimes it’s good to follow Marie Kondo’s example and go, “You know what? This unfinished fic taught me that I do not enjoy writing fics like this.” Or: “This unfinished fic taught me that I do not vibe with this idea.” 

- Sometimes, music is more distracting than anything else, especially when I’m writing dialogue. I’ll turn music off when I need to “hear” the dialogue better. Listening to ambience mix style stuff that goes on for hours can help set the mood and also means I’m not distracted by constantly picking new music. 

- Sometimes I wear specific outfits or change into a different outfit when I want to be in a better mood for writing. Usually into a more comfortable outfit. (But sometimes there’s a scene that calls to be written by an author wearing a fancy dress! However, I find very fancy outfits are for very rare occasions.) 

Brushing my hair or brushing my teeth before a writing sessions can help me feel refreshed. Sometimes I shower before my writing sessions. I find it relaxing to feel clean. Changing bedsheets or rearranging the couch to my liking can help too. Sometimes, I channel the energy of a bird picking at my nest and fluffing my feathers, for the Best Environment and Best Look! These cleaning behaviors are important for attracting mates and all the jazz, but they’re also good for attracting personal happiness and good writing vibes. 

- Rereading comments before a writing session can help me feel pumped. 

I answer comments or asks in bunches because most often I prefer to direct my energy towards my writing sessions. I love the comments and the asks! So much that sometimes I want to hoard them forever! But sometimes I need to set them aside so that I can keep making the writing I enjoy. 

Sometimes it can be distracting, though. 

- Okay! I think that’s everything off the top of my head! Key points for me: 

Time! 

Preparation! 

Comfort! 

Environment! 

Different techniques will work differently for different people, of course. Sometimes, these techniques work very well for me and sometimes I just get more distracted. Oh, last thing is something I’m bad at, but: if it feels like I really need to sleep, I probably really need to sleep. Naps are my friend. 

So are break weeks. Recharging is good. 

[transsexualhamlet]

Sherlock Holmes Reactions As A Flaming Homosexual (part 5 lmao)

Again I will be putting this shit under the cut because it's gonna be So Long and also fair warning for sherlock is in fact a raging drug addict and I have a lot of yknow parts that talk about that so tread with caution but hi i am once again yelling. keep in mind i am deliriously ill while writing this one but i think i sound. just about as insane as usual. maybe it's a bit less organized tho lol

OK FIRST I WILL STATE IT SOMEHOW DID NOT COME TO MY ATTENTION FIRST READING SIGN OF FOUR THAT WATSON APPARENTLY F U C K S

like i think it's so funny that most people will look at those two and definitely think it's the other way around but no. sherlocks a virgin and watson has had sex with every woman ever and probably not limited to women

and another thing I somehow missed the first time around in sign of four. sherlock sherlock please honey this is serious get help

TH

THREE TIMES A GODDAMN DAY???? SHERLOCK I AM BEGGING YOU TO STOP HOW IS THIS MAN ALIVE

Funniest thing is that watson tells him to stop and hes like Watson i Only do drugs when the Newspaper is boring

is the newspaper boring three times a day sherlock. is it really

And at the same time sherlock checks the paper like a goddamn phone notification he'll just run out and get the latest version to see if anything's changed just like on the hour. Wow that man is not neurotypical.

poor watson tbh

why are these men just batshit fucking insane I love them

So yeah back to some random funny bits i got from reading a ton of the short stories

Ok i must say it's quite funny just my experience being either reading something about sherlock and watson and going awww they're in love or just violently yelling S H E R L O C K

Cause i was like reading a bit where watson was talking about how he was on a nice little walk with sherlock, you know, the kind of walk where no one talks but it's really comfortable and you know only people who know each other Very Intimately like him and sherlock are that well together and i was just like aww

And then three seconds later I'm laughing my ass off about "how did you know my name" "IT WAS ON YOUR HAT"

SDHFDHHDFHFDS AND ALSO THAT TIME WHEN SHERLOCK JUST COMPLETELY GODDAMN MISREAD A SITUATION AND MADE UP THIS CONSPIRACY ABOUT LIKE A SECRET HUSBAND WHOS DEATH HAD BEEN FAKED AND THEN IT WAS JUST OH NO MY KID'S BLACK WHATEVER SHALL I DO

