Let me guess… New Year’s Day came and went, and one of your resolutions was to “keep your space clean”. But the stress of the holidays, the start of a new semester and midterms may have left you and your room, dorm or apartment feeling like a mess. You may be overwhelmed and disappointed that you didn’t keep your New Year’s promise. That being said, you really shouldn’t feel ashamed because I’m actually in the same boat.
What comforts me is realizing that spring offers the perfect reset. Ever heard of the term “spring cleaning”? It has ancient origins, and is often viewed as a fresh start that symbolizes the transition from the winter season to spring. So you and I are going to try this out together.
Now that we’ve hopefully lowered some of the shame surrounding our untidy situations, I can provide you with a guide that will get you started.
Create A Plan
Don’t just wing it. A plan is really going to set you apart from the competition (aka your roommates). Jot down a few main goals of what you want to accomplish on this personal cleaning mission. Is it taking a bit of weight out of your closet, deep cleaning your bathroom or simply decluttering? Write down these goals and maybe even hang them somewhere in your room.
Set a Timeline
Now that we have our objectives, we need to know how we are going to accomplish them. Is this going to be something that you can finish in a day, a week or a month? Anything longer than that and we’re no longer in spring.
Logistics
In terms of logistics, it may be helpful to start by researching local donation centers like Goodwill to give your clothes to. If parting with your clothes requires a price, then maybe look into your local Plato’s Closet. Or, if you like to call the shots, I recommend downloading Depop and launching your own shop. Depop can be a sustainable, yet profitable, way to get rid of unwanted clothes.
Supplies
You’re almost there, just one step missing. If you really want to get down and dirty and give your home the deep clean it deserves, then you need tools. I recommend making sure that you have the basics: gloves, a mop, a vacuum, soap, a duster, disinfectant and baking soda. I could go on, but I don’t want the list to overwhelm you.
Motivation
Now I know I said I was almost done, but there’s actually one crucial step missing: motivation. If you have all the other steps but no motivation, then let’s be honest, nothing is getting done. Find your catalyst or incentive that is going to launch you into action. Maybe it’s scrolling through cleaning videos for hours until you feel compelled to film your own. Or maybe it’s rewarding yourself with a new spring outfit at the end of the week. Whatever it is that gets you scrubbing your sink until it shines will work!
