comments:
Hi! I went through a pretty similar situation and emotional break down (I think I also commented on your other post as well). I didn’t eat within my apartment for I think 5 full days after moving in and seeing them and I wasn’t sleeping because I was so afraid of them crawling on me at night. I was living out of suit cases and sleeping on an air mattress with no furniture in my apartment. Here are measures I have taken while I have treated my apartment to feel a bit more normal, although I’m still living a bit to an extreme because I really don’t want them to get into any of my stuff. ALL of my stuff is in zip up plastic bags and I mean literally everything. My plates are in double gallon bags, utensils, cups, etc. I have my toilet paper in plastic bags, my tooth brush, my make up, my hair brushes, etc. I reuse the bags as I buy more product or wash my things. It gives me peace of mind that nothing is running on them. Instead of a dresser - I bought 4 large plastic trunks from target that snap shut and piled them on top of each other to make a “dresser.” I also have one for dirty laundry. I bought these hanging garment bags for my clothes that I hang up: http://amazon.com/dp/B0F7XVYJ5Y?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title I do have a desk now but I keep cotton balls soaked in the alcohol that the stick notes recommends overnight to fumigate it so they can’t get in. I am still sleeping on an air mattress, so I don’t think I’ll feel comfortable getting a bed until I haven’t seen any for a month +. On top of my air mattress I am using the bug net that is linked in the sticky note. My air mattress is huge so I but the net on top and my sheets inside of it, but many people in the comments say that a queen sized mattress can fit within the net if you want to do that. I don’t have any small appliances out of fear right now. I bought a moka pot to make coffee and keep it in the fridge when I don’t use it, but if you have small appliances the sticky also offers a link to bug nets that you can keep them in when you’re not using them. I still haven’t cooked anything, but I do use my counter space now. I make small meals, sandwiches, cut fruits, etc. I wipe everything down with bleach before and after, I vacuum around the area even if I don’t think I dropped any crumbs. Same for my eating area - everything gets wiped before and after and vacuumed. I am slowly beginning to adjust to this protective lifestyle and it feels a bit extreme, but it helps me sleep at night and live like a functional human being. As you navigate this situation either through treatment or lease exit there are definitely steps you can take to feel safe. Becoming educated and implementing treatment and preventative actions definitely made me feel more in control. When you clean your apartment, hire an independent (not big brand) professional to help you. That lets you step away when you have to and ensures that it still gets cleaned up and gets cleaned up thoroughly. I ended up getting really lucky and was just getting run off from another apartment infestation, but even my small occurrence has been psychologically exhausting. I don’t think I will stop living like this for the duration of my lease, but it really has helped psychologically.