Spring is a chance to start fresh, and one way to feel like you have renewed your life is to clean and declutter it. It always helps to get started with the simple smaller things, such as cleaning one’s room, and it extends beyond that to bigger changes such as new life habits, and even better sleep when you feel like you have accomplished something and can focus on other areas afterwards when you are no longer worrying about this one. Here are some tips on where to start.

1. Start with a light cleaning, dusting and vacuuming.
2. As you dust, examine the items you encounter and decide if it is junk or a keepsake.
   • Junk- things you keep for practical use “someday,” (someday rarely comes) or valuables that you don’t need but will feel guilty about getting rid of if you do.
     1. Example- the ugly hat your uncle gave you that you are afraid he will want you to wear when he sees you again.
     2. The terrible smelling candle you were given by a friend who has obviously lost their sense of smell.
3. Get rid of all junk.
4. After the light cleaning and examining surface junk, go deep. Dig into your closets, throw away old papers (such as from past school years) that you won’t ever use again, letters that don’t have any meaning and shoes that don’t fit anymore.
5. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit anymore or are wearing out.
6. Rearrange books on any shelves you have. (Make it neat, clean and unique)
7. Wash the walls and clean the corners (cleaning the walls will make your room look fresher and cleaner, and it will reduce allergens.)
8. Wash sheets and pillowcases (routinely it keeps us cleaner to wash once every two weeks, cleaning pillowcases keeps oil and dirt off the face.)
9. Organize.
   • Organize your closets for how you get dressed every morning.
   • Organize and rearrange furniture for a fresh perspective as well as to see if there is any way to open your room spacially.
   • Clean under beds, do laundry and plan out ways to keep your room clean.
10. Try to find ways to keep a routine and minimize the regaining of junk through sticking to your plan.
    • When you get something new you want to keep, get rid of something old, or set an expiration date for things you haven’t used in a while (according to “How to De-Crapify Your Home: A start to finish Guide”.)

Happy Spring Cleaning!