The older you get, the more put together your life is supposed to be, right? Sometimes it seems the older I get, the less together my life seems to be. But for some reason people look at me like I’ve got it figured out, and apparently that makes me seem like a real adult.
Regardless of whether or not I feel like I’m actually an adult, people seem to think I am. But, there are a bunch of things I’ve learned to help with the illusion that I’m a productive member of society. Here are some of those things!
1. Freeze Your Leftovers For Meal Prep
Whenever I’m cooking a meal, I always make sure to make too much so that I have leftovers to save for lunches or other meals throughout the week. This stops me from another embarrassing trip to McDonald’s for an after-work treat.
2. Put A Donation Box In Your Closet
Every time you find something you can do without, throw it in there. It’ll help you stay clutter-free and organized. Once it’s full, you can donate it!
3. Keep Lip Balm On You At All Times
I’m always losing my lip balm, and I keep them in at least five different places so I’m always prepared. But if you put one on your key ring, you’ll be golden!
4. Use An Actual Mouse Pad
No, not an old phone book or magazine, an actual mouse pad. I’m not going to lie, until I started at Diply, you probably wouldn’t have caught me with a mouse pad. But now? You betcha.
5. Add Houseplants Wherever Possible
Not only do they make your home look chic and grown-up, but the fact that you can take care of them without them dying is definitely a sign you’re becoming an adult. You’re almost ready for a dog!
6. Use A Toaster Bag So You Don’t Burn Your Fingers
I had NO IDEA these existed, and I’m pretty amazed right now. I actually burnt my fingers grabbing a Toaster Strudel from the toaster this morning (hey, it’s totally an adult breakfast), so this would have been key.
7. Store And Organize Your Alcohol
Nothing says “adult” like a pretty wine rack or stocked bar cart.
Hey, I never said anything about it having to be bottles of alcohol, did I?! This is definitely a must-have item!
8. Put Your Keys With Your Lunch
If you’re always forgetting your lunch (or your keys), put them together! When you’re about to leave and realize you don’t have your keys or your lunch, you’ll find them together in the fridge.
9. Use Your Cookbooks
Nothing makes me feel more like an adult than actually using a cookbook to create a tasty AF meal. Seriously, it will change your damn life.
10. Store And Organize Your Important Files
Are your important papers all scattered around your apartment? Trust me, when you need them, you’re going to be cursing yourself. Just keep them all together in a box with dividers and you’ll be thanking yourself next time you need them.
11. Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
Nothing says nasty college dorm more than a raunchy smelling home. One super easy way to keep it fresh is by using one of those car vent clips on a vent in your house!
12. Get Your Nails Done
Every time I get my nails done, I feel like a totally badass woman. Whether you can afford to get them done often or you do it yourself at home, polished nails definitely make you seem like a fully fledged adult, even if you aren’t.
Chipped nails just aren’t the same, gotta say goodbye to those!
13. Read A Book You Actually Want To Read
I have a huge list of books to read, but haven’t actually read one in a while. But at least they’re books I want to read, not some gross AF textbook I’m forced to read!
14. Wake Up A Little Bit Early For No Reason
Every since I got a dog, my schedule has changed drastically. I don’t sleep in anymore, and my body is in a routine. It feels good to be doing stuff before noon on a weekend!
15. Wear Clothes That Actually Fit
I went for a bra fitting a few weeks ago and it changed my life. Asking for a bit of help confirming whether or not something fits properly is definitely a huge indicator you’re adult AF.
16. Put Thought Into Your Home Decor
If there’s one thing that I’m noticing as my friends get older, it’s that we LOVE going to Ikea and other home furnishing stores. It’s ridiculously fun!
17. Keep Your Clothes In Proper Shape
Once you’ve got some clothes that fit, make sure they stay in good shape! If you don’t have an iron or steamer, you could probably do this, or just put it in the washroom while you shower!
18. Learn How To Sew A Broken Button
When I was in university I was the only one who knew how to sew, so there was a lot of me mending clothes for roommates and friends. Just learn it yourself!
19. Make Your Bed In The Morning
I definitely don’t make my bed as often as I should. Nothing feels better than getting into a made bed at the end of the night!
20. Always Be Prepared
I know this is the Scouts motto, but hear me out. I was at a music festival last summer and this one lady had literally anything you could need. She was truly adulting!
21. Get A Fancy AF Vacuum
One of the first things my boyfriend and I did after we adopted our dog was get a fancy vacuum. It was out of necessity, but we also kind of loved buying something that actually worked, too.
22. Clean Your Mattress
One sign that you’re definitely an adult is that you actually care about the state of things like your mattress. Get those nasty AF smells out of there and you’ll feel so much better about your life! I hate doing this, but it makes a huge difference!
23. Learn How To Tell If Your Fruits And Veggies Are Ripe
There is nothing worse than buying an avocado that you think is ripe to then come home, open it up, and realize you ain’t getting guac out of that thing for another week. Can’t be an adult without this!
So, who else feels like they’re a real adult? Do you need to take some of this advice?
Let us know in the COMMENTS which of these hacks you’re going to use to help you on your way to adulthood. Don’t forget to SHARE!
