Having a playlist for each daily task can make the day more enjoyable

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

As an employed student-athlete, it is important that I am able to stay on task, which resultsing in what many would consider to be a borderline obsession with routine. Recently, I have found that listening to music has helped me tremendously in maintaining focus. When I am doing online school work, I make sure to put on blue light glasses and play a lo-fi playlist catered to the exact homework or study activity I am doing. By doing this continually I am able to stay on task. When I study without my glasses or lo-fi music, I tend to feel off kilter and face more distractions. Spotify has an abundance of lo-fi playlists catered to studying, reading, writing and more.

I also listen to music to encourage myself to cook by putting on a playlist I made specifically for cooking. Music makes mundane chores — like doing dishes, wiping down counters or laundry — go by much faster.

Specificity is key. I work as a delivery driver and am able to stay concentrated by listening to a very specific artist for the duration of my shift. When I listen to a wide variety of artists and genres while delivering, I tend to get side tracked and forget the addresses and items.

The newest music involvement I have implemented into my routine has impacted my overall mood every day. Every morning when I make coffee, I put on a mellow worship playlist and do simple yoga stretches. This puts me in a positive and relaxed mood. Starting the day off with a routine that allows me to worship and gets my blood flowing has made a huge positive difference in my day-to-day life.

Finding a good playlist for working out can be tricky. Most people want something that keeps them going while doing various exercises, but I tend to stick with the Spotify featured playlists in the workout genre. When I go on runs, my guilty pleasure is to listen to a 2000’s workout playlist. The nostalgia takes me back to elementary school P.E. classes — except now I am faster and actually have a boyfriend to sing about.

Figuring out one’s music preferences can be a step in the right direction when it comes to creating a consistent daily routine and is incredibly mentally stimulating.

The Western Howl

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Spring cleaning with The Howl

How The Howl staff gets motivated to clean

The Western Howl Collective

We get it — with classes, work and numerous other obligations, the thought of fitting in time to clean can be simply exhausting. Find some motivation from The Western Howl as we share what drives us to get up and clean up.

Sydney Carpenter

I take care of myself mentally. Oftentimes my living space is reflective of how I feel about myself and during the term my mental health nosedives off a cliff. So, during a break in the term I take time to take care of mental health and show myself I’m worth the time it takes to clean my space.

Rylie Horrall

Honestly, I just get random urges to clean and then do it. Sometimes leading up to it, I get unmotivated but once I start cleaning I can’t be bothered until I’m done. To kind of keep me in ‘the zone,’ I always put on upbeat, hip hop music because that’s what my mom always does when she cleans.

Kyle Morden

The thought of living in a messy room bothers me. Part of my daily routine is to clean my bedroom and make sure everything is neat and tidy — that’s just my lifestyle. I don’t even think I’d be able to sleep if I saw a mess in my bedroom.

Allison Vanderzanden

I try to keep in mind that the longer I put off cleaning, the more I will have to do later all at once. Doing a little something every day makes it easier in the long run. I like to put a sticky note to-do list on my bathroom mirror as well so that I can’t avoid being reminded.

Kiara Wehrenberg

I have a hard time cleaning during the day. I tend to get random spurts of motivation to clean at night with music in my ears. It’s helpful for me to remember how good it feels to exist in a clean space.

Natalie Dean

I’ll pick and choose which messes to clean up first, it helps me not get so overwhelmed. Lists are useful for me, and I’ll create an incentive for myself for when I’m done cleaning. Throwing on music or a movie helps kill the time, and it’s nice to take a break and chill in between cleaning sessions.

The Western Howl

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Follow these steps to spring into clean

Bedroom cleaning hacks that will sweep you off your feet

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Having a clean and organized room can relieve stress and improve sleep and overall health, according to lifehack.org; and, with springtime comes the perfect opportunity for spring cleaning. Plus, for those living in the dorms, moving out at the end of the term will be made easier since there will be less to do. Start spring term off right with a tidy bedroom or dorm room by setting aside one day to follow these spring cleaning steps.

Begin by gathering laundry, including clothes, towels, curtains and bed linens. Run loads of laundry while cleaning the rest of the room to get two things done at once. While putting clean clothes away, consider packing up winter clothing to save space, or get rid of items that are never worn.

Next, clean off surfaces for dusting. While doing so, organize items into sensible groups, such as school materials, electronics and self-care products. Also consider what items are unnecessary; remove things that don’t belong in the bedroom, such as dishes, collect gently used items into a box or bag for donation and throw out old, unusable items. Dust off all surfaces, then organize items into containers and files before replacing them where they belong so that they are easily accessible for future use.

Clean the floors next. Shake out rugs, then grab a broom or vacuum to pick up dirt and dust. Even on hard surfaces, use the hose of a vacuum to remove built up grime from the corners and wall trim. If one is accessible, use a mop or carpet cleaner to get the floors shining.

Don’t forget to disinfect surfaces such as light switches and door handles, clean the windows and mirrors, throw out expired food and take out the trash. As a final step, air out the room by opening a window for a while.

If cleaning multiple areas of the bedroom all at once feels overwhelming, try tackling one area at a time. For example, start with a bookshelf, then move onto a desk, then clean the floors. Another option is to print off a spring cleaning checklist; checking off each box can be motivating and satisfying to complete.

Once spring cleaning is finished, consider setting up a more frequent cleaning schedule; cleaning a little bit each week will both save time and keep one’s room neat and tidy for longer.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Out with the old in the new year

Where to donate and sell old clothing items

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Starting the new year off with a clean closet can be refreshing and stress relieving. If getting rid of old clothes is on the to-do list, check out these places ⏤ both local and online ⏤ where gently used clothes can be sold or donated. If dropping off clothing in person, be sure to mask up and follow the location’s COVID-19 regulations.

Many cities have Goodwill drop off locations, including nearby in Independence at 1475 Monmouth St. Meanwhile, Dallas, Salem, Albany and Corvallis, among many other cities, have Goodwill stores where donations can be turned in. Though the donor doesn’t receive payment this way, they may earn a tax deduction or in-store coupons if offered.

Salem has quite a few other thrift stores that take clothing donations. Willamette Humane Society Thrift Store and Salem Friends of Felines both support animal shelters with their selling of thrifted donations. Both stores are currently taking donations by appointment only; contact Willamette Humane Society at 503-362-6892 and Salem Friends of Felines at 503-689-1759 to schedule.

There are also Union Gospel Mission and Salvation Army locations in Salem. Drop off donations to Union Gospel Mission to support their therapy program at 885 Commercial Street NE. The Salvation Army is open for donation drop offs that fund their adult rehabilitation programs at 642 Lancaster Drive NE.

Plato’s Closet will pay patrons for their donations, and there is a Salem location at 3884 Center Street NE. Check their website or call them at 503-362-3778 to see what styles of clothes they are currently in search of.

Clothes can also be sold from home on apps and websites. Apps like Depop, Poshmark, Mercari and ThredUP each have their own unique layouts and styles for selling clothing to cater to all kinds of users. Facebook Marketplace and ASOS Marketplace are websites that can be used to make a quick buck as well. Social media accounts can also be made specifically for selling old clothes locally. Some online stores take a percentage of each sale made, so be sure to read the fine print and choose which site works best personally.

Getting one’s closet cleaned out can help start the new year off on the right foot. Do some extra good by earning some extra funds or donating to a local thrift store with a meaningful cause.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

The Western Howl

A guide to finding your music routine

The Western Howl

Spring cleaning with The Howl

The Western Howl

Follow these steps to spring into clean

The Western Howl

Out with the old in the new year

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