This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Duke chapter.
I get kind of excited about cleaning. I’m not a clean freak, but there’s something about having a clean space that, I guess, “sparks joy.”
There’s a reason spring cleaning is a thing: it’s a time of ~growth~, and I think the best way to start over and refresh your life is to clean up all aspects of it.
Also, there is pollen everywhere. No one warned me.
Your Room:
- De-pollen your room (especially if you’ve got mad allergies). Wipe down near the window with a Lysol wipe or some all-purpose cleaner and paper towel. Clean your shoes if they’re particularly dusty. Borrow a vacuum from a friend if you don’t have one.
- Clean out your fridge and food storage. You know what you’ve got hiding in there.
- Clean those sheets and pillowcases if you don’t already on a regular basis.
Your Stuff:
- Wipe down your phone screen and laptop (another way to de-pollen). You can buy wipes online or dilute some rubbing alcohol with water. Then use a glasses cloth (is that what they’re called?) to make it nice and shiny.
- My personal fave: clean out your closet. Donate clothes you don’t wear (or sell them on Duke fashion exchange!) and send winter clothes back home. Now, you’ve justified treating yourself to shopping for some new clothes.
- Go through your folders, backpack, desk, etc. and get rid of old papers.
Your Life:
- Unfollow people or accounts that make you unhappy. This can be tough or maybe drama-inducing, so play it right. Also, go through your social media accounts and clean up anything that you don’t want online anymore.
- Dedicate a day to self-care or changing something up: try a face mask, a new haircut, or even just a nice, non-Duke meal.
- Clean out your inbox. Unsubscribe from all those annoying brands and newsletters.
Or, just embrace the mess. No shame.