Clear Space, Clear Mind: Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks!

Dishes piling up? Laundry taking over the space? Trust me, I relate a bit too much for my own comfort. With the amount of exams, assignments, and other responsibilities we have as students, sometimes our space can get a little cluttered alongside our minds. All of a sudden, used cups are sitting in the bathroom (who knows how they got there), snack wrappers trail your path, and worn clothes seem to be the hottest new decor (don’t worry, we’re ahead of the game–the world just doesn’t know it yet). 

As much as I try to avoid this every single term, it always ends up happening at one point or another. And you know what? That’s okay! I used to feel ashamed but life can get busy, and that can be reflected in our spaces. Sometimes, we just need a fresh start!

As someone that gets easily bored, something I like to do to add a little bit of spice in my routine is pretend I’m in a video game! And not just the same video game every time–I like to mix it up. One day, I’ll be in the Sims 4 with the “Neat” lifestyle trait. Other days I’ll be taking those often tedious but necessary side quests to max out my stats. It’s quite a literal way of making a game out of cleaning! Not a fan of video games? Not to worry! Sometimes I’ll take inspiration from the show I’m watching and channel some of my favourite characters instead.

If that doesn’t work, putting on a personalized “cleaning” playlist might help too. There always seems to be a certain refreshing feeling after getting a handle on that clutter. Although it can be taxing work, sometimes I find myself actually enjoying it as I bop to my favourite songs. It quite literally gets me in the groove, like one of those upbeat montages in films. As a result, cleaning days can end up being something to look forward to. While it’s still a chore, I like to think of it as a chance to listen to that one new album, or alternatively, catch up on a show or podcast!

Don’t have the energy to do a full deep clean? While it’s good to tackle any urgent tasks, focusing on the smaller things can go a long way and help to get everything started. This can be things like decluttering surfaces, wiping down countertops, sweeping the floor: things that tend to be overlooked in our day-to-day life. While they may seem small, it can really help tie the space together.

One thing I like to do is pick focus points. For example, say my trash bags are filling up – do I have any wrappers, tissues, etc in my room that I haven’t tossed yet? Most likely yes, so I gather it up then take it all out at the end! That way, not only can that first chore be checked off the list, but my room is a little less cluttered too. 

Sometimes, we don’t have the capacity to worry about the fine details and only tackle the more obvious tasks. While those are great to take care of, it usually results in neglecting other just as important things!

Some examples include:

• Cleaning small appliances like remote controls, toasters, coffeemakers…
• Dusting obscure places (eg. the refrigerator coils)
• Cleaning under spaces like beneath the bed
• Wiping down handles, doorknobs, light switches – anything our hands frequently touch (yes, including phones)

These help not only with hygiene, but also maintaining devices/appliances.