Building a Sanctuary: Lavender’s Path to Organization and Community in Shared Living

Hey, where's that funky smell coming from?" the almond-eyed, raven-haired girl asked her roommate.

“ I think it’s coming from Lavender’s room,” said Briar approaching Lavender's bedroom with caution.

"Looks like Miss Scatterbrain has been too busy. Fluttering around aimlessly or burying her head in a book to notice the mess she's made. Maybe it's time for her to ditch the distractions and get to work with a broom and some cleaning wipes. Instead of leaving her mess for someone else to deal with."

“ So, what's the plan? Are we going in or not?” said the dark kinky-haired girl.

“No way! That’s her room. I don’t wanna know where that smell coming from. We’ll wait for her to return from wherever and tell her to clean it up. In the meantime, maybe we should open a window or light a scented candle to freshen up the room. It's crazy how she makes such a mess in there. We should talk to her about keeping her space tidy. Maybe we can come up with a plan to avoid this in the future.”

“ Sounds like a plan,” Briar said

A few hours later, Lavender comes rushing into the apartment. Guys, I am so late. I didn’t realize I had a shift at the restaurant tonight.

“Lavender we need to talk,” Sage says blocking the path between the front door and Lisa’s room.

"Hey, no worries, but can you speed it up or hit me up later? I’m seriously late and my boss threatened to fire me if I'm late again. I really can't afford to lose this job, you know? Bills keep piling up. I've been busting my butt to show what I've got. It's like I'm in a constant race against time. I wish I had more hours in the day to get everything done. Every time, I try to catch a break, something else pops up and sets me back. Hope you get it, I really gotta jet."

“ Fine go to work. But we really need to talk after,” Briar said. She pushed Sage away towards the kitchen nook from Lavender.

Sage looked exasperated, but she moved aside.

"Thanks, guys," said the redheaded girl as she ran, into her room.

From the door, the other girls see a huge mess of clothes all over the floor. There were empty food containers and glasses scattered around that she never got around to putting, in the dishwasher. It was a total disaster. Clothes were thrown all over the chair and side table. It looked as if someone had just bolted out of the room. There was this vibe of "I don't care" hanging in the air. It felt like the place had been totally forgotten and left to rot. But even in the chaos, there was this feeling that this room be tidied.

“ I don’t know how that girl finds anything in that room. It’s disgusting.” Sage said in a huff walking away in the direction of her bedroom.

By the time she got to work, she was 20 minutes late. Her boss wasn’t happy, but as she was a good worker, he let it slide. Understanding and sticking to schedules is not really her thing. She always says yes to more than she can handle. Her poor time management often leads to last-minute rushes and missed deadlines, causing stress. But, you know what? Her coworkers really admire her passion and dedication to her work.

Despite her problems with the organization, she always comes through with amazing results. She proves herself to be a crucial part of the team.

~~After a month of living on her own, she finally thought she was getting the hang of things. 20 minutes late was not so bad and at least she still had a job. Despite the first challenges of living alone, she was starting to enjoy the independence and freedom it brought.

She got to the apartment at nine. Her two roommates were waiting for her on the sofa. They seemed eager to talk to her. After a long shift at work, all she wanted was to slip into her cozy pajamas. She wanted to curl up with her new paranormal romance novel. She had picked it up the day before at the bookstore.

She needed to unwind from the day's stress.

~~She looked at her roommates with a slight sense of wariness. What do they want this late at night? As much as she loved their company, she longed for some quiet time to herself. But she decided to push aside her weariness and join them on the sofa. Maybe they had something important to share or maybe they just missed her presence. Either way, she knew that her cozy pajamas would have to wait just a little longer. The engrossing pages of her new book would also have to wait.

“We need to talk,” Briar said as she sat between her two roommates.

“ Okay, what about” replied Lisa puzzled.

“There's this gross smell coming from your room. If I have to put up with it for one more minute. I'm gonna tear your room apart to find it.” Sage said. He sounded really fed up.

