How to Keep a Dorm Room Clean

Photo credit to flutterbright.

While expensive coffee cup metal wall art or outdoor wall decorations are neither needed nor desired in a dorm room, keeping them neat and orderly is crucial. Especially since dorm rooms are small and often shared by more than one person, finding ways to keep everything organized and clean is important. By following a few simple tips, it can be easy to not only stay organized, but clean the room quickly and efficiently when needed.

Use Storage Space Efficiently

Efficient use of storage within the room makes staying clean and organized much easier. Using baskets and bins for storing small items not only will make finding items easier, but it will also reduce the amount of visual clutter within the room. Utilize every corner of space for storage, including using hooks and racks on the backs of doors. Furniture items that provide hidden storage such as a foot stool with a removable lid or a bed with drawers underneath are always a good choice.

Daily Pickup Techniques to Avoid Weekly Cleaning Day

Even if you have good storage techniques in your dorm room, things can still get messy. Students are often extremely busy, but setting a few minutes aside every day to pick up small messes can avoid the need for a dedicated cleaning day at the end of the week. Simply putting items away as they are used, or washing a dish as soon as you use it can help keep small messes from developing into an all-day cleaning session. Making the bed as soon as you get up will also help keep the room looking neat and orderly. Use a comforter on the bed to make it easy to make the bed quickly and get on your way.

Photo credit to dborman2.

Keep Trash Under Control

Trash can build up quickly in a dorm room. Get in the habit of taking the trash out on a daily basis, if there is a central location in the dorm building for dumping. Don't let that late-night pizza box stick around for days. Use plenty of trash cans around the room, placing them in locations where trash tends to accumulate, such as beside the desk. Then, once a day grab a trash bag, dump all the trash cans, and get the mess out of the room.

Laundry Organization Techniques

Don't just toss dirty clothing on the floor. Instead, use a portable laundry hamper that will let you stash your dirty clothing and easily carry it to the laundry room. Find a small basket that can be hooked over the edge of your laundry hamper to make it easy to carry your laundry supplies with you when laundry day arrives. You should also put your clothes away immediately after washing them, instead of letting stacks of clothes sit around the room. Not only will this keep the room looking neat, but it will also prevent your clean clothes from getting crumpled or dirty.

Everyday Cleaning Techniques

Keep a broom or stick vacuum handy to clean up floor messes as soon as they happen. A bottle of spray cleaner and a roll of paper towels should always be nearby, or use a canister of cleaning wipes. Keeping surfaces wiped clean and the floor swept will go a long way towards keeping a dorm room clean.