• Reykjavik, Iceland
Life Advice
Moving out and getting your own place? Keep it clean.

Moving out and getting your own place? Keep it clean.

When you’re 18 making your first paycheck or going into your sophomore year of college, the first thing your looking forward to is getting your own place away from your parents. I remember getting my own place when I was 20 and loving the independence that comes with it. On the other hand, I had no idea what other responsibilities would come with this newfound “awesome” independence. So this article doesn’t become extremely long and boring, I’m going to split this topic up into a several part series. This article itself will address the importance of keeping your place clean when you take the first big step to living on your own.

My solution to keeping your place clean

When you came across this article you probably said to yourself ,” Does this even need to be discussed? Obviously when I move into my new place I’m going to keep it clean?”. I would then ask you if you have ever walked into a house filled with sophomore frat bros who all are experiencing having their own place for the first time in their lives. 90% of the time one word describes it pretty well…. disgusting. Dirty dishes piling up in the sink, empty pizza boxes in the kitchen or coffee table in the living room, beer cans littered everywhere, and beer stains on the carpet from late night games of beer pong. I haven’t even reached the worst part yet… imagine going into a bathroom and seeing the rim of grime on the inside of the toilet bowl from it never being scrubbed.  Or the shower walls screaming,” BLEACH ME PLEASE”, due to the nice layer of mold growing on it.

Most likely, unless your parents are willing to fork over the dough for you to get you your own place, you are going to have roommates. If your roommates are responsible, clean and willing to rotate chores every week to make sure your spot is always clean, congratulations you won the lottery. I would say most of the time you’re going to get an excuse why the trash wasn’t taken out or why the sink is still filled with pots and pans. What I recommend and what has worked for me 100% of the time is splitting the cost of a maid service that cleans every other week. Even though you will have to fork up some money for a cleaning service it is completely worth it. It’s an amazing feeling to come home to a clean place after a stressful day of school or work so do yourself a favor and hire a cleaning service.

Cleaning supplies that I recommend

In case I have to clean in between my cleaning service visits, there are several things I always like to have on hand.

  • Toilet brush cleaner – I don’t need to explain why you need this, just have one. Or if you do need an explanation, imagine seeing the face of disgust as the girl/guy you are dating walks out of your bathroom seeing skid marks in your toilet.
  • Foaming bleach – This stuff has been a lifesaver when cleaning just about anything due to its ability to penetrate any stain.
  • Swiffer Duster – Nobody likes seeing dust on window sills, ceiling fans, or anywhere at all. Do you self a favor and get one of these they are awesome and cheap.
  • Swiffer Sweeper – This thing makes cleaning any hard floor surfaces a breeze. Similar to the Swiffer Duster, its cheap and will last you a while.
  • Lysol Wipes – A good disinfectant wipe is a must in any household to wipe down counter tops etc.
  • Dirt Devil – I’ve personally always have had one of these. This vacuum gets the job done without breaking the bank.
  • Garbage disposal cleaner and deodorizer – A smelly garbage disposal can make your whole house smell like a dump truck. I’ve used these and they work flawlessly freshen your sink.

I hope this article saves you some time when it comes to keeping your place clean. If you have any questions feel free to comment on this article or if you have a specific topic you would like me to write about please send an email to thedailynook@gmail.com.