10 Adulting Essentials You Need to Learn
When you're just starting to live out your life on your own, there are a couple of things you're expected to understand right off the bat. Unfortunately for us, these things aren't learned in schools. What are we talking about?
For instance - How do you unclog a sink or bath drain? How do you fix tears in your clothes? How do you install a shelf? How do you change a tire on your vehicle?
You may not notice it, but you're probably used to having people, specifically adults, help you out. Whether it's household chores or getting rid of a clog or a flat tire, you'll need to find out how to do it yourself.
Adulting Essential # 1 - How to Iron Your Clothes Properly
There are easy and smart ways to keep your clothes polished and ready to wear whenever you need them.
Yeah, it looks real easy to do. But if you don't do it efficiently, you could wind up with even more creases on your clothes.
Even worse - you can end up burning a hole in your slacks and shirts. Yikes!
Adulting Essential # 2 - How to Unclog Sinks, Toilets and Drains
All you need to have are a few tools and solutions to get that tough clog out in your bathroom.
Look at these helpful tutorials from the Home Depot and Family Handyman to learn how to unclog your sink, toilet and drains!
Adulting Essential # 3 - How to Cook Basic Meals
We understand it can get too much to handle. But there are a couple of basic essentials that you can start on to cook yourself a decent meal.
Start with scrambled eggs, basic fried dishes, and learning how to properly sauté your spices and vegetables.
Soon enough, you'll be eating grand dishes in the comfort of your home!
Adulting Essential # 4 - How to Change a Tire
No one wants to be caught on the road with a flat tire!
You should always have an extra tire (duh), wheel jack and wrench in your trunk, for starters.
Adulting Essential # 5 - How to Use a Stud Finder and Hang Stuff
One of the first things you have to do when installing a shelf or furniture is find a good spot for it on your wall. How do you do that? With a stud finder!
Want to build a shelf? A new book case? Set up hooks for your coats and clothes? You got it!
After finding a good spot on your wall, you can start setting up a shelf or any hanging furniture you want.
Adulting Essential # 6 - How to Fix and sew Clothing Tears
Most of the time, the holes that surface on your clothes are brought on by accidental rips or clothes moths. But it's nothing a quick sewing can't fix!
So make sure you keep a nice sewing kit in your home at all times. Get a good heap of needles, various colors of threads, measuring tape and a pin cushion to hold your needles.
Adulting Essential # 7 - How to Check the Oil in Your Car
So you have your own car. You understand how to check the fuel gauge and the odometer. But how do you check the oil in your car? How do you understand if it's time for an oil change?
Half the time, new car owners don't understand the first thing about oil changes. You'll need to find out how to do it to make sure you don't run your car to the ground.
Adulting Essential # 8 - How to Do Laundry
Most people today have a washing machine, or at least lease a condo with a laundry room in the premises. But if you don't have one, and don't have a laundry place near you, don't worry. We'll teach you everything you need to know.
Load your laundry in. Make sure to segregate the whites, the colors, and obviously, your delicates. Wash them in batches if you can only use one machine or tub.
Add in the detergent and fabric conditioner. Basing on how heavy the load is, determine how many scoops or cups you'll put in. The general rule is to add in 2 cups each for every 4 kilos of clothes.
Depending on what program you picked, you'll wait anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour before your clothes have been cleaned.
FOR HAND WASHING: Start washing! Be sure to get the problem areas well, like the armpits, collar, hem and crotch.
Hang your clothes. For a better smell, you might want to hang them out in the sun for a few hours. After they've dried out, take them in and fold them up. All done!
Adulting Essential # 9 - Basic House Cleaning
When you get your own place, it may be a shocker, but you're going to need to know how to pick up after yourself. This is particularly critical if you're living by yourself and won't have anyone to share the chores with.
Adulting Essential # 10 - Finances & Insurance
So you've started making money for yourself.
Sooner or later, you're going to have to face paying your taxes, putting up a bank account, and getting good insurance.
It's better to get started on these things beforehand. If you have to, just hire an accountant to do the grunt work for you. You don't need to think about anything but providing the payments.