Spring cleaning is a healthy habit that will help you adjust to the seasonal change and make you feel better about yourself. In college it can be a little tricky to find time to clean, but if you follow these tips, you’ll be able to renew and refresh your living space.
1) De-clutter to get a jumpstart on packing
If your walls are filled with a tapestry and posters, consider taking one or the other down. Go through your shelves and desk and choose the things that aren’t necessary for the rest of the semester. Take the chosen items and put them in a box or suitcase so that you can get a headstart on packing to eliminate stress amounts during finals. This will also leave you with some personality to your dorm room while de-cluttering your space, and can create a more peaceful environment.
2) Check your closet
If you’re anything like me, you may have a pretty jam-packed closet. Take half of a day to go through your closet and dresser. Create three piles: keep, sell and donate. Return your cherished items to their hangers or fold them into their respective drawer. If you have pieces that were passing trends or you never actually wear, judge the quality of them and then donate or sell. You can use services such as Vinted, Unitiques or Poshmark or stores like Buffalo Exchange (there’s a location in Allston) to sell your clothing to make a profit. If you want to donate, haul your bag of clothes to the Goodwill in West.
3) Cleanse your beauty stash
No matter the amount of items in your collection, there is likely something that can stand to be tossed. Makeup and skincare items have expiration dates, so go online and search for the expiration date of items you are concerned about and act accordingly. If you have items from beauty subscriptions or gifts that you do not use, offer them to your friends. They will appreciate your act of kindness and you will have less clutter.
4) Do a deep clean
Head to the RHA office and borrow a vacuum and toss your bedding and throw pillow covers in the wash (check labels for decorative pillows for care instructions). Wipe down your workspace with antibacterial wipes to prevent germs that seem to be omnipresent in dorms and dust surfaces that seem to collect it. These tasks may be a little tedious, but cleaning can be stress relieving and fun if you blast your favorite songs while doing it.
These simple tasks will take less than a weekend to complete, and will help you create a better studying environment for finals.