You know it’s time for spring cleaning when this is your first reaction…
But fear not! This simple guide is all you need to breathe with ease:
1. Open your blinds, open your window, and turn on your favorite music.
2. Chose which to tackle first – closet, bathroom, desk, car. Sometimes it helps to make a list of the things you want to accomplish to help you stay on track.
3. I chose closet which entails your dressers, and shoes of course. Take everything out, and I mean everything. Then you can begin to go through and see what you really have. Too many times I forget about clothes that get lost in the abyss of my dark tiny closet.
That shirt you love but you didn’t wear once all winter? Pull it out and make a pile to sell to Platos Closet. Once you’ve tackeled your monster of a pile, you’ll have a few things you feel okay parting with. Do the same with your shoes! Those boots you wore all winter that have a hole in them now… Don’t store them for the summer, only to not wear them again next winter. If therapy is needed to recover from parting with a few pieces from your closet, don’t worry, we can help!
4. After tackling your closet, turn to a simpler task. I chose my desk. Those small dorm desks are easy to forget about, but if you’re anything like me, everything from winter gloves to old class papers is on your desk, and in no way is it organized. Thankfully your desk is a litter easier than your closet.
Start with one drawer at a time – I chose my files drawer. Take out all of your binders, folders, and books. Books you’re done with can be sold on Amazon or Chegg and you can get a few dollars back! Most cites let you list and sell them for very little commission! Throw out all of your old class assignments and tests, you’ll never need those again. For those you think you might need, make one binder full of the most important things – I save syllabuses, large papers, and final exams, but thats all! Next, tackle all those other random things that lurk in the corners of your desk drawers. I found a few old makeup bags and sorted my things into them! Candy and coughdrops in one, receipts and bills in another, etc! You’ll be amazed how far a little organization goes!
5. By now you’re probably one of two things: either excited and motivated and energized to continue, or you’re like me and bored and overwhelmed out of your mind. Don’t worry, no matter which you are, take a break! Grab a snack or make yourself your favorite drink (not promoting alcohol, but not saying no either – sometimes a margarita is a great motivator!). At this point, I made myself a french pressed cappacuino and proceeded to have a dance party for one (and spilling my coffee all over my shirt…)
6. DO YOUR LAUNDRY. Sure this may be more of a habitual action, but it’ll feel good to have it done while you’re already working! Strip your sheets, blankets and bathroom towels while you’re at it! I used the timers on the washer and dryer to compelte my next cleaning tasks!
7. With laundry in the washer, tackle your bathroom.
This may be the most dreaded task of all. If you’re like me, you probably share a bathroom, but this doesn’t mean you’ll be doing ALL the work. Ask your roommate, suitmate, or whoever they may be to help you! If that’s not an option, you’ll still be fine. Start with something simple. I began with consolidating my shampoos and conditioners! I had multiple bottles of the same products that were all half-used!!
Combine these and throw out a few bottles to clear up some space. Next, I reorganized my cleaning supplies. Over the year these things had been used and thrown back in a rush over and over again. It was amazing to find things I’d completely forgotton about. When my timer for the washer went off I realized I’d done no actual cleaning, but that’s okay!
8. After returning from switching over my laundry, I was ready to tackle my last project: my car. The dreaded Jeep that hadn’t been cleaned since Christmas (don’t judge me). Take a trashbag and another bag out to your car with you.
Pull out all the trash, clothes, shoes, and who knows what else! Lucky for me, this wasn’t too terrible. A few jackets and granola bars later I was gathering up trash and headed back inside! No need to vaccuum or take your car to the carwash – just cleaning out the inside will make you feel better!
So there you have it: 4 things you can do to to tackle spring cleaning! Of course, there is so much more to be done, and if you’re like me, now you’re motivated. So go on, clean the floor and the dusty vent and the dirty window and under your bed and behind your nightstand, and your fridge… the list will never end – it just leaves us all feeling like this: