Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Planning for graduate school: part five (bedroom)

The bedroom will truly be my space, and I am ready to do as much as I can to make it a place where I am comfortable and happy.

-blankets/comforter (I’m going to splurge and get a down comforter – I get really cold, and these are really good for keeping you warm)
-sheet set (I’m moving into a place with an extra-long twin, so I’m going to use the sheets that I bought for my dorm room freshman year)
-pillow
-mattress pad (since I’m going to be the first person sleeping in this bed, I am not going to bother buying one)
-curtains (not sure of a size yet; I need to check out the rooms when I get there)
-bed risers (and underbed storage units are a maybe)
-full length mirror
-carpet cleaner (like Resolve)
-light bulbs
-bath towels
-laundry detergent
-stain remover
-bleach
-heavy duty drying rack
-dusting rag
-trash can
-3M hooks (remove easily with no residue)
-hangers (thicker wooden ones for blazers, skirt hangers, and either plastic or a thicker wire)
-flashlight
-batteries (AAA and AA, plus any other specialty ones)
-phone charger
-computer cords/mouse/external harddrive
-iron and ironing board
-surge protectors
-furniture (tbd depending on what I need; probably will be purchased at IKEA or at the nifty exchange program http://web.mit.edu/womensleague/fx/)
-lamps
-beginner’s tool kit (the basics: screwdriver, hammer, pliers)
-carbon monoxide and smoke detectors (if not provided)
-vacuum
-duct tape (plus clear tape and brown tape)
-pencils/pens
-paper
-stapler
-paper clips, rubber bands, other clips etc...
-three-ring binders
-post it notes (3M now makes a version from recycled paper – pretty cool!)
-purses
-biking bag (mine is from Chrome, and it was expensive, but worth it)
-school bag (mine is a “teacher bag” with a laptop sleeve)

Greenery is something that really improves my mood, and it does clean the air as well (www.treecanada.ca/programs/climatechange/why_plants_june_2006.pdf). Depending on the availability and ease of buying plants, I am going to try and get a peace lily, a pothos, a Boston fern, English ivy, and a weeping fig. I’d also like to try my hand at an herb garden (basil, mint, sage, parsley; see http://www.happynews.com/living/gardening/growing-windowsill-herb.htm), plus attempt an orchid. Basically, if there is furniture in my room not covered in plants, there is a problem!

2 comments:

M. said...

Bleach? Really? I have to give you shit that it's not a sustainable decision.

bridgetwhoplaysfrenchhorn said...

Yes, really. Not for clothing, but for the occasional time that something is affected by mold, fungus, or other nasties. Every lab that I have worked in uses bleach after every experiment to kill all cells and disable all viruses before disposal: it is part of standard biosafety protocol.

I know vinegar and lemon juice are the suggested eco-friendly ways to sanitize (the former being dilute acetic acid, the latter being citric/ascorbic acid), yet these just don't work as well on, for example, the shelves that my things were on when the basement flooded last summer...they were absolutely COVERED in various shades of flora and fauna. And lemon juice (while much less icky smelling) just doesn't cut it.

There comes a point where protecting against the dangers of mold/fungal infections with bleach is more sustainable than actually getting yourself sick (which involves taking not-so-good medicines that can damage your liver, money/time lost at the doctor and commuting - the list goes on). To me, it's like the condom debate: no, you can't recycle them, but keeping global population in check is immensely sustainable.

No, this isn't an excuse to go out and buy gallons of bleach, and I do agree that bleach is overused in massive quantities and you should attempt to avoid vaporous exposure of bleach at all times, but it has a very well-defined use in certain situations. And that's why I will have a small container of clorox under my sink (along with the vinegar and baking soda).