AND BECAUSE HE WAS SO EMBARASSED ABOUT IT HES LIKE WATSON IF I EVER MAKE UP SOME DUMB SHIT LIKE THAT AGAIN FEEL FREE TO CALL ME A FUCKING IDIOT and wow thats the most humble thing hes ever done

And then he starts saying shit like "i hope your marriage doesn't change anything between us" like damn shawty what is that supposed to mean /homosexual

I also love how bc watson is the only one writing it when sherlock is talking about something that happened to him in the past with quotes and stuff there's just like seven fucking quotation marks around each other im dying

SGBDFSNNDSGNSFNFDSDFS I THOUGHT THE SHOOTING THE WALL THING WAS A YUUMORI SPECIFIC THING NO HE JUST DOES IT FOR FUN AND NOT JUST ONCE LIKE HE MAKES ART OUT OF THE FUCKING BULLET HOLES HE WAS MAKING BULLET HOLE ART OF QUEEN VICTORIA PLEASE IM CRYING AND HUDSON WAS LIKE STOP??? SHOOTING THE WALL??? AND HES LIKE SHAWTY IM ALMOST DONE CALM DOWN

And when they make him clean his goddamn room im losing my mind why does he keep random shit from his old cases "in case it comes in handy" and "to remember that time i solved that thing" i am going to throw marie kondo at you

BASFBGHDFSHGFHFSDHHDSFDS IM NOT EVEN SURPRISED THIS HAPPENED BUT ITS SO FUNNY WHEN HE JUST GOT SO HYPERFIXATED ON A CASE THAT HE JUST FUCKING. WORKED ON IT 15 HRS A DAY FOR TWO MONTHS AND THEN GOT SO EXHAUSTED AND SICK THAT WATSON HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HIM AND TAKE HIM TO THE SEASIDE TO GET BETTER LIKE HE GOT VICTORIAN WOMAN DISEASE AND SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY FUCKING GOT MURDERED RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND WATSONS JUST LIKE. HHHHHHHHHHH FINE I SUPPOSE YOU JUST FUCKING KILL YOURSELF AGAIN ALL THIS IS FOR NOTHING IM TRYING SO GODDAMN HARD

I feel so bad for him, hes just trying so hard to keep this idiot alive and it is Not Working

Ok so like this is something Im still absolutely reeling over because it's like. it doesn't even seem real to me but the fact that Sherlock has multiple times just like gone to watson's house in the middle of the night, climbed up his goddamn wall and into his window, been like "you better not be busy" and started Talking

Like. Man's in his nightgown and just sees this fucker climbing in the window like "WATSON WATSON YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I FOUND" and not just that. he's like "I only came in because you don't fucking sleep with your wife and it appears that you don't have any men in here either so I thought it was ok" LIKE ONE, WTF IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN SHERLOCK WHY WOULD HE HAVE OTHER MEN IN HIS BEDROOM SEHGIHO:EWOHO:GHE BUT TWO, WHYYY ARE THEY GAY

He didn't even fucking ask or say he was gonna do that no watson just has no clue when hes gonna show up and start remarking upon watson's appearance what even. homosexuals

Sherlock honestly just baffles me sometimes.

Oh, also, I read the one with Mycroft in it, and wow, is the man just as boring as he is in yuumori. That's just hilarious that sherlock is this absolutely insane man and then in contrast his older brother Pays Money to Sit In A Completely Silent Room and Read The Paper

It's so funny how he's like. Straight up even smarter than sherlock but no one gives a shit about him because he just. Is so fucking boring and antisocial

Like, we don't know anything about Sherlock's childhood but like. Part of me wants to think that it must have been absolutely insane and then Mycroft's rebellious stage was to just be fucking boring. Like. I would believe that. Just imagine that

I am going to make the final problem stuff its own post just cause I went absolutely insane over it but yea this was certainly an experience

[bpdhotmess]

21+ Spring Cleaning Hacks You Need to Know

Spring time: trees are budding,  birds are singing, flowers bloom. It’s time to start freshening our homes… and that’s when the fun ends. Or does it? I sheepishly admit that I haven’t done much spring cleaning in my time, but, this year may be different. There is not much to do. So why not roll up my sleeves and give the house a good going over?