"Well, well, well, Sage. I had this whole master plan. I wanted to gently nudge the topic into the conversation with her,” Briar declared, dramatically rolling her eyes. "Hey Lavender, the thing is, you're always so busy running around that you never have time for stuff like laundry. Now there's this weird smell coming from your room, and it's starting to stink up the whole place. When was the last time you cleaned your room or took out the trash?"

Lavender stopped in her tracks, slightly taken aback by Briar's unexpected bluntness. After a brief pause, she let out a nervous chuckle and replied, "Oh, I know, it's been a while. I've just been swamped with work and other commitments."

Briar raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced by Lavender's explanation. "I get it, but seriously, you've got to do something about it. It's getting pretty bad in there."

"I don't smell anything," Lavender answered defensively.

“Well, we do. The issue is, if I have to continue enduring the scent of whatever is growing in your room, I'm going to…” Sage stated firmly. If I have to continue enduring the scent, I’ll…” Sage stated firmly.

"Sage, we said we would keep our cool," Briar said.

After the whole Kyle and Mark fiasco, Sage has been a little snippy the last couple of weeks.

“ OK, no problem. I’m gonna clean my room next week. Would that be good?”

“ No, that will not be good. You will clean your room tonight. Or else” Sage was shouting now.

“ Or else what?” Lavender said standing up. “Sage, I pay rent just like you do. This is all of our space. The way I keep my room is none of your business. The only reason I am agreeing to clean my room is because you guys say that there’s a problem. I don’t see the problem in there. It’s fine. I can find everything that I need. Please stop trying to tell me what to do like you’re my mother.”

“ I’m not trying to be your mother. I am trying to live in a clean space. If you don’t clean up after yourself, I could care less how much rent you pay. You will be kicked out.”

“I'm not here to play mommy. I want to live in a clean space. If you can't clean up after yourself, I couldn't care less how much rent you pay. You'll be out, no questions asked.”

“Hey, ladies,” Briar cut in, “I think we just need to chill out and get some sleep, you know?”

A few days later, the tension in the small apartment was at an all-time high. Lisa and Sage had not said more than two words to each other. This was since the argument they had the other night. The icy silence hung heavy in the air. It created an atmosphere so tense that it felt like the quiet before a storm. Every interaction was filled with passive aggression, making it feel like a battlefield. The once harmonious living space had turned into a battleground, each inch of the apartment a potential minefield. It was clear that the situation was not going to resolve itself anytime soon. Both Lisa and Sage were becoming more entrenched in their positions with each passing day.

A shrinking sound comes from the kitchen.

When the other two roommates arrive, Sage is standing on a chair in the kitchen.

“Sage, what is it?” Asked Briar

“It’s a rat! A rat is in our apartment!” Sage said. “And it’s all your fault. I told you to clean your stupid room, and now look, we have rodents. I am done with your mess, and I will not live like this.”

“You're blaming me for this?” Lavender said

“Who else am I supposed to blame? Am I gonna blame myself? I’m not a messy person. You’re always late for everything. You never clean up after yourself. What do you think was gonna happen? Obviously, we were gonna get rodents. My things are too expensive for them to be covered in rat poop. I'm calling my father so that he can send an exterminator. I can't believe this is happening in my own home, the place where I should feel comfortable and safe. I need to find a permanent solution to this problem, and getting rid of you is it."

“ I hate you agree with Sage, but Lisa she’s right. If you don’t clean up your room, you’re gonna have to get your life together. If not, you’re gonna have to find another place to live at the end of the month.”

