Spring is here! This means beautiful warm weather, spending more time outside and wanting to feel refreshed from that brutal winter hibernation. As strange as it may seem, cleaning is what comes to mind for many people in spring. As fresh air enters through our open windows, we want our rooms to feel the same way. Everyone has their own way of spring cleaning. This can range from buying plants for their space, to organizing their entire closet.

Some are eager for the coming months. Heather Hayton, an English professor at Guilford, says that she has “ hope and excitement that my world is ‘right,’ at the end of a long winter. February feels like it lasts forever – and I need to banish gloom by this point in the year. So deep cleaning my house and desk really helps in March each year. For some reason, the ritual of cleaning feels like welcoming spring and sunshine and happiness”. 

For Hayton, spring cleaning is a “ritual” that includes “mopping, cleaning windows, (and) sanitizing everything with a lemony-smelling product.”

Maren Lamb, a first-year at Guilford, finds herself thinking of spring cleaning in a similar manner as Hayton. 

“(I don’t) do spring cleaning,” Lamb said. “But funny enough, I just did a deep clean of my mini-fridge, so maybe I was doing that unconsciously!”

In order to prepare for spring and summer, we clean to our heart’s content. The feeling of getting rid of the dust that has gathered all over our living spaces during the winter is akin to an ice-cold glass of lemonade. However, aside from the daily cleaning of dishes and vacuuming, what should one do to clean when winter has passed? 

Most can think about at least one specific area of the home that needs to be cleaned, but it is all too easy to overlook. The solution: GoodHousekeeping.com. The website suggests areas such as the windows, kitchen sink, microwave, countertops, kitchen cabinets, junk drawers and so much more. 

Lamb provided her tips for clearing out the clutter and making space for clothes in warmer months. 

“I find organizing a lot easier when I find all of the stuff I have (that is) useful (or) necessary,” she said. “It’s good to get rid of items you find taking up dead weight in your space; I usually look at the clothes in my closet this way every six months or so. It makes it so much easier to organize after that.” 

Clearing out working spaces is very important to college students, especially as the twelve-week session nears its end and three-week intensive courses are around the corner. Junior Eva Hart has a more optimistic view on spring cleaning. 

“I like to create a space that allows me to think about unlimited possibilities,” she said. “I like to have things around me that remind me about all of the positives in life and of all the good things that have yet to come.” 

Spring cleaning has the potential to be a self-rewarding and self-satisfying activity for one to revitalize themselves and their space. For Hayton, spring cleaning is more of a “mental and emotional process” than a house chore.