OtherPress2021Vol48No11.pdf-10

Say bye-bye spiders!

» Tips to spider-proof your home

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¢ Tips to spider-proof your home

¢ The philosophy that resonates among

minimalists

..and that's everything!



Ash Sabinin
Contributor



I getting chilly and everyone's trying to
escape the frigid winter wind outdoors,
including spiders. Whether you absolutely
freak out when faced with an eight-legged
foe (like I do) or you would just prefer
they not be crawling around your home,
here are some tips and tricks to keep those
critters away.

The first priority is to ensure no more
bugs can come in from outside, so check all
your windows and doors for any cracks or
crevices that might be letting spiders sneak
inside. Any small holes in window screens
or gaps left indoors are essentially welcome
mats for any crawling critters looking for
a warm place to hideout. Another good
idea is to eliminate as many hiding spots or
potential homes for spiders in your house
as possible. Tidy up and dust any dark and
cluttered areas, like the garage and closets,
it'll give them fewer places to hide and
procreate while also making it easier for you
to see and get rid of them.

Quality over Quantity

» The philosophy that resonates among minimalists

Win Pya Pyae Phyo (Hazel)
Contributor



y instant midnight thoughts whirled

around in my head, pondering the
concept of quality versus quantity. The
first thing that came to mind was things
and belongings on the surface. It is far
more painful to let go of your materials
the more attached you are to them. My
heart is drained by the imagination of this
unpleasant sensation. It fascinates me to
imagine myself diving too deeply into this
idea in general.

To many of you, the idea of a
minimalistic lifestyle could be simplifying
your life to the things that truly serve
a purpose. When you search the term
“minimalistic lifestyle," you'll find images
that reflect the themes of simplicity,
clarity, and singleness. This, in my view,
is the release from the desire to possess.

It detracts from the consumerism cycle
and dares to find happiness beyond. It
reminds us to be thankful for what we
already have. Furthermore, there is less
clutter; plus cleaning and organizing take
less time, leaving more time for priorities.
Maintaining a clutter-free environment
increases productivity and focus while
minimizing stress and anxiety.



Additionally, my favourite spider
deterrent is peppermint. While most
humans find mint to be a refreshing
and delightful fragrance, many insects
(including spiders) find it repulsive. There
are so many ways to make your home
smell minty and therefore deter spiders
from hanging around, you could light a
mint-scented candle or use a diffuser with
mint essential oil. If you have peppermint
essential oil, another method is to add about
15 to 20 drops into a spray bottle of water
and spray around the house; especially
around windows, doors and vents. You can
also place either small bags or satchels of
dried mint (or mint tea bags if that’s more
convenient) around the home, especially in
corners or areas that spiders like to hide in.

If you don't enjoy the smell of
peppermint, another option is eucalyptus,
you can adapt most of the methods I
just mentioned to use eucalyptus scents
instead. Eucalyptus does a good job of
repelling spiders so placing sprigs of
eucalyptus around the house or spraying a
eucalyptus essential oil and water mixture

Additionally, being minimalistic
does not always have to do with the things
you own. This may vary from person
to person, but what I'll be discussing
is unquestionably a matter of personal
preference. Goals you desire to reach and
accomplish in your life can be tied to how
I define a minimalistic living. It makes no
difference whether the aims are long-term



will also help keep those pests away. If

you have a green thumb, planting mint,
eucalyptus or even lavender plants around
the entrances to your house might also help
keep spiders from venturing too close.

If those scents don't work for you, other
natural options are citrus and cinnamon; try
sprinkling cinnamon or crushed dried citrus
peels around the house. Lighting scented
candles or using room sprays to make the air
fragrant can also steer spiders away.

However, some people don't like any of
those scents so another way to make your
house less appealing to spiders is by turning
off unnecessary outdoor lights that might
attract flies or other bugs and the spiders
that want to feed on them.

There's an old folk tale that says placing
“conkers” (more commonly known as horse
chestnuts) around the house, near doors,
windows, and in corners that spiders like to
claim may help keep them away. Supposedly
the oils created within the chestnuts repel
spiders but there hasn’t been much research
confirming this so I would recommend
trying this along with other methods to have

or short-term. Disclaimer: I'm not claiming
that creating personal goals is a negative
idea; that is not at all the point! Setting
goals is a brilliant thing to do. It enables
you to direct your life to be goal-oriented,
determined, and purposeful.

Lately, I have lived by minimalist
ambitions to avoid feeling pressured and
overwhelmed about my future. I struggled

a stronger impact. Be careful with this one
though as conkers can be toxic especially
when consumed by children or pets.

Another idea, although quite a bit
more complicated than some of these other
methods is to get a cat! However, if you do
get a cat, make sure to cover their food as
it's believed the meaty smells can attract
spiders which sort of defeats the purpose.
Having a cat around to hunt down spiders by
themselves will give you some peace of mind,
but make sure you get a cat with energy to
burn and a hunting spirit because I know
my cats couldn't care less about spiders and
might even enjoy watching me panic when I
see them.

I’ve always had the worst luck with
spiders, they always show up when I’m
alone and defenceless and then it puts me
on edge for the whole day so if I can avoid
seeing them in the first place, I'll be happy.
Hopefully, these tips will help all of us take
back our homes from the invading spiders
this winter and find some comfort in our
spider-free space.

to keep my thoughts free of tensions and
anxiety as an overthinker who deliberately
worries about my life. This was one of the
goals that gave me an “A-ha!” moment
right away. To be content in life with the
profession I love, to be surrounded by
loved ones, and to find joy and gratitude
in the littlest things. That’s a life rich in
quality to me. Relaxing my thoughts with
these aspirations made me more relieved
and serene, which is beneficial both
psychologically and physically. Clarity
of mind and a clear sense of purpose is
awarded when practicing a minimal life.
I’ve seen people who view
minimalistic life as flawed, empty, and
dull. To them, I want to pose a simple
question. “What is your definition of a
minimalistic life?” I'm just curious to
hear what they have to say. There are
no judgments to every response, and
this is just about curiosity. A minimalist
may not show their satisfaction and
joy of living a life like this but, they are
internally pleased and grateful for their
choice. In closing, I would like to make a
note that having a minimalistic life may
differ for everyone whether it’s a lifestyle
or thinking and maybe both! Quality
of life is, once again, subjective, and
inherently ambiguous.