It’s that time of the year again! Spring is finally here. It’s time to throw out the old along with just about everything else that 2016 brought us. Here are a few quick tips to clear out some space and make room for 2017!
1. When it comes to deciding what to keep and what to toss think of what you don’t use. Anything that you haven’t used in the past year, get rid of! And if you’re anything like me and find it hard to get rid of your clothes think of it like this: there’s no point in keeping anything that just sits in the same spot collecting dust over the years. Don’t be a clutter bug! You can donate your clothes to a local thrift store where someone less fortunate can find a good use for your old hand-me-downs OR if you are struggling a bit yourself (as no college student is unfamiliar with) you can try taking the name brand clothes to a resale store like Plato’s Closet, earn a little extra lunch money, and then donate the clothes that they didn’t take. A good way to get a head start on the next year is to turn all your hangers the same way. After you wear something, put it back on the hanger, but turn the hanger the opposite way. When you see how many hangers you have facing different ways, it will show you what you haven’t touched throughout the year!
2. Remember that Salvation Army and Goodwill are great causes! You don’t have to waste anything that you don’t want/need any more by throwing it in the trash. Someone else will be glad to take your donation off your hands and put it to good use! Clothes aren’t the only thing that you can donate. Donation centers will take almost anything off your hands. There is always someone who can find a need for your unwanted belongings. Some top items to think about donating when spring cleaning are blankets, books, clothes, furniture, and kitchen supplies (It’s also totally okay to throw away things that are too used to be handed down. No one wants ya used undies even if they are cute).
3. Give Feng Shui a try. Not only is this a practice that is taken very seriously and used on the regular in some cultures, but it can be fun too if you’re just trying it for the first time. There are beliefs that there is much more to this Chinese practice than just switching things up for a change in scenery. Rearranging your space is believed to improve health, enhance your relationship, and increase energy. Barnes and Noble has an organization section where you can find books for beginners, like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.
4. When deep cleaning, think about the spaces that you wouldn’t normally think to clean. Take a good look around all the rooms in your house. Stand there in silence for a few moments and really look at your surroundings. Don’t forget about things like the ceiling fan, the baseboards, or the fridge. Show even the walls some love! You might want to think about time too. Make sure that when you do decide to deep clean your house, you dedicate a whole day to the task. You will get more done and you’ll do a better job if you aren’t racing the clock to make it to work or class in a few hours.
5. Another good spring cleaning tip is decluttering. This doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of your stuff, but putting them where they belong. Invest in some see-through containers from Wal-Mart. You can use these to store miscellaneous things under your bed or in your closet. You can even bring this idea over to the kitchen and use them in your pantry for food! And hey, using containers for storage can clear up some space for all the new clothes you’re going to buy this year!
Photos Courtesy of Wiki How and Tumblr.
Elizabeth is a guest writer participating with Her Campus UNCW.