Spring is here…finally. And while spring is a happy, warm time, there is a certain not-so-happy activity that must be done, and must be done inside: spring-cleaning. Everyone dreads cleaning; I know I do more than anything. But I recently cleaned by room and it was honestly one of the best things I could have done for myself. I know cleaning can be horrible, but spring-cleaning is necessary, and the benefits from it greatly out way the negatives.

It is time to clean up your dorm room, or your apartment, or your house, but lets at least try and make it fun. Draw back the curtains, open the window, blast some tunes and just do it. It’s more than half way through the semester, and you need an extra something to get you through the last few weeks of school and of course, finals. Throw out your garbage, do your laundry, vacuum your floor, make your bed, clean your sheets and I promise, you’ll get through, easily.

The best part about cleaning is how productive you feel doing it. Unlike learning information for your classes, it is something you can physically see yourself succeeding in. You start with a messy room, put it effort, end with a clean room—simple as that. There is a huge change from beginning to end and it is something you accomplished completely on your own. Seeing a psychical manifestation of your effort feels amazing, so just do it.

Cleaning your room is cathartic. Taking a break from all your stress to focus on one specific space is necessary in the midst of off the stress from the end of the semester. Cleaning provides a break from all of that stress. It is very therapeutic.

Another reason for cleaning your room entirely deals with your mental success. The cleaner your room is, the less cluttered your mind is. Without garbage and dirty clothes lying around your room, you will be able to concentrate much more easily. And this goes without saying but your desk should not be excluded from spring-cleaning—you need a clean space to work. This is definitely necessary before finals when the library is super packed and you may be forced to study in your room. Having to study in a cluttered place is detrimental to your concentration. It is necessary for your room, and desk, to be clean places where you can get the least distracted.

There are only a few more weeks of school left—we are so close. With classes getting boring at this point, another reason to clean is just to change things up a bit. Cleaning your room will make it feel so much bigger—no clothing on the floor, no books covering your desk and no empty food rappers sprawled everywhere. By the end of the cleaning marathon your room will have grown a few feet from each side. And if you have your own room, and not a dorm room, maybe even move some furniture around and get a new perspective—get creative.

Spring-cleaning is also the perfect time to dispose of things that you know longer need. For starters: throw stuff out that you don’t need. Go through your fridge, throw out old food, molding fruit, expired milk, etc. Go through your desk and throw out old class notes, pens without ink, scrap paper, etc. Throw out empty items of make up, empty face wash bottles and empty shampoo and conditioner containers.

Spring-cleaning is also a time for organization. If you want to get a little crazy, go through all of your clothes and fold them, hang up all the shirts, pants and dresses that should be hung, and organize your shoes on the bottom of your closet so they aren’t one big, lopsided pile where its hard to find matching shoes. And if you want to get EVEN CRAZIER, if while going through your clothes, you find some that you never wear or have just outgrown, give those clothes away! Your drawers will be less cluttered and future you will thank you for it.

After you finish cleaning your room, you will feel amazing—you have done the impossible. And to reward yourself with a job well done treat yourself to something that will relax you! Spend an hour outside listening to music, not looking at books. Spend a night watching How I Met Your Mother. Go to your favorite restaurant and get your favorite meal. Or buy yourself the new pair of shoes you have been wanting! (As long as they don’t corrupt the new found organization of your closet)