As an adult, you may be told that you need to give up childish things and that they don’t belong in any respectable adult’s home. This blog post is not about that! Instead, we’d like to talk about seven real issues that, as an adult, will help you look more like you’ve got everything in order.
1. Nail holes, broken drywall, marks in drywall
It’s okay if your house or apartment is in the middle of a remodel, but if you constantly have ugly nail holes, broken drywall, pieces of paint missing, or anything else that makes your walls look like they’re in disrepair, you should start thinking about patching those. Simply go to a hardware store and buy some hole patch. It comes in a small plastic tub. You can apply the patch directly to the nail holes (or other holes) with minimal sanding. Once it’s dry, simply paint over it with the same color wall paint. If you have some of the original wall color in a can, pour some out into a little tupperware container specifically for patch jobs.
2. Unfinished or Peeling Caulking – Anywhere!
One of the worst indicators of someone who just doesn’t care much is unfinished caulking or seals around a bathtub or windows. If you find any of your caulking is unfinished, or perhaps even moldy, consider replacing it. A tube of caulking is about $3, and removing the old seal can be as easy as peeling it up. Redoing the sealing on most areas can be a very quick project that can really elevate some of your living areas. Have baseboards that are lifting slightly from the wall? You can use a bead of similarly colored silicone caulking to help!
3. Unframed posters
If you have any items taped up on your wall as decor, you should probably take those down and buy a frame for them. You’re not a teenager putting a poster up of your favorite member of a boy band anymore. Simply adding an inexpensive frame can help elevate your favorite posters. If you have prints instead, try adding matting to them, or even placing them on a shelf so they can be seen as “display items” rather than chintzy print outs.
4. Unfinished Walls
Again, if you’re in the middle of a remodel… This is fine, but if you’ve had a wall half-painted for a year, it might be time to start getting a move on finishing it. If you have a tendency to ditch projects in the middle of them, consider when starting a painting project only painting one wall at a time. Then, at least, if you decide you don’t have the time to finish the room, you have an accidental “accent wall”. Just don’t give up in the middle of a wall. And don’t be lazy either! Pull furniture away from the walls so you can paint behind it rather than around it. You’ll thank yourself next time you go to rearrange your room.
5. Cords. Lots of Cords
Even adults love video games. We love our tech, but with that can come lots and lots and lots of cords. A cord from the controller to the console, a cord from the console to the power brick, a cord from the power brick to the outlet… Then your HDMI cables, ethernet cables, and who knows what else. If you have a television mounted on the wall, do a little DIY and tuck your power cable for the TV inside the wall, having it emerge near the outlet to plug it in. If you can’t put holes in your wall, invest in some cord channels you can paint the same color as your wall to mask your cables. Good cable management will help you if you ever need to clean behind your entertainment center or move any of your tech items.
6. Plastic dishware
Plastic might be great when you’re a kid because of how versatile it is, but once you have your own place, porcelain and glass is the way to go. Consider also that if you stick plastic in the microwave, you may melt it — or just bring BPAs into your food that can cause you real detrimental harm. Ditch the plastic and go with porcelain and glass instead.
7. An Unmade Bed
Lastly, especially if you plan to have someone come over, or you have a space where your bed is easily on display, take the few moments to make your bed. Making your bed can also help you cope with depression, many people have claimed. Pulling up your covers can take less than sixty seconds and can help you deal with your partner constantly stealing your covers, the covers coming up at the bottom, or other cover-related issues you might forget about until you get in at night to go to sleep.
What would you never have in your home as an adult? Let us know in the comments below!
