The birds are chirping, and the frigid Indiana snow is melting into cool rain. As the earth sheds its old winter layer and puts on a fresh one full of new growth, we are drawn to do the same.

For those of us who have been confined to a 12 by 12 room for these past seven months, it’s probably about time to give our dorm room a good deep clean. Use an hour of your next free day, put on some of your favorite spring tunes and watch your dorm room transform into a room your mother would be proud of. Here are a few tips to help guide your dorm room deep clean:

 

  1. Clean out your fridge.

Throw out everything that has expired or gone bad. Throw away those old vegetables that you bought in hopes to eat healthy but never did because let’s face it, goldfish and Oreos sounded a lot better at 2 am than carrots. Take everything out and wipe down the shelves and sides with soapy water.

If you refuse to open your fridge because it smells like something died in it, let me tell you, it’s not going to fix itself. Now would be a good time to figure out why that is and make the fridge usable again.

 

  1. Vacuum, sweep or mop your floor.

This is definitely something that is easily overlooked until you lay on the ground to have a good mental breakdown after what feels like an eternity of studying. That’s when you realize just how many hairs and crumbs have been building up. Shake out your rugs outside and sweep your floor. Trust me, it won’t take long, but it will make your room feel much cleaner.

 

  1. Wash your windows and mirrors.

Again, this is one that might not be at the top of your list for cleaning priorities, but it should be done. Handprints and smears probably don’t go with your tapestry and twinkly light dorm room aesthetic, so just borrow some Windex and wipe them down.

 

  1. Clean out your closet.

There are definitely some clothes in your small closet that you haven’t worn in months. For example, get rid of those jeans you brought to college that no longer fit after one too many second dinners from the HUB and all-you-can-eat ice cream from the DC. Or that shirt that looks great on the hanger but never quite makes if off that hanger; give it away. You can always donate clothes to a local thrift shop or just have a clothing swap with your friends.

 

Picture from: https://blog.bestbuy.ca/appliances/small-appliances/deep-clean-spring-cleaning-tips