Spring cleaning season is here, and it can be tough to get started on a deep clean of any household, dorm or apartment. The Human Interest staff each shares their own tips for a productive spring clean.
“When spring rolls around, I always do a closet clean out,” Gina Napoli, a junior studying journalism, said. “I think this is beneficial for any college student to prepare for the summer because it is a nice reset and creates space. My mom always taught me how important it is to have a few stable pieces in your closet instead of bags of unused clothes.”
“I always make a list of what needs to be done before I start cleaning,” Emma Snyder-Lovera, a senior studying journalism and media arts production, said. “Start with the things that will be the quickest and easiest to do. Having a physical list to cross things off or mark a check box when you finish a task is a great way to feel rewarded and see your progress as it happens. I also think having a high BPM playlist is a great way to get your brain excited about cleaning, even when you don’t particularly like doing it.”
“My spring cleaning tips are to ‘start up high and work your way down,’” Aleni Bender, a sophomore studying communication studies, said. “Whether that be dusting the ceiling fans to cleaning out cabinets, and then sweeping the floors, I typically work from a top-down process. It helps me stay organized when knowing what has been cleaned and what hasn't, and I typically use the same cleaning materials for each section, which keeps me from having excess clutter lying around. Absolutely everything gets wiped down, completely starting fresh for spring. My favorite thing to use is white vinegar. It is the most simple and natural thing you can clean with, and it's also not harmful because you can consume it. I also go through my closet and get rid of things I didn't wear over the winter, that way I know what to buy when next year rolls around. My mom likes our house spotless, so everything I learned is from her.”
“I think spring is the perfect time to clean your windows,” Maria Saunders, a freshman studying journalism, said. “Once the weather is nice enough, you can open all of them and really get into the tracks and the windowsills. While the windows are open, it's also a great time to dust so the rooms can air out instead of all of the air sitting stagnant. After being closed up all winter, it's nice to breathe again. My mom and I love to have the outside air inside the house.”
“I recently started organizing all of my responsibilities the day before, so when I wake up, I'm ready to get started,” Fiona Petticrew, a sophomore studying journalism, said. “I just cleaned my room and desk, which took such a long time, and if I need to clean my room, I schedule an afternoon just for the tasks I need to do, which helps me stay focused for as long as possible. I just learned this through trial and error. I've always been a really messy and unorganized person, and I finally found what works for me most of the time after almost 20 years.”
“My biggest spring-cleaning tip is to put on good music and get a snack,” Liv Jacobs, a freshman studying journalism, said. “Spring cleaning takes a long time, gets boring and even gets repetitive at times. For me, having music in the background keeps me going, and having a snack with me is like a little reward for getting the cleaning done.”
“I have a standard in my apartment informally called the 15-minute rule, where all the mess in my house must be able to be cleaned within 15 minutes,” Maia LeClair, a senior studying journalism, said. “It’s saying that you don’t have to keep a spotless house, and it’s OK to have some dishes in the sink, for example, but not enough where it would take you extremely long to do. This makes it so I clean pretty often, but I’m not overwhelmed with work.”
“My best spring cleaning tip is to start small,” Ethan Herx, a junior studying photojournalism, said. “Instead of tackling your closet, drawers, bigger things like that, start with dusting, cleaning out your photos on your phone, files on your computer, things like that. Cleaning everything seems daunting at first, but when you start with the smaller cleaning tasks that you can do in a little time is a good way to chip away at it.”
“I like airing out my rug while I clean,” Caitlyn Vance, a sophomore studying journalism, said. “My mom taught me to do this. Before I start cleaning, I will hang my rugs outside, and the sun helps kill any bacteria and preserves the longevity of the fabric.”
