We’ve (almost) reached the end of the cold and gross weather! A lot of people like to take the first signs of warm weather as a chance to clean their spaces and get organized before the summer. However, it can be hard when you’re in a cramped dorm room or college apartment and have limited space. I’ve compiled some of my best tips to get your spring cleaning done and stay organized!
- Take everything out of your closet and drawers
When it comes to organizing your clothes, I always find it most effective to start by taking every piece out and putting it in one big pile. It may seem overwhelming at first, but it will give you an idea of everything you have and want to keep or donate. I like putting everything I want to donate in a trash bag and sorting the clothes I want to keep into piles by type before folding.
- Shake out rugs and wipe down surfaces
One of the things people always forget to clean in college is their area rug. So many little crumbs and bits of dust get caught in the fibers of the rug so it’s important to take it outside or open a window and give it a nice shake! Your sinuses will thank you. It’s also important to wipe down any surfaces (your desk, door handles, window sill) with disinfecting wipes or a soapy paper towel to keep things sanitary and dust free.
- Designate drawers
If you’re like me and are always in a rush, you may find you have one (or two) of your desk drawers filled with loose papers and random items that you’ve accrued over the semester. This can get annoying when you’re trying to look for an assignment sheet or other item that you need but it’s buried in a bunch of junk. I like separating my drawers into hair/beauty supplies, school supplies and books, and then also investing in some paper folders for the loose sheets of paper.
- Tackle one area at a time
It may be tempting to pick a day and get all of your cleaning done in one sitting, but with so much school work that’s not really practical. I like writing out a list of the parts of my dorm that I want to clean and doing one task a day. If you pick seven areas, you’ll be done in a week without having to stress about your school work!
- Create a motivating playlist
I’m always more inclined to clean if I have good music playing in the background. You could add your favorite songs (mine tend to be by Taylor Swift and SZA) as well as the songs that your friends have been recommending to spice things up. A podcast like the Kelce brothers’ New Heights could also be something fun to listen to and always makes the time go by quicker!
Good luck with your cleaning!