After three snow days, sunshine and clear skies feel like a foreign concept to us. Spring is just around the corner and with blue skies on their way, we are beginning to realize how cluttered our lives have become throughout the winter. If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t done your laundry in months and have stacks of unfinished projects piling up in your room. With a new season should come a new you.

Winter is a prime time for individuals to put things off. We’re cooped up inside, hiding from the frightful weather and whether it be academics or complications in our social life, we tend to get lazy and procrastinate until it actually becomes a problem. Also with so many holidays during fall and winter, it’s difficult not to put on weight, only adding to our already long list of worries. So now is a great chance to get a head start on all the matters we’ve been putting off.

Initially you should start the de-clusterization with your room. A clean workspace is always nice to have and takes one more thing off of your plate. Also, whenever organizing my room I always seem to find hidden treasures or lost necessities that had me mourning for weeks. Considering we spend a large portion of our time in our rooms, we should strive for a well-kept area.

Next take inventory. Look through your clothes, dressers, bookcases and even your car for any opportunities to get rid of unnecessary items. Hoarding old sweaters or a book you used in sixth-grade for your choice read only gathers dust and adds clutter to your life. Clothing has always been a difficult accessory for me to let go of so I follow one simple rule: “if you don’t wear it, throw it out.” It’s also a good idea to look for appliances or possessions you can replace, whether it be a new iPhone charger or a whole new, spring wardrobe.

Furthermore, spring cleaning shouldn’t consist of purely tangible items, keeping your social life tidy is also a strategic tactic when turning over a new leaf for the new season. Start by deleting any social media accounts you don’t use anymore, this includes FaceBook, MySpace and even Instagram if your last post was more than a year ago. In addition, now’s the time to catch up with some old friends. With spring break around the corner this is the perfect chance to get together with any friends who go to another school or individuals you haven’t seen in awhile.

By cleaning out the clutter in your life you not only encourage others to follow in your footsteps but also wipe off your plate, giving yourself a stress-free start into spring.