4 Easy Ways to Declutter Your Life
It was my freshman year, the spring of 2014.
The weather had finally warmed up and the pretty flowers blossomed. Oh, the abundance of floral patterns made me happy! And everyone was using a word that confused me as an international student. Spring Cleaning. What was that? Almost everywhere I turned, there was someone saying something about “spring cleaning”!
Now four years later, I’ve learned what it means. Decluttering! Or in college terms, simply cleaning up your mess. With downpours and thunderstorms welcoming us yet again to one of my favorite seasons of the year, we’re all in for another annual “spring cleaning” as you call it.
Here are four places that tend to get messy in our lives, plus four easy ways to declutter them this spring!
1.) Your room
I’m so thankful for White Glove.
I understand the struggle to get a clean room is real, but the freshness that comes with it cannot be overemphasized.
Now one of the first places that will get cluttered in the dorm room is my bed—then the rest of my room follows. So when you’re decluttering your room, start with your bed. Make a conscious effort every day to throw away what you don’t need, and put everything else in place. Your roommates will thank you for that.
Keep an extra basket next to your bed or under your bed. You can easily store anything you'd normally put on your bed in the basket, which frees your bed from unnecessary clutter.
Try to start a habit of fixing your bed right after you get out of it in the mornings!
2.) Your wardrobe
This one is personal because clothes are a personal thing.
I know especially for us girls, there are a gazillion colors out there to mix and match. But in Pensacola's bipolar weather, we all know that less can mean more with the weather changing its vibes so often. Think of it this way: if you have fewer clothes, it’ll take less time to decide what you’re wearing each morning. And then you can use those spare minutes to get a little extra sleep.
Take advantage of Pinterest outfit boards. They sure come in handy when you are especially confused about mix and matching colors and patterns. You can still look good with just a few great outfits!
3.) Your bank account
You might be thinking, why do I need to clear the mess in my bank account?
Easy. Because it helps you to save!
The quickest way to decluttering your bank account is putting yourself on a budget. Prioritize your needs from your wants as you spend your money at college. Should you really get Tacos on Tuesday when you need more 3X5 cards? Having a budget will help you make those calls.
Get an app like MINT; it helps you to track your spending. Also, you can use a budgeting template like the one below.
budget credit: http://www.frugalmomeh.com/2016/06/envelope-system.html
4.) Your email
If you’re like me, you’re constantly checking your emails. From work responsibilities to class work—your email app is probably one of the most-used apps on your phone!
Imagine losing a very important email in a haystack of junk mail. Or not knowing about a quiz or an announcement because you lost track of it in a long list of unread mail. Yep, it’s happened to me.
Take some time this spring to create folders for your mail. Organize what’s important, what’s personal, and what’s totally unnecessary. Scroll to the bottom of those ad emails and hit “unsubscribe”. And don’t forget to clear your trash bin!
Can you think of another part of your life that needs to be decluttered? Share it below with a few of your own tips!
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