Before I left for college, I didn't care if my room was clean or not. I never folded my laundry, I left clothes on the floor sometimes, and I would go a few days (or more) without making my bed. Of course I was not a slob, but I definitely was not tidy. However, after a few weeks living with three other girls in a fairly small dorm room, I had to adjust to cleaning nearly everyday.
One important thing you learn in college is how to live and co-exist with other people. The truth is, dorm rooms do not stay clean for long. You and your roommate will be on different schedules. You will leave homework scattered around the room, you will wake up late one morning and leave your makeup on the bathroom counter, and you certainly will not always have time to make your bed. However, here are some tips to keep your dorm room as clean as possible.
1. Do your dishes
Unlike a lot of dorm rooms, mine has a kitchenette. This means my three roommates and I produce a lot of dirty dishes very quickly. Just do your dishes. It takes ten minutes out of your day and you will feel so much better after you do it.
2. Keep up with your laundry
Doing laundry in college is trickier than you would think. There are usually hundreds of students living in residence halls and there are about fifteen washing machines to divide between you. Sometimes I do my laundry at 8 A.M. Sometimes I do my laundry at 2 A.M. I just try to do it once a week.
3. Don't leave your clothes on the floor
Leaving your clothes on the floor is fine when you're at home, but when you're sharing a small space with another person, they probably do not want to trip over the sweater you wore three days ago when they wake up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Just be considerate and put your clothes in your hamper.
4. Wipe things down
This sounds like a given, but it's very easy to get caught up in school and forget to wipe down your desk and bathroom counter every once in a while. Just remember to occasionally Lysol the surfaces in your room.
5. Leave time on the weekends to clean
All of the deep cleanings that occurs in my dorm usually occurs on the weekends. On Sundays I usually reserve an hour or two just to vacuum, mop, sweep, and clean my bathroom. This gives me a fresh start to my week, and it helps me feel productive on my day off.
Most importantly, be considerate to your roommates. No one wants to live with a slob.
