After the school year finished I had to bring all of my possessions from the dorm back to my house. A nightmarish task that I'm sure most college students have to go through. However, this nightmarish task is doubly nightmarish when you thrive off of organization. I had twice the bedding, twice the decorations, and tons of (probably unnecessary) crap that I brought back that I'll never throw out.
So,it was time to clean.
1. Overzealous planning
Anytime you decide to clean its like a wave of energy washes over you. The enthusiasm to clean sets in and you think, "Why stop at cleaning up? Why not organize all of my possessions? Why not go through all of my high school stuff and get that sorted away? Why not redecorate?" What could've been a simple task is now a week long mission.
2. Procrastinating
Yes, your mission has yet to begin but...maybe go make a snack first. And maybe watch something on Netflix. And call your friends and see if they want to spend the night and make the room even messier. Yeah, that's a good plan.
3. The beginning of actual work
Now, its time to clean. You turn on your music as loud as you can, and get the easy stuff out first. The trash. The bottles of water. Why is their six cups in your room? Oh, there is a chair underneath this pile of clothes? Cool.
4. Finding stuff you thought you had lost forever
Yes, I did find my Twilight Soundtrack CD from middle school. Yes, I then played it and continued to clean.
5. Strolling down memory lane
As you begin to see your floor more clearly, you happen upon relics of the good old days. Pictures of you and your friends in elementary school, notes exchanged that discuss your middle school crush, or a shirt you borrowed in high school but said you lost. Yeah, good times. Unfortunately, an hour has passed and you only got through one drawer. Shit.
6. Taking a snack break
Because you're worth it.
7. A nap
Because you're incorrigible.
8. Realizing It's 1 a.m.
...But you're not going to stop because you have your momentum going! Plus, if you stop now you'll never finish.
9. Brief Epiphanies
Maybe you're considering at this point to relinquish the material world. Do you really need so much stuff? Shouldn't you just give away half of your things to Goodwill and...oh man, that bouncy ball you got in 6th grade. Keeping it.
10. DONE
Now, you can lay on your freshly made bed and look at how pretty your room is when you actually put in effort. For at least a few weeks you'll know where everything is and be able to invite people over without shame. Embrace it. It won't happen again till next year.
