By
Flea -
Be A Survivor
This post doesn’t have a hell of a lot to do with survival but I feel it is important nonetheless. Personal pride in your hygiene and your surroundings should be high on your list of priorities. In my previous life I worked in an occupation that took me to people’s homes and I was dumbfounded to say the least at some of the conditions people CHOOSE to live in.
People, no one is saying that if you can only afford a 1 bedroom apartment on the wrong side of the tracks there is something wrong with that…but for the love of God can you keep the place clean? This whole conversation came about because of my little experience “riding the lightning”. The contractor who came to do the work said several times to me, “It is obvious you take care of your property.”
I finally asked him what made it so obvious. He said my lawn and landscaping were neatly manicured, my house was clean and well maintained, and the fact that I took an obvious interest in what they were doing and how they were repairing things gave it away. He told me that as a contractor he has seen some houses that you would be amazed people live in.
You can still take pride in your appearance and surroundings even if you don’t have a lot of money. In fact money has nothing to do with it, laziness and indifference do.
People who take time to clean and groom themselves, wear clean clothes, and keep their living space clean and organized are far more likely to get respect from people than the richest slob. There is no excuse to walk around stinking and wearing dirty clothes. Looking neat and clean will get you further with people every time.
I used to work as a security guard in my younger days and there was a gentleman who was an absolute pig; his teeth were yellow and rotted, his clothes were stained, his hair was greasy, and he was a slob when it came to the desk we shared. When he would leave I actually went around disinfecting things like the phone and the desk to get his stink off of it. I actually had to wipe flakes of his skin off the desk because he was so dirty his skin would slough off.
People need to take pride in their appearance and respect others when it comes to shared work areas. Keeping a neat and tidy residence will give you a feeling of peace and well being. Keeping a neat and tidy appearance will cause people to “want” to be around you instead of avoiding you like the plague.
This should be obvious but here we go:
Take a shower or bath at least every other day (and USE SOAP).
Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Trim your fingernails.
Shave regularly (guys with beards - trim and neaten any growth)
Comb your hair.
Wear clean clothes every day.
Keep your house neat and organized.
If you have animals clean MORE often.
Vacuum or mop floors at least once a week.
Dust at least once every week or two.
Paint every 5 years. You can extend this if you don’t smoke inside and you occasionally wipe the walls down with a damp rag.
Clean the bathrooms in your house at least every few days.
Clean your windows thoroughly at least twice a year.
Check the refrigerator every two weeks for forgotten science experiments.
If you have a dog give them a bath at least once every two months (I have seen folks with dogs who stink so bad I wanted to puke after I pet it).
Don’t leave mounds of dishes in the sink.
Mow your lawn/weed whack/and EDGE if you have a yard
And for the love of Pete, use a deodorant!
...that is all.
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