After months of cold weather, spring is finally here. With this change of seasons also comes spring cleaning. For college students in particular, this is a perfect time to tidy up and get organized as we enter the final stretch of the academic year.
Dorm rooms can accumulate mess and clutter quickly, but with the right cleaning plan, anyone can tackle their room’s mess. Here are some ways you can get your room in order ahead of the incoming warm weather.
Designate a weekly cleaning day
Every Sunday night, my roommate and I take some time to clean and organize our room. We were somewhat inspired by trending TikTok videos demonstrating “Sunday resets.” These videos feature people cleaning their dorms, apartments or houses and can actually be pretty motivating.
Sunday nights work for us (and likely many other college students) because it’s a time when our schedules are generally open. By choosing one day to focus on cleaning, you can avoid worrying about cleaning during the other days of the week.
Try to stick to a weekly schedule for cleaning. Roommates can hold each other accountable, or you can even put a weekly reminder to clean in your calendar.
Create a cleaning routine
Once you’ve chosen a day of the week to spend tidying, think about what actually needs to get done during your designated cleaning time. Consider the floors, windows, desks–really anything that may get dirty or cluttered in your dorm.
Personally, my roommate and I take turns using a Swiffer to clean the floors. Then we move on to wiping down our desks and the windows. When we can remember to, we dust the top of our Microfridge and my nightstand. I also like to use disinfectant wipes or spray on surfaces we touch a lot, like the door handle and light switch.
If you live in housing with a bathroom or kitchen, your cleaning routine might look very different from what you’ve been used to from living in a dorm. The work can seem overwhelming, but it can be helpful to split up tasks among suitemates.
Fall into good habits to avoid clutter
It can certainly be distracting and difficult to live in an unorganized, cluttered room. If you’re someone who thrives in a neater environment, it’s important to stay organized. I have a few habits I try to follow to avoid disorganization.
Most of all, I make sure that everything has its place. I have an organizer on my desk that holds sticky notes, tape and other school supplies. I also have a container for my makeup and other products.
With a system like this in place, I don’t have to leave clutter in random places for myself to clean up later. Another habit I follow is to make my bed every day. A made bed provides a surface that can be used for things like folding laundry and it also makes for another place to sit in a small dorm room.
Getting rid of things you don’t use in your dorm can also help cut back on clutter. Spring is the perfect time for a refresh, give away or donate what you don’t need and free up more living space for yourself to enjoy.
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