OK so if you're like me, and pretty much every other girl in the world, you probably have way too much stuff in your room. Too many clothes, too much makeup, too many shoes, etc. And chances are, you probably don't even realize what all you have because it's in places where you can't see it like drawers and closets.
I've spent the last week packing up my room for college, and since I've pretty much finished the process of packing up my room -- with the exception of fitting it in the car -- I thought it'd be a good topic to write about this week! So without further ado, here's my list for the most efficient ways to clean out your room and pack for college.
1. Start with washing all your clothes.
OK, so this sounds weird, but we all know we're guilty of having a "mountain of clothes" or piling clothes on "the chair." Once you get these out of your room, you'll have more room to move around. Plus, washing them now will help you later when you decide to keep, sell, or donate them. Either way they'll need to be washed! Which brings me to my next point...
2. Sort your clothes.
Ideally, if you have an empty room in your house or a guest bedroom nobody's using, put your clothes in there and start sorting them. Create a pile of the ones you want to keep and a different one for the ones you want to donate. Be honest with yourself and don't keep something you haven't worn in the past year -- all it's doing is taking up space (something very precious when living in a college dorm)!
3. Create a memory box.
If you don't have one already, I highly recommend creating a memory box for all your childhood keepsakes! Clear out some space in your closet and store it there, or in the attic if you have one. Memory boxes are great because you can keep sweet cards your received, pictures, and more without worrying about losing them or them getting damaged.
4. Clean out the drawers in your room.
Get a garbage bag and start tossing old makeup, pens, papers, whatever you find that you don't use. Then, if they're already somewhat organized, just straighten up what's in the drawers. If they're completely unorganized (like mine were), empty all the drawers onto the floor and start sorting! Designate drawers for certain items.
5. Organize your shoes.
Just like the clothes, create two separate piles for the shoes you want to keep and the ones you don't. From there, determine how to organize them. For me, I'm lucky enough to have another smaller closet in addition to my regular closet, so I keep my shoes in there. But since I'm going off to college, I'll be putting them on a shoe rack instead.
6. Put the clothes you want to keep back in your room.
Store them in some empty drawers or hang them in the closet. Or, if you're like me and leaving soon, go ahead and pack them. It also helps to have them sorted by item -- tanks together, t-shirts together, etc. And if you're cleaning out your room because you're moving out of it...
7. Take all the items you're packing into the extra room.
Start putting them in boxes/suitcases and keep a list to know what you've already packed! Keep a few things out that you'll need between now and the time you leave, but don't forget to pack them!
Spending one day working hard on cleaning out your room is so rewarding! Of course, once it's clean, try your best to keep it that way! Maybe designate one day a week to do a quick sweep through and check to make sure everything is still organized.