“ Are you kidding me?” Lavender said storming out

Who do they think they are, seriously? Don't they get how crazy busy I am? I'm busting my butt to get into college next year. I'm handling two jobs. I'm trying to have a bit of a life too. And what do they want? For me to do all their dirty work, cleaning up and doing the laundry. It's like we're on our own here since my mom's not in the picture. I'm not gonna be their maid, making sure everything's perfect all the time. You know what? I just wanna go home, where I can catch a break for once. It's never-ending. They keep piling on the stuff for me to do. They don't even think about what I'm already dealing with. They don't appreciate how hard I'm working, or the stuff I'm giving up to build a better future. I sometimes wonder if they even realize how tough things are for me. All I want is a place where I can chill out. I need some support. I don't want to be hit with more and more things to do.

As Lavender stormed out of the apartment, her emotions were spinning in turmoil. She felt misunderstood, overwhelmed, and yearning for understanding and support. The weight of her responsibilities and the friction with her roommates weighed heavily on her. She longed for a place that felt like a sanctuary, where she found solace and regrouped.

After aimlessly walking the neighborhood streets, she found herself standing in front of a serene park. The gentle rustling of leaves invited her to take a moment to breathe. The soothing ambiance of the natural setting also invited her to take a moment to breathe. It encouraged her to show.

Sitting on a bench, she mulled over her predicament. It was clear that the situation at the apartment had reached a breaking point. The words of her roommates echoed in her mind. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was somehow failing to keep up with their expectations.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the park, Lisa came to a realization. It was time for her to confront her challenges and strive for a resolution. With a newfound determination, she made a mental note to tidy up her room and discuss the issue head-on.

Brimming with determination, Lavender headed back home. The apartment seemed to have a new vibe - the tension had vanished, leaving a soothing atmosphere behind. She spotted Chani and Sage in the living room, deep in a hushed chat. Lavender took a deep breath and walked up to them, all set for a heart-to-heart talk.

"I've been thinking, and I get where you're coming from," Lavender started, her voice chill and relaxed. "I know I haven't been pulling my weight, and I want to fix that. I'm all in for keeping our place tidy and peaceful. I'm also down to figure out something that suits everyone."

Briar and Sage gazed at her, feeling a newfound sense of determination and sincerity in her words. Lavender's resolution and willingness to discuss the issues that had caused the divide among them took them by surprise.

In the days that followed, something amazing happened in the apartment. Lavender happily started tidying up her room and pitching in with the household chores. She got organized and jotted down her plans in a planner she always has on hand. She made sure she'd never be late for work again.

1. Tidy Up and Freshen Up: Get rid of stuff you don't need. Tidy up the things you want to keep. Keep surfaces clean, vacuum the floors, and dust regularly to keep everything neat and tidy.

2. Storage Solutions: Invest in storage bins, shelves, and drawer organizers to keep things in order. Use under-the-bed storage for extra space and keep items off the floor.

3. Daily Cleanup Routine: Incorporate a quick tidy-up session into your daily routine to keep a clutter-free environment. Spend 10-15 minutes organizing and putting things back in their place each day.

4. Create a Schedule: Use a planner or digital calendar to schedule your daily tasks, appointments, and deadlines. Set aside specific time slots for cleaning, studying, work, and leisure activities.

5. Rank Tasks: Rank tasks based on urgency and importance. Discuss high-priority items first, then divide time for other tasks. This helps prevent feeling overwhelmed by a long to-do list.

6. Set Realistic Goals: Be realistic about what you can do in a day. Avoid overcommitting and divide enough time for each task to avoid feeling rushed.

7. Limit Distractions: Find and decrease distractions in your environment. Create a designated study or work area that is free from unnecessary interruptions.

8. Regular Review: Regularly review and adjust your schedule. Make sure these systems stay effective. Adjust them to meet your evolving needs.

By implementing these tips, Lavender was able to create a more organized living space and schedule. It promotes a sense of calm and efficiency in her daily life. Lavender finally struck a balance between her ambitions and her shared responsibilities. Her roommates met this determination with understanding and encouragement.

With time, the apartment evolved into more than just a place of cohabitation. It became a sanctuary. Each roommate found solace and a sense of belonging. Together, they navigated the challenges of daily life, supported each other's pursuits, and celebrated their individual journeys.

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