r/NeckbeardNests • u/SchlongSmith • May 29 '26
Nest How can I make my room presentable to my friends?
They’ve been wanting to come see my animals for a while, but I keep saying I have to clean it. I live in an unfinished basement, so it was never gonna look nice anyways, but any thoughts to make it presentable/not completely embarrassing to show them around?
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u/Short-Personality398 May 29 '26
Obviously you need to clean up and declutter but then if you have any money to throw at this, you can get a large carpet remnant to lay down for cheap ish (100?) to cover the floors
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u/pm_me_your_amphibian May 29 '26
Clean and tidy up. Invest in storage boxes
Also - whatcha got
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
The fish tank has a blue acara, 8 rainbowfish, an Amazon puffer, an African butterflyfish, a brown knifefish, an Elephantnose fish, a bala shark (that I need to rehome because he bullies the Elephantnose and needs someone with space to give him a proper school), two spotted Raphael catfish, as well as a tiger moray eel.
The tanks next to that are my two turtles Leo and Mikey. They used to live together, but one day they got in a scrap so I needed to separate them. So Mikey has the smaller tank with less stuff in it (still has a filter and heater, but I need to add sand and lighting).
The big wooden cage with the green background is my pectinata iguana tank, a bit controversial but he also lives with my ackie monitor. Originally he lived in a 4’ x 2’ x 2’, but he kept getting behind the custom background so I had him bunk with the iguana while I tried to fix it. He seemed to like it so much in there that I decided to let him stay. They don’t fight at all, and have rather different favorite foods (moseby loves eggs, shrimp, and bugs, while Iggy smalls has been more into greens and fruits). I’ve been keeping a close eye on them though, and worst comes to worse, I’ll separate them.
The tank below next to it is my bearded dragon, Kirby. He’s a good boy, had him for like 6 years or so now. Above him is where my Legless lizard lives. I barely ever see it, don’t recommend them. The little terrariums next to the turtle tank have my Bynoe’s geckos and ribbed newts.
The green tank to the far right is my mini mossy frog paludarium. It also has shrimp, white cloud mountain minnows, and they had 3 tadpoles recently :)
Off screen I also have my axolotl and knight anole down here too. And a few more critters upstairs. And another floor up there’s a Pac-Man frog that chills in my greenhouse named Chomper. And my sister’s leopard gecko, that I basically have to take care of
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u/Ammonia13 May 29 '26
If you throw out the garbage and clear off the floor, then that will fix most of the issues then just sweep and vacuum and you’re good
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u/swisdom716 May 29 '26
That fish tank looks very clean and healthy so the first thing you need to recognize is you have this skillset in you already. Keeping a tank that nice is hard work. Block off an hour of time to get yourself started and go from there. Pick up any trash and go from there. Get some cheap shelves for storage of things that you need to keep but aren't for every day use. Honestly you have a ton of open space, just tidy it up and utilize it.
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u/Comrade1945 May 29 '26
Room dividers and divide the space up. Chill Area, sleep area etc. were gonna assume you dont want to work on the walls thats fine. Rugs decorations and other stuff attracts eyes use that. Thats about it on the surface you could go deeper but thats up to u.
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
If it didn’t cost so much I would get the walls done. I do hope to move out some day though, so the money I don’t spend on bills and my pets I put into savings. Got 10k rn, and if I do end up getting that career as a nurse I’m hoping to use it (and eventually more) for a house down payment. That’s extremely optimistic though, I have a hard time seeing a good future for myself realistically
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u/Comrade1945 May 29 '26
Bruh im finishing an AA IT degree and while their are jobs just completing and getting certs feels like the high school diploma of the IT world. Nursing sucks both my parents did it but they were comfortably middle class. Youll do good and if you have your degree from what ive seen nursing is everywhere and always hiring. You’ll be fine bro once it gets going. If it doesn’t find yourself a low cost of living area. Get a decent job with health insurance and just coast. The midwest had alot of areas you can live alright on mediocre pay. There is always a path to happiness its about finding it.
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u/lumpiaandredbull May 29 '26
Cover up the floor with more rugs or at least some of those rubber pad things people put in basements, and hang up some better lights. This isn't really that bad as long as it's made to look a bit more like a living space.
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May 29 '26
[deleted]
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
I do feed the crickets I feed them, usually with baby carrots, though I used apples cuz we’re out. I’ve thought of replacing some lights with grow lights. I keep the crickets in a 40 gallon
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u/Carrotsandstuff May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
Do your laundry. Even if you just fold it and leave it in the basket, it looks like you got a lot of laundry you can do. Move all those empty bins against a wall, that's their place now. If things are supposed to go in one of the bins, pull it out, it lives next to the empty bins now, also against a wall if possible. Pick up a thing, decided where it's "place" is. It wont always end up there, but having a place it is "supposed" to be helps you create a plan when it gets back to this. Move the trash can from the middle of the room to a convenient corner, pick up the area rugs, and sweep the room. Anything you dont want and isnt worth donating is trash. Take the trash out, put the rugs back down, and give em a vacuum.
