Here are a few things I've learned so far!
Laundry: Oh laundry. It's an incredibly important thing to learn when you grow up. Luckily for me, I've been doing laundry since I was a kid. Relying on my mom to wash the clothes I wanted to wear wasn't exactly going as planned, so I took it upon myself to guarantee I was dressed the way I wanted to. (Looking back, I may regret that decision...oh well.) I think the best thing to remember when doing laundry is that some things have very specific instructions, some things shrink, and some things bleed. Do not wash deep colors (purples, reds, bright blues, etc.) with things that easily absorb other colors (whites, light grays, etc.). However, if you are reading this after the fact, there is still hope. Check out this site that I've found extremely helpful!
- Another cool piece of knowledge is how to remove sweat stains. I learned this from Pinterest, and it definitely works. Remember to test a small area of the clothing first to make sure that it doesn't damage the fabric! Mix blue Dawn dish soap with hydrogen peroxide. Use a toothbrush or scrub brush to apply the mixture onto the stain. Scrub. Allow the mixture to sit for about 30 minutes, and then wash as normal, but do not wash with other items. After washing is complete, remove item and check stain. You may have to repeat this process a few times before the stain is completely gone.
Cleaning: Let's all be honest. Cleaning sucks. No one really wants to spend an entire afternoon picking up around the house. So what's the solution? Making sure your house never gets that messy in the first place! When you get something out, remember to put it back. Every time you walk from one room to another, pick up one or two things that don't belong and put them back in their place. Keeping your house or apartment generally tidy will reduce the amount of time it takes to clean up. If you don't want to spend a lot on cleaning products, check out homemade alternatives!
- For shower cleaning, mix vinegar and Dawn dish soap in a dish scrubber (the ones with the handles that allow you to pour soap into them). When you're about to take a shower, scrub down the tub and tile before you get in, and then rinse it while you're in the shower. Just be careful not to slip!
- To unclog drains, mix 1 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda together and pour down a drain, followed by a few cups of boiling water. Baking soda and white vinegar also helps do the trick.
- When using candles to perfume a room, place the candles in the freezer for a few hours before burning. The cold will keep the wax at a lower temperature, extending the amount of time before it begins to melt and allowing your candles to last longer.
- Use a window squeegee to remove pet hair from carpets, couches, and cloth-covered surfaces.
- Use peppermint oil to keep mice away and bay leaves to keep roaches out.
Cooking: Even though I love cooking, there are times when I would much rather just come home and relax than have to worry about preparing a meal. For those times, I am so happy that I invested in a crock pot. There are so many recipes for all sorts of meals that you can find on Pinterest for your crock pot. Some of my favorite are:
- Pot Roast
- Breakfast apple pie oatmeal
- Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
- Beef Stroganoff
- Cooked Ham
- Whole Chicken
- Apple Sauce
- Cherry Almond Oat Meal
- Chicken Taco Chili
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fondu
- Baked Apples
These are just a few of my faves! The link for Fondu is from a blog that chronicles 365 days of crock pot food. I'm not sure I could go that far, but you should definitely check it out!
Budgets: This has probably been the hardest one that I have had to deal with, but I have a few tips that have really helped me! If you have a smart phone, download an app that allows you to keep track of your bank balance on your phone, and sign up for alerts when you have a low balance to prevent you from over draft fees. Apps such as Mint allow you to keep track of your purchases by category, showing you where you spent most of your money that month. Keep track of how often you eat out, and try and reduce that number. Eating out is really expensive, and I've had to seriously cut back on Starbucks to keep my budget in line. Shop at discount grocery stores such as Aldi for cooking basics. More often than not, Aldi's prices come in far below those at Walmart and other grocery stores. Something else that I did was pay for a subscription to Sam's Club. Now, buying in bulk isn't always a good idea, but I did my research and used my membership to purchase things such as toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies that wouldn't go bad and that I could use for a long time. It definitely made it worth it, especially after I used all of my gift cards that they gave me. Always check for discounts you may qualify for! Also, clip coupons! You can use apps, online, or your local newspaper. Some stores even double your coupons, so always do your research!
Maintenance: When you move to a new town, you will need to find a dentist, doctor, pharmacy, car repair shop, beauty salon, plumber, etc. Always make sure to call around and not only get quotes on work you want done, but also ask for recommendations of places from coworkers. Some towns, such as Hickory, have a nice added bonus called the Women's Resource Center. A place primarily for helping out women in the community, the WRC offers a list of reliable home maintenance and general working contact information for people who are new to the area. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion when having work done on things such as your home or car. Shopping around can save you a lot of money!
What have you guys learned about being in the real world now (for those of you who have graduated at least!)? Have I left out something huge? Probably. COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED!
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