By Brianna Brinker, Staff Writer
As winter comes to an end, Spring is right around the corner. March 20 marks the first day of Spring this year!
As spring begins, there is an annual American tradition that most people do in the early days of March. It started over 3,000 years ago and is called “Spring Cleaning.” It simply means that as the cold air starts to fade and the flowers start to bloom, people feel the need to refresh their spaces.
As for college students, this is a perfect time to refresh our dorm rooms or apartments. The college lifestyle can get busy, and it’s hard to make time for deep cleaning, but it is important to have a clean space, especially for a new season.
As you take the time to clean and reset your dorm rooms or apartments, remember these tips:
Tip #1: Start with one section of your room. Picking a partial space in your room gives you the chance to only be focused on that designated spot. At times, it gets difficult to stay on top of one task, we just want to rush the process on something we’re dreading. But focusing on one thing at a time will ensure a clean space.
Tip #2: Turn on a timer while cleaning. It is hard to find the time to clean when we’re in college, but if you have a free hour or even 30 minutes, set a timer and see how much you can get done. Even if it’s a 10-minute vacuum around your apartment or taking 15 minutes to do the dishes, it can make a huge difference.
Tip #3: Listen to music. Listening to your favorite music can make anything fun. Put your headphones on and make the action of cleaning your space fun! We already listen to music every day, so why not be productive while listening to our favorite artists.
Tip #4: Get rid of stuff you don’t need. We tend to keep stuff that sits in our dorm rooms for months because we forget we even brought it to school. Take the time to declutter your items and give some things away. Go through your clothes and pick out 5 items you don’t wear anymore or go through your desks and nightstands and analyze what can be donated.
Sometimes we hold onto things we don’t need. Getting rid of old items opens the space a little bit more.
Tip #5: Make it fun and redecorate: Cleaning doesn’t always have to be something we dread. There are ways to make it more exciting. For example, change out your bedding or pictures on the walls. Sometimes all our rooms’ need is a refresh and a change of scenery.
Maddie Melendez, a senior majoring in criminal justice – homeland security says, “The benefit of having a clean space is how impactful it can be to a person’s mental health. Even though I lead a very busy life, coming home to a clean and organized dorm just takes off some pressure from everyday things.”
Cleaning is not something everyone looks forward to doing but it’s important to get done, at least for the state of our mental health. Having a space that is filled with things we love and is refreshed is important for our studies, sleep, and health. As spring approaches, reorganize and refresh your space!
