Housekeeping for 20-Somethings: 20 Ways to Make Like Martha

Things that Martha did in her twenties: sanded floors, tiled her own roof, became an expert in all things food and homekeeping. Things you're doing in your twenties: couch-surfing, talking about backpacking in Europe, praying for a paid internship. But it's the little things that count, right? Here are 20 small housekeeping tips to help you make like Martha.

Make the Bed Every Day

The bed is the biggest piece of furniture in your home -- for some of us, it's the only piece of furnture in our home. So make it! Your college futon will look ten times better, we promise. 

We know cleaning is on the bottom of your to-do list, but maybe chores wouldn't be so bad if you knew how to do them properly. These tips should help optimize your tidy-up time.

A classic twentysomething is very talented at hiding lingering stains. Move really quickly and no one will notice the coffee stain on your shirt! Hard to maintain, but it really works! Better yet, just get rid of the stain -- the sooner the better. All you need is a little bit of water and our handy-dandy stain-removal guide for fresh, spotless, Martha-ish clothing. 

Covering your futon with a sheet isn't fooling anyone. If you can't afford a real sofa, at least get a nice slipcover made for your sofa -- it can reset the room entirely, giving it a more adult (and more Martha) look. If you're feeling ambitious, make your own slipcover. Martha would. 

Dust (and other nasties) snuggle down in your carpets and hard-to-get corners for a home riddled with hidden bacteria. Sucking up dust particles with an unwieldy machine is annoying, we know, but it's something that must be done!

Grease, oil, and hair collect in your shower drain pretty regularly -- gross, we know. But you can prevent it! It's all part of the Martha life. Remember that volcano you made in third grade, the one with the vinegar and the baking soda? That exact formula will create the perfect DIY de-clogger (and it's kinda fun.)

Chinese food smells great at two in the morning. Two weeks later, however, it smells a whole lot worse. Keeping a stinky fridge at bay is about constant vigilance: know what's in your fridge and get rid of the stuff that's about to be smelly. Make sure every container that goes in the fridge is immaculate: No sticky jam jars or grease-covered trays of meat. If smells have really settled in, you'll have to -- gasp! -- turn the fridge off and really get your elbows dirty. 

Nice clothing deserves nice treatment -- dresses, winter coats, and suits should all be dry-cleaned. 

But T-shirts are cozy! I look great in a hoodie! And who needs cashmere anyway? You do. It's time to invest in good-quality pieces, which are sometimes made with delicate fabrics (see: cashmere, silk). For when you accidentally rub avocado toast on your "first-day-of-work" sweater, you should be able to scrub-a-dub-rub that stain out, all with your own two hands.