But before we get into the deep cleaning tips, it’s important we first learn the importance of clearing some space. Clutter keeps our homes feeling messy, even after we straighten up. That’s why cleaning a home can feel so overwhelming and endless. 

Good news! There is a simple solution to managing the cleanliness of your home.

Get rid of clutter! When you get rid of clutter, your home naturally becomes clean and satisfyingly functional. Give it a try. Systematically go through your home; Pick up things and ask yourself this question: “Does this item add function to my life?” If the answer is, “No,” then throw it away or donate it. A clean home is a functional home.

Once you clear some space, your home will feel open and inviting. And you will discover that your decluttered home is much easier to clean.  “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” 

Need more decluttering advice? Check out our 5 Marie Kondo hacks. 

Alright, now on to the hacks for professional-grade deep cleaning: 

Yes, the whole spring cleaning process can be a bit daunting, so I thought the best thing to do was to contact a professional for advice. I called my mom, Dolores Breese. She owned a successful cleaning service in the 1990s, but even before then she was a maniac (in a good way) when it came to cleaning. So, I asked her for some spring cleaning hacks.

Where my mom would clean three or sometimes four houses in one day, she had help. You don’t have to do that. Give yourself some time. You don’t have to clean the whole house in one day. You’re allowed to take a few days or weeks to do this type of cleaning. (Or see our hacks to clean your home in under an hour here)

Cleaning the House Dolores Breese-Style

My mom says people no longer spring clean like they used to. Decades ago, people would go through the entire house, take everything down from the walls and clean top to bottom.

If anyone was going to paint or wallpaper, this was the time to do it. 

Begin in the Least-Used Room First

By starting with this room first, your whole house will get the thorough cleaning you have set out to do. If you start somewhere else, you may run out of steam. You are more likely to give yourself a pass from cleaning some rooms because “no one ever goes in there anyways.”

Work From the Top Down

That means get the cobwebs off the ceiling before you sweep the floor. My mom used to have an actual cobweb cleaner. Nowadays you can get a Swiffer that has an extended handle to do the same thing.

Pro Tip: With the Swiffer Duster Starter Kit you can remove the head and replace after every it cleaning to maintain and promote a more germ-free environment in your home. Get your Swiffer today.

Start with the Thing you Hate Most to Clean

This is to give you a psychological advantage. If you start with what you hate to clean first, you’ll get it done and won’t wimp out.

Start in the Corner

After getting the cobwebs down from the entire room, you start in one corner and work around the room. This would be the corner where the thing you hate to clean is.

Clean Every Surface

That means walls, picture frames, knick-knacks, desks, computers and on and on. If it has a surface, it can accumulate dirt and dust. Therefore, it is part of your mission to make it sparkle. 

Pro Tip: If you want to save money on household cleaners, order from Dollar Tree online and have it shipped for free to your local store. Find safe, effective cleaning supplies for just a buck each. 

When you clean surfaces, it is helpful to have cleaning wipes. Use these to clean and disinfect those surfaces.

Move the Furniture

By moving the furniture you can vacuum little touched areas that have accumulated much debris. You’ll be amazed at what you find when you move your furniture away from the wall!

Pro Tip: Moving furniture can be a pain. Why not make it easier on yourself with these furniture sliders? We like this X-Protector variety pack because of the big selection. These will help you slide your furniture easier on all surfaces.

Pro Tip: Pledge furniture polish will do, but if you want the good stuff, you will want to try Milsek Furniture Polish.

Vacuum Your Way out of a Room

If you have worked hard to clean the room, you want to enjoy the finished product. Start at the farthest end of the room and vacuum backwards until you have gotten over the threshold. Carpet that is freshly vacuumed and untouched by footsteps gives you a real sense of satisfaction.

