Buzz
Cleaning your room might feel like a daunting task, but it’s often simpler and faster than you imagine! Play some music, make a checklist, reward yourself, and turn the chore into a game to stay motivated. Tackle the big tasks first, then deep clean by dusting, wiping, and vacuuming every surface. Before you know it, your bedroom will be spotless!
Steps
Stay Motivated
Play music to boost your energy. Before starting, put on an album or playlist that energizes you. Upbeat music will keep you motivated while cleaning. Avoid slow, sad songs that might make you feel tired or unmotivated.
Tip: If you're unsure what music to listen to, search for an energetic playlist online. Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora offer fantastic motivational playlists to keep you inspired.
Come up with a reward to motivate yourself to finish the task. This extra incentive can help you work faster. Think about how you’ll treat yourself once the cleaning is done. Maybe you’d like to hang out with friends, watch a movie with family, enjoy a big bowl of ice cream, or dive into your favorite book.
- Remember not to rush through the task just to get the reward!
Turn cleaning your room into a game if you need extra motivation. If you’re struggling to find the drive to clean, make the task more enjoyable by playing a game. See how much you can tidy up in 10 minutes, then try to beat your record. Another idea is to pretend you’re a robot, mimicking robotic movements and sounds while cleaning. Alternatively, set a timer and challenge yourself to finish as quickly as possible.
- Get creative and come up with your own games!
Tip: Start dusting from the highest surfaces and work your way down to lower ones; this will help you finish faster and avoid repeating the same tasks.
Create a checklist of different tasks to track your cleaning progress. This list will give you a sense of accomplishment and progress as you tackle the mess. Decide what you want to organize and clean, then prioritize the tasks from most to least important. Try to be as detailed as possible so you don’t miss anything.
- Check off completed tasks to easily see what’s left to do.
Plan out tasks for the entire week to make them more manageable. This is a great option if you have a lot to clean. Write down when you’ll complete each task to stick to your schedule. Try to follow the plan as closely as possible.
Example: Schedule cleaning your closet on Monday; decluttering and organizing on Tuesday; and dusting and vacuuming on Wednesday.
Tackle the Main Tasks
Move everything off your bed and make your bed. A neatly made bed makes your room look much cleaner and gives you a sense of accomplishment to start. Place all items from your bed in another spot in the room. Straighten the sheets and blankets, smooth out the bedspread, and arrange the pillows at the head of the bed.
- If you haven’t changed your sheets recently, toss them in the laundry and replace them with fresh ones. Your bed will be spotless and smell great.
Pick up clothes scattered on the floor. Check each item to see if it’s clean or dirty. If you’re unsure, assume it’s dirty! Fold clean clothes and put them in the closet or hang them up, and toss dirty clothes into the laundry basket.
- It’s better to rewash clean clothes than to wear dirty ones. Treat everything on the floor as dirty unless you’re absolutely sure it’s clean.
Tip: Don’t rush to start the laundry until you’ve finished cleaning. You might find a dirty sock somewhere that needs washing!
Take dirty dishes to the kitchen. This prevents unpleasant odors and keeps ants and other pests out of your room. Gather all cups, plates, and utensils and move them to the kitchen. Dispose of any opened wrappers still lying around.
- Check under the bed, on shelves, desks, and nightstand drawers for dirty dishes and discarded wrappers.
Throw away items you no longer need. This is a great way to free up space and eliminate clutter. Sort through everything on furniture surfaces and the floor to decide what to discard. Look for trash like food wrappers, apple cores, scrap paper, broken items, and unused belongings.
- Donate good-quality items you no longer want to a charity shop.
- Place old paper and cardboard in a separate bag for recycling.
Organize Items in the Room
Return items to their proper places. Start with larger items like books and pillows, then move on to smaller things like pens and stationery. Find a spot for everything on surfaces, desks, floors, and nightstands.
- Avoid getting distracted by the items you’re organizing, or the cleaning process will take much longer.
Store items without a fixed place in boxes. This is a simple way to organize your room and make it easier to find things when needed. Put all stationery in one box, cosmetics in another, and photos, crafts, and other small items in separate boxes. Label each box and store them in accessible places so you can easily find and retrieve items.
- Place these boxes on shelves, under the bed, in the closet, or on your desk.
Display a few meaningful items that are special to you. This is a great way to personalize your room. If you find a cute decoration or unique item while cleaning, place it on your desk, shelf, or nightstand as a focal point. Limit the number of items on each surface to avoid clutter.
- Displaying decorations helps keep your room tidy, as you’ll want to put misplaced items back. Plus, it’s easier to clean surfaces without too many items in the way.
Example: You could display a soccer trophy on your desk and a favorite photo on your shelf.
Donate books, clothes, or toys you no longer use. This is a great way to declutter and make space for items you love. Look at each item and consider whether you’ve used it in the past year. If it’s something you haven’t used in a long time and it holds no sentimental value, consider donating it to a charity shop.
- Remember to ask your parents before donating.
Clean Surfaces in the Room
Dust all furniture surfaces in the room. Use a duster to clean dust off tables, cabinets, bookshelves, window blinds, fans, lights, and other surfaces. Always dust from top to bottom to prevent dust from settling on already cleaned areas. Dust furniture before sweeping or vacuuming the floor, as dust tends to fall onto the floor.
Clean off stubborn stains and sticky residues. Food stains can attract ants and damage furniture. Spray a cleaning solution on surfaces and wipe with a cloth. Microfiber cloths are ideal as they effectively remove various stains. Clean tables, wardrobes, nightstands, window sills, baseboards, decorations, and all room surfaces at least once a week.
Sweep or vacuum the floor, especially under beds and tables. These areas are often overlooked during quick cleanups, so ensure thorough vacuuming. Move furniture if necessary for easier access. Push the vacuum back and forth across the floor until the carpet is spotless.
Tip: If your carpet has an odd smell, sprinkle carpet deodorizer or baking soda before vacuuming to restore its freshness.
Sweep and mop the floor if it’s washable. Use a broom to sweep the floor, gather debris into a pile, and dispose of it with a dustpan. After sweeping, dip a mop into soapy water and clean the entire floor. Rinse the mop frequently to avoid leaving streaks.
Disinfect light switches and door handles with antibacterial spray. These are the most frequently touched areas in a room, making them hotspots for bacteria. Spray a household disinfectant on switches and handles, then wipe clean with a cloth or paper towel.
Use glass cleaner to wipe mirrors and windows. Spray glass cleaner on all mirror and window surfaces, then wipe clean with a cloth. Continue until no streaks remain, leaving your mirrors and windows sparkling.
