Adult Survival #5: Simplify chores
Dear younger me,
You and I both know that chores suck. Unfortunately, entropy is the only universal constant in life and you must do housework at torturously regular intervals. So listen up and take these tips to heart.
Invest in a good dishwasher. A good dishwasher can clean just about any stain on everything except nonsticks. It will save you a good 30 minutes every day. You should pay for a good one.
Skip laundry folding. You can't have a closet that exclusivly consists of anti-wrinkle clothes that you can simply toss into some bins, because coats and formalwear exists, but you can get close. Laundry is so much easier if you don't have to fold.
Have trash cans in multiple rooms. Seriously, do you really want to walk all the way across the house every time there's a bit of trash?
Have simple and easy food ready. You won't always have the discipline to cook a healthy meal from scratch. So stock up in the pantry some decently healthy-ish and easy foods like frozen dumplings or frozen fillets of fish that you can lightly coat in oil and air fry for a workday lunch.
Own less stuff. You'll waste less time cleaning up and getting lost in the pile if you don't have anything that could create a mess to begin with.
Own more stuff. Things that you need frequently are an exception. These include: underwear, socks, pens, and USB-C chargers. Get multiple copies of those and put them all over the place where you spend your time, so one's always near by.
Lower standards. You're a career-oriented academic. It's okay for the house to not be guest-ready at all times. A bit of dust is ok, just get around to cleaning once a month or so.