Pro Tip: In our house, we use the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Upright Vacuum Cleaner. We love that it is bagless and economical. Whether you have a pet or not, the pet hair attachments will achieve a deeper clean.

Dusting Hacks

When my mother had her cleaning business, microfiber cleaning products were not a thing. However, you might want to consider microfiber dusting slippers. Check out those dusting slippers here!

Kitchen Cleaning Hack

To clean out your drain, use 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar and boiling water. Pour baking soda into the drain, followed by vinegar. Let it bubble for several minutes. Follow up with boiling water. (Dollar Tree is a great place to get inexpensive cleaning supplies. You can create an account, order online and have your items shipped free to your local Dollar Tree store.)

Use Bar Keepers Friend brand cleanser for cleaning stainless steel or porcelain sinks. It is also good for counters.

Be sure to clean the window sill by sink and wash the window using Windex.

Stove Top Cleaning Hack

Have an electric stove top? Did you know you can lift up the top to clean the drip pan and burners? Try it now. Just lift it up.

Microwave Cleaning Hack

Wet a cloth and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The rag will be hot so be careful, but use the cloth to clean the microwave out. The moisture will make it easier to clean.

Natural Glass Cleaner Hack

Windex is a popular glass cleaner, however, you can make your own cleaner if you prefer to avoid chemicals. When cleaning windows, you can use your cleaning cloths, paper towels or a squeegee (this works great if you have glass shower doors).

Pro Tip: If you purchase the ingredients to make your own cleaner at your local grocery store, download the Ibotta app to save on name brands and groceries. Ibotta is the No. 1 downloaded app to save at the grocery store. Find bargains and earn cash back when you download the Ibotta app.

Bathroom Cleaning Hack

Clean the mirror first, then move everything off the counter and clean the surface with clorox wipes or comet cleaner. Shine the faucet of the sink. Make sure to get the back of the faucet, an area that is often neglected.

Bathtub Cleaning Hack

Use a crevice cleaner to get into the edges where the tile and tub meet. Use it to help clean out the grout. 

Shower Cleaning Hack

Keep ahead of cleaning by wiping down your shower/bathtub after each time you use it. Use the crevice cleaner to get the edges. Make sure to clean the faucet and knobs, too.

Showerhead Cleaning Hack

Have you noticed your showerhead getting a little crusty? What you are seeing are likely mineral or lime deposits from the water. Watch this video for an easy solution to clean your showerhead and get the water flow back to normal.

Pro Tip: If you love shopping Amazon and have your cleaning products delivered to you at your convenience, then you will want to take advantage of Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program and save 15%.

Toilet Cleaning Hack

Nobody wants to do this, but it is important. 

Work from the back to front and top to bottom of the toilet. Make sure to wipe down the back of the toilet, then the lid, sides, handle and front of the tank. Use Clorox to spray all the areas, including inside and outside of the bowl and seat. Wipe down the porcelain behind the seat. Make sure to get all the little crevices clean, too. 

Inside the bowl you’ll want to clean under the rim first, so the debris can fall into the water. You can use a toilet brush for the bowl, but to get it really clean, using your hands works best for the rim. Flush the toilet and then spray again with the cleaner. Use the toilet brush to clean the bowl as far into the bowl as possible. Then flush the toilet again, rinsing the brush as the water flows. 

Use the toilet cleaner and spray the receptacle for the toilet brush and use the brush to clean out the inside of it. Pour the dirty water into the toilet and flush one last time, again rinsing the brush in the water flow. 

Laundry Hacks

One thing I do is to rub a little Dawn dish detergent whenever my husband gets grease on his shirt. Dawn is great for cutting grease.

Dolores Breese’s Cleaning Starter Kit

Whether you choose to go old school and do a deep clean or just address those areas needing attention, I hope these hacks helped. Here are my mom’s recommendations to build a thorough cleaning kit for spring and every other season:

p.s. If you put together your cleaning kit and discover you really like this kind of stuff, then be like my mom and start your own business.

Save Money On Cleaning Supplies

Earning cash back on cleaning supplies is easy. Check out these money-making machines to earn free money while you shop online and in store. Oh yeah, all of this stuff is free.