1- Declutter:
Decluttering preps your room and allows you to physically clear out the old season.
“I like to organize and get rid of things I don’t really use anymore because it makes more room for new things, … makes my room look nicer and gives me more space,” said junior Cadence Ayers.
Follow the KonMari Method, created by Marie Kondo, a Japanese professional organizer and consultant. She preaches “Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service – then let them go,” and recommends following these steps:
1. Discard all items you can to allow you to put your energy into finding the things that bring you joy.
2. Tidy by category, not location “clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items) and then sentimental items.” Your decision making skills are strengthened with this which helps in the process.
3. Ask yourself if the item “sparks joy.”
2- Organize:
Organization is the final step in the decluttering process. Organize your things in a way that makes sense to you, but for instance, with clothes, you may want to organize them in your closet or dresser by color, bulkiness, sleeve length, or material (regular, athletic, seasonal).
Invest in organization dividers, racks, or bins to create more storage for yourself. These can be used in closets, dresser drawers, or under beds.
Make a habit to tidy every day when you get home to preserve the hard work you put into organizing.
Make a daily to-do list for yourself to stay productive. For instance, work to make your bed every morning as it creates a calm atmosphere that encourages you two keep your space clean.
“I make my bed every day to feel complete once I leave the house for school. It improves my mental health and makes me feel less scrabbled once I get home from school,” said sophomore Ariana Rivera.
Overall, organization is a good to keep up as it benefits you even after your spring clean.
3- Clean:
Deep cleaning your room is the last step in the spring cleaning process.
“I like cleaning my room because I feel like my room represents me so I like to keep it clean and it makes me feel very put together,” said sophomore Fiker Shewangizaw.
Begin by stripping your bed, taking down your curtains, if you have any, and launder these. Plan on switching out your warmer winter sheets for lighter spring bedding.
Dust everything, using a damp cloth, and wipe down all of your furniture, including dressers, bed frames, windows, ceiling fans and nightstands. Sweep, vacuum and mop your floor.
Push all your furniture to the center of your room and freshen your mattress by vacuuming it, and deodorizing for example with a water and vinegar solution, or baking soda.
Before moving your furniture back to its place, dust, sweep, vacuum and mop the corners of your room and baseboards. Finish by wiping down all surfaces with disinfectant wipes.
“It’s really important to disinfect your room because it can kill germs and prevent you from becoming sick,” said Shewangizaw.
