Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks
By: Amna Faheem
By the time winter comes around, energy is low and motivation is scarce. The cold, and impending nighttime coming sooner every day, steals the liveliness of people. But, as the seasons change, so do we. The warmth and increased sun make people want to start anew. They see the light at the end of the tunnel (literally) and start to pick themselves up.
Spring cleaning can be therapeutic. It’s a way to shed the old and bring newer and fresher enthusiasm into your life. However, it is not always an easy task to accomplish. As a very sentimental person, and borderline hoarder, it’s tough to let go of things. But this past week, I deep cleaned my room for the beginning of the new semester, and I learned a lot of helpful things.
getting started
The first, and arguably the hardest thing to do is go through your closet. I have clothes in my closet from high school, untouched like the old MET gala dresses in a museum. It was so difficult for me to let go of these things because of the memories they held. I realized that a good trick is looking at pieces you have not worn in at least the past six months.
Cleaning out your closet can be overwhelming; you may think, “Where am I going to take all this stuff, and what if I need it again?” You won’t. If you follow the six-month rule, you will not miss the old items; after all, you haven’t even been using them.
Memories will stay with you forever; you don’t need to keep the too-tight pair of jeans or the t-shirt from your freshman-year welcome week that you haven't touched since then.
Look for a sustainable and reliable donation spot near you to take your clothes, or Plato’s Closet where you can get a couple of extra dollars. You’ll feel much better after doing a good deed or walking away with a crisp $20 in your pocket.
Setting the Mood
I find that it’s easiest to fully clean your room when you have a nice energy around you. Playing instrumental or lo-fi beats on your speaker or Alexa to motivate you can work wonders. After you clean out your closet, go through your clothes and see what needs to be washed. While you’re at it, change your sheets too. You’re doing laundry anyway, might as well get it all done! Any remaining clothes can be hung up and folded (Don’t forget to put your clothes in the dryer when it’s time.)
The more you get done, the more you feel proud of yourself and want to keep going. Your desk probably has some clutter on it, so sifting through everything and putting it in its rightful spot makes wiping down your surfaces so much easier.
focusing on the smaller details
Don’t be shy to throw out the miscellaneous papers and packets from semesters prior; they’re probably of no use now. A simple all-purpose cleaning spray and a rag can do wonders, and the difference makes you feel all the more clean. All the dust and crumbs from your late-night snack are definitely going to fall to the floor. That’s why we leave the best for last: sweeping and mopping.
This step is going to be a bit tedious, but we’re in the homestretch now. Take any small trash cans and put them on your desk or sheetless bed. Trash cans are gross and we don’t want those germs touching where you sleep. Desk chairs and bigger furniture can be taken outside so it’s not in the way. You want to sweep every corner and behind as much as possible.
Get all the dust and crumbs together to throw them in the dustpan. If you have a rug, you can vacuum it or, if you want to follow my mom’s advice, open your window and beat it outside. Don’t put it back though so you can mop or Swiffer wipe your hardwood floors, or vacuum your carpeted ground.
finishing up
After you check on your laundry in the dryer, put your sheets on and a new set of towels in your bathroom. Light a candle and make your bed. Be proud of yourself! Messes are inevitable. Life gets in the way and we begin to feel overwhelmed. A good rule of thumb is anything that will take less than five minutes to do – taking out your trash, putting your toilet paper roll on the holder instead of letting the old cardboard roll collect dust, and picking up those old socks at the foot of your bed should be done as soon as possible to alleviate stress and a potential future mess.
At the end of this process, congratulations! You’ve completed your spring cleaning and can enjoy your clean and tidy room.