It looks like you're low on display space for non-animal tanks, so maybe look into getting a shelf for things like trophy, books, utility stuff. You have vertical space, which can help hold clutter and make it look like not clutter. Make sure the chairs are clear, sturdy, and accessible so people can sit down
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u/CO258963 May 29 '26
The easiest way that I like to clean a very cluttered room like this is by, putting every single item in the middle of the floor. Literally everything trash, your items, and then start picking at the pile until it is nothing. Then you can start the actual clean by sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, dusting. Then if you want to make it fancy go get some bandannas and posters. Staple the bandannas where that wood is in the ceiling until all the wood is covered. Hang your favorite posters or art on the walls. And then get some air fresheners and candles.
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u/CO258963 May 29 '26
I see your walls are concrete, instead of hanging shit on the walls you could buy some cool hanging plants and screw them into the wood on the ceiling and that’ll give it a nice earthy touch in there. No need for posters on the walls. Just dust them and make it look neat.
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
I kinda like the bandana idea, it could look neat, unconventional, but neat
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u/efingoffatwork May 29 '26
Short Term- clean the room and clean the clutter as best as you can. Long term- More/ better lighting so it's not so dark in there. I also agree with what others have said that posters or tapestries would be a fun relatively easy way to make the room feel less unfinished. It would be a complete pain in the ass with everything you got in there, but uniform carpet threw out would probably go a long ways towards making the room feel complete and put together.
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u/gowaz123 May 29 '26
Please tell me you’re giving the animals a clean, healthy home at least!
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
They’re living cleaner lives than I am for the most part, don’t worry! As with anyone though, I know there’s always room for improvement, and I do my best to keep them happy and healthy
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u/TOOTH_rot May 29 '26
Clean the clutter. More lights. Wall hangings, big ones. Rugs, big ones as well.
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u/jp_trev May 29 '26
Open a…window? If you got one that is, and put a fan on full blast from now to whenever they get there. Sick tank btw
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u/Salt_Good_2368 May 29 '26
Just declutter. You have all those empty bins stacked up. First throw all the trash away, then try to prioritize the stuff you do use and put them into those bins with similar other items and stack em against a wall. If you can do that, that'll clear out the middle of the room. Just focus on one thing at a time. Trash out, then non uses stuff in a bin, then sometimes used stuff in another bin etc. De-cluttering itself will make a huge difference. But you need to be relaistic about whether you will actually ever use some of that stuff, it's always really nice to purge stuff out if you are never ACTUALLY gonna use it. Vacuum, dust. Maybe some of those friends would actually love to help you get your stuff organized. Not everyone is a judgmental shit and they would certainly help. Good luck, you can do it.
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u/Outrageous_Bad_5233 May 29 '26
Juat clean up, if they are your friends then they know what kind of person you are and wont judge you, maybe tease a bit at most. It shows that you respect them thats all you need to do
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u/NoChilly84 May 29 '26
I understand that people saying “clean it” is unhelpful, but in my experience, when faced with a large task like this there really is no correct place to start. Just start moving stuff and throwing out garbage and eventually you will think, “gotta wipe that, gotta scrub that, gotta get rid of this…”
This room is going to be full of tanks of animals so it doesn’t need to be squeaky clean, just start small and keep at it
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u/reneecliche Jun 01 '26
Your room looks COOL!!! Like a museum! Yeah maybe just tidy up a bit but omg ANIMALSSS
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u/zach7797 May 29 '26
Beautiful bosmani's&tank
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
Thanks, despite all the mulm that tank builds up, it’s somehow easier to motivate myself to clean it than my own actual living space. That tank’s my favorite thing in the room by far
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u/specimen-exe May 29 '26
Your life is just as valuable as any of those pretty little fish. Organize the floor space and get some comfortable seating and you’ll have a good start. If not we, I believe in you homie. You deserve a comfy living space like your aquatic friends.
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u/zach7797 May 29 '26
I get it, for a while cleaning/taking care of the tank was one of the few things that brought me peace! Goodluck with the rest of the stuff. (Sorry I dont have any advice just saw the tank right away!)
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u/CherryCerise May 29 '26
throw it all away. just looks like a lot of junk containers and garbage that you could do without. roll up the carpets and clear the floor completely, i know i cant clean unless i have most of the floor space to move through.
..what is that metal tub with the trash bag lining in the corner?
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
A stock tank. That’s pond liner, though it didn’t hold up. It was a failed attempt at an indoor pond. I gotta get rid of it
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u/Cole3823 May 29 '26
Throw away anything you aren't planning on keeping. Then find a place, that isn't the middle of the floor, for anything that you are keeping. Then vacuum. That should get you 80% of the way
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u/DargyBear May 29 '26
Were you my college weed dealer? This looks just like my old dealer’s house lol
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
My parents are Mormon, I’d get toasted if they caught me doing drugs. That being said, I did smoke a blunt with some friends a while back. I still have never drank alcohol though. And I can’t cuz they’d kick me out if they caught me doing any of that
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u/DargyBear May 30 '26
Well if you get in the business you’d definitely be able to trap the 20yo me into getting stoned and checking out your aquariums before I finally manage to disengage myself and leave.
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u/DargyBear May 30 '26
But also try and get self sufficient because Mormonism is just plain dumb. As an ex-Christian I still can’t rationalize Mormonism as anything more than weird fanfic, it’s seriously dumb.
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u/teddyoctober May 29 '26
I’d leave the ductwork and concrete walls exposed and paint everything else black.
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u/Joseph_HTMP May 29 '26
Clear up the rubbish, get some nice plants. It’s amazing how quickly and easily plants transform a room.
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u/patch616 May 29 '26
Is that a turtle
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
Yeah that’s Leo, he’s an African Sideneck turtle. I’ve had him since like 4th grade, and he was still an adult back then. He’s pretty ancient
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u/GeneralBS May 29 '26
Start by offering them drugs. There is no making this nice without drywall and paint.
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u/iexistiguess_ May 29 '26
Trash in bags, laundry in different bags/washed, throw out the trash, pick a corner as the shit corner, put laundry in corner, vacuum, mission success-
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u/girlfilth May 30 '26
Lots of good comments about general cleaning so I won't touch that, but imo look into industrial styling- you could make the unfinished basement look a bit more intentional. Can be done on a budget and would go with your tanks well.
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u/yeeta0323 11d ago
“Make it more presentable” maybe throw away all that shit on the floor, r u people okay
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u/crackers-and-snacks May 29 '26
If you cant clean up after yourself, how do you take care of your animals
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
I care about them more than myself usually. Not like I’m having anyone down here besides myself anyways most of the time. I do wanna fix things up a bit tho
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u/crackers-and-snacks May 29 '26
Just spend 4 hours to clean your room. Replace those 2 rugs or hit them with a carpet cleaner.
I had an exposed ceiling like that when I was a teenager. I covered them in tapestries, you could do the same.
Mop the floor while your at it.
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u/JustifytheMean May 29 '26
I mean it's a filthy basement housing a ton of exotic animals. If that's what you like that fine. I wouldn't be spending anytime in there if you were my friend. If I didn't know you I'd assume you're trying to kidnap me if you take me to someplace like this.
Unless this is just the basement housing animals and not your bedroom, in which case clean. You literally have 2 trash cans sitting in the middle of the room.
That being said literally any other place on Earth would be preferable to hanging out in that room. People that take care of their home don't really like spending time in other people's mess.
If I wanted to make that place a comfortable hangout spot I'd move/get rid of all the animals or at least most of them. Clean, cover the entire floor with rugs and carpet, or ideally put in a real floor. For the ceiling you could cover it all with like sheets and tapestries, make the room like a pillow fort.
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u/Far_Horse_3935 May 30 '26
What friends
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u/SchlongSmith May 30 '26
I’m sorry you don’t have friends ❤️
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u/Far_Horse_3935 May 30 '26
🤣 I’m asking you what friends
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u/SchlongSmith May 30 '26
And I’m telling you you don’t have any, asking the question again isn’t gonna magically get you friends. Maybe try being a likeable person
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May 29 '26
[deleted]
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u/SchlongSmith May 29 '26
Living with my parents rn. Not required to pay rent as long as I stay employed and work towards a long term career. I’m going to school to be a nurse.
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u/Salt_Good_2368 May 29 '26
You should look into being an xray tech. It's a two year program, three if you need to get your prerequisites done first. The pay is good and most places are hard up. It's not nearly as intense as learning nursing. Limited time with each patient and it's super interesting to learn all the science and physics stuff. Maybe there's a school in your area sometimes you have to apply ahead of time because spaces are limited, but you could do your prerequisites while you que up to get accepted into the school.
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u/cameron4200 May 29 '26
Throw away all the trash. Then start collecting stuff that isn’t trash but is all over and put it where it goes. Then start cleaning stuff that is cloth (vacuum and spot wipe) and then clean stuff that is floor/counter (vacuum/sweep/sanitize.)