Your spring semester is in its second half and will soon be coming to an end. This doesn’t mean your life will start to calm down, though! Between studying for final exams and all the campus events that come with the end of a school year, one thing that likely will get sent to the sidelines, or maybe even overlooked completely, is your spring cleaning routine.
Taking some time to provide your environment with a deep clean will not only make things easier for you when you pack up at the end of the semester, but it will also create a much calmer, mentally positive workspace. Here are a few spring cleaning tips for your dorm room, apartment, or your remote learning space.
Gather Your Supplies Before You Begin
No matter how prepared you think you are to clean your dorm room, there’s likely to be a tool or cleaning supply that would make the entire process easier for you in the long run. Running low on laundry detergent? Are you out of disinfectant? Make a list of the supplies you need before you start cleaning. Gathering all of your supplies in advance can save you tons of time down the road.
Whether you’re trying to be extra careful to observe social distancing, you don’t have a reliable ride to the store, or you just don’t have much time, a home essentials delivery service can provide you with all the necessary supplies you need to get the job done. A service like this can help you in your cleaning endeavors by providing items like detergent, disinfectant, pest removal traps, air fresheners, toilet paper, and paper towels. Oftentimes, you can even find home cleaners with natural ingredients that can be less harsh on your small space.
Tackle One Area or Category at a Time
Depending on how your brain deals with patterns and organization, this system will work differently for everyone. One way to tackle a cluttered dorm or online learning space is to select one area and tackle it first. Work your way from top to bottom or left to right through your zone to have the satisfaction of seeing progress as you go. As you clean each space, try out some different organization tactics that could make your studying more efficient. We recently shared 8 DIY dorm room storage tips to get you started.
Looking for a different approach? Channel your inner Marie Kondo! Start with similar categories when downsizing and organizing. In her book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Kondo recommends beginning with clothing as it often has the least emotional or sentimental attachments. You can then prioritize from there to your books, devices, photos, and so on. This way you can systematically declutter and reorganize your life.
Dispose of Unnecessary Items
In the process of cleaning and downsizing, you’ll more than likely come across many items you no longer need. Some of these items can be more mundane (and borderline disgusting) than others. Do you have a bag full of plastic bottles you meant to take to the recycling area? Leftover takeout boxes or beverage cans from your weekend hangout? Gather them up and bring them to the proper receptacles. If it’s a bit of a hike, bag everything up and set it by the door. If you have roommates, see if they can give you a hand taking everything out to the dumpster.
Other items might simply be unused. Have a stack of old t-shirts from an organization you don’t belong to anymore or a sweatshirt from an ex? Another one of Marie Kondo’s helpful tips, known as The KonMari Method, is essentially if you haven’t worn it in a year, then it might be time to give it away. The more you can do to compartmentalize your space before summer break, the less you’ll have to do at the end of the semester whether you’re graduating or not.
Reorganize and Reprioritize Your Life
Final exams have arrived, and with them comes countless late nights filled with hours of studying. Not only can this be overwhelming, it can be difficult to know where to focus your time. Create a strategic checklist or roadmap of your current course grades and prioritize where you should focus your time. If you’re feeling great in English Literature but feel like you’re a bit behind in Biology, this can help visualize where you need to spend the bulk of your time.
You can use this same roadmap for spring cleaning your dorm room. Use a task sheet to help keep your cleaning task goals organized and attainable. This works well if you live alone or have roommates, as long as everyone is made aware of the sheet, their responsibilities, and the timeframe in which they are expected to complete the tasks. Before it is time to start cleaning, make sure everything is in an easily accessible, easily found place. Containers and label makers can help with organizing your supplies. If you are in an online learning environment, many of these tips can still be applied to your home to help you stay organized and focused. For additional insights on managing your time and staying organized from home, check out these helpful tips.
While spring cleaning can seem like a daunting challenge, it is a process that can help you to focus, especially with the difficulties of finals week just around the corner. Remember, all it takes is a little forethought and organization to prepare you for your day of cleaning and disinfecting. Doing this will ensure you optimize your space and eliminate clutter for a calm and healthy study zone!
