With spring approaching in a month, we can all expect to see flowers blooming once again and the trees surrounding us on our daily commutes regaining their color. Seasonal allergies will be a reminder of the changing seasons as the warmer weather greets us with our faces shoved in a Kleenex.
These sniffles and sneezes might be the only thing that people roll their eyes at when they think of this occasion, but you can’t forget about the rarely cherished tradition of spring cleaning!
I am always in a constant battle with my living space to keep it tidy; it seems like no matter how often I put away laundry, wipe down my desks, vacuum the carpets, and scrub my shower until my sponge has basically disintegrated into my rubber glove I feel like I am in a non-stop cycle of maintenance.
This season I am ready to get ahead of my organizing, and spring cleaning is just the time for it.
- Divide and Conquer
When trying to tackle the daunting task of cleaning every inch of your place whether it’s a home, apartment, or dorm room it always feels like an impossible task. For this, split up your area into sections in order to be able to take on the mental load of completely reorganizing a room. I like to first clean out any garbage in the overall place: water bottles, makeup wipes, contact lens blister packs, and taking out trash bags to have a fresh start. I usually then go for laundry, cleaning any surfaces, reorganizing loose items, fresh bed sheets, then finishing off with vacuuming.
I categorize these tasks as their own separate activities, and take them on one-by-one rather than looking at the experience of cleaning as one large chore. The kitchen cleaning is separate from the bathroom cleaning, yet everything has a general flow that makes sense in my mind.
It’s more like bite-sized tasks.
- Clean Air is Crucial!
I feel as though many people forget about how important having clean air is to the sanctity of your home. Many opt for an air purifier which helps clear out any dust or pet hair that could be contributing to your surfaces collecting unwanted granules, or any allergies that could be heightened with the changing weather.
If you don’t want to drop a bit of money for a purifier (because let’s be real, some of them can be absurdly expensive), then cracking open your windows allows for fantastic air flow, especially with warmer weather approaching.
I also like to utilize an essential oil diffuser. It adds a gentle fresh scent to my entire living space, and I find that I’m more relaxed when it’s on. As long as you’re not allergic to them, it’s a great way to elevate the area.
- Clothes, Clothes, CLOTHES
If you’re like me, then your clothes are the biggest organizational nightmare of your home. Something major that I am pushing myself to do is being strategic about the placement of my clothing throughout my closet and dresser. Installing a removable hanging shelf in my closet has saved me so much space, and I use it in the way that feels most natural for me. I put sweaters and sweat-sets on my hanging shelves, and the classic dresses, jeans, and jackets on the regular bars of the closet. My nightstand holds pajamas and intimates, while my dressers contain my leggings, activewear, and tops.
My best advice for this is simply organizing your clothing in the way that feels most beneficial to your getting-ready process; everyone is different in this regard and it’s okay!
Getting into the habit of immediately putting away your laundry as soon as it’s out of the dryer will also save you so much headache in the future. Listen to music or a podcast to keep yourself occupied while doing this to help push yourself along the way; procrastination now is a headache later!
- Trash or Treasure
Determining what you truly need in your home and what could be donated or thrown away is the biggest part of spring cleaning. I feel like so many of us accumulate decor or clothes or simply just don’t want to go through the freezer section of our fridges, but throwing away what you know cannot serve you or anyone else and donating old sweaters or picture frames that are still in good condition is what we need to keep our space tidy. The coveted Marie Kondo method of organizing shines in this area: Does it Spark Joy?
- Just Because it Looks Clean, Doesn’t Mean it is Clean
I have definitely fallen victim to this. I clean an area of my room just for the appearance of cleanliness, but not actually getting into the grit of it to truly deep cleaning. However, this is where we end up perpetuating the unending cycle of a constantly unkempt space even after organizing a few days ago. When doing a task, go into it with the intention of creating a better place for you to live. You spend almost all of your time in your home, so why would you want to sabotage it?
Your mindset and goals impact the quality of work you produce, so by entering spring cleaning with the purpose of bettering your environment, then you will see your efforts lasting much longer than if you were to do a brisk wipe down or dusting of your furniture.
- Prioritize Your Own Mental Space
A home is only as good as the mind that keeps it. Your environment plays a major role on your mental health, and by living in disarray it only encourages poor mental health. Whenever I find myself at a low point, I try to take the time to analyze my surroundings and determine if it is contributing to my mental state. More times than not, it absolutely is.
When reorganizing or redecorating your space, use colors that bring you comfort. Read, write, listen to music, make sure you have room to move around. The biggest takeaway from spring cleaning is creating a place that you feel good in.
Good luck on your hunt for dust bunnies!