Truth: Whether you're in college or in your thirties, acting like an adult sometimes seems like a straight-up impossible ideal. You've got a million things on your to-do list, no time to do them, and are always under a ton of pressure. But here's the thing: Everyone — even the most adult-seeming person you know, the one who keeps a first-aid kit in the car and whose dry goods are all organized in Mason jars — feels like they're faking it some of the time.
Another secret: While the big stuff — budgets, job decisions, choosing a partner — requires a ton of thought, tiny tweaks in how you live and what you surround yourself with can make you feel way more secure in your grown-up status. And when you've got the little stuff on lock, it's a lot easier to tackle the big stuff.
Click through to see our totally doable tips for becoming a real adult — you'll feel more grown-up in no time.
When Refinery29 published this decorating article earlier this summer, several staff members admitted to using beach towels in their own bathrooms. But if you invest in even one nice bath towel — go ahead and spring for a fluffy one — you'll never look back.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
If you want your bras to stay in good shape, you'll need to wash them every two to three times you wear them, whether that means hand-washing them or tossing them in a mesh bag in the washing machine. You'll feel like an adult — and will be taking better care of your stuff, too.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Even if you love your current job and company, there's no harm in having an updated résumé saved on your computer. You never know when a dream opportunity might come along, and there's no harm in being prepared.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
This is another trick multiple Refinery29 staffers admitted to not following at home. But even if you're just using plain white paper napkins from Target, it's still a big step up from a paper towel that's ripped in half.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
You don't need an expensive coffee maker to be an adult — but you should be able to brew a basic cup of joe. Knowing how to use a simple coffee maker will help you at home and at the office, and you'll feel a lot better if you don't have to rely on prepackaged coffee pods.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Ideally, every adult would have a few easy dinners in his or her arsenal to whip up on busy nights or when entertaining guests. But you can start off easy and work your way up. Even if your "go-to meal" is just a well-cooked egg or a simple soup, it's always good to have a recipe you know by heart.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
If you've never been a podcast person, it's not too late to start. You don't have to listen to something serious, if that's not your thing — plenty of comedians have hilarious podcasts that will put you in a great mood on the way to work. Still not sure where to start? Check out Refinery29's own podcast, Strong Opinions Loosely Held.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Everyone starts off the week with the best intentions for meal planning — you're going to pack your lunch and cook dinner at home every day, right? But when you're working late or running errands, it's easy to lose track of time — and it's even easier to order takeout when you feel like you don't have any food in the house. Planning out what you'll have for each meal is an easy way to shop smarter — and to resist Seamless as the week unfolds.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
So you've finally invested in a knife set — or at least a good chef's knife. Congratulations! The next step is learning to hold a knife correctly — and it's a lot easier than you think. Pinch the blade between your thumb and index finger, and you'll be amazed at how much more control you have over what you're chopping.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
If clearing out your entire closet seems like an arduous task, you can break it up over time. Going through one drawer doesn't seem too bad, right? Even cleaning up one area will make you feel accomplished — and it might inspire you to do more organizing later.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Ideally, we'd all use the food we buy before it goes bad. But if your pantry shelves aren't well-organized, it's easy to let a bag of pretzels get stale or a poorly closed bag of flour to get clumpy.
Take inventory of the foods, including condiments, you're keeping in your pantry and get rid of things that are way past their expiration date. When you put everything else away, create some sort of organized system so you'll be able to see (and use) the foods you have.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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