It’s official! Spring has arrived, and with it comes that renewed motivation to reset and refresh. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining more warmly every day and there’s finally that first hint of warmth in the air. That also means it’s time for spring cleaning.
For me, spring cleaning isn’t just about scrubbing the tiles in the bathroom or vacuuming under the bed (though they are definitely on the list). It’s more of a mindset to reassess what’s in my life and, in the words of Marie Kondo, ask, “Does this spark joy?” It feels a little like a second chance at New Year’s; all my discarded resolutions picked back up, but this time with open windows and a fresh playlist in the background. And this year, I’m tackling it from every angle: physical, digital, and mental.
Here’s where I’m starting:
Dorm
I’ve found that it’s easy to clean what you see. If something is out of place, it’s easy to fix it when the problem glares at you every day. But what about the spots you never think about? The windowsills, under the bed, the corners of the closet. Just because I don’t see dust doesn’t mean it’s not there. I’m getting to those spots this time; honestly, the room feels much brighter afterward.
Playlist
After some time, some songs just stop hitting the same. Whether they get overplayed or become tied to memories I’d rather not revisit, I’m clearing them out this season to make way for new tunes that get me pumped to take on the day. Music should lift me up, not drag me back.
School Notes
Between old worksheets from classes, study guides, printed speeches from mock trial or screenshots of assignments from last semester, it’s time to clear the clutter. I’m keeping what matters and recycling the rest, so finals don’t feel as overwhelming.
Wardrobe
If I’m being honest, my closet is full of clothes that I’m holding onto “just in case.” But am I ever really wearing that again? This season, I’m asking: do I like it, or am I keeping it for nostalgia’s sake? If it’s the latter, it’s time to let it go.
Camera Roll
With thousands of pictures, screenshots and duplicate selfies, my camera roll is basically a digital junk drawer of my old memories. This spring, I’m finally going through it all. I’m deleting the screenshots I forgot about, clearing out those blurry selfies and maybe even removing the photos of that one person I haven’t had the heart to delete yet.
Digital Life
My downloads folder is currently a warzone, and my unread emails have been overflowing. And let’s not even talk about the random apps eating up my phone’s storage. This spring, I’m cleaning up all the digital clutter, unsubscribing from junk and clearing space for what actually matters.
Social Media
If there’s one thing I learned while making the transition from high school to college, I don’t have to follow everyone forever. It’s just like how I won’t be friends with everyone forever. If a post makes me roll my eyes or a page doesn’t inspire me, it’s getting unfollowed. Curating my feed is just as important as cleaning my space.
My Mindset
Maybe the most challenging part has been letting go of the habits, routines or thoughts that aren’t helping me grow. Spring is a reminder that it’s okay to change; like plants and butterflies, shed the old to make room for better things.
So that’s my plan: reset, refresh, and make space for what actually makes me happy this spring.