By: Olivia Knafla

A common issue with distance learning that I’ve noticed, in both my life and the lives of others, is having a messy room. You would think that since we spend so much time in our rooms now that they would be cleaner, but sometimes the opposite seems to be true.

I believe that having a clean space to work, and think, is a great first step to making distance learning, and homework in general, a bit easier. So, in this article I will be sharing the ways that I have found to be the quickest, and most effective, when it comes to cleaning up my room.

1. Make your bed. Considering your bed is often the focal point of your room, making sure that it looks neat and orderly makes all the difference. Start by taking off your sheets and blankets (and washing them if necessary) and then put them back on in a way that looks organized. After that, add your pillows, or whatever else you like to put on your bed, and your room already looks ten times better.

2. Pick up clothes from off the floor or other surfaces. I can’t speak for everybody, but I know that when my room gets messy, more often than not, there’re clothes all over the floor. If you can relate to that, start by picking up the clothes that you know are dirty and putting them in some sort of pile or bin. When you have enough, you can wash them (and if not, you can at least have them separate from your clean clothes).

After you have picked up your dirty clothes, take your clean clothes and hang them up or fold them (depending on how you organize your clothes). Once your clothes are all put away, you’re ready for the next step.

3. Get rid of food or drinks. If you have snack bags, plates, water bottles, or any other related items piling up in your room, this step is essential. Depending on what you actually have to put away, take care of it appropriately. For example, take old plates and cups to the dishwasher or sink, and take snack bags or leftover foods to either be thrown away or put back in their place.

4. Clean up trash. For all the food wrappers, old papers, napkins, and other disposable items in your room, get yourself a plastic bag, or a garbage bag, and get to work. If you have recyclables in your room as well, separate them from the trash and dispose of them as you normally would once you have collected all of it.

However, don’t get rid of that trash bag just yet. I’ve found that keeping it until you’re sure you’re finished cleaning your room helps avoid extra trips to your nearest trashcan, which means you can clean much more efficiently.

5. Put back misplaced items. Do you have school supplies all over your desk? Do you have random items from around your room scattered across your floor? If that’s the case, now’s the time to put them back in their spots.

Personally, I like to go around my room in quadrants, focusing on one section at a time so that I know everything is cleaned thoroughly. I also find it’s easier for me to focus on one section as opposed to an entire room.

6. Vacuum or sweep the floor. By now you should have your floor cleared enough to be able to clean it, and that’s exactly what you’re going to do. Of course, the way in which you do this will probably differ depending on if you have a hard floors versus carpet, but the idea still remains the same.

Even after picking up and putting away the bigger things, little crumbs or tiny pieces of trash are easy to miss, and on top of that, hard to pick up with your hands. It’s crazy how much of a difference this seemingly little step can make, but I promise that it can make worlds of difference.

7. Wipe down surfaces. You’ve reached the final step! Yay! To finish everything off, take a wet paper towel, or some sort of disinfectant wipe, to clean off the surfaces in your room. This step is especially important in the midst of the pandemic, so make sure that you’re disinfecting your room as regularly as you can manage.

If you want to take it a step further, you could always dust or clean your windows to make your room look that much better. Once you’re satisfied, sit in your room and admire your hard work! Maybe grab a snack or drink some water! You earned it.

This has been my complete guide on cleaning your room quickly and efficiently Of course, everybody’s room or living space is different, but I feel like this is a decent baseline when it comes to organizing your life. Now, go clean get your room cleaned!