We’ve all heard of spring cleaning. It’s that time of the year when everyone decides that it’s past the socially acceptable point of having a Christmas tree up. So the tree, and all the other knick knacks and clothes you have been holding onto since middle school (trust me, they won’t be back in style), are being sorted into ‘keep’ and ‘donate’ piles. Eventually, you even find yourself cleaning the deepest darkest corners of your closet (I know, super scary), which you also haven’t touched since middle school. And then the light at the end of the tunnel: summer!
But, if you’re a college student like me, you know that spring cleaning is nearly impossible to do during the actual springtime because the second semester is coming to a close and you are piled up with assignments- shocker! There is a time though when this type of cleaning becomes possible, and can actually double as your New Year’s Resolution: winter break! I mean, the weather outside is already frightful, and so since you have no place to go, why not reset your life instead! Here are my tips for a winter cleaning reset!
Step 1: Take time to relax. I know, crazy right! But seriously, we all need to take some time to relax. While winter break may have given us time to relax and replenish, we also need to pace ourselves throughout the semester. So get out of the house, hang out with your friends on and off campus, and take some time to yourself. If we do not take care of ourselves first, how can we expect to take care of our surroundings?
Step 2: Plan. This might sound like we’re just procrastinating the inevitable winter cleaning, but you should have a plan for how you are going to clean and organize so you stay on track. I find that if I write the simplest list, I end up actually completing the tasks that I had listed! It certainly is motivating to check off each step on our list and feel that sense of satisfaction. I like to start with simpler tasks and work my way up to the larger, more tedious tasks. For instance, I will vacuum and dust my room before emptying the closet and making piles of clothes to keep and donate. This means that if I have a bunch of boxes out on the floor, I can leave them there until they are donated without needing to vacuum and dust my room still looming over me. But make sure to donate those clothes soon, or else your room will become more cluttered and messier than it already was!
Step 3: Do what you have listed. I know, even crazier! But seriously, you have rested and have the energy to tackle your winter reset cleaning, you have a plan and know what you have to do, so all that’s left to do is start! I love to put on a playlist with my favorite, upbeat songs that will motivate me to get an otherwise dreadful task done. I even find myself enjoying it, like a guilty pleasure. Snacks are also a necessity when cleaning, just don’t make a bigger mess!
Step 4: Take breaks! Rome was definitely not built in a day! Ok, this might also sound counterintuitive, but if you have been cleaning out the deepest parts of your closet and bedroom for hours, you’ll need a break. Remember to eat something and hydrate! Relax a little. It is always alright to pick up where you left off tomorrow, the clothes and the mess will not move. Do not, however, take a month-long break and end up leaving your half-cleaned and organized room unfinished. I know I certainly have before, and it’s not pretty!
It may seem self-explanatory, but winter cleaning can sound like a massive and daunting task in our heads, and it certainly can be! But if we take care of ourselves first, then our surroundings are easier to care for. So before the beautiful spring and summer weather arrives, get rid of the extra clutter taking over your room while the winter weather has you cooped up inside!