Bear Essentials: Spring Cleaning Your Dorm

With the start of spring comes a fresh season of sunshine and flowers. What better way to embrace the new season than to do a little bit of overdue cleaning. It is time to throw out some of the remains of winter and get refreshed for spring. It might be slightly overwhelming if you are not sure where to begin, so here are a few tips that will help you get going on your spring cleaning adventure. You will thank yourself later, so don’t hesitate to get started!

 

Switch out your wardrobe. Winter is over, so you most likely won’t need your puffy coats anymore - you could replace them with lightweight rain jackets for spring showers. Put away the majority of your thick clothing and bring back the warmer weather outfits that have been waiting in your closet for a year. Perhaps you might want to set a certain weekend to go home and make the clothing swap. Your family will be happy to see you, too.

 

Organization is key. By this point in the school year, it is typical for students to get lazy, so stuff will most likely end up getting strewn everywhere. You have to start somewhere, so try organizing your wardrobe first. Fold and hang the clothes that were probably sitting on your bed or the floor. This may be the time to do some laundry too. If you come across clothes or shoes you know you don’t wear anymore, donating them is a good option - it gives you more space and you help someone in need. Look for local stores like The Salvation Army or Goodwill that accept these kind of donations. Once your wardrobe is complete, you can then move on to the clutter of random objects. Organize and put things away in drawers, on shelves or with other organizational tools. It helps to place similar items together and keep them in a designated spot. Books with books, food with food, school supplies with school supplies… You get the picture.

 

Throw away things you don’t need. Don’t be a hoarder. Once you learn how to let go of useless objects, your life will get much easier. Go through your desk and drawers and take out all the unnecessary things that create clutter. These can include old papers, receipts, gum wrappers, random scraps, gifts you will never use, etc. Check to see if you will really need any of these things. If not, throw them away (or separate them for a yard sale or donation, depending on their potential use for others). It’s handy to keep a trash bag with you at all times in case you come across something you don’t need lying around.

 

Bring out the cleaning supplies and get scrubbing. Once your room is organized, you can then move on to actual cleaning. Vacuum or sweep the floors. Dust and wipe off your desk and other furniture of lint and old crumbs. Disinfecting wipes prove to be really handy for smooth surfaces. If cleaning is not your forte or you simply hate it, look up some cleaning hacks that will most likely change your outlook on cleaning. For example, rub the water faucet with wax paper to avoid water spots and use a binder clip as a sponge stand. A lot of these life hacks (found in a simple Google search) will make cleaning much easier and more fun.

 

Change things up. When your space is organized and clean, take a good look at how you can spruce things up. Maybe you can move around furniture or add new room decor. You could add a vase with a small bouquet of flowers, whether real or artificial. Bring in color to brighten up the area. Spring is all about freshness, so don’t be afraid to try something new with your space and